WorldWideScience

Sample records for high performance thermoplastic

  1. High performance thermoplastics: A review of neat resin and composite properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Norman J.; Hergenrother, Paul M.

    1987-01-01

    A review was made of the principal thermoplastics used to fabricate high performance composites. Neat resin tensile and fracture toughness properties, glass transition temperatures (Tg), crystalline melt temperatures (Tm) and approximate processing conditions are presented. Mechanical properties of carbon fiber composites made from many of these thermoplastics are given, including flexural, longitudinal tensile, transverse tensile and in-plane shear properties as well as short beam shear and compressive strengths and interlaminar fracture toughness. Attractive features and problems involved in the use of thermo-plastics as matrices for high performance composites are discussed.

  2. High performance thermoplastics - A review of neat resin and composite properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Norman J.; Hergenrother, Paul M.

    1987-01-01

    A review was made of the principal thermoplastics used to fabricate high performance composites. Neat resin tensile and fracture toughness properties, glass transition temperatures (Tg), crystalline melt temperatures (Tm) and approximate processing conditions are presented. Mechanical properties of carbon fiber composites made from many of these thermoplastics are given, including flexural, longitudinal tensile, transverse tensile and in-plane shear properties as well as short beam shear and compressive strengths and interlaminar fracture toughness.

  3. Crosslinking of thermoplastic composites using electron beam radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strong, A.B.; Black, S.R.; Bryce, G.R.; Olcott, D.D.

    1991-01-01

    The crosslinking of thermoset materials has been clearly demonstrated to improve many desirable physical and chemical properties for composite applications. While thermoplastic resins also offer many advantages for composite applications, they are not crosslinked and, therefore, may not meet the same property criteria as crosslinked thermosets. Electron beams have been used successfully for crosslinking non-reinforced thermoplastic materials. Electron beams have also been used for curing composite thermoset materials. This research utilizes electron beams to crosslink high performance thermoplastic composite materials (PEEK and PPS with glass and carbon fibers). The tensile strength and tensile modulus are compared under various crosslinking conditions. The method is found to have some advantages in potentially improving physical properties of thermoplastic composite materials

  4. Thermoplastic starch materials prepared from rice starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pontes, Barbara R.B.; Curvelo, Antonio A.S.

    2009-01-01

    Rice starch is a source still little studied for the preparation of thermoplastic materials. However, its characteristics, such as the presence of proteins, fats and fibers may turn into thermoplastics with a better performance. The present study intends the evaluation of the viability of making starch thermoplastic from rice starch and glycerol as plasticizer. The results of X-ray diffraction and scanning electronic microscopy demonstrate the thermoplastic acquisition. The increase of plasticizer content brings on more hydrophilic thermoplastics with less resistance to tension and elongation at break. (author)

  5. Compression molding of chopped woven thermoplastic composite flakes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abdul Rasheed, Mohammed Iqbal

    2016-01-01

    Continuous fiber reinforced composites with high-performance thermoplastic polymer matrices have an enormous potential in terms of performance, production rate, cost efficiency and recyclability. The use of this relatively new class of materials by the aerospace and automotive industry has been

  6. Continuous Natural Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites by Fiber Surface Modification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patcharat Wongsriraksa

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Continuous natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials are expected to replace inorganic fiber reinforced thermosetting materials. However, in the process of fabricating the composite, it is difficult to impregnate the thermoplastic resin into reinforcement fiber because of the high melt viscosity. Therefore, intermediate material, which allows high impregnation during molding, has been investigated for fabricating continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite by aligning resin fiber alongside reinforcing fiber with braiding technique. This intermediate material has been called “microbraid yarn (MBY.” Moreover, it is well known that the interfacial properties between natural fiber and resin are low; therefore, surface treatment on continuous natural fiber was performed by using polyurethane (PU and flexible epoxy (FLEX to improve the interfacial properties. The effect of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of continuous natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites was examined. From these results, it was suggested that surface treatment by PU with low content could produce composites with better mechanical properties.

  7. Properties and performance of flax yarn/thermoplastic polyester composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Bo; Mehmood, Shahid

    2012-01-01

    Aiming at demonstrating the potential of unidirectional natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites in structural applications, textile flax yarn/thermoplastic polyester composites with variable fiber volume fractions have been manufactured by a filament-winding process followed by a vacuum......-assisted compression molding process. The microstructure of the composites shows that the flax fiber yarns are well impregnated by the polyester matrix, and this supports the measured low porosity content of the composites. The experimental tensile modulus and ultimate tensile stress of the composites in the axial...

  8. A Simple Thermoplastic Substrate Containing Hierarchical Silica Lamellae for High-Molecular-Weight DNA Extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ye; Zhang, Yi; Burke, Jeffrey M; Gleitsman, Kristin; Friedrich, Sarah M; Liu, Kelvin J; Wang, Tza-Huei

    2016-12-01

    An inexpensive, magnetic thermoplastic nanomaterial is developed utilizing a hierarchical layering of micro- and nanoscale silica lamellae to create a high-surface-area and low-shear substrate capable of capturing vast amounts of ultrahigh-molecular-weight DNA. Extraction is performed via a simple 45 min process and is capable of achieving binding capacities up to 1 000 000 times greater than silica microparticles. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Helium High Pressure Tanks at EADS Space Transportation New Technology with Thermoplastic Liner

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Benedic, Fabien; Leard, Jean-Philippe; Lefloch, Christian

    2005-01-01

    .... In order to achieve the new target prices, a new disruptive technology has been performing for several years in using a thermoplastic liner instead the usual expensive concept of metallic forged liner...

  10. Coefficient of Friction Measurements for Thermoplastics and Fibre Composites Under Low Sliding Velocity and High Pressure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulios, Konstantinos; Svendsen, Gustav Winther; Hiller, Jochen

    2013-01-01

    that friction materials which are untypical for brake applications, like thermoplastics and fibre composites, can offer superior performance in terms of braking torque, wear resistance and cost than typical brake linings. In this paper coefficient of friction measurements for various thermoplastic and fibre......Friction materials for typical brake applications are normally designed considering thermal stability as the major performance criterion. There are, however, brake applications with very limited sliding velocities, where the generated heat is insignificant. In such cases it is possible...... in order to interpret the changes of friction observed during the running-in phase....

  11. High Temperature Thermoplastic Additive Manufacturing Using Low-Cost, Open-Source Hardware

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, John M.; Stelter, Christopher J.; Yashin, Edward A.; Siochi, Emilie J.

    2016-01-01

    Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), also known as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), is a process where material is placed in specific locations layer-by-layer to create a complete part. Printers designed for FFF build parts by extruding a thermoplastic filament from a nozzle in a predetermined path. Originally developed for commercial printers, 3D printing via FFF has become accessible to a much larger community of users since the introduction of Reprap printers. These low-cost, desktop machines are typically used to print prototype parts or novelty items. As the adoption of desktop sized 3D printers broadens, there is increased demand for these machines to produce functional parts that can withstand harsher conditions such as high temperature and mechanical loads. Materials meeting these requirements tend to possess better mechanical properties and higher glass transition temperatures (Tg), thus requiring printers with high temperature printing capability. This report outlines the problems and solutions, and includes a detailed description of the machine design, printing parameters, and processes specific to high temperature thermoplastic 3D printing.

