Performance improvement of organic thin film transistors by using active layer with sandwich structure

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Yao; Zhou, Jianlin; Kuang, Peng; Lin, Hui; Gan, Ping; Hu, Shengdong; Lin, Zhi

2017-08-01

We report organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with pentacene/fluorinated copper phthalo-cyanine (F16CuPc)/pentacene (PFP) sandwich configuration as active layers. The sandwich devices not only show hole mobility enhancement but also present a well control about threshold voltage and off-state current. By investigating various characteristics, including current-voltage hysteresis, organic film morphology, capacitance-voltage curve and resistance variation of active layers carefully, it has been found the performance improvement is mainly attributed to the low carrier traps and the higher conductivity of the sandwich active layer due to the additional induced carriers in F16CuPc/pentacene. Therefore, using proper multiple active layer is an effective way to gain high performance OTFTs.

Natural fabric sandwich laminate composites: development and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

3Department of Production Technology, MIT Campus, Anna University, Chennai 600044, India. MS received ... In this work, eco-friendly natural fabric sandwich laminate (NFSL) composites are formulated using ... and eco-friendly quality [22].

Properties of polyurethane foam/coconut coir fiber as a core material and as a sandwich composites component

Science.gov (United States)

Azmi, M. A.; Abdullah, H. Z.; Idris, M. I.

2013-12-01

This research focuses on the fabrication and characterization of sandwich composite panels using glass fiber composite skin and polyurethane foam reinforced coconut coir fiber core. The main objectives are to characterize the physical and mechanical properties and to elucidate the effect of coconut coir fibers in polyurethane foam cores and sandwich composite panels. Coconut coir fibers were used as reinforcement in polyurethane foams in which later were applied as the core in sandwich composites ranged from 5 wt% to 20 wt%. The physical and mechanical properties found to be significant at 5 wt% coconut coir fiber in polyurethane foam cores as well as in sandwich composites. It was found that composites properties serve better in sandwich composites construction.

Properties of polyurethane foam/coconut coir fiber as a core material and as a sandwich composites component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmi, M A; Abdullah, H Z; Idris, M I

2013-01-01

This research focuses on the fabrication and characterization of sandwich composite panels using glass fiber composite skin and polyurethane foam reinforced coconut coir fiber core. The main objectives are to characterize the physical and mechanical properties and to elucidate the effect of coconut coir fibers in polyurethane foam cores and sandwich composite panels. Coconut coir fibers were used as reinforcement in polyurethane foams in which later were applied as the core in sandwich composites ranged from 5 wt% to 20 wt%. The physical and mechanical properties found to be significant at 5 wt% coconut coir fiber in polyurethane foam cores as well as in sandwich composites. It was found that composites properties serve better in sandwich composites construction

Permeability and flammability study of composite sandwich structures for cryogenic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Bubacz, Monika

Fiber reinforced plastics offer advantageous specific strength and stiffness compared to metals and has been identified as candidates for the reusable space transportation systems primary structures including cryogenic tanks. A number of carbon and aramid fiber reinforced plastics have been considered for the liquid hydrogen tanks. Materials selection is based upon mechanical properties and containment performance (long and short term) and upon manufacturing considerations. The liquid hydrogen tank carries shear, torque, end load, and bending moment due to gusts, maneuver, take-off, landing, lift, drag, and fuel sloshing. The tank is pressurized to about 1.5 atmosphere (14.6psi or 0.1 MPa) differential pressure and on ascent maintains the liquid hydrogen at a temperature of 20K. The objective of the research effort into lay the foundation for developing the technology required for reliable prediction of the effects of various design, manufacturing, and service parameters on the susceptibility of composite tanks to develop excessive permeability to cryogenic fuels. Efforts will be expended on developing the materials and structural concepts for the cryogenic tanks that can meet the functional requirements. This will include consideration for double wall composite sandwich structures, with inner wall to meet the cryogenic requirements. The structure will incorporate nanoparticles for properties modifications and developing barriers. The main effort will be extended to tank wall's internal skin design. The main requirements for internal composite stack are: (1) introduction of barrier film (e.g. honeycomb material paper sheet) to reduce the wall permeability to hydrogen, (2) introduction of nanoparticles into laminate resin to prevent micro-cracking or crack propagation. There is a need to characterize and analyze composite sandwich structural damage due to burning and explosion. Better understanding of the flammability and blast resistance of the composite structures

Finite element simulation of low velocity impact loading on a sandwich composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vishwas M.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Sandwich structure offer more advantage in bringing flexural stiffness and energy absorption capabilities in the application of automobile and aerospace components. This paper presents comparison study and analysis of two types of composite sandwich structures, one having Jute Epoxy skins with rubber core and the other having Glass Epoxy skins with rubber core subjected to low velocity normal impact loading. The behaviour of sandwich structure with various parameters such as energy absorption, peak load developed, deformation and von Mises stress and strain, are analyzed using commercially available analysis software. The results confirm that sandwich composite with jute epoxy skin absorbs approximately 20% more energy than glass epoxy skin. The contact force developed in jute epoxy skin is approximately 2.3 times less when compared to glass epoxy skin. von Mises stress developed is less in case of jute epoxy. The sandwich with jute epoxy skin deforms approximately 1.6 times more than that of same geometry of sandwich with glass epoxy skin. Thus exhibiting its elastic nature and making it potential candidate for low velocity impact application.

Mechanical Property Evaluation of Palm/Glass Sandwiched Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite in Comparison with few natural composites

Science.gov (United States)

Raja Dhas, J. Edwin; Pradeep, P.

2017-10-01

Natural fibers available plenty can be used as reinforcements in development of eco friendly polymer composites. The less utilized palm leaf stalk fibers sandwiched with artificial glass fibers was researched in this work to have a better reinforcement in preparing a green composite. The commercially available polyester resin blend with coconut shell filler in nano form was used as matrix to sandwich these composites. Naturally available Fibers of palm leaf stalk, coconut leaf stalk, raffia and oil palm were extracted and treated with potassium permanganate solution which enhances the properties. For experimentation four different plates were fabricated using these fibers adopting hand lay-up method. These sandwiched composite plates are further machined to obtain ASTM standards Specimens which are mechanically tested as per standards. Experimental results reveal that the alkali treated palm leaf stalk fiber based polymer composite shows appreciable results than the others. Hence the developed composite can be recommended for fabrication of automobile parts.

Dynamic Failure of Composite and Sandwich Structures

CERN Document Server

Abrate, Serge; Rajapakse, Yapa D S

2013-01-01

This book presents a broad view of the current state of the art regarding the dynamic response of composite and sandwich structures subjected to impacts and explosions. Each chapter combines a thorough assessment of the literature with original contributions made by the authors.  The first section deals with fluid-structure interactions in marine structures.  The first chapter focuses on hull slamming and particularly cases in which the deformation of the structure affects the motion of the fluid during the water entry of flexible hulls. Chapter 2 presents an extensive series of tests underwater and in the air to determine the effects of explosions on composite and sandwich structures.  Full-scale structures were subjected to significant explosive charges, and such results are extremely rare in the open literature.  Chapter 3 describes a simple geometrical theory of diffraction for describing the interaction of an underwater blast wave with submerged structures. The second section addresses the problem of...

Damage Tolerance of Resin Transfer Molded Composite Sandwich Constructions

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Vaidya, U

1999-01-01

.... The sandwich composite concepts considered in this study possessed the feasibility to improve the transverse stiffness, provide enhanced damage resistance/tolerance to impact and functionality...

Preparation and supercapacitance performance of manganese oxide nanosheets/graphene/carbon nanotubes ternary composite film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Qianqiu; Sun, Minqiang; Yu, Shuangmin; Wang, Gengchao

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The MnO 2 nanosheets/graphene/MWCNT composite film with a porous sandwich structure was fabricated through a filtration-directed self-assembly. • The introduction of graphene and MWCNT restricts dense stacking of MnO 2 nanosheets. • Ternary composite film exhibits impressive electrochemical performance compared to pure MnO 2 nanosheets. - Abstract: A novel MnO 2 nanosheets/graphene nanosheets/carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MONS/GNS/cMWCNT) ternary composite film was fabricated through a filtration-directed self-assembly method. The Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed the porous sandwiched structure of MONS/GNS/cMWCNT with GNS providing a conductive substrate and cMWCNT functioning as a vertical electron pathway. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra further confirmed that the introduction of GNS and cMWCNT restricted the serious aggregation of MONS, resulting in a higher specific area (691 m 2 g −1 ). As a result, the MONS/GNS/cMWCNT composite film exhibited higher specific capacitance (248 Fg −1 at 1 Ag −1 in 1 M Na 2 SO 4 ), better rate performance (66.9% capacitance retention from 0.2 to 10 Ag −1 ) and cycling stability (86.5% retention after 3000 cycles) compared with those of pure dried MnO 2 nanosheets

Description of spin reorientation transition in Au/Co/Au sandwich with Co film thickness within a simple phenomenological model of ferromagnetic film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popov, A.P.

2012-01-01

Simple phenomenological model of ferromagnetic film characterized by equal energies of surface anisotropies at two sides of a film (symmetric film) is considered. The model is used to describe a two-step spin reorientation transition (SRT) in Au/Co/Au sandwich with Co film thickness: the SRT from perpendicular to canted noncollinear (CNC) state at N ⊥ =6.3 atomic layers and the subsequent SRT from CNC to in-plane state at N ∥ =10.05 atomic layers. Analytic expressions for the stability criterion of collinear perpendicular and in-plane states of a film are derived with account of discrete location of atomic layers. The dependence of borders that separate regions corresponding to various magnetic states of a film in the (k B ,k S )-diagram on film thickness N is established. k S (k B ) is surface (bulk) reduced anisotropy constant. The comparison of theory with experiment related to Au/Co/Au sandwich shows that there is a whole region in the (k B ,k S )-diagram corresponding to experimentally determined values of threshold film thicknesses N ⊥ =6.3 and N ∥ =10.05. The comparison of this region with similar region determined earlier for a bare Co/Au film within the same model of asymmetric film and characterized by N ⊥ =3.5, N ∥ =5.5 shows that the intersection of these regions is not empty. Hence, both the SRT in Au/Co/Au sandwich and in bare Co/Au film with Co film thickness can be described within the same model using the same magnitudes of model parameters k S , k B . Based on this result we conclude that the energy of Neel surface anisotropy at free Co surface is negligible compared to the energy of Co–Au interface anisotropy. It is demonstrated that the destabilization of collinear states in symmetric film leads to occurrence of the ground CNC state and two novel metastable CNC states. These three CNC states exhibit different kinds of symmetry. In case of asymmetric film only ground CNC state occurs on destabilization of collinear states of a film

Fabrication and electrochemical capacitance of hierarchical graphene/polyaniline/carbon nanotube ternary composite film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xiangjun; Dou Hui; Yang Sudong; Hao Liang; Zhang Luojiang; Shen Laifa; Zhang Fang; Zhang Xiaogang

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: A hierarchical film with coaxial polyaniline/carbon nanotube (PANI/CNT) nanocables uniformly sandwiched between graphene (GN) sheets was prepared by filtration of the complex dispersion of graphite oxide (GO) and PANI/CNT. Highlights: → A film composed of GN sheets, PANI and CNTs was fabricated. → The coaxial PANI/CNT nanocables uniformly sandwiched between the GN sheets. → The unique structure facilitates contact between electrolyte and electrode materials. → Each component provides unique function to achieve superior electrochemical properties. - Abstract: A film composed of graphene (GN) sheets, polyaniline (PANI) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been fabricated by reducing a graphite oxide (GO)/PANI/CNT precursor prepared by flow-directed assembly from a complex dispersion of GO and PANI/CNT, followed by reoxidation and redoping of the reduced PANI in the composite to restore the conducting PANI structure. Scanning electron microscope images indicate that the ternary composite film is a layered structure with coaxial PANI/CNT nanocables uniformly sandwiched between the GN sheets. Such novel hierarchical structure with high electrical conductivity perfectly facilitates contact between electrolyte ions and PANI for faradaic energy storage and efficiently utilizes the double-layer capacitance at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. The specific capacitance of the GN/PANI/CNT estimated by galvanostatic charge/discharge measurement is 569 F g -1 (or 188 F cm -3 for volumetric capacitance) at a current density of 0.1 A g -1 . In addition, the GN/PANI/CNT exhibits good rate capability (60% capacity retention at 10 A g -1 ) and superior cycling stability (4% fade after 5000 continuous charge/discharge cycles).

Combined-load buckling behavior of metal-matrix composite sandwich panels under different thermal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, William L.; Jackson, Raymond H.

1991-01-01

Combined compressive and shear buckling analysis was conducted on flat rectangular sandwich panels with the consideration of transverse shear effects of the core. The sandwich panel is fabricated with titanium honeycomb core and laminated metal matrix composite face sheets. The results show that the square panel has the highest combined load buckling strength, and that the buckling strength decreases sharply with the increases of both temperature and panel aspect ratio. The effect of layup (fiber orientation) on the buckling strength of the panels was studied in detail. The metal matrix composite sandwich panel was much more efficient than the sandwich panel with nonreinforced face sheets and had the same specific weight.

Behaviour of glued fibre composite sandwich structure in flexure: Experiment and Fibre Model Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manalo, Allan; Aravinthan, Thiru

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fibre Model Analysis is used to examine the flexural behaviour of sandwich beams. ► Theoretical prediction using FMA is in good agreement with the experiment. ► Using the constituent materials in FMA predicted accurately the beam’s behaviour. ► FMA can be used for analysing sandwich beams with high-strength core in flexure. -- Abstract: The behaviour of glued composite sandwich beams in flexure was investigated with a view of using this material for structural and civil engineering applications. The building block of this glue-laminated beam is a new generation composite sandwich structure made up of glass fibre reinforced polymer skins and a high strength phenolic core material. A simplified Fibre Model Analysis (FMA) usually used to analyse a concrete beam section is adopted to theoretically describe the flexural behaviour of the innovative sandwich beam structure. The analysis included the flexural behaviour of the glued sandwich beams in the flatwise and the edgewise positions. The FMA accounted for the non-linear behaviour of the phenolic core in compression, the cracking of the core in tension and the linear elastic behaviour of the fibre composite skin. The results of the FMA showed a good agreement with the experimental data showing the efficiency and practical applications of the simplified FMA in analysing and designing sandwich structures with high strength core material.

Failure modes of composite sandwich beams

OpenAIRE

Gdoutos E.; Daniel I.M.

2008-01-01

A thorough investigation of failure behavior of composite sandwich beams under three-and four-point bending was undertaken. The beams were made of unidirectional carbon/epoxy facings and a PVC closed-cell foam core. The constituent materials were fully characterized and in the case of the foam core, failure envelopes were developed for general two-dimensional states of stress. Various failure modes including facing wrinkling, indentation failure and core failure were observed and compared wit...

Influence of reinforcement type on the mechanical behavior and fire response of hybrid composites and sandwich structures

Science.gov (United States)

Giancaspro, James William

Lightweight composites and structural sandwich panels are commonly used in marine and aerospace applications. Using carbon, glass, and a host of other high strength fiber types, a broad range of laminate composites and sandwich panels can be developed. Hybrid composites can be constructed by laminating multiple layers of varying fiber types while sandwich panels are manufactured by laminating rigid fiber facings onto a lightweight core. However, the lack of fire resistance of the polymers used for the fabrication remains a very important problem. The research presented in this dissertation deals with an inorganic matrix (Geopolymer) that can be used to manufacture laminate composites and sandwich panels that are resistant up to 1000°C. This dissertation deals with the influence of fiber type on the mechanical behavior and the fire response of hybrid composites and sandwich structures manufactured using this resin. The results are categorized into the following distinct studies. (i) High strength carbon fibers were combined with low cost E-glass fibers to obtain hybrid laminate composites that are both economical and strong. The E-glass fabrics were used as a core while the carbon fibers were placed on the tension face and on both tension and compression faces. (ii) Structural sandwich beams were developed by laminating various types of reinforcement onto the tension and compression faces of balsa wood cores. The flexural behavior of the beams was then analyzed and compared to beams reinforced with organic composite. The effect of core density was evaluated using oak beams reinforced with inorganic composite. (iii) To measure the fire response, balsa wood sandwich panels were manufactured using a thin layer of a fire-resistant paste to serve for fire protection. Seventeen sandwich panels were fabricated and tested to measure the heat release rates and smoke-generating characteristics. The results indicate that Geopolymer can be effectively used to fabricate both

Manufacture of Green-Composite Sandwich Structures with Basalt Fiber and Bioepoxy Resin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. P. Torres

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, there is a growing interest for the use and development of materials synthesized from renewable sources in the polymer composites manufacturing industry; this applies for both matrix and reinforcement components. In the present research, a novel basalt fibre reinforced (BFR bioepoxy green composite is proposed as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-derived composites. In addition, this material system was combined with cork as core material for the fabrication of fibre composite sandwich structures. Mechanical properties of both skin and core materials were assessed through flexural and tensile tests. Finite element (FEM simulations for the mechanical stress analysis of the sandwich material were carried out, and a maximum allowable shear stress for material failure under bending loads was established. Permeability measurements of the basalt fabrics were carried out in order to perform numerical simulations of liquid composite moulding (LCM processes on the PAM-RTM software. The proposed green-composite sandwich material was used for the fabrication of a longboard as a case study for a sports equipment application. Numerical simulations of the mould filling stage allowed the determination of an optimal mould filling strategy. Finally, the load-bearing capacity of the board was studied by means of FEM simulations, and the presented design proved to be acceptable for service.

Au Nanoparticle Sub-Monolayers Sandwiched between Sol-Gel Oxide Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Della Gaspera, Enrico; Menin, Enrico; Sada, Cinzia

2018-01-01

Sub-monolayers of monodisperse Au colloids with different surface coverage have been embedded in between two different metal oxide thin films, combining sol-gel depositions and proper substrates functionalization processes. The synthetized films were TiO2, ZnO, and NiO. X-ray diffraction shows the crystallinity of all the oxides and verifies the nominal surface coverage of Au colloids. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the metal nanoparticles is affected by both bottom and top oxides: in fact, the SPR peak of Au that is sandwiched between two different oxides is centered between the SPR frequencies of Au sub-monolayers covered with only one oxide, suggesting that Au colloids effectively lay in between the two oxide layers. The desired organization of Au nanoparticles and the morphological structure of the prepared multi-layered structures has been confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses that show a high quality sandwich structure. The multi-layered structures have been also tested as optical gas sensors. PMID:29538338

Morphology Analysis of Cu Film Fractures in Sandwiched Methylmethacrylate Plates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiano Fidani

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Thin films of Cu were evaporated on solid plates of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA. A polymerization process was made to realize sandwiched structure to protect the Cu films. Fracturing of the metal film surface was observed with several morphologies showing two different fracture systems. Surface film morphology was analysed in terms of the distribution area of the islands and contour fractal dimension. The island areas showed a maximum corresponding to 42 nm of the Cu thickness, it was also the threshold to observe the second fracture system. The fractures pattern resulted to be scale invariant with fractal dimensions between 1.55 and 1.7. The minimum fractal dimension also occurred at the film thickness corresponding to the maximum island area. The reported effects can be understood on the basis of different thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials and their thermally induced adhesion.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.21.2.6518

Mechanical and vibro-acoustic aspects of composite sandwich cylinders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, C.

2013-01-01

Designing a fuselage involves many considerations such as strength and stability, fatigue, damage tolerance, fire and lightning resistance, thermal and acoustic insulation, production, inspection, maintenance and repair. In the background of the application of composite sandwich structures on the

Insert Design and Manufacturing for Foam-Core Composite Sandwich Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Lares, Alan

Sandwich structures have been used in the aerospace industry for many years. The high strength to weight ratios that are possible with sandwich constructions makes them desirable for airframe applications. While sandwich structures are effective at handling distributed loads such as aerodynamic forces, they are prone to damage from concentrated loads at joints or due to impact. This is due to the relatively thin face-sheets and soft core materials typically found in sandwich structures. Carleton University's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Project Team has designed and manufactured a UAV (GeoSury II Prototype) which features an all composite sandwich structure fuselage structure. The purpose of the aircraft is to conduct geomagnetic surveys. The GeoSury II Prototype serves as the test bed for many areas of research in advancing UAV technologies. Those areas of research include: low cost composite materials manufacturing, geomagnetic data acquisition, obstacle detection, autonomous operations and magnetic signature control. In this thesis work a methodology for designing and manufacturing inserts for foam-core sandwich structures was developed. The results of this research work enables a designer wishing to design a foam-core sandwich airframe structure, a means of quickly manufacturing optimized inserts for the safe introduction of discrete loads into the airframe. The previous GeoSury II Prototype insert designs (v.1 & v.2) were performance tested to establish a benchmark with which to compare future insert designs. Several designs and materials were considered for the new v.3 inserts. A plug and sleeve design was selected, due to its ability to effectively transfer the required loads to the sandwich structure. The insert material was chosen to be epoxy, reinforced with chopped carbon fibre. This material was chosen for its combination of strength, low mass and also compatibility with the face-sheet material. The v.3 insert assembly is 60% lighter than the

Magnetic-property changes in epitaxial metal-film sandwiches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodsky, M.B.

1982-08-01

Epitaxial metal-film sandwiches (EMFS) containing Pd or Cr, have been prepared between single-crystal Ag or Au. The modified Pd/Cr show major changes in physical properties. Pd has a stretched lattice parameter in Au-Pd-Au, which combines with a tetragonal distortion to cause exchange enhancements up to 28,000 and spin-fluctuation temperatures of 1 to 10 K. In Au-Cr-Au, Cr takes up the fcc structure, leading to superconductivity due to a high N(E/sub F/). These results are contrasted to data for Ag-Pd-Ag and Ag-Cr-Ag EMFS

Evaluation of the Impact Resistance of Various Composite Sandwich Beams by Vibration Tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Shahdin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Impact resistance of different types of composite sandwich beams is evaluated by studying vibration response changes (natural frequency and damping ratio. This experimental works will help aerospace structural engineer in assess structural integrity using classification of impact resistance of various composite sandwich beams (entangled carbon and glass fibers, honeycomb and foam cores. Low velocity impacts are done below the barely visible impact damage (BVID limit in order to detect damage by vibration testing that is hardly visible on the surface. Experimental tests are done using both burst random and sine dwell testing in order to have a better confidence level on the extracted modal parameters. Results show that the entangled sandwich beams have a better resistance against impact as compared to classical core materials.

Polyisocyanurate systems for insulating and sandwich elements; Polyisocyanurat-Systeme fuer Daemm- und Sandwichelemente

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malotki, P. von [Elastogran GmbH, Lemfoerde (Germany)

2000-07-01

PUR rigid foam plates are laminated with flexible Al films, paper or glass non-wovens, or may be processed into sandwich elements with metallic top-layers via coil-coating. Dependence of heat insulation efficiency, dimensional stability and fire behavior of the foam on chemical composition and the blowing agents is considered and compared with polyisocyanurate foams. Recipes for the production of PIR heat insulation elements and sandwich elements are given.

Stiff, Strong Splice For A Composite Sandwich Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Schmaling, D.

1991-01-01

New type of splice for composite sandwich structure reduces peak shear stress in structure. Layers of alternating fiber orientation interposed between thin ears in adhesive joint. Developed for structural joint in spar of helicopter rotor blade, increases precision of control over thickness of adhesive at joint. Joint easy to make, requires no additional pieces, and adds little weight.

Energy absorption capabilities of composite sandwich panels under blast loads

Science.gov (United States)

Sankar Ray, Tirtha

As blast threats on military and civilian structures continue to be a significant concern, there remains a need for improved design strategies to increase blast resistance capabilities. The approach to blast resistance proposed here is focused on dissipating the high levels of pressure induced during a blast through maximizing the potential for energy absorption of composite sandwich panels, which are a competitive structural member type due to the inherent energy absorption capabilities of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Furthermore, the middle core in the sandwich panels can be designed as a sacrificial layer allowing for a significant amount of deformation or progressive failure to maximize the potential for energy absorption. The research here is aimed at the optimization of composite sandwich panels for blast mitigation via energy absorption mechanisms. The energy absorption mechanisms considered include absorbed strain energy due to inelastic deformation as well as energy dissipation through progressive failure of the core of the sandwich panels. The methods employed in the research consist of a combination of experimentally-validated finite element analysis (FEA) and the derivation and use of a simplified analytical model. The key components of the scope of work then includes: establishment of quantified energy absorption criteria, validation of the selected FE modeling techniques, development of the simplified analytical model, investigation of influential core architectures and geometric parameters, and investigation of influential material properties. For the parameters that are identified as being most-influential, recommended values for these parameters are suggested in conceptual terms that are conducive to designing composite sandwich panels for various blast threats. Based on reviewing the energy response characteristic of the panel under blast loading, a non-dimensional parameter AET/ ET (absorbed energy, AET, normalized by total energy

Active structural health monitoring of composite plates and sandwiches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadílek P.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of presented work is to design, assemble and test a functional system, that is able to reveal damage from impact loading. This is done by monitoring of change of spectral characteristics on a damaged structure that is caused by change of mechanical properties of material or by change of structure’s geometry. Excitation and monitoring of structures was done using piezoelectric patches. Unidirectional composite plate was tested for eigenfrequencies using chirp signal. The eigenfrequencies were compared to results from experiments with an impact hammer and consequently with results from finite element method. Same method of finding eigenfrequencies was used on a different unidirectional composite specimen. Series of impacts were performed. Spectrum of eigenfrequencies was measured on undamaged plate and then after each impact. Measurements of the plate with different level of damage were compared. Following experiments were performed on sandwich materials where more different failures may happen. Set of sandwich beams (cut out from one plate made of two outer composite layers and a foam core was investigated and subjected to several impacts. Several samples were impacted in the same manner to get comparable results. The impacts were performed with growing impact energy.

Failure modes of composite sandwich beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gdoutos E.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A thorough investigation of failure behavior of composite sandwich beams under three-and four-point bending was undertaken. The beams were made of unidirectional carbon/epoxy facings and a PVC closed-cell foam core. The constituent materials were fully characterized and in the case of the foam core, failure envelopes were developed for general two-dimensional states of stress. Various failure modes including facing wrinkling, indentation failure and core failure were observed and compared with analytical predictions. The initiation, propagation and interaction of failure modes depend on the type of loading, constituent material properties and geometrical dimensions.

Fluid Structure Interaction Effect on Sandwich Composite Structures

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

far back as ancient Egyptian times in the use of straw and bricks, or more recently in the last century with the use of steel rebar in concrete ...construction of sandwich composites; however, this particular material was selected for its uniform pattern and translucent qualities after it is wetted out...excellent fire retardant and corrosion resistant qualities making it a natural selection for shipboard applications. The same translucent qualities

Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habib Ullah, M.; Islam, M. T.

2013-01-01

Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz

Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habib Ullah, M. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia); Department of Electrical, Electronic and System Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 (Malaysia); Islam, M. T. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia)

2013-11-25

Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

2017-12-01

Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

Parametric study on nonlinear vibration of composite truss core sandwich plate with internal resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jia Nen; Liu, Jun [Tianjin Key Laboratory of the Design and Intelligent Control of the Advanced Mechatronical System, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin (China); Zhang, Wei; Yao, Ming Hui [College of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing (China); Sun, Min [School of Science, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin (China)

2016-09-15

Nonlinear vibrations of carbon fiber reinforced composite sandwich plate with pyramidal truss core are investigated. The governing equation of motion for the sandwich plate is derived by using a Zig-Zag theory under consideration of geometrically nonlinear. The natural frequencies of sandwich plates with different dimensions are calculated and compared with those obtained from the classic laminated plate theory and Reddy's third-order shear deformation plate theory. The frequency responses and waveforms of the sandwich plate when 1:3 internal resonance occurs are obtained, and the characteristics of the internal resonance are discussed. The influences of layer number of face sheet, strut radius, core height and inclination angle on the nonlinear responses of the sandwich plate are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the strut radius and inclination angle mainly affect the resonance frequency band of the sandwich plate, and the layer number and core height not only influence the resonance frequency band but also significantly affect the response amplitude.

Test and Analysis of a Buckling-Critical Large-Scale Sandwich Composite Cylinder

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Marc R.; Sleight, David W.; Gardner, Nathaniel W.; Rudd, Michelle T.; Hilburger, Mark W.; Palm, Tod E.; Oldfield, Nathan J.

2018-01-01

Structural stability is an important design consideration for launch-vehicle shell structures and it is well known that the buckling response of such shell structures can be very sensitive to small geometric imperfections. As part of an effort to develop new buckling design guidelines for sandwich composite cylindrical shells, an 8-ft-diameter honeycomb-core sandwich composite cylinder was tested under pure axial compression to failure. The results from this test are compared with finite-element-analysis predictions and overall agreement was very good. In particular, the predicted buckling load was within 1% of the test and the character of the response matched well. However, it was found that the agreement could be improved by including composite material nonlinearity in the analysis, and that the predicted buckling initiation site was sensitive to the addition of small bending loads to the primary axial load in analyses.

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hongbo; Wen, Weijia; Wong, George K.

2006-12-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO2, ZnO, and TiO2) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity.

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Hongbo; Wen Weijia; Wong, George K. L.

2006-01-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO 2 , ZnO, and TiO 2 ) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity

Facile synthesis and electrochemical performances of binder-free flexible graphene/acetylene black sandwich film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Juan; Wei, Xicheng; Cao, Jianyu; Dong, Yuanzhu; Wang, Guoxin; Xue, Yufei; Wang, Wenchang; Chen, Zhidong

2015-01-01

Graphene/acetylene black sandwich film was fabricated by a simple vacuum filtration procedure using a stable complex suspension of graphene oxide (GO) and acetylene black followed by a hydroiodic acid (HI) immersion process to fully reduce the GO to graphene sheets. The self-restacking of individual graphene sheets were greatly alleviated and electric conductivity was obviously improved using the acetylene black nanoparticles as both effective spacers to expand the inter-layer interval of the individual graphene sheets during the film assembly course and highly conducting bridges to facilitate the electron/ion transfer between the upper and lower graphene sheets. The flexible graphene/acetylene black film was utilized as supercapacitor electrode without additional conductive additives, binders and current collectors, which achieved an obviously higher specific capacitance (ca. 136.6 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 ) and much better specific capacitance retention at high current densities than that of the pure graphene film electrode, indicating that such a novel sandwich film structure allows for a higher charge storage capability. More importantly, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor device displayed a satisfactory specific capacitance of 59.2 F g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 , 47.6 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 and 42.8 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 , and only negligible 4.05% capacitance degradation have been found after 1000 continuous charge-discharge cycles at 0.5 A g −1 , revealing outstanding rate capability, excellent electrochemical reversibility and long-term cyclability. These results proved that such a flexible and highly conductive graphene/acetylene black film can be promising electroactive materials in the development of advanced electrochemical energy storage devices

Bi-layer sandwich film for antibacterial catheters.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Gerhard; Schamberger, Florian; Zare, Hamideh Heidari; Bröskamp, Sara Felicitas; Jocham, Dieter

2017-01-01

Background: Approximately one quarter of all nosocomial infections can be attributed to the urinary tract. The infections are supposed to be mainly caused by implantations of urethral catheters and stents. A new catheter design is introduced with the aim to lower the high number of nosocomial urethral infections. In order to avoid limitations to use, the design is first applied to conventional commercially available balloon catheters. Results: The main feature of the design is a sandwich layer on both sides of the catheter wall, which is composed of a fragmented base layer of silver capped by a thin film of poly( p -xylylene). This top layer is mainly designed to release a controlled amount of Ag + ions, which is bactericidal, but not toxic to humans. Simultaneously, the lifetime is prolonged to at least one year. The base layer is electrolessly deposited applying Tollens' reagens, the cap layer is deposited by using chemical vapor deposition. Conclusion: The three main problems of this process, electroless deposition of a fragmented silver film on the surface of an electrically insulating organic polymer, irreproducible evaporation during heating of the precursor, and exponential decrease of the layer thickness along the capillary, have been solved trough the application of a simple electrochemical reaction and two standard principles of physics: Papin's pot and the principle of Le Chatelier.

Bi-layer sandwich film for antibacterial catheters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerhard Franz

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Approximately one quarter of all nosocomial infections can be attributed to the urinary tract. The infections are supposed to be mainly caused by implantations of urethral catheters and stents. A new catheter design is introduced with the aim to lower the high number of nosocomial urethral infections. In order to avoid limitations to use, the design is first applied to conventional commercially available balloon catheters.Results: The main feature of the design is a sandwich layer on both sides of the catheter wall, which is composed of a fragmented base layer of silver capped by a thin film of poly(p-xylylene. This top layer is mainly designed to release a controlled amount of Ag+ ions, which is bactericidal, but not toxic to humans. Simultaneously, the lifetime is prolonged to at least one year. The base layer is electrolessly deposited applying Tollens’ reagens, the cap layer is deposited by using chemical vapor deposition.Conclusion: The three main problems of this process, electroless deposition of a fragmented silver film on the surface of an electrically insulating organic polymer, irreproducible evaporation during heating of the precursor, and exponential decrease of the layer thickness along the capillary, have been solved trough the application of a simple electrochemical reaction and two standard principles of physics: Papin’s pot and the principle of Le Chatelier.

Probabilistic fatigue life of balsa cored sandwich composites subjected to transverse shear

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dimitrov, Nikolay Krasimirov; Berggreen, Christian

2015-01-01

A probabilistic fatigue life model for end-grain balsa cored sandwich composites subjectedto transverse shear is proposed. The model is calibrated to measured three-pointbending constant-amplitude fatigue test data using the maximum likelihood method. Some possible applications of the probabilistic...

Structural and failure mechanics of sandwich composites

CERN Document Server

Carlsson, LA; Carlsson, Leif A

2011-01-01

Focusing on important deformation and failure modes of sandwich structures, this volume describes the mechanics behind fracture processes. The text also reviews test methods developed for the cr, structural integrity, and failure mechanisms of sandwich structures.

Influence of film thickness on structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films obtained by SILAR method and analysis of Zn/ZnS/n-GaAs/In sandwich structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oezakin, Oguzhan; Guezeldir, Betuel; Saglam, Mustafa [Department of Physics, Science Faculty, Atatuerk University, Erzurum (Turkey); Yildirim, M. Ali [Department of Physics, Science and Art Faculty, Erzincan University, Erzincan (Turkey); Ates, Aytunc [Department of Material Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara (Turkey)

2012-04-15

ZnS thin films were deposited on glass substrates using SILAR method at room temperature and ambient pressure. The relationship between refractive index and energy bandgap was investigated. The film thickness effect on the structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnS thin films was investigated. The crystalline and surface properties of the films improved with increasing film thickness. The energy bandgap values changed from 3.87 to 3.58 eV with increasing film thickness. The refractive index (n), high frequency dielectric constant ({epsilon}{sub {infinity}}) values were calculated by using the energy bandgap values as a function of the film thickness. Also, ZnS thin film was deposited directly on n-GaAs substrate for obtaining the Zn/ZnS/n-GaAs/In sandwich structure at room temperature. The sandwich structure demonstrated clearly rectifying behaviour by the current-voltage (I-V) curves at room temperature. From I-V characteristics n and {phi}{sub b} values were calculated as 1.894 and 0.632 eV at room temperature, respectively. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A High-Order Theory for the Analysis of Circular Cylindrical Composite Sandwich Shells with Transversely Compliant Core Subjected to External Loads

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahmani, Omid; Khalili, S.M.R.; Thomsen, Ole Thybo

2012-01-01

A new model based on the high order sandwich panel theory is proposed to study the effect of external loads on the free vibration of circular cylindrical composite sandwich shells with transversely compliant core, including also the calculation of the buckling loads. In the present model......, which is based on a 3D elasticity solution for the core material, can be used as a benchmark in future studies of the free vibration and buckling of circular cylindrical composite sandwich shells with a transversely compliant core....

Effect of interface structure regulation caused by variation of imidization rate on conduction current characteristics of PI/nano-Al2O3 three-layer composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xinyu; Liu, Lizhu; Zhang, Xiaorui; He, Hongju

2018-06-01

A series of sandwich structure PI films were prepared by different imidization process, with pure PI film as the interlayer and PI/Al2O3 composite films as outer layers. The imidization rate of the film with different cured processes was calculated by characterizing by infrared spectrum (FT-IR), and the morphology of interlayer interface with different imidization rates by scanning electron microscope (SEM). When the imidization conditions of the first and second films were 260 °C/120 min, the composite films displayed better interface structure and higher imidization rate (ID) than others. Moreover, results also showed that the conduction current of three-layer composite film steadily improved with increased ID and temperature, and was higher than that of the pure film. At the temperature of 30 °C, the electrical aging threshold at different ID was obtained. When the ID reached the maximum value of 78.9%, the electrical aging threshold reached the maximum 41.69 kV/mm.

Remarkable reduction in the threshold voltage of pentacene-based thin film transistors with pentacene/CuPc sandwich configuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Li

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the remarkable reduction in the threshold voltage (VT of pentacene-based thin film transistors with pentacene/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc sandwich configuration. This reduction is accompanied by increased mobility and lowered sub-threshold slope (S. Sandwich devices coated with a 5 nm layer of CuPc layer are compared with conventional top-contact devices, and results indicate that VT decreased significantly from −20.4 V to −0.2 V, that mobility increased from 0.18 cm2/Vs to 0.51 cm2/Vs, and that S was reduced from 4.1 V/dec to 2.9 V/dec. However, the on/off current ratio remains at 105. This enhanced performance could be attributed to the reduction in charge trap density by the incorporated CuPc layer. Results suggest that this method is simple and effectively generates pentacene-based organic thin film transistors with high mobility and low VT.

Measuring Cohesive Laws for Interfaces in Sandwich Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Sørensen, Bent F.; Berggreen, Carl Christian

2006-01-01

mixities. The sandwich specimens consists of glass fiber faces and Divinycell H200 foam core with a pre-crack between face and core made with teflon film. Arbitrary stiffening of the sandwich faces with steel bars adhered to the faces reduces rotations and ensures that the method is useable for a wide...

Numerical Study for Compressive Strength of Basalt Composite Sandwich Infill Panel

OpenAIRE

Viriyavudh Sim; Jung Kyu Choi; Yong Ju Kwak; Oh Hyeon Jeon; Woo Young Jung

2017-01-01

In this study, we investigated the buckling performance of basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) sandwich infill panels. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is a major evolution for energy dissipation when used as infill material of frame structure, a basic Polymer Matrix Composite (PMC) infill wall system consists of two FRP laminates surrounding an infill of foam core. Furthermore, this type of component is for retrofitting and strengthening frame structure to withstand the seismic disaster. In...

Bio-composites fabricated by sandwiching sisal fibers with polypropylene (PP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sosiati, H., E-mail: hsosiati@gmail.com [Nanomaterials Research Group, LPPT Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia); Nahyudin, A., E-mail: ahmadnahyudin@yahoo.co.id; Fauzi, I., E-mail: ikhsannurfauzi@gmail.com; Wijayanti, D. A., E-mail: wijayantidwiastuti@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia); Triyana, K., E-mail: triyana@ugm.ac.id [Nanomaterials Research Group, LPPT Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia); Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia)

2016-04-19

Sisal fibers reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were successfully fabricated using sandwiching sisal fibers with PP sheets. The ratio of fiber and polymer matrix was 50:50 (wt. %). Untreated short and long sisal fibers, and alkali treated short sisal fibers in 6% NaOH at 100°C for 1 and 3 h were used as reinforcement or fillers. A small amount (3 wt. %) of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition of the fibers, respectively. Flexural test of sisal/PP composites was done according to ASTM D 790-02. The results showed that flexural strength of untreated long fiber reinforced composite is much higher than that of the untreated and alkali treated short fibers reinforced composites with and without the addition of MAPP. Alkalization related to fiber surface modification, fiber length/fiber orientation and a composite fabrication technique are important factors in contributing to the fiber distribution within the matrix, the bonding between the fiber and the matrix and the enhancement of flexural strength of the bio-composite.

Bio-composites fabricated by sandwiching sisal fibers with polypropylene (PP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sosiati, H.; Nahyudin, A.; Fauzi, I.; Wijayanti, D. A.; Triyana, K.

2016-01-01

Sisal fibers reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were successfully fabricated using sandwiching sisal fibers with PP sheets. The ratio of fiber and polymer matrix was 50:50 (wt. %). Untreated short and long sisal fibers, and alkali treated short sisal fibers in 6% NaOH at 100°C for 1 and 3 h were used as reinforcement or fillers. A small amount (3 wt. %) of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition of the fibers, respectively. Flexural test of sisal/PP composites was done according to ASTM D 790-02. The results showed that flexural strength of untreated long fiber reinforced composite is much higher than that of the untreated and alkali treated short fibers reinforced composites with and without the addition of MAPP. Alkalization related to fiber surface modification, fiber length/fiber orientation and a composite fabrication technique are important factors in contributing to the fiber distribution within the matrix, the bonding between the fiber and the matrix and the enhancement of flexural strength of the bio-composite.

Bio-composites fabricated by sandwiching sisal fibers with polypropylene (PP)

Science.gov (United States)

Sosiati, H.; Nahyudin, A.; Fauzi, I.; Wijayanti, D. A.; Triyana, K.

2016-04-01

Sisal fibers reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were successfully fabricated using sandwiching sisal fibers with PP sheets. The ratio of fiber and polymer matrix was 50:50 (wt. %). Untreated short and long sisal fibers, and alkali treated short sisal fibers in 6% NaOH at 100°C for 1 and 3 h were used as reinforcement or fillers. A small amount (3 wt. %) of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition of the fibers, respectively. Flexural test of sisal/PP composites was done according to ASTM D 790-02. The results showed that flexural strength of untreated long fiber reinforced composite is much higher than that of the untreated and alkali treated short fibers reinforced composites with and without the addition of MAPP. Alkalization related to fiber surface modification, fiber length/fiber orientation and a composite fabrication technique are important factors in contributing to the fiber distribution within the matrix, the bonding between the fiber and the matrix and the enhancement of flexural strength of the bio-composite.

High temperature structural sandwich panels

Science.gov (United States)

Papakonstantinou, Christos G.

High strength composites are being used for making lightweight structural panels that are being employed in aerospace, naval and automotive structures. Recently, there is renewed interest in use of these panels. The major problem of most commercial available sandwich panels is the fire resistance. A recently developed inorganic matrix is investigated for use in cases where fire and high temperature resistance are necessary. The focus of this dissertation is the development of a fireproof composite structural system. Sandwich panels made with polysialate matrices have an excellent potential for use in applications where exposure to high temperatures or fire is a concern. Commercial available sandwich panels will soften and lose nearly all of their compressive strength temperatures lower than 400°C. This dissertation consists of the state of the art, the experimental investigation and the analytical modeling. The state of the art covers the performance of existing high temperature composites, sandwich panels and reinforced concrete beams strengthened with Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP). The experimental part consists of four major components: (i) Development of a fireproof syntactic foam with maximum specific strength, (ii) Development of a lightweight syntactic foam based on polystyrene spheres, (iii) Development of the composite system for the skins. The variables are the skin thickness, modulus of elasticity of skin and high temperature resistance, and (iv) Experimental evaluation of the flexural behavior of sandwich panels. Analytical modeling consists of a model for the flexural behavior of lightweight sandwich panels, and a model for deflection calculations of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with FRP subjected to fatigue loading. The experimental and analytical results show that sandwich panels made with polysialate matrices and ceramic spheres do not lose their load bearing capability during severe fire exposure, where temperatures reach several

Application of sandwich honeycomb carbon/glass fiber-honeycomb composite in the floor component of electric car

Science.gov (United States)

Sukmaji, I. C.; Wijang, W. R.; Andri, S.; Bambang, K.; Teguh, T.

2017-01-01

Nowadays composite is a superior material used in automotive component due to its outstanding mechanical behavior. The sandwich polypropylene honeycomb core with carbon/glass fiber composite skin (SHCG) as based material in a floor component of electric car application is investigated in the present research. In sandwich structure form, it can absorb noise better compare with the conventional material [1]. Also in present paper, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of SHCG as based material for floor component of the electric car is analyzed. The composite sandwich is contained with a layer uniform carbon fiber and mixing non-uniform carbon-glass fiber in upper and lower skin. Between skins of SHCG are core polypropylene honeycomb that it have good flexibility to form following dies profile. The variables of volume fraction ratio of carbon/glass fiber in SHCG skin are 20/80%, 30/70%, and 50/50%. The specimen of SHCG is tested using the universal testing machine by three points bending method refers to ASTM C393 and ASTM C365. The cross point between tensile strength to the volume fraction the mixing carbon/glass line and ratio cost line are the searched material with good mechanical performance and reasonable cost. The point is 30/70 volume fraction of carbon/glass fiber. The result of the testing experiment is become input properties of model structure sandwich in FEA simulation. FEA simulation approach is conducted to find critical strength and factor of complex safety geometry against varied distributed passenger loads of a floor component the electric car. The passenger loads variable are 80, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg.

Detecting and identifying damage in sandwich polymer composite by using acoustic emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGugan, M.; Soerensen, Bent F.; Oestergaard, R.; Bech, T.

