Comparative Analysis of Statistical Thickness Models for the Determination of the External Specific Surface and the Surface of the Micropores of Materials: The Case of a Clay Concrete Stabilized Using Sugar Cane Molasses

In this work, four empirical models of statistical thickness, namely the models of Harkins and Jura, Hasley, Carbon Black and Jaroniec, were compared in order to determine the textural properties (external surface and surface of micropores) of a clay concrete without molasses and clay concretes stabilized with 8%, 12% and 16% molasses. The results obtained show that Hasley’s model can be used to obtain the external surfaces. However, it does not allow the surface of the micropores to be obtained, and is not suitable for the case of simple clay concrete (without molasses) and for clay concretes stabilized with molasses. The Carbon Black, Jaroniec and Harkins and Jura models can be used for clay concrete and stabilized clay concrete. However, the Carbon Black model is the most relevant for clay concrete and the Harkins and Jura model is for molasses-stabilized clay concrete. These last two models augur well for future research.

Thermo-Mechanical Properties Study of Stabilized Soil Bricks to Sugar Cane Molasses and Cassava Starch Binders

The current study deals Swith thermo-mechanical properties of stabilized soil small bricks with the help of organic binders of sugar cane molasses and cassava starch. Different formulations of soil concrete have been suggested after the geotechnical characterization of samples of soil was taken. From these, it arises that the studied soil is the most plastically clay (of type A3) according to GTR classification. Samples made of small bricks and measured out at 4%, 6% and 8% of binders (molasses, starch or molasses + starch) have been warmed up to different temperatures (100°C, 150°C, 200°C and 250°C) for the rising of the thermic behavior under different conditions and submitted to crushing testings for the estimation of characteristic resistances to the compression. According to the mechanical behavior, we note an improvement of resistances for small bricks measured 4%, 6% and 8%, of molasses respectively of 32.44%, 32.06% and 23.43% against the value of reference for small bricks without molasses. In the same way, the binder (molasses + starch) also reveals an improvement of resistance to the compression of 13.27%, 26.17% and 26.17%. On the contrary, the stabilization with the starch binder did not bring a significative improvement. According to the thermic influence, the heating at 100°C of stabilized small bricks at 4%, 6% and 8% of molasses, reveals a significative improvement of resistances. Moreover, the stabilization with the starch reveals on the contrary a good behavior for heatings at 150°C and 250°C. In short, for the binder (molasses + starch), it is the heating at 200°C that shows some improvements of remarkable resistances. Different analyses of realized statistics also show the effectivity of obtained results. For all realized formulations, the measuring out at 6% of binders (molasses, or molasses + starch) seems as optimal in front of the best thermo-mechanical revealed properties.

Evaluation of Some Secondary Metabolites and Determination of the Antioxidant Potential of Different Extracts from the Plant of <i>Pteridium aquilinum</i>

The present study aims to make an evaluation of some secondary metabolites and determination of the antioxidant potential of P. aquilinum plant extracts obtained by means of a simple and rapid TLC method. The latter revealed the presence of terpenes, sterols, steroids, flavonoids, polyphenols, saponins, sugars and amino acids. The evaluation of the potential antioxidant was assessed on phenolic and flavonoid compounds. These compounds’ dosages revealed different levels, but the highest antioxidant activity was found in the hydro-ethanol extract followed by the aqueous extract. Among the two families of evaluated antioxidants, phenolic compounds were found to be higher in the hydro-ethanolic extract (75.18 mgEAG/gMS), followed by the aqueous extract (66.78 mgEAG/gMS) and lower in the ethanolic extract (12.39 mgEAG/gMS). Whereas flavonoids, less significantly elevated, showed values of 2.58 mgECa/gMS for the hydro-ethanolic extract, 2.24 mgECa/gMS for the aqueous extract and 1.58 mgECa/gMS for the ethanolic extract. However, the antiradical activity was also evaluated. Contrary to the antioxidant activity, the most important antiradical activity was observed on the hydroethanolic extract with a rate of 3.61 mg/mL, then a weak activity on the aqueous and ethanolic extracts respectively 6.18 mg/mL and 15.81 mg/mL, then less important on the aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts respectively at levels of 6.18 mg/mL and 3.61 mg/mL.