  12. High-pressure needle interface for thermoplastic microfluidics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, C F; Liu, J; Hromada, L P; Tsao, C W; Chang, C C; DeVoe, D L

    2009-01-07

    A robust and low dead volume world-to-chip interface for thermoplastic microfluidics has been developed. The high pressure fluidic port employs a stainless steel needle inserted into a mating hole aligned to an embedded microchannel, with an interference fit used to increase pressure resistance. Alternately, a self-tapping threaded needle screwed into a mating hole is also demonstrated. In both cases, the flat bottom needle ports seat directly against the microchannel substrate, ensuring low interfacial dead volumes. Low dispersion is observed for dye bands passing the interfaces. The needle ports offer sufficient pull-out forces for applications such as liquid chromatography that require high internal fluid pressures, with the epoxy-free interfaces compatible with internal microchannel pressures above 40 MPa.

  13. Thermoplastic film camera for holographic recording

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liegeois, C.; Meyrueis, P.

    1982-01-01

    The design thermoplastic-film recording camera and its performance for holography of extended objects are reported. Special corona geometry and accurate control of development heat by constant current heating and high resolution measurement of the develop temperature make easy recording of reproducible, large aperture holograms possible. The experimental results give the transfer characteristics, the diffraction efficiency characteristics and the spatial frequency response. (orig.)

  14. Production and Mechanical Characterization of Ballistic Thermoplastic Composite Materials

    OpenAIRE

    D. Korsacilar; C. Atas

    2014-01-01

    In this study, first thermoplastic composite materials /plates that have high ballistic impact resistance were produced. For this purpose, the thermoplastic prepreg and the vacuum bagging technique were used to produce a composite material. Thermoplastic prepregs (resin-impregnated fiber) that are supplied ready to be used, namely high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was chosen as matrix and unidirectional glass fiber was used as reinforcement. In order to compare the fiber c...

  15. Performance Modification of Asphalt Binders using Thermoplastic Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. I. Al-Abdul Wahhab

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available There is a need to improve the performance of asphalt binders to minimize stress cracking that occurs at low temperatures and plastic deformation at high temperatures. Importation of used asphalt-polymers from abroad, leads to an increase in the total construction cost as compared to the cost if the used polymers were of local origin. The main objective of this research was to modify locally produced asphalt. Ten polymers were identified as potential asphalt modifiers based on their physical properties and chemical composition. After preliminary laboratory evaluation for the melting point of these polymers, five polymers were selected for local asphalt modification. In the initial stage, required mixing time was decided based on the relation between shear loss modulus and mixing time .The optimum polymer content was selected based on Superpave binder performance grade specifications.The suitability of improvement was verified through the evaluation of permanent deformation and fatigue behavior of laboratory prepared asphalt concrete mixes. The results indicated that the rheological properties of the modified binders improved significantly with sufficient polymer content (3%. The aging properties of the modified binders were found to be dependent on the type of polymer.The fatigue life and resistance to permanent deformation were significantly improved due to enhanced binder rheological properties.  Thus, local asphalts can be modified using thermoplastic polymers.

  16. Resistance Welding of Thermoplastic Composites : Process and Performance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shi, H.

    2014-01-01

    Compared to thermoset composites, thermoplastic composites are drawing more and more attention by aircraft industries not only due to their excellent material properties but also due to their potentials to reduce cycle time and structure cost by using low-cost manufacturing technologies such as

  17. Modelling of the viscoelastic behaviour of steel reinforced thermoplastic pipes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kruijer, M.P.; Warnet, Laurent; Akkerman, Remko

    2006-01-01

    This paper describes the analysis of the time dependent behaviour of a steel reinforced thermoplastic pipe. This new class of composite pipes is constructed of a HDPE (high-density polyethylene) liner pipe, which is over wrapped with two layers of thermoplastic tape. The thermoplastic tapes are

  18. The Development of High Temperature Thermoplastic Composite Materials for Additive Manufactured Autoclave Tooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kunc, Vlastimil [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Duty, Chad E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lindahl, John M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hassen, Ahmed A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2017-08-01

    In this work, ORNL and Techmer investigated and screened different high temperature thermoplastic reinforced materials to fabricate composite molds for autoclave processes using Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques. This project directly led to the development and commercial release of two printable, high temperature composite materials available through Techmer PM. These new materials are targeted for high temperature tooling made via large scale additive manufacturing.

  19. Effect of processing conditions on the interfacial zone of high performances thermoplastic composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verdeau, Caroline

    1988-01-01

    This study concerns the microstructural and mechanical characterization performances thermoplastic unidirectional composites. Two semi-crystalline composites, APC2 (Peek/Carbon) and AC 40.60 (Pps/carbon) and one amorphous composite FC.PEI (PEI/Carbon) have been studied. Different processing conditions for the APC2 and AC 40.60 specimens have been employed. Amorphous matrix composites (fast cooling rates), crystalline matrix composites (slow cooling rates) and the effects of heat treatments on the matrix (lengthy hold time at the melting point followed by slow cooling) have been studied. Static test (3 points bending tests, transverse tensile tests - ±45 deg., tensile tests) allowed the different interfacial qualities to be revealed. If the fiber/matrix adhesion is excellent for APC2, it is poor for the FCPEI and AC 40.60 composites. The dynamic tests conducted on the torsion pendulum (forced oscillations; low frequencies) have shown for APC2 the existence of trans-crystallinity (mono-dimensional growth, perpendicular to the fiber surface) in the vicinity of the fiber. It has been shown that the fraction of trans-crystallinity is most important for treated specimens. In this study, an approach of the modelization of the viscoelastic behaviour of composites materials has been proposed. (author) [fr

  20. Thermoforming of Continuous Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCool, Rauri; Murphy, Adrian; Wilson, Ryan; Jiang Zhenyu; Price, Mark

    2011-01-01

    The introduction of new materials, particularly for aerospace products, is not a simple, quick or cheap task. New materials require extensive and expensive qualification and must meet challenging strength, stiffness, durability, manufacturing, inspection and maintenance requirements. Growth in industry acceptance for fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite systems requires the determination of whole life attributes including both part processing and processed part performance data. For thermoplastic composite materials the interactions between the processing parameters, in-service structural performance and end of life recyclability are potentially interrelated. Given the large number and range of parameters and the complexity of the potential relationships, understanding for whole life design must be developed in a systematic building block approach. To assess and demonstrate such an approach this article documents initial coupon level thermoforming trials for a commercially available fibre reinforced thermoplastic laminate, identifying the key interactions between processing and whole life performance characteristics. To examine the role of the thermoforming process parameters on the whole life performance characteristics of the formed part requires a series of manufacturing trials combined with a series of characterisation tests on the manufacturing trial output. Using a full factorial test programme and considering all possible process parameters over a range of potential magnitudes would result in a very large number of manufacturing trials and accompanying characterisation tests. Such an approach would clearly be expensive and require significant time to complete, therefore failing to address the key requirement for a future design methodology capable of rapidly generating design knowledge for new materials and processes. In this work the role of mould tool temperature and blank forming temperature on the thermoforming of a commercially available

  1. Manufacturing of a REBCO racetrack coil using thermoplastic resin aiming at Maglev application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizuno, Katsutoshi; Ogata, Masafumi; Hasegawa, Hitoshi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We propose a novel REBCO coil structure which applies thermoplastic resin. • The thermoplastic resin bonds the coil winding and cooling plates. • The adhesiveness of the resin is strong enough to withstand the thermal stress. • The thermoplastic resin does not cause the degradation because of its high viscosity. • We successfully made a full-scale racetrack REBCO coil with the thermoplastic resin. - Abstract: The REBCO coated conductor is a promising technology for the Maglev application in terms of its high critical temperature. The operating temperature of the on-board magnets can be around 40–50 K with the coated conductor. The REBCO coils are cooled by cryocoolers directly, and hence the thermal design of the REBCO coils significantly changes from that of LTS coils. We have developed a novel REBCO coil structure using thermoplastic resin. The coil is not impregnated and the thermoplastic resin is used to bond the coil winding and the heat transfer members, e.g. copper and aluminum plates. The viscosity of the thermoplastic resin is high enough for the thermoplastic resin not to permeate between the turns in the coil. Therefore, the thermal stress does not occur and the risk of degradation is removed. This paper contains the following three topics. First, the thermal resistance of the thermoplastic resin was measured at cryogenic temperature. Then, a small round REBCO coil was experimentally produced. It has been confirmed that the thermoplastic resin does not cause the degradation and, the adhesion between the coil winding and copper plates withstands the thermal stress. Finally, we successfully produced a full-scale racetrack REBCO coil applying the coil structure with the thermoplastic resin.