2006-12-15

Acoustic emission is a useful monitoring tool for extracting extra information during mechanical testing of polymer composite sandwich materials. The study of fracture mechanics within test specimens extracted from wind turbine blade material is presented. The contribution of the acoustic emission monitoring technique in defining different failure modes identified during the testing is discussed. The development of in-situ structural monitoring and control systems is considered. (au)

Effect of nanomodified polyester resin on hybrid sandwich laminates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anbusagar, NRR.; Giridharan, P.K.; Palanikumar, K.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Effect of nanomodified polyester resin on hybrid sandwich laminates is evaluated. • The hybrid sandwich laminates are fabricated with varying wt% of nanoclay. • Flexural, impact and moisture absorbtion properties are evaluated for hybrid composites. • Scanning electron microscopy is utilized to analyze the dispersion of clay and fractured surfaces of the nanocomposites. - Abstract: Effect of nanoclay modified polyester resin on flexural, impact, hardness and water absorption properties of untreated woven jute and glass fabric hybrid sandwich laminates have been investigated experimentally. The hybrid sandwich laminates are prepared by hand lay-up manufacturing technique (HL) for investigation. All hybrid sandwich laminates are fabricated with a total of 10 layers, by varying the extreme layers and wt% of nanoclay in polyester resin so as to obtain four different combinations of hybrid sandwich laminates. For comparison of the composite with hybrid composite, jute fiber reinforced composite laminate also fabricated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results obtained from samples with nanoclay indicated that intergallery spacing of the layered clay increases with matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) gave a morphological picture of the cross-sections and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) allowed investigating the elemental composition of matrix in composites. The testing results indicated that the flexural properties are greatly increased at 4% of nanoclay loading while impact, hardness and water absorption properties are increased at 6% of nanoclay loading. A plausible explanation for high increase of properties has also been discussed

Fatigue behavior of wood-fiber-based tri-axial engineered sandwich composite panels (ESCP)

Science.gov (United States)

Jinghao Li; John F. Hunt; Shaoqin Gong; Zhiyong Cai

2015-01-01

The static and fatigue bending behavior of wood-fiber-based tri-axial engineered sandwich composite panels (ESCP) has been investigated by four-point bending tests. Fatigue panels and weakened panels (wESCP) with an initial interface defect were manufactured for the fatigue tests. Stress σ vs. number of cycles curves (S-N) were recorded under the different stress...

Bile canaliculi formation and biliary transport in 3D sandwich-cultured hepatocytes in dependence of the extracellular matrix composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Deharde, Daniela; Schneider, Christin; Hiller, Thomas; Fischer, Nicolas; Kegel, Victoria; Lübberstedt, Marc; Freyer, Nora; Hengstler, Jan G; Andersson, Tommy B; Seehofer, Daniel; Pratschke, Johann; Zeilinger, Katrin; Damm, Georg

2016-10-01

Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) are still considered as gold standard for investigation of in vitro metabolism and hepatotoxicity in pharmaceutical research. It has been shown that the three-dimensional (3D) cultivation of PHH in a sandwich configuration between two layers of extracellular matrix (ECM) enables the hepatocytes to adhere three dimensionally leading to formation of in vivo like cell-cell contacts and cell-matrix interactions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of different ECM compositions on morphology, cellular arrangement and bile canaliculi formation as well as bile excretion processes in PHH sandwich cultures systematically. Freshly isolated PHH were cultured for 6 days between two ECM layers made of collagen and/or Matrigel in four different combinations. The cultures were investigated by phase contrast microscopy and immunofluorescence analysis with respect to cell-cell connections, repolarization as well as bile canaliculi formation. The influence of the ECM composition on cell activity and viability was measured using the XTT assay and a fluorescent dead or alive assay. Finally, the bile canalicular transport was analyzed by live cell imaging to monitor the secretion and accumulation of the fluorescent substance CDF in bile canaliculi. Using collagen and Matrigel in different compositions in sandwich cultures of hepatocytes, we observed differences in morphology, cellular arrangement and cell activity of PHH in dependence of the ECM composition. Sandwich-cultured hepatocytes with an underlay of collagen seem to represent the best in vivo tissue architecture in terms of formation of trabecular cell arrangement. Cultures overlaid with collagen were characterized by the formation of abundant bile canaliculi, while the bile canaliculi network in hepatocytes cultured on a layer of Matrigel and overlaid with collagen showed the most branched and stable canalicular network. All cultures showed a time-dependent leakage of

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor); Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Analytical/Empirical Study on Indentation Behavior of Sandwich Plate with Foam Core and Composite Face Sheets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soheil Dariushi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Sandwich structures are widely used in aerospace, automobile, high speed train and civil applications. Sandwich structures consist of two thin and stiff skins and a thick and light weight core. In this study, the obligatory mandate of a sandwich plate contact constitutes a flexible foam core and composite skins with a hemispherical rigid punch has been studied by an analytical/empirical method. In sandwich structures, calculation of force distribution under the punch nose is complicated, because the core is flexible and the difference between the modulus of elasticity of skin and core is large. In the present study, an exponential correlation between the contact force and indentation is proposed. The coefficient and numerical exponent were calculated using the experimental indentation results. A model based on a high-order sandwich panel theory was used to study the bending behavior of sandwich plate under hemispherical punch load. In the first method, the force distribution under the punch nose was calculated by the proposed method and multiplied to deformation of related point in the loading area to calculate the potential energy of the external loads. In the second method, the punch load was modeled as a point force and multiplied to deformation of maximum indented point. The results obtained from the two methods were compared with the experimental results. Indentation and bending tests were carried out on sandwich plates with glass/epoxy skins and a styrene/acrylonitrile foam core. In the bending test, a simply support condition was set and in the indentation test the sandwich specimens were put on a rigid support. Indeed, in this position the punch movement was equal the indentation. The comparison between the analytical and experimental results showed that the proposed method significantly improved the accuracy of analysis.

Tensile and Compressive Properties of Woven Kenaf/Glass Sandwich Hybrid Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohaiman J. Sharba

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Monotonic (tensile and compression properties of woven kenaf/glass reinforced unsaturated polyester sandwich hybrid composites have been experimentally investigated. Five types of composites laminates were fabricated using a combination of hand lay-up and cold press techniques, postcured for two hours at 80°C and left for 48 hours at room temperature. The hybrid composites contained fixed six layers of glass as a shell, three on each side, whereas the number of core kenaf layers was changed in three stages to get S1, S2, and S3 hybrid composites. Composites specimens with pure glass and kenaf were also fabricated for comparison. It was found that one kenaf layer replaced about 20% of total fiber weight fraction of the composite; this leads to reducing the density of final hybrid composite by 13%. Besides, in mechanical properties perspective, there are less than 1% reduction in compression strength and 40% in tensile strength when compared to pure glass composite. Generally, the results revealed that the best performance was observed in S1, which showed a good balance of all mechanical properties determined in this work.

ITO-TiN-ITO Sandwiches for Near-Infrared Plasmonic Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chaonan; Wang, Zhewei; Wu, Ke; Chong, Haining; Xu, Zemin; Ye, Hui

2018-05-02

Indium tin oxide (ITO)-based sandwich structures with the insertion of ultrathin (ITO layers show TiN-thickness-dependent properties, which lead to moderate and tunable effective permittivities for the sandwiches. The surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) of the ITO-TiN-ITO sandwich at the telecommunication window (1480-1570 nm) are activated by prism coupling using Kretschmann configuration. Compared with pure ITO films or sandwiches with metal insertion, the reflectivity dip for sandwiches with TiN is relatively deeper and wider, indicating the enhanced coupling ability in plasmonic materials for telecommunications. The SPP spatial profile, penetration depth, and degree of confinement, as well as the quality factors, demonstrate the applicability of such sandwiches for NIR plasmonic materials in various devices.

Facile and large-scale preparation of sandwich-structured graphene-metal oxide composites as anode materials for Li-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Hongmei; Zhao, Li; Yue, Wenbo; Wang, Yuan; Jiang, Yang; Zhang, Yuan

2015-01-01

Graphene-based metal oxides are desirable as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their superior electrochemical properties. In this work, sandwich-structured graphene-metal oxide (ZnO, NiO) composites are facilely synthesized on a large scale through self-assembly of graphene oxide nanosheets and metal ammine complexes, and then thermal decomposition of the self-assembled products. ZnO or NiO nanoparticles with diameters of 5∼10 nm are immobilized between the layers of graphene nanosheets, which may provide the space for accommodating the volume change of metal oxides during cycles, and highly improve the electronic conductivity of the composites. Accordingly, these sandwich-structured composites exhibit enhanced electrochemical performances compared to metal oxide particles or stacked graphene nanosheets. This facile synthesis method is very suitable for the large-scale production of three-dimensional graphene-based composites as high-performance anodes for LIBs.

Dispersion of Lamb waves in a honeycomb composite sandwich panel.

Science.gov (United States)

Baid, Harsh; Schaal, Christoph; Samajder, Himadri; Mal, Ajit

2015-02-01

Composite materials are increasingly being used in advanced aircraft and aerospace structures. Despite their many advantages, composites are often susceptible to hidden damages that may occur during manufacturing and/or service of the structure. Therefore, safe operation of composite structures requires careful monitoring of the initiation and growth of such defects. Ultrasonic methods using guided waves offer a reliable and cost effective method for defects monitoring in advanced structures due to their long propagation range and their sensitivity to defects in their propagation path. In this paper, some of the useful properties of guided Lamb type waves are investigated, using analytical, numerical and experimental methods, in an effort to provide the knowledge base required for the development of viable structural health monitoring systems for composite structures. The laboratory experiments involve a pitch-catch method in which a pair of movable transducers is placed on the outside surface of the structure for generating and recording the wave signals. The specific cases considered include an aluminum plate, a woven composite laminate and an aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel. The agreement between experimental, numerical and theoretical results are shown to be excellent in certain frequency ranges, providing a guidance for the design of effective inspection systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In-situ sulfuration synthesis of sandwiched spherical tin sulfide/sulfur-doped graphene composite with ultra-low sulfur content

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bing; Yang, Yaqing; Wang, Zhixuan; Huang, Shoushuang; Wang, Yanyan; Wang, Shanshan; Chen, Zhiwen; Jiang, Yong

2018-02-01

SnS is widely studied as anode materials since of its superior structural stability and physicochemical property comparing with other Sn-based composites. Nevertheless, the inconvenience of phase morphology control and excessive consumption of sulfur sources during synthesis hinder the scalable application of SnS nanocomposites. Herein, we report a facile in-situ sulfuration strategy to synthesize sandwiched spherical SnS/sulfur-doped graphene (SnS/S-SG) composite. An ultra-low sulfur content with approximately stoichiometric ratio of Sn:S can effectively promote the sulfuration reaction of SnO2 to SnS and simultaneous sulfur-doping of graphene. The as-prepared SnS/S-SG composite shows a three-dimensional interconnected spherical structure as a whole, in which SnS nanoparticles are sandwiched between the multilayers of graphene sheets forming a hollow sphere. The sandwiched sphere structure and high S doping amount can improve the binding force between SnS and graphene, as well as the structural stability and electrical conductivity of the composite. Thus, a high reversibility of conversion reaction, promising specific capacity (772 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 C) and excellent rate performance (705 and 411 mAh g-1 at 1 C and 10 C, respectively) are exhibited in the SnS/S-SG electrode, which are much higher than that of the SnS/spherical graphene synthesized by traditional post-sulfuration method.

Dynamic Response of Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Sandwich Plate

Science.gov (United States)

Mehar, Kulmani; Panda, Subrata Kumar

2018-03-01

In this article, the dynamic response of the carbon nanotube-reinforced functionally graded sandwich composite plate has been studied numerically with the help of finite element method. The face sheets of the sandwich composite plate are made of carbon nanotube- reinforced composite for two different grading patterns whereas the core phase is taken as isotropic material. The final properties of the structure are calculated using the rule of mixture. The geometrical model of the sandwich plate is developed and discretized suitably with the help of available shell element in ANSYS library. Subsequently, the corresponding numerical dynamic responses computed via batch input technique (parametric design language code in ANSYS) of ANSYS including Newmark’s integration scheme. The stability of the sandwich structural numerical model is established through the proper convergence study. Further, the reliability of the sandwich model is checked by comparison study between present and available results from references. As a final point, some numerical problems have been solved to examine the effect of different design constraints (carbon nanotube distribution pattern, core to face thickness ratio, volume fractions of the nanotube, length to thickness ratio, aspect ratio and constraints at edges) on the time-responses of sandwich plate.

Multi-response parametric optimization in drilling of bamboo/Kevlar fiber reinforced sandwich composite

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Thingujam Jackson; Samanta, Sutanu

2016-09-01

In the present work an attempt was made towards parametric optimization of drilling bamboo/Kevlar K29 fiber reinforced sandwich composite to minimize the delamination occurred during the drilling process and also to maximize the tensile strength of the drilled composite. The spindle speed and the feed rate of the drilling operation are taken as the input parameters. The influence of these parameters on delamination and tensile strength of the drilled composite studied and analysed using Taguchi GRA and ANOVA technique. The results show that both the response parameters i.e. delamination and tensile strength are more influenced by feed rate than spindle speed. The percentage contribution of feed rate and spindle speed on response parameters are 13.88% and 81.74% respectively.

Characterization of compressive and short beam shear strength of bamboo opened cell foam core sandwich composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Setyawan, Paryanto Dwi, E-mail: paryanto-ds@yahoo.com; Sugiman,; Saputra, Yudhi [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mataram, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (Indonesia)

2016-03-29

The paper presents the compressive and the short beam shear strength of a sandwich composite with opened cell foam made of bamboo fiber as the core and plywood as the skins. The core thickness was varied from 10 mm to 40 mm keeping the volume fraction of fiber constant. Several test s were carried out including the core density, flatwise compressive and the short beam shear testing in three point bending. The results show that the density of bamboo opened cell foam is comparable with commercial plastic foam, such as polyurethane foam. The compressive strength tends to increase linearly with increasing the core thickness. The short beam shear failure load of the sandwich composite increases with the increase of core thickness, however on the contrary, the short beam shear strength which tends to sharply decrease from the thickness of 10 mm to 30 mm and then becomes flat.

The Effect of a Glass Ceramic Insert in Sandwich Technique on Microleakage in Class II Composite Resin Restorations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hila Hajizadeh

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of glass ceramic insert in the sandwich technique to reduce microleakage in class II composite resin restorations. Methods: Sixty sound human upper second premolars were selected and randomly divided into six groups (n=10. Class II box-only cavities were prepared in distal aspects of each tooth with gingival margin located approximately 0.5 mm below the CEJ. Group A (Control was restored incrementally with Tetric Ceram and a total-etch bonding technique. Group B and C were restored with sandwich technique using a compomer (Compoglass F or flowable composite resin (Tetric Flow as the lining material at gingival floor, respectively. Group D, E and F were represented in the same way as group A, B and C and a glass ceramic insert was added to the composite bulk. The specimens were thermo-mechanically cycled, and then immersed in 0.5 % basic fuschin for 24 hours. Dye penetration was detected using a sectioning technique. Results: No significant difference was found between total-etch bonding and sandwich techniques. The placement of an insert caused an increase in   microleakage in all groups significantly (P < 0.05. Group D (no liner/ with glass insert showed the highest amount of microleakage and Group A (no liner/ without glass insert resulted in the lowest amount of total microleakage. Conclusion: Placement of glass ceramic insert could not decrease gingival leakage. According to the limitation of this study a composite resin restorations with incremental technique is recommended

Analysis of syntactic foam – GFRP sandwich composites for flexural loads

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Daniel; Velmurugan, R.; Jayaganthan, R.; Gupta, N. K.; Manzhirov, A. V.

2018-04-01

The use of glass microballoon (GMB) — epoxy syntactic foams as a sandwich core material is studied. The skins and foam core are fabricated and joined instantaneously unlike the procedures followed in the previous studies. Each successive layer of the sandwich is fabricated when the previous layer is in a semi-gelled state. These sandwich samples are characterized for their properties under flexural loading. The failure modes and mechanical properties are carefully investigated. The change in fabrication technique results in a significant increase in the load bearing pattern of the sandwich. In earlier studies, debonding was found to occur prematurely since the bonding between the skins and core is the weakest plane. Using the current technique, core cracking occurs first, followed by skin fiber breaking and debonding happens at the end. This ensures that the load carrying phase of the structure is extended considerably. The sandwich is also analytically studied using Reddy’s higher order shear deformation theory. A higher order theory is selected as the sandwich can no longer be considered as a thin beam and thus shear effects also need to be considered in addition to bending effects.

Development of Aircraft Sandwich Parts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Křena

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The presented paper shows the design and development process of sandwich parts. A spoiler plate and a main landing gear door are developed. Sandwich parts are made of C/E composite facings and a foam core. FE models have been used for optimization of structures. Emphasis has been placed on deformations of parts under a few load cases. Experimental tests have been used for a verification of structure parts loaded by concentrated forces.

X-joints in composite sandwich panels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vredeveldt, A.W.; Janssen, G.Th.M.

1998-01-01

The small structural weight of fast large ships such as fast mono hulls or catamaran type of ships is of extreme importance to their success. One possible light weight structural solution is the sandwich panel with fibre reinforced laminates and a balsa, honeycomb or foam core. A severe obstacle for

High renewable content sandwich structures based on flax-basalt hybrids and biobased epoxy polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Colomina, S.; Boronat, T.; Fenollar, O.; Sánchez-Nacher, L.; Balart, R.

2014-05-01

In the last years, a growing interest in the development of high environmental efficiency materials has been detected and this situation is more accentuated in the field of polymers and polymer composites. In this work, green composite sandwich structures with high renewable content have been developed with core cork materials. The base resin for composites was a biobased epoxy resin derived from epoxidized vegetable oils. Hybrid basalt-flax fabrics have been used as reinforcements for composites and the influence of the stacking sequence has been evaluated in order to optimize the appropriate laminate structure for the sandwich bases. Core cork materials with different thickness have been used to evaluate performance of sandwich structures thus leading to high renewable content composite sandwich structures. Results show that position of basalt fabrics plays a key role in flexural fracture of sandwich structures due to differences in stiffness between flax and basalt fibers.

Geometry effect on the behaviour of single and glue-laminated glass fibre reinforced polymer composite sandwich beams loaded in four-point bending

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awad, Ziad K.; Aravinthan, Thiru; Manalo, Allan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Investigated the behaviour of single and glue-laminated GFRP sandwich beam. ► Effect of shear span to depth was a key factor affecting the overall behaviour. ► Comparison with prediction models gave reasonable results in specific regions. ► A failure map was developed to identify the shear and flexural failures of panels. -- Abstract: The research investigated the behaviour of single and glue laminated glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite sandwich beams considering different spans and beam cross sections. The composite sandwich beams with different thicknesses (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 sandwich layers) have been tested in four-point static flexural test with different shear span to depth ratio (a/d). The a/d ratios showed a direct effect on the flexural and shear behaviour. The capacity of the beam decreased with increasing a/d. Various failure modes were observed including core crushing, core shear, and top skin compression failure. The failure mode map developed based on the experimental finding and analytical prediction indicated that the failure mode is affected by the a/d with the number of glue laminated panels.

Ferroelectric properties of sandwich structured (Bi, La)4T3O12/Pb(Zr, Ti)O3/ (Bi, La)4Ti3O12 thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao Dinghua; Wakiya, Naoki; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Mizutani, Nobuyasu

2002-01-01

Sandwich structured (Bi, La) 4 Ti 3 O 12 /Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 /(Bi, La) 4 Ti 3 O 12 thin films were fabricated on Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrates, with the intention of simultaneously utilizing the advantages of both (Bi, La) 4 Ti 3 O 12 (BLT) and Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 (PZT) thin films such as non-fatigue behaviours of BLT and good ferroelectric properties of PZT. Both BLT and PZT layers were prepared by a chemical solution deposition technique. The experiments demonstrated that the sandwich structure showed fatigue-free characteristics at least up to 10 10 switching bipolar pulse cycles under 8 V and excellent retention properties. The sandwich structured thin films also exhibited well-defined hysteresis loops with a remanent polarization (2P r ) of 8.8 μC cm -2 and a coercive field (E c ) of 47 kV cm -1 . The room-temperature dielectric constant and dissipation factor were 210 and 0.031, respectively, at a frequency of 100 kHz. These results suggest that this sandwich structure is a promising material combination for ferroelectric memory applications. (author)

A Multi-scale Refined Zigzag Theory for Multilayered Composite and Sandwich Plates with Improved Transverse Shear Stresses

Science.gov (United States)

Iurlaro, Luigi; Gherlone, Marco; Di Sciuva, Marco; Tessler, Alexander

2013-01-01

The Refined Zigzag Theory (RZT) enables accurate predictions of the in-plane displacements, strains, and stresses. The transverse shear stresses obtained from constitutive equations are layer-wise constant. Although these transverse shear stresses are generally accurate in the average, layer-wise sense, they are nevertheless discontinuous at layer interfaces, and thus they violate the requisite interlaminar continuity of transverse stresses. Recently, Tessler applied Reissner's mixed variational theorem and RZT kinematic assumptions to derive an accurate and efficient shear-deformation theory for homogeneous, laminated composite, and sandwich beams, called RZT(m), where "m" stands for "mixed". Herein, the RZT(m) for beams is extended to plate analysis, where two alternative assumptions for the transverse shear stresses field are examined: the first follows Tessler's formulation, whereas the second is based on Murakami's polynomial approach. Results for elasto-static simply supported and cantilever plates demonstrate that Tessler's formulation results in a powerful and efficient structural theory that is well-suited for the analysis of multilayered composite and sandwich panels.

Blast-Resistant Improvement of Sandwich Armor Structure with Aluminum Foam Composite

OpenAIRE

Yang, Shu; Qi, Chang

2013-01-01

Sandwich armor structures with aluminum foam can be utilized to protect a military vehicle from harmful blast load such as a landmine explosion. In this paper, a system-level dynamic finite element model is developed to simulate the blast event and to evaluate the blast-resistant performance of the sandwich armor structure. It is found that a sandwich armor structure with only aluminum foam is capable of mitigating crew injuries under a moderate blast load. However, a severe blast load causes...

Impact damage detection in light composite sandwich panels using piezo-based nonlinear vibro-acoustic modulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieczonka, L; Ukowski, P; Klepka, A; Staszewski, W J; Uhl, T; Aymerich, F

2014-01-01

The nonlinear vibro-acoustic modulation technique is used for impact damage detection in light composite sandwich panels. The method utilizes piezo-based low-frequency vibration and high-frequency ultrasonic excitations. The work presented focuses on the analysis of modulation intensity. The results show that the method can be used for impact damage detection reliably separating damage-related from vibro-acoustic modulations from other intrinsic nonlinear modulations. (paper)

Single-layer nano-carbon film, diamond film, and diamond/nano-carbon composite film field emission performance comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaoping; Wang, Jinye; Wang, Lijun

2016-01-01

A series of single-layer nano-carbon (SNC) films, diamond films, and diamond/nano-carbon (D/NC) composite films have been prepared on the highly doped silicon substrate by using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques. The films were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission I-V measurements. The experimental results indicated that the field emission maximum current density of D/NC composite films is 11.8–17.8 times that of diamond films. And the field emission current density of D/NC composite films is 2.9–5 times that of SNC films at an electric field of 3.0 V/μm. At the same time, the D/NC composite film exhibits the advantage of improved reproducibility and long term stability (both of the nano-carbon film within the D/NC composite cathode and the SNC cathode were prepared under the same experimental conditions). And for the D/NC composite sample, a high current density of 10 mA/cm"2 at an electric field of 3.0 V/μm was obtained. Diamond layer can effectively improve the field emission characteristics of nano-carbon film. The reason may be due to the diamond film acts as the electron acceleration layer.

Behaviour of partially composite precast concrete sandwich panels under flexural and axial loads

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, Douglas George

Precast concrete sandwich panels are commonly used on building exteriors. They are typically composed of two concrete wythes that surround rigid insulation. They are advantageous as they provide both structural and thermal resistance. The structural response of sandwich panels is heavily influenced by shear connectors that link the wythes together. This thesis presents a study on partially composite non-prestressed precast concrete wall panels. Nine flexure tests were conducted on a wall design incorporating 'floating' concrete studs and Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) connectors. The studs encapsulate and stiffen the connectors, reducing shear deformations. Ultimate loads increased from 58 to 80% that of a composite section as the connectors' reinforcement ratio increased from 2.6 to 9.8%. This design was optimized by reinforcing the studs and integrating them with the structural wythe; new connectors composed of angled steel or Basalt-FRP (BFRP) were used. The load-slip response of the new connector design was studied through 38 double shear push-through tests using various connector diameters and insertion angles. Larger connectors were stronger but more likely to pull out. Seven flexure tests were conducted on the new wall design reinforced with different combinations of steel and BFRP connectors and reinforcement. Composite action varied from 50 to 90% depending on connector and reinforcement material. Following this study, the axial-bending interaction curves were established for the new wall design using both BFRP and steel connectors and reinforcement. Eight panels were axially loaded to predesignated loads then loaded in flexure to failure. A technique is presented to experimentally determine the effective centroid of partially composite sections. Beyond the tension and compression-controlled failure regions of the interaction curve, a third region was observed in between, governed by connector failure. Theoretical models were developed for the bond

Two dimensional dynamic analysis of sandwich plates with gradient foam cores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mu, Lin; Xiao, Deng Bao; Zhao, Guiping [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical structure Strength and Vibration, School of AerospaceXi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Cho, Chong Du [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, Inchon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-09-15

Present investigation is concerned about dynamic response of composite sandwich plates with the functionally gradient foam cores under time-dependent impulse. The analysis is based on a model of the gradient sandwich plate, in which the face sheets and the core adopt the Kirchhoff theory and a [2, 1]-order theory, respectively. The material properties of the gradient foam core vary continuously along the thickness direction. The gradient plate model is validated with the finite element code ABAQUS®. And the results show that the proposed model can predict well the free vibration of composite sandwich plates with gradient foam cores. The influences of gradient foam cores on the natural frequency, deflection and energy absorbing of the sandwich plates are also investigated.

Finite element method calculations of GMI in thin films and sandwiched structures: Size and edge effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Arribas, A.; Barandiaran, J.M.; Cos, D. de

2008-01-01

The impedance values of magnetic thin films and magnetic/conductor/magnetic sandwiched structures with different widths are computed using the finite element method (FEM). The giant magneto-impedance (GMI) is calculated from the difference of the impedance values obtained with high and low permeability of the magnetic material. The results depend considerably on the width of the sample, demonstrating that edge effects are decisive for the GMI performance. It is shown that, besides the usual skin effect that is responsible for GMI, an 'unexpected' increase of the current density takes place at the lateral edge of the sample. In magnetic thin films this effect is dominant when the permeability is low. In the trilayers, it is combined with the lack of shielding of the central conductor at the edge. The resulting effects on GMI are shown to be large for both kinds of samples. The conclusions of this study are of great importance for the successful design of miniaturized GMI devices

Web buckling behavior under in-plane compression and shear loads for web reinforced composite sandwich core

Science.gov (United States)

Toubia, Elias Anis

Sandwich construction is one of the most functional forms of composite structures developed by the composite industry. Due to the increasing demand of web-reinforced core for composite sandwich construction, a research study is needed to investigate the web plate instability under shear, compression, and combined loading. If the web, which is an integral part of the three dimensional web core sandwich structure, happens to be slender with respect to one or two of its spatial dimensions, then buckling phenomena become an issue in that it must be quantified as part of a comprehensive strength model for a fiber reinforced core. In order to understand the thresholds of thickness, web weight, foam type, and whether buckling will occur before material yielding, a thorough investigation needs to be conducted, and buckling design equations need to be developed. Often in conducting a parametric study, a special purpose analysis is preferred over a general purpose analysis code, such as a finite element code, due to the cost and effort usually involved in generating a large number of results. A suitable methodology based on an energy method is presented to solve the stability of symmetrical and specially orthotropic laminated plates on an elastic foundation. Design buckling equations were developed for the web modeled as a laminated plate resting on elastic foundations. The proposed equations allow for parametric studies without limitation regarding foam stiffness, geometric dimensions, or mechanical properties. General behavioral trends of orthotropic and symmetrical anisotropic plates show pronounced contribution of the elastic foundation and fiber orientations on the buckling resistance of the plate. The effects of flexural anisotropy on the buckling behavior of long rectangular plates when subjected to pure shear loading are well represented in the model. The reliability of the buckling equations as a design tool is confirmed by comparison with experimental results

Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan—Agarose Composite Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Hu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, there is a growing interest to develop biodegradable functional composite materials for food packaging and biomedicine applications from renewable sources. Some composite films were prepared by the casting method using chitosan (CS and agarose (AG in different mass ratios. The composite films were analyzed for physical-chemical-mechanical properties including tensile strength (TS, elongation-at-break (EB, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR, swelling ratio, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and morphology observations. The antibacterial properties of the composite films were also evaluated. The obtained results reveal that an addition of AG in varied proportions to a CS solution leads to an enhancement of the composite film’s tensile strength, elongation-at-break, and water vapor transmission rate. The composite film with an agarose mass concentration of 60% was of the highest water uptake capacity. These improvements can be explained by the chemical structures of the new composite films, which contain hydrogen bonding interactions between the chitosan and agarose as shown by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR analysis and the micro-pore structures as observed with optical microscopes and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The antibacterial results demonstrated that the films with agarose mass concentrations ranging from 0% to 60% possessed antibacterial properties. These results indicate that these composite films, especially the composite film with an agarose mass concentration of 60%, exhibit excellent potential to be used in food packaging and biomedical materials.

Experimental and simulation of split semi-torus key in PVC foam core to improve the debonding resistance of composite sandwich panel

Science.gov (United States)

Juliyana, M.; Santhana Krishnan, R.

2018-02-01

The sandwich composite panels consisting of facesheet and core material are used as a primary structural member for aerospace, civil and marine areas due to its high stiffness to weight ratio. But the debonding nature of facesheet from the foam core under shear loading conditions leads to failure of the composite structure. To inhibit the debonding, an innovative methodology of introducing semi-torus key is used in the present study. The polyvinyl chloride foam core(PVC) is grooved and filled with semi-torus shaped chopped strand prepregs which are sandwiched between alternate layers of woven roven(WR) and chopped strand mat(CSM) skins by vacuum infusion process. The sandwich panel manufactured with semi-torus keys is evaluated regarding experimental and numerical simulations under shear loading conditions. The present innovative concept delays the debonding between face-sheet and foam core with enhancement the shear load carrying capability as the initial stiffness is higher than the conventional model. Also, the shear behaviour of the proposed concept is in good agreement with experimental results. The split semi-torus keys sustain the shear failure resulting in resistance to debonding capability.

Structural and magnetic properties of Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin films sandwiched between low-softening-point glasses and application in spin devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misawa, Takahiro; Mori, Sumito [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020 (Japan); Komine, Takashi [Faculty of Engineering, Ibaraki University, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511 (Japan); Fujioka, Masaya; Nishii, Junji [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020 (Japan); Kaiju, Hideo, E-mail: kaiju@es.hokudai.ac.jp [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020 (Japan)

2016-12-30

Graphical abstract: This paper presents the first demonstration of the formation of Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin films sandwiched between low-softening-point (LSP) glasses used in spin quantum cross (SQC) devices and the theoretical prediction of spin filter effect in Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22}-based SQC devices. The fomation of the LSP-glass/Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22}/LSP-glass structures was successfully demonstrated using a newly proposed thermal pressing technique. Interestingly, this technique gives rise to both a highly-oriented crystal growth in Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin films and a 100-fold enhancement in coercivity, in contrast to those of as-deposited Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin films. This remarkable increase in coercivity can be explained by the calculation based on two-dimensional random anisotropy model. These excellent features on structural and magnetic properties allowed us to achieve that the stray magnetic field was uniformly generated from the Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin-film edge in the direction perpendicular to the cross section of the LSP-glass/Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22}/LSP-glass structures. As we calculated the stray magnetic field generated between the two edges of Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin-film electrodes in SQC devices, a high stray field of approximately 5 kOe was generated when the gap distance between two edges of the Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin-film electrodes was less than 5 nm and the thickness of Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} was greater than 20 nm. These experimental and calculated results suggest that Ni{sub 78}Fe{sub 22} thin films sandwiched between LSP glasses can be used as electrodes in SQC devices, providing a spin-filter effect, and also our proposed techniques utilizing magnetic thin-film edges will open up new opportunities for the creation of high performance spin devices, such as large magnetoresistance devices and nanoscale spin injectors. Our paper is of strong interest to the broad audience of Applied Surface Science, as it demonstrates that the

Application of Load Carrying Sandwich Elements in Wind Turbine Blades

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jacob Fisker; Schultz, Jacob Pagh; Berggreen, Carl Christian

2005-01-01

The present work investigates the possibilities and drawbacks when applying sandwich as opposed to single skin composites in the flanges of the load carrying spar in a future 180 m wind turbine rotor. FEA is applied to investigate two basic designs with single skin and sandwich flanges respectively...

A Debonded Sandwich Specimen Under Mixed Mode Bending (MMB)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

2008-01-01

Face/core interface crack propagation in sandwich specimens is analyzed. A thorough analysis of the typical failure modes in sandwich composites was performed in order to design the MMB specimen to promote face/core debond fracture. Displacement, compliance and energy release rate expressions...... for the MMB specimen were derived from a superposition analysis. An experimental verification of the methodology proposed was performed using MMB sandwich specimens with H100 PVC foam core and E-glass/polyester non-crimp quadro-axial [0/45/90/-45]s DBLT-850 faces. Different mixed mode loadings were applied...

Effect of Indium nano-sandwiching on the structural and optical performance of ZnSe films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.E. Al Garni

Full Text Available In the current study, we attempted to explore the effects of the Indium nanosandwiching on the mechanical and optical properties of the physically evaporated ZnSe thin films by means of X-ray diffractions and ultraviolet spectrophotometry techniques. While the thickness of each layer of ZnSe was fixed at 1.0 μm, the thickness of the nanosandwiched Indium thin films was varied in the range of 25–100 nm. It was observed that the as grown ZnSe films exhibits cubic and hexagonal nature of crystallization as those of the ZnSe powders before the film deposition. The cubic phases weighs ∼70% of the structure. The analysis of this phases revealed that there is a systematic variation process presented by the decreasing of; the lattice constant, compressing strain, stress, stacking faults and dislocation intensity and increasing grain size resulted from increasing the Indium layer thickness in the range of 50–100 nm. In addition, the nanosandwiching of Indium between two layers of ZnSe is observed to enhance the absorbability of the ZnSe. Particularly, at incident photon energy of 2.38 eV the absorbability of the ZnSe films which are sandwiched with 100 nm Indium is increased by 13.8 times. Moreover, increasing the thickness of the Indium layer shrinks the optical energy band gap. These systematic variations in mechanical and optical properties are assigned to the better recrystallization process that is associated with Indium insertion which in turn allows total internal energy redistribution in the ZnSe films through the enlargement of grains. Keywords: ZnSe, Nanosandwiching, Mechanical, Optical gap

Self-healing sandwich structures incorporating an interfacial layer with vascular network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Chunlin; Peters, Kara; Li, Yulong

2013-01-01

A self-healing capability specifically targeted for sandwich composite laminates based on interfacial layers with built-in vascular networks is presented. The self-healing occurs at the facesheet–core interface through an additional interfacial layer to seal facesheet cracks and rebond facesheet–core regions. The efficacy of introducing the self-healing system at the facesheet–core interface is evaluated through four-point bend and edgewise compression testing of representative foam core sandwich composite specimens with impact induced damage. The self-healing interfacial layer partially restored the specific initial stiffness, doubling the residual initial stiffness as compared to the control specimen after the impact event. The restoration of the ultimate specific skin strength was less successful. The results also highlight the critical challenge in self-healing of sandwich composites, which is to rebond facesheets which have separated from the core material. (paper)

Electrical switching and memory phenomena observed in redox-gradient dendrimer sandwich devices

OpenAIRE

Li, JianChang; Blackstock, Silas C.; Szulczewski, Greg J.

2005-01-01

We report on the fabrication of dendrimer sandwich devices with electrical switching and memory properties. The storage media is consisted of a redox-gradient dendrimer layer sandwiched in organic barrier thin films. The dendrimer layer acts as potential well where redox-state changes and consequent electrical transitions of the embedded dendrimer molecules are expected to be effectively triggered and retained, respectively. Experimental results indicated that electrical switching could be re...

Fabrication and characterization of silk fibroin/bioactive glass composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Hailin; Liu Na; Feng Xinxing; Chen Jianyong

2012-01-01

Composite films of silk fibroin (SF) with nano bioactive glass (NBG) were prepared by the solvent casting method, and the structures and properties of the composite films were characterized. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis shows that the random coil and β-sheet structure co-exist in the SF films. Results of field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) indicate that the NBG particles are uniformly dispersed in the SF films. The measurements of the water contact angles suggest that the incorporation of NBG into SF can improve the hydrophilicity of the composites. The bioactivity of the composite films was evaluated by soaking in 1.5 times simulated body fluid (1.5 × SBF), and formation of a hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) layer was determined by XRD and FESEM. The results show that the SF/NBG composite film is bioactive as it induces the formation of HCA on the surface of the composite film after soaking in 1.5 × SBF for 7 days. In vitro osteoblasts attachment and proliferation tests show that the composite film is a good matrix for the growth of osteoblasts. Consequently, the incorporation of NBG into the SF film can enhance both the bioactivity and biocompatibility of the film, which suggests that the SF/NBG composite film may be a potential biomaterial for bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: ► The incorporation of NBG into SF can improve the hydrophilicity of the SF/NBG composite films. ► The SF/NBG composite films show the better bioactivity than the pure SF film. ► The SF/NBG composite films facilitate cell growth and promote cell proliferation and differentiation.

Equivalent parameter model of 1-3 piezocomposite with a sandwich polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanjun; Wang, Likun; Qin, Lei

2018-06-01

A theoretical model was developed to investigate the performance of 1-3 piezoelectric composites with a sandwich polymer. Effective parameters, such as the electromechanical coupling factor, longitudinal velocity, and characteristic acoustic impedance of the piezocomposite, were predicted using the developed model. The influences of volume fractions and components of the polymer phase on the effective parameters of the piezoelectric composite were studied. The theoretical model was verified experimentally. The proposed model can reproduce the effective parameters of 1-3 piezoelectric composites with a sandwich polymer in the thickness mode. The measured electromechanical coupling factor was improved by more than 9.8% over the PZT/resin 1-3 piezoelectric composite.

Composite Behavior of Insulated Concrete Sandwich Wall Panels Subjected to Wind Pressure and Suction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Insub Choi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A full-scale experimental test was conducted to analyze the composite behavior of insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (ICSWPs subjected to wind pressure and suction. The experimental program was composed of three groups of ICSWP specimens, each with a different type of insulation and number of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP shear grids. The degree of composite action of each specimen was analyzed according to the load direction, type of the insulation, and number of GFRP shear grids by comparing the theoretical and experimental values. The failure modes of the ICSWPs were compared to investigate the effect of bonds according to the load direction and type of insulation. Bonds based on insulation absorptiveness were effective to result in the composite behavior of ICSWP under positive loading tests only, while bonds based on insulation surface roughness were effective under both positive and negative loading tests. Therefore, the composite behavior based on surface roughness can be applied to the calculation of the design strength of ICSWPs with continuous GFRP shear connectors.

Detecting the honeycomb sandwich composite material's moisture impregnating defects by using infrared thermography technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Koo Ahn; Choi, Man Yong; Park, Jeong Hak; Choi, Won Jae; Park, Hee Sang

2017-01-01

Many composite materials are used in the aerospace industry because of their excellent mechanical properties. However, the nature of aviation exposes these materials to high temperature and high moisture conditions depending on climate, location, and altitude. Therefore, the molecular arrangement chemical properties, and mechanical properties of composite materials can be changed under these conditions. As a result, surface disruptions and cracks can be created. Consequently, moisture-impregnating defects can be induced due to the crack and delamination of composite materials as they are repeatedly exposed to moisture absorption moisture release, fatigue environment, temperature changes, and fluid pressure changes. This study evaluates the possibility of detecting the moisture-impregnating defects of CFRP and GFRP honeycomb structure sandwich composite materials, which are the composite materials in the aircraft structure, by using an active infrared thermography technology among non-destructive testing methods. In all experiments, it was possible to distinguish the area and a number of CFRP composite materials more clearly than those of GFRP composite material. The highest detection rate was observed in the heating duration of 50 mHz and the low detection rate was at the heating duration of over 500 mHz. The reflection method showed a higher detection rate than the transmission method

New "sandwich" structures conformed from three dimensional

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alba, Juan J.

1996-03-01

Full Text Available Poor interlaminar properties as well as poor-skin-to-core adhesion properties are very often the common existing problems we find when designing with "sandwich" structures. A new type of 3D-fabric "sandwich" structure is being developed in order to avoid these problems. Although the manufacturing process is very simple, a very complex "sandwich" structure is obtained as a result of the complexity of the 3D-fabric used. This 3D-fabric is a 3D woven glass fabric produced on velvet weaving machines with glass yarns. It is an integrally woven "sandwich" laminate for all kinds of composite products. The strength of the vertical fibers makes, that also after impregnation with a resin matrix, the "sandwich" structure is maintained. The result is a laminate with high strength and stiffness and low weight. On each side of this "sandwich" laminate additional reinforcement materials can be laminated and a synthetic foam can be injected in the hollow structure. This will allow to establish the mechanical properties of a finished product.

Las pobres propiedades, tanto interlaminares como de adhesión entre piel y núcleo, constituyen uno de los grandes problemas cuando se diseñan estructuras utilizando paneles tipo "sandwich". Un nuevo tipo de panel "sandwich", configurado a partir de tejidos tridimensionales, está siendo desarrollado en la actualidad con el objetivo de eliminar esos problemas. Aunque el proceso de fabricación es muy simple, el panel "sandwich" obtenido es de estructura compleja, como resultado de la complejidad del tejido tridimensional utilizado. Este tejido tridimensional (3D es un tejido de fibra de vidrio producido en máquinas de tejer especializadas. La resistencia de las fibras verticales hace que, después de la impregnación con una resina, se mantenga la configuración tipo "sandwich". El resultado es un laminado de alta resistencia, gran rigidez y bajo peso. Sobre cada uno de los lados del panel "sandwich" se pueden

Characterization of sandwich panels for indentation and impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shazly, M; Salem, S; Bahei-El-Din, Y

2013-01-01

The integrity of sandwich structures which are susceptible to impact may deteriorate significantly due to collapse of the core material and delamination of the face sheets. The integration of a thin polyurethane interlayer between the composite face sheet and foam core is known to protect the core material and substantially improve the resistance to impact. The objective of the present work is to characterize the response of sandwich panels, as well as that of the constituents to impact. In particular, the response of polyurethane and foam samples under a range of quasi-static and dynamic loading rates is determined experimentally. Furthermore, the response of sandwich panels to quasi-static indentation and low velocity impact is examined to quantify the extent of damage and how it is affected by the integration of polyurethane interlayers in their construction. This information is useful in the modelling of high velocity impact of sandwich panels; an effort which is currently underway. The results illustrate the benefit of using polyurethane interlayers within the construction of sandwich panels in enhancing their performance under quasi-static indentation and impact loads

Effect of Different Concentration of Sodium Hydroxide [NaOH] on Kenaf Sandwich Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, M.; Halim, Z.; Othman, M.

2018-01-01

Sandwich panels are structures that made of three layers, low-density core inserted in between thin skin layers. This structures allow the achievement of excellent mechanical performance with low weight, thus this characteristic fulfil requirement to be use in aircraft application. In recent time, sandwich structures have been studied due to it has multifunction properties and lightweight. The aim of this study is to fabricate a composite sandwich structures with biodegradable material for face sheet [skin] where the fibre being treat with different concentration of sodium hydroxide [NaOH] with 10 and 20 hours of soaking time. Kenaf fibre [treated] reinforced epoxy will be used as skins and Nomex honeycomb is chosen to perform as core for this sandwich composite structure. The mechanical properties that are evaluated such as flexural strength and impact energy of kenaf fibre-reinforced epoxy sandwich structures. For flexural test, the optimum flexural strength is 13.4 MPa and impact strength is 18.3 J.

Electron field emission from screen-printed graphene/DWCNT composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jinzhuo; Pan, Rong; Chen, Yiwei; Piao, Xianqin; Qian, Min; Feng, Tao; Sun, Zhuo

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The field emission performance improved significantly when adding graphene into DWCNTs as the emission material. ► We set up a model of pure DWCNT films and graphene/DWCNT composite films. ► We discussed the contact barrier between emission films and electric substrates by considering the Fermi energies of silver, DWCNT and graphene. - Abstract: The electron field emission properties of graphene/double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) composite films prepared by screen printing have been systematically studied. Comparing with the pure DWCNT films and pure graphene films, a significant enhancement of electron emission performance of the composite films are observed, such as lower turn-on field, higher emission current density, higher field enhancement factor, and long-term stability. The optimized composite films with 20% weight ratio of graphene show the best electron emission performance with a low turn-on field of 0.62 V μm −1 (at 1 μA cm −2 ) and a high field enhancement factor β of 13,000. A model of the graphene/DWCNT composite films is proposed, which indicate that a certain amount of graphene will contribute the electron transmission in the silver substrate/composite films interface and in the interior of composite films, and finally improve the electron emission performance of the graphene/DWCNT composite films.

Smart FRP Composite Sandwich Bridge Decks in Cold Regions

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-01

In this study, new and integrated Smart honeycomb Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (S-FRP) : sandwich materials for various transportation construction applications, with particular emphasis : on highway bridge decks in cold regions, were developed and teste...

Failure Predictions of Out-of-Autoclave Sandwich Joints with Delaminations Under Flexure Loads

Science.gov (United States)

Nordendale, Nikolas A.; Goyal, Vinay K.; Lundgren, Eric C.; Patel, Dhruv N.; Farrokh, Babak; Jones, Justin; Fischetti, Grace; Segal, Kenneth N.

2015-01-01

An analysis and a test program was conducted to investigate the damage tolerance of composite sandwich joints. The joints contained a single circular delamination between the face-sheet and the doubler. The coupons were fabricated through out-of-autoclave (OOA) processes, a technology NASA is investigating for joining large composite sections. The four-point bend flexure test was used to induce compression loading into the side of the joint where the delamination was placed. The compression side was chosen since it tends to be one of the most critical loads in launch vehicles. Autoclave cure was used to manufacture the composite sandwich sections, while the doubler was co-bonded onto the sandwich face-sheet using an OOA process after sandwich panels were cured. A building block approach was adopted to characterize the mechanical properties of the joint material, including the fracture toughness between the doubler and face-sheet. Twelve four-point-bend samples were tested, six in the sandwich core ribbon orientation and six in sandwich core cross-ribbon direction. Analysis predicted failure initiation and propagation at the pre-delaminated location, consistent with experimental observations. A building block approach using fracture analyses methods predicted failure loads in close agreement with tests. This investigation demonstrated a small strength reduction due to a flaw of significant size compared to the width of the sample. Therefore, concerns of bonding an OOA material to an in-autoclave material was mitigated for the geometries, materials, and load configurations considered.

