Jan Długosz University

About: Jan Długosz University is a education organization based out in Częstochowa, Poland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Crystal structure & Luminescence. The organization has 749 authors who have published 2311 publications receiving 19395 citations. The organization is also known as: Higher Teacher Education School.

New starch preparations resistant to enzymatic digestion.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: New starch preparations were produced by thermolysis of potato starch in the presence of inorganic (hydrochloric) and organic (citric and tartaric) acids under controlled conditions. The starch preparations were physicochemically and structurally characterised and analysed for their resistance to enzymatic digestion in vitro. RESULTS: The content of resistant fraction in dextrin D1, obtained by heating starch acidified with hydrochloric and citric acids, determined by the AOAC 2001.03 and pancreatin-gravimetric methods was similar (∼200 g kg−1). In the case of dextrin D3, obtained by heating starch acidified with hydrochloric and tartaric acids, the result of determination by the pancreatin-gravimetric method was almost four times higher than that obtained with the AOAC 2001.03 method. The enzymatic tests revealed that dextrin D3 obtained with excess tartaric acid can be classified as RS4, which can only be partially determined by enzymatic-gravimetric methods. Tartaric acid at high concentration had a significantly stronger influence on starch hydrolysis than citric acid. This was confirmed by chromatographic analysis of dextrins and chemical investigation of the reducing power. CONCLUSION: The results confirmed the possibility of applying dextrins, prepared under specific conditions, as soluble dietary fibre. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Nickel titanate (NiTiO3) thin films: RF-sputtering synthesis and investigation of related features for photocatalysis

Abstract: Polycrystalline nickel titanate thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by the radio-frequency (rf) sputtering method using NiTiO3 targets, which in turn were sintered from powders obtained by solid state reaction. The deposition parameters such as rf-powers, partial pressures of argon and oxygen, as well as substrate temperatures were optimized to ensure the homogeneous and stoichiometric composition of NiTiO3 thin films. Post-synthesis annealing at suitable temperatures and time durations was realized to stabilize the ilmenite structure with improved crystalline features deduced from structural and vibrational investigations by using XRD and Raman spectroscopy. The surface roughness and thin film microstructure were characterized by AFM which points out the organisation of the film surface. Representative films with ilmenite structure and defined surface microstructure and optical absorbance were tested as visible light driven heterogeneous photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes.

Long-term ageing behaviour in Ge–Se glasses

Abstract: Effect of long-term physical ageing (~18–21 years) in vitreous germanium selenides is studied using differential scanning calorimetry method. It is compared with short-term physical ageing observed in these glasses earlier. Low compositional limit of the non-ageing ability determined using old samples coincides with the onset of reversibility window obtained using short-term aged samples of Ge–Se system by temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry technique.