  2. Manufacturing of a REBCO racetrack coil using thermoplastic resin aiming at Maglev application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mizuno, Katsutoshi, E-mail: mizuno.katsutoshi.14@rtri.or.jp; Ogata, Masafumi; Hasegawa, Hitoshi

    2015-11-15

    Highlights: • We propose a novel REBCO coil structure which applies thermoplastic resin. • The thermoplastic resin bonds the coil winding and cooling plates. • The adhesiveness of the resin is strong enough to withstand the thermal stress. • The thermoplastic resin does not cause the degradation because of its high viscosity. • We successfully made a full-scale racetrack REBCO coil with the thermoplastic resin. - Abstract: The REBCO coated conductor is a promising technology for the Maglev application in terms of its high critical temperature. The operating temperature of the on-board magnets can be around 40–50 K with the coated conductor. The REBCO coils are cooled by cryocoolers directly, and hence the thermal design of the REBCO coils significantly changes from that of LTS coils. We have developed a novel REBCO coil structure using thermoplastic resin. The coil is not impregnated and the thermoplastic resin is used to bond the coil winding and the heat transfer members, e.g. copper and aluminum plates. The viscosity of the thermoplastic resin is high enough for the thermoplastic resin not to permeate between the turns in the coil. Therefore, the thermal stress does not occur and the risk of degradation is removed. This paper contains the following three topics. First, the thermal resistance of the thermoplastic resin was measured at cryogenic temperature. Then, a small round REBCO coil was experimentally produced. It has been confirmed that the thermoplastic resin does not cause the degradation and, the adhesion between the coil winding and copper plates withstands the thermal stress. Finally, we successfully produced a full-scale racetrack REBCO coil applying the coil structure with the thermoplastic resin.

  3. High-Performance Stretchable Conductive Composite Fibers from Surface-Modified Silver Nanowires and Thermoplastic Polyurethane by Wet Spinning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Ying; Jiang, Jianwei; Yoon, Sungho; Kim, Kyung-Shik; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Park, Sanghyuk; Kim, Sang-Ho; Piao, Longhai

    2018-01-17

    Highly stretchable and conductive fibers have attracted great interest as a fundamental building block for the next generation of textile-based electronics. Because of its high conductivity and high aspect ratio, the Ag nanowire (AgNW) has been considered one of the most promising conducting materials for the percolation network-based conductive films and composites. However, the poor dispersibility of AgNWs in hydrophobic polymers has hindered their application to stretchable conductive composite fibers. In this paper, we present a highly stretchable and conductive composite fiber from the co-spinning of surface-modified AgNWs and thermoplastic polyurethane (PU). The surface modification of AgNWs with a polyethylene glycol derivative improved the compatibility of PU and AgNWs, which allowed the NWs to disperse homogeneously in the elastomeric matrix, forming effective percolation networks and causing the composite fiber to show enhanced electrical and mechanical performance. The maximum AgNW mass fraction in the composite fiber was 75.9 wt %, and its initial electrical conductivity was as high as 14 205 S/cm. The composite fibers also exhibited superior stretchability: the maximum rupture strain of the composite fiber with 14.6 wt % AgNW was 786%, and the composite fiber was also conductive even when it was stretched up to 200%. In addition, 2-dimensional (2-D) Ag nanoplates were added to the AgNW/PU composite fibers to increase the stability of the conductive network under repeated stretching and releasing. The Ag nanoplates acted as a bridge to effectively prevent the AgNWs from slippage and greatly improved the stability of the conductive network.

  4. Use of Melt Flow Rate Test in Reliability Study of Thermoplastic Encapsulation Materials in Photovoltaic Modules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moseley, J.; Miller, D.; Shah, Q.-U.-A. S. J.; Sakurai, K.; Kempe, M.; Tamizhmani, G.; Kurtz, S.

    2011-10-01

    Use of thermoplastic materials as encapsulants in photovoltaic (PV) modules presents a potential concern in terms of high temperature creep, which should be evaluated before thermoplastics are qualified for use in the field. Historically, the issue of creep has been avoided by using thermosetting polymers as encapsulants, such as crosslinked ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA). Because they lack crosslinked networks, however, thermoplastics may be subject to phase transitions and visco-elastic flow at the temperatures and mechanical stresses encountered by modules in the field, creating the potential for a number of reliability and safety issues. Thermoplastic materials investigated in this study include PV-grade uncured-EVA (without curing agents and therefore not crosslinked); polyvinyl butyral (PVB); thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU); and three polyolefins (PO), which have been proposed for use as PV encapsulation. Two approaches were used to evaluate the performance of these materials as encapsulants: module-level testing and a material-level testing.

  5. Genome Regions Associated with Functional Performance of Soybean Stem Fibers in Polypropylene Thermoplastic Composites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yarmilla Reinprecht

    Full Text Available Plant fibers can be used to produce composite materials for automobile parts, thus reducing plastic used in their manufacture, overall vehicle weight and fuel consumption when they replace mineral fillers and glass fibers. Soybean stem residues are, potentially, significant sources of inexpensive, renewable and biodegradable natural fibers, but are not curretly used for biocomposite production due to the functional properties of their fibers in composites being unknown. The current study was initiated to investigate the effects of plant genotype on the performance characteristics of soybean stem fibers when incorporated into a polypropylene (PP matrix using a selective phenotyping approach. Fibers from 50 lines of a recombinant inbred line population (169 RILs grown in different environments were incorporated into PP at 20% (wt/wt by extrusion. Test samples were injection molded and characterized for their mechanical properties. The performance of stem fibers in the composites was significantly affected by genotype and environment. Fibers from different genotypes had significantly different chemical compositions, thus composites prepared with these fibers displayed different physical properties. This study demonstrates that thermoplastic composites with soybean stem-derived fibers have mechanical properties that are equivalent or better than wheat straw fiber composites currently being used for manufacturing interior automotive parts. The addition of soybean stem residues improved flexural, tensile and impact properties of the composites. Furthermore, by linkage and in silico mapping we identified genomic regions to which quantitative trait loci (QTL for compositional and functional properties of soybean stem fibers in thermoplastic composites, as well as genes for cell wall synthesis, were co-localized. These results may lead to the development of high value uses for soybean stem residue.

  6. Joining of thermoplastic substrates by microwaves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulauskas, Felix L.; Meek, Thomas T.

    1997-01-01

    A method for joining two or more items having surfaces of thermoplastic material includes the steps of depositing an electrically-conductive material upon the thermoplastic surface of at least one of the items, and then placing the other of the two items adjacent the one item so that the deposited material is in intimate contact with the surfaces of both the one and the other items. The deposited material and the thermoplastic surfaces contacted thereby are then exposed to microwave radiation so that the thermoplastic surfaces in contact with the deposited material melt, and then pressure is applied to the two items so that the melted thermoplastic surfaces fuse to one another. Upon discontinuance of the exposure to the microwave energy, and after permitting the thermoplastic surfaces to cool from the melted condition, the two items are joined together by the fused thermoplastic surfaces. The deposited material has a thickness which is preferably no greater than a skin depth, .delta..sub.s, which is related to the frequency of the microwave radiation and characteristics of the deposited material in accordance with an equation.