Electrophoretic deposition of composite halloysite nanotube–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deen, I. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada); Zhitomirsky, I., E-mail: zhitom@mcmaster.ca [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada)

2014-02-15

Highlights: ► Composite halloysite nanotubes–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films were prepared. ► Electrophoretic deposition method was used for deposition. ► Natural hyaluronic acid was used as a dispersing, charging and film forming agent. ► Film composition and deposition yield can be varied. ► The films can be used for biomedical implants with controlled release of drugs. -- Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition method has been developed for the deposition of biocomposite films containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), hydroxyapatite (HA) and hyaluronic acid. The method is based on the use of natural hyaluronate biopolymer as a dispersing and charging agent for HNT and HA and film forming agent for the fabrication of the composite films. The deposition kinetics was studied by the quartz crystal microbalance method. The composite films were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and electron microscopy. The composite films are promising materials for the fabrication of biomedical implants with advanced functional properties.

Electrophoretic deposition of composite halloysite nanotube–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deen, I.; Zhitomirsky, I.

2014-01-01

Highlights: ► Composite halloysite nanotubes–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films were prepared. ► Electrophoretic deposition method was used for deposition. ► Natural hyaluronic acid was used as a dispersing, charging and film forming agent. ► Film composition and deposition yield can be varied. ► The films can be used for biomedical implants with controlled release of drugs. -- Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition method has been developed for the deposition of biocomposite films containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), hydroxyapatite (HA) and hyaluronic acid. The method is based on the use of natural hyaluronate biopolymer as a dispersing and charging agent for HNT and HA and film forming agent for the fabrication of the composite films. The deposition kinetics was studied by the quartz crystal microbalance method. The composite films were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and electron microscopy. The composite films are promising materials for the fabrication of biomedical implants with advanced functional properties

Characteristics of sandwich-type structural elements built of advanced composite materials from three dimensional fabrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Castejón, L.

1997-12-01

Full Text Available Sandwich-type structures have proved to be alternatives of great success for several fields of application, and specially in the building sector. This is due to their outstanding properties of .specific rigidity and strength against bending loads and other range of advantages like fatigue and impact resistance, attainment of flat and smooth surfaces, high electric and thermal insulation, design versatility and some others. However, traditional sandwich structures present problems like their tendency towards delamination, stress concentrations in bores or screwed Joints, and pre resistance. These problems are alleviated thanks to the use of new sandwich structures built using three dimensional structures of advanced composite materials, maintaining the present advantages for more traditional sandwich structures. At this rate, these new structures can be applied in several areas where conventional sandwich structures used to be like walls, partitions, floor and ceiling structures, domes, vaults and dwellings, but with greater success.

Las estructuras tipo sándwich han demostrado ser alternativas de gran éxito para diversos campos de aplicación y, en concreto, en el sector de la construcción, listo es gracias a sus excelentes propiedades de rigidez y resistencia específica frente a cargas de flexión y otra larga lista de ventajas, a la que pertenecen, por ejemplo, su buena resistencia a fatiga, resistencia al impacto, obtención de superficies lisas y suaves, elevado aislamiento térmico y eléctrico, versatilidad de diseño y otras. Sin embargo, las estructuras sándwich, tradicionales presentan una problemática consistente en su tendencia a la delaminación, concentraciones de tensiones ¿aparecidas ante la existencia de agujeros o uniones atornilladas y resistencia al fuego. Estos problemas son pifiados gracias a la aplicación de estructuras novedosas tipo sándwich, construidas a partir de tejidos tridimensionales de materiales

Effects of thickness and annealing condition on magnetic properties and thermal stabilities of Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta sandwiched films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Wen-Feng; Zhang Min-Gang; Zhang Ke-Wei; Zhang Hai-Jie; Chai Yue-Sheng; Xu Xiao-Hong

2016-01-01

Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta sandwiched films are deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si (100) substrates, and subsequently annealed in vacuum at different temperatures for different time. It is found that both the thickness of NdFeB and Nd layer and the annealing condition can affect the magnetic properties of Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta films. Interestingly, the thickness and annealing temperature show the relevant behaviors that can affect the magnetic properties of the film. The high coercivity of 24.1 kOe (1 Oe = 79.5775 A/m) and remanence ratio (remanent magnetization/saturation magnetization) of 0.94 can be obtained in a Ta/Nd(250 nm)/NdFeB(600 nm)/Nd(250 nm)/Ta film annealed for 3 min at 1023 K. In addition, the thermal stability of the film is also linked to the thickness of NdFeB and Nd layer and the annealing temperature as well. The excellent thermal stability can be achieved in a Ta/Nd(250 nm)/NdFeB(600 nm)/Nd(250 nm)/Ta film annealed at 1023 K. (paper)

Biosensors Based on Ultrathin Film Composite Membranes

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-25

composite membranes should have a number C •’ of potential advantages including fast response time, simplicity of construction, and applicability to a number...The support membrane for the ultrathin film composite was an Anopore ( Alltech Associates) microporous alumina filter, these membranes are 55 Pm thick...constant 02 concentration in this solution. Finally, one of the most important potential advantage of a sensor based on an ultrathin film composite

Enhanced electrochemical performance from 3DG/LiFePO4/G sandwich cathode material

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yahui; Tang, Yufeng; Chang, Chengkang

2017-08-01

In this paper, we have successfully synthesized a three dimensional graphene/LiFePO4/graphene (3DG/LFP/G) sandwich composite by an in-situ hydrothermal method, in which chemical vapor deposited 3D graphene acts as the high conductivity supporting framework, while the LiFePO4 nanoparticles are anchored onto the 3D graphene framework covered by graphene sheets. XRD and SEM results confirmed the formation of the 3DG/LFP/G sandwich composite. Cyclic Voltammetry curve of the sandwich composite shows sharper redox peaks and reduced voltage separation when compared to the reference electrodes, suggesting high specific capacity and good rate performance. Further charge/discharge measurements presented high capacity of 164 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C and 124 mAh g-1 at 10 C (75.7% of its initial capacity) for the sandwich composite, with capacity retention of 95.7% after 100 cycles, implying potential application in lithium ion battery at high rates. The EIS investigation suggests that both the electronic conductivity and the Li ion diffusion are promoted by the underlined 3D graphene framework, which is regarded as the reason for the enhanced electrochemical performance.

Thin composite films consisting of polypyrrole and polyparaphenylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golovtsov, I.; Bereznev, S.; Traksmaa, R.; Opik, A.

2007-01-01

This study demonstrates that the combined method for the formation of thin composite films, consisting of polypyrrole (PPy) as a film forming agent and polyparaphenylene (PPP) with controlled electrical properties and high stability, enables one to avoid the low processability of PPP and to extend the possibilities for the development of electronic devices. The high temperature (250-600 deg. C) doping method was used for PPP preparation. The crystallinity and grindability of PPP was found to be increasing with the thermochemical modification. Thin composite films were prepared onto the light transparent substrates using the simple electropolymerization technique. The properties of films were characterized by the optical transmittance and temperature-dependent conductivity measurements. The morphology and thickness of the prepared films were determined using the scanning electron microscopy. The composite films showed a better adhesion to an inorganic substrate. It was found to be connected mostly with the improved properties of the high temperature doped PPP. The current-voltage characteristics of indium tin oxide/film/Au hybrid organic-inorganic structures showed the influence of the doping conditions of PPP inclusions in the obtained films

Electrochemical synthesis of poly(pyrrole-co-o-anisidine)/chitosan composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Yalçınkaya, Süleyman; Çakmak, Didem

2017-05-01

In this study, poly(pyrrole-co-o-anisidine)/chitosan composite films were electrochemically synthesized in various monomers feed ratio (pyrrole: o-anisidine; 9:1, 7:3, 1:1, 3:7 and 1:9) of pyrrole and o-anisidine on the platinum electrode. Electrochemical synthesis of the composite films was carried out via cyclic voltammetry technique. They were characterized by FT-IR, cyclic voltammetry, SEM micrographs, digital images, TGA and DSC techniques. The SEM results indicated that the particle size of the composite decreased with increasing o-anisidine ratio and the films became more likely to be smooth morphology. The TGA results proved that the film of the composite with 1:1 ratio showed highest final degradation temperature and lowest weight loss (83%) compared to copolymer and 9:1 1:9 composite films. The 1:1 composite film had higher thermal stability than copolymer and the other composite films (9:1 1:9). Meanwhile, electrochemical studies exhibited that the 1/9 composite film had good electrochemical stability as well.

Remanent resistance changes in metal- PrCaMnO-metal sandwich structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scherff, Malte; Meyer, Bjoern-Uwe; Scholz, Julius; Hoffmann, Joerg; Jooss, Christian [Institute of Materials Physics, University of Goettingen (Germany)

2012-07-01

The non-volatile electric pulse induced resistance change (EPIR) seems to be a rather common feature of oxides sandwiched by electrodes. However, microscopic mechanisms are discussed controversially. We present electrical transport measurements of sputtered Pr{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} films sandwiched by metallic electrodes with variation of electrode materials, device geometry and PCMO deposition parameters. Cross-plane transport measurements have been performed as function of temperature and magnetic field. Specifically, the transition from dynamic resistance changes due to non-linear transport to remanent switching is analyzed. By analyzing changes of magneto-resistance at low temperatures in different resistance states we aim for separation between interface and film contributions to switching. Comparing switching behavior in symmetric and asymmetric electrode configuration allows for identification of the active, single interface in the switching process and the origin of an observed switching polarity inversion. The influence of excitation field and power on the switching characteristics of different noble metal electrodes is discussed. Samples from macroscopic devices and in situ stimulated sandwich structures were studied in a transmission electron microscope in order to investigate the induced structural, chemical and electronic changes.

[Spectroscopic study on film formation mechanism and structure of composite silanes-V-Zr passive film].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Liu, Chang-sheng; Shi, Lei; An, Cheng-qiang

2015-02-01

A composite silanes-V-Zr passive film was overlayed on hot-dip galvanized steel. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (rf-GD-OES) were used to characterize the molecular structure of the silanes-V-Zr passive film. The mechanism of film formation was discussed: The results show that the silane molecules are crosslinked as the main film former and inorganic inhibitor is even distributed in the film. The fitting peak of 100.7 eV in XPS single Si2p energy range spectra of the composite silanes-V-Zr passive film and the widening and strengthening of the Si--O infrared absorption peak at 1100 cm(-1) indicate that the silanes were adsorbed on the surface of zinc with chemical bond of Si--O--Zn, and the silane molecules were connected with each other by bond of Si--O--Si. Two characteristic absorption peaks of amide at 1650 and 1560 cm(-1) appear in the infrared spectroscopy of the composite silanes-V-Zr passive film, and a characteristic absorption peak of epoxy groups at 910 cm(-1) disappears in the infrared spectroscopy of the passive film. The results indicate that gamma-APT can be prepared through nucleophilic ring-opening of ethylene oxide in gamma-GPT molecule to form C--N covalent bonds. The rf-GD-OES results indicate that there is a oxygen enriched layer in 0.3 microm depth of the composite silanes-V-Zr passive film. Moreover, ZrF4, ZrO2 and some inorganic matter obtained by the reaction during the forming processof the composite silanes-V-Zr passive film are distributed evenly throughout the film. According to the film composition, the physical processes and chemical reactions during the film forming process were studied by using ATR-FTIR. Based on this, the film forming mechanism was proposed.

Strongly nonlinear electronic transport in Cr-Si composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkov, A.T.; Vinzelberg, H.; Schumann, J.; Nakama, T.; Yagasaki, K.

2004-01-01

The phase formation, the resistivity and the thermopower of amorphous Cr 0.15 Si 0.85 , and nanocrystalline CrSi 2 -Si thin film composites have been studied. The films were produced by a magnetron sputtering of a composite target onto unheated substrates with subsequent crystallization of the film at high temperatures. As the film composite develops under the heat treatment from the initial amorphous state into the final polycrystalline material, two percolation thresholds were found. At first, the percolating cluster of nanocrystalline CrSi 2 is formed. However, this cluster is destroyed with further annealing due to crystallization and redistribution of Si. The composite films which are close to this insulating threshold reveal a strongly nonlinear conductivity. The conductivity increases with the current by two orders of magnitude

Preparation and Properties of Silver Nanowire-Based Transparent Conductive Composite Films

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Ji-Li; Zhang, Hua-Yu; Wang, Hai-Jun

2016-06-01

Silver nanowire-based transparent conductive composite films with different structures were successfully prepared using various methods, including liquid polyol, magnetron sputtering and spin coating. The experimental results revealed that the optical transmittance of all different structural composite films decreased slightly (1-3%) compared to pure films. However, the electrical conductivity of all composite films had a great improvement. Under the condition that the optical transmittance was greater than 78% over the wavelength range of 400-800 nm, the AgNW/PVA/AgNW film became a conductor, while the AZO/AgNW/AZO film and the ITO/AgNW/ITO film showed 88.9% and 94% reductions, respectively, for the sheet resistance compared with pure films. In addition, applying a suitable mechanical pressure can improve the conductivity of AgNW-based composite films.

Experimental and Theoretical Deflections of Hybrid Composite Sandwich Panel under Four-point Bending Load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jauhar Fajrin

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a comparison of theoretical and experimental deflection of a hybrid sandwich panel under four-point bending load. The paper initially presents few basic equations developed under three-point load, followed by development of model under four-point bending load and a comparative analysis between theoretical and experimental results. It was found that the proposed model for predicting the deflection of hybrid sandwich panels provided fair agreement with the experimental values. Most of the sandwich panels showed theoretical deflection values higher than the experimental values, which is desirable in the design. It was also noticed that the introduction of intermediate layer does not contribute much to reduce the deflection of sandwich panel as the main contributor for the total deflection was the shear deformation of the core that mostly determined by the geometric of the samples and the thickness of the core.

Relation between surface properties of thin composite films and osteoblast behaviour in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polak, B; Olkowski, R; Kobiela, T; Lewandowska-Szumiel, M; Fabianowski, W

2007-01-01

Si supports for cell culture were modified using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and bentonite in order to obtain 'sandwich'-like structures. A layer of PAA cast from water solution was followed with a bentonite layer also cast from water dispersion, then another PAA layer and so on up to six layers. The prepared surfaces had different physical and chemical properties like thickness, topography and elasticity. Chemical composition was characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The elastic properties and topography of modified sandwich-like surfaces were evaluated using nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy measurements. In the next step bone cells were cultured on such modified surfaces composed of one to six layers. The influence of the substrate surface properties on the growth and behaviour of human bone derived cells (HBDC) was studied. The influence of surface topography, elasticity and chemical composition on cells is discussed

Application of composition modulated thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilliard, J.E.

1979-01-01

Film produced by evaporating two components through a rotating pinwheel shutter which cuts off the vapor first from one source and then the other are evaluated. These films have a modulated composition rather than a layered structure. Mechanical properties were determined using a bulge tester

Detecting the honeycomb sandwich composite material's moisture impregnating defects by using infrared thermography technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Koo Ahn; Choi, Man Yong; Park, Jeong Hak; Choi, Won Jae [Safety Measurement Center, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hee Sang [R and D, Korea Research Institute of Smart Material and Structures System Association, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

Many composite materials are used in the aerospace industry because of their excellent mechanical properties. However, the nature of aviation exposes these materials to high temperature and high moisture conditions depending on climate, location, and altitude. Therefore, the molecular arrangement chemical properties, and mechanical properties of composite materials can be changed under these conditions. As a result, surface disruptions and cracks can be created. Consequently, moisture-impregnating defects can be induced due to the crack and delamination of composite materials as they are repeatedly exposed to moisture absorption moisture release, fatigue environment, temperature changes, and fluid pressure changes. This study evaluates the possibility of detecting the moisture-impregnating defects of CFRP and GFRP honeycomb structure sandwich composite materials, which are the composite materials in the aircraft structure, by using an active infrared thermography technology among non-destructive testing methods. In all experiments, it was possible to distinguish the area and a number of CFRP composite materials more clearly than those of GFRP composite material. The highest detection rate was observed in the heating duration of 50 mHz and the low detection rate was at the heating duration of over 500 mHz. The reflection method showed a higher detection rate than the transmission method.

Sound insulation of composite cylindrical shells: a comparison between a laminated and a sandwich cylinder

OpenAIRE

Yuan, Chongxin; Roozen, Bert; Bergsma, Otto; Beukers, Adriaan

2012-01-01

The fuselages of aircraft are modeled as a cylinder in this paper, and the sound insulations of a sandwich cylinder and a laminated cylinder are studied both experimentally and numerically. The cylinders are excited by an acoustic pressure and a mechanical force respectively. Results show that under acoustic excitation, the sandwich cylinder and the laminated one have a similar sound insulation below 3000 Hz, but the sandwich cylinder has a much larger sound insulation at higher frequencies. ...

Vibration Characteristics of Axially Moving Titanium- Polymer Nanocomposite Faced Sandwich Plate Under Initial Tension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ghorbanpour Arani

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In the present research, vibration and instability of axially moving sandwich plate made of soft core and composite face sheets under initial tension is investigated. Single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs are selected as a reinforcement of composite face sheets inside Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA matrix. Higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT is utilized due to its accuracy of polynomial functions than other plate theories. Based on extended rule of mixture, the structural properties of composite face sheets are taken into consideration. Motion equations are obtained by means of Hamilton’s principle and solved analytically. Influences of various parameters such as axially moving speed, volume fraction of CNTs, pre-tension, thickness and aspect ratio of sandwich plate on the vibration characteristics of moving system are discussed in details. The results indicated that the critical speed of moving sandwich plate is strongly dependent on the volume fraction of CNTs. Therefore, the critical speed of moving sandwich plate can be improved by adding appropriate values of CNTs. The results of this investigation can be used in design and manufacturing of marine vessels and aircrafts.

Implementation of Fiber Optic Sensing System on Sandwich Composite Cylinder Buckling Test

Science.gov (United States)

Pena, Francisco; Richards, W. Lance; Parker, Allen R.; Piazza, Anthony; Schultz, Marc R.; Rudd, Michelle T.; Gardner, Nathaniel W.; Hilburger, Mark W.

2018-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Engineering and Safety Center Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project is a multicenter project tasked with developing new analysis-based shell buckling design guidelines and design factors (i.e., knockdown factors) through high-fidelity buckling simulations and advanced test technologies. To validate these new buckling knockdown factors for future launch vehicles, the Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project is carrying out structural testing on a series of large-scale metallic and composite cylindrical shells at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama). A fiber optic sensor system was used to measure strain on a large-scale sandwich composite cylinder that was tested under multiple axial compressive loads up to more than 850,000 lb, and equivalent bending loads over 22 million in-lb. During the structural testing of the composite cylinder, strain data were collected from optical cables containing distributed fiber Bragg gratings using a custom fiber optic sensor system interrogator developed at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. A total of 16 fiber-optic strands, each containing nearly 1,000 fiber Bragg gratings, measuring strain, were installed on the inner and outer cylinder surfaces to monitor the test article global structural response through high-density real-time and post test strain measurements. The distributed sensing system provided evidence of local epoxy failure at the attachment-ring-to-barrel interface that would not have been detected with conventional instrumentation. Results from the fiber optic sensor system were used to further refine and validate structural models for buckling of the large-scale composite structures. This paper discusses the techniques employed for real-time structural monitoring of the composite cylinder for structural load introduction and distributed bending-strain measurements over a large section of the cylinder by

Compressive properties of sandwiches with functionally graded

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The compressive behaviour of a new class of sandwich composite made up of jute fiber reinforced epoxy skins and piece-wise linear fly ash reinforced functionally graded (FG) rubber core is investigated in flat-wise mode. FG samples are prepared using conventional casting technique. Presence of gradation is quantified ...

Pengaruh perlakuan serat tapis kelapa terhadap kekuatan lentur skin komposit sandwich

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Made Astika

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Penggunaan serat alam sebagai penguat komposit semakin berkembang. Indonesia sebagai negara beriklim tropis menghasilkan berbagai jenis serat alami seperti rami, abaca, agave, serat sabut kelapa dan serat tapis kelapa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki pengaruh perlakuan alkali serat (NaOH 5% terhadap kekuatan lentur komposit sandwich serat tapis kelapa bermatrik polyester dengan core kayu albasia Bahan penelitian adalah serat tapis kelapa dengan panjang 15 mm, resin unsaturated polyester 157 BQTN, kayu albasia dan NaOH. Hardener yang digunakan adalah MEKPO dengan konsentrasi 1%. Serat tapis kelapa yang digunakan terdiri dari serat tanpa perlakuan dan dengan perlakuan alkali 2 jam. Komposit sandwich tersusun atas dua skin dengan core ditengahnya dan dibuat dengan metode cetak tekan hidrolis. Lamina komposit sebagai skin terbuat dari serat tapis kelapa-polyester dengan fraksi volume serat 30%. Spesimen dan prosedur pengujian lentur mengacu pada standar ASTM C 393. Penampang patahan dilakukan foto makro untuk mengidentifikasi pola kegagalannya.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan serat yang mendapatkan perlakuan alkali 2 jam NaOH menghasilkan kekuatan lentur yang lebih tinggi. Hal ini disebabkan karena perlakuan alkali pada serat tapis kelapa dapat membersihkan lapisan lilin (lignin dan kotoran pada permukaan serat sehingga menghasilkan mechanical interlocking yang lebih baik antara serat dengan matrik poliester. Dengan ikatan yang lebih baik maka komposit tersebut akan mampu menahan beban lentur yang lebih tinggi. Kata kunci: komposit sandwich, serat tapis kelapa, perlakuan NaOH, kekuatan lentur Abstract The use of natural fibers as reinforcement composites is growing. Indonesia as a tropical country produces various types of natural fibers like coconut filter fiber. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of alkali treatment of the fiber (5% NaOH. The research material is coconut filter fiber, 157 BQTN unsaturated

Superhydrophobicity and regeneration of PVDF/SiO2 composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Li, Xianfeng; Wang, Daohui; Huang, Qinglin; Liu, Zhen; Li, Nana; Xiao, Changfa

2017-02-01

Superhydrophobicity of polymers is easily destroyed by careless touching due to the softness of microstructures. In this study, based on a well-constructed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surface, a novel superhydrophobic PVDF/SiO2 composite film was fabricated by adding hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticle and solvent into a coagulation bath. The water contact angle of the composite film reached 162.3° and the sliding angle was as low as 1.5°. More importantly, the composite film could be regenerated only through immersing the composite film in the designed regeneration agent. The composition of the designed regeneration agent ensured that SiO2 nanoparticles were firmly adhered on the film surface even under the ultrasonic cleaning. Hence, the superhydrophobicity and self-cleaing property could be regenerated and maintained effectively, and moreover, these propeties could resist a proper pressure. In addition, after many rubbing-regenerating cycles, the regeneration method was still valid.

A Study on Flexural Properties of Sandwich Structures with Fiber/Metal Laminate Face Sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Dariushi, S.; Sadighi, M.

2013-10-01

In this work, a new family of sandwich structures with fiber metal laminate (FML) faces is investigated. FMLs have benefits over both metal and fiber reinforced composites. To investigate the bending properties of sandwich beams with FML faces and compare with similar sandwich beams with fibrous composite faces, 6 groups of specimen with different layer arrangements were made and tested. Results show that FML faces have good resistance against transverse local loads and minimize stress concentration and local deformations of skin and core under the loading tip. In addition, FML faces have a good integrity even after plateau region of foam cores and prevent from catastrophic failures, which cannot be seen in fibrous composite faces. Also, FML faces are lighter than metal faces and have better connection with foam cores. Sandwich beams with FML faces have a larger elastic region because of simultaneous deformation of top and bottom faces and larger failure strain thanks to good durability of FMLs. A geometrical nonlinear classical theory is used to predict force-deflection behavior. In this model an explicit formula between symmetrical sandwich beams deflections and applied force which can be useful for designers, is derived. Good agreement is obtained between the analytical predictions and experimental results. Also, analytical results are compared with small deformation solution in a parametric study, and the effects of geometric parameters on difference between linear and nonlinear results are discussed.

Enhanced electric polarization and breakdown strength in the all-organic sandwich-structured poly(vinylidene fluoride-based dielectric film for high energy density capacitor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yue Zhang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available It is essential to develop the dielectric energy storage capacitor for the modern electrical and electronic equipment. Here, the all-organic sandwich-structured composite with superior breakdown strength and delayed saturation polarization is presented. Furthermore, the energy storage characteristics of the composite are enhanced by the poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene fiber and the redistribution of local electric field. The dielectric permittivity of composite increases to ∼16, and the discharged energy density is high to ∼8.7 J/cm3 at 360 kV/mm, and the breakdown strength is up to ∼408 kV/mm. The excellent performance of the composite broadens the application in the field of power electronics industry.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of sandwiched ZnO@Ag@Cu2O nanorod films: the distinct role of Ag NPs in the visible light and UV region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, Shoutian; Wang, Yingying; Wang, Benyang; Wang, Qiang; Zhao, Guoliang

2015-01-01

Sandwiched ZnO@Ag@Cu 2 O nanorod films were synthesized by successive electrodeposition, magnetron sputtering and the second electrodeposition. The as-synthesized composites were characterized by x-ray diffraction patterns, field emission scanning electron microscopy, low- and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and a UV–vis spectrophotometer. Their photocatalytic performance was estimated by the degradation of a methyl orange solution under UV or visible-light irradiation, respectively. In the visible region, due to localized surface plasmon resonance absorption of Ag NPs, ZnO@Ag@Cu 2 O showed a significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance. The enhancement factor of Ag NPs on the catalytic performance of ZnO@Ag@Cu 2 O was estimated as a function of the Cu 2 O deposition time, and the corresponding enhancement mechanism was also evaluated by the monochromatic photocatalytic experiment and discrete dipole approximation simulation. In the UV region, due to the formation of a Schottky junction (e.g. Ag/ZnO, Ag/Cu 2 O), a limited enhanced photocatalytic performance was also realized for ZnO@Ag@Cu 2 O photocatalysts. (paper)

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayad, Mohamad M., E-mail: mayad12000@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt); Zaki, Eman [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt)

2009-11-15

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO{sub 3}. Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO{sub 3} solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayad, Mohamad M.; Zaki, Eman

2009-01-01

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO 3 . Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO 3 solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

Science.gov (United States)

Ayad, Mohamad. M.; Zaki, Eman

2009-11-01

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO 3. Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO 3 solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Mechanical evaluation with fe analysis of sandwich panels for wind turbine blade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasaswi, M.; Naveen, P.N.E.; Prasad, R.V. [GIET. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Rajahmundry (India)

2012-07-01

Sandwich panels are notable for their structural efficiency and are used as load bearing components in various branches of engineering, especially in aerospace and marine industries. The objective of the present work is to perform computer-aided analysis on sandwich panels. The analysis of sandwich panel with truss core are compared with other four types of sandwich panel with continuous corrugated core, top hat core, zed core and channel core. The basic reason to use sandwich structure is to save weight, however smooth skins and excellent fatigue resistance are also attributes of a sandwich structure. A sandwich is comprised of two layered composite materials formed by bonding two or more thin facings or face sheets to relatively thick core materials. In this type of construction the facings resist nearly all of the in-plane loads and out-of-plane bending moments. The thin facings provide nearly all of the bending stiffness because they are generally of a much higher modulus material is located at a greatest distance from the neutral axis of the component. The basic concept of sandwich panel is that the facings carry the bending loads and the core carries the shear loads. The main function of the core material is to distribute local loads and stresses over large areas. From all this analysis it is concluded that the truss core Sandwich panels can be used in wind turbine blade design. (Author)

LOSS FACTOR AND DYNAMIC YOUNG MODULUS DETERMINATION FOR COMPOSITE SANDWICH BARS REINFORCED WITH STEEL FABRIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cosmin-Mihai MIRIŢOIU

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper I have build some composite sandwich bars. For these bars I have determined the dynamic response by recording their free vibrations. These bars have the core made of polypropylene honeycomb with upper and lower layers reinforced with steel wire mesh. For these bars I have determined the the eigenfrequency of the first eigenmode in this way: the bar was embedded at one end and free at the other where there was placed an accelerometer at 10 mm distance from the edge and I applied an initial force at the free end. I have determined the eigenfrequency because I will use its values for the loss factor and dynamic Young modulus determination.

Turning Wood Autohydrolysate Directly into Food Packing Composite Films with Good Toughness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YaJie Hu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Bio-based composite films were produced by incorporating wood autohydrolysate (WH, chitosan (CS, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC. In this work, WH was directly utilized without further purification, and CNC was introduced as the reinforced material to prepare WH-CS-CNC composite films with excellent properties. The effects of CNC on the properties of WH-CS-CNC composite films were investigated by characterizing their structures, mechanical properties, oxygen barrier, and thermal stability properties. The results suggested that CNC could improve tensile strength of the composite films, and the tensile strain at break could be up to 4.7%. Besides, the oxygen permeability of the prepared composite films could be as low as 3.57 cm3/day·m2·kPa, making them suitable for the food packaging materials. These above results showed that the addition of CNC is an effective method to enhance the toughness of composite films. In addition, WH-CS-CNC composite films have great potential in the field of sustainable food packing materials.

ANALISA TEKNIS DAN EKONOMIS PENGGUNAAN COREMAT UNTUK KONSTRUKSI FRP (FIBERGLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC SANDWICH PADA BADAN KAPAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parlindungan Manik

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Planning of ship construction is make its having good effectivity value and efficiency. Composite as materialalternative to changes of steel feedstock and wood has many applied named FRP (fiberglass reinforcedplastics single skin. The weakness of this FRP was heavy construction and requires many production time.Therefore, will be checked comparison between single skin with sandwich constructions for shell.In this research, the way for making composite is hand lay up method with three various thickness of skinthere are : t, t/2, and t/4. To know strength comparison from the various skin of sandwich with single skin,must be test, consist of tensile test.. The result is analyzed then compared by BKI (Biro Klasifikasi Indonesiarules for the fiberglass ship.Based on the result, indicates that optimization skin thickness of sandwich construction applies Corematwhich tensile strength it is equivalent with Single Skin at 2/3t and usage of Sandwich construction causes23,12 % lighter. In economic analyze, advantage from low weight is compensation of addition 23,12 % DWT.Material cost for Sandwich about 11,35% bigger than Single Skin construction.

Polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film by magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Xiaohong, E-mail: yxhong1981_2004@126.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Faculty of Clothing and Design, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350121, Fujian (China); Xu, Wenzheng, E-mail: xwz8199@126.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Huang, Fenglin, E-mail: windhuang325@163.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Chen, Dongsheng, E-mail: mjuchen@126.com [Faculty of Clothing and Design, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350121, Fujian (China); Wei, Qufu, E-mail: qfwei@jiangnan.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Ag/ZnO composite film was successfully deposited on polyester fabric by magnetron sputtering technique. • Ag film was easily oxidized into Ag{sub 2}O film in high vacuum oxygen environment. • The zinc film coated on the surface of Ag film before RF reactive sputtering could protect the silver film from oxidation. • Polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film can obtained structural color. • The anti-ultraviolet and antistatic properties of polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film all were good. - Abstract: Ag/ZnO composite film was successfully deposited on polyester fabric by using direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and radio frequency (RF) magnetron reaction sputtering techniques with pure silver (Ag) and zinc (Zn) targets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the deposited film on the fabric. It was found that the zinc film coated on Ag film before RF reactive sputtering could protect the silver film from oxidation. Anti-ultraviolet property and antistatic property of the coated samples using different magnetron sputtering methods were also investigated. The experimental results showed that Ag film was oxidized into in Ag{sub 2}O film in high vacuum oxygen environment. The deposition of Zn film on the surface of the fabric coated with Ag film before RF reactive sputtering, could successfully obtained Ag/ZnO composite film, and also generated structural color on the polyester fabric.

Adjustability of resonance frequency by external magnetic field and bias electric field of sandwich magnetoelectric PZT/NFO/PZT composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ling-Fang; Feng, Xing; Sun, Kang; Liang, Ze-Yu; Xu, Qian; Liang, Jia-Yu; Yang, Chang-Ping [Hubei University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Ferro and Piezoelectric Materials and Devices, Faculty of Physics and Electronic Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Wuhan (China)

2017-07-15

Sandwich magnetoelectric composites of PZT/NFO/PZT (PNP) have been prepared by laminating PZT5, NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, and PZT5 ceramics in turn with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) paste. A systematic study of structural, magnetic and ferroelectric properties is undertaken. Structural studies carried out by X-ray diffraction indicate formation of cubic perovskite phase of PZT5 ceramic and cubic spinel phase of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} ceramic. As increasing the content of PZT5 phase, ferroelectric loops and magnetic loops of PNP composites showed increasing remnant electric polarizations and decreasing remnant magnetic moments separately. Both external magnetic fields and bias voltages could regulate the basal radial resonance frequency of the composites, which should be originated with the transformation and coupling of the stress between the piezoelectric phase and magnetostrictive phase. Such magnetoelectric composite provides great opportunities for electrostatically tunable devices. (orig.)

Magnetic properties of sandwiches based on Nd-Co and Y-Co amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ndjaka, J.M.B.; Givord, D.

1996-01-01

Y-Co/Nd-Co/Y-Co and Nd-Co/Y-Co/Nd-Co amorphous sandwiches have been prepared by d.c. triode sputtering. The chemical composition of the constituent layers is R 0.33 Co 0.67 (R=Y, Nd). In such systems, the Co moments are coupled parallel through the whole sandwich thickness by strong positive 3d-3d exchange interactions. But, the coercive fields of the constituent layers taken separately differ. In the sandwiches as well, the reversal of magnetization in the different layers occurs at different values of the applied magnetic field. This phenomenon has been analysed qualitatively in terms of creation and annihilation of walls at the interfaces between layers for sandwiches where the thicknesses of the constituent layers are about 1000 A. In sandwiches where the thickness of the constituent layers is 100 A, the wall width available is very weak and the value of the applied magnetic field necessary for the creation of such a wall is higher than the coercive field of the entire sandwich system. As a result, the magnetization of the sandwich system reverses as a whole like in homogeneous systems. (orig.)

Mechanical Property Analysis on Sandwich Structured Hybrid Composite Made from Natural Fibre, Glass Fibre and Ceramic Fibre Wool Reinforced with Epoxy Resin

Science.gov (United States)

Bharat, K. R.; Abhishek, S.; Palanikumar, K.

2017-06-01

Natural fibre composites find wide range of applications and usage in the automobile and manufacturing industries. They find lack in desired properties, which are required for present applications. In current scenario, many developments in composite materials involve the synthesis of Hybrid composite materials to overcome some of the lacking properties. In this present investigation, two sandwich structured hybrid composite materials have been made by reinforcing Aloe Vera-Ceramic Fibre Wool-Glass fibre with Epoxy resin matrix and Sisal fibre-Ceramic Fibre Wool-Glass fibre with Epoxy resin matrix and its mechanical properties such as Tensile, Flexural and Impact are tested and analyzed. The test results from the two samples are compared and the results show that sisal fibre reinforced hybrid composite has better mechanical properties than aloe vera reinforced hybrid composite.

Molecular interactions in gelatin/chitosan composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Congde; Ma, Xianguang; Zhang, Jianlong; Yao, Jinshui

2017-11-15

Gelatin and chitosan were mixed at different mass ratios in solution forms, and the rheological properties of these film-forming solutions, upon cooling, were studied. The results indicate that the significant interactions between gelatin and chitosan promote the formation of multiple complexes, reflected by an increase in the storage modulus of gelatin solution. Furthermore, these molecular interactions hinder the formation of gelatin networks, consequently decreasing the storage modulus of polymer gels. Both hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions are formed between gelatin and chitosan, as evidenced by the shift of the amide-II bands of polymers. X-ray patterns of composite films indicate that the contents of triple helices decrease with increasing chitosan content. Only one glass transition temperature (T g ) was observed in composite films with different composition ratios, and it decreases gradually with an increase in chitosan proportion, indicating that gelatin and chitosan have good miscibility and form a wide range of blends. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composite films from pectin and fish skin gelatin or soybean flour protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, LinShu; Liu, Cheng-Kung; Fishman, Marshall L; Hicks, Kevin B

2007-03-21

Composite films were prepared from pectin and fish skin gelatin (FSG) or pectin and soybean flour protein (SFP). The inclusion of protein promoted molecular interactions, resulting in a well-organized homogeneous structure, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and fracture-acoustic emission analysis. The resultant composite films showed an increase in stiffness and strength and a decrease in water solubility and water vapor transmission rate, in comparison with films cast from pectin alone. The composite films inherited the elastic nature of proteins, thus being more flexible than the pure pectin films. Treating the composite films with glutaraldehyde/methanol induced chemical cross-linking with the proteins and reduced the interstitial spaces among the macromolecules and, consequently, improved their mechanical properties and water resistance. Treating the protein-free pectin films with glutaraldehyde/methanol also improved the Young's modulus and tensile strength, but showed little effect on the water resistance, because the treatment caused only dehydration of the pectin films and the dehydration is reversible. The composite films were biodegradable and possessed moderate mechanical properties and a low water vapor transmission rate. Therefore, the films are considered to have potential applications as packaging or coating materials for food or drug industries.

SIGNS The sandwich sign

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The sandwich sign is demonstrated on cross-sectional imaging, commonly on CT or ultrasound. It refers to homogeneous soft- tissue masses representing mesenteric lymphadenopathy as the two halves of a sandwich bun, encasing the mesenteric fat and tubular mesenteric vessels that constitute the 'sandwich filling' (Figs ...

A dense and strong bonding collagen film for carbon/carbon composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Sheng; Li, Hejun, E-mail: lihejun@nwpu.edu.cn; Li, Kezhi; Lu, Jinhua; Zhang, Leilei

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Significantly enhancement of biocompatibility on C/C composites by preparing a collagen film. • The dense and continuous collagen film had a strong bonding strength with C/C composites after dehydrathermal treatment (DHT) crosslink. • Numerous oxygen-containing functional groups formed on the surface of C/C composites without matrix damage. - Abstract: A strong bonding collagen film was successfully prepared on carbon/carbon (C/C) composites. The surface conditions of the modified C/C composites were detected by contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra. The roughness, optical morphology, bonding strength and biocompatibility of collagen films at different pH values were detected by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), universal test machine and cytology tests in vitro. After a 4-h modification in 30% H{sub 2}O{sub 2} solution at 100 °C, the contact angle on the surface of C/C composites was decreased from 92.3° to 65.3°. Large quantities of hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl functional groups were formed on the surface of the modified C/C composites. Then a dense and continuous collagen film was prepared on the modified C/C substrate. Bonding strength between collagen film and C/C substrate was reached to 8 MPa level when the pH value of this collagen film was 2.5 after the preparing process. With 2-day dehydrathermal treatment (DHT) crosslinking at 105 °C, the bonding strength was increased to 12 MPa level. At last, the results of in vitro cytological test showed that this collagen film made a great improvement on the biocompatibility on C/C composites.

A dense and strong bonding collagen film for carbon/carbon composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Sheng; Li, Hejun; Li, Kezhi; Lu, Jinhua; Zhang, Leilei

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Significantly enhancement of biocompatibility on C/C composites by preparing a collagen film. • The dense and continuous collagen film had a strong bonding strength with C/C composites after dehydrathermal treatment (DHT) crosslink. • Numerous oxygen-containing functional groups formed on the surface of C/C composites without matrix damage. - Abstract: A strong bonding collagen film was successfully prepared on carbon/carbon (C/C) composites. The surface conditions of the modified C/C composites were detected by contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra. The roughness, optical morphology, bonding strength and biocompatibility of collagen films at different pH values were detected by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), universal test machine and cytology tests in vitro. After a 4-h modification in 30% H 2 O 2 solution at 100 °C, the contact angle on the surface of C/C composites was decreased from 92.3° to 65.3°. Large quantities of hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl functional groups were formed on the surface of the modified C/C composites. Then a dense and continuous collagen film was prepared on the modified C/C substrate. Bonding strength between collagen film and C/C substrate was reached to 8 MPa level when the pH value of this collagen film was 2.5 after the preparing process. With 2-day dehydrathermal treatment (DHT) crosslinking at 105 °C, the bonding strength was increased to 12 MPa level. At last, the results of in vitro cytological test showed that this collagen film made a great improvement on the biocompatibility on C/C composites

Interfaces study of all-polysaccharide composite films

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šimkovic, I.; Kelnar, Ivan; Mendichi, R.; Tracz, A.; Filip, J.; Bertók, T.; Kasák, P.

2018-01-01

Roč. 72, č. 3 (2018), s. 711-718 ISSN 0366-6352 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : all-polysaccharide composites * elemental analysis * film properties study Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 1.258, year: 2016

Magnetic and electromagnetic properties of Pr doped strontium ferrite/polyaniline composite film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Ying; Li, Yuqing; Wang, Yan, E-mail: wangyan287580632@126.com

2014-11-15

This paper reported three acid (including hydrochloric acid HCl, p-toluenesulfonic acid PTS and D-camphor-10-acid CSA) doped SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19}/PANI composite film and the HCl–PANI film prepared by a sol–gel method and in-situ oxidative polymerization. The characteristics of the film phase structure, surface morphology, conductivity and magnetic and electromagnetic properties were studied by using XRD, XPS, FESEM, four-probe tester, VSM and Vector Network Analyzer. The resistivity of organic acid doped composite films is higher than that of the HCl doped one. The saturation and remanent magnetization of PTS and HCl doped composite films are greater than the CSA-doped one; however, the coercivity of the three acid doped composite films is basically 5546 Oe. The saturation magnetization, remanent magnetization and coercivity of SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19} film are greater than those of the SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19}–PANI composite film. In the frequency range of 8–12 GHz, the dielectric loss of HCl–PANI film is the maximum, and the dielectric loss of SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19} film is the minimum; the magnetic loss of the four films is in descending order as SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19} film, PrSrM/(HCl–PANI) composite film, PrSrM/(CSA–PANI) and HCl–PANI film. - Highlights: • Synthesizing three acid doped SrPr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 11.8}O{sub 19}/PANI composite films. • By sol–gel method and in-situ oxidative polymerization. • With excellent magnetic and electromagnetic properties. • The particular coating structure of PANI and Sr-ferrite. • Great interest for magnetic material and microwave absorbers.

Analytical and Numerical Study of Foam-Filled Corrugated Core Sandwich Panels under Low Velocity Impact

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Nouri Damghani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Analytical and finite element simulations are used to predict the effect of core density on the energy absorption of composite sandwich panels under low-velocity impact. The composite sandwich panel contains two facesheets and a foam-filled corrugated core. Analytical model is defined as a two degree-of-freedom system based on equivalent mass, spring, and dashpot to predict the local and global deformation response of a simply supported panel. The results signify a good agreement between analytical and numerical predictions.

Nanocellulose-Zeolite Composite Films for Odor Elimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Keshavarzi, Neda; Mashayekhy Rad, Farshid; Mace, Amber; Ansari, Farhan; Akhtar, Farid; Nilsson, Ulrika; Berglund, Lars; Bergström, Lennart

2015-07-08

Free standing and strong odor-removing composite films of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) with a high content of nanoporous zeolite adsorbents have been colloidally processed. Thermogravimetric desorption analysis (TGA) and infrared spectroscopy combined with computational simulations showed that commercially available silicalite-1 and ZSM-5 have a high affinity and uptake of volatile odors like ethanethiol and propanethiol, also in the presence of water. The simulations showed that propanethiol has a higher affinity, up to 16%, to the two zeolites compared with ethanethiol. Highly flexible and strong free-standing zeolite-CNF films with an adsorbent loading of 89 w/w% have been produced by Ca-induced gelation and vacuum filtration. The CNF-network controls the strength of the composite films and 100 μm thick zeolite-CNF films with a CNF content of less than 10 vol % displayed a tensile strength approaching 10 MPa. Headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis showed that the CNF-zeolite films can eliminate the volatile thiol-based odors to concentrations below the detection ability of the human olfactory system. Odor removing zeolite-cellulose nanofibril films could enable improved transport and storage of fruits and vegetables rich in odors, for example, onion and the tasty but foul-smelling South-East Asian Durian fruit.

ANALISA TEKNIS DAN EKONOMIS PENGGUNAAN COREMAT UNTUK KONSTRUKSI FRP (FIBERGLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC SANDWICH PADA BADAN KAPAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parlindungan Manik

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Planning of ship construction is make its having good effectivity value and efficiency. Composite as material alternative to changes of steel feedstock and wood has many applied named FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastics single skin. The weakness of this FRP was heavy construction and requires many production time. Therefore, will be checked comparison between single skin with sandwich constructions for shell. In this research, the way for making composite is hand lay up method with three various thickness of skin there are : t, t/2, and t/4. To know strength comparison from the various skin of sandwich with single skin, must be test, consist of tensile test.. The result is analyzed then compared by BKI (Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia rules for the fiberglass ship. Based on the result, indicates that optimization skin thickness of sandwich construction applies Coremat which tensile strength it is equivalent with Single Skin at 2/3t and usage of Sandwich construction causes 23,12 % lighter. In economic analyze, advantage from low weight is compensation of addition 23,12 % DWT. Material cost for Sandwich about 11,35% bigger than Single Skin construction.

