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Research subject: Magnesium ethoxide is a metal alkoxide used as a support for preparation of Ziegler-Natta catalyst. This important material which is used in HDPE production plants is not produced in Iran. It forms a complex with the catalyst that results in increase of the number of the reacting transition metal atoms inside it. Therefore the catalyst activity increases. The chemical reaction between magnesium and ethanol, in presence of iodine, results in magnesium ethoxide production.
Research approach: In this work, by performing analyses such as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), BET and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the effects of reaction conditions such as iodine/magnesium, ethanol/magnesium, temperature and mixer speed on morphology and characteristics of magnesium ethoxide were investigated.
Main results: By using Iodine, proper morphology of product was obtained. The mixer rotation speed didn't affect the reaction time. The particle size of the product was dependent on the magnesium amount and particle size and mixer speed. Increasing the rotation speed of the mixer at high amount of magnesium (low ethanol/magnesium) led to more collision of the particles and therefore finer product particles. Reaction at temperatures as low as 60 ^ₒC led to formation of fine particles with undesirable flake-like morphology. Magnesium with two average particle sizes (420 and 840μm) was used. It was shown that synthesis with magnesium of 840 μm(FW40) led to a sample similar to the commercial one with appropriate specific surface area. Lowering the temperature from 110 to 100 ^ₒC and reflux of ethanol at boiling point resulted in higher specific surface area.
 

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Among cereals, oats are unique for their benefiting from high protein as well as lipid content. However, insufficient gluten content creates a big challenge to making breads out of this kind of cereals. Flour made of one type of bread wheat cultivar plus two types of improved oat lines were employed in this study to make composite oat-wheat flour bread. According to the data obtained from farinograph readings, water absorption capacity and the duration of the dough development increased with an increase in the dough’s proportion of oat. The data obtained from the extensograph readings showed that the dough energy increased but extensibility property decreased with increase in the proportion of oat in the dough. Breads with 10% oat flour were ranked highest by the panelists. However, from a sensory point of view, the 10% formula was found to be inferior to control (bread baked from 100% wheat flour). Overall, considering the substantial nutritional benefits of oat, a certain level of compromise in the sensory properties can be made by offering breads with 20-30% rate of oat content.