  7. Multi-scale thermal stability of a hard thermoplastic protein-based material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latza, Victoria; Guerette, Paul A.; Ding, Dawei; Amini, Shahrouz; Kumar, Akshita; Schmidt, Ingo; Keating, Steven; Oxman, Neri; Weaver, James C.; Fratzl, Peter; Miserez, Ali; Masic, Admir

    2015-09-01

    Although thermoplastic materials are mostly derived from petro-chemicals, it would be highly desirable, from a sustainability perspective, to produce them instead from renewable biopolymers. Unfortunately, biopolymers exhibiting thermoplastic behaviour and which preserve their mechanical properties post processing are essentially non-existent. The robust sucker ring teeth (SRT) from squid and cuttlefish are one notable exception of thermoplastic biopolymers. Here we describe thermoplastic processing of squid SRT via hot extrusion of fibres, demonstrating the potential suitability of these materials for large-scale thermal forming. Using high-resolution in situ X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy, we elucidate the molecular and nanoscale features responsible for this behaviour and show that SRT consist of semi-crystalline polymers, whereby heat-resistant, nanocrystalline β-sheets embedded within an amorphous matrix are organized into a hexagonally packed nanofibrillar lattice. This study provides key insights for the molecular design of biomimetic protein- and peptide-based thermoplastic structural biopolymers with potential biomedical and 3D printing applications.

  8. Coaxial Thermoplastic Elastomer-Wrapped Carbon Nanotube Fibers for Deformable and Wearable Strain Sensors

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Jian; Xu, Xuezhu; Xin, Yangyang; Lubineau, Gilles

    2018-01-01

    performances in these design requirements. Here, achieving highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors by using a coaxial structure, prepared via coaxial wet spinning of thermoplastic elastomer-wrapped carbon nanotube fibers, is proposed. The sensors attain

  9. Long-term performance of thermoplastic composite material with cotton burr and stem (CBS) as a partial filler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rationale: Cotton burr and stem (CBS) fraction of cotton gin byproducts has shown promise as a fiber filler in thermoplastic composites, with physical and mechanical properties comparable to that made with wood fiber fillers. However, the long-term performance of this composite material is not known...

  10. Solvent-free thermoplastic-poly(dimethylsiloxane) bonding mediated by UV irradiation followed by gas-phase chemical deposition of an adhesion linker

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, S. Y.; Lee, N. Y.

    2015-07-01

    Here, we introduce a solvent-free strategy for bonding various thermoplastic substrates with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation followed by the gas-phase chemical deposition of aminosilane on the UV-irradiated thermoplastic substrates. The thermoplastic substrates were first irradiated with UV for surface hydrophilic treatment and were then grafted with vacuum-evaporated aminosilane, where the alkoxysilane side reacted with the oxidized surface of the thermoplastic substrate. Next, the amine-terminated thermoplastic substrates were treated with corona discharge to oxidize the surface and were bonded with PDMS, which was also oxidized via corona discharge. The two substrates were then hermetically sealed and pressed under atmospheric pressure for 30 min at 60 °C. This process enabled the formation of a robust siloxane bond (Si-O-Si) between the thermoplastic substrate and PDMS under relatively mild conditions using an inexpensive and commercially available UV lamp and Tesla coil. Various thermoplastic substrates were examined for bonding with PDMS, including poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) and polystyrene (PS). Surface characterizations were performed by measuring the contact angle and performing x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and the bond strength was analyzed by conducting various mechanical force measurements such as pull, delamination, leak and burst tests. The average bond strengths for the PMMA-PDMS, PC-PDMS, PET-PDMS and PS-PDMS assemblies were measured at 823.6, 379.3, 291.2 and 229.0 kPa, respectively, confirming the highly reliable performance of the introduced bonding strategy.

  11. Mechanical behaviour of textile-reinforced thermoplastics with integrated sensor network components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hufenbach, W.; Adam, F.; Fischer, W.-J.; Kunadt, A.; Weck, D.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Consideration of two types of integrated bus systems for textile-reinforced thermoplastics with embedded sensor networks. → Specimens with bus systems made of flexible printed circuit boards show good mechanical performance compared to the reference. → Inhomogeneous interface and reduced stiffnesses and strengths for specimens with bus systems basing on single copper wires. -- Abstract: The embedding of sensor networks into textile-reinforced thermoplastics enables the design of function-integrative lightweight components suitable for high volume production. In order to investigate the mechanical behaviour of such functionalised composites, two types of bus systems are selected as exemplary components of sensor networks. These elements are embedded into glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GF/PP) during the layup process of unconsolidated weft-knitted GF/PP-preforms. Two fibre orientations are considered and orthotropic composite plates are manufactured by hot pressing technology. Micrograph investigations and computer tomography analyses show different interface qualities between the thermoplastic composite and the two types of bus systems. Mechanical tests under tensile and flexural loading indicate a significant influence of the embedded bus system elements on the structural stiffness and strength.

  12. Mechanical properties: wood lumber versus plastic lumber and thermoplastic composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernardo Zandomenico Dias

    Full Text Available Abstract Plastic lumber and thermoplastic composites are sold as alternatives to wood products. However, many technical standards and scientific studies state that the two materials cannot be considered to have the same structural behaviour and strength. Moreover, there are many compositions of thermoplastic-based products and plenty of wood species. How different are their mechanical properties? This study compares the modulus of elasticity and the flexural, compressive, tensile and shear strengths of such materials, as well as the materials' specific mechanical properties. It analyses the properties of wood from the coniferae and dicotyledon species and those of commercialized and experimental thermoplastic-based product formulations. The data were collected from books, scientific papers and manufacturers' websites and technical data sheets, and subsequently compiled and presented in Ashby plots and bar graphs. The high values of the compressive strength and specific compressive and tensile strengths perpendicular to the grain (width direction shown by the experimental thermoplastic composites compared to wood reveal their great potential for use in compressed elements and in functions where components are compressed or tensioned perpendicularly to the grain. However, the low specific flexural modulus and high density of thermoplastic materials limit their usage in certain civil engineering and building applications.

  13. Manufacturing of a REBCO racetrack coil using thermoplastic resin aiming at Maglev application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Katsutoshi; Ogata, Masafumi; Hasegawa, Hitoshi

    2015-11-01

    The REBCO coated conductor is a promising technology for the Maglev application in terms of its high critical temperature. The operating temperature of the on-board magnets can be around 40-50 K with the coated conductor. The REBCO coils are cooled by cryocoolers directly, and hence the thermal design of the REBCO coils significantly changes from that of LTS coils. We have developed a novel REBCO coil structure using thermoplastic resin. The coil is not impregnated and the thermoplastic resin is used to bond the coil winding and the heat transfer members, e.g. copper and aluminum plates. The viscosity of the thermoplastic resin is high enough for the thermoplastic resin not to permeate between the turns in the coil. Therefore, the thermal stress does not occur and the risk of degradation is removed. This paper contains the following three topics. First, the thermal resistance of the thermoplastic resin was measured at cryogenic temperature. Then, a small round REBCO coil was experimentally produced. It has been confirmed that the thermoplastic resin does not cause the degradation and, the adhesion between the coil winding and copper plates withstands the thermal stress. Finally, we successfully produced a full-scale racetrack REBCO coil applying the coil structure with the thermoplastic resin.