Flexural Behavior of Aluminum Honeycomb Core Sandwich Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Matta, Vidyasagar; Kumar, J. Suresh; Venkataraviteja, Duddu; Reddy, Guggulla Bharath Kumar

2017-05-01

This project is concerned with the fabrication and flexural testing of aluminium honey comb sandwich structure which is a special case of composite materials that is fabricated by attaching two thin but stiff skins to a light weight but thick core. The core material is normally low density material but its high thickness provide the sandwich composite with high bonding stiffness. Honeycomb core are classified into two types based on the materials and structures. Hexagonal shape has a unique properties i.e has more bonding strength and less formation time based on the cell size and sheet thickness. Sandwich structure exhibit different properties such as high load bearing capacity at low weight and has excellent thermal insulation. By considering the above properties it has tendency to minimize the structural problem. So honey comb sandwich structure is choosed. The core structure has a different applications such as aircraft, ship interiors, construction industries. As there is no proper research on strength characteristics of sandwich structure. So, we use light weight material to desire the strength. There are different parameters involved in this structure i.e cell size, sheet thickness and core height. In this project we considered 3 level of comparison among the 3 different parameters cell size of 4, 6 and 8 mm, sheet thickness of 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm, and core height of 20,25 and 30 mm. In order to reduce the number of experiment we use taguchi design of experiment, and we select the L8 orthogonal array is the best array for this type of situation, which clearly identifies the parameters by independent of material weight to support this we add the minitab software, to identify the main effective plots and regression equation which involves the individual response and corresponding parameters. Aluminium material is used for the fabrication of Honeycomb sandwich structure among the various grades of aluminium we consider the AL6061 which is light weight material

Properties of polyvinyl alcohol/xylan composite films with citric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuaiyang; Ren, Junli; Li, Weiying; Sun, Runcang; Liu, Shijie

2014-03-15

Composite films of xylan and polyvinyl alcohol were produced with citric acid as a new plasticizer or a cross-linking agent. The effects of citric acid content and polyvinyl alcohol/xylan weight ratio on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, solubility, degree of swelling and water vapor permeability of the composite films were investigated. The intermolecular interactions and morphology of composite films were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and SEM. The results indicated that polyvinyl alcohol/xylan composite films had good compatibility. With an increase in citric acid content from 10% to 50%, the tensile strength reduced from 35.1 to 11.6 MPa. However, the elongation at break increased sharply from 15.1% to 249.5%. The values of water vapor permeability ranged from 2.35 to 2.95 × 10(-7)g/(mm(2)h). Interactions between xylan and polyvinyl alcohol in the presence of citric acid become stronger, which were caused by hydrogen bond and ester bond formation among the components during film forming. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Thermoelectric properties of conducting polyaniline/BaTiO3 nanoparticle composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Anno, H.; Yamaguchi, K.; Nakabayashi, T.; Kurokawa, H.; Akagi, F.; Hojo, M.; Toshima, N.

2011-05-01

Conducting polyaniline (PANI)/BaTiO3 nanoparticle composite films with different molar ratio values R=1, 5, 10, and 100 have been prepared on a quartz substrate by casting the m-cresol solution of PANI, (±)-10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) and BaTiO3 nanoparticle with an average diameter of about 20 nm. The CSA-doped PANI/BaTiO3 composite films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV-Vis transmission spectroscopy. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity of the films with different R values, together with CSA-doped PANI films, were measured in the temperature range from room temperature to ~400 K. The relation between the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity in the composite films are discussed from a comparison of them with those of CSA-doped PANI films and other PANI composite films.

One-step synthesis of PbSe-ZnSe composite thin film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abe Seishi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study investigates the preparation of PbSe-ZnSe composite thin films by simultaneous hot-wall deposition (HWD from multiple resources. The XRD result reveals that the solubility limit of Pb in ZnSe is quite narrow, less than 1 mol%, with obvious phase-separation in the composite thin films. A nanoscale elemental mapping of the film containing 5 mol% PbSe indicates that isolated PbSe nanocrystals are dispersed in the ZnSe matrix. The optical absorption edge of the composite thin films shifts toward the low-photon-energy region as the PbSe content increases. The use of a phase-separating PbSe-ZnSe system and HWD techniques enables simple production of the composite package.

Effect of Fiber Orientation on Mechanical Properties of Kenaf-Reinforced Polymer Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching Kuan Yong

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The increase of environmental awareness has led to interest in the use of materials with eco-friendly attributes. In this study, a sandwich composite was developed from polyester and kenaf fiber with various orientation arrangements. Polyester/kenaf sandwich composite was fabricated through the combination of a hand lay-up process and cold compression. The tensile, flexural, and Izod impact tests of the sandwich composites were evaluated by using a universal tensile tester and an impact tester. The thermal stability of polyester/kenaf sandwich composite and plywood were investigated by using a thermogravimetric analyser. Results showed that the polyester/kenaf sandwich composite with kenaf fiber in anisotropy orientation achieved the highest mechanical properties. The kenaf fiber in anisotropic orientation could absorb the impact energy and allow the sandwich composite to withstand greater impact forces compared to composite with fiber in perpendicular or isotropic orientations. The polyester/kenaf sandwich composite also showed higher thermal stability compared to a conventional plywood sheet. Thus, the fabrication of polyester/kenaf sandwich composite with kenaf fiber in an anisotropic orientation design has great potential to replace plywood sheets for beam construction applications.

Effects of thickness and annealing condition on magnetic properties and thermal stabilities of Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta sandwiched films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wen-Feng; Zhang, Min-Gang; Zhang, Ke-Wei; Zhang, Hai-Jie; Xu, Xiao-Hong; Chai, Yue-Sheng

2016-11-01

Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta sandwiched films are deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si (100) substrates, and subsequently annealed in vacuum at different temperatures for different time. It is found that both the thickness of NdFeB and Nd layer and the annealing condition can affect the magnetic properties of Ta/Nd/NdFeB/Nd/Ta films. Interestingly, the thickness and annealing temperature show the relevant behaviors that can affect the magnetic properties of the film. The high coercivity of 24.1 kOe (1 Oe = 79.5775 A/m) and remanence ratio (remanent magnetization/saturation magnetization) of 0.94 can be obtained in a Ta/Nd(250 nm)/NdFeB(600 nm)/Nd(250 nm)/Ta film annealed for 3 min at 1023 K. In addition, the thermal stability of the film is also linked to the thickness of NdFeB and Nd layer and the annealing temperature as well. The excellent thermal stability can be achieved in a Ta/Nd(250 nm)/NdFeB(600 nm)/Nd(250 nm)/Ta film annealed at 1023 K. Program supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51305290), the Higher Education Technical Innovation Project of Shanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2013133), the Fund Program for the Scientific Activities of Selected Returned Overseas Professionals of Shanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2015003), and the Program for the Key Team of Scientific and Technological Innovation of Shanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2013131009).

Graphene synthesis from graphite/Ni composite films grown by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Dong Hee; Yang, Seung Bum; Shin, Dong Yeol; Kim, Chang Oh; Kim, Sung; Choi, Suk Ho; Paek, Sang Hyon

2012-01-01

Graphite/Ni composite films have been deposited on SiO 2 /Si (100) wafers by varying their graphite concentration (n G ) and thickness (t) from 2 to 12 wt% and 40 to 400 nm, respectively, in a RF sputtering system, subsequently annealed at 900 .deg. C for 4 min, and then slowly cooled to room temperature to form graphene layers on Ni surfaces. Several structural-analysis techniques reveal the optimum nG (∼8 wt%) and t (∼160 nm) of the composite films for the synthesis of fewest-layer, defect-minimized graphene. At the annealing temperature, carbon atoms diffuse out from the composite film, followed by their precipitation as graphene on the Ni layer as the carbon solubility limit in Ni is reached during the cooling period. Based on this mechanism, the optimum conditions are explained. Our approach provides an advantage in that the number of layers can be simply tuned by varying n G and t of the composite films.

Electrochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Diamondlike Carbon-Metal Composite Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MORRISON, M. L.; BUCHANAN, R. A.; LIAW, P. K.; BERRY, C. J.; BRIGMON, R.; RIESTER, L.; JIN, C.; NARAYAN, R. J.

2005-05-11

Implants containing antimicrobial metals may reduce morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs associated with medical device-related infections. We have deposited diamondlike carbon-silver (DLC-Ag), diamondlike carbon-platinum (DLC-Pt), and diamondlike carbon-silver-platinum (DLC-AgPt) thin films using a multicomponent target pulsed laser deposition process. Transmission electron microscopy of the DLC-silver and DLC-platinum composite films revealed that the silver and platinum self-assemble into nanoparticle arrays within the diamondlike carbon matrix. The diamondlike carbon-silver film possesses hardness and Young's modulus values of 37 GPa and 331 GPa, respectively. The diamondlike carbon-metal composite films exhibited passive behavior at open-circuit potentials. Low corrosion rates were observed during testing in a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) electrolyte. In addition, the diamondlike carbon-metal composite films were found to be immune to localized corrosion below 1000 mV (SCE). DLC-silver-platinum films demonstrated exceptional antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus bacteria. It is believed that a galvanic couple forms between platinum and silver, which accelerates silver ion release and provides more robust antimicrobial activity. Diamondlike carbon-silver-platinum films may provide unique biological functionalities and improved lifetimes for cardiovascular, orthopaedic, biosensor, and implantable microelectromechanical systems.

Preparation and properties of carbohydrate-based composite films incorporated with CuO nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Shiv; Wang, Long-Feng; Rhim, Jong-Whan

2017-08-01

The present study aimed to develop the carbohydrate biopolymer based antimicrobial films for food packaging application. The nanocomposite films of various biopolymers and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) were prepared by solvent casting method. The nanocomposite films were characterized using SEM, FTIR, XRD, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The thermal stability, UV barrier, water vapor permeability, and antibacterial activity of the composite films were also evaluated. The surface morphology of the films was dependent on the types of polymers used. The XRD revealed the crystallinity of CuONPs in the composite films. The addition of CuONPs increased the thickness, tensile strength, UV barrier property, relative humidity, and water vapor barrier property. The CuONPs incorporated composite films exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The developed composite films could be used as a UV-light barrier antibacterial films for active food packaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fracture Behaviours in Compression-loaded Triangular Corrugated Core Sandwich Panels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaid N.Z.M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The failure modes occurring in sandwich panels based on the corrugations of aluminium alloy, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP and glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP are analysed in this work. The fracture behaviour of these sandwich panels under compressive stresses is determined through a series of uniform lateral compression performed on samples with different cell wall thicknesses. Compression test on the corrugated-core sandwich panels were conducted using an Instron series 4505 testing machine. The post-failure examinations of the corrugated-core in different cell wall thickness were conducted using optical microscope. Load-displacement graphs of aluminium alloy, GFRP and CFRP specimens were plotted to show progressive damage development with five unit cells. Four modes of failure were described in the results: buckling, hinges, delamination and debonding. Each of these failure modes may dominate under different cell wall thickness or loading condition, and they may act in combination. The results indicate that thicker composites corrugated-core panels tend can recover more stress and retain more stiffness. This analysis provides a valuable insight into the mechanical behaviour of corrugated-core sandwich panels for use in lightweight engineering applications.

Development and characterisation of composite films made of kefiran and starch.

Science.gov (United States)

Motedayen, Ali Akbar; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Salehi, Esmail Atai

2013-02-15

In this study, new edible composite films were prepared by blending kefiran with corn starch. Film-forming solutions of different ratios of kefiran to corn starch (100/0, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70) were cast at room temperature. The effects of starch addition on the resulting films' physical, mechanical and water-vapor permeability (WVP) properties were investigated. Increasing starch content from 0% to 50% (v/v) decreased the WVP of films; however, with further starch addition the WVP increased. Also, this increase in starch content increased the tensile strength and extensibility of the composite films. However, these mechanical properties decreased at higher starch contents. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) curves showed that addition of starch at all levels increased the glass transition temperature of films. The electron scanning micrograph for the composite film was homogeneous, without signs of phase separation between the components. Thus, it was observed that these two film-forming components were compatible, and that an interaction existed between them. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FaceSheet Push-off Tests to Determine Composite Sandwich Toughness at Cryogenic Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Gates, Thomas S.; Herring, Helen M.

2001-01-01

A new novel test method, associated analysis, and experimental procedures are developed to investigate the toughness of the facesheet-to-core interface of a sandwich material at cryogenic temperatures. The test method is designed to simulate the failure mode associated with facesheet debonding from high levels of gas pressure in the sandwich core. The effects of specimen orientation are considered, and the results of toughness measurements are presented. Comparisons are made between room and liquid nitrogen (-196 C) test temperatures. It was determined that the test method is insensitive to specimen facesheet orientation and strain energy release rate increases with a decrease in the test temperature.

Characterization of Safranine O based thin-film sandwich devices by analysing their electrical and photoelectrical behaviour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, G.D. [Jodhpur Univ. (India). Dept. of Physics; Roy, M.S. [Camouflage Division, Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, Rajastan (India); Gupta, S.K. [Jodhpur Univ. (India). Dept. of Physics

1997-04-30

Safranine O (SAF), chemically known as 3,7-diamino-2,8-dimethyl-5-phenyl-phenazinium chloride, was employed in the form of thin film for the fabrication of In/SAF/ITO and Al/SAF/ITO (ITO is indium-tin oxide) sandwich devices. In these devices, at low voltages, the dark current in forward bias condition corresponds to a positive voltage at ITO, which varies exponentially with applied voltage. The square law dependence at higher voltage region indicates that conduction is limited by a discrete trapping level above the conduction band edge. The analysis of the 1/C{sup 2} versus V plots, for low frequencies, reveals that the SAF behaves as a semiconductor. At higher frequencies, the devices exhibit voltage-independent capacitances, which is explained in terms of the extremely slow kinetics of space charges. The photogeneration process in these devices is explained in terms of the exciton dissociation into free carriers at the Schottky barrier (Al/SAF and In/SAF interfaces). Various electrical and photovoltaic parameters are calculated and discussed in detail. (orig.)

The dynamic properties of sandwich structures based on metal-ceramic foams.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

The present research program has studied the fracture properties of closed pore metal-ceramic foams for their potential applications as core systems in sandwich structures. The composite foams were created at Fireline, Inc. (Youngstown, OH) using the...

Three-dimensional microporous polypyrrole/polysulfone composite film electrode for supercapacitance performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Xiaojuan; Shi, Yanlong; Jin, Shuping

2015-01-01

The three-dimensional microporous polypyrrole/polysulfone (PPY/PSF) composite film was fabricated via a simple polymerization method. The morphology structure and chemical composition of the composite film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The electrochemical properties of the composite film electrode were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charging-discharging and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The material exhibits excellent capacitance performance including high capacitance of 500 F g"−"1 at 0.3 A g"−"1 current density, good cycle stability in 800 continuous cycles (only 4.5% decay after 800 cycles at 0.3 A g"−"1), and low inter resistance. The good property of the PPY/PSF electrode should be attributed to its structural features, including two-layer microporous structure which facilitates the penetration of electrolytes into the inner surface, high surface area which provides more active sites. These results show that the composite film is a promising candidate for high energy electrochemical capacitors.

Three-dimensional microporous polypyrrole/polysulfone composite film electrode for supercapacitance performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Xiaojuan, E-mail: cherry-820@163.com; Shi, Yanlong; Jin, Shuping

2015-10-30

The three-dimensional microporous polypyrrole/polysulfone (PPY/PSF) composite film was fabricated via a simple polymerization method. The morphology structure and chemical composition of the composite film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The electrochemical properties of the composite film electrode were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charging-discharging and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The material exhibits excellent capacitance performance including high capacitance of 500 F g{sup −1} at 0.3 A g{sup −1} current density, good cycle stability in 800 continuous cycles (only 4.5% decay after 800 cycles at 0.3 A g{sup −1}), and low inter resistance. The good property of the PPY/PSF electrode should be attributed to its structural features, including two-layer microporous structure which facilitates the penetration of electrolytes into the inner surface, high surface area which provides more active sites. These results show that the composite film is a promising candidate for high energy electrochemical capacitors.

Mango kernel starch-gum composite films: Physical, mechanical and barrier properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawab, Anjum; Alam, Feroz; Haq, Muhammad Abdul; Lutfi, Zubala; Hasnain, Abid

2017-05-01

Composite films were developed by the casting method using mango kernel starch (MKS) and guar and xanthan gums. The concentration of both gums ranged from 0% to 30% (w/w of starch; db). Mechanical properties, oxygen permeability (OP), water vapor permeability (WVP), solubility in water and color parameters of composite films were evaluated. The crystallinity and homogeneity between the starch and gums were also evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The scanning electron micrographs showed homogeneous matrix, with no signs of phase separation between the components. XRD analysis demonstrated diminished crystalline peak. Regardless of gum type the tensile strength (TS) of composite films increased with increasing gum concentration while reverse trend was noted for elongation at break (EAB) which found to be decreased with increasing gum concentration. The addition of both guar and xanthan gums increased solubility and WVP of the composite films. However, the OP was found to be lower than that of the control with both gums. Furthermore, addition of both gums led to changes in transparency and opacity of MKS films. Films containing 10% (w/w) xanthan gum showed lower values for solubility, WVP and OP, while film containing 20% guar gum showed good mechanical properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and properties of Starch-g-PLA/poly(vinyl alcohol) composite film.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yingmo; Wang, Qingling; Tang, Mingru

2013-07-25

Starch/lactic acid graft copolymer (Starch-g-PLA) was prepared by the in situ copolymerization of starch grafted with lactic acid catalyzed with sodium hydroxide, and then mixed with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to get composite films. The structures of the graft copolymer and composite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical properties, water resistance, and thermal stability were also investigated. It was found that the compatibility of Starch-g-PLA and PVA was better than that of starch and PVA in the composite films. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the Starch-g-PLA/PVA composite film increased by 69.15% and 84.22%, respectively, while the water absorption decreased by 50.39%, which overcame the shortcomings of hydrophilicity and poor mechanical properties of Starch/PVA film. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) also showed that the thermal stability of Starch-g-PLA/PVA film was improved compared with Starch/PVA film. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bistable resistive memory behavior in gelatin-CdTe quantum dot composite film

Science.gov (United States)

Vallabhapurapu, Sreedevi; Rohom, Ashwini; Chaure, N. B.; Du, Shengzhi; Srinivasan, Ananthakrishnan

2018-05-01

Bistable memory behavior has been observed for the first time in gelatin type A thin film dispersed with functionalized CdTe quantum dots. The two terminal device with the polymer nanocomposite layer sandwiched between an indium tin oxide coated glass plate and an aluminium top electrode performs as a bistable resistive random access memory module. Butterfly shaped (O-shaped with a hysteresis in forward and reverse sweeps) current-voltage response is observed in this device. The conduction mechanism leading to the bistable electrical switching has been deduced to be a combination of ohmic and electron hopping.

Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline/activated carbon composites and preparation of conductive films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zengin, Huseyin; Kalayci, Guellue

2010-01-01

Polyaniline was synthesized via polyaniline/activated carbon (PANI/AC) composites by in situ polymerization and ex situ solution mixing. PANI and PANI/AC composite films were prepared by drop-by-drop and spin coating methods. The electrical conductivities of HCl doped PANI film and PANI/AC composite films were measured according to the standard four-point-probe technique. The composite films exhibited an increase in electrical conductivity over neat PANI. PANI and PANI/AC composites were investigated by spectroscopic methods including UV-vis, FTIR and photoluminescence. UV-vis and FTIR studies showed that AC particles affect the quinoid units along the polymer backbone and indicate strong interactions between AC particles and quinoidal sites of PANI. The photoluminescence properties of PANI and PANI/AC composites were studied and the photoluminescence intensity of PANI/AC composites was higher than that of neat PANI. The increase of conductivity of PANI/AC composites may be partially due to the doping or impurity effect of AC, where the AC competes with chloride ions. The amount of weight loss and the thermostability of PANI and PANI/AC composites were determined from thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology of particles and films were examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM measurements indicated that the AC particles were well dispersed and isolated in composite films.

Functional chitosan-based grapefruit seed extract composite films for applications in food packaging technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, Y.M.; Lim, S.H.; Tay, B.Y.; Lee, M.W.; Thian, E.S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Chitosan-based grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) films were solution casted. • GFSE was uniformly dispersed within all chitosan film matrices. • All chitosan-based composite films showed remarkable transparency. • Increasing amounts of GFSE incorporated increased the elongation at break of films. • Chitosan-based GFSE composite films inhibited the proliferation of fungal growth. - Abstract: Chitosan-based composite films with different amounts of grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% v/v) were fabricated via solution casting technique. Experimental results showed that GFSE was uniformly dispersed within all chitosan film matrices. The presence of GFSE made the films more amorphous and tensile strength decreased, while elongation at break values increased as GFSE content increased. Results from the measurement of light transmission revealed that increasing amounts of GFSE (from 0.5 to 1.5% v/v) did not affect transparency of the films. Furthermore, packaging of bread samples with chitosan-based GFSE composite films inhibited the proliferation of fungal growth as compared to control samples. Hence, chitosan-based GFSE composite films have the potential to be a useful material in the area of food technology

Functional chitosan-based grapefruit seed extract composite films for applications in food packaging technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Y.M. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Lim, S.H.; Tay, B.Y. [Forming Technology Group, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (Singapore); Lee, M.W. [Food Innovation and Resource Centre, Singapore Polytechnic (Singapore); Thian, E.S., E-mail: mpetes@nus.edu.sg [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Chitosan-based grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) films were solution casted. • GFSE was uniformly dispersed within all chitosan film matrices. • All chitosan-based composite films showed remarkable transparency. • Increasing amounts of GFSE incorporated increased the elongation at break of films. • Chitosan-based GFSE composite films inhibited the proliferation of fungal growth. - Abstract: Chitosan-based composite films with different amounts of grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% v/v) were fabricated via solution casting technique. Experimental results showed that GFSE was uniformly dispersed within all chitosan film matrices. The presence of GFSE made the films more amorphous and tensile strength decreased, while elongation at break values increased as GFSE content increased. Results from the measurement of light transmission revealed that increasing amounts of GFSE (from 0.5 to 1.5% v/v) did not affect transparency of the films. Furthermore, packaging of bread samples with chitosan-based GFSE composite films inhibited the proliferation of fungal growth as compared to control samples. Hence, chitosan-based GFSE composite films have the potential to be a useful material in the area of food technology.

Thermal dewetting behavior of polystyrene composite thin films with organic-modified inorganic nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, Masaki; Takahashi, Yosuke; Fujii, Takeshi; Liu, Yang; Sugioka, Ken-ichi; Tsukada, Takao; Minami, Kimitaka; Adschiri, Tadafumi

2014-07-29

The thermal dewetting of polystyrene composite thin films with oleic acid-modified CeO2 nanoparticles prepared by the supercritical hydrothermal synthesis method was investigated, varying the nanoparticle concentration (0-30 wt %), film thickness (approximately 50 and 100 nm), and surface energy of silanized silicon substrates on which the composite films were coated. The dewetting behavior of the composite thin films during thermal annealing was observed by an optical microscope. The presence of nanoparticles in the films affected the morphology of dewetting holes, and moreover suppressed the dewetting itself when the concentration was relatively high. It was revealed that there was a critical value of the surface energy of the substrate at which the dewetting occurred. In addition, the spatial distributions of nanoparticles in the composite thin films before thermal annealing were investigated using AFM and TEM. As a result, we found that most of nanoparticles segregated to the surface of the film, and that such distributions of nanoparticles contribute to the stabilization of the films, by calculating the interfacial potential of the films with nanoparticles.

Interfacial crack arrest in sandwich beams subjected to fatigue loading using a novel crack arresting device – Numerical modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martakos, G.; Andreasen, J.H.; Berggreen, Christian

2017-01-01

A novel crack arresting device is implemented in foam-cored composite sandwich beams and tested using the Sandwich Tear Test (STT) configuration. A finite element model of the setup is developed, and the predictions are correlated with observations and results from a recently conducted experiment...... concept, as well as a design tool that can be used for the implementation of crack arresting devises in engineering applications of sandwich components and structures....

Features of film growth during plasma anodizing of Al 2024/SiC metal matrix composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xue Wenbin [Key Laboratory for Radiation Beam Technology and Materials Modification, Institute of Low Energy Nuclear Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)]. E-mail: xuewb@bnu.edu.cn

2006-07-15

Plasma anodizing is a novel promising process to fabricate corrosion-resistant protective films on metal matrix composites. The corrosion-resistant films were prepared by plasma anodizing on SiC reinforced aluminum matrix composite. The morphology and microstructure of films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Specifically, the morphology of residual SiC reinforcement particles in the film was observed. It is found that the most SiC reinforcement particles have been molten to become silicon oxide, but a few tiny SiC particles still remain in the film close to the composite/film interface. This interface is irregular due to the hindering effect of SiC particles on the film growth. Morphology and distribution of residual SiC particles in film provide direct evidence to identify the local melt occurs in the interior of plasma anodizing film even near the composite/film interface. A model of film growth by plasma anodizing on metal matrix composites was proposed.

Features of film growth during plasma anodizing of Al 2024/SiC metal matrix composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Wenbin

2006-01-01

Plasma anodizing is a novel promising process to fabricate corrosion-resistant protective films on metal matrix composites. The corrosion-resistant films were prepared by plasma anodizing on SiC reinforced aluminum matrix composite. The morphology and microstructure of films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Specifically, the morphology of residual SiC reinforcement particles in the film was observed. It is found that the most SiC reinforcement particles have been molten to become silicon oxide, but a few tiny SiC particles still remain in the film close to the composite/film interface. This interface is irregular due to the hindering effect of SiC particles on the film growth. Morphology and distribution of residual SiC particles in film provide direct evidence to identify the local melt occurs in the interior of plasma anodizing film even near the composite/film interface. A model of film growth by plasma anodizing on metal matrix composites was proposed

Fabrication of polypeptide-based piezoelectric composite polymer film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, Dawnielle; West, James E.; Busch-Vishniac, Ilene J.; Yu, Seungju M.

2008-01-01

A new class of molecular composite piezoelectric material was produced by simultaneous poling and curing of a homogeneous solution comprising poly(γ-benzyl α,L-glutamate) and methylmethacrylate via corona discharge methods. This film exhibited high piezoelectricity (d 33 = 23 pC N -1 ), and its mechanical characteristics (modulus = 450 MPa) were similar to those of low molecular weight poly(methylmethacrylate). As it is produced via solution-based fabrication processes, the composite film is conducive to miniaturization for small sensors with integrated electronics, and could also potentially be used in piezoelectric coating applications

Numerical and Experimental Low-Velocity Impact Behaivor of Sandwich Plates with Viscoelastic Core

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soroush Sadeghnejad

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A numerical and experimental low-velocity impact behavior of sandwich plates have been presently studied with regard to the compressibility and viscoelasticity features of their cores. Face sheets were assumed to be anisotropic composites or isotropic aluminum materials and a viscoelastic behavior has been considered for core. The boundary conditions are assumed to be simply supported or rigid. Abaqus, as FEM software, and its python script programming feature, have been used to model the specimens. To model hyper-viscoelastic nonlinear behavior of the core, Ogden hyper-foam elasticity and Prony series approach are manipulated. To solve the numerical problem, dynamic explicit solver option with sufficient solving amplitude has been used. Prony series have been used to model the core time-dependent behavior. In conjunction with a simple indentation experiment, FEM used to formulate a novel method for finding the Prony series coefficients. By performing some low-velocity impact experiments, the impact force and displacement of the composite sandwich plates have been investigated. The results indicate that increasing the structural damping increases the contact time and missing energy and decreases the stored energy of the system. The structures with composite face sheets have a minimum ratio of upper face sheet displacement to lower face sheet displacement in comparison to those with the isotropic face sheets. Impact behavior of isotropic face sheet specimens are more flattened than that of the composite face sheets. In addition, the specific energy stored in the sandwich plates with composite face sheets, on different supports, is greater than that stored in the aluminum face sheets.

Microstructure and phase composition of sputter-deposited zirconia-yttria films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knoll, R.W.; Bradley, E.R.

1983-11-01

Thin ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 coatings ranging in composition from 3 to 15 mole % Y 2 O 3 were produced by rf sputter deposition. This composition range spanned the region on the equilibrium ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 phase diagram corresponding to partially stabilized zirconia (a mixture of tetragonal ZrO 2 and cubic solid solution). Microstructural characteristics and crystalline phase composition of as-deposited and heat treated films (1100 0 C and 1500 0 C) were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Effects of substrate bias (0 approx. 250 volts), which induced ion bombardment of the film during growth, were also studied. The as-deposited ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 films were single phase over the composition range studied, and XRD data indicated considerable local atomic disorder in the lattice. Films produced at low bias contained intergranular voids, pronounced columnar growth, and porosity between columns. At high bias, the microstructure was denser, and films contained high compressive stress. After heat treatment, all deposits remained single phase, therefore a microstructure and precipitate distribution characteristic of toughened, partially stabilized zirconia appear to be difficult to achieve in vapor deposited zirconia coatings

Uniformly-dispersed nanohydroxapatite-reinforced poly(ε-caprolactone) composite films for tendon tissue engineering application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong, Shi Yun [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117 576 (Singapore); Wang, Zuyong, E-mail: zuyong.nus@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117 576 (Singapore); Lim, Poon Nian [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117 576 (Singapore); Wang, Wilson [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119 074 (Singapore); Thian, Eng San, E-mail: mpetes@nus.edu.sg [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117 576 (Singapore)

2017-01-01

Regeneration of injuries at tendon-to-bone interface (TBI) remains a challenging issue due to the complex tissue composition involving both soft tendon tissues and relatively hard bone tissues. Tissue engineering using polymeric/ceramic composites has been of great interest to generate scaffolds for tissue's healing at TBI. Herein, we presented a novel method to blend polymers and bioceramics for tendon tissue engineering application. A homogeneous composite comprising of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) particles in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix was obtained using a combination of solvent and mechanical blending process. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the as-fabricated PCL/nHA composite film retained phase-pure apatite and semi-crystalline properties of PCL. Infrared spectroscopy spectra confirmed that the PCL/nHA composite film exhibited the characteristics functional groups of PCL and nHA, without alteration to the chemical properties of the composite. The incorporation of nHA resulted in PCL/nHA composite film with improved mechanical properties such as Young's Modulus and ultimate tensile stress, which were comparable to that of the native human rotator tendon. Seeding with human tenocytes, cells attached on the PCL/nHA composite film, and after 14 days of culturing, these cells could acquire elongated morphology without induced cytotoxicity. PCL/nHA composite film could also result in increased cell metabolism with prolonged culturing, which was comparable to that of the PCL group and higher than that of the nHA group. All these results demonstrated that the developed technique of combining solvent and mechanical blending could be applied to fabricate composite films with potential for tendon tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • A novel method fabricating polymeric/nanoceramic composite film was proposed. • The method involved solvent and mechanical blending to form a homogeneous film. • The film retained physicochemical

Strong composite films with layered structures prepared by casting silk fibroin-graphene oxide hydrogels

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Liang; Li, Chun; Yuan, Wenjing; Shi, Gaoquan

2013-04-01

Composite films of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and silk fibroin (SF) with layered structures have been prepared by facile solution casting of SF-GO hydrogels. The as-prepared composite film containing 15% (by weight, wt%) of SF shows a high tensile strength of 221 +/- 16 MPa and a failure strain of 1.8 +/- 0.4%, which partially surpass those of natural nacre. Particularly, this composite film also has a high modulus of 17.2 +/- 1.9 GPa. The high mechanical properties of this composite film can be attributed to its high content of GO (85 wt%), compact layered structure and the strong hydrogen bonding interaction between SF chains and GO sheets.Composite films of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and silk fibroin (SF) with layered structures have been prepared by facile solution casting of SF-GO hydrogels. The as-prepared composite film containing 15% (by weight, wt%) of SF shows a high tensile strength of 221 +/- 16 MPa and a failure strain of 1.8 +/- 0.4%, which partially surpass those of natural nacre. Particularly, this composite film also has a high modulus of 17.2 +/- 1.9 GPa. The high mechanical properties of this composite film can be attributed to its high content of GO (85 wt%), compact layered structure and the strong hydrogen bonding interaction between SF chains and GO sheets. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: XPS spectrum of the SF-GO hybrid film, SEM images of lyophilized GO dispersion and the failure surface of GO film. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00196b

Polymer compositions, polymer films and methods and precursors for forming same

Science.gov (United States)

Klaehn, John R; Peterson, Eric S; Orme, Christopher J

2013-09-24

Stable, high performance polymer compositions including polybenzimidazole (PBI) and a melamine-formaldehyde polymer, such as methylated, poly(melamine-co-formaldehyde), for forming structures such as films, fibers and bulky structures. The polymer compositions may be formed by combining polybenzimidazole with the melamine-formaldehyde polymer to form a precursor. The polybenzimidazole may be reacted and/or intertwined with the melamine-formaldehyde polymer to form the polymer composition. For example, a stable, free-standing film having a thickness of, for example, between about 5 .mu.m and about 30 .mu.m may be formed from the polymer composition. Such films may be used as gas separation membranes and may be submerged into water for extended periods without crazing and cracking. The polymer composition may also be used as a coating on substrates, such as metal and ceramics, or may be used for spinning fibers. Precursors for forming such polymer compositions are also disclosed.

Composition changes in sputter deposition of Y-Ba-Cu-O films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoshi, Y.; Naoe, M.

1989-01-01

The authors discuss the mechanism of the composition change in sputter deposition of Y-BA-Cu-O film from YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-chi target investigated by means of a rf planar magnetron sputtering apparatus. Film composition changes significantly with not only substrate temperature Ts and sputtering gas pressure, but also substrate position. Lack of Cu and Ba content is significant in the film deposited at the substrate position just above the erosion area of the sputtering target. Suppression of bombardment of the substrate surface by negative ions emitted from the target and substrate is effective in increasing Cu and Ba content in the film. These results indicate not only that the sticking probability of the sputtered particles changes with Ts and incident particle energy, but also that high energy particle bombardment of the substrate surface plays an important role in the change of the film composition

Electrochemical deposition of Mg(OH)2/GO composite films for corrosion protection of magnesium alloys

OpenAIRE

Fengxia Wu; Jun Liang; Weixue Li

2015-01-01

Mg(OH)2/graphene oxide (GO) composite film was electrochemical deposited on AZ91D magnesium alloys at constant potential. The characteristics of the Mg(OH)2/GO composite film were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. It was shown that the flaky GO randomly distributed in the composite film. Compared with the Mg(OH)2 film, the Mg(OH)2/GO composite film exhibited more uniform and compac...

Design of X-joints in Sandwich Structures for Naval Vessels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hayman, Brian; Berggreen, Christian; Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian

2007-01-01

In many naval ships of fibre composite sandwich construction, an X-joint exists where the end bulkhead of the superstructure is attached to the deck, with an internal bulkhead placed in the same vertical plane below the deck. This joint is subjected to alternating tensile and compressive loading...

Analysis of Stainless Steel Sandwich Panels with a Metal Foam Care for Lightweight Fan Blade Design

Science.gov (United States)

Min, James B.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Raj, Sai V.; Holland, Frederic A., Jr.; Hebsur, Mohan G.

2004-01-01

The quest for cheap, low density and high performance materials in the design of aircraft and rotorcraft engine fan and propeller blades poses immense challenges to the materials and structural design engineers. Traditionally, these components have been fabricated using expensive materials such as light weight titanium alloys, polymeric composite materials and carbon-carbon composites. The present study investigates the use of P sandwich foam fan blade made up of solid face sheets and a metal foam core. The face sheets and the metal foam core material were an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a foam core. The resulting structure possesses a high stiffness while being lighter than a similar solid construction. Since the face sheets carry the applied bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. The material properties of 17-4 PH metal foam are reviewed briefly to describe the characteristics of the sandwich structure for a fan blade application. A vibration analysis for natural frequencies and P detailed stress analysis on the 17-4 PH sandwich foam blade design for different combinations of skin thickness and core volume %re presented with a comparison to a solid titanium blade.

Uranium sandwich targets of 0.1 to 100 mg.cm-2 prepared by electron beam gun evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Folger, H.; Klemm, J.

1978-01-01

Metallic uranium layers of 0.1 to 100 mg.cm -2 between different backings and protecting layers were prepared for bombardments with heavy ions such as argon, krypton, xenon, lead, or uranium at energies of up to 8 MeV/u at the UNILAC of the GSI. An experimental set-up for the preparation of thick and oxygen-free sandwich targets using a 6 kVA electron beam gun was installed in a high vacuum apparatus. Then deposition and evaporation rates for uranium were investigated as a function of the electron beam gun power. It turned out that reproducible evaporation rates of up to 7 mg.s -1 were achieved when uranium pieces of 20 to 40 grams were used. Specific evaporation rates and vapor pressures for different temperatures were calculated. Some of these data are compared to measured values, especially evaporation rates at the evaporation point. The preparation, composition, and usage of uranium sandwich targets is described in detail. It concerns uranium layers of 0.1 to 100 mg.cm -2 deposited onto backings of carbon, titanium, nickel, gold, or glass. Evaporated films of carbon, titanium, nickel, or gold of 0.01 to 0.2 mg.cm -2 are used to protect the uranium layers from oxidation

Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for High-Performance Films and Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liwen

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with extraordinary properties and thus many potential applications have been predicted to be the best reinforcements for the next-generation multifunctional composite materials. Difficulties exist in transferring the most use of the unprecedented properties of individual CNTs to macroscopic forms of CNT assemblies. Therefore, this thesis focuses on two main goals: 1) discussing the issues that influence the performance of bulk CNT products, and 2) fabricating high-performance dry CNT films and composite films with an understanding of the fundamental structure-property relationship in these materials. Dry CNT films were fabricated by a winding process using CNT arrays with heights of 230 mum, 300 im and 360 mum. The structures of the as-produced films, as well as their mechanical and electrical properties were examined in order to find out the effects of different CNT lengths. It was found that the shorter CNTs synthesized by shorter time in the CVD furnace exhibited less structural defects and amorphous carbon, resulting in more compact packing and better nanotube alignment when made into dry films, thus, having better mechanical and electrical performance. A novel microcombing approach was developed to mitigate the CNT waviness and alignment in the dry films, and ultrahigh mechanical properties and exceptional electrical performance were obtained. This method utilized a pair of sharp surgical blades with microsized features at the blade edges as micro-combs to, for the first time, disentangle and straighten the wavy CNTs in the dry-drawn CNT sheet at single-layer level. The as-combed CNT sheet exhibited high level of nanotube alignment and straightness, reduced structural defects, and enhanced nanotube packing density. The dry CNT films produced by microcombing had a very high Young's modulus of 172 GPa, excellent tensile strength of 3.2 GPa, and unprecedented electrical conductivity of 1.8x10 5 S/m, which were records for CNT films or

Design and test of lightweight sandwich T-joint for naval ships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toftegaard, H.; Lystrup, Aa.

2005-01-01

Within the EUCLID project, 'Survivability, Durability and Performance of Naval Composite Structures', one task is to develop improved fibre composite joints for naval ship super structures. One type of joint in such a super structure is a T-joint between sandwich panels. An existing design consists...... of panels joined by filler and overlaminates of the same thickness as the skin laminates. Various improved T-joints have been designed and investigated. Some with focus on improved strength (survivability), and others with focus on reduced weight. This paper describes the design and test of a sandwich T...... triangles). A method for a finite element (FE) parameter study is developed and used for selection of a promising (strong) configuration of the T-joint. Tensile (pull-out) tests are performed to load the core triangles and filler in tension and the strength and failure mode are compared both with the FE...

Investigation of polypyrrole/polyvinyl alcohol–titanium dioxide composite films for photo-catalytic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Shaoqiang; Zhang, Hongyang; Song, Yuanqing; Zhang, Jianling; Yang, Haigang; Jiang, Long, E-mail: jianglong@scu.edu.cn; Dan, Yi, E-mail: danyichenweiwei@163.com

2015-07-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The study provides an easy and convenient method to fabricate films, which will give guidance for the preparation of three-dimensional materials. • The PPy/PVA–TiO{sub 2} films can keep better photo-catalytic activities both under UV and visible light irradiation when compared with TiO{sub 2} film. • There exist electron transfers between PPy/PVA and TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Polypyrrole/polyvinyl alcohol–titanium dioxide (PPy/PVA–TiO{sub 2}) composite films used as photo-catalysts were fabricated by combining TiO{sub 2} sol with PPy/PVA solution in which PPy was synthesized by in situ polymerization of pyrrole (Py) in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and loaded on glass. The prepared photo-catalysts were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and photoluminescence (PL). The results indicate that the composites have same crystal structure as the TiO{sub 2} and extend the optic absorption from UV region to visible light region. By detecting the variation ratio, detected by ultraviolet–vis spectroscopy, of model pollutant rhodamine B (RhB) solution in the presence of the composite films under both UV and visible light irradiation, the photo-catalytic performance of the composite films was investigated. The results show that the PPy/PVA–TiO{sub 2} composite films show better photo-catalytic properties than TiO{sub 2} film both under UV and visible light irradiation, and the photo-catalytic degradation of RhB follows the first-order kinetics. The effects of the composition of composite films and the concentration of RhB on the photo-catalytic performance, as well as the possible photo-catalytic mechanism, were also discussed. By photo-catalytic recycle experiments, the structure stability of the PPy/PVA–TiO{sub 2} composite film was investigated and the results show that

A chemically stable electrolyte with a novel sandwiched structure for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs)

KAUST Repository

Bi, Lei

2013-11-01

A chemically stable electrolyte structure was developed for proton-conducting SOFCs by using two layers of stable BaZr0.7Pr 0.1Y0.2O3 -δ to sandwich a highly-conductive but unstable BaCe0.8Y0.2O 3 -δ electrolyte layer. The sandwiched electrolyte structure showed good chemical stability in both CO2 and H2O atmosphere, indicating that the BZPY layers effectively protect the inner BCY electrolyte, while the BCY electrolyte alone decomposed completely under the same conditions. Fuel cell prototypes fabricated with the sandwiched electrolyte achieved a relatively high performance of 185 mW cm- 2 at 700 C, with a high electrolyte film conductivity of 4 × 10- 3 S cm- 1 at 600 C. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Application of golay complementary coded excitation schemes for non-destructive testing of sandwich structures

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Vanita; Mulaveesala, Ravibabu

2017-06-01

In recent years, InfraRed Thermography (IRT) has become a widely accepted non-destructive testing technique to evaluate the structural integrity of composite sandwich structures due to its full-field, remote, fast and in-service inspection capabilities. This paper presents a novel infrared thermographic approach named as Golay complementary coded thermal wave imaging is presented to detect disbonds in a sandwich structure having face sheets from Glass/Carbon Fibre Reinforced (GFR/CFR) laminates and core of the wooden block.

Enhanced luminescence properties of hybrid Alq{sub 3}/ZnO (organic/inorganic) composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuba, M.; Muralidharan, G., E-mail: muraligru@gmail.com

2014-12-15

Pristine tris-(8-hydroxyquionoline)aluminum(Alq{sub 3}) and (Alq{sub 3}/ZnO hybrid) composites containing different weight percentages (5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 40 wt% and 50 wt%) of ZnO in Alq{sub 3} were synthesized and coated on to a glass substrate using the dip coating method. The optimum concentration of ZnO in Alq{sub 3} films to get the best luminescence yield has been identified. XRD pattern reveals the amorphous nature of pure Alq{sub 3} film. The Alq{sub 3} films containing different weight percentages of ZnO show the presence of crystalline ZnO in Alq{sub 3}/ZnO composite films. The FTIR spectrum confirms the formation of quinoline with absorption in the region 600−800 cm{sup −1}. The hybrid Alq{sub 3}/ZnO composite films indicate the presence of Zn−O vibration band along with the corresponding Alq{sub 3} band. The band gap (HOMO–LUMO) of Alq{sub 3} film was calculated using absorption spectra and it is 2.87 eV for pristine films while it is 3.26 eV, 3.21 eV, 3.14 eV, 3.10 eV, 3.13 eV and 3.20 eV for the composite films containing 5–50 wt% of ZnO. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Alq{sub 3} films show a maximum PL intensity at 514 nm when excited at 390 nm. The ZnO incorporated composite films (Alq{sub 3}/ZnO) exhibit an emission in 485 nm and 514 nm. The composite films containing 30 wt% of ZnO exhibit maximum luminescence yield. - Highlights: • The pure Alq{sub 3} and Alq{sub 3}/ZnO composite were synthesized and coated on to a glass substrate using dip coating method. • Alq{sub 3}/ZnO composite film containing 30 wt% of ZnO exhibits two fold increases in luminescence intensity. • The shielding effect of ZnO on the Alq{sub 3} material suppresses the interactions among the host molecules in the excited state. • This leads to enhance the luminescence intensity in composite films.

Composite film fabricated on biomedical material with corona streamer plasma processing to mitigate bacterial adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Alhamarneh, Ibrahim; Pedrow, Patrick; Eskhan, Asma; Abu-Lail, Nehal

2011-10-01

Composite films might control bacterial adhesion and concomitant biofouling that afflicts biomedical materials. Different size molecules of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with nominal molecular weights 600, 2000, and 20000 g/mol were used to synthesize composite films with plasma processing and dip-coating procedures on surgical-grade 316L stainless steel. Before dip-coating, the substrate was pre-coated with plasma-polymerized di(ethylene glycol) vinyl ether (pp-EO2V) in an atmospheric pressure corona streamer plasma reactor. The PEG dip-coating step followed immediately in the same chamber due to the finite lifetime of radicals associated with freshly deposited pp-EO2V. Morphology of the composite film was investigated with an ESEM. FTIR confirmed incorporation of pp-EO2V and PEG species into the composite film. More investigations on the composite film were conducted by XPS measurements. Adhesion of the composite film was evaluated with a standard peel-off test. Stability of the composite film in buffer solution was evaluated by AFM. AFM was also used to measure the film roughness and thickness. Polar and non-polar contact angle measurements were included.

