Waxy wheats possess unique starch functional properties that may be useful in specific end‐uses. To assess the physicochemical, thermal, and pasting properties, starches from seven waxy genotypes originating from two wheat classes, tetraploid durum and hexaploid hard red spring (HRS), were evaluated and compared with their counterpart non‐waxy wild types. The amylose content ranged from 2.3% to 2.6% in waxy durum lines, compared to 29.2% in normal durum control, and 2.1% to 2.4% in waxy HRS, compared with 26.0% in normal HRS control. Significant differences in the degree of crystallinity were observed between the waxy and control starches, despite similar A‐type X‐ray patterns, although differences between the two wheat classes were non‐significant. Both, control and waxy starches displayed an X‐ray peak corresponding to the amylose‐lipid complex, but the intensity of the peak was markedly lower in the waxy starches. The waxy durum starches exhibited the highest transition temperatures as measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), whereas, the enthalpy of gelatinization of most waxy genotypes was statistically higher than that of the controls. All waxy starches displayed high peak viscosity, high breakdown, and low setback profile as measured by the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). Texture analysis of RVA gels revealed significant differences between waxy and non‐waxy wheats, as well as between waxy tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, confirming that the nature and class of wheat starch would play a significant role when using waxy wheat blends in different wheat‐based products.

An unanticipated superparamagnetic response has been observed in cobalt ferrite materials after thermal treatment under inert atmosphere. Cobalt ferrite particles were prepared via normal micelle precipitation that typically yields Co x Fe 3−x O 4 nanoparticles ͑x = 0.6− 1.0͒. While samples thermally treated under oxygen show majority spinel phase formation, annealing in nitrogen gas yields materials consisting of Co-Fe alloy, FeS, and CoFe 2 O 4 spinel. After thermal treatment, thermomagnetic studies reveal composition-insensitive, but highly treatment-sensitive, saturation magnetization, coercivity, blocking temperature, and Verwey transition temperature dependence. Extremely high saturation magnetization ͑159 emu/g͒ with low coercivity ͑31 Oe͒ was observed for one of the treated compositions, which drastically deviates from prototypical cobalt ferrite with large magnetocrystalline anisotropy. We attribute such unique magnetic response to Co-Fe alloy coexisting with FeS and CoFe 2 O 4 spinel where the diameter of the metallic phase is below the superparamagnetic limit. While thermal treatment in nitrogen was not anticipated to yield Co-Fe alloy, chemisorbed surfactant molecules ͑i.e., sodium dodecylsulfate͒ are postulated to act as reducing agents in the present scenario.

Electromagnetic shields and flux concentrators for magnetic sensors could utilize flexible and insulating composites applied using simple thin film deposition methods such as dip-coating, spin-coating, spraying, etc. As the first step towards development of composites with superior performance, efforts focused on isolating nanoparticles with large magnetizations under low fields. In this paper, we provide the results of proof-of-concept studies for two systems: metal-functionalized silicone-based materials (metal-silicone); and, Co-ferrite (Co2+1−xFe2+xFe3+2O4) nanoparticles. The metal-silicone materials studied included a polysiloxane that contained a pendant ferrocene where an optimum saturization magnetization of 5.9 emu/g (coercivity = 11 Oe) was observed. Co-ferrite nanoparticle samples prepared in this study showed unprecendented saturation magnetization (i.e., Ms > 150 emu/g) with low coercivity (Hc ∼ 10 Oe) at room temperature and offer potential application as flux concentrators.