Liquor Flavour Is Associated With the Physicochemical Property and Microbial Diversity of Fermented Grains in Waxy and Non-waxy Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) During Fermentation.

The fermentation process of Chinese Xifeng liquor involves numerous microbes. However, the sources of microbes in fermented grain and the link between liquor flavour and physicochemical properties and microbial diversity during fermentation still remain unknown. Herein, two waxy (JiNiang 2 [JN-2] and JinNuo 3 [JN-3]) and four non-waxy (JiZa 127 [JZ-127], JinZa 34 [JZ-34], LiaoZa 19 [LZ-19], and JiaXian [JX]) sorghum varieties were selected for the comprehensive analysis of the relationship between liquor flavour and the physicochemical properties and microbial diversity of fermented grains. Results showed that ethyl acetate was the main flavour component of JZ-127, JZ-34, and JX, whereas ethyl lactate was mainly detected in JN-2, JN-3, and LZ-19. Ethyl lactate accounted for half of the ethyl acetate content, and JX exhibited a higher liquor yield than the other sorghum varieties. The fermented grains of waxy sorghum presented higher temperature and reducing sugar contents but lower moisture and starch contents than their non-waxy counterparts during fermentation. We selected JN-3 and JX sorghum varieties to further investigate the microbial changes in the fermented grains. The bacterial diversity gradually reduced, whereas the fungal diversity showed nearly no change in either JN-3 or JX. Lactobacillus was the most abundant bacterial genus, and its level rapidly increased during fermentation. The abundance of Lactobacillus accounted for the total proportion of bacteria in JX, and it was higher than that in JN-3. Saccharomyces was the most abundant fungal genus in JX, but its abundance accounted for a small proportion of fungi in JN-3. Four esters and five alcohols were significantly positively related to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria; Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidia; Bacillales, Bacteroidales, and Rhodospirillales; and Acetobacter, Pediococcus, and Prevotella_7. This positive relation is in contrast with that observed for Firmicutes, Bacilli, Lactobacillales, and Lactobacillus. Meanwhile, Aspergillus was the only fungal microorganism that showed a significantly negative relation with such compounds (except for butanol and isopentanol). These findings will help in understanding the fermentation mechanism and flavour formation of fermented Xifeng liquor.

Self-assembled 3D flower-like Ni2+-Fe3+ layered double hydroxides and their calcined products.

This paper describes a facile solvothermal method to synthesize self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) Ni2+-Fe3+ layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Flower-like Ni2+-Fe3+ LDHs constructed of thin nanopetals were obtained using ethylene glycol (EG) as a chelating reagent and urea as a hydrolysis agent. The reaction mechanism and self-assembly process are discussed. After calcinating the as-prepared LDHs at 450 degrees C in nitrogen gas, porous NiO/NiFe2O4 nanosheets were obtained. This work resulted in the development of a simple, cheap, and effective route for the fabrication of large area Ni2+-Fe3+ LDHs as well as porous NiO/NiFe2O4 nanosheets.

Room temperature fabrication of single crystal nanotubes of CaSn(OH)6 through sonochemical precipitation.

CaSn(OH)(6) nanotubes were fabricated by sonochemical precipitation method at room temperature. A direct rolling process from nanosheets to nanotubes was expected for the synthesis of CaSn(OH)(6) nanotubes. The transient CaSn(OH)(6) nanosheets are formed as intermediates produced by the spontaneous self-assembly and transformation of amorphous colloid clusters. During the crystallization process of intermediate nanosheets, the relaxation of surface strain in the nanosheet interfaces can induce the nanosheets to roll up to form nanotubes under ultrasonic conditions. In this synthesis, the addition of Na(2)CO(3) seems to play an important role in the formation, size, and shape control of the nanotubes. Investigations into the stability performance of the nanotubes indicate that the morphologies are very sensitive to pH and temperature. The method suggests a general strategy for the design and fabrication of functional single-crystalline nanotubes through an intermediate nanosheet rolling process. The in vitro fabrication of such single crystal nanotubes could shed light on fundamental mechanisms for closed hollow nanostructures. Furthermore, nanotubes produced in high yield and at low cost are envisioned to have applications in areas ranging from medicine to pharmaceuticals through to materials science.