Synthesis, nanostructure and magnetic properties of FeCo-reduced graphene oxide composite films by one-step electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Derang; Li, Hao; Wang, Zhenkun; Wei, Jinwu; Wang, Jianbo; Liu, Qingfang

2015-01-01

FeCo-reduced graphene oxide (FeCo-RGO) composite film was fabricated on indium tin oxide substrate using one-step electrodeposition method. Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope results show that the reduced graphene oxide is coprecipitated with the FeCo film. The energy-dispersive spectrometer results demonstrate that the atomic ratio of Fe/Co in FeCo-RGO composite film is larger than that of the FeCo film under the same fabrication condition. As a result, the FeCo-RGO composite film exhibits good soft magnetic properties and high-frequency properties as well as the FeCo film. The magnetic anisotropy field and saturation magnetization of FeCo-RGO composite film are increased when compared with FeCo film. Furthermore, the ferromagnetic resonance frequency is improved from 2.15 GHz for the FeCo film to 3.9 GHz for the FeCo-RGO composite film. - Highlights: • FeCo-reduced graphene oxide composite film was fabricated on indium tin oxide substrate. • One step electrodeposition method was used. • Good soft magnetic properties were exhibited by the composite films. • Increase of resonance frequency from 2.15 GHz for FeCo film to 3.9 GHz for composite film

Preparation of Surlyn films reinforced with cellulose nanofibres and feasibility of applying the transparent composite films for organic photovoltaic encapsulation

Science.gov (United States)

Lertngim, Anantaya; Phiriyawirut, Manisara; Wootthikanokkhan, Jatuphorn; Yuwawech, Kitti; Sangkhun, Weradesh; Kumnorkaew, Pisist; Muangnapoh, Tanyakorn

2017-10-01

This research concerns the development of Surlyn film reinforced with micro-/nanofibrillated celluloses (MFC) for use as an encapsulant in organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of fibre types and the mixing methods on the structure-properties of the composite films. Three types of cellulose micro/nanofibrils were prepared: the as-received MFC, the dispersed MFC and the esterified MFC. The fibres were mixed with Surlyn via an extrusion process, using two different mixing methods. It was found that the extent of fibre disintegration and tensile modulus of the composite films prepared by the master-batching process was superior to that of the composite system prepared by the direct mixing method. Using the esterified MFC as a reinforcement, compatibility between polymer and the fibre increased, accompanied with the improvement of the percentage elongation of the Surlyn composite film. The percentage of light transmittance of the Surlyn/MFC films was above 88, regardless of the fibre types and fibre concentrations. The water vapour transmission rate of the Surlyn/esterified MFC film was 65% lower than that of the neat Surlyn film. This contributed to the longer lifetime of the OPV encapsulated with the Surlyn/esterified MFC film.

Nonlinear Analysis of Actuation Performance of Shape Memory Alloy Composite Film Based on Silicon Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuangshuang Sun

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The mechanical model of the shape memory alloy (SMA composite film with silicon (Si substrate was established by the method of mechanics of composite materials. The coupled action between the SMA film and Si substrate under thermal loads was analyzed by combining static equilibrium equations, geometric equations, and physical equations. The material nonlinearity of SMA and the geometric nonlinearity of bending deformation were both considered. By simulating and analyzing the actuation performance of the SMA composite film during one cooling-heating thermal cycle, it is found that the final cooling temperature, boundary condition, and the thickness of SMA film have significant effects on the actuation performance of the SMA composite film. Besides, the maximum deflection of the SMA composite film is affected obviously by the geometric nonlinearity of bending deformation when the thickness of SMA film is very large.

Electrochemical deposition of Mg(OH2/GO composite films for corrosion protection of magnesium alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fengxia Wu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Mg(OH2/graphene oxide (GO composite film was electrochemical deposited on AZ91D magnesium alloys at constant potential. The characteristics of the Mg(OH2/GO composite film were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS, X-ray diffractometer (XRD and Raman spectroscopy. It was shown that the flaky GO randomly distributed in the composite film. Compared with the Mg(OH2 film, the Mg(OH2/GO composite film exhibited more uniform and compact structure. Potentiodynamic polarization tests revealed that the Mg(OH2/GO composite film could significantly improve the corrosion resistance of Mg(OH2 film with an obvious positive shift of corrosion potential by 0.19 V and a dramatic reduction of corrosion current density by more than one order of magnitude.

Nickel coated flyash (Ni-FAC) cenosphere doped polyaniline composite film for electromagnetic shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bora, Pritom J; Ramamurthy, Praveen C; Madras, Giridhar; Vinoy, K J; Kishore

2015-01-01

A solid waste material fly ash cenosphere (FAC) was nickel coated and polyaniline in situ polymerized at −30 ± 2 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. A thin film of this composite material was prepared by solution processing and surface morphology/topography was studied. High electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) was obtained for this film; 59 ± 4 μm and 133 ± 4 μm films show an average of 38 and 60 dB SE, respectively, in the frequency range 8.2–12.4 GHz (X-band). Unlike PANI film, the SE of these composite films is high at high frequency. The presence of magneto dielectric microsphere (Ni-FAC) increases the heterogeneity of the composite film in an efficient way for EMI shielding by changing film topography and increasing ac conductivity and permeability. (paper)

One-step electrochemical composite polymerization of polypyrrole integrated with functionalized graphene/carbon nanotubes nanostructured composite film for electrochemical capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Bing; Lu Xiangjun; Yuan Changzhou; Yang Sudong; Han Yongqin; Zhang Xiaogang; Che Qian

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel one-step electrochemical co-deposition strategy was first proposed to prepare unique polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (PPy/F-RGO/CNTs) ternary composites, where F-RGO, CNTs, and PPy were electrodeposited simultaneously to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) highly porous film electrode. Highlights: ► Isolated, water-soluble graphene was obtained through benzenesulfonic functionalization. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs ternary composite film was prepared via one-step electrochemical co-deposition route. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs film shows 3-D highly porous nanostructure and high electrical conductivity. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs film exhibits high capacitance, good high-rate performance with a remarkable cycling stability. - Abstract: A novel one-step electrochemical composite polymerization strategy was first proposed to prepare unique polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (PPy/F-RGO/CNTs) ternary composites, where F-RGO, CNTs, and PPy were electrodeposited simultaneously to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) highly porous film electrode. Such ternary composite film electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 300 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 as well as a remarkable cycling stability at high rates, which is related to its unique nanostructure and high electrical conductivity. F-RGO and CNTs act as an electron-transporting backbone of a 3-D porous nanostructure, leaving adequate working space for facile electrolyte penetration and better faradaic utilization of the electro-active PPy. Furthermore, the straightforward approach proposed here can be readily extended to prepare other composite film electrodes with good electrochemical performance for energy storage.

Action of colloidal silica films on different nano-composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Abdalla

Full Text Available Nano-composite films have been the subject of extensive work to develop the energy-storage efficiency of electrostatic capacitors. Factors such as polymer purity, nano-particles size, and film morphology drastically affect the electrostatic efficiency of the dielectric material that form an insulating film between conductive electrodes of a capacitor. This in turn affects the energy storage performance of the capacitor. In the present work, we have studied the dielectric properties of 4 high pure amorphous polymer films: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, polystyrene, polyimide and poly-4-vinylpyridine. Comparison between the dielectric properties of these polymers has revealed that the higher break down performance is a character of polyimide PI and PMMA. Also, our experimental data shows that adding colloidal silica to PMMA and PI leads to a net decrease in the dielectric properties compared to the pure polymer. Keywords: Dielectric break down, Polymers, Nano-composite, Colloidal silica

Preparation and characterization of layer-by-layer self-assembled polyelectrolyte multilayer films doped with surface-capped SiO2 nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guangbin; Ma, Hongxia; Yu, Laigui; Zhang, Pingyu

2009-05-15

SiO(2) nanoparticles capped with gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane were doped into polyelectrolyte (poly(allylamine hydrochloride), PAH, and poly(acrylic acid), PAA) multilayer films via spin-assisted layer-by-layer self-assembly. The resulting as-prepared multilayer films were heated at a proper temperature to generate cross-linked composite films with increased adhesion to substrates. The tribological behavior of the multilayer films was evaluated on a microtribometer. It was found that SiO(2)-doped composite films had better wear resistance than pure polyelectrolyte multilayers, possibly because doped SiO(2) nanoparticles were capable of enhancing load-carrying capacity and had "miniature ball bearings" effect. Moreover, heat-treatment had significant effect on the morphology of the composite films. Namely, heat-treated (SiO(2)/PAA)(9) film had a larger roughness than the as-prepared one, due to heat-treatment-induced agglomeration of SiO(2) nanoparticles and initiation of defects. However, heat-treated (PAH/PAA)(3)/(SiO(2)/PAA)(3)(PAH/PAA)(3) film had greatly reduced roughness than the as-prepared one, and it showed considerably improved wear resistance as well. This could be closely related to the "sandwich-like" structure of the composite multilayer film. Namely, the outermost strata of composite multilayer film were able to eliminate defects associated with the middle strata, allowing nanoparticles therein to maintain strength and robustness while keeping soft and fluid-like exposed surface. And the inner strata were well anchored to substrate and acted as an initial "bed" for SiO(2) nanoparticles to be inhabited, resulting in good antiwear ability.

Influence of high loading of cellulose nanocrystals in polyacrylonitrile composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey Luo; Huibin Chang; Amir A. Bakhtiary Davijani; H. Clive Liu; Po-Hsiang Wang; Robert J. Moon; Satish Kumar

2017-01-01

Polyacrylonitrile-co-methacrylic acid (PAN-co-MAA) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) composite films were produced with up to 40 wt% CNC loading through the solution casting method. The rheological properties of the solution/suspensions and the structural, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the resulting films were investigated. The viscosity of the composite...

Properties of Exchange Coupled All-garnet Magneto-Optic Thin Film Multilayer Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Nur-E-Alam, Mohammad; Vasiliev, Mikhail; Kotov, Viacheslav A.; Balabanov, Dmitry; Akimov, Ilya; Alameh, Kamal

2015-01-01

The effects of exchange coupling on magnetic switching properties of all-garnet multilayer thin film structures are investigated. All-garnet structures are fabricated by sandwiching a magneto-soft material of composition type Bi1.8Lu1.2Fe3.6Al1.4O12 or Bi3Fe5O12:Dy2O3 in between two magneto-hard garnet material layers of composition type Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 or Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12:Bi2O3. The fabricated RF magnetron sputtered exchange-coupled all-garnet multilayers demonstrate a very attractive combination of magnetic properties, and are of interest for emerging applications in optical sensors and isolators, ultrafast nanophotonics and magneto-plasmonics. An unconventional type of magnetic hysteresis behavior not observed previously in magnetic garnet thin films is reported and discussed. PMID:28788043

Properties of Exchange Coupled All-garnet Magneto-Optic Thin Film Multilayer Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Nur-E-Alam

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The effects of exchange coupling on magnetic switching properties of all-garnet multilayer thin film structures are investigated. All-garnet structures are fabricated by sandwiching a magneto-soft material of composition type Bi1.8Lu1.2Fe3.6Al1.4O12 or Bi3Fe5O12:Dy2O3 in between two magneto-hard garnet material layers of composition type Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 or Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12:Bi2O3. The fabricated RF magnetron sputtered exchange-coupled all-garnet multilayers demonstrate a very attractive combination of magnetic properties, and are of interest for emerging applications in optical sensors and isolators, ultrafast nanophotonics and magneto-plasmonics. An unconventional type of magnetic hysteresis behavior not observed previously in magnetic garnet thin films is reported and discussed.

Bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells sandwiched by solution processed molybdenum oxide and titania nanosheet layers

Science.gov (United States)

Itoh, Eiji; Goto, Yoshinori; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

2014-02-01

The contributions of ultrathin titania nanosheet (TN) crystallites were studied in both an inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) cell in an indium-tin oxide (ITO)/titania nanosheet (TN)/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered photovoltaic device and a conventional BHJ cell in ITO/MoOx/P3HT:PCBM active layer/TN/Al multilayered photovoltaic device. The insertion of only one or two layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and TN multilayered film prepared by the layer-by-layer deposition technique effectively decreased the leakage current and increased the open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The conventional cell sandwiched between a solution-processed, partially crystallized molybdenum oxide hole-extracting buffer layer and a TN electron extracting buffer layer showed comparable cell performance to a device sandwiched between vacuum-deposited molybdenum oxide and TN layers, whereas the inverted cell with solution-processed molybdenum oxide showed a poorer performance probably owing to the increment in the leakage current across the film. The abnormal S-shaped curves observed in the inverted BHJ cell above VOC disappeared with the use of a polyfluorene-based cationic semiconducting polymer as a substitute for an insulating PDDA film, resulting in the improved cell performance.

Structural and thermal properties of silk fibroin - Silver nanoparticles composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Shivananda, C. S.; Rao B, B. Lakshmeesha; Shetty, G. Rajesh; Sangappa, Y.

2018-05-01

In this work, silk fibroin-silver nanoparticles (SF-AgNPs) composite films have been prepared by simple solution casting method. The composite films were examined for structural and thermal properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimatric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The XRD results showed that with the introduction of AgNPs in the silk fibroin matrix the amorphous nature of the silk fibroin decreases with increasing nanoparticles concentration. The silk fibroin films possess good thermal stability with the presence of AgNPs.

Study on the performance of infrared thermal imaging light source for detection of impact defects in CFRP composite sandwich panels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hee Sang [R and D, Korea Research Institute of Smart Material and Structures System Association, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Man Yong; Kwon, Koo Ahn; Park, Jeong Hak; Choi, Won Jae [Safety measurement center, Korea research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Hyun Chul [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

Recently, composite materials have been mainly used in the main wings, ailerons, and fuselages of aircraft and rotor blades of helicopters. Composite materials used in rapid moving structures are subject to impact by hail, lightning, and bird strike. Such an impact can destroy fiber tissues in the composite materials as well as deform the composite materials, resulting in various problems such as weakened rigidity of the composite structure and penetration of water into tiny cracks. In this study, experiments were conducted using a 2 kW halogen lamp which is most frequently used as a light source, a 2 kW near-infrared lamp, which is used for heating to a high temperature, and a 6 kW xenon flash lamp which emits a large amount of energy for a moment. CFRP composite sandwich panels using Nomex honeycomb core were used as the specimens. Experiments were carried out under impact damages of 1, 4 and 8 J. It was found that the detection of defects was fast when the xenon flash lamp was used. The detection of damaged regions was excellent when the halogen lamp was used. Furthermore, the near-infrared lamp is an effective technology for showing the surface of a test object.

Study on the performance of infrared thermal imaging light source for detection of impact defects in CFRP composite sandwich panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hee Sang; Choi, Man Yong; Kwon, Koo Ahn; Park, Jeong Hak; Choi, Won Jae; Jung, Hyun Chul

2017-01-01

Recently, composite materials have been mainly used in the main wings, ailerons, and fuselages of aircraft and rotor blades of helicopters. Composite materials used in rapid moving structures are subject to impact by hail, lightning, and bird strike. Such an impact can destroy fiber tissues in the composite materials as well as deform the composite materials, resulting in various problems such as weakened rigidity of the composite structure and penetration of water into tiny cracks. In this study, experiments were conducted using a 2 kW halogen lamp which is most frequently used as a light source, a 2 kW near-infrared lamp, which is used for heating to a high temperature, and a 6 kW xenon flash lamp which emits a large amount of energy for a moment. CFRP composite sandwich panels using Nomex honeycomb core were used as the specimens. Experiments were carried out under impact damages of 1, 4 and 8 J. It was found that the detection of defects was fast when the xenon flash lamp was used. The detection of damaged regions was excellent when the halogen lamp was used. Furthermore, the near-infrared lamp is an effective technology for showing the surface of a test object

Solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene-goethite composite film under UV-light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, G.L.; Zhu, D.W.; Liao, S.J.; Ren, L.Y.; Cui, J.Z.; Zhou, W.B.

2009-01-01

A novel photodegradable polyethylene-goethite (PE-goethite) composite film was prepared by embedding the goethite into the commercial polyethylene. The degradation of PE-goethite composite films was investigated under ultraviolet light irradiation. The photodegradation activity of the PE plastic was determined by monitoring its weight loss, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. The weight of PE-goethite (1 wt%) sample steadily decreased and led to the total 16% reduction in 300 h under UV-light intensity for 1 mW/cm 2 . Through SEM observation there were some cavities around the goethite powder in the composite films, but there were few changes except some surface chalking phenomenon in pure PE film. The degradation rate could be controlled by changing the concentration of goethite particles in PE plastic. The degradation of composite plastic initiated on PE-goethite interface and then extended into polymer matrix induced by the diffusion of the reactive oxygen species generated on goethite particle surface. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of the composite films was briefly discussed.

Temperature dependence of gas sensing behaviour of TiO2 doped PANI composite thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Subodh; Sharma, S. S.; Sharma, Preetam; Sharma, Vinay; Rajura, Rajveer Singh; Singh, M.; Vijay, Y. K.

2014-04-01

In the present work we have reported the effect of temperature on the gas sensing properties of TiO2 doped PANI composite thin film based chemiresistor type gas sensors for hydrogen gas sensing application. PANI and TiO2 doped PANI composite were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline at low temperature. The electrical properties of these composite thin films were characterized by I-V measurements as function of temperature. The I-V measurement revealed that conductivity of composite thin films increased as the temperature increased. The changes in resistance of the composite thin film sensor were utilized for detection of hydrogen gas. It was observed that at room temperature TiO2 doped PANI composite sensor shows higher response value and showed unstable behavior as the temperature increased. The surface morphology of these composite thin films has also been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurement.

PMN-PT-PZT composite films for high frequency ultrasonic transducer applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Hsiu-Sheng; Benjauthrit, Vatcharee; Zheng, Fan; Chen, Rumin; Huang, Yuhong; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk

2012-06-01

We have successfully fabricated x (0.65PMN-0.35PT)-(1 - x )PZT ( x PMN-PT-(1 - x )PZT), where x is 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9, thick films with a thickness of approximately 9 µm on platinized silicon substrate by employing a composite sol-gel technique. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy revealed that these films are dense and creak-free with well-crystallized perovskite phase in the whole composition range. The dielectric constant can be controllably adjusted by using different compositions. Higher PZT content of x PMN-PT-(1 - x )PZT films show better ferroelectric properties. A representative 0.9PMN-PT-0.1PZT thick film transducer is built. It has 200 MHz center frequency with a -6 dB bandwidth of 38% (76 MHz). The measured two-way insertion loss is 65 dB.

Diatomite as a novel composite ingredient for chitosan film with enhanced physicochemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Akyuz, Lalehan; Kaya, Murat; Koc, Behlul; Mujtaba, Muhammad; Ilk, Sedef; Labidi, Jalel; Salaberria, Asier M; Cakmak, Yavuz Selim; Yildiz, Aysegul

2017-12-01

Practical applications of biopolymers in different industries are gaining considerable increase day by day. But still, these biopolymers lack important properties in order to meet the industrial demands. In the same regard, in the current study, chitosan composite films are produced by incorporating diatomite soil at two different concentrations. In order to obtain a homogeneous film, glutaraldehyde was supplemented to chitosan solution as a cross-linker. Compositing diatomaceous earth to chitosan film resulted in improvement of various important physicochemical properties compared to control such as; enhanced film wettability, increase elongation at break and improved thermal stability (264-277°C). The microstructure of the film was observed to haveconsisted of homogeneously distributed blister-shaped structures arised due to the incorporation of diatomite. The incorporation of diatomite did not influence the overall antioxidant activity of the composite films, which can be ascribe to the difficulty radicals formation. Chitosan film incorporated with increasing fraction of diatomite revealed a notable enhancement in the antimicrobial activity. Additionally with the present study, for the first time possible interactions between chitosan/diatomite were determined via quantum chemical calculations. Current study will be helpful in giving a new biotechnological perspective to diatom in terms of its successful application in hydrophobic composite film production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation of reduced graphene oxide/gelatin composite films with reinforced mechanical strength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Wenchao; Wang, Zhipeng; Liu, Yu; Li, Nan; Wang, Wei; Gao, Jianping

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We used and compared different proportion of gelatin and chitosan as reducing agents. ► The mechanical properties of the films are investigated, especially the wet films. ► The cell toxicity of the composite films as biomaterial is carried out. ► The water absorption capabilities of the composite films also studied. -- Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by chitosan/gelatin solution and added to gelatin (Gel) to fabricate reduced graphene oxide/gelatin (RGO/Gel) films by a solvent-casting method using genipin as cross-linking agent. The structure and properties of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The addition of RGO increased the tensile strength of the RGO/Gel films in both dry and wet states, but decreased their elongation at break. The incorperation of RGO also decreased the swelling ability of the films in water. Cell cultures were carried out in order to test the cytotoxicity of the films. The cells grew and reproduced well on the RGO/Gel films, indicating that the addition of RGO has no negative effect on the compatibility of the gelatin. Therefore, the reduced graphene oxide/gelatin composite is a promising biomaterial with excellent mechanical properties and good cell compatibility.

Tribological behavior of in situ Ag nanoparticles/polyelectrolyte composite molecular deposition films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yanbao; Wang Deguo; Liu Shuhai

2010-01-01

Multilayer polyelectrolyte films containing silver ions were obtained by molecular deposition method on a glass plate or a quartz substrate. The in situ Ag nanoparticles were synthesized in the multilayer polyelectrolyte films which were put into fresh NaBH 4 aqueous solution. The structure and surface morphology of composite molecular deposition films were observed by UV-vis spectrophotometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Tribological characteristic was investigated by AFM and micro-tribometer. It was found that the in situ Ag nanoparticles/polyelectrolyte composite molecular deposition films have lower coefficient of friction and higher anti-wear life than pure polyelectrolyte molecular deposition films.

Nanocomposite films containing Au nanoparticles formed by electrochemical reduction of metal ions in the multilayer films as electrocatalyst for dioxygen reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Minghua; Shen Yan; Cheng Wenlong; Shao Yong; Sun Xuping; Liu Baifeng; Dong Shaojun

2005-01-01

Through electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly, AuCl 4 - anions and [tetrakis(N-methylpyridyl)porphyrinato] cobalt (CoTMPyP) cations were alternately deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, and 4-aminobenzoic acid modified glassy carbon electrode. Electrochemical reduction of AuCl 4 - anions sandwiched between CoTMPyP layers leads to the in situ formation of Au nanoparticles in the multilayer films. Regular growth of the multilayer films is monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry confirm the formation of Au nanoparticles in the multilayer films after electrochemical reduction of AuCl 4 - anions. Atomic force spectroscopy verifies that the as-prepared Au nanoparticles are uniformly distributed with average particles diameters of 20-25 nm. The resulting composite films containing Au nanoparticles with high stability exhibit high electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of dioxygen. Rotating disk electrode voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry demonstrate the Au nanoparticles-containing films can catalyze two-electron reduction of O 2 to H 2 O 2 in O 2 -saturated 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 solution

Structural, chemical and electrical characterisation of conductive graphene-polymer composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brennan, Barry; Spencer, Steve J.; Belsey, Natalie A. [National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Faris, Tsegie [DZP Technologies Ltd., Future Business Centre, Cambridge, CB4 2HY (United Kingdom); Cronin, Harry [DZP Technologies Ltd., Future Business Centre, Cambridge, CB4 2HY (United Kingdom); Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Silva, S. Ravi P. [Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Sainsbury, Toby; Gilmore, Ian S. [National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Stoeva, Zlatka [DZP Technologies Ltd., Future Business Centre, Cambridge, CB4 2HY (United Kingdom); Pollard, Andrew J., E-mail: andrew.pollard@npl.co.uk [National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, TW11 0LW (United Kingdom)

2017-05-01

Graphical abstract: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) imaging of the dispersion of graphene within graphene-polymer composites using the Na{sup +} signal. - Highlights: • Relation of properties of graphene flakes with electrical properties of composite. • Standardised characterisation method for structural properties of graphene flakes. • Structural and chemical characterisation of commercial graphene flakes. • ToF-SIMS used to determine dispersion of graphene in polymer. - Abstract: Graphene poly-acrylic and PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite films were produced using two alternative commercial graphene powders to explore how the graphene flake dimensions and chemical composition affected the electrical performance of the film. A range of analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), were employed to systematically analyse the initial graphene materials as well as the nanocomposite films. Electrical measurements indicated that the sheet resistance of the films was affected by the properties of the graphene flakes used. To further explore the composition of the films, ToF-SIMS mapping was employed and provided a direct means to elucidate the nature of the graphene dispersion in the films and to correlate this with the electrical analysis. These results reveal important implications for how the dispersion of the graphene material in films produced from printable inks can be affected by the type of graphene powder used and the corresponding effect on electrical performance of the nanocomposites. This work provides direct evidence for how accurate and comparable characterisation of the graphene material is required for real-world graphene materials to develop graphene enabled films and proposes a measurement protocol for comparing graphene materials that can be used for international

Effect of temperature on composite sandwich structures subjected to low velocity impact. [aircraft construction materials

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, A. V.

1980-01-01

The effect of low velocity projectile impact on sandwich-type structural components was investigated. The materials used in the fabrication of the impact surface were graphite-, Kevlar-, and boron-fibers with appropriate epoxy matrices. The testing of the specimens was performed at moderately low- and high-temperatures as well as at room temperature to assess the impact-initiated strength degradation of the laminates. Eleven laminates with different stacking sequences, orientations, and thicknesses were tested. The low energy projectile impact is considered to simulate the damage caused by runway debris, the dropping of the hand tools during servicing, etc., on the secondary aircraft structures fabricated with the composite materials. The results show the preload and the impact energy combinations necessary to cause catastrophic failure in the laminates tested. A set of faired curves indicating the failure thresholds is shown separately for the tension-and compression-loaded laminates. The specific-strengths and -modulii for the various laminates tested are also given.

Influence of Polycation Composition on Electrochemical Film Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Schneider

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The effect of polyelectrolyte composition on the electrodeposition onto platinum is investigated using a counterion switching approach. Film formation of preformed polyelectrolytes is triggered by oxidation of hexacyanoferrates(II (ferrocyanide, leading to polyelectrolyte complexes, which are physically crosslinked by hexacyanoferrate(III (ferricyanide ions due to preferential ferricyanide/polycation interactions. In this study, the electrodeposition of three different linear polyelectrolytes, namely quaternized poly[2-(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate] (i.e., poly{[2-(methacryloyloxyethyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; PMOTAC, quaternized poly[2-(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate] (i.e., poly{[2-(acryloyloxyethyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; POTAC, quaternized poly[N-(3-dimethylaminopropylmethacrylamide] (i.e., poly{[3-(methacrylamidopropyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; PMAPTAC and different statistical copolymers of these polyelectrolytes with N-(3-aminopropylmethacrylamide (APMA, are studied. Hydrodynamic voltammetry utilizing a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE shows the highest deposition efficiency DE for PMOTAC over PMAPTAC and over POTAC. Increasing incorporation of APMA weakens the preferred interaction of the quaternized units with the hexacyanoferrate(III ions. At a sufficient APMA content, electrodeposition can thus be prevented. Additional electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements reveal the formation of rigid polyelectrolyte films being highly crosslinked by the hexacyanoferrate(III ions. Results indicate a different degree of water incorporation into these polyelectrolyte films. Hence, by adjusting the polycation composition, film properties can be tuned, while different chemistries can be incorporated into these electrodeposited thin hydrogel films.

Compositionally graded SiCu thin film anode by magnetron sputtering for lithium ion battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polat, B.D., E-mail: bpolat@itu.edu.tr [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul 34469 (Turkey); Eryilmaz, O.L. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Keleş, O., E-mail: ozgulkeles@itu.edu.tr [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul 34469 (Turkey); Erdemir, A. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Amine, K. [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)

2015-12-01

Compositionally graded and non-graded composite SiCu thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering technique on Cu disks for investigation of their potentials in lithium ion battery applications. The compositionally graded thin film electrodes with 30 at.% Cu delivered a 1400 mAh g{sup −1} capacity with 80% Coulombic efficiency in the first cycle and still retained its capacity at around 600 mAh g{sup −1} (with 99.9% Coulombic efficiency) even after 100 cycles. On the other hand, the non-graded thin film electrodes with 30 at.% Cu exhibited 1100 mAh g{sup −1} as the first discharge capacity with 78% Coulombic efficiency but the cycle life of this film degraded very quickly, delivering only 250 mAh g{sup −1} capacity after 100th cycles. Not only the Cu content but also the graded film thickness were believed to be the main contributors to the much superior performance of the compositionally graded SiCu films. We also believe that the Cu-rich region of the graded film helped reduce internal stress build-up and thus prevented film delamination during cycling. In particular, the decrease of Cu content from interface region to the top of the coating reduced the possibility of stress build-up across the film during cycling, thus leading to a high electrochemical performance.b - Highlights: • Highly adherent SiCu films are deposited by magnetron sputtering. • Compositionally graded SiCu film is produced and characterized. • Decrease of Cu content diverted the propagation of stress in the anode. • Cu rich layer at the bottom improves the adherence of the film.

Synthesis of cauliflower-like ZnO-TiO2 composite porous film and photoelectrical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Yinhua; Yan Yun; Zhang Wenli; Ni Liang; Sun Yueming; Yin Hengbo

2011-01-01

A series of cauliflower-like TiO 2 -ZnO composite porous films with various molar ratios of Zn/Ti were prepared by the screen printing technique on the fluorine-doped SnO 2 (FTO) conducting glasses. The composite films were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and UV-vis transmittance spectrum. The results showed composite film electrode had a novel cauliflower-like morphology, which could effectively increase the dye absorption. The corresponding dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were made by the composite film, and effects of ZnO incorporation on the photovoltaic performances of the DSCs were studied. With the Zn/Ti molar ratio not more than 3% in ZnO-TiO 2 composite film of about 5 μm-thickness, the photocurrent density (J sc ) and the solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) were greatly improved compared with those of the DSC based on bare TiO 2 film of same thickness. This increases in efficiency and J sc were attributed to high electron conductivity of ZnO, the improved dye adsorption and large light transmittance of composite film.

High performance thin-film composite forward osmosis membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Yip, Ngai Yin; Tiraferri, Alberto; Phillip, William A; Schiffman, Jessica D; Elimelech, Menachem

2010-05-15

Recent studies show that osmotically driven membrane processes may be a viable technology for desalination, water and wastewater treatment, and power generation. However, the absence of a membrane designed for such processes is a significant obstacle hindering further advancements of this technology. This work presents the development of a high performance thin-film composite membrane for forward osmosis applications. The membrane consists of a selective polyamide active layer formed by interfacial polymerization on top of a polysulfone support layer fabricated by phase separation onto a thin (40 mum) polyester nonwoven fabric. By careful selection of the polysulfone casting solution (i.e., polymer concentration and solvent composition) and tailoring the casting process, we produced a support layer with a mix of finger-like and sponge-like morphologies that give significantly enhanced membrane performance. The structure and performance of the new thin-film composite forward osmosis membrane are compared with those of commercial membranes. Using a 1.5 M NaCl draw solution and a pure water feed, the fabricated membranes produced water fluxes exceeding 18 L m(2-)h(-1), while consistently maintaining observed salt rejection greater than 97%. The high water flux of the fabricated thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes was directly related to the thickness, porosity, tortuosity, and pore structure of the polysulfone support layer. Furthermore, membrane performance did not degrade after prolonged exposure to an ammonium bicarbonate draw solution.

High Performance Thin-Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membrane

KAUST Repository

Yip, Ngai Yin

2010-05-15

Recent studies show that osmotically driven membrane processes may be a viable technology for desalination, water and wastewater treatment, and power generation. However, the absence of a membrane designed for such processes is a significant obstacle hindering further advancements of this technology. This work presents the development of a high performance thin-film composite membrane for forward osmosis applications. The membrane consists of a selective polyamide active layer formed by interfacial polymerization on top of a polysulfone support layer fabricated by phase separation onto a thin (40 μm) polyester nonwoven fabric. By careful selection of the polysulfone casting solution (i.e., polymer concentration and solvent composition) and tailoring the casting process, we produced a support layer with a mix of finger-like and sponge-like morphologies that give significantly enhanced membrane performance. The structure and performance of the new thin-film composite forward osmosis membrane are compared with those of commercial membranes. Using a 1.5 M NaCl draw solution and a pure water feed, the fabricated membranes produced water fluxes exceeding 18 L m2-h-1, while consistently maintaining observed salt rejection greater than 97%. The high water flux of the fabricated thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes was directly related to the thickness, porosity, tortuosity, and pore structure of the polysulfone support layer. Furthermore, membrane performance did not degrade after prolonged exposure to an ammonium bicarbonate draw solution. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

PMN-PT–PZT composite films for high frequency ultrasonic transducer applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Hsiu-Sheng; Benjauthrit, Vatcharee; Zheng, Fan; Chen, Rumin; Huang, Yuhong; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk

2013-01-01

We have successfully fabricated x(0.65PMN-0.35PT)–(1 − x)PZT (xPMN-PT–(1 − x)PZT), where x is 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9, thick films with a thickness of approximately 9 µm on platinized silicon substrate by employing a composite sol–gel technique. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy revealed that these films are dense and creak-free with well-crystallized perovskite phase in the whole composition range. The dielectric constant can be controllably adjusted by using different compositions. Higher PZT content of xPMN-PT–(1 − x)PZT films show better ferroelectric properties. A representative 0.9PMN-PT–0.1PZT thick film transducer is built. It has 200 MHz center frequency with a −6 dB bandwidth of 38% (76 MHz). The measured two-way insertion loss is 65 dB. PMID:23750072

Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites: A Review on Potential for Corrugated Core of Sandwich Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jusoh A.F.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Natural fibers, characterized by sustainability, have gained a considerable attention in recent years, due to their advantages of environmental acceptability and commercial viability. In this paper, the characterization of natural fibers including the mechanical properties and alkalization of fibers is presented. Most recent study had gone through the mercerization process to improve the toughness of natural fibers; which is a well-known hydrophilic material. Traditional reinforcement method was commonly used to fabricate a natural fiber composite such as hand lay-up and mold press due to its convenience in terms of time and cost. Also, different kind of matrix material used in different kind of natural fibers gave high impact on the tensile and flexural test result. By selecting appropriate chemical treatment, matrix material and fabrication method, the tensile and flexural test gives different results and findings. As most researchers tend to use metals to create corrugated cores for sandwich structure, it is possible to develop this structure using natural fibers such as kenaf, wood dust, and other natural fibers.

Planarization of the diamond film surface by using the hydrogen plasma etching with carbon diffusion process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Hoon

2001-01-01

Planarization of the free-standing diamond film surface as smooth as possible could be obtained by using the hydrogen plasma etching with the diffusion of the carbon species into the metal alloy (Fe, Cr, Ni). For this process, we placed the free-standing diamond film between the metal alloy and the Mo substrate like a metal-diamond-molybdenum (MDM) sandwich. We set the sandwich-type MDM in a microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system. The sandwich-type MDM was heated over ca. 1000 .deg. C by using the hydrogen plasma. We call this process as the hydrogen plasma etching with carbon diffusion process. After etching the free-standing diamond film surface, we investigated surface roughness, morphologies, and the incorporated impurities on the etched diamond film surface. Finally, we suggest that the hydrogen plasma etching with carbon diffusion process is an adequate etching technique for the fabrication of the diamond film surface applicable to electronic devices

Hierarchical porous graphene/polyaniline composite film with superior rate performance for flexible supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Yuena; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Yajie; Wei, Zhixiang

2013-12-23

A highly flexible graphene free-standing film with hierarchical structure is prepared by a facile template method. With a porous structure, the film can be easily bent and cut, and forms a composite with another material as a scaffold. The 3D graphene film exhibits excellent rate capability and its capacitance is further improved by forming a composite with polyaniline nanowire arrays. The flexible hierarchical composite proves to be an excellent electrode material for flexible supercapacitors. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energy Dissipation in Sandwich Structures During Axial Compression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urban, Jesper

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy dissipation in sandwich structures during axial crushing. Axial crushing tests on six sandwich elements are described. The sandwich elements consist of a polyurethane core and E-glass/Polyester skin. The elements compare to full-scale structu......The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy dissipation in sandwich structures during axial crushing. Axial crushing tests on six sandwich elements are described. The sandwich elements consist of a polyurethane core and E-glass/Polyester skin. The elements compare to full...

Zeta-potential of fouled thin film composite membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, K.; Hachisuka, H.; Nakamura, T. [Nitto denko Corp., Ibaraki, (Japan); Kimura, S. [Kogakuin University, Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Environ. Chemical Engineering; Ueyama, K. [Osaka University, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

1999-10-01

The surface zeta-potential of a cross-linked polyamide thin film composite reverse osmosis membrane was measured using an electrophoresis method. It was confirmed that this method could be effectively applied to analyze the fouling of such membranes. It is known that the water flux of membranes drastically decreases as a result of fouling by surfactants. Although the surfactants adsorbed on reverse osmosis membranes could not be detected by conventional methods such as SEM, EDX and FT-IR, their presence could be clarified by the profile measurements of the surface zeta-potential. The profiles of the membrane surface zeta-potentials changed to more positive values in the measured pH range as a result of fouling by cationic or amphoteric surfactants. This measuring method of surface zeta-potentials allowed us to analyze a very small amount of fouling of a thin film composite reverse osmosis membrane. This method could be used to analyze the fouled surface of the thin film composite reverse osmosis membrane which is used for production of ultrapure water and shows a remarkable decrease in flux. It also became clear that this method is easy and effective for the reverse osmosis membrane surface analysis of adsorbed materials such as surfactants. (author)

SnO{sub 2}/reduced graphene oxide composite films for electrochemical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bondarenko, E.A. [Belarusian State University, Nezalezhnastsi Av. 4, Minsk 220030 (Belarus); Mazanik, A.V., E-mail: mazanikalexander@gmail.com [Belarusian State University, Nezalezhnastsi Av. 4, Minsk 220030 (Belarus); Streltsov, E.A. [Belarusian State University, Nezalezhnastsi Av. 4, Minsk 220030 (Belarus); Kulak, A.I., E-mail: kulak@igic.bas-net.by [Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Surganova str., 9/1, Minsk 220072 (Belarus); Korolik, O.V. [Belarusian State University, Nezalezhnastsi Av. 4, Minsk 220030 (Belarus)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • SnO{sub 2}/GO composites with mass fraction of carbon phase 0.01% ≤ w{sub C} ≤ 80% have been formed. • 400 °C annealing was applied for GO reduction in the composites. • SnO{sub 2}/rGO composites demonstrate a high electrocatalytic activity in anodic processes. • Exchange current density grows linearly with carbon phase concentration at w{sub C} ≤ 10%. - Abstract: SnO{sub 2}/GO (GO is graphene oxide) composite films with GO mass fraction w{sub C} ranging from 0.01 to 80% have been prepared using colloidal solutions. Heat treatment of SnO{sub 2}/GO films in Ar atmosphere at 400 °C leads to GO reduction accompanied by partial exfoliation and decreasing of the particle thickness. SnO{sub 2}/rGO (rGO is reduced GO) film electrodes demonstrate a high electrocatalytic activity in the anodic oxidation of inorganic (iodide-, chloride-, sulfite-anions) and organic (ascorbic acid) substances. The increase of the anodic current in these reactions is characterized by overpotential inherent to the individual rGO films and exchange current density grows linearly with rGO concentration at w{sub C} ≤ 10% indicating that the rGO particles in composites act as sites of electrochemical process. The SnO{sub 2}/rGO composite films, in which the chemically stable oxide matrix encapsulates the rGO inclusions, can be considered as a promising material for applied electrochemistry.

Manipulating magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin Co2FeAl full-Heusler alloy film via growth orientation of the Pt buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, F.S.; Xiang, J.Y.; Hao, C.X.; Zhang, F.; Lv, Y.F.; Wang, W.H.; Hu, W.T.; Liu, Z.Y.

2013-01-01

The ultrathin films of Co 2 FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy were prepared between two Pt layers on MgO single crystals by magnetron sputtering. By controlling the substrate temperature, different growth orientations of the Pt underlayers were realized, and their effects were investigated on the magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin CFA film. It was revealed that different Pt orientations lead to distinctly different magnetic anisotropy for the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy, while the appearance of partial Pt (001) orientation leads to the quick decrease of perpendicular anisotropy and the complete Pt (001) orientation gives rise to the in-plane anisotropy. With the Pt (111) orientation, the temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. - Highlights: • Different Pt orientations lead to different magnetic anisotropy for sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy for CFA layer. • Temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • 0.8 nm CFA film is good candidate as electrode in magnetic tunnel junctions

Optimization of sensor introduction into laminated composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Schaaf, Kristin; Nemat-Nasser, Sia

2008-03-01

This work seeks to extend the functionality of the composite material beyond that of simply load-bearing and to enable in situ sensing, without compromising the structural integrity of the host composite material. Essential to the application of smart composites is the issue of the mechanical coupling of the sensor to the host material. Here we present various methods of embedding sensors within the host composite material. In this study, quasi-static three-point bending (short beam) and fatigue three-point bending (short beam) tests are conducted in order to characterize the effects of introducing the sensors into the host composite material. The sensors that are examined include three types of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin film sensors: silver ink with a protective coating of urethane, silver ink without a protective coating, and nickel-copper alloy without a protective coating. The methods of sensor integration include placement at the midplane between the layers of prepreg material as well as a sandwich configuration in which a PVDF thin film sensor is placed between the first and second and nineteenth and twentieth layers of prepreg. Each PVDF sensor is continuous and occupies the entire layer, lying in the plane normal to the thickness direction in laminated composites. The work described here is part of an ongoing effort to understand the structural effects of integrating microsensor networks into a host composite material.

Employment of a metal microgrid as a front electrode in a sandwich-structured photodetector.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Junying; Cai, Chao; Pan, Feng; Hao, Weichang; Zhang, Weiwei; Wang, Tianmin

2009-07-01

A highly UV-transparent metal microgrid was prepared and employed as the front electrode in a sandwich-structured ultraviolet (UV) photodetector using TiO(2) thin film as the semiconductor layer. The photo-generated charger carriers travel a shorter distance before reaching the electrodes in comparison with a photodetector using large-spaced interdigitated metal electrodes (where distance between fingers is several to tens of micrometers) on the surface of the semiconductor film. This photodetector responds to UV light irradiation, and the photocurrent intensity increases linearly with the irradiation intensity below 0.2 mW/cm(2).

Photoconductivity of reduced graphene oxide and graphene oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Haifeng; Ren, Wen; Su, Junhong; Cai, Changlong

2012-01-01

A photoconductive device was fabricated by patterning magnetron sputtered Pt/Ti electrode and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO)/Graphene Oxide (GO) composite films with a sensitive area of 10 × 20 mm 2 . The surface morphology of as-deposited GO films was observed by scanning electronic microscopy, optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The absorption properties and chemical structure of RGO/GO composite films were obtained using a spectrophotometer and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photoconductive properties of the system were characterized under white light irradiation with varied output power and biased voltage. The results show that the resistance decreased from 210 kΩ to 11.5 kΩ as the irradiation power increased from 0.0008 mW to 625 mW. The calculated responsiveness of white light reached 0.53 × 10 −3 A/W. Furthermore, the device presents a high photo-conductivity response and displays a photovoltaic response with an open circuit voltage from 0.017 V to 0.014 V with irradiation power. The sources of charge are attributed to efficient excitation dissociation at the interface of the RGO/GO composite film, coupled with cross-surface charge percolation.

Enhancement of polar crystalline phase formation in transparent PVDF-CaF{sub 2} composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sang Goo; Ha, Jong-Wook, E-mail: jongwook@krict.re.kr; Sohn, Eun-Ho; Park, In Jun; Lee, Soo-Bok

2016-12-30

Highlights: • The crystalline phase in transparent PVDF-CaF{sub 2} composite films was investigated. • CaF{sub 2} promoted the formation of polar crystalline phases in PVDF matrix. • Ordered γ-phase was obtained by thermal treatment of as-cast films at the vicinity of its melting temperature. - Abstract: We consider the influence of calcium fluoride (CaF{sub 2}) nanoparticles on the crystalline phase formation of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) for the first time. The transparent PVDF-CaF{sub 2} composite films were prepared by casting on PET substrates using N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) as a solvent. It was found that CaF{sub 2} promoted the formation of polar crystalline phase of PVDF in composites, whereas nonpolar α-phase was dominant in the neat PVDF film prepared at the same condition. The portion of polar crystalline phase increased in proportional to the weight fraction of CaF{sub 2} in the composite films up to 10 wt%. Further addition of CaF{sub 2} suppressed completely the α-phase formation. Polar crystalline phase observed in as-cast composite films was a mixture of β- and γ-polymorph structures. It was also shown that much ordered γ-phase could be obtained through thermal treatment of as-cast PVDF-CaF{sub 2} composite film at the temperatures above the melting temperature of the composite films, but below that of γ-phase.

Magnetic Composite Thin Films of FexOy Nanoparticles and Photocrosslinked Dextran Hydrogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunsen, Annette; Utech, Stefanie; Maskos, Michael; Knoll, Wolfgang; Jonas, Ulrich

2012-01-01

Magnetic hydrogel composites are promising candidates for a broad field of applications from medicine to mechanical engineering. Here, surface-attached composite films of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) and a polymeric hydrogel (HG) were prepared from magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and a carboxymethylated dextran with photoreactive benzophenone substituents. A blend of the MNP and the dextran polymer was prepared by mixing in solution, and after spin-coating and drying the blend film was converted into a stable MNP–HG composite by photocrosslinking through irradiation with UV light. The bulk composite material shows strong mobility in a magnetic field, imparted by the MNPs. By utilizing a surface layer of a photoreactive adhesion promoter on the substrates, the MNP–HG films were covalently immobilized during photocrosslinking. The high stability of the composite was documented by rinsing experiments with UV–Vis spectroscopy, while surface plasmon resonance and optical waveguide mode spectroscopy was employed to investigate the swelling behavior in dependence of the nanoparticle concentration, the particle type, and salt concentration. - Highlights: ► blending of iron oxide nanoparticles with photocrosslinkable carboxymethyldextran. ► UV irradiation of blend yields surface-attached, magnetic hydrogel films. ► film characterization by surface plasmon resonance/optical waveguide spectroscopy. ► swelling decreases with increasing nanoparticle content. ► swelling decreases with increasing NaCl salt concentration in the aqueous medium.

Effect of composition on SILAR deposited CdxZn1-xS thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Ashith V., K.; Gowrish Rao, K.

2018-04-01

In the group of II-VI compound semiconductor, cadmium zinc sulphide (CdxZn1-xS) thin films have broad application in photovoltaic, optoelectronic devices etc. For heterojunction aspects, CdxZn1-xS thin film can be used as heterojunction partner for CdTe as the absorber layer. In this work, CdZnS thin films prepared on glass substrates by Successive Ion Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method by varying the composition. The XRD patterns of deposited films showed polycrystalline with the hexagonal phase. The crystallite size of the films was estimated from W-H plot. The bond length of the film varied w.r.to the composition of the CdxZn1-xS films. The urbach energy of the films was calcualted from absorbance data.