  14. Chimeric Plastics : a new class of thermoplastic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonnenschein, Mark

    A new class of thermoplastics (dubbed ``Chimerics'') is described that exhibits a high temperature glass transition followed by high performance elastomer properties, prior to melting. These transparent materials are comprised of co-continuous phase-separated block copolymers. One block is an amorphous glass with a high glass transition temperature, and the second is a higher temperature phase transition block creating virtual thermoreversible crosslinks. The material properties are highly influenced by phase separation on the order of 10-30 nanometers. At lower temperatures the polymer reflects the sum of the block copolymer properties. As the amorphous phase glass transition is exceeded, the virtual crosslinks of the higher temperature second phase dominate the plastic properties, resulting in rubber-like elasticity.

  15. Effect of thermoplastic appliance thickness on initial stress distribution in periodontal ligament

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    De-Shin Liu

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A numerical investigation into the initial stress distribution induced within the periodontal ligament by thermoplastic appliances with different thicknesses is performed. Based on the plaster model of a 25-year-old male patient, a finite element model of the maxillary lateral incisors and their supporting structures is constructed. In addition, four finite element models of thermoplastic appliances with different thicknesses in the range of 0.5–1.25 mm are also constructed based on the same plaster model. Finite element analysis simulations are performed to examine the effects of the force delivered by the thermoplastic appliances on the stress response of the periodontal ligament during the elastic recovery process. The results show that the stress induced in the periodontal ligament increases with an increasing appliance thickness. For example, the stress triples from 0.0012 to 0.0038 MPa as the appliance thickness is increased from 0.75 to 1.25 mm. The results presented in this study provide a useful insight into as a result of the compressive and tensile stresses induced by thermoplastic appliances of different thicknesses. Moreover, the results enable the periodontal ligament stress levels produced by thermoplastic appliances of different thicknesses to be reliably estimated.

  16. Effects of mechanical properties of thermoplastic materials on the initial force of thermoplastic appliances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohda, Naohisa; Iijima, Masahiro; Muguruma, Takeshi; Brantley, William A; Ahluwalia, Karamdeep S; Mizoguchi, Itaru

    2013-05-01

    To measure the forces delivered by thermoplastic appliances made from three materials and investigate effects of mechanical properties, material thickness, and amount of activation on orthodontic forces. Three thermoplastic materials, Duran (Scheu Dental), Erkodur (Erkodent Erich Kopp GmbH), and Hardcast (Scheu Dental), with two different thicknesses were selected. Values of elastic modulus and hardness were obtained from nanoindentation measurements at 28°C. A custom-fabricated system with a force sensor was employed to obtain measurements of in vitro force delivered by the thermoplastic appliances for 0.5-mm and 1.0-mm activation for bodily tooth movement. Experimental results were subjected to several statistical analyses. Hardcast had significantly lower elastic modulus and hardness than Duran and Erkodur, whose properties were not significantly different. Appliances fabricated from thicker material (0.75 mm or 0.8 mm) always produced significantly greater force than those fabricated from thinner material (0.4 mm or 0.5 mm). Appliances with 1.0-mm activation produced significantly lower force than those with 0.5-mm activation, except for 0.4-mm thick Hardcast appliances. A strong correlation was found between mechanical properties of the thermoplastic materials and force produced by the appliances. Orthodontic forces delivered by thermoplastic appliances depend on the material, thickness, and amount of activation. Mechanical properties of the polymers obtained by nanoindentation testing are predictive of force delivery by these appliances.

  17. Optical Thermal Characterization Enables High-Performance Electronics Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-02-01

    NREL developed a modeling and experimental strategy to characterize thermal performance of materials. The technique provides critical data on thermal properties with relevance for electronics packaging applications. Thermal contact resistance and bulk thermal conductivity were characterized for new high-performance materials such as thermoplastics, boron-nitride nanosheets, copper nanowires, and atomically bonded layers. The technique is an important tool for developing designs and materials that enable power electronics packaging with small footprint, high power density, and low cost for numerous applications.

  18. Characterisation of metal–thermoplastic composite hybrid joints by means of a mandrel peel test

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Su, Yibo; de Rooij, Matthias B.; Grouve, Wouter Johannes Bernardus; Warnet, Laurent

    2016-01-01

    Fastener free metal–carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite hybrid joints show potential for application in aerospace structures. The strength of the metal–thermoplastic composite interface is crucial for the performance of the entire hybrid joint. Optimisation of the interface requires an

  19. Thermoplastic encapsulation of waste surrogates by high-shear mixing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lageraaen, P.R.; Kalb, P.D.; Patel, B.R.

    1995-12-01

    Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has developed a robust, extrusion-based polyethylene encapsulation process applicable to a wide range of solid and aqueous low-level radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. However, due to the broad range of physical and chemical properties of waste materials, pretreatment of these wastes is often required to make them amenable to processing with polyethylene. As part of the scope of work identified in FY95 open-quotes Removal and Encapsulation of Heavy Metals from Ground Water,close quotes EPA SERDP No. 387, that specifies a review of potential thermoplastic processing techniques, and in order to investigate possible pretreatment alternatives, BNL conducted a vendor test of the Draiswerke Gelimat (thermokinetic) mixer on April 25, 1995 at their test facility in Mahwah, NJ. The Gelimat is a batch operated, high-shear, high-intensity fluxing mixer that is often used for mixing various materials and specifically in the plastics industry for compounding additives such as stabilizers and/or colorants with polymers

  20. Thermal Degradation, Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Wheat Straw Flour Filled Recycled Thermoplastic Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kadir Karakus

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Thermal behaviors of wheat straw flour (WF filled thermoplastic compositeswere measured applying the thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanningcalorimetry. Morphology and mechanical properties were also studied using scanningelectron microscope and universal testing machine, respectively. Presence of WF inthermoplastic matrix reduced the degradation temperature of the composites. One for WFand one for thermoplastics, two main decomposition peaks were observed. Morphologicalstudy showed that addition of coupling agent improved the compatibility between WFs andthermoplastic. WFs were embedded into the thermoplastic matrix indicating improvedadhesion. However, the bonding was not perfect because some debonding can also be seenon the interface of WFs and thermoplastic matrix. In the case of mechanical properties ofWF filled recycled thermoplastic, HDPE and PP based composites provided similar tensileand flexural properties. The addition of coupling agents improved the properties ofthermoplastic composites. MAPE coupling agents performed better in HDPE while MAPPcoupling agents were superior in PP based composites. The composites produced with thecombination of 50-percent mixture of recycled HDPE and PP performed similar with theuse of both coupling agents. All produced composites provided flexural properties requiredby the ASTM standard for polyolefin-based plastic lumber decking boards.

  1. Cryomilling of Thermoplastic Powder for Prepreg Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-01

    Cryomilling of Thermoplastic Powder for Prepreg Applications by Brian Parquette, Anit Giri, Daniel J. O’Brien, Sarah Brennan, Kyu Cho, and...MD 21005-5066 ARL-TR-6591 September 2013 Cryomilling of Thermoplastic Powder for Prepreg Applications Brian Parquette and Sarah Brennan...COVERED (From - To) 1 March 2012–30 May 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Cryomilling of Thermoplastic Powder for Prepreg Applications 5a. CONTRACT

  2. Influence of gamma irradiation in the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Camila B.; Parra, Duclerc F.; Marchini, Leonardo G.