Synthesis and magnetic properties of FePt nanoparticles with hard nonmagnetic shells.

Chemically synthesized FePt nanoparticles were coated with nonmagnetic SiO2 and MnO shells by sol-gel and polyol processes. TEM images show that the FePt/SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit a thick spherical shell. The size and morphology of the MnO shell can be controlled by changing the reaction temperature, the molar ratio of surfactants/Mn(acac)2, and/or the concentration of precursor. The morphology of the MnO shell can be either spherical-like or cubic-like, depending on whether the molar ratio of surfactants/Mn(acac)2 is less than or larger than 2. From XRD measurements, the spherical core/shell nanoparticles exhibit 3D random crystallographic orientation, while the cubic core/shell nanoparticles prefer (200) texture. The magnetic moment of FePt particles can be enhanced by coating with SiO2 and MnO shells. Furthermore, the agglomeration of FePt particles upon the thermal annealing can be significantly inhibited with SiO2 and MnO shells.

Synthesis of CdSnO(3).3H(2)O nanocubes via ion exchange and their thermal decompositions to cadmium stannate.

Uniform crystalline CdSnO3.3H2O nanocubes with a 28-35 nm edge length have been obtained via the ion-exchange reaction of Na2Sn(OH)6 in a CdSO4 aqueous solution, assisted by ultrasonic treatment. Precursor Na2Sn(OH)6 crystals were prepared via hydrothermal treatment in an ethanol/water solution. The formation of CdSnO3.3H2O nanocubes resulted from the strain during the ion-exchange process. The influences of reaction conditions, such as ion-exchange (ultrasonic treatment) duration, solvent constitutes, surfactant, and pH on the formation of CdSnO3.3H2O crystals were described. Crystalline CdSnO3 and Cd2SnO4 have been obtained by thermal treatment at 300 and 500 degrees C, respectively, for 5 h under an inert-gas protecting condition using CdSnO3.3H2O nanocubes as the precursor. The cube shape of CdSnO3.3H2O was sustained after thermal decomposition to CdSnO3.

Effect of sintered grain growth on chemical ordering in binary FePt/Cu nanoparticle arrays.

Recent studies have shown a strong correlation between grain growth and chemical ordering in chemically synthesized FePt nanoparticles. In order to study this effect, we have prepared a series of samples in which 3.5 nm FePt nanoparticles are dispersed in a matrix of Cu nanoparticles. The samples were annealed at 600 degrees C and at 800 degrees C. Grain size was determined by XRD Scherrer analysis and time-dependent remanent coercivity measurements were made to determine the intrinsic remanent coercivity, Hcr0. For samples annealed at 600 degrees C, Hcr0 increases strongly with grain size up to approximately 5 nm and increases weakly with additional grain growth. By contrast, after annealing at 800 degrees C, Hcr0 appears nearly independent of grain size. The results suggest that isolated 3.5 nm FePt nanoparticles can be weakly ordered when annealed at 600 degrees C and sintering is necessary for significant chemical ordering.

Simple template-free solution route for the synthesis of Ni(SO(4))(0.3)(OH)(1.4) nanobelts and their thermal degradation.

Nanobelts of nickel hydroxyl sulfate have been prepared on a large scale via a simple template-free hydrothermal reaction on the basis of a complex [Ni(NH(3))(6)](2+) formed with Ni(2+) and ammonia in an ethanol-water solution. The as-synthesized nanobelts were single crystals, with several tens of microns in length and 50-150 nm in width. The nanobelts were enclosed by top surfaces (100) and side surfaces (001) and their growth direction was parallel to [010]. The function of aqueous ammonia and ethanol was discussed. Furthermore, nanostructures of a mixture of crystralline NiO and amorphous nickel sulfate with various morphologies, such as nanobelts, porous nanobelts, and nanoparticles, were obtained by the thermal treatment of the as-synthesized Ni(SO(4))(0.3)(OH)(1.4) nanobelts at different temperatures.