Properties of plasticized composite films prepared from nanofibrillated cellulose and birch wood xylan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Natanya Majbritt Louie; Blomfeldt, Thomas O. J.; Hedenqvist, Mikael S.

2012-01-01

was combined with nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and films were cast with and without glycerol, sorbitol or methoxypolyethylene glycol (MPEG) as plasticizers. Microscopy revealed some NFC agglomeration in the composite films as well as a layered nanocellulose structure. Equilibrium moisture content...... in plasticized films increased with glycerol content but was independent of xylan:NFC ratio in unplasticized films. Sorbitol- and MPEG-plasticized films showed equilibrium moisture contents of approximately 10 wt% independent of plasticizer content. Tensile testing revealed increases in tensile strength...... with increased NFC content in the xylan:NFC composition range from 50:50 to 80:20 and plasticizer addition generally provided less brittle films. The oxygen permeability of unplasticized xylan-NFC films fell into a range which was similar to that for previously measured pure NFC films and was statistically...

Thermal analysis of compositionally modulated Fe/Y films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajiura, M.; Morishita, T.; Togami, Y.; Tsushima, K.

1987-01-01

Structures of compositionally modulated Fe/Y films were studied by thermal analysis. The exothermic peak found in the DSC curve of (Fe 12 A/Y 12 A) most probably corresponds to crystallization of an amorphous material. SEM analysis suggested that the composition of crystallized (Fe 12 A/Y 12 A) was YFe2. It is concluded that a compositionally modulated (Fe 12 A/Y 12 A) is amorphous in structure as well as in magnetic properties

Performance of high amylose starch-composited gelatin films influenced by gelatinization and concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenhang; Wang, Kun; Xiao, Jingdong; Liu, Yaowei; Zhao, Yana; Liu, Anjun

2017-01-01

In order to study the impact of starch in film performance, high amylose corn starch was composited in gelatin films under different gelatinization conditions and, in high and low concentrations (10 and 50wt.%). It was found that hot water gelatinized starch (Gel-Shw) increased film mechanical strength and was dependent upon the starch concentration. The addition of an alkali component to the starch significantly enhanced the swelling of the starch granules and expedited the gelatinization process. Incorporation of starch, especially the alkalized starch (Sha), into the gelatin films decreased film solubility which improved its water resistance and water vapor permeability (WVP). Multiple techniques (DSC, TGA, FT-IR, and XRD) were used to characterize the process and results, including the crosslinking of the dissolved starch molecules and the particles formed from gelatinized starch during retrogradation process, which played an important role in improving the thermal stability of the composited gelatin films. Overall, the starch-gelatin composition provides a potential approach to improve gelatin film performance and benefit its applications in the food industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioinspired Transparent Laminated Composite Film for Flexible Green Optoelectronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Daewon; Lim, Young-Woo; Im, Hyeon-Gyun; Jeong, Seonju; Ji, Sangyoon; Kim, Yong Ho; Choi, Gwang-Mun; Park, Jang-Ung; Lee, Jung-Yong; Jin, Jungho; Bae, Byeong-Soo

2017-07-19

Herein, we report a new version of a bioinspired chitin nanofiber (ChNF) transparent laminated composite film (HCLaminate) made of siloxane hybrid materials (hybrimers) reinforced with ChNFs, which mimics the nanofiber-matrix structure of hierarchical biocomposites. Our HCLaminate is produced via vacuum bag compressing and subsequent UV-curing of the matrix resin-impregnated ChNF transparent paper (ChNF paper). It is worthwhile to note that this new type of ChNF-based transparent substrate film retains the strengths of the original ChNF paper and compensates for ChNF paper's drawbacks as a flexible transparent substrate. As a result, compared with high-performance synthetic plastic films, such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ether sulfone), poly(ethylene naphthalate), and polyimide, our HCLaminate is characterized to exhibit extremely smooth surface topography, outstanding optical clarity, high elastic modulus, high dimensional stability, etc. To prove our HCLaminate as a substrate film, we use it to fabricate flexible perovskite solar cells and a touch-screen panel. As far as we know, this work is the first to demonstrate flexible optoelectronics, such as flexible perovskite solar cells and a touch-screen panel, actually fabricated on a composite film made of ChNF. Given its desirable macroscopic properties, we envision our HCLaminate being utilized as a transparent substrate film for flexible green optoelectronics.

Buckling analysis of SMA bonded sandwich structure – using FEM

Science.gov (United States)

Katariya, Pankaj V.; Das, Arijit; Panda, Subrata K.

2018-03-01

Thermal buckling strength of smart sandwich composite structure (bonded with shape memory alloy; SMA) examined numerically via a higher-order finite element model in association with marching technique. The excess geometrical distortion of the structure under the elevated environment modeled through Green’s strain function whereas the material nonlinearity counted with the help of marching method. The system responses are computed numerically by solving the generalized eigenvalue equations via a customized MATLAB code. The comprehensive behaviour of the current finite element solutions (minimum buckling load parameter) is established by solving the adequate number of numerical examples including the given input parameter. The current numerical model is extended further to check the influence of various structural parameter of the sandwich panel on the buckling temperature including the SMA effect and reported in details.

Composition and performance of thin film CdSe electrodeposited from selenosulfite solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabo, J.P.; Simms, D.; Cocivera, M.

1985-01-01

Cathodic electrodeposition of thin film CdSe from aqueous selenosulfite solution has been studied as function of solution composition and electrode potential. The Cd/Se ratio has been analyzed using polarography and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Polarography gives a compostion averaged over the whole film (2cm 2 ) while RBS gives local surface composition (1 mm 2 ). The average Cd/Se ratio is 1.1, but some variation was found to occur across the surface of film (0.82 to 1.2)

Magnetic and other properties and sputtering behavior of Co-base amorphous alloy films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, K.; Hayakawa, M.; Ochiai, Y.; Matsuda, H.; Ishikawa, W.; Iwasaki, Y.; Aso, K.

1987-01-01

Magnetic and other properties of Co-base amorphous alloy films prepared by sputtering are investigated. A detailed magnetic phase diagram with saturation magnetic flux density, crystallization temperature, and zero-magnetostrictive line on Co-Ta-Zr amorphous alloys were obtained, and the technical knowhow to make a film with well-reproducible characteristics by widely changing the sputtering conditions was related with these physical properties. Especially on alloy sputtering, a phenomenological model for elucidating a composition difference between film and target is presented. After these studies, the film characteristics of B/sub s/ = 12 kG, T/sub x/ = 450 0 C, chemical bondλ/sub s/chemical bond -8 , H/sub c/<10 mOe, and permeabilities of μ(1 MHz) = 7000, μ(100 MHz) = 2000 for the single film of 2 μm in thickness and of μ(1 MHz) = 4000, μ(100 MHz) = 800 for the insulator-sandwiched multilayered film of 10 μm are obtained, and these well-balanced values enable us to apply the materials for high-frequency recording head

Full-field ultrasonic inspection for a composite sandwich plate skin-core debonding detection using laser-based ultrasonics

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, See Yenn; Victor, Jared J.; Todd, Michael D.

2017-04-01

In this paper, a full-field ultrasonic guided wave method is proposed to inspect a composite sandwich specimen made for an aircraft engine nacelle. The back skin/core interface of the specimen is built with two fabricated disbond defects (diameters of 12.7 mm and 25.4 mm) by removing areas of the adhesive used to bond the back skin to the core. A laser ultrasonic interrogation system (LUIS) incorporated with a disbond detection algorithm is developed. The system consists of a 1-kHz laser ultrasonic scanning system and a single fixed ultrasonic sensor to interrogate ultrasonic guided waves in the sandwich specimen. The interest area of 400 mm × 400 mm is scanned at a 0.5 mm scan interval. The corresponding full-field ultrasonic data is obtained and generated in the three-dimensional (3-D) space-time domain. Then, the 3-D full-field ultrasonic data is Fourier transformed and the ultrasonic frequency spectra are analyzed to determine the dominant frequency that is sensitive to the disbond defects. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) is implemented as a single-frequency bandpass filter to filter the full-field ultrasonic data in the 3-D space-time domain at the selected dominant frequency. The LUIS has shown the ability to detect the disbond with diameters of 11 mm and 23 mm which match to the pre-determined disbond sizes well. For future research, a robust signal processing algorithm and a model-based matched filter will be investigated to make the detection process autonomous and improve detectability

Development and characterization of carrageenan/grapefruit seed extract composite films for active packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanmani, Paulraj; Rhim, Jong-Whan

2014-07-01

Carrageenan-based antimicrobial films were developed by incorporation of grape fruit seed extract (GSE) at different concentration into the polymer using a solvent casing method and their physical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties were examined. The carrageenan/GSE composite films appeared yellowish tint due to the polyphenolic compounds in the GSE. SEM analysis showed rough surface with sponge like structures on the cross section of the films. FT-IR results indicated at GSE had good compatibility with carrageenan. The amorphous structure of polymer films was not changed by the incorporation of GSE. But, the addition of GSE increased moisture content, water vapor permeability, and surface hydrophilicity of the films. The tensile strength and elastic modulus decreased with increasing content of GSE, however, the elongation at break increased significantly up to 6.6μg/mL of GSE then decreased thereafter. Thermal stability of the films was not influenced by GSE incorporation. The carrageenan/GSE composite films exhibited great antibacterial activity against food borne pathogens. These results suggest that the carrageenan-based composite films have a high potential for being used as an antimicrobial or active food packaging applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Manipulating magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin Co{sub 2}FeAl full-Heusler alloy film via growth orientation of the Pt buffer layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, F.S., E-mail: wenfsh03@126.com [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Xiang, J.Y.; Hao, C.X.; Zhang, F.; Lv, Y.F. [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Wang, W.H. [Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100080 (China); Hu, W.T.; Liu, Z.Y. [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China)

2013-12-15

The ultrathin films of Co{sub 2}FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy were prepared between two Pt layers on MgO single crystals by magnetron sputtering. By controlling the substrate temperature, different growth orientations of the Pt underlayers were realized, and their effects were investigated on the magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin CFA film. It was revealed that different Pt orientations lead to distinctly different magnetic anisotropy for the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy, while the appearance of partial Pt (001) orientation leads to the quick decrease of perpendicular anisotropy and the complete Pt (001) orientation gives rise to the in-plane anisotropy. With the Pt (111) orientation, the temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. - Highlights: • Different Pt orientations lead to different magnetic anisotropy for sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy for CFA layer. • Temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • 0.8 nm CFA film is good candidate as electrode in magnetic tunnel junctions.

Properties and Applications of High Emissivity Composite Films Based on Far-Infrared Ceramic Powder.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Yabo; Huang, Shaoyun; Wang, Wenqi; Liu, Xinghai; Li, Houbin

2017-11-29

Polymer matrix composite materials that can emit radiation in the far-infrared region of the spectrum are receiving increasing attention due to their ability to significantly influence biological processes. This study reports on the far-infrared emissivity property of composite films based on far-infrared ceramic powder. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray powder diffractometry were used to evaluate the physical properties of the ceramic powder. The ceramic powder was found to be rich in aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and silicon oxide, which demonstrate high far-infrared emissivity. In addition, the micromorphology, mechanical performance, dynamic mechanical properties, and far-infrared emissivity of the composite were analyzed to evaluate their suitability for strawberry storage. The mechanical properties of the far-infrared radiation ceramic (cFIR) composite films were not significantly influenced ( p ≥ 0.05) by the addition of the ceramic powder. However, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) properties of the cFIR composite films, including a reduction in damping and shock absorption performance, were significant influenced by the addition of the ceramic powder. Moreover, the cFIR composite films showed high far-infrared emissivity, which has the capability of prolonging the storage life of strawberries. This research demonstrates that cFIR composite films are promising for future applications.

A Refined Zigzag Beam Theory for Composite and Sandwich Beams

Science.gov (United States)

Tessler, Alexander; Sciuva, Marco Di; Gherlone, Marco

2009-01-01

A new refined theory for laminated composite and sandwich beams that contains the kinematics of the Timoshenko Beam Theory as a proper baseline subset is presented. This variationally consistent theory is derived from the virtual work principle and employs a novel piecewise linear zigzag function that provides a more realistic representation of the deformation states of transverse-shear flexible beams than other similar theories. This new zigzag function is unique in that it vanishes at the top and bottom bounding surfaces of a beam. The formulation does not enforce continuity of the transverse shear stress across the beam s cross-section, yet is robust. Two major shortcomings that are inherent in the previous zigzag theories, shear-force inconsistency and difficulties in simulating clamped boundary conditions, and that have greatly limited the utility of these previous theories are discussed in detail. An approach that has successfully resolved these shortcomings is presented herein. Exact solutions for simply supported and cantilevered beams subjected to static loads are derived and the improved modelling capability of the new zigzag beam theory is demonstrated. In particular, extensive results for thick beams with highly heterogeneous material lay-ups are discussed and compared with corresponding results obtained from elasticity solutions, two other zigzag theories, and high-fidelity finite element analyses. Comparisons with the baseline Timoshenko Beam Theory are also presented. The comparisons clearly show the improved accuracy of the new, refined zigzag theory presented herein over similar existing theories. This new theory can be readily extended to plate and shell structures, and should be useful for obtaining relatively low-cost, accurate estimates of structural response needed to design an important class of high-performance aerospace structures.

Composite Behavior of a Novel Insulated Concrete Sandwich Wall Panel Reinforced with GFRP Shear Grids: Effects of Insulation Types.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, JunHee; You, Young-Chan

2015-03-03

A full-scale experimental program was used in this study to investigate the structural behavior of novel insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (SWPs) reinforced with grid-type glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) shear connectors. Two kinds of insulation-expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) with 100 mm thickness were incased between the two concrete wythes to meet the increasing demand for the insulation performance of building envelope. One to four GFRP shear grids were used to examine the degree of composite action of the two concrete wythes. Ten specimens of SWPs were tested under displacement control subjected to four-point concentrated loads. The test results showed that the SWPs reinforced with GFRP grids as shear connectors developed a high degree of composite action resulting in high flexural strength. The specimens with EPS foam exhibited an enhanced load-displacement behavior compared with the specimens with XPS because of the relatively stronger bond between insulation and concrete. In addition, the ultimate strength of the test results was compared to the analytical prediction with the mechanical properties of only GRFP grids. The specimens with EPS insulation presented higher strength-based composite action than the ones with XPS insulation.

Room temperature pulsed laser deposition of Si{sub x} C thin films in different compositions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanyecz, I.; Budai, J. [University of Szeged, Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, P.O. Box 406, Szeged (Hungary); Oszko, A. [University of Szeged, Department of Solid State and Radiochemistry, P.O. Box 168, Szeged (Hungary); Szilagyi, E. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, Budapest (Hungary); Toth, Z. [Research Group on Laser Physics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 406, Szeged (Hungary)

2010-09-15

Amorphous silicon-carbon alloy films in different compositions were prepared by pulsed laser deposition from two-component targets containing pure silicon and carbon parts. The silicon-carbon ratio in the films was varied by adjusting the number of laser shots on the constituent silicon and carbon targets. The composition, optical properties, thickness, and bonding structure of the films were determined by backscattering spectrometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Backscattering spectrometry data were used to determine the deposition rate of silicon and carbon. This enabled the calculation of the number of the shots onto each target to reach a predefined composition. As the film composition changed from carbon to silicon, it was shown that the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the films also changed from a diamond-like carbon phase to an amorphous silicon phase via graphite- and silicon-carbide-like composite. (orig.)

High Dielectric Performance of Solution-Processed Aluminum Oxide-Boron Nitride Composite Films

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Byoung-Soo; Ha, Tae-Jun

2018-04-01

The material compositions of oxide films have been extensively investigated in an effort to improve the electrical characteristics of dielectrics which have been utilized in various electronic devices such as field-effect transistors, and storage capacitors. Significantly, solution-based compositions have attracted considerable attention as a highly effective and practical technique to replace vacuum-based process in large-area. Here, we demonstrate solution-processed composite films consisting of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and boron nitride (BN), which exhibit remarkable dielectric properties through the optimization process. The leakage current of the optimized Al2O3-BN thin films was decreased by a factor of 100 at 3V, compared to pristine Al2O3 thin film without a loss of the dielectric constant or degradation of the morphological roughness. The characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements revealed that the incorporation of BN with an optimized concentration into the Al2O3 dielectric film reduced the density of oxygen vacancies which act as defect states, thereby improving the dielectric characteristics.

Fire resistant films for aircraft applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kourtides, D. A.

1983-01-01

Alternative sandwich panel decorative films were investigated as replacements for the polyvinyl fluoride currently used in aircraft interiors. Candidate films were studied for flammability, smoke emission, toxic gas emission, flame spread, and suitability as a printing surface for the decorative acrylic ink system. Several of the candidate films tested were flame modified polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyimide, polyamide, polysulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyethersulfone, polybenzimidazole, polycarbonate, polyparabanic acid, polyphosphazene, polyetheretherketon, and polyester. The films were evaluated as pure films only, films silk-screened with an acrylic ink, and films adhered to a phenolic fiberglass substrate. Films which exhibited the highest fire resistant properties included PEEK polyetheretherketon, Aramid polyamide, and ISO-BPE polyester.

Study of carbon nanotubes based Polydimethylsiloxane composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahzad, M I; Giorcelli, M; Shahzad, N; Guastella, S; Castellino, M; Jagdale, P; Tagliaferro, A

2013-01-01

Thanks to their remarkable characteristics, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have fields of applications which are growing every day. Among them, the use of CNTs as filler for polymers is one of the most promising. In this work we report on Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites with different weight percentages (0.0% to 3.0%) of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) having diameter 10–30 nm and length 20–30 μm. To achieve optimum dispersion of CNTs in PDMS matrix, high speed mechanical stirring and ultrasonication were performed. By using the doctor blade technique, 70 μm thick uniform films were produced on glass. They were subsequently thermally cured and detached from the glass to get flexible and self standing films. The surface morphological study done by FESEM, shows that CNTs are well dispersed in the PDMS. Raman spectroscopy and FTIR were used to investigate the possible structural changes in the polymer composite. To examine the optical behavior UV-VIS spectroscopy was employed in both specular and diffused modes. A linear increase in absorption coefficient is found with the increasing percentage of CNTs while the transmittance decreases exponentially. The results confirm the dependence of optical limiting effect on the quantity of MWCNTs. Based on optical study, MWCNTs/PDMS composite films can be a promising material to extend performances of optical limiters against laser pulses, which is often required in lasing systems.

Automated Fiber Placement of PEEK/IM7 Composites with Film Interleaf Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Hulcher, A. Bruce; Banks, William I., III; Pipes, R. Byron; Tiwari, Surendra N.; Cano, Roberto J.; Johnston, Norman J.; Clinton, R. G., Jr. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The incorporation of thin discrete layers of resin between plies (interleafing) has been shown to improve fatigue and impact properties of structural composite materials. Furthermore, interleafing could be used to increase the barrier properties of composites used as structural materials for cryogenic propellant storage. In this work, robotic heated-head tape placement of PEEK/IM7 composites containing a PEEK polymer film interleaf was investigated. These experiments were carried out at the NASA Langley Research Center automated fiber placement facility. Using the robotic equipment, an optimal fabrication process was developed for the composite without the interleaf. Preliminary interleaf processing trials indicated that a two-stage process was necessary; the film had to be tacked to the partially-placed laminate then fully melted in a separate operation. Screening experiments determined the relative influence of the various robotic process variables on the peel strength of the film-composite interface. Optimization studies were performed in which peel specimens were fabricated at various compaction loads and roller temperatures at each of three film melt processing rates. The resulting data were fitted with quadratic response surfaces. Additional specimens were fabricated at placement parameters predicted by the response surface models to yield high peel strength in an attempt to gage the accuracy of the predicted response and assess the repeatability of the process. The overall results indicate that quality PEEK/lM7 laminates having film interleaves can be successfully and repeatability fabricated by heated head automated fiber placement.

Fracture Characterization of PVC Foam Core Sandwich Specimen Using the DCB-UBM Test Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saseendran, Vishnu; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

coupled with experimental validation is paramount to determine the fracture resistance of the face/core interface. In this paper, the test-rig exploiting the double cantilever beam with uneven bending moments (DCB-UBM) concept is used to determine the fracture toughness of PVC foam core sandwich......Face/core debond failure in sandwich composites is a critical failure mode. Lack of cohesion between face and core will lead to loss of structural integrity. The estimation of interface fracture toughness especially at the face/core interface is extremely challenging, provided the dissimilarity...... composites. The DCB-UBM test enables fracture testing over a large range of mode-mixities as expressed by a phase angle (ψ) which is a measure of the amount of shear loading at the crack tip. A desired phase angle may be achieved by changing the moment-ratio (MR = Md/Ms)....

Synthesis of cauliflower-like ZnO-TiO{sub 2} composite porous film and photoelectrical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang Yinhua, E-mail: jyinhua@126.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China) and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Yan Yun; Zhang Wenli; Ni Liang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Sun Yueming [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Yin Hengbo [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

2011-05-15

A series of cauliflower-like TiO{sub 2}-ZnO composite porous films with various molar ratios of Zn/Ti were prepared by the screen printing technique on the fluorine-doped SnO{sub 2} (FTO) conducting glasses. The composite films were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and UV-vis transmittance spectrum. The results showed composite film electrode had a novel cauliflower-like morphology, which could effectively increase the dye absorption. The corresponding dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were made by the composite film, and effects of ZnO incorporation on the photovoltaic performances of the DSCs were studied. With the Zn/Ti molar ratio not more than 3% in ZnO-TiO{sub 2} composite film of about 5 {mu}m-thickness, the photocurrent density (J{sub sc}) and the solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency ({eta}) were greatly improved compared with those of the DSC based on bare TiO{sub 2} film of same thickness. This increases in efficiency and J{sub sc} were attributed to high electron conductivity of ZnO, the improved dye adsorption and large light transmittance of composite film.

Improved thermal stability of polylactic acid (PLA) composite film via PLA-β-cyclodextrin-inclusion complex systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Youngjae; Rodriguez, Katia; Han, Jung H; Kim, Young Teck

2015-11-01

The effects of the incorporation of PLA-β-cyclodextrin-inclusion complex (IC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) on biopolyester PLA films were investigated. Thermal stability, surface morphology, barrier, and mechanical properties of the films were measured at varying IC (1, 3, 5, and 7%) and β-CD (1 and 5%) concentrations. The PLA-IC-composite films (IC-PLA-CFs) showed uniform morphological structure, while samples containing β-CD (β-CD-PLA-CFs) showed high agglomeration of β-CD due to poor interfacial interaction between β-CD and PLA moieties. According to the thermal property analysis, the 5% IC-PLA-CFs showed 6.6 times lower dimensional changes (6.5%) at the temperature range of 20-80°C than that of pure PLA film (43.0%). The increase of IC or β-CD content in the PLA-composite films shifted the glass transition and crystallization temperature to higher temperature regions. The crystallinity of both composite films improved by increasing IC or β-CD content. Both composite films had higher oxygen and water vapor permeability as IC or β-CD content increased in comparison to pure PLA film. All the composite films had less flexibility and lower tensile strength than the pure PLA film. In conclusion, this study shows that the IC technique is valuable to improve the thermal expansion stability of PLA-based films. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Using Radiochromic Films to Characterize the Dispersion of ZrO{sub 2} Nano-sized Grain Clusters in Protective Polymer Composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fontainha, C.C.P.; Nolasco, A.V. [Depto. de Engenharia Nuclear - DEN / UFMG - MG, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, 31270-970 Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Santos, A.P.; Faria, L.O. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, C.P. 941, 30270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2015-07-01

. This result is discussed in terms of the high Z halides added to the sensitive layer of EB3 film, once the main components are C (42.3%), H (39.7%) and O (16.0%)1-2. Based on the above results, we have speculated about the abilities of XR-AQ films in the detection of the distribution of nano-sized particles that has high mass-energy attenuation coefficients for low energy x-rays, in polymer composites. In another investigation we tested the ability of XR-QA2 Gafchromic{sup R} films to evaluate the dispersion of ZrO{sub 2} nano-sized grain clusters in protective composites. The P(VDFTrFE)/ ZrO{sub 2} film was sandwiched between two XR-QA2 radiochromic films. In this setup, one radiochromic film is directly exposed to 100 mGy of the x-rays beam and another one measures the attenuated beam. After storage for 24 hours at room temperature under no light conditions, the irradiated radiochromic films were scanned under the same conditions in order to obtain a more reliable result. All films were scanned using the same size ROI in high resolution mode and saved as tagged image file format (TIFF). The untreated scanned image of the XR-AQ2 film directed exposed to the X-ray beam and the correspondent treated image with digital filters are shown. The untreated and treated image of the XR-AQ2 film that was exposed to the attenuated x-ray beam is shown. The image treated with digital filters seems to reproduce the dispersion of ZrO{sub 2} nano-sized grain clusters in the P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer matrix. This result is also discussed in terms of the high Z halides added to the sensitive layer of XR-AQ2 film and compared to the MEV images obtained from the P(VDF-TrFE)/ZrO{sub 2} composites. The results indicate a clear correlation between the 2D radiochromic image and the MEV photography.

Metal–organic coordinated multilayer film formation: Quantitative analysis of composition and structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benson, Alexandra S.; Elinski, Meagan B.; Ohnsorg, Monica L.; Beaudoin, Christopher K.; Alexander, Kyle A.; Peaslee, Graham F.; DeYoung, Paul A.; Anderson, Mary E., E-mail: meanderson@hope.edu

2015-09-01

Metal–organic coordinated multilayers are self-assembled thin films fabricated by alternating solution–phase deposition of bifunctional organic molecules and metal ions. The multilayer film composed of α,ω-mercaptoalkanoic acid and Cu (II) has been the focus of fundamental and applied research with its robust reproducibility and seemingly simple hierarchical architecture. However, internal structure and composition have not been unambiguously established. The composition of films up to thirty layers thick was investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and particle induced X-ray emission. Findings show these films are copper enriched, elucidating a 2:1 ratio for the ion to molecule complexation at the metal–organic interface. Results also reveal that these films have an average layer density similar to literature values established for a self-assembled monolayer, indicating a robust and stable structure. The surface structures of multilayer films have been characterized by contact angle goniometry, ellipsometry, and scanning probe microscopy. A morphological transition is observed as film thickness increases from the first few foundational layers to films containing five or more layers. Surface roughness analysis quantifies this evolution as the film initially increases in roughness before obtaining a lower roughness comparable to the underlying gold substrate. Quantitative analysis of topographical structure and internal composition for metal–organic coordinated multilayers as a function of number of deposited layers has implications for their incorporation in the fields of photonics and nanolithography. - Highlights: • Layer-by-layer deposition is examined by scanning probe microscopy and ion beam analysis. • Film growth undergoes morphological evolution during foundational layer deposition. • Image analysis quantified surface features such as roughness, grain size, and coverage. • Molecular density of each film layer is found to

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of PEDOT/PSS/Te composite films treated with H2SO4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Haijun; Cai, Kefeng; Shen, Shirley

2016-01-01

Firstly, tellurium (Te) nanorods with a high Seebeck coefficient have been integrated into a conducting polymer PEDOT/PSS to form PEDOT/PSS/Te composite films. The Seebeck coefficient of the PEDOT/PSS/Te (90 wt.%) composite films is ~191 μV/K, which is about 13 times greater than that of pristine PEDOT/PSS. Then, H 2 SO 4 treatment has been used to further tune the thermoelectric properties of the composite films by adjusting the doping level and increasing the carrier concentration. After the acid treatment, the electrical conductivity of the composite films has increased from 0.22 to 1613 S/cm due to the removal of insulating PSS and the structural rearrangement of PEDOT. An optimized power factor of 42.1 μW/mK 2 has been obtained at room temperature for a PEDOT/PSS/Te (80 wt.%) sample, which is about ten times larger than that of the untreated PEDOT/PSS/Te composite film.

Mercuric iodide composite films using polyamide, polycarbonate and polystyrene fabricated by casting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugucioni, J.C.; Ghilardi Netto, T.; Mulato, M.

2010-01-01

Mercuric iodide (HgI 2 ) composite films were obtained by using the casting technique. Insulator polymers such as polyamide, polycarbonate and polystyrene were mixed to HgI 2 crystallites forming a final sub-millimeter thick self-standing film. Fabrication temperature varied from 10 to 100 o C, and total fabrication time reached at most 5 min. The larger the fabrication temperature, the thinner the film and the smaller its electrical resistivity. Electrical characterization was performed in the dark, under UV illumination and under mammographic X-ray exposure. The final properties of the films are discussed and related to fabrication conditions. The optimized composite film might be a better candidate for use as X-ray detector for medical imaging, in place of the single HgI 2 crystalline device.

High Performance Thin-Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membrane

KAUST Repository

Yip, Ngai Yin; Tiraferri, Alberto; Phillip, William A.; Schiffman, Jessica D.; Elimelech, Menachem

2010-01-01

obstacle hindering further advancements of this technology. This work presents the development of a high performance thin-film composite membrane for forward osmosis applications. The membrane consists of a selective polyamide active layer formed

Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 on Compositionally Variant Au-Pt Bimetallic Thin Films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ming; Hansen, Heine Anton; Valenti, Marco

2017-01-01

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 on Au-Pt bimetallic catalysts with different compositions was evaluated, offering a platform for uncovering the correlation between the catalytic activity and the surface composition of bimetallic electrocatalysts. The Au-Pt alloy films were synthesized...... by a magnetron sputtering co-deposition technique with tunable composition. It was found that the syngas ratio (CO:H2) on the Au-Pt films is able to be tuned by systematically controlling the binary composition. This tunable catalytic selectivity is attributed to the variation of binding strength of COOH and CO...... intermediates, influenced by the surface electronic structure (d-band center energy) which is linked to the surface composition of the bimetallic films. Notably, a gradual shift of the d-band center away from the Fermi level was observed with increasing Au content, which correspondingly reduces the binding...

Improving Performance of Polymer Fiber Reinforced Sandwich X-Joints in Naval Vessels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berggreen, Christian; Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Karlsen, Kasper

2007-01-01

In many naval ships of fiber composite sandwich construction an X-joint exists where the end bulkhead of the superstructure is attached to the deck, with a bulkhead placed in the same vertical plane below the deck. As the hull girder flexes this joint is subjected to alternating tensile and compr...

Preparation of PANI/PSF conductive composite films and their characteristic

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yang Yuying; Shang Xiuli; Kong Chao; Zhao Hongxiao; Hu Zhong'ai

2006-01-01

Polyaniline (PANI)/polysulfone (PSF) composite films are successfully prepared by phase separation and one-step in-situ polymerization.It is found that the head-on face (in contact with solution) of the films is green while the back face is white.The chemical component and the surface morphology of both surfaces of the films are characterized by FT-IR spectra and SEM,respectively.The effect of the polymerization temperature,time and concentration of the reactants on the electrical properties of the films are discussed in details.The thermo-oxidative degradation of the films is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).The results indicate that the thermal stability of the PANI/PSF films is higher than that of the pure PSF film.

Rheological and structural characterization of HA/PVA-SbQ composites film-forming solutions and resulting films as affected by UV irradiation time.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Huiyu; Sun, Yunlong; Xu, Jing; Dong, Weifu; Liu, Xiaoya

2015-01-22

Hyaluronan (HA)/poly (vinyl alcohol) bearing styrylpyridinium groups (PVA-SbQ) composites film-forming solutions were prepared by a negatively charged HA and an oppositely charged PVA-SbQ. The rheological properties and structural characterization of HA/PVA-SbQ composites in aqueous solution were investigated. Zeta potential measurements and TEM were utilized to explore the formation of HA/PVA-SbQ complex micelles in aqueous solution. UV spectra and DLS experiments confirmed that the micelles are photo-crosslinkable. HA/PVA-SbQ composites films were prepared by a casting method. The microstructure and properties of the film were analyzed by SEM, optical transmittance, DSC, XRD and tensile testing. The crosslinked HA/PVA-SbQ composites films exhibited higher UV light shielding and visible light transparency and better mechanical and water vapor barrier properties as well as thermal stability than the uncrosslinked HA/PVA-SbQ composites films, indicating the formation of three-dimensional network structure. This work provided a good way for increasing the mechanical, thermal, water vapor barrier, and optical properties of HA materials for the packaging material. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composite Films Formed by Cellulose nanocrystals and Latex Nanoparticles: Optical, Structural, and Mechanical Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Vollick, Brandon McRae

This thesis describes the preparation of iridescent, birefringent, composite films composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), latex nanoparticles (NPs) and a NP crosslinker; hexanediamine (HDA). First, aqueous suspensions were prepared with varying quantities of CNCs, NPs and HDA before equilibrating for one week. The cholesteric (Ch) phase was then cast and dried into a film. The optical, structural and mechanical properties of the film was analyzed. Second, films with identical compositions of CNCs, NPs, and HDA were fabricated in three different ways to yield films of different morphology, (i) fast drying of an isotropic suspension, yielding an isotropic film, (ii) slow drying of an isotropic suspension, yielding a partially Ch films, (iii) slow drying of an equilibrated suspension, yielding a highly Ch film. The optical and mechanical properties of the films was analyzed.

Ion plasma deposition of oxide films with graded-stoichiometry composition: Experiment and simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Volpyas, V. A.; Tumarkin, A. V.; Mikhailov, A. K.; Kozyrev, A. B.; Platonov, R. A.

2016-07-01

A method of ion plasma deposition is proposed for obtaining thin multicomponent films with continuously graded composition in depth of the film. The desired composition-depth profile is obtained by varying the working gas pressure during deposition in the presence of an additional adsorbing screen in the drift space between a sputtered target and substrate. Efficiency of the proposed method is confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation of the deposition of thin films of Ba x Sr1- x TiO3 (BSTO) solid solution. It is demonstrated that, during sputtering of a Ba0.3Sr0.7TiO3 target, the parameter of composition stoichiometry in the growing BSTO film varies in the interval of x = 0.3-0.65 when the gas pressure is changed within 2-60 Pa.

On the use of a woven mat to control the crack path in composite sandwich structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

2008-01-01

tractionsbetween the separated crack surfaces [4, 5]. The outline of a crack propagating under large scale bridging in a sandwich structure can be seen in Figure 1. The fiber bridging mechanism possesses an increased potential damage tolerance capacity for the sandwich structure if it can be predicatively....... The sign of the moment ratio can be reversed by changing the mounting direction of the wire. If moments with opposite signs are applied e.g. M1/M2 = -1, crack opening in the normal direction is dominating (mode I). If moments with the same sign are applied the crack opening in the tangential direction...

Analyse des structures en sandwich de type panneaux composites renforcés en nanoparticules soumises à un impact mécanique

OpenAIRE

RAMAKRISHNAN , Karthik Ram

2014-01-01

Sandwich structures are lightweight structures composed of two thin, relatively dense, high strength facesheets that are glued on either side of a thick, low density core, such as foams or honeycombs. Sandwich panels with fibre reinforced plastic skins and core of polymer foam represent an important class of lightweight structural materials in many areas of such as aeronautics and aerospace, automotive and marine structures. However, some of these sandwich structures have very limited energy ...

Face/core debond fatigue crack growth characterization using the sandwich mixed mode bending specimen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manca, Marcello; Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian

2012-01-01

Face/core fatigue crack growth in foam-cored sandwich composites is examined using the mixed mode bending (MMB) test method. The mixed mode loading at the debond crack tip is controlled by changing the load application point in the MMB test fixture. Sandwich specimens were manufactured using H45...... and H100 PVC foam cores and E-glass/polyester face sheets. All specimens were pre-cracked in order to define a sharp crack front. The static debond fracture toughness for each material configuration was measured at different mode-mixity phase angles. Fatigue tests were performed at 80% of the static...

Improved luminescence intensity and stability of thermal annealed ZnO incorporated Alq3 composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuba, M; Muralidharan, G

2015-11-01

The 30 wt% of ZnO (weight percentage of ZnO has been optimised) incorporated tris- (8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) has been synthesised and coated on to glass substrates using dip coating method. The structural and optical properties of the Alq3/ZnO composite film after thermal annealing from 50 to 300 °C insteps 50° has been studied and reported. XRD pattern reveals the presence of crystalline ZnO in all the annealed films. The films annealed above 150 °C reveal the presence of crystalline Alq3 along with crystalline ZnO. The FTIR spectra confirm the presence of hydroxyquinoline and ZnO vibration in all the annealed composite films. The composite films annealed above 150 °C show a partial sublimation and degradation of hydroxyquinoline compounds. The ZnO incorporated composite films (Alq3/ZnO) exhibit two emission peaks, one corresponding to ZnO at 487 nm and another at 513 nm due to Alq3. The films annealed at 200 °C exhibit maximum photoluminescence (PL) intensity than pristine film at 513 nm when excited at 390 nm.

Rationally Designed, Multifunctional Self-Assembled Nanoparticles for Covalently Networked, Flexible and Self-Healable Superhydrophobic Composite Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yujin; You, Eun-Ah; Ha, Young-Geun

2018-03-21

For constructing bioinspired functional films with various superhydrophobic functions, including self-cleaning, anticorrosion, antibioadhesion, and oil-water separation, hydrophobic nanomaterials have been widely used as crucial structural components. In general, hydrophobic nanomaterials, however, cannot form strong chemical bond networks in organic-inorganic hybrid composite films because of the absence of chemically compatible binding components. Herein, we report the rationally designed, multifunctional self-assembled nanoparticles with tunable functionalities of covalent cross-linking and hydrophobicity for constructing three-dimensionally interconnected superhydrophobic composite films via a facile solution-based fabrication at room temperature. The multifunctional self-assembled nanoparticles allow the systematic control of functionalities of composite films, as well as the stable formation of covalently linked superhydrophobic composite films with excellent flexibility (bending radii of 6.5 and 3.0 mm, 1000 cycles) and self-healing ability (water contact angle > 150°, ≥10 cycles). The presented strategy can be a versatile and effective route to generating other advanced functional films with covalently interconnected composite networks.

Pengaruh Perlakuan Alkali Pada Serat Agave Dan Ketebalan Inti Terhadap Kekuatan Bending Komposit Sandwich Serat Agave-Polyester Dengan Inti Kayu Olahan (Engineering Wood)

OpenAIRE

Yudhanto, Ferriawan

2015-01-01

Fibers and synthetic core as a component of composite sandwich proved costly and environmentally unfriendly, while Indonesia's natural resources will be very abundant natural materials and also supported human resources still need a lot of land to work. So back to nature is a smart move and wise for the condition. Innovation of the natural material made to eliminate weaknesses in their mechanical properties. Particle Wood or particle board can be used as a component of composite sandwich. In...

Silver loaded WO3−x/TiO2 composite multifunctional thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunnill, Charles W.; Noimark, Sacha; Parkin, Ivan P.

2012-01-01

Multifunctional WO 3−x –TiO 2 composite thin films have been prepared by sol–gel synthesis and shown to be good visible light photocatalysts whilst retaining a desirable underlying blue colouration. The WO 3−x –TiO 2 composite thin films were further enhanced using silver nanoparticles synthesised in-situ on the surface from the photo-degradation of silver nitrate solution. Thin films were characterised using X-ray diffraction, Raman, Scanning electron microscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy and shown to photo degrade stearic acid, using white light λ = 420–800 nm. - Highlights: ► WO 3−X TiO 2 composite thin films were synthesised by sol–gel methods. ► Blue tinted glass is desirable for the value added glass industry. ► Silver nanoparticle island formation enhances the activity of the films. ► Blue tinted “value added” coated glass is now possible.

The Effect of Drawing Ｒatio on Mechanical Property of Nano-Hybrid Polyimide Composite Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHEN Hao

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the impact of drawing ratio of inorganic nano-hybrid polyamide three-layer composite films，the stretched composite films with different draw ratio were prepared by drawing partial imido polyamide film and then through the ring closing reaction in the high temperature，and the draw ratio was 0% ，2% ， 4% ，6% ，8% ，10% ，12% ，14% etc. Under the same conditions，we made different draw ratio of three-layer composite film tensile test with the electronic universal material testing machine. The results show: doped inorganic nanometer oxide made PI film elastic modulus increase slightly，the tensile strength and elongation at break decrease obviously，but the nano hybrid three-layer composite PI films still had good mechanical properties; The yield of polyimide film should be caused by forced high-elastic deformation of polyimide molecular chain，and it had nothing to do with whether doped inorganic nano-oxide or whether through stretched processing; With the increase of draw ratio，the elastic modulus of the nano hybrid three-layer composite PI films existed the trend of first increased and then slow down gradually，and the tensile strength and elongation at break first decreased and then increased.

Ultra-tiny ZnMn2O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in sandwich-like carbon nanosheets for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yongxin; Feng, Yangyang; Mu, Yanping; Fang, Ling; Zhang, Huijuan; Wang, Yu

2016-11-01

Known as an excellent energy storage material, ZnMn2O4 has a wide range of applications in supercapacitors. In this report, a special sandwich-like structure of ZnMn2O4/C has been first designed and synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method and subsequent calcinations. The designed special sandwich-like structure can benefit ion exchange and remit the probable volume changes during a mass of electrochemical reactions. Furthermore, the porous carbon nanosheets, derived from low-cost glucose, can effectively increase ion flux. Therefore, the novel sandwich-like ZnMn2O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon nanosheets can undoubtedly demonstrate an exceptional electrochemical performance for SCs. In this work, the composite material with porous sandwich-like structure exhibits excellent cyclic stability for 5000 cycles (˜5% loss) and high specific capacitance of 1786 F g-1.

Growth of BaTiO3-PVDF composite thick films by using aerosol deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sung Hwan; Yoon, Young Joon

2016-01-01

Barium titanate (BaTiO3)-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite thick films were grown by using aerosol deposition at room temperature with BaTiO3 and PVDF powders. To produce a uniform composition in ceramic and polymer composite films, which show a substantial difference in specific gravity, we used PVDF-coated BaTiO3 powders as the starting materials. An examination of the microstructure confirmed that the BaTiO3 were well distributed in the PVDF matrix in the form of a 0 - 3 compound. The crystallite size in the BaTiO3-PVDF composite thick films was 5 ˜ 50 times higher than that in pure BaTiO3 thick films. PVDF plays a role in suppressing the fragmentation of BaTiO3 powder during the aerosol deposition process and in controlling the relative permittivity.

Vacuum-assisted bilayer PEDOT:PSS/cellulose nanofiber composite film for self-standing, flexible, conductive electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Youngsang; Kim, Dabum; Kim, Ung-Jin; You, Jungmok

2017-10-01

Sustainable cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based composites as functional conductive materials have garnered considerable attention recently for their use in soft electronic devices. In this work, self-standing, highly flexible, and conductive PEDOT:PSS-CNF composite films were developed using a simple vacuum-assisted filtration method. Two different composite films were successfully fabricated and then tested: 1) a single-layer composite composed of a mixture of PEDOT:PSS and CNF phases and 2) a bilayer composite composed of an upper PEDOT:PSS membrane layer and a CNF matrix sub-layer. The latter composite was constructed by electrostatic/hydrogen bonding interactions between PEDOT:PSS and CNFs coupled with sequential vacuum-assisted filtration. Our results demonstrated that the resultant bilayer composite film exhibited a competitive electrical conductivity (ca. 22.6Scm -1 ) compared to those of previously reported cellulose-based composites. Furthermore, decreases in the electrical properties were not observed in the composite films when they were bent up to 100 times at an angle of 180° and bent multiple times at an angle of 90°, clearly demonstrating their excellent mechanical flexibility. This study provides a straightforward method of fabricating highly flexible, lightweight, and conductive films, which have the potential to be used in high-performance soft electronic systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene and water-based elastomers thin-film composites by dip-moulding.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliut, Maria; Silva, Claudio; Herrick, Scott; McGlothlin, Mark; Vijayaraghavan, Aravind

2016-09-01

Thin-film elastomers (elastic polymers) have a number of technologically significant applications ranging from sportswear to medical devices. In this work, we demonstrate that graphene can be used to reinforce 20 micron thin elastomer films, resulting in over 50% increase in elastic modulus at a very low loading of 0.1 wt%, while also increasing the elongation to failure. This loading is below the percolation threshold for electrical conductivity. We demonstrate composites with both graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, the reduction being undertaken in-situ or ex-situ using a biocompatible reducing agent in ascorbic acid. The ultrathin films were cast by dip moulding. The transparency of the elastomer films allows us to use optical microscopy image and confirm the uniform distribution as well as the conformation of the graphene flakes within the composite.

Model Lung Surfactant Films: Why Composition Matters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selladurai, Sahana L.; Miclette Lamarche, Renaud; Schmidt, Rolf; DeWolf, Christine E.

2016-10-18

Lung surfactant replacement therapies, Survanta and Infasurf, and two lipid-only systems both containing saturated and unsaturated phospholipids and one containing additional palmitic acid were used to study the impact of buffered saline on the surface activity, morphology, rheology, and structure of Langmuir monolayer model membranes. Isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy show that buffered saline subphases induce a film expansion, except when the cationic protein, SP-B, is present in sufficient quantities to already screen electrostatic repulsion, thus limiting the effect of changing pH and adding counterions. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction results indicate an expansion not only of the liquid expanded phase but also an expansion of the lattice of the condensed phase. The film expansion corresponded in all cases with a significant reduction in the viscosity and elasticity of the films. The viscoelastic parameters are dominated by liquid expanded phase properties and do not appear to be dependent on the structure of the condensed phase domains in a phase separated film. The results highlight that the choice of subphase and film composition is important for meaningful interpretations of measurements using model systems.