    2017-01-01

    The TPE is the nomenclature used for the thermoplastic elastomer, which is also known as thermoplastic rubber. It belongs to an under-researched class of engineering plastics, however, in recent years there has been steady growth due to its important and unusual combination of properties. During its use, it behaves like an elastomer, but, unlike traditional elastomers (vulcanized rubbers), it can be processed using conventional technologies and equipment used for thermoplastics, such as extrusion and injection. The processing of polymers, such as TPE by means of radiation, constitutes a technological area dedicated to the study of the physical and chemical effects caused by high energy radiation, such as gamma radiation. Thus the objective of this work is to evaluate the mechanical and thermal properties of TPE irradiated by 60 Co source of gamma radiation in different doses. The thermoplastic elastomer being modified by means of ionizing radiation at doses of 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 kGy the effects of the radiation on the mechanical and thermal properties of this material are evaluated through the tests of tensile tests, TGA, FTIR and Fluency Index

  3. Processing technology for advanced fibre composites with thermoplastic matrices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lystrup, Aa. [Risoe National Lab., Materials Research Dept., Roskilde (Denmark)

    1997-12-31

    Technologies and semi-raw materials for the manufacture of thermoplastic composites with continuous fibres are discussed. Autoclave consolidation, vacuum consolidation and press consolidation are all processes which are suitable for the manufacture of components with a three dimensional geometry. Autoclave consolidation is primarily for high quality components with high fibre content and complex geometry; using vacuum consolidation, very large components can be produced without the need of an autoclave, and the press consolidation technique is a very fast process suitable for mass production of smaller parts. Filament winding is used primarily for the manufacture of rotationally symmetrical components, and some of the technologies in use are winding with a continuously in-situ consolidation, winding inside an oven and room temperature winding followed by an autoclave consolidation. Semi-raw materials for thermoplastic composites exist as both prepregs and postpregs in many different forms, of which many are still under development. Some of the basic processing properties for the different types of semi-raw materials and most commonly used thermoplastic polymers are given. (au) 37 refs.

  4. Characterization of thermoplastic composites for hot stamp forming

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rietman, Bert; Grouve, Wouter; Akkerman, Remko

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes state-of-the-art characterization methods for thermoplastic composites at high processing temperature and provides a few examples of application in simulations of the hot stamp forming process.

  5. Thermoplastic starch materials prepared from rice starch; Preparacao e caracterizacao de materiais termoplasticos preparados a partir de amido de arroz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pontes, Barbara R.B.; Curvelo, Antonio A.S., E-mail: barbarapont@gmail.co [Universidade de Sao Paulo (IQSC/USP), Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

    2009-07-01

    Rice starch is a source still little studied for the preparation of thermoplastic materials. However, its characteristics, such as the presence of proteins, fats and fibers may turn into thermoplastics with a better performance. The present study intends the evaluation of the viability of making starch thermoplastic from rice starch and glycerol as plasticizer. The results of X-ray diffraction and scanning electronic microscopy demonstrate the thermoplastic acquisition. The increase of plasticizer content brings on more hydrophilic thermoplastics with less resistance to tension and elongation at break. (author)

  6. 3D modeling of squeeze flow of unidirectionally thermoplastic composite inserts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghnatios, Chady; Abisset-Chavanne, Emmanuelle; Binetruy, Christophe; Chinesta, Francisco; Advani, Suresh

    2016-10-01

    Thermoplastic composites are attractive because they can be recycled and exhibit superior mechanical properties. The ability of thermoplastic resin to melt and solidify allows for fast and cost-effective manufacturing processes, which is a crucial property for high volume production. Thermoplastic composite parts are usually obtained by stacking several prepreg plies to create a laminate with a particular orientation sequence to meet design requirements. During the consolidation and forming process, the thermoplastic laminate is subjected to complex deformation which can include intraply and/or interply shear, ply reorientation and squeeze flow. In the case of unidirectional prepregs, the ply constitutive equation, when elastic effects are neglected, can be modeled as a transversally isotropic fluid, that must satisfy the fiber inextensibility as well as the fluid incompressibility. The high-fidelity solution of the squeeze flow in laminates composed of unidirectional prepregs was addressed in our former works by making use of an in-plane-out-of-plane separated representation allowing a very detailed resolution of the involved fields throughout the laminate thickness. In the present work prepregs plies are supposed of limited dimensions compared to the in-plane dimension of the part and will be named inserts. Again within the Proper Generalized Decomposition framework high-resolution simulation of the squeeze flow occurring during consolidation is addressed within a fully 3D in-plane-out-of-plane separated representation.

  7. Processing of thermoplastic polymers using reactive solvents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijer, H.E.H.; Venderbosch, R.W.; Goossens, J.G.P.; Lemstra, P.J.

    1996-01-01

    The use of reactive solvents offers an interesting and flexible route to extent the processing characteristics of thermoplastic polymers beyond their existing limits. This holds for both intractable and tractable polymers. The first mainly applies for amorphous high-Tg polymers where processing may

  8. Thermoplastic liners for carbon steel pipelines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mehdi, Mauyed S.; AlDossary, Abdullah K. [Saudi Aramco, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)

    2009-12-19

    Materials selection for pipe and fittings used to convey corrosive fluids has often been a challenge. Traditionally, exotic Corrosion Resistant Alloys (CRA) have been used in corrosive environments despite their high cost. Plastic lined carbon steel piping offers a cost effective alternative to the use of CRAs by eliminating corrosion, significantly reducing the use of toxic chemicals and the heavy metal usually present in CRAs. Thermoplastic Liners offer the combination of corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, which are unachievable with singular materials. Under pressure conditions, the liner is fully supported by the metalwork, while under vacuum conditions, the liner must be thick enough along with venting system to withstand the collapsing forces created by the negative pressure. Plastic liners have been used successfully to line and protect metallic pipelines for many years and have become an indispensable requirement of the oil and gas industry particularly with water injection and hydrocarbon services. In the case of internally corroded pipes, the use of thermoplastic liners for rehabilitation is an option to extend the lifetime of companies' assets, reduce maintenance cost and increase intervals between T and Is. For new construction, plastic liners in carbon steel pipes can compete technically and economically with pipelines of CRA materials and other corrosion inhibition systems. This paper describes various design features, installations of thermoplastic liners in comparison to other corrosion inhibition methods. (author)

  9. Multiple-objective optimization in precision laser cutting of different thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamrin, K. F.; Nukman, Y.; Choudhury, I. A.; Shirley, S.

    2015-04-01

    Thermoplastics are increasingly being used in biomedical, automotive and electronics industries due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Due to the localized and non-contact process, use of lasers for cutting could result in precise cut with small heat-affected zone (HAZ). Precision laser cutting involving various materials is important in high-volume manufacturing processes to minimize operational cost, error reduction and improve product quality. This study uses grey relational analysis to determine a single optimized set of cutting parameters for three different thermoplastics. The set of the optimized processing parameters is determined based on the highest relational grade and was found at low laser power (200 W), high cutting speed (0.4 m/min) and low compressed air pressure (2.5 bar). The result matches with the objective set in the present study. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is then carried out to ascertain the relative influence of process parameters on the cutting characteristics. It was found that the laser power has dominant effect on HAZ for all thermoplastics.

  10. Consolidation modelling for thermoplastic composites forming simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, H.; Rusanov, A.; Hamila, N.; Boisse, P.

    2016-10-01

    Pre-impregnated thermoplastic composites are widely used in the aerospace industry for their excellent mechanical properties, Thermoforming thermoplastic prepregs is a fast manufacturing process, the automotive industry has shown increasing interest in this manufacturing processes, in which the reconsolidation is an essential stage. The model of intimate contact is investigated as the consolidation model, compression experiments have been launched to identify the material parameters, several numerical tests show the influents of the temperature and pressure applied during processing. Finally, a new solid-shell prismatic element has been presented for the simulation of consolidation step in the thermoplastic composites forming process.

  11. Rapid Processing of Net-Shape Thermoplastic Planar-Random Composite Preforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jespersen, S. T.; Baudry, F.; Schmäh, D.; Wakeman, M. D.; Michaud, V.; Blanchard, P.; Norris, R. E.; Månson, J.-A. E.

