Isolation, chemical characterization, and immunomodulatory activity of naturally acetylated hemicelluloses from bamboo shavings

Bamboo shavings, the outer or intermediate layer of bamboo stems, are the bulk of by-products produced in bamboo processing. In this study we investigated the isolation, chemical characterization, and immunostimulatory activity in vitro of the hemicelluloses from bamboo shavings. Shavings were first pretreated by steam explosion. The optimal pretreatment was found to be steam explosion at 2.2 MPa for 1 min. Following this pretreatment, the yield of hemicelluloses reached（2.05±0.22）%（based on the dry dewaxed raw materials）, which was 5.7-fold higher than that of untreated samples. Bamboo-shavings hemicellulose（BSH） was then prepared by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation from the steam-exploded shavings. Purification of BSH by anion-exchange chromatography of diethylaminoethanol（DEAE）-sepharose Fast Flow resulted in a neutral fraction（BSH-1, purity of 95.3%, yield of 1.06%） and an acidic fraction（BSH-2, purity of 92.5%, yield of 0.79%）. The weight-average molecular weights（Mw） of BSH-1 and BSH-2 were 12 800 and 11 300 g/mol, respectively. Chemical and structural analyses by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）, 1D（^1H and ^13C） and 2D（heteronuclear single quantum correlation（HSQC）） nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR） spectra revealed that BSH-1 was O-acetylated-arabinoxylan and BSH-2 was O-acetylated-（4-Omethylglucurono）-arabinoxylan. BSH-1 had a higher content of acetyl groups than BSH-2. For the immunomodulatory activity in vitro, BSH and BSH-2 significantly stimulated mouse splenocyte proliferation while BSH-1 had no effect; BSH, BSH-1, and BSH-2 markedly enhanced the phagocytosis activity and nitric oxide production of the murine macrophage RAW264.7 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results suggest that the water-extractable hemicelluloses from steam-exploded bamboo shavings are naturally acetylated and have immunostimulatory activity.

Elevated Temperature Properties of Bamboo Shaving Reinforced Geopolymer Composites

Geopolymer is a new alternative cement binder to produce concrete.In the present study,a novel geopolymer composites containing bamboo shaving(0–2 wt.%)were fabricated and exposed to the temperatures of 200℃,400℃,600℃and 800℃.Physical properties,micro-structure,and mechanical strengths of the geopolymer composites were evaluated before and after heating in order to understand their thermal properties,which are essential for the use as building materials.As the temperature rises,the drying shrinkage and apparent porosity of the composites increase,while the compressive and bending strengths decrease.At the temperature range of 200℃–800℃,the residual compressive strength rates of the geopolymer composite containning 2 wt.%bamboo shaving were respective 73.8%,61.47%,56.16%,and 29.56%,meanwhile,the residual flexural strength rates were respective 46.69%,8.68%,2.52%,and 2.33%.Correspondingly,the residual compressive strength rates of pure geopolymer were respective 72.81%,61.99%,54.55%,and 14.64%;the residual flexural strength rates were 48.87%,5.69%,3.22%,and 2.47%,respectively.Scanning electron microscope(SEM),optical microscope,and X-ray diffractometry(XRD)were applied to find the microscopic changes.The strength loss in the geopolymer composites was mainly because of the thermal degradation of bamboo shaving and shrinkage of geopolymer matrix.Bamboo shaving has great potential as reinforcer in developing low-cost geopolymer composites and may be used for applications up to 400℃.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Bamboo Shaving Geopolymer Composite

Geopolymers are inorganic aluminosilicate materials,which have been a great research interest as a material for sustainable development.However,they possess relatively low toughness properties similar to brittle solids.The limitation may be altered by fiber reinforcement to improve their strength and toughness.This research describes the synthesis of bamboo shaving(BS)reinforced geopolymer composites and the characterization of their mechanical properties.The effect of BS content(0–2 wt.%)on the physical and mechanical properties and microstructure of metakaolin based geopolymer paste were investigated.The workability,setting time,bulk density,apparent porosity,thermal conductivity,compressive strength,flexural strength,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD)of geopolymer paste were determined.The results showed that the workability,setting time,density,and thermal conductivity decreased with the increasing of BS content.The BS content was proportional to the apparent porosity and a good linear relation was found between apparent porosity and BS content.The highest mechanical properties were achieved at an optimum BS content of 1.0 wt.%.The results of microstructural analysis revealed that BS act as inforcing phase in matrix,reducing cracks and making a dense geopolymer,which leads to favorable adhesion of the composites and produces a geopolymer composite with better mechanical properties than that of pure geopolymer.However,when the BS content exceeded 1.0 wt.%,interfacial bonding between BS and geopolymer matrix became less.XRD analysis showed that BS has little effect on the mineral composition of metakaolin-based geopolymer and no new phase is formed.

星点设计-效应面试验优化复方竹茹植物固体饮料的处方

为优化以竹茹(Bamboo shavings)、陈皮、茯苓(Poria cocos)、白茅根、干姜为原料制成的复方竹茹植物固体饮料的处方,以颗粒成型率、水分、休止角等为评价指标,通过单因素试验和星点设计-效应面试验考察稀释剂配比(甘露醇∶糊精)、稀释剂用量(干膏粉∶稀释剂),确定固体饮料的最佳工艺处方,并采用湿法制粒法制备复方竹茹植物固体饮料。结果表明,复方竹茹植物固体饮料的最佳成型工艺参数为稀释剂配比为2.3∶1,稀释剂用量为1.5∶1。该工艺条件下,颗粒成型率达94.30%,水分为1.44%,流动性好,研究可为复方竹茹植物固体饮料的工业化生产提供理论依据。