Photovoltaic effect in transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puli, Venkata Sreenivas; Chrisey, Douglas B; Pradhan, Dhiren Kumar; Katiyar, Rajesh Kumar; Misra, Pankaj; Scott, J F; Katiyar, Ram S; Coondoo, Indrani; Panwar, Neeraj

2014-01-01

We report photovoltaic (PV) effect in multiferroic Bi 0.9 Sm 0.1 Fe 0.95 Co 0.05 O 3 (BSFCO) thin films. Transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO 3 (BFO) thin films have been deposited on Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrate successfully through pulsed laser deposition (PLD). PV response is observed under illumination both in sandwich and lateral electrode configurations. The open-circuit voltage (V oc ) and the short-circuit current density (J sc ) of the films in sandwich electrode configuration under illumination are measured to be 0.9 V and −0.051 µA cm −2 . Additionally, we report piezoresponse for BSFCO films, which confirms ferroelectric piezoelectric behaviour. (paper)

Green synthesis of high conductivity silver nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dinh, D.A. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, San 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Hui, K.S., E-mail: kshui@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Hui, K.N., E-mail: bizhui@pusan.ac.kr [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, San 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Y.R. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, San 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Zhou, Wei [Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Hong, Xiaoting [School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Chun, Ho-Hwan [Global Core Research Center for Ships and Offshore Plants (GCRC-SOP), Pusan National University, San 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A green facile chemical approach to control the dimensions of Ag nanoparticles–graphene oxide (AgNPs/GO) composites was performed at room temperature. • With decreasing ultrasonication time, the size of the Ag nanoparticles decreased and became uniformly distributed over the surface of the GO nanosheets. • The as-prepared AgNPs/rGO composite films were then formed using a spin coating method and reduced at 500 °C under N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} gas flow for 1 h. • The lowest sheet resistance of 270 Ω/sq was obtained in the film corresponding to 1 min of ultrasonication, which showed a 40 times lower resistivity than the rGO film (10.93 kΩ/sq). - Abstract: A green facile chemical approach to control the dimensions of Ag nanoparticles–graphene oxide (AgNPs/GO) composites was performed by the in situ ultrasonication of a mixture of AgNO{sub 3} and graphene oxide solutions with the assistance of vitamin C acting as an environmentally friendly reducing agent at room temperature. With decreasing ultrasonication time, the size of the Ag nanoparticles decreased and became uniformly distributed over the surface of the GO nanosheets. The as-prepared AgNPs/rGO composite films were then formed using a spin coating method and reduced at 500 °C under N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} gas flow for 1 h. Four-point probe measurements showed that the sheet resistance of the AgNPs/rGO films decreased with decreasing AgNPs size. The lowest sheet resistance of 270 Ω/sq was obtained in the film corresponding to 1 min of ultrasonication, which showed a 40 times lower resistivity than the rGO film (10.93 kΩ/sq). The formation mechanisms of the as-prepared AgNPs/rGO films are proposed. This study provides a guide to controlling the dimensions of AgNPs/rGO films, which might hold promise as advanced materials for a range of analytical applications, such as catalysis, sensors and microchips.

Green synthesis of high conductivity silver nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinh, D.A.; Hui, K.S.; Hui, K.N.; Cho, Y.R.; Zhou, Wei; Hong, Xiaoting; Chun, Ho-Hwan

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A green facile chemical approach to control the dimensions of Ag nanoparticles–graphene oxide (AgNPs/GO) composites was performed at room temperature. • With decreasing ultrasonication time, the size of the Ag nanoparticles decreased and became uniformly distributed over the surface of the GO nanosheets. • The as-prepared AgNPs/rGO composite films were then formed using a spin coating method and reduced at 500 °C under N 2 /H 2 gas flow for 1 h. • The lowest sheet resistance of 270 Ω/sq was obtained in the film corresponding to 1 min of ultrasonication, which showed a 40 times lower resistivity than the rGO film (10.93 kΩ/sq). - Abstract: A green facile chemical approach to control the dimensions of Ag nanoparticles–graphene oxide (AgNPs/GO) composites was performed by the in situ ultrasonication of a mixture of AgNO 3 and graphene oxide solutions with the assistance of vitamin C acting as an environmentally friendly reducing agent at room temperature. With decreasing ultrasonication time, the size of the Ag nanoparticles decreased and became uniformly distributed over the surface of the GO nanosheets. The as-prepared AgNPs/rGO composite films were then formed using a spin coating method and reduced at 500 °C under N 2 /H 2 gas flow for 1 h. Four-point probe measurements showed that the sheet resistance of the AgNPs/rGO films decreased with decreasing AgNPs size. The lowest sheet resistance of 270 Ω/sq was obtained in the film corresponding to 1 min of ultrasonication, which showed a 40 times lower resistivity than the rGO film (10.93 kΩ/sq). The formation mechanisms of the as-prepared AgNPs/rGO films are proposed. This study provides a guide to controlling the dimensions of AgNPs/rGO films, which might hold promise as advanced materials for a range of analytical applications, such as catalysis, sensors and microchips

Constitution of novel polyamic acid/polypyrrole composite films by in-situ electropolymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hess, Euodia H.; Waryo, Tesfaye; Sadik, Omowunmi A.; Iwuoha, Emmanuel I.; Baker, Priscilla G.L.

2014-01-01

The preparation and characterization of polyamic acid-polypyrrole (PAA/PPy) composite films are reported in this paper. The thin films were synthesized by electrochemical method from a solution containing controlled molar ratio of chemically synthesized polyamic acid (PAA) and pyrrole monomer. Homogenous films were obtained by incorporating PAA into electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) thin film. The concentration of PAA (1.37 × 10 −6 M) was kept fixed throughout the composite ratio analysis, whilst the concentration of PPy was varied from 1.90 × 10 −3 M to 9.90 × 10 −3 M. The PAA/PPy thin films were electrodeposited at a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and voltammetry. The composition that best represented the homogenous incorporation of PAA into PPy matrix was observed at a PAA/PPy ratio of 1: 4.13 × 10 −3 . This composite was observed to have two sets of coupled peaks with formal potential 99 mV and 567 mV respectively. The D e determined from cyclic voltammetry using the anodic peak currents were found to be twice as high (5.82 × 10 −4 cm 2 /s) compared to the D e calculated using the cathodic peak currents (2.60 × 10 −4 cm 2 /s), indicating that the composite favours anodic electron mobility. Surface morphology and spectroscopy data support the formation of a homogenous polymer blend at the synthesis ratio of 1: 4.13 × 10 −3

Fatigue resistance and crack propensity of novel "super-closed" sandwich composite resin restorations in large MOD defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Magne, Pascal; Silva, Silvana; Andrada, Mauro de; Maia, Hamilton

2016-01-01

To assess the influence of conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) vs resin-modified GIC (RMGIC) as a base material for novel, super-closed sandwich restorations (SCSR) and its effect on shrinkage-induced crack propensity and in vitro accelerated fatigue resistance. A standardized MOD slottype tooth preparation was applied to 30 extracted maxillary molars (5 mm depth/5 mm buccolingual width). A modified sandwich restoration was used, in which the enamel/dentin bonding agent was applied first (Optibond FL, Kerr), followed by a Ketac Molar (3M ESPE)(group KM, n = 15) or Fuji II LC (GC) (group FJ, n = 15) base, leaving 2 mm for composite resin material (Miris 2, Coltène-Whaledent). Shrinkageinduced enamel cracks were tracked with photography and transillumination. Samples were loaded until fracture or to a maximum of 185,000 cycles under isometric chewing (5 H z), starting with a load of 200 N (5,000 X), followed by stages of 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200, and 1,400 N at a maximum of 30,000 X each. Groups were compared using the life table survival analysis (α = .008, Bonferroni method). Group FJ showed the highest survival rate (40% intact specimens) but did not differ from group KM (20%) or traditional direct restorations (13%, previous data). SCSR generated less shrinkage-induced cracks. Most failures were re-restorable (above the cementoenamel junction [CEJ]). Inclusion of GIC/RMGIC bases under large direct SCSRs does not affect their fatigue strength but tends to decrease the shrinkage-induced crack propensity. The use of GIC/ RMGIC bases and the SCSR is an easy way to minimize polymerization shrinkage stress in large MOD defects without weakening the restoration.

Effect of lignin on water vapor barrier, mechanical, and structural properties of agar/lignin composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Shiv; Reddy, Jeevan Prasad; Rhim, Jong-Whan

2015-11-01

Biodegradable composite films were prepared using two renewable resources based biopolymers, agar and lignin alkali. The lignin was used as a reinforcing material and agar as a biopolymer matrix. The effect of lignin concentration (1, 3, 5, and 10wt%) on the performance of the composite films was studied. In addition, the mechanical, water vapor barrier, UV light barrier properties, FE-SEM, and TGA of the films were analyzed. The agar/lignin films exhibited higher mechanical and UV barrier properties along with lower water vapor permeability compared to the neat agar film. The FTIR and SEM results showed the compatibility of lignin with agar polymer. The swelling ratio and moisture content of agar/lignin composite films were decreased with increase in lignin content. The thermostability and char content of agar/lignin composite films increased with increased lignin content. The results suggested that agar/lignin films have a potential to be used as a UV barrier food packaging material for maintaining food safety and extending the shelf-life of the packaged food. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for osmotic power generation

KAUST Repository

Fu, Feng Jiang; Zhang, Sui; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2015-01-01

In this work, a novel sandwich-structured hollow fiber membrane has been developed via a specially designed spinneret and optimized spinning conditions. With this specially designed spinneret, the outer layer, which is the most crucial part of the sandwich-structured membrane, is maintained the same as the traditional dual-layer membrane. The inner substrate layer is separated into two layers: (1) an ultra-thin middle layer comprising a high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) additive to enhance integration with the outer polybenzimidazole (PBI) selective layer, and (2) an inner-layer to provide strong mechanical strength for the membrane. Experimental results show that a high water permeability and good mechanical strength could be achieved without the expensive post treatment process to remove PVP which was necessary for the dual-layer pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. By optimizing the composition, the membrane shows a maximum power density of 6.23W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 22.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl are used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the best phase inversion hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective PBI layer for osmotic power generation. In addition, this is the first work that shows how to fabricate sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for various applications. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for osmotic power generation

KAUST Repository

Fu, Feng Jiang

2015-11-01

In this work, a novel sandwich-structured hollow fiber membrane has been developed via a specially designed spinneret and optimized spinning conditions. With this specially designed spinneret, the outer layer, which is the most crucial part of the sandwich-structured membrane, is maintained the same as the traditional dual-layer membrane. The inner substrate layer is separated into two layers: (1) an ultra-thin middle layer comprising a high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) additive to enhance integration with the outer polybenzimidazole (PBI) selective layer, and (2) an inner-layer to provide strong mechanical strength for the membrane. Experimental results show that a high water permeability and good mechanical strength could be achieved without the expensive post treatment process to remove PVP which was necessary for the dual-layer pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. By optimizing the composition, the membrane shows a maximum power density of 6.23W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 22.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl are used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the best phase inversion hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective PBI layer for osmotic power generation. In addition, this is the first work that shows how to fabricate sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for various applications. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Influence of Interleaved Films on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Fabric/Polypropylene Thermoplastic Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong Won Kim

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A laminated composite was produced using a thermoplastic prepreg by inserting an interleaved film with the same type of matrix as the prepreg during the lay-up process to improve the low interlaminar properties, which is a known weakness of laminated composites. Carbon fiber fabric (CFF and polypropylene (PP were used to manufacture the thermoplastic prepregs. Eight prepregs were used to produce the laminated composites. Interleaved films with different thicknesses were inserted into each prepreg. The physical properties of the composite, such as thickness, density, fiber volume fraction (Vf, and void content (Vc, were examined. The tensile strength, flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS, impact property, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were used to characterize the mechanical properties. Compared to the composite without any inserted interleaved film, as the thickness of the inserted interleaved resin film was increased, Vc decreased by 51.45%. At the same time, however, the tensile strength decreased by 8.75%. Flexural strength increased by 3.79% and flexural modulus decreased by 15.02%. Interlaminar shear strength increased by 11.05% and impact strength increased by 15.38%. Fracture toughness of the laminated composite was improved due to insertion of interleaved film.

Influence of Interleaved Films on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Fabric/Polypropylene Thermoplastic Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Won; Lee, Joon Seok

2016-05-06

A laminated composite was produced using a thermoplastic prepreg by inserting an interleaved film with the same type of matrix as the prepreg during the lay-up process to improve the low interlaminar properties, which is a known weakness of laminated composites. Carbon fiber fabric (CFF) and polypropylene (PP) were used to manufacture the thermoplastic prepregs. Eight prepregs were used to produce the laminated composites. Interleaved films with different thicknesses were inserted into each prepreg. The physical properties of the composite, such as thickness, density, fiber volume fraction ( V f ), and void content ( V c ), were examined. The tensile strength, flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), impact property, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the mechanical properties. Compared to the composite without any inserted interleaved film, as the thickness of the inserted interleaved resin film was increased, V c decreased by 51.45%. At the same time, however, the tensile strength decreased by 8.75%. Flexural strength increased by 3.79% and flexural modulus decreased by 15.02%. Interlaminar shear strength increased by 11.05% and impact strength increased by 15.38%. Fracture toughness of the laminated composite was improved due to insertion of interleaved film.

Elastic Moduli of Nanoparticle-Polymer Composite Thin Films via Buckling on Elastomeric Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Hongyi; Karim, Alamgir; University of Akron Team

2011-03-01

Polymeric thin films find applications in diverse areas such as coatings, barriers and packaging. The dispersion of nanoparticles into the films was proven to be an effective method to generate tunable properties, particularly mechanical strength. However, there are very few methods for mechanical characterization of the composite thin films with high accuracy. In this study, nanometric polystyrene and polyvinyl alcohol films with uniformly dispersed cobalt and Cloisite nanoparticles at varying concentrations were synthesized via flow-coating and then transferred to crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flexible substrates. The technique of Strain-Induced Elastic Buckling Instability for Mechanical Measurements (SIEBIMM) was employed to determine the elastic moduli of the films, which were calculated from the buckling patterns generated by applying compressive stresses. Results on moduli of films as a function of the concentrations of nanoparticles and the thicknesses of the composite films will be presented. *Corresponding author: alamgir@uakron.edu

Pengaruh Perlakuan Alkali Pada Serat Agave dan Ketebalan Inti Terhadap Kekuatan Bending Komposit Sandwich Serat Agave-Polyester dengan Inti Kayu Olahan (Engineering Wood)

OpenAIRE

Yudhanto, Ferriawan

2016-01-01

Fibers and synthetic core as a component of composite sandwich proved costly and environmentally unfriendly, while Indonesia's natural resources will be very abundant natural materials and also supported human resources still need a lot of land to work. So back to nature is a smart move and wise for the condition. Innovation of the natural material made to eliminate weaknesses in their mechanical properties. Particle Wood or particle board  can be used as a component of composite sandwich. In...

Quantitative characterization of the composition, thickness and orientation of thin films in the analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.B.; Watanabe, M.; Papworth, A.J.; Li, J.C.

2003-01-01

Compositional variations in thin films can introduce lattice-parameter changes and thus create stresses, in addition to the more usual stresses introduced by substrate-film mismatch, differential thermal expansion, etc. Analytical electron microscopy comprising X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry within a probe-forming field-emission gun scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is one of the most powerful methods of composition measurement on the nanometer scale, essential for thin-film analysis. Recently, with the development of improved X-ray collection efficiencies and quantitative computation methods it has proved possible to map out composition variations in thin films with a spatial resolution approaching 1-2 nm. Because the absorption of X-rays is dependent on the film thickness, concurrent composition and film thickness determination is another advantage of X-ray microanalysis, thus correlating thickness and composition variations, either of which may contribute to stresses in the film. Specific phenomena such as segregation to interfaces and boundaries in the film are ideally suited to analysis by X-ray mapping. This approach also permits multiple boundaries to be examined, giving some statistical certainty to the analysis particularly in nano-crystalline materials with grain sizes greater than the film thickness. Boundary segregation is strongly affected by crystallographic misorientation and it is now possible to map out the orientation between many different grains in the (S)TEM

Chemical cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanocrystal composite films with high structural stability by spraying Fenton reagent as initiator.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Meili; Yu, Houyong; Gu, Jiping; Ye, Shounuan; Zhou, Yuwei

2018-07-01

Cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films with high structural stability were prepared by free radical copolymerization between cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and maleic anhydride (MAH) modified PVA through spraying Fenton free radical as initiator. The influence of chemical cross-linked and physical network structure on mechanical, thermal and water absorption properties of the composite films were investigated. Compared to PVA and PVA/CNC composite film, significant improvements in the mechanical, thermal and water uptake properties of the cross-linked composite film were found. The tensile strength of the cross-linked composite film was enhanced from 23.1MPa (neat PVA film) and 32.6MPa (PVA/CNC-10%) to 42.5MPa, and the maximum thermal degradation temperature was increased from 266.8°C and 281.2°C to 366.7°C (cross-linked composite film). Besides, the water absorption was reduced from 385.9% and 220.6% to 175.7% for cross-linked composite film. It indicates that compared with physical network structure in PVA/CNC composite film, the multiple cross-linked networks showed excellent thermal stability, resistance of water swelling and structural stability at the same CNC loading level. Thus, the PVA/CNC composite film with the multiple cross-linked network shows greater property reinforcements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and properties of biodegradable films from Sterculia urens short fiber/cellulose green composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaramudu, J; Reddy, G Siva Mohan; Varaprasad, K; Sadiku, E R; Sinha Ray, S; Varada Rajulu, A

2013-04-02

The development of commercially viable "green products", based on natural resources for the matrices and reinforcements, in a wide range of applications, is on the rise. The present paper focuses on Sterculia urens short fiber reinforced pure cellulose matrix composite films. The morphologies of the untreated and 5% NaOH (alkali) treated S. urens fibers were observed by SEM. The effect of 5% NaOH treated S. urens fiber (5, 10, 15 and 20% loading) on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the composites films is discussed. This paper presents the developments made in the area of biodegradable S. urens short fiber/cellulose (SUSF/cellulose) composite films, buried in the soil and later investigated by the (POM), before and after biodegradation has taken place. SUSF/cellulose composite films have great potential in food packaging and for medical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compositional dependence of Young's moduli for amorphous FeCo-SiO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, L.; Xie, J. L.; Deng, L. J.; Guo, Q.; Zhu, Z. W.; Bi, L.

2011-01-01

Systematic force-deflection measurements with microcantilevers and a combinatorial-deposition method have been used to investigate the Young's moduli of amorphous composite FeCo-SiO 2 thin films as a function of film composition, with high compositional resolution. It is found that the modulus decreases monotonically with increasing FeCo content. Such a trend can be explained in terms of the metalloid atoms having a significant effect on the Young's moduli of metal-metalloid composites, which is associated with the strong chemical interaction between the metalloid and themetallic atoms rather than that between the metallic components themselves. This work provides an efficient and effective method to study the moduli of magnetic thin films over a largecomposition coverage, and to compare the relative magnitudes of moduli for differentcompositions at high compositional resolution.

Composite Ag/C:H:N films prepared by planar magnetron deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hlidek, P. [Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Praha (Czech Republic)], E-mail: hlidek@karlov.mff.cuni.cz; Hanus, J.; Biederman, H.; Slavinska, D.; Pesicka, J. [Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Praha (Czech Republic)

2008-05-30

Composite Ag/C:H:N films were deposited by means of an unbalanced magnetron operated in a gas mixture of nitrogen and n-hexane. Composition of the films was controlled by electric power delivered to the magnetron and by ratio of nitrogen and n-hexane in the working gas mixture. The films were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, by the absorption spectra in visible and near infrared regions and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Immediately after film deposition and without breaking vacuum (in situ) corresponding vibration infrared spectra were scanned and their evolution during ageing of the films was monitored. Wettability as determined from water contact angle was improved with raising nitrogen contents, i.e. with increasing the electric power and the ratio of nitrogen/n-hexane in the working gas mixture. The increased wettability is likely caused by presence of NH{sub x} groups in Ag/C:H:N films. The incorporation of nitrogen effectively prevents the formation of carboxylate groups on the silver inclusions surfaces during the aging in the open air. In addition, the oxidation mechanism of the polymer matrix is modified.

Sound-proof Sandwich Panel Design via Metamaterial Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Ni

Sandwich panels consisting of hollow core cells and two face-sheets bonded on both sides have been widely used as lightweight and strong structures in practical engineering applications, but with poor acoustic performance especially at low frequency regime. Basic sound-proof methods for the sandwich panel design are spontaneously categorized as sound insulation and sound absorption. Motivated by metamaterial concept, this dissertation presents two sandwich panel designs without sacrificing weight or size penalty: A lightweight yet sound-proof honeycomb acoustic metamateiral can be used as core material for honeycomb sandwich panels to block sound and break the mass law to realize minimum sound transmission; the other sandwich panel design is based on coupled Helmholtz resonators and can achieve perfect sound absorption without sound reflection. Based on the honeycomb sandwich panel, the mechanical properties of the honeycomb core structure were studied first. By incorporating a thin membrane on top of each honeycomb core, the traditional honeycomb core turns into honeycomb acoustic metamaterial. The basic theory for such kind of membrane-type acoustic metamaterial is demonstrated by a lumped model with infinite periodic oscillator system, and the negative dynamic effective mass density for clamped membrane is analyzed under the membrane resonance condition. Evanescent wave mode caused by negative dynamic effective mass density and impedance methods are utilized to interpret the physical phenomenon of honeycomb acoustic metamaterials at resonance. The honeycomb metamaterials can extraordinarily improve low-frequency sound transmission loss below the first resonant frequency of the membrane. The property of the membrane, the tension of the membrane and the numbers of attached membranes can impact the sound transmission loss, which are observed by numerical simulations and validated by experiments. The sandwich panel which incorporates the honeycomb metamateiral as

Controlling the alloy composition of PtNi nanocrystals using solid-state dewetting of bilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Okkyun; Oh, Se An; Lee, Ji Yeon; Ha, Sung Soo; Kim, Jae Myung; Choi, Jung Won; Kim, Jin-Woo [Department of Physics and Photon Science & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Hyon Chol [Department of Materials and Science Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61542 (Korea, Republic of); Noh, Do Young, E-mail: dynoh@gist.ac.kr [Department of Physics and Photon Science & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

We demonstrate that solid-state dewetting of bilayer films is an effective way for obtaining bimetallic alloy nanocrystals of controlled composition. When a Pt–Ni bilayer film were annealed near 700 °C, Pt and Ni atoms inter-diffused to form a PtNi bimetallic alloy film. Upon annealing at higher temperatures, the bilayer films transformed into <111> oriented PtNi alloy nanocrystals in small-rhombicuboctahedron shape through solid-state dewetting process. The Pt content of the nanocrystals and the alloy films, estimated by applying the Vegard's law to the relaxed lattice constant, was closely related to the thickness of each layer in the as-grown bilayer films which can be readily controlled during bilayer deposition. - Highlights: • Composition control of PtNi nanoparticles using solid state dewetting is proposed. • PtNi alloy composition was controlled by thickness ratio of Pt–Ni bilayer films. • PtNi alloy nanocrystals were obtained in small-rhombicuboctahedron shape.

Sealing ability of a new calcium silicate based material as a dentin substitute in class II sandwich restorations: An in vitro study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raji Viola Solomon

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Class ll sandwich restorations are routinely performed where conventional Glass ionomer cement (GIC or Resin-modified GIC (RMGIC is used as a base or dentin substitute and a light curing composite resin restorative material is used as an enamel substitute. Various authors have evaluated the microleakage of composite resin restorations where glass ionomer cement has been used as a base in class II sandwich restorations, but a literature survey reveals limited studies on the microleakage analysis of similar restorations with biodentine as a dentin substitute, as an alternative to glass ionomer cement. The aim of this study is: To evaluate the marginal sealing efficacy of a new calcium-silicate-based material (Biodentine as a dentin substitute, at the cervical margins, in posterior class II sandwich restorations.To compare and evaluate the microleakage at the biodentine/composite interface with the microleakage at the resin-modified GIC/composite interface, in posterior class II open sandwich restorations. To compare the efficacy between a water-based etch and rinse adhesive (Scotch bond multipurpose and an acetone-based etch and rinse adhesive (Prime and bond NT, when bonding biodentine to the composite. To evaluate the enamel, dentin, and interfacial microleakage at the composite and biodentine/RMGIC interfaces. Materials and Methods: Fifty class II cavities were prepared on the mesial and distal surfaces of 25 extracted human maxillary third molars, which were randomly divided into five groups of ten cavities each: (G1 Biodentine group, (G2 Fuji II LC GIC group, (G3 Biodentine as a base + prime and bond NT + Tetric N-Ceram composite, (G4 Biodentine + scotchbond multi-purpose + Tetric N-Ceram composite, (G5 Fuji II LC as a base + prime and bond NT+ Tetric-N Ceram composite. The samples were then subjected to thermocycling, 2500× (5°C to 55°C, followed by the dye penetration test. Scores are given from 0 to 3 based on the depth of

Composition and microstructure of beryllium carbide films prepared by thermal MOCVD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Yu-dan; Luo, Jiang-shan; Li, Jia; Meng, Ling-biao; Luo, Bing-chi; Zhang, Ji-qiang; Zeng, Yong; Wu, Wei-dong, E-mail: wuweidongding@163.com

2016-02-15

Highlights: • Non-columnar-crystal Be{sub 2}C films were firstly prepared by thermal MOCVD. • Beryllium carbide was always the dominant phase in the films. • α-Be and carbon existed in films deposited below and beyond 400 °C, respectively. • Morphology evolved with temperatures and no columnar grains were characterized. • The preferred substrate temperature for depositing high quality Be{sub 2}C films was 400 °C. - Abstract: Beryllium carbide films without columnar-crystal microstructures were prepared on the Si (1 0 0) substrate by thermal metal organic chemical vapor deposition using diethylberyllium as precursor. The influence of the substrate temperature on composition and microstructure of beryllium carbide films was systematically studied. Crystalline beryllium carbide is always the dominant phase according to XRD analysis. Meanwhile, a small amount of α-Be phase exists in films when the substrate temperature is below 400 °C, and hydrocarbon or amorphous carbon exists when the temperature is beyond 400 °C. Surfaces morphology shows transition from domes to cylinders, to humps, and to tetraquetrous crystalline needles with the increase of substrate temperature. No columnar grains are characterized throughout the thickness as revealed from the cross-section views. The average densities of these films are determined to be 2.04–2.17 g/cm{sup 3}. The findings indicate the substrate temperature has great influences on the composition and microstructure of the Be{sub 2}C films grown by thermal MOCVD.

Effect of composition on properties of In2O3-Ga2O3 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Demin, I. E.; Kozlov, A. G.

2017-06-01

The In2O3-Ga2O3 mixed oxide polycrystalline thin films with various ratios of components were obtained by pulsed laser deposition. The effect of films composition on surface morphology, electrophysical and gas sensing properties and energies of adsorption and desorption of combustible gases was studied. The films with50%In2O3-50%Ga2O3 composition showed maximum gas response (˜25 times) combined with minimum optimal working temperature (˜530 °C) as compared with the other films. The optical transmittance of the films in visible range was investigated. For 50%In2O3-50%Ga2O3 films, the transmittance is higher in comparison with the other films. The explanation of the dependency of films behaviors on their composition was presented.The In2O3-Ga2O3 films were assumed to have perspectives as gas sensing material for semiconducting gas sensors.

Nanodiamond embedded ta-C composite film by pulsed filtered vacuum arc deposition from a single target

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Ajai; Etula, Jarkko; Ge, Yanling; Liu, Xuwen; Koskinen, Jari

2016-11-01

Detonation Nanodiamonds (DNDs) are known to have sp3 core, sp2 shell, small size (few nm) and are gaining importance as multi-functional nanoparticles. Diverse methods have been used to form composites, containing detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) embedded in conductive and dielectric matrices for various applications. Here we show a method, wherein DND-ta-C composite film, consisting of DNDs embedded in ta-C matrix have been co-deposited from the same cathode by pulsed filtered cathodic vacuum arc method. Transmission Electron Microscope analysis of these films revel the presence of DNDs embedded in the matrix of amorphous carbon. Raman spectroscopy indicates that the presence of DNDs does not adversely affect the sp3 content of DND-ta-C composite film compared to ta-C film of same thickness. Nanoindentation and nanowear tests indicate that DND-ta-C composite films possess improved mechanical properties in comparison to ta-C films of similar thickness.

Preparation of poly (arylene ether nitrile)/NzdFeB composite film with excellent thermal properties and tensile strength

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Hai; Xu, Mingzhen; Liu, Xiaobo

2017-12-01

PEN/NdFeB composite films were prepared by the solution casting method. The thermal properties, fracture morphology and tensile strength of the composite films were tested by DSC, TGA, SEM and electromechanical universal testing machine, respectively. The results reveal that the composite film has good thermal properties and tensile strength. Glass-transition temperature and decomposition temperatures at weight loss of 5% ot the composite films retain at 166±1 C and 462±4 C, respectively. The composite film with 5 wt.% NdFeB has the best tensile strength value for 100.5 MPa. In addition, it was found that the NdFeB filler was well dispersed in PEN matrix by SEM analysis.

Modification of the Properties of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films by Plasma-Immersion Ion Implantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Burdyukh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the effect of doping with hydrogen and tungsten by means of plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII on the properties of vanadium dioxide and hydrated vanadium pentoxide films. It is shown that the parameters of the metal-insulator phase transition in VO2 thin films depend on the hydrogen implantation dose. Next, we explore the effect of PIII on composition, optical properties, and the internal electrochromic effect (IECE in V2O5·nH2O films. The variations in the composition and structure caused by the hydrogen insertion, as well as those caused by the electrochromic effect, are studied by nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetry, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray structural analysis. It is shown that the ion implantation-induced hydrogenation can substantially enhance the manifestation and performance of the IECE in V2O5 xerogel films. Finally, the effect of PIII-assisted doping with W on the parameters of electrical switching in Au/V2O5·nH2O/Au sandwich structures is examined. It is shown that implanting small tungsten doses improves the switching parameters after forming. When implanting large doses, switching is observed without electroforming, and if electroforming is applied, the switching effect, on the contrary, disappears.

Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline porous TiO2/WO3 composite thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, C.-S.; Lin, C.-K.; Chan, C.-C.; Chang, C.-C.; Tsay, C.-Y.

2006-01-01

TiO 2 materials possessing not only photocatalytic but also electrochromic properties have attracted many research and development interests. Though WO 3 exhibits excellent electrochromic properties, the much higher cost and water-sensitivity of WO 3 as compared with the TiO 2 may restrict the practical application of WO 3 materials. In the present study, the feasibility of preparing nanocrystalline porous TiO 2 /WO 3 composite thin films was investigated. Precursors of sols TiO 2 and/or WO 3 and polystyrene microspheres were used to prepare nanocrystalline pure TiO 2 , WO 3 , and composite TiO 2 /WO 3 thin films by spin coating. The spin-coated thin films were amorphous and, after heat treating at a temperature of 500 o C, nanocrystalline TiO 2 , TiO 2 /WO 3 , and WO 3 thin films with or without pores were prepared successfully. The heat-treated thin films were colorless and coloration-bleaching phenomena can be observed during cyclic voltammetry tests. The heat-treated thin films exhibited good reversible electrochromic behavior while the porous TiO 2 /WO 3 composite film exhibited improved electrochromic properties

Novel transparent and flexible nanocomposite film prepared from chrysotile nanofibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Kun, E-mail: kliu@csu.edu.cn [School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Zhu, Binnan; Feng, Qiming [School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Duan, Tao [Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology and Research Center of Laser Fusion, CAEP, Mianyang 621010 (China)

2013-10-01

In the present study, chrysotile nanofibres, obtained from physicochemical dispersion of natural chrysotile, were used to prepare nanofibre sheets by vacuum filtration. As-prepared sheets were then impregnated by UV-curable resin and cured by ultraviolet light to fabricate the flexible and transparent nanocomposite films. Observed from SEM, the transparent films showed a smooth surface and a typical sandwich structure in cross section, viz. nanofibre sheet filled with resin was sandwiched by two layers of resin. XRD patterns indicated the amorphous nature of cured resin and characteristic crystallographic structure of chrysotile in nanocomposite films. Though the nanofibre sheets were white in colour, and nanofibre contents in nanocomposites were as much as 43.4 wt%, the nanocomposite films displayed an excellent optical transparency with about 85% light transmittance in the visible light range. Tensile tests showed that the addition of nanofibres resulted in a great improvement in mechanical strength of the nanocomposite films; with the increase of nanofibre contents, the modulus and tensile strength of nanocomposite films increased gradually. - Graphical abstract: Photos show the experimental phenomenon. The white nanofibre sheets can be written or printed like paper, and it's very interested that the handwriting is clearly visible from the front and back of the transparent films prepared from nanofibre sheets by vacuum impregnation and UV curing. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increase of transparency of film, which results from the replacement of air interstices in nanofibre sheet by resin with higher refractive index. Visible light can pass easily through the transparent film without obvious loss, but can be apparently adsorbed and scattered by ink particles that adhered to nanofibres and embedded in resin. - Highlights: • A flexible and transparent film is prepared from chrysotile nanofibres. • The nanofibre sheet is sandwiched by two

Novel transparent and flexible nanocomposite film prepared from chrysotile nanofibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Kun; Zhu, Binnan; Feng, Qiming; Duan, Tao

2013-01-01

In the present study, chrysotile nanofibres, obtained from physicochemical dispersion of natural chrysotile, were used to prepare nanofibre sheets by vacuum filtration. As-prepared sheets were then impregnated by UV-curable resin and cured by ultraviolet light to fabricate the flexible and transparent nanocomposite films. Observed from SEM, the transparent films showed a smooth surface and a typical sandwich structure in cross section, viz. nanofibre sheet filled with resin was sandwiched by two layers of resin. XRD patterns indicated the amorphous nature of cured resin and characteristic crystallographic structure of chrysotile in nanocomposite films. Though the nanofibre sheets were white in colour, and nanofibre contents in nanocomposites were as much as 43.4 wt%, the nanocomposite films displayed an excellent optical transparency with about 85% light transmittance in the visible light range. Tensile tests showed that the addition of nanofibres resulted in a great improvement in mechanical strength of the nanocomposite films; with the increase of nanofibre contents, the modulus and tensile strength of nanocomposite films increased gradually. - Graphical abstract: Photos show the experimental phenomenon. The white nanofibre sheets can be written or printed like paper, and it's very interested that the handwriting is clearly visible from the front and back of the transparent films prepared from nanofibre sheets by vacuum impregnation and UV curing. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increase of transparency of film, which results from the replacement of air interstices in nanofibre sheet by resin with higher refractive index. Visible light can pass easily through the transparent film without obvious loss, but can be apparently adsorbed and scattered by ink particles that adhered to nanofibres and embedded in resin. - Highlights: • A flexible and transparent film is prepared from chrysotile nanofibres. • The nanofibre sheet is sandwiched by two

Chitosan-based films composites for wound healing purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Natali de O.; Silva, Gabriela T. da; Schulz, Gracelie A.S.; Fajardo, Andre R.

2015-01-01

Chitosan has been extensively applied in the developing of biomaterials due to its desirable good physico-chemical and biological properties. According to this, here films composite of chitosan, poly(vinyl alcohol) and bovine bone powder were prepared by casting willing to be applied in wound healing purposes. Moreover, the first step was the developing of a suitable method to obtain bovine bone powder, which was utilized here as filler. All the materials and films were fully characterized by FTIR, DRX and thermal analysis. Water uptake capacity was measured by swelling assays. (author)

Single walled carbon nanotube network—Tetrahedral amorphous carbon composite film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iyer, Ajai, E-mail: ajai.iyer@aalto.fi; Liu, Xuwen; Koskinen, Jari [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Technology, Aalto University, POB 16200, 00076 Espoo (Finland); Kaskela, Antti; Kauppinen, Esko I. [NanoMaterials Group, Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, POB 15100, 00076 Espoo (Finland); Johansson, Leena-Sisko [Department of Forest Products Technology, School of Chemical Technology, Aalto University, POB 16400, 00076 Espoo (Finland)

2015-06-14

Single walled carbon nanotube network (SWCNTN) was coated by tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) using a pulsed Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc system to form a SWCNTN—ta-C composite film. The effects of SWCNTN areal coverage density and ta-C coating thickness on the composite film properties were investigated. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements prove the presence of high quality sp{sup 3} bonded ta-C coating on the SWCNTN. Raman spectroscopy suggests that the single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) forming the network survived encapsulation in the ta-C coating. Nano-mechanical testing suggests that the ta-C coated SWCNTN has superior wear performance compared to uncoated SWCNTN.

Composite materials design and applications

CERN Document Server

Gay, Daniel; Tsai, Stephen W

2002-01-01

PART ONE. PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTIONCOMPOSITE MATERIALS, INTEREST AND PROPERTIESWhat is Composite Material Fibers and MatrixWhat can be Made Using Composite Materials?Typical Examples of Interest on the Use of Composite MaterialsExamples on Replacing Conventional Solutions with CompositesPrincipal Physical PropertiesFABRICATION PROCESSESMolding ProcessesOther Forming ProcessesPractical Hints in the Manufacturing ProcessesPLY PROPERTIESIsotropy and AnisotropyCharacteristics of the Reinforcement-Matrix MixtureUnidirectional PlyWoven FabricsMats and Reinforced MatricesMultidimensional FabricsMetal Matrix CompositesTestsSANDWICH STRUCTURES:What is a Sandwich Structure?Simplified FlexureA Few Special AspectsFabrication and Design ProblemsNondestructive Quality ControlCONCEPTION AND DESIGNDesign of a Composite PieceThe LaminateFailure of LaminatesSizing of LaminatesJOINING AND ASSEMBLYRiveting and BoltingBondingInsertsCOMPOSITE MATERIALS AND AEROSPACE CONSTRUCTIONAircraftHelicoptersPropeller Blades for AirplanesTur...

Composite depth dose measurement for total skin electron (TSE) treatments using radiochromic film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gamble, Lisa M; Farrell, Thomas J; Jones, Glenn W; Hayward, Joseph E

2003-01-01

Total skin electron (TSE) radiotherapy is routinely used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and can be implemented using a modified Stanford technique. In our centre, the composite depth dose for this technique is achieved by a combination of two patient positions per day over a three-day cycle, and two gantry angles per patient position. Due to patient morphology, underdosed regions typically occur and have historically been measured using multiple thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). We show that radiochromic film can be used as a two-dimensional relative dosimeter to measure the percent depth dose in TSE radiotherapy. Composite depth dose curves were measured in a cylindrical, polystyrene phantom and compared with TLD data. Both multiple films (1 film per day) and a single film were used in order to reproduce a realistic clinical scenario. First, three individual films were used to measure the depth dose, one per treatment day, and then compared with TLD data; this comparison showed a reasonable agreement. Secondly, a single film was used to measure the dose delivered over three daily treatments and then compared with TLD data; this comparison showed good agreement throughout the depth dose, which includes doses well below 1 Gy. It will be shown that one piece of radiochromic film is sufficient to measure the composite percent depth dose for a TSE beam, hence making radiochromic film a suitable candidate for monitoring underdosed patient regions

Silver loaded WO{sub 3-x}/TiO{sub 2} composite multifunctional thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dunnill, Charles W.; Noimark, Sacha; Parkin, Ivan P., E-mail: I.P.Parkin@ucl.ac.uk

2012-06-30

Multifunctional WO{sub 3-x}-TiO{sub 2} composite thin films have been prepared by sol-gel synthesis and shown to be good visible light photocatalysts whilst retaining a desirable underlying blue colouration. The WO{sub 3-x}-TiO{sub 2} composite thin films were further enhanced using silver nanoparticles synthesised in-situ on the surface from the photo-degradation of silver nitrate solution. Thin films were characterised using X-ray diffraction, Raman, Scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy and shown to photo degrade stearic acid, using white light {lambda} = 420-800 nm. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer WO{sub 3-X} TiO{sub 2} composite thin films were synthesised by sol-gel methods. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Blue tinted glass is desirable for the value added glass industry. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Silver nanoparticle island formation enhances the activity of the films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Blue tinted 'value added' coated glass is now possible.

Poly(malachite green) at nafion doped multi-walled carbon nanotube composite film for simple aliphatic alcohols sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Umasankar, Yogeswaran; Periasamy, Arun Prakash; Chen, Shen-Ming

2010-01-15

Conductive composite film which contains nafion (NF) doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) along with the incorporation of poly(malachite green) (PMG) has been synthesized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE), gold and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by potentiostatic methods. The presence of MWCNTs in the composite film (MWCNTs-NF-PMG) enhances surface coverage concentration (Gamma) of PMG to approximately 396%, and increases the electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) to approximately 305%. Similarly, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance study reveals the enhancement in the deposition of PMG at MWCNTs-NF film. The surface morphology of the composite film deposited on ITO electrode has been studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These two techniques reveal that the PMG incorporated on MWCNTs-NF film. The MWCNTs-NF-PMG composite film also exhibits promising enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the simple aliphatic alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and propanol. The electroanalytical responses of analytes at NF-PMG and MWCNTs-NF-PMG films were measured using both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). From electroanalytical studies, well defined voltammetric peaks have been obtained at MWCNTs-NF-PMG composite film for methanol, ethanol and propanol at Epa=609, 614 and 602mV respectively. The sensitivity of MWCNTs-NF-PMG composite film towards methanol, ethanol and propanol in CV technique are 0.59, 0.36 and 0.92microAmM(-1)cm(-2) respectively, which are higher than NF-PMG film. Further, the sensitivity values obtained using DPV are higher than the values obtained using CV technique.

Effect of cross linking of PVA/starch and reinforcement of modified barley husk on the properties of composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Mittal, Aanchal; Garg, Sangeeta; Kohli, Deepak; Maiti, Mithu; Jana, Asim Kumar; Bajpai, Shailendra

2016-10-20

Barley husk (BH) was graft copolymerized by palmitic acid. The crystalline behavior of BH decreased after grafting. Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA)/starch (St) blend film, urea formaldehyde cross linked PVA/St films and composite films containing natural BH, grafted BH were prepared separately. The effect of urea/starch ratio, content of BH and grafted BH on the mechanical properties, water uptake (%), and biodegradability of the composite films was observed. With increase in urea: starch ratio from 0 to 0.5 in the blend, tensile strength of cross linked film increased by 40.23% compared to the PVA/St film. However, in grafted BH composite film, the tensile strength increased by 72.4% than PVA/St film. The degradation rate of natural BH composite film was faster than PVA/St film. Various films were characterized by SEM, FT-IR and thermal analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superior environment resistance of quartz crystal microbalance with anatase TiO2/ZnO nanorod composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang, Wei; Wei, Li; Shaodan, Wang; Yu, Bai

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanorod array being prepared by an in situ method on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process and surface modification with coated TiO 2 by sol–gel methods to form a superhydrophobic TiO 2 /ZnO composite film the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with a sharp, pencil-like structure exhibiting excellent superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 155°), non-sticking water properties, and an autonomous cleaning property under UV irradiation. The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film facilitates the precise measurement and extended lifetime of the QCM for the detection of organic gas molecules. - Highlights: • This work combines, for the first time, the advantage of the TiO 2 /ZnO composite film on photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition, and puts forward a solution to satisfy weatherability of quartz crystal microbalance in long-term application. • The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with pencil structure exhibit excellent super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle can reach 155°), no-sticking water properties and self-cleaning property under UV irradiation. • The photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition of the TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film is stable in long-term application. - Abstract: The precise measurement of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in the detection and weighing of organic gas molecules is achieved due to excellent superhydrophobicity of a deposited film composite. Photocatalysis is utilized as a method for the self-cleaning of organic molecules on the QCM for extended long-term stability in the precision of the instrument. In this paper, ZnO nanorod array is prepared via in situ methods on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process. Subsequently, a TiO 2 /ZnO composite film is synthesized by surface modification with TiO 2 via sol–gel methods. Results show the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod

Preparation of smooth, flexible and stable silver nanowires- polyurethane composite transparent conductive films by transfer method

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Shengchi; Wang, Haifeng; Yang, Hui; Zhang, He; Guo, Xingzhong

2018-02-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs)-polyurethane (PU) composite transparent conductive films were fabricated via transfer method using AgNWs conductive inks and polyurethane as starting materials, and the effects of post-treatments including heat treatment, NaCl solution bath and HCl solution bath for AgNWs film on the sheet resistance and transmittance of the composite films were respectively investigated in detail. AgNWs networks are uniformly embedded in the PU layer to improve the adhesion and reduce the surface roughness of AgNWs-PU composite films. Heat treatment can melt and weld the nanowires, and NaCl and HCl solution baths promote the dissolution and re-deposition of silver and the dissolving of the polymer, both which form conduction pathways and improve contact of AgNWs for reducing the sheet resistance. Smooth and flexible AgNWs-PU composite film with a transmittance of 85% and a sheet resistance of 15 Ω · sq‑1 is obtained after treated in 0.5 wt% HCl solution bath for 60 s, and the optoelectronic properties of the resultant composite film can maintain after 1000 cycles of bending and 100 days.

Creep of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesler, O.; Crews, L.K.; Gibson, L.J.

2003-01-01

The steady state creep deflection rates of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores were measured and compared with analytical and numerical predictions of the creep behavior. The deflection rate depends on the geometry of the sandwich beam, the creep behavior of the foam core and the loading conditions (stress state, temperature). Although there was a considerable scatter in the creep data (both of the foams and of the sandwich beams made using them), the data for the sandwich beams were fairly well described by the analysis

Creep of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kesler, O.; Crews, L.K.; Gibson, L.J

2003-01-20

The steady state creep deflection rates of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores were measured and compared with analytical and numerical predictions of the creep behavior. The deflection rate depends on the geometry of the sandwich beam, the creep behavior of the foam core and the loading conditions (stress state, temperature). Although there was a considerable scatter in the creep data (both of the foams and of the sandwich beams made using them), the data for the sandwich beams were fairly well described by the analysis.

The Effect of Drawing Ｒatio on Mechanical Property of Nano-Hybrid Polyimide Composite Films

OpenAIRE

CHEN Hao; YANG Ｒui-xiao; WU Chuan-gang; FAN Yong

2017-01-01

In order to investigate the impact of drawing ratio of inorganic nano-hybrid polyamide three-layer composite films，the stretched composite films with different draw ratio were prepared by drawing partial imido polyamide film and then through the ring closing reaction in the high temperature，and the draw ratio was 0% ，2% ， 4% ，6% ，8% ，10% ，12% ，14% etc. Under the same conditions，we made different draw ratio of three-layer composite film tensile test with the electronic universal material testi...