    2009-02-01

    A novel thermoplastic composite preforming and moulding process is investigated to target cost issues in textile composite processing associated with trim waste, and the limited mechanical properties of current bulk flow-moulding composites. The thermoplastic programmable powdered preforming process (TP-P4) uses commingled glass and polypropylene yarns, which are cut to length before air assisted deposition onto a vacuum screen, enabling local preform areal weight tailoring. The as-placed fibres are heat-set for improved handling before an optional preconsolidation stage. The preforms are then preheated and press formed to obtain the final part. The process stages are examined to optimize part quality and throughput versus processing parameters. A viable processing route is proposed with typical cycle times below 40 s (for a plate 0.5 × 0.5 m2, weighing 2 kg), enabling high production capacity from one line. The mechanical performance is shown to surpass that of 40 wt.% GMT and has properties equivalent to those of 40 wt.% GMTex at both 20°C and 80°C.

  12. Characterising the thermoforming behaviour of glass fibre textile reinforced thermoplastic composite materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhtz, M.; Maron, B.; Hornig, A.; Müller, M.; Langkamp, A.; Gude, M.

    2018-05-01

    Textile reinforced thermoplastic composites are predestined for highly automated medium- and high-volume production processes. The presented work focusses on experimental studies of different types of glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP) semi-finished thermoplastic textiles to characterise the forming behaviour. The main deformation modes fabric shear, tension, thought-thickness compression and bending are investigated with special emphasis on the impact of the textile structure, the deformation temperature and rate dependency. The understanding of the fundamental forming behaviour is required to allow FEM based assessment and improvement of thermoforming process chains.

  13. Crash simulation of hybrid structures considering the stress and strain rate dependent material behavior of thermoplastic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Schöngart, M.; Weber, M.; Klein, J.

    2015-05-01

    Thermoplastic materials are more and more used as a light weight replacement for metal, especially in the automotive industry. Since these materials do not provide the mechanical properties, which are required to manufacture supporting elements like an auto body or a cross bearer, plastics are combined with metals in so called hybrid structures. Normally, the plastics components are joined to the metal structures using different technologies like welding or screwing. Very often, the hybrid structures are made of flat metal parts, which are stiffened by a reinforcement structure made of thermoplastic materials. The loads on these structures are very often impulsive, for example in the crash situation of an automobile. Due to the large stiffness variation of metal and thermoplastic materials, complex states of stress and very high local strain rates occur in the contact zone under impact conditions. Since the mechanical behavior of thermoplastic materials is highly dependent on these types of load, the crash failure of metal plastic hybrid parts is very complex. The problem is that the normally used strain rate dependent elastic/plastic material models are not capable to simulate the mechanical behavior of thermoplastic materials depended on the state of stress. As part of a research project, a method to simulate the mechanical behavior of hybrid structures under impact conditions is developed at the IKV. For this purpose, a specimen for the measurement of mechanical properties dependet on the state of stress and a method for the strain rate depended characterization of thermoplastic materials were developed. In the second step impact testing is performed. A hybrid structure made from a metal sheet and a reinforcement structure of a Polybutylenterephthalat Polycarbonate blend is tested under impact conditions. The measured stress and strain rate depended material data are used to simulate the mechanical behavior of the hybrid structure under highly dynamic load with

  14. Ultrasonic assisted consolidation of commingled thermoplastic/glass fibers rovings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca eLionetto

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic matrix composites are finding new applications in different industrial area thanks to their intrinsic advantages related to environmental compatibility and processability. The approach presented in this work consists in the development of a technology for the simultaneous deposition and consolidation of commingled thermoplastic rovings through to the application of high energy ultrasound. An experimental equipment, integrating both fiber impregnation and ply consolidation in a single process, has been designed and tested. It is made of an ultrasonic welder, whose titanium sonotrode is integrated on a filament winding machine. During winding, the commingled roving is at the same time in contact with the mandrel and the horn. The intermolecular friction generated by ultrasound is able to melt the thermoplastic matrix and impregnate the reinforcement fibers. The heat transfer phenomena occurring during the in situ consolidation were simulated solving by finite element (FE analysis an energy balance accounting for the heat generated by ultrasonic waves and the melting characteristics of the matrix. To this aim, a calorimetric characterization of the thermoplastic matrix has been carried out to obtain the input parameters for the model. The FE analysis has enabled to predict the temperature distribution in the composite during heating and cooling The simulation results have been validated by the measurement of the temperature evolution during ultrasonic consolidation.The reliability of the developed consolidation equipment was proved by producing hoop wound cylinder prototypes using commingled continuous E-glass rovings and Polypropylene (PP filaments. The consolidated composite cylinders are characterized by high mechanical properties, with values comparable with the theoretical ones predicted by the micromechanical analysis.

  15. Characterization of elastic-viscoplastic properties of an AS4/PEEK thermoplastic composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, K. J.; Sun, C. T.

    1991-01-01

    The elastic-viscoplastic properties of an AS4/PEEK (APC-2) thermoplastic composite were characterized at 24 C (75 F) and 121 C (250 F) by using a one-parameter viscoplasticity model. To determine the strain-rate effects, uniaxial tension tests were performed on unidirectional off-axis coupon specimens with different monotonic strain rates. A modified Bodner and Partom's model was also used to describe the viscoplasticity of the thermoplastic composite. The experimental results showed that viscoplastic behavior can be characterized quite well using the one-parameter overstress viscoplasticity model.

  16. Materials and process limitations for thermoplastic composite materials for wind turbine blades - preform of prepregs and commingled yarns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prabhakaran, R.T.D.

    2011-07-01

    Wind turbine blades are produced based on the current thermoset resin technology, but thermoplastics can offer better potential to become the future blade materials. One of the most important goals when designing larger blade systems is to keep the blade weight under control. Thermoplastic materials offer weight saving similar to thermosets, apart from many other benefits like design flexibility, durability, cost, weight saving, and performance advantageous to the wind industry. In the current research study a detailed discussion on material and process limitations such as thermoplastic prepreg tapes and commingled yams are presented in terms of their properties and available forms in the current markets. A critical review of thermoplastics discussed in the context of turbine blades applications. (Author)

  17. Coaxial Thermoplastic Elastomer-Wrapped Carbon Nanotube Fibers for Deformable and Wearable Strain Sensors

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Jian

    2018-01-22

    Highly conductive and stretchable fibers are crucial components of wearable electronics systems. Excellent electrical conductivity, stretchability, and wearability are required from such fibers. Existing technologies still display limited performances in these design requirements. Here, achieving highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors by using a coaxial structure, prepared via coaxial wet spinning of thermoplastic elastomer-wrapped carbon nanotube fibers, is proposed. The sensors attain high sensitivity (with a gauge factor of 425 at 100% strain), high stretchability, and high linearity. They are also reproducible and durable. Their use as safe sensing components on deformable cable, expandable surfaces, and wearable textiles is demonstrated.

  18. Textile impregnation with thermoplastic resin - models and application

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loendersloot, Richard; Grouve, Wouter Johannes Bernardus; Lamers, E.A.D.; Wijskamp, Sebastiaan; Kelly, P.A.; Bickerton, S.; Lescher, P.; Govignon, Q.

    2012-01-01

    One of the key issues of the development of cost-effective thermoplastic composites for the aerospace industry is the process quality control. A complete, void free impregnation of the textile reinforcement by the thermoplastic resin is an important measure of the quality of composites. The

  19. High-temperature hybrid welding of thermoplastic (CF/Peek) to thermoset (CF/Epoxy) composites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fernandez Villegas, I.; Vizcaino Rubio, P.

