Search results for " Circular"

Alkali-activated mortars for sustainable construction material: effects of binder-to-aggregate ratio and curing conditions

2019

Valorisation and reuse of industrial wastes has become a worldwide compelling topic to improve the sustainability of processes and materials. This paper discusses an alternative way to recycle the biomass fly ash, generated by the kraft pulp industry, to manufacture novel geopolymeric mortars intended for applications in construction. Biomass fly ash was used as a raw material, in partial substitution of the commonly used metakaolin, natural siliceous sand as aggregate. The followed manufacture process is highly simple and reproducible. Various proportions binder to aggregate were tested to study the effect on the final mortars properties. The mortars mechanical resistance was also studied …

ALKALI-ACTIVATED MORTARS FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL: EFFECTS OF BINDER-TO- AGGREGATE RATIO AND CURING CONDITION

2019

Valorisation and reuse of industrial wastes has become a worldwide compelling topic to improve the sustainability of processes and materials. This paper discusses an alternative way to recycle the biomass fly ash, generated by the kraft pulp industry, to manufacture novel geopolymeric mortars intended for applications in construction. Biomass fly ash was used as a raw material, in partial substitution of the commonly used metakaolin, natural siliceous sand as aggregate. The followed manufacture process is highly simple and reproducible. Various proportions binder to aggregate were tested to study the effect on the final mortars properties. The mortars mechanical resistance was also studied …

Protective Effects of L- and D-Carnosine on R-Crystallin Amyloid Fibril Formation: Implications for Cataract Disease

2009

Mildly denaturing conditions induce bovine ?-crystallin, the major structural lens protein, to self-assemble into fibrillar structures in vitro. The natural dipeptide L-carnosine has been shown to have potential protective and therapeutic significance in many diseases. Carnosine derivatives have been proposed as potent agents for ophthalmic therapies of senile cataracts and diabetic ocular complications. Here we report the inhibitory effect induced by the peptide (L- and D-enantiomeric form) on ?-crystallin fibrillation and the almost complete restoration of the chaperone activity lost after denaturant and/or heat stress. Scanning force microscopy (SFM), thioflavin T, and a turbidimetry ass…

Structure and Microscopic Magnetism of Epitaxial Ni-Mn-Ga Films

2012

We report on the structural and magnetic properties of epitaxial thin films of the ferromagnetic shape memory material Ni–Mn–Ga prepared by DC magnetron sputter deposition. Different substrate materials, i.e., MgO(100) and Al2O3(11−20) allow for a tailored epitaxial growth. Using a sacrificial chromium buffer layer freestanding epitaxial films are obtained. In combination with photolithography partially freestanding structures such as microbridges are fabricated. The complex martensite crystal structure in substrate-constrained and freestanding films is studied by means of X-ray diffraction. The identified asymmetric twin variant configuration is associated with a macroscopic surface patter…

AMYLOID AGGREGATION IN CONCANAVALIN A AT HIGH PH STUDIED BY LIGHT SCATTERING, FLUORESCENCE AND CIRCULAR DICHROISM SPECTROSCOPY

2008

The frontier between cell and organelle: genome analysis of Candidatus Carsonella ruddii

2007

Background Bacterial symbioses are widespread among insects. The early establishment of such symbiotic associations has probably been one of the key factors for the evolutionary success of insects, since it may have allowed access to novel ecological niches and to new imbalanced food resources, such as plant sap or blood. Several genomes of bacterial endosymbionts of different insect species have been recently sequenced, and their biology has been extensively studied. Recently, the complete genome sequence of Candidatus Carsonella ruddii, considered the primary endosymbiont of the psyllid Pachpsylla venusta, has been published. This genome consists of a circular chromosome of 159,662 bp and…

A feasibility study of table salt production from seawater reverse osmosis brine

2022

Design e ficodindia : per uno sviluppo locale sostenibile

2017

L’articolo descrive il rapporto tra il design e un prodotto dell’agroalimentare siciliano, il ficodindia di Roccapalumba, per uno sviluppo economico e territoriale nel rispetto dell’ambiente. A tal fine il ficodindia è considerato risorsa in grado di avviare delle innovazioni, come la valorizzazione degli scarti e la relazione tra gli attori locali. Nell’articolo, per generare una seconda vita agli scarti, si è studiato il ciclo di vita del ficodindia e tra i vari output si è considerato la potatura dei cladodi da cui si è ricavato una fibra, utilizzata in modo innovativo e secondo una visione locale, puntando sul patrimonio culturale e sulle tradizioni. The article describes the relationsh…

Design and Agrifood for new sustainable local development

2019

This paper is about the relationship between design and the prickly pear of Roccapalumba (Sicily), a product of the agrifood chain, considering it as a resource able to start innovative strategies for waste recycling and for a sustainable local economy. The study examines the entire life cycle of prickly pear and, among the various outputs, considers the cladodes to obtain cellulosic fibres, mucilage for cosmetics and for restoration of cultural heritage, the flowers for infusions and the fruit seeds for an oil with nutraceutical properties to generate a second life of the prickly pear. This will lead to economic and environmental benefits in the territory, creating a network of companies w…

Silver based sensors from CD for chloride ions detection

2021

This preliminary work shows a new and innovative way to produce silver based electrodes from compact discs and its application towards the detection of chloride ions. A complete sensor was obtained from the compact discs with working, reference and counter electrode made of silver. Chloride ions were detected by exploiting the high affinity of silver with this anion to produce silver chloride. This electrochemical oxidation of silver can be monitored by using an electrochemical technique such as linear scan voltammetry. Indeed, during linear scan voltammetry the oxidation of silver to silver chloride lead to a peak current that increases linearly with chloride concentration. Using this tech…