Cadmium-manganese oxide composite thin films: Synthesis, characterization and photoelectrochemical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mansoor, M.A. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Faculty of Science, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Ebadi, M. [Solar Energy Research Institute, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor (Malaysia); Mazhar, M., E-mail: mazhar42pk@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Huang, N.M. [Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Faculty of Science, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Mun, L.K.; Misran, M. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Basirun, W.J. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Institute of Nanotechnology and Catalysis (NanoCat), University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

2017-01-15

Ceramic composite CdO–Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films have been deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates by aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) using a 1:1 mixture of cadmium complex, [Cd(dmae){sub 2}(OAc){sub 2}]·H{sub 2}O (1) (where dmae = 2-dimethylaminoethanolato and OAc = acetato), and diacetatomanganese (II). The phase purity, stoichiometry and thickness of the films were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infra-red (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV–Vis spectroscopy and profilometer. The FEG-SEM analysis illustrated that the morphology of the fabricated films was influenced by the type of solvent. The optical direct band gap of the film fabricated from THF solution was 1.95 eV. From the current–voltage characteristics it is evident that the CdO–Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} composite semiconductor electrode exhibits n-type behaviour and the photocurrent density was found to be dependent on the deposition medium. The film deposited from THF solution displayed maximum photocurrent density of 4.80 mA cm{sup −2} at 0.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl (∼1.23 V vs. RHE) in 0.5 M NaOH electrolyte. - Highlights: • Single crystal X-ray structure of [Cd(dmae){sub 2}(OAc){sub 2}]·H{sub 2}O (1). • CdO-Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} composite photoanode thin films. • Optical band gap of CdO-Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} photoanode. • Photoelectrochemical and EIS studies.

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of hemoglobin protein entrapped in graphene and chitosan composite film.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Huifeng; Dai, Hong; Chen, Guonan

2010-04-15

A novel, biocompatible sensing strategy based on graphene and chitosan composite film for immobilizing the hemoglobin protein was firstly adopted. The direct electron transfer and bioelectrocatalytic activity of hemoglobin after incorporation into the composite film were investigated. A pair of reversible redox waves of hemoglobin was appeared, and hemoglobin could exhibit its bioelectrocatalytic activity toward H(2)O(2) in a long term. Such results indicated that graphene and chitosan composite could be a friendly biocompatible interface for immobilizing biomolecules and keeping their native structure. Furthermore, the appearance of graphene in the composite film could facilitate the electron transfer between matrix and the electroactive center of hemoglobin. Hence, this graphene and chitosan based protocol would be a promising platform for protein immobilization and biosensor preparation. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Giant magnetoimpedance effect in sputtered single layered NiFe film and meander NiFe/Cu/NiFe film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, L.; Zhou, Y.; Lei, C.; Zhou, Z.M.; Ding, W.

2010-01-01

Giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect on NiFe thin film is very promising due to its application in developing the magnetic field sensors with highly sensitivity and low cost. In this paper, the single layered NiFe thin film and NiFe/Cu/NiFe thin film with a meander structure are prepared by the MEMS technology. The influences of sputtering parameters, film structure and conductor layer width on GMI effect in NiFe single layer and meander NiFe/Cu/NiFe film are investigated. Maximum of the GMI ratio in single layer and sandwich film is 5% and 64%, respectively. The results obtained are useful for developing the high-performance magnetic sensors based on NiFe thin film.

Photoluminescence and structural properties of CdSe quantum dot–gelatin composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borkovska, L., E-mail: bork@isp.kiev.ua [V. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductor Physics of NAS of Ukraine, Pr. Nauky 41, 03028 Kyiv (Ukraine); Korsunska, N.; Stara, T.; Gudymenko, O.; Kladko, V. [V. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductor Physics of NAS of Ukraine, Pr. Nauky 41, 03028 Kyiv (Ukraine); Stroyuk, O.; Raevskaya, A. [L. Pysarzhevsky Institute of Physical Chemistry of NAS of Ukraine, Pr. Nauky 31, 03028 Kyiv (Ukraine); Kryshtab, T. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional – ESFM, Av. IPN, Ed.9 U.P.A.L.M., 07738 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2014-11-15

Optical and structural properties of composite films of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) embedded in gelatin matrix have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The optical absorption of the composite in the visible spectral range is found to be determined mainly by light absorption in the QDs. The decrease of the film transparency and the shift of the absorption edge to lower energies observed upon thermal annealing of the films at 140–160 °C are ascribed to the formation of chromophore groups in gelatin matrix. XRD patterns of the composite revealed helix to coil transition in gelatin matrix under thermal annealing of the composite at 100–160 °C. It is found that PL spectra of the composite are dominated by exciton and defect-related emission of the QDs and also contain weak emission of gelatin matrix. It is found that thermal annealing of the composite at 100–160 °C changes PL intensity and produces the shift of the PL bands to lower energies. As the annealed composite was kept in air for several months, the shift of exciton-related PL band position restored partially and the PL intensity increased. It is proposed that the increase of the PL intensity upon the thermal annealing of composite at 140 °C can be used for enhancement of the QD-related PL. Changes that occurred in the PL spectra of composite are ascribed to structural and chemical transformations in gelatin matrix and at the QD/gelatin interface.

Antibacterial property of Ag nanoparticle-impregnated N-doped titania films under visible light

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ming-Show; Chen, Chun-Wei; Hsieh, Chia-Chun; Hung, Shih-Che; Sun, Der-Shan; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2015-07-01

Photocatalysts produce free radicals upon receiving light energy; thus, they possess antibacterial properties. Silver (Ag) is an antibacterial material that disrupts bacterial physiology. Our previous study reported that the high antibacterial property of silver nanoparticles on the surfaces of visible light-responsive nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalysts [TiO2(N)] could be further enhanced by visible light illumination. However, the major limitation of this Ag-TiO2 composite material is its durability; the antibacterial property decreased markedly after repeated use. To overcome this limitation, we developed TiO2(N)/Ag/TiO2(N) sandwich films in which the silver is embedded between two TiO2(N) layers. Various characteristics, including silver and nitrogen amounts, were examined in the composite materials. Various analyses, including electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum and methylene blue degradation rate analyses, were performed. The antibacterial properties of the composite materials were investigated. Here we revealed that the antibacterial durability of these thin films is substantially improved in both the dark and visible light, by which bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii, could be efficiently eliminated. This study demonstrated a feasible approach to improve the visible-light responsiveness and durability of antibacterial materials that contain silver nanoparticles impregnated in TiO2(N) films.

Wear Behavior of Cold Pressed and Sintered Al2O3/TiC/CaF2Al2O3/TiC Laminated Ceramic Composite

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xuefeng YANG; Jian CHENG; Peilong SONG; Shouren WANG; Liying YANG; Yanjun WANG; Ken MAO

2013-01-01

A novel laminated Al2O3/TiC/CaF2-Al2O3/TiC sandwich ceramic composite was fabricated through cold pressing and sintering to achieve better anti-wear performance,such as low friction coefficient and low wear rate.Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 and Al2O3/TiC composites were alternatively built layer-by-layer to obtain a sandwich structure.Solid lubricant CaF2 was added evenly into the Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 layer to reduce the friction and wear.Al2O3/TiC ceramic was also cold pressed and sintered for comparison.Friction analysis of the two ceramics was then conducted via a wear-and-tear machine.Worn surface and surface compositions were examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion spectrum,respectively.Results showed that the laminated Al2O3/TiC/CaF2-Al2O3/TiC sandwich ceramic composite has lower friction coefficient and lower wear rate than those of Al2O3/TiC ceramic alone because of the addition of CaF2 into the laminated Al2O3/TiC/CaF2-Al2O3/TiC sandwich ceramic composite.Under the friction load,the tiny CaF2 particles were scraped from the Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 layer and spread on friction pairs before falling off into micropits.This process formed a smooth,self-lubricating film,which led to better anti-wear properties.Adhesive wear is the main wear mechanism of Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 layer and abrasive wear is the main wear mechanism of Al2O3/TiC layer.

Methods of making copper selenium precursor compositions with a targeted copper selenide content and precursor compositions and thin films resulting therefrom

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Calvin J [Lakewood, CO; Miedaner, Alexander [Boulder, CO; van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria; Ginley, David S [Evergreen, CO; Leisch, Jennifer [Denver, CO; Taylor, Matthew [West Simsbury, CT; Stanbery, Billy J [Austin, TX

2011-09-20

Precursor compositions containing copper and selenium suitable for deposition on a substrate to form thin films suitable for semi-conductor applications. Methods of forming the precursor compositions using primary amine solvents and methods of forming the thin films wherein the selection of temperature and duration of heating controls the formation of a targeted species of copper selenide.

Preparation of pectin/silver nanoparticles composite films with UV-light barrier and properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Shiv; Tanomrod, Nattareya; Rawdkuen, Saroat; Rhim, Jong-Whan

2016-11-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was synthesized by a green method using an aqueous extract of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk (CMLE) as reducing and stabilizing agents, and they were used for the preparation of pectin-based antimicrobial composite films. The AgNPs were spherical in shape with the size in the range of 20-80nm and showed the absorption peak around 500nm. The pectin/AgNPs composite film exhibited characteristic absorption peak of AgNPs at 480nm. The surface color and light transmittance of the pectin films were greatly influenced by the addition of AgNPs. The lightness of the films decreased, however, redness and yellowness of the films increased after incorporation of AgNPs. UV-light barrier property of the pectin film increased significantly with a little decrease in the transparency. Though there were no structural changes in the pectin film by the incorporation of CMLE and AgNPs as indicated by the FTIR results, the film properties such as thermal stability, mechanical strength, and water vapor barrier properties of the pectin films increased. The pectin/AgNPs nanocomposite films exhibited strong antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blast protection of infrastructure using advanced composites

Science.gov (United States)

Brodsky, Evan

This research was a systematic investigation detailing the energy absorption mechanisms of an E-glass web core composite sandwich panel subjected to an impulse loading applied orthogonal to the facesheet. Key roles of the fiberglass and polyisocyanurate foam material were identified, characterized, and analyzed. A quasi-static test fixture was used to compressively load a unit cell web core specimen machined from the sandwich panel. The web and foam both exhibited non-linear stress-strain responses during axial compressive loading. Through several analyses, the composite web situated in the web core had failed in axial compression. Optimization studies were performed on the sandwich panel unit cell in order to maximize the energy absorption capabilities of the web core. Ultimately, a sandwich panel was designed to optimize the energy dissipation subjected to through-the-thickness compressive loading.

Advanced Mechanical Testing of Sandwich Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hayman, Brian; Berggreen, Christian; Jenstrup, Claus

2008-01-01

An advanced digital optical system has been used to measure surface strains on sandwich face and core specimens tested in a project concerned with improved criteria for designing sandwich X-joints. The face sheet specimens were of glass reinforced polyester and were tested in tension. The core sp...

Natural melanin composites by layer-by-layer assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Taesik; Shim, Bong Sub

2015-04-01

Melanin is an electrically conductive and biocompatible material, because their conjugated backbone structures provide conducting pathways from human skin, eyes, brain, and beyond. So there is a potential of using as materials for the neural interfaces and the implantable devices. Extracted from Sepia officinalis ink, our natural melanin was uniformly dispersed in mostly polar solvents such as water and alcohols. Then, the dispersed melanin was further fabricated to nano-thin layered composites by the layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technique. Combined with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the melanin nanoparticles behave as an LBL counterpart to from finely tuned nanostructured films. The LBL process can adjust the smart performances of the composites by varying the layering conditions and sandwich thickness. We further demonstrated the melanin loading degree of stacked layers, combination nanostructures, electrical properties, and biocompatibility of the resulting composites by UV-vis spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), multimeter, and in-vitro cell test of PC12, respectively.

New Poly(lactic acid) Active Packaging Composite Films Incorporated with Fungal Melanin

OpenAIRE

Łukasz Łopusiewicz; Filip Jędra; Małgorzata Mizielińska

2018-01-01

In this work, fungal melanin was used for the first time to prepare poly(lactic acid)-based composites. The films of various melanin concentrations (0.025%, 0.05% and 0.2% w/w) were prepared using an extrusion method. The mechanical, antioxidant, antimicrobial, water vapor and UV-Vis barrier properties, as well as available polyphenolics on the surface, were studied. FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy studies were carried out to analyze the chemical composition of the resulting films. The hydrophob...

Fabrication and Performance Study of Uniform Thin Film Integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The transmission line model of a uniform rectangular thin film R-C-KR structure consisting of a dielectric layer of constant per unit shunt capacitance C sandwiched between two resistive thin films of constant per unit length resistances R and KR has been analysed using the concept of matrix parameter functions. The above ...

Composite films based on biorelated agro-industrial waste and poly(vinyl alcohol). Preparation and mechanical properties characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiellini, E; Cinelli, P; Imam, S H; Mao, L

2001-01-01

As a part of an ongoing project on the production of composite materials based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and polymeric materials from renewable resources, the present paper reports on the incorporation of agricultural waste materials as organic fillers in a film matrix based on PVA as continuous phase. In this study lignocellulosic fibers byproducts, derived from sugar cane (SC) and apple (AP) and orange (OR) fruit juice extraction, were cast from PVA aqueous solutions. The effect of fiber type and composition on the relative properties of cast films was evaluated and compared. OR resulted to be suitable for blending in higher amounts by weight than SC and AP. Glycerol and urea were added as plasticizing agents and were observed to be effective in giving flexible films. Additionally, cornstarch was added to further increase the composition of polymers from renewable resources in cost-effective and ecoefficient composite film formulations. The prepared films resulted sensitive to moisture and water. To reduce water sensitivity, hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) was tested as a cross-linking agent for the present composite formulations. Cross-linked films exhibited significant improvement in water-resistance that can be taken as a tuneable structural feature for customized applications. The mechanical properties of the prepared composite films (elongation at break, tensile strength, Young modulus) were found to be dependent upon the nature and content of the filler and on environmental conditions.

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of PEDOT/PSS/Te composite films treated with H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Haijun; Cai, Kefeng, E-mail: kfcai@tongji.edu.cn [Tongji University, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Shen, Shirley [CSIRO Manufacturing (Australia)

2016-12-15

Firstly, tellurium (Te) nanorods with a high Seebeck coefficient have been integrated into a conducting polymer PEDOT/PSS to form PEDOT/PSS/Te composite films. The Seebeck coefficient of the PEDOT/PSS/Te (90 wt.%) composite films is ~191 μV/K, which is about 13 times greater than that of pristine PEDOT/PSS. Then, H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} treatment has been used to further tune the thermoelectric properties of the composite films by adjusting the doping level and increasing the carrier concentration. After the acid treatment, the electrical conductivity of the composite films has increased from 0.22 to 1613 S/cm due to the removal of insulating PSS and the structural rearrangement of PEDOT. An optimized power factor of 42.1 μW/mK{sup 2} has been obtained at room temperature for a PEDOT/PSS/Te (80 wt.%) sample, which is about ten times larger than that of the untreated PEDOT/PSS/Te composite film.

Effects of Two Different Cellulose Nanofiber Types on Properties of Poly(vinyl alcohol Composite Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kitti Yuwawech

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This work concerns a study on the effects of fiber types and content of cellulose nanofiber on mechanical, thermal, and optical properties polyvinyl alcohol (PVA composites. Two different types of cellulose nanofibers, which are nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC and bacterial cellulose (BC, were prepared under various mechanical treatment times and then incorporated into the PVA prior to the fabrication of composite films. It was found that tensile modulus of the PVA film increased with nanofibers content at the expense of its percentage elongation value. DSC thermograms indicate that percentage crystallinity of PVA increased after adding 2–4 wt% of the fibers. This contributed to the better mechanical properties of the composites. Tensile toughness values of the PVA/BC nanocomposite films were also superior to those of the PVA/NFC system containing the same fiber loading. SEM images of the composite films reveal that tensile fractured surface of PVA/BC experienced more ductile deformation than the PVA/NFC analogue. The above discrepancies were discussed in the light of differences between the two types of fibers in terms of diameter and their intrinsic properties. Lastly, percentage total visible light transmittance values of the PVA composite films were greater than 90%, regardless of the fiber type and content.

Polymer−metal organic framework composite films as affinity layer for capacitive sensor devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sachdeva, S.; Gravesteijn, Dirk J; Soccol, D.; Kapteijn, F.; Sudhölter, E.J.R.; Gascon, J.; Smet, de L.C.P.M.

2016-01-01

We report a simple method for sensor development using polymer-MOF composite films. Nanoparticles of NH2-MIL-53(Al) dispersed in a Matrimid polyimide were applied as a thin film on top of capacitive sensor devices with planar electrodes. These drop-cast films act as an affinity layer. Sensing

Polymer-metal organic framework composite films as affinity layer for capacitive sensor devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sachdeva, Sumit; Soccol, Dimitri; Gravesteijn, Dirk J.; Kapteijn, Freek; Sudhölter, E.J.R.; Gascon, Jorge; Smet, de L.C.P.M.

2016-01-01

We report a simple method for sensor development using polymer-
MOF composite films. Nanoparticles of NH2-MIL-53(Al) dispersed in a Matrimid
polyimide were applied as a thin film on top of capacitive sensor devices with planar electrodes. These drop-cast films act as an affinity layer.

Architecture effects of glucose oxidase/Au nanoparticle composite Langmuir-Blodgett films on glucose sensing performance

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ke-Hsuan; Wu, Jau-Yann; Chen, Liang-Huei; Lee, Yuh-Lang

2016-03-01

The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition technique is employed to prepare nano-composite films consisting of glucose oxidase (GOx) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for glucose sensing applications. The GOx and AuNPs are co-adsorbed from an aqueous solution onto an air/liquid interface in the presence of an octadecylamine (ODA) template monolayer, forming a mixed (GOx-AuNP) monolayer. Alternatively, a composite film with a cascade architecture (AuNP/GOx) is also prepared by sequentially depositing monolayers of AuNPs and GOx. The architecture effects of the composite LB films on the glucose sensing are studied. The results show that the presence of AuNPs in the co-adsorption system does not affect the adsorption amount and preferred conformation (α-helix) of GOx. Furthermore, the incorporation of AuNPs in both composite films can significantly improve the sensing performance. However, the enhancement effects of the AuNPs in the two architectures are distinct. The major effect of the AuNPs is on the facilitation of charge-transfer in the (GOx-AuNP) film, but on the increase of catalytic activity in the (AuNP/GOx) one. Therefore, the sensing performance can be greatly improved by utilizing a film combining both architectures (AuNP/GOx-AuNP).

A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube film as a high performance electrode material for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiangjun, Lu [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yudao Street 29, Nanjing 210016, Jiangsu (China); Dou Hui, E-mail: dh_msc@nuaa.edu.cn [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yudao Street 29, Nanjing 210016, Jiangsu (China); Bo, Gao [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yudao Street 29, Nanjing 210016, Jiangsu (China); Changzhou, Yuan [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243002 (China); Yang, Sudong; Liang, Hao; Laifa, Shen [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yudao Street 29, Nanjing 210016, Jiangsu (China); Zhang Xiaogang, E-mail: azhangxg@nuaa.edu.cn [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yudao Street 29, Nanjing 210016, Jiangsu (China)

2011-05-30

Highlights: > A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube (GN/MWCNT) film fabricated by flow-directed assembly and hydrazine to reduce. > The MWCNTs in the obtained composite film not only efficiently increase the basal spacing but also bridge the defects for electron transfer between GN sheets. > The freestanding GN/MWCNT film has a potential application in flexible energy storage devices. - Abstract: A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube (GN/MWCNT) film has been fabricated by flow-directed assembly from a complex dispersion of graphite oxide (GO) and pristine MWCNTs followed by the use of gas-based hydrazine to reduce the GO into GN sheets. The GN/MWCNT (16 wt.% MWCNTs) film characterized by Fourier transformation infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope has a layered structure with MWCNTs uniformly sandwiched between the GN sheets. The MWCNTs in the obtained composite film not only efficiently increase the basal spacing but also bridge the defects for electron transfer between GN sheets, increasing electrolyte/electrode contact area and facilitating transportation of electrolyte ion and electron into the inner region of electrode. Electrochemical data demonstrate that the GN/MWCNT film possesses a specific capacitance of 265 F g{sup -1} at 0.1 A g{sup -1} and a good rate capability (49% capacity retention at 50 A g{sup -1}), and displays an excellent specific capacitance retention of 97% after 2000 continuous charge/discharge cycles. The results of electrochemical measurements indicate that the freestanding GN/MWCNT film has a potential application in flexible energy storage devices.

A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube film as a high performance electrode material for supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xiangjun; Dou Hui; Gao Bo; Yuan Changzhou; Yang, Sudong; Hao Liang; Shen Laifa; Zhang Xiaogang

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube (GN/MWCNT) film fabricated by flow-directed assembly and hydrazine to reduce. → The MWCNTs in the obtained composite film not only efficiently increase the basal spacing but also bridge the defects for electron transfer between GN sheets. → The freestanding GN/MWCNT film has a potential application in flexible energy storage devices. - Abstract: A flexible graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube (GN/MWCNT) film has been fabricated by flow-directed assembly from a complex dispersion of graphite oxide (GO) and pristine MWCNTs followed by the use of gas-based hydrazine to reduce the GO into GN sheets. The GN/MWCNT (16 wt.% MWCNTs) film characterized by Fourier transformation infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope has a layered structure with MWCNTs uniformly sandwiched between the GN sheets. The MWCNTs in the obtained composite film not only efficiently increase the basal spacing but also bridge the defects for electron transfer between GN sheets, increasing electrolyte/electrode contact area and facilitating transportation of electrolyte ion and electron into the inner region of electrode. Electrochemical data demonstrate that the GN/MWCNT film possesses a specific capacitance of 265 F g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 and a good rate capability (49% capacity retention at 50 A g -1 ), and displays an excellent specific capacitance retention of 97% after 2000 continuous charge/discharge cycles. The results of electrochemical measurements indicate that the freestanding GN/MWCNT film has a potential application in flexible energy storage devices.

RF and microwave noise suppression in a transmission line using Fe-Si-Al/Ni-Zn magnetic composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. W.; Hong, Y. K.; Kim, K.; Joo, J.; Yoon, Y. W.; Kim, S. W.; Kim, Y. B.; Kim, K. Y.

2006-01-01

Radio-frequency (RF) and microwave noise suppression by using magnetic composite films on a microstrip line (MSL) was studied in the frequency range from 50 MHz to 13.5 GHz. The MSL was composed of a Cu transmission line, dielectric materials, and a Cu substrate. The Fe-Si-Al/Ni-Zn magnetic composite films were placed on the MSL, and the reflection and the transmission characteristics were investigated. We observed that RF and microwave noise suppression caused by the Fe-Si-Al/Ni-Zn magnetic composite films varied with the concentration ratio of the sendust (Fe-Si-Al) and the Ni-Zn ferrite. The frequency dependence of the power loss due to the composite films on the MSL was measured and the power loss increased at higher frequencies with increasing concentration of the sendust in the composites. The electromagnetic interference shielding efficiencies of the magnetic composite films in the far-field region are also discussed.

New Poly(lactic acid Active Packaging Composite Films Incorporated with Fungal Melanin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Łukasz Łopusiewicz

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this work, fungal melanin was used for the first time to prepare poly(lactic acid-based composites. The films of various melanin concentrations (0.025%, 0.05% and 0.2% w/w were prepared using an extrusion method. The mechanical, antioxidant, antimicrobial, water vapor and UV-Vis barrier properties, as well as available polyphenolics on the surface, were studied. FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy studies were carried out to analyze the chemical composition of the resulting films. The hydrophobicity, color response, thermal, optical properties, and opacity values were also determined. The results of this study show that the addition of fungal melanin to poly(lactic acid (PLA as a modifier influenced mechanical and water vapor barrier properties depending on melanin concentration. In low concentration, melanin enhanced the mechanical and barrier properties of the modified films, but in larger amounts, the properties were decreased. The UV-Vis barrier properties of PLA/melanin composites were marginally improved. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC analysis indicated that crystallinity of PLA increased by the addition of melanin, but this did not affect the thermal stability of the films. Modified PLA/melanin films showed good antioxidant activity and were active against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. The addition of melanin caused changes in color values, decreasing lightness and increasing the redness and yellowness of films. Based on the results of this study, fungal melanin has good potential to be exploited as a value-added modifier that can improve the overall properties of PLA.

Sandwich morphology and superior dye-removal performances for nanofiltration membranes self-assemblied via graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hui; Shi, Jie; Liu, Liyan; Shan, Mingjing; Xu, Zhiwei; Li, Nan; Li, Jing; Lv, Hanming; Qian, Xiaoming; Zhao, Lihuan

2018-01-01

To tune interlayer spacing, regulate water channel and improve stability of composite membrane, graphene oxide (GO) and oxidized carbon nanotubes (OCNTs) were assembled alternately to form sandwich morphology on a polyacrylonitrile substrate by layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. Polyelectrolyte played a part in cross-linking between GO and OCNTs. The effects about concentration ratio of GO and OCNTs on nanofiltration performance were investigated in detail. The composite membrane was used for dye rejection. When composite membrane with concentration ratio of GO and OCNTs was 10:1, water flux and rejection rate for methyl blue reached 21.71 L/(m2 h) and 99.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, this composite membrane had higher flux compared with reported literatures in which rejection also reached up to 99%. When concentration ratio of composite membranes about GO and OCNTs were 10:1 and 15:1, dye rejection for methyl blue remained 99.3% and 99.6% respectively after operating time of 50 h. Irreversible fouling ratio of composite membrane in a concentration ratio of 10:1 was only 4.4%, indicating that composite membrane had excellent antifouling performance for Bovine Serum Albumin. It was speculated that proper distribution of OCNTs in the sandwich morphology formed proper support points and water channels which benefited for a more stable performance.

Enhancement in the microstructure and neutron shielding efficiency of sandwich type of 6061Al–B4C composite material via hot isostatic pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jin-Ju; Hong, Sung-Mo; Lee, Min-Ku; Rhee, Chang-Kyu; Rhee, Won-Hyuk

2015-01-01

Highlights: • 6061Al–B 4 C neutron shielding composites are fabricated by sintering and HIP. • HIP process improves the wettability of B 4 C particles into 6061Al matrix. • Neutron attenuation performance can be enhanced by application of HIP process. - Abstract: Sandwich type of 6061Al–B 4 C composite plates, which are used as a thermal neutron absorber for spent nuclear fuel pool storage rack, were fabricated using two different consolidation ways as sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) processes and their thermal neutron shielding efficiency was investigated as a function of B 4 C concentration ranging from 0 to 40 wt.%. For this purpose, two respective inner core compaction parts of sintered and HIPped neutron absorbing composite materials were first produced and then cladded them between two outer plates by HIP process. The application of HIP process provided not only a lead of excellent interfacial adhesion due to the improved wettability but also an enhancement of thermal neutron shielding efficiency owing to the more uniform dispersion of B 4 C particles

The electrochemical synthesis of polyaniline/polysulfone composite films and electrocatalytic activity for ascorbic acid oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Zhongai; Shang Xiuli; Yang Yuying; Kong Chao; Wu Hongying

2006-01-01

Polyaniline (PANI)/polysulfone (PSF) composite films with asymmetric porous structure were successfully prepared by electropolymerization. The back face (in contact with the electrode) of the freestanding composite film is green while the outer face is white. The chemical component and the morphology of the surfaces were characterized by FTIR spectra and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. It was shown that replicate films gave reproducible voltammetry in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 . The influence of the electrolyte and the acidic concentration on the redox peak currents of polyaniline were investigated in detail. The composite film electrode showed good electrocatalytic activity for ascorbic acid, which the anodic overpotential was evidently reduced compared with that obtained at bare Pt electrode. The diffusion coefficient of ascorbic acid was 1.38 x 10 -6 cm 2 s -1

Thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched aerated lightweight concrete panel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, Soon-Ching; Low, Kaw-Sai [Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan (Malaysia)

2010-12-15

Investigation on the thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched aerated lightweight concrete (ALC) panels is the main purpose of this study. Various densities of ALC panels ranging from 1700, 1400 and 1100 kg/m{sup 3} with three different aerial intensities of newspaper sandwiched were produced. Investigation was limited to the effect of aerial intensity of newspaper sandwiched and the effect of density of ALC on thermal conductivity. It is found that the thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched ALC panels reduced remarkably compared to control ALC panels. The reduction was recorded at 18.0%, 21.8% and 20.7% correspond to densities of 1700, 1400 and 1100 kg/m{sup 3} with just a mere 0.05 g/cm{sup 2} aerial intensity of newspaper sandwiched. Newspaper sandwiched has a significant impact on the performance of thermal conductivity of ALC panels based on regression analysis. (author)

Optical Properties and Surface Morphology of Nano-composite PMMA: TiO2 Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyly Nyl Ismail; Ahmad Fairoz Aziz; Habibah Zulkefle

2011-01-01

There are two nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 solutions were prepared in this research. First solution is nano-composite PMMA commercially available TiO 2 nanopowder and the second solution is nano-composite PMMA with self-prepared TiO 2 powder. The self-prepared TiO 2 powder is obtained by preparing the TiO 2 sol-gel. Solvo thermal method were used to dry the TiO 2 sol-gel and obtained TiO 2 crystal. Ball millers were used to grind the TiO 2 crystal in order to obtained nano sized powder. Triton-X was used as surfactant to stabilizer the composite between PMMA: TiO 2 . Besides comparing the nano-composite solution, we also studied the effect of the thin films thickness on the optical properties and surface morphology of the thin films. The thin films were deposited by sol-gel spin coating method on glass substrates. The optical properties and surface characterization were measured with UV-VIS spectrometer equipment and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The result showed that nano-composite PMMA with self prepared TiO 2 give high optical transparency than nano-composite PMMA with commercially available TiO 2 nano powder. The results also indicate as the thickness is increased the optical transparency are decreased. Both AFM images showed that the agglomerations of TiO 2 particles are occurred on the thin films and the surface roughness is increased when the thickness is increased. High agglomeration particles exist in the AFM images for nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 with TiO 2 nano powder compare to the other nano-composite solution. (author)

Predicting safe sandwich production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birk, Tina; Duan, Zhi; Møller, Cleide Oliveira de Almeida

2014-01-01

Time and temperature control is crucial to avoid growth of pathogens during production and serving of cold ready-to-eat meals. The Danish guidelines state that chilled foods, such as sandwiches, should not be outside the cold chain for more than 3 hours including the time for preparation...... and serving. However, Danish sandwich producing companies find it challenging to comply with this and have expressed a need for more flexibility. The Danish guidelines do allow for a prolongation of the acceptable time outside the cold chain, if the safety of the specific production can be documented...

Effects of copolymer composition, film thickness, and solvent vapor annealing time on dewetting of ultrathin block copolymer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Changchun; Wen, Gangyao; Li, Jingdan; Wu, Tao; Wang, Lina; Xue, Feifei; Li, Hongfei; Shi, Tongfei

2016-09-15

Effects of copolymer composition, film thickness, and solvent vapor annealing time on dewetting of spin-coated polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) films (dewetting of the films with different thicknesses occur via the spinodal dewetting and the nucleation and growth mechanisms, respectively. The PS-b-PMMA films rupture into droplets which first coalesce into large ones to reduce the surface free energy. Then the large droplets rupture into small ones to increase the contact area between PMMA blocks and acetone molecules resulting from ultimate migration of PMMA blocks to droplet surface, which is a novel dewetting process observed in spin-coated films for the first time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional Poly(2,5-benzimidazole)/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Multifunctional Poly(2,5- benzimidazole )/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films JI-YE KANG,1 SOO-MI EO,1 IN-YUP JEON,1 YEONG SUK CHOI,2 LOON-SENG TAN,3 JONG...molecular-weight poly(2,5- benzimidazole ) (ABPBI). ABPBI/carbon nanotube (CNT) compo- sites were prepared via in situ polymerization of the AB-monomer in the...polymerization; multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT); nano- composites; poly(2,5- benzimidazole ); (ABPBI); polycondensa- tion; poly(phosphoric acid); single-walled

Fabrication of high conductivity dual multi-porous poly (L-lactic acid)/polypyrrole composite micro/nanofiber film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Qiaozhen; Dai Zhengwei; Lan Ping

2011-01-01

Highlights: → PLLA/H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy composite micro/nano fibers dual multi-pore membranes with high conductivity were fabricated by combining electrospinning with in situ polymerization.These composite fibers have a core-shell structure, the PPy is the core and the PLLA/PPy is the shell. → The size and shape of the pores in this PPy composite fiber membrane can be tuned by polymerization parameters. The largest size of the pores is about 250 μm. → The conductivity of this composite fiber membrane can be adjusted by polymerization parameters. The highest conductivity is 179.0 S cm -1 . The PLLA fibers act as the template in the pyrrole polymerization process and contributed to the increase of the conductivity. - Abstract: Dual multi-porous PLLA (poly(L-lactic acid))/H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy (polypyrrole) composite micro/nano fiber films were fabricated by combining electrospinning with in situ polymerization. The morphologies and structures of the resulting samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the composite micro/nano fibers exhibited a core-shell structure and the composite fiber film had a dual multi-pore structure composed of pores both in the fibers and among the fibers. Semiconductor parameter analyzer was used to characterize the electrical properties of the samples. It was interesting to find that all the PLLA/H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy composite micro/nano fiber films had higher conductivity than H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy particles when the polymerization time up to 180 min. Effects of the pyrrole synthesis conditions on the pore size and the conductivity of PLLA/PPy composite fiber film were assessed. By optimizing the polymerization conditions, the max conductivity of this composite fiber film was about 179.0 S cm -1 with a pore size of about 250 μm. The possible mechanism of PLLA/H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy composite micro/nano fiber films had much higher conductivity than H 2 SO 4 -doped PPy particles was discussed.

Probing the phase composition of silicon films in situ by etch product detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dingemans, G.; Donker, M. N. van den; Gordijn, A.; Kessels, W. M. M.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de

2007-01-01

Exploiting the higher etch probability for amorphous silicon relative to crystalline silicon, the transiently evolving phase composition of silicon films in the microcrystalline growth regime was probed in situ by monitoring the etch product (SiH 4 ) gas density during a short H 2 plasma treatment step. Etch product detection took place by the easy-to-implement techniques of optical emission spectroscopy and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The phase composition of the films was probed as a function of the SiH 4 concentration during deposition and as a function of the film thickness. The in situ results were corroborated by Raman spectroscopy and solar cell analysis

Synthesis, Structural, Optical and Dielectric Properties of Nanostructured 0-3 PZT/PVDF Composite Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Revathi, S; Kennedy, L John; Basha, S K Khadheer; Padmanabhan, R

2018-07-01

Nanostructured PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) powder was synthesized at 500 °C-800 °C using sol-gel route. X-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis confirmed the formation of perovskite structure. The sample heat treated at 800 °C alone showed the formation of morphotropic phase boundary with coexistence of tetragonal and rhombohedral phase. The PZT powder and PVDF were used in 0-3 connectivity to form the PZT/PVDF composite film using solvent casting method. The composite films containing 10%, 50%, 70% and 80% volume fraction of PZT in PVDF were fabricated. The XRD spectra validated that the PZT structure remains unaltered in the composites and was not affected by the presence of PVDF. The scanning electron microscopy images show good degree of dispersion of PZT in PVDF matrix and the formation of pores at higher PZT loading. The quantitative analysis of elements and their composition were confirmed from energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The optical band gap of the PVDF film is 3.3 eV and the band gap decreased with increase in volume fraction of PZT fillers. The FTIR spectra showed the bands corresponding to different phases of PVDF (α, β, γ) and perovskite phase of PZT. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that PZT/PVDF composite films showed better thermal stability than the pure PVDF film and hydrophobicity. The dielectric constant was measured at frequency ranging from 1 Hz to 6 MHz and for temperature ranging from room temperature to 150 °C. The composite with 50% PZT filler loading shows the maximum dielectric constant at the studied frequency and temperature range with flexibility.

Enhancement of Moisture Protective Properties and Stability of Pectin through Formation of a Composite Film: Effects of Shellac and Plasticizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Luangtana-Anan, Manee; Soradech, Sitthiphong; Saengsod, Suthep; Nunthanid, Jurairat; Limmatvapirat, Sontaya

2017-12-01

The aim of this investigation was to develop the high moisture protective ability and stable pectin through the design of composite films based on varying shellac concentrations. A film casting method was applied to prepare a free film. The moisture protective properties and mechanical properties were investigated. The findings was the composite films exhibited the reductions in the hydrophilicity, water vapor permeability, and the moisture content compared with pectin films. The single and composite films were then study for their stability at 40 °C and 75% RH for 90 d. Among the concentrations of shellac, 50% (w/w) could improve stability in terms of moisture protection after 90 d of storage, whereas lower concentrations of shellac (10% to 40%) could not achieve this. However, the higher shellac content also contributed to weaker mechanical properties. The mechanical improvement and stability of composite films with the incorporation of plasticizers were further investigated. Polyethylene glycol 400 and diethyl phthalate at a concentration of 10% were used. The results indicated that both plasticizers could enhance the mechanical characteristics and had a slight effect on moisture protection. The stability of pectin in terms of moisture protective properties could, therefore, be modified through the fabrication of composite films with hydrophobic polymers, that is, shellac and the addition of proper plasticizers to enhance mechanical properties, which could offer wide applications for edible film in food, agro, and pharmaceutical industries. The composite film with 50% shellac could improve moisture protective properties of pectin film. Adding a plasticizer could build up the higher mechanical characteristics of composite film. Stability of pectin could be modified by fabrication of composite films with proper content of shellac and plasticizer. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Photocatalytic properties of P25-doped TiO2 composite film synthesized via sol-gel method on cement substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiang; Rao, Lei; Wang, Peifang; Wang, Chao; Ao, Yanhui; Jiang, Tao; Wang, Wanzhong

2018-04-01

TiO 2 films have received increasing attention for the removal of organic pollutants via photocatalysis. To develop a simple and effective method for improving the photodegradation efficiency of pollutants in surface water, we herein examined the preparation of a P25-TiO 2 composite film on a cement substrate via a sol-gel method. In this case, Rhodamine B (RhB) was employed as the target organic pollutant. The self-generated TiO 2 film and the P25-TiO 2 composite film were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption/desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photodegradation efficiencies of the two films were studied by RhB removal in water under UV (ultraviolet) irradiation. Over 4day exposure, the P25-TiO 2 composite film exhibited higher photocatalytic performance than the self-generated TiO 2 film. The photodegradation rate indicated that the efficiency of the P25-TiO 2 composite film was enhanced by the addition of the rutile phase Degussa P25 powder. As such, cooperation between the anatase TiO 2 and rutile P25 nanoparticles was beneficial for separation of the photo-induced electrons and holes. In addition, the influence of P25 doping on the P25-TiO 2 composite films was evaluated. We found that up to a certain saturation point, increased doping enhanced the photodegradation ability of the composite film. Thus, we herein demonstrated that the doping of P25 powders is a simple but effective strategy to prepare a P25-TiO 2 composite film on a cement substrate, and the resulting film exhibits excellent removal efficiency in the degradation of organic pollutants. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Towards Enhanced Performance Thin-film Composite Membranes via Surface Plasma Modification

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Rackel; Dumée, Ludovic F.; Tardy, Blaise L.; Dagastine, Raymond; Orbell, John D.; Schutz, Jürg A.; Duke, Mikel C.

2016-01-01

Advancing the design of thin-film composite membrane surfaces is one of the most promising pathways to deal with treating varying water qualities and increase their long-term stability and permeability. Although plasma technologies have been explored for surface modification of bulk micro and ultrafiltration membrane materials, the modification of thin film composite membranes is yet to be systematically investigated. Here, the performance of commercial thin-film composite desalination membranes has been significantly enhanced by rapid and facile, low pressure, argon plasma activation. Pressure driven water desalination tests showed that at low power density, flux was improved by 22% without compromising salt rejection. Various plasma durations and excitation powers have been systematically evaluated to assess the impact of plasma glow reactions on the physico-chemical properties of these materials associated with permeability. With increasing power density, plasma treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the surfaces, where water contact angles decreasing by 70% were strongly correlated with increased negative charge and smooth uniform surface morphology. These results highlight a versatile chemical modification technique for post-treatment of commercial membrane products that provides uniform morphology and chemically altered surface properties. PMID:27363670

Active metal brazing of titanium to high-conductivity carbon-based sandwich structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, M.; Morscher, Gregory N.; Shpargel, Tarah P.; Asthana, Rajiv

2008-01-01

Reactive brazing technology was developed and processing parameters were optimized for the bonding of titanium tubes, graphite foam, and high-conductivity carbon-carbon composite face sheets using the active braze Cusil-ABA paste and foils. The microstructure and composition of the joints, examined using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, showed good bonding and braze penetration in all systems when braze paste was used. The hardness values of the brazed joints were consistent for the different specimen stacking configurations. Mechanical testing of Ti tube/foam/C-C composite structures both in tension and shear showed that failure always occurred in the foam material demonstrating that the brazed joint was sufficient for these types of sandwich structures

Study on Photoelectric Properties of Composite Films of Graphene/Ti02 Nanorods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JIN　Guo-li

2017-02-01

Full Text Available TiOZ nanorods have large specific surface area and the ability of directional transmission electron， based on which can reduce recombination probability of light-generated electrons and holes，and improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSC. As graphene has low resistivity，good stability and excellent transparency，it can be introduced into anode film to improve the electronic transmission. The TiOZ nanorods were prepared by hydrothermal method，mixed with different quality of graphene. Its length range was 200-300 nm，with a diameter of about 20 nm. The porous graphene/TiOZ nanorods composite film were prepared by using electro- hydrodynamic technique(EHDand compositing TiOZ nanorods with different quality of grapheme. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSC device prepared with the photo-anode film with graphene mass content of 3 % was 4. 23 %，the photoelectric conversion efficiency increased by 36%，relative to that of no graphene doped TiOZ nanorods photo-anode film.

Application and Analysis of Sandwich Elements in the Primary Structure of Large Wind Turbine Blades

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berggreen, Christian; Branner, Kim; Jensen, Jacob Fisker

2007-01-01

The present work studies the advantages of applying a sandwich construction as opposed to traditional single skin composites in the flanges of a load carrying spar in a future 180 m wind turbine rotor. A parametric finite element model is used to analyze two basic designs with single skin...

Fabrication of sandwich-type MgB{sub 2}/Boron/MgB{sub 2} Josephson junctions with rapid annealing method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Song; Wang, Xu; Ma, Junli; Cui, Ruirui; Deng, Chaoyong, E-mail: cydeng@gzu.edu.cn

2015-11-15

Sandwich-type MgB{sub 2}/Boron/MgB{sub 2} Josephson junctions were fabricated using magnetron sputtering system. The rapid-anneal process was adopted to replace traditional way of annealing, trying to solve the problem of interdiffusion and oxidation with multilayer films. The boron film was used as barrier layer to avoid the introduction of impurities and improve reproducibility of the junctions. The bottom MgB{sub 2} thin films deposited on c-plane sapphire substrate exhibits a critical temperature T{sub C} of 37.5 K and critical current density J{sub C} at 5 K of 8.7 × 10{sup 6} A cm{sup −2}. From the XRD pattern, the bottom MgB{sub 2} thin film shows c-axis orientation, whereas the top MgB{sub 2} became polycrystalline as Boron barrier layer grown thicker. Therefore, all junction samples show lower T{sub C} than single MgB{sub 2} thin film. The junctions exhibit excellent quasiparticle characteristics with ideal dependence on temperature and Boron barrier thickness. Subharmonic gap structure was appeared in conductance characteristics, which was attributed to the multiple Andreev reflections (MAR). The result demonstrates great promise of this new fabrication technology for MgB{sub 2} Josephson junction fabrication. - Highlights: • Sandwich-type MgB{sub 2}/Boron/MgB{sub 2} Josephson junctions were fabricated. • The junctions were annealed after deposition with the rapid-anneal process. • The highest critical current is 25.3 mA at 5 K and remains non-zero near 25 K. • Subharmonic gap features can be observed in the dI/dV – V curves.

Josephson tunnel junctions in niobium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiik, Tapio.

1976-12-01

A method of fabricating stable Josephson tunnel junctions with reproducible characteristics is described. The junctions have a sandwich structure consisting of a vacuum evaporated niobium film, a niobium oxide layer produced by the glow discharge method and a lead film deposited by vacuum evaporation. Difficulties in producing thin-film Josephson junctions are discussed. Experimental results suggest that the lower critical field of the niobium film is the most essential parameter when evaluating the quality of these junctions. The dependence of the lower critical field on the film thickness and on the Ginzburg-Landau parameter of the film is studied analytically. Comparison with the properties of the evaporated films and with the previous calculations for bulk specimens shows that the presented model is applicable for most of the prepared samples. (author)

Production of porous PTFE-Ag composite thin films by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kecskeméti, Gabriella; Hopp, Béla; Smausz, Tomi; Tóth, Zsolt; Szabó, Gábor

2012-01-01

The suitability of pulsed laser deposition technique for preparation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and silver (Ag) composite thin films was demonstrated. Disk-shaped targets combined from silver and Teflon with various percentages were ablated with pulses of an ArF excimer laser. The chemical composition of the deposited layers was estimated based on deposition rates determined for the pure PTFE and Ag films. EDX and SEM analyses using secondary electron and backscattered electron images proved that the morphology of the layers is determined by the PTFE which is the main constituent and it is transferred mostly in form of grains and clusters forming a sponge-like structure with high specific surface. The Ag content is distributed over the surface of the PTFE structure. Contact angle measurements showed that with increasing the amount of Ag in the deposited layers the surface significantly enhanced the wetting properties. Conductivity experiments demonstrated that when the average silver content of the layers was increased from 0.16 to 3.28 wt% the resistance of our PTFE-Ag composite films decreased with about three orders of magnitudes (from ∼10 MΩ to ∼10 kΩ). The properties of these films suggest as being a good candidate for future electrochemical sensor applications.

Luminescence study of ZnSe/PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) composite film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lahariya, Vikas [Amity School of Applied Science, Amity University Haryana Panchgaon, Manesar, Haryana 122413 (India)

2016-05-06