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Lithium aluminum hydrides are promising hydrogen storage materials due to their high hydrogen storage density. Hydrolysis of LiAlH 4 is an ideal path to reach the operating temperature (−40/60 °C) target released by department of energy without extra heating processes. Ethylene glycol is a common antifreeze agent ingredient for low temperature reactions. However, the reaction features of ethylene glycol with LiAlH 4 are still unknown. Here, the reaction behaviors of ethylene glycol with LiAlH 4 have been studied. The reaction of LiAlH 4 powder with ethylene glycol has been found to be hindered by the thin layer alcoholysis products on the surface. The alcoholysis products have been found to be easily react with water to yield Li–Al layered double hydroxides. The alcoholysis products have been demonstrated to be Li–Al double layered alcoholates, which is analogous to Li–Al layered double hydroxides. The ethylene glycol groups in the alcoholysis products are easily substituted by –OH in the presence of water. Thus, only water is consumed from the antifreeze agents for low temperature hydrogen release. [Display omitted] • The alcoholysis reaction of LiAlH 4 powder with ethylene glycol was hindered by the passivation product layer. • The alcoholysis products have a layered structure with the basal lattice parameter of about 8.37 Å. • The formation of layered structure followed the 2D diffusion-controlled and deceleratory nucleation mechanism. • Protonation made ethylene glycol moieties in alcoholysis products easily substituted by –OH in water. • Water will be the only consumed agent in the reaction of LiAlH 4 with antifreeze agents at low-temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effect of induced electric field (IEF) treatment on acid hydrolysis of corn starch by altering the connection modes of sample coils of a 4-reactor IEF system. Results suggested that IEF treatment could enhance the hydrolysis of corn starch and series connection (1. RRRR, η = 16 E Si 2 P in 4 Z Si + Z load ) exhibited higher energy efficiency than parallel (9. (RRRR), η = 4 E Si 2 P in Z Si + 4 Z load ), thus contributing to more extensive hydrolysis. Although no new functional group was formed, the starch granules were partially cracked into pieces and the crystallinity was slightly increased after IEF-assisted hydrolysis. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that IEF-assisted hydrolysis increased the gelatinization temperatures but decreased the enthalpy of starch, with a greatest variation was observed by series connection. Rapid visco-analysis showed that IEF-assisted hydrolysis greatly decreased the pasting viscosity of corn starch and also series connection showed the strongest reduction. The obtained results could provide a theoretical guide for the applications of IEF technology in biomaterial processing. [Display omitted] • Induced electric field (IEF) could enhance the acid hydrolysis of corn starch. • IEF-assisted hydrolysis highly depends on the energy efficiency of IEF system. • Series connection of IEF reactors showed the highest energy efficiency. • IEF-assisted hydrolysis largely decreased the pasting viscosity of corn starch. • IEF-assisted hydrolysis increased gelatinization temperatures but decreased enthalpy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a multistage induced electric field (IEF) combined with a continuous-flow reactor was utilized to assist the acid hydrolysis of corn, potato, and waxy corn starch for avoiding plate corrosion and heavy metal leakage. It was found that adding IEF stages was beneficial to improve the hydrolysis efficiency. Treating potato, corn, and waxy corn starch via continuous-flow IEF increased the reducing sugar contents up to 78.76 %, 57.86 %, and 66.18 %, respectively. The electrical conductivity of starch grew with the reaction stages, while starch yield demonstrated the opposite trend. Treated starch had higher solubility and gelatinization peak temperature than native starch, with the gelatinization enthalpy showing fluctuations. Meanwhile, the swelling power decreased as the number of IEF stages was increased. Observations of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy indicated that the treated starch became more ordered, and crystalline regions were destroyed to various degrees with pores forming on particle surfaces. These variations could be attributed to acid hydrolysis and IEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, new snacks using alternative raw materials and ingredients are the critical driving forces for the snack food industry development. Wheat is an abundant cereal resource with the potential for chips making. In the present study, protease-treated wheat flour improved the quality of wheat chips by weakening the gluten strength of dough and reducing the chips' hardness from 6019 ± 306 N to 785 ± 200 N. The optimal enzymatic hydrolysis parameters were established as 1.44 × 104 U bromelain/100 g flour at 50 °C for 60 min. Bromelain significantly reduced the polymeric proteins content (from 15.81 ± 0.52% to 0.82 ± 0.03%) and glutenin macropolymer (GMP, from 14.95 ± 0.23% to 2.06 ± 0.05%), swelling power, gelatinization enthalpy (from 8.82 ± 0.39 to 7.31 ± 0.27 J/g), and viscosities, but increased the solubility (from 3.9 ± 0.1% to 12.8 ± 0.7%) of wheat flour. Moreover, protease hydrolysis significantly decreased the elastic modulus and viscous modulus (P < 0.05); values and the gluten network in the protease-treated dough showed different degradation degrees. The reconstituted wheat chips proved that GMP was the main factor affecting the chip hardness. The present study suggests that protease hydrolysis, especially bromelain, has great potential as a flour modification technology for producing baked wheat chips. • Wheat flour treated with protease improved the quality of wheat chips. • The optimal enzymatic hydrolysis parameters were: 1.44 × 104 U/100 g flour at 50 °C for 60 min. • Protease hydrolysis weakened the gluten strength and changed the starch properties. • Bromelain showed stronger hydrolytic effect on wheat proteins and rheological properties. • Glutenin macropolymer played a key role in the hardness of wheat chips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]