    2015-01-01

    Thermoset composites are widely used for the manufacturing of modern composite aircrafts. The use of thermoplastic composites (TPC) in aerospace applications is, however, gradually increasing owing to their cost-effectiveness in manufacturing and improved damage tolerance. An example of the use of

  20. One-pot synthesis of thermoplastic mixed paramylon esters using trifluoroacetic anhydride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibakami, Motonari; Tsubouchi, Gen; Sohma, Mitsugu; Hayashi, Masahiro

    2015-03-30

    Mixed paramylon esters prepared from paramylon (a storage polysaccharide of Euglena), acetic acid, and a long-chain fatty acid by one-pot synthesis using trifluoroacetic anhydride as a promoter and solvent were shown to have thermoplasticity. Size exclusion chromatography indicated that the mixed paramylon esters had a weight average molecular weight of approximately 4.9-6.7×10(5). Thermal analysis showed that these esters were stable in terms of the glass transition temperature (>90°C) and 5% weight loss temperature (>320°C). The degree of substitution of the long alkyl chain group, a dominant factor determining thermoplasticity, was controlled by tuning the feed molar ratio of acetic acid and long-chain fatty acid to paramylon. These results implied that the one-pot synthesis is useful for preparing structurally-well defined thermoplastic mixed paramylon esters with high molecular weight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Impact of thermoplastic mask on X-ray surface dose calculated with Monte Carlo code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yanqun; Li Jie; Wu Liping; Wang Pei; Lang Jinyi; Wu Dake; Xiao Mingyong

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To calculate the effects of thermoplastic mask on X-ray surface dose. Methods: The BEAMnrc Monte Carlo Code system, designed especially for computer simulation of radioactive sources, was performed to evaluate the effects of thermoplastic mask on X-ray surface dose.Thermoplastic mask came from our center with a material density of 1.12 g/cm 2 . The masks without holes, with holes size of 0.1 cm x 0.1 cm, and with holes size of 0. 1 cm x 0.2 cm, and masks with different depth (0.12 cm and 0.24 cm) were evaluated separately. For those with holes, the material width between adjacent holes was 0.1 cm. Virtual masks with a material density of 1.38 g/cm 3 without holes with two different depths were also evaluated. Results: Thermoplastic mask affected X-rays surface dose. When using a thermoplastic mask with the depth of 0.24 cm without holes, the surface dose was 74. 9% and 57.0% for those with the density of 1.38 g/cm 3 and 1.12 g/cm 3 respectively. When focusing on the masks with the density of 1.12 g/cm 3 , the surface dose was 41.2% for those with 0.12 cm depth without holes; 57.0% for those with 0. 24 cm depth without holes; 44.5% for those with 0.24 cm depth with holes size of 0.1 cm x 0.2 cm;and 54.1% for those with 0.24 cm depths with holes size of 0.1 cm x 0.1 cm.Conclusions: Using thermoplastic mask during the radiation increases patient surface dose. The severity is relative to the hole size and the depth of thermoplastic mask. The surface dose change should be considered in radiation planning to avoid severe skin reaction. (authors)

  2. Mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics for cryogenic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahlborn, K.

    1989-01-01

    The high specific strength, the high specific stiffness and the excellent fatigue behaviour favours carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) as a supplement to metals for low temperature applications. The weakest link in the composite is the polymeric matrix, which is preloaded by thermal tensile strains and becomes brittle at low temperatures. Tough thermoplastic polymers show a higher cryogenic fracture strain than commonly used epoxy-matrix systems. Two carbon fibre reinforced tough thermoplastics (PEEK, PC) were tested at 293 K, 77 K and 5 K by tensile, bending and fatigue loading. It has been found, that the toughness of the matrices generally improves the static strength at low temperatures. In bidirectionally reinforced thermoplastics, transversal cracks appear in the matrix or in the boundary layer at composite strains below 0,2%, originated by the thermal preloading. The formation and development of the cracks depend on the fibre-matrix-bond and on the thickness of the composite layers. Fibre-misalignment results in a poor tension-tension fatigue endurance limit of less than 50% of the static strength. Further developments in the manufacturing process are necessary to improve the homogeneity of the composite structure in order to increase the long term fatigue behaviour. (orig.) [de

  3. Functionalized Materials From Elastomers to High Performance Thermoplastics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salazar, Laura Ann [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2003-01-01

    Synthesis and incorporation of functionalized materials continues to generate significant research interest in academia and in industry. If chosen correctly, a functional group when incorporated into a polymer can deliver enhanced properties, such as adhesion, water solubility, thermal stability, etc. The utility of these new materials has been demonstrated in drug-delivery systems, coatings, membranes and compatibilizers. Two approaches exist to functionalize a material. The desired moiety can be added to the monomer either before or after polymerization. The polymers used range from low glass transition temperature elastomers to high glass transition temperature, high performance materials. One industrial example of the first approach is the synthesis of Teflon(reg. sign). Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE or Teflon(reg. sign)) is synthesized from tetrafluoroethylene, a functionalized monomer. The resulting material has significant property differences from the parent, poly(ethylene). Due to the fluorine in the polymer, PTFE has excellent solvent and heat resistance, a low surface energy and a low coefficient of friction. This allows the material to be used in high temperature applications where the surface needs to be nonabrasive and nonstick. This material has a wide spread use in the cooking industry because it allows for ease of cooking and cleaning as a nonstick coating on cookware. One of the best examples of the second approach, functionalization after polymerization, is the vulcanization process used to make tires. Natural rubber (from the Hevea brasiliensis) has a very low glass transition temperature, is very tacky and would not be useful to make tires without synthetic alteration. Goodyear's invention was the vulcanization of polyisoprene by crosslinking the material with sulfur to create a rubber that was tough enough to withstand the elements of weather and road conditions. Due to the development of polymerization techniques to make cis

  4. Thermoplastic processing of proteins for film formation--a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Izquierdo, V M; Krochta, J M

    2008-03-01

    Increasing interest in high-quality food products with increased shelf life and reduced environmental impact has encouraged the study and development of edible and/or biodegradable polymer films and coatings. Edible films provide the opportunity to effectively control mass transfer among different components in a food or between the food and its surrounding environment. The diversity of proteins that results from an almost limitless number of side-chain amino-acid sequential arrangements allows for a wide range of interactions and chemical reactions to take place as proteins denature and cross-link during heat processing. Proteins such as wheat gluten, corn zein, soy protein, myofibrillar proteins, and whey proteins have been successfully formed into films using thermoplastic processes such as compression molding and extrusion. Thermoplastic processing can result in a highly efficient manufacturing method with commercial potential for large-scale production of edible films due to the low moisture levels, high temperatures, and short times used. Addition of water, glycerol, sorbitol, sucrose, and other plasticizers allows the proteins to undergo the glass transition and facilitates deformation and processability without thermal degradation. Target film variables, important in predicting biopackage performance under various conditions, include mechanical, thermal, barrier, and microstructural properties. Comparisons of film properties should be made with care since results depend on parameters such as film-forming materials, film formulation, fabrication method, operating conditions, testing equipment, and testing conditions. Film applications include their use as wraps, pouches, bags, casings, and sachets to protect foods, reduce waste, and improve package recyclability.

  5. Manufacturing a 9-Meter Thermoplastic Composite Wind Turbine Blade: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murray, Robynne [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Snowberg, David R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Berry, Derek S [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Beach, Ryan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Rooney, Samantha A [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Swan, Dana [Arkema Inc.

    2017-12-06

    Currently, wind turbine blades are manufactured from a combination of glass and/or carbon fiber composite materials with a thermoset resin such as epoxy, which requires energy-intensive and expensive heating processes to cure. Newly developed in-situ polymerizing thermoplastic resin systems for composite wind turbine blades polymerize at room temperature, eliminating the heating process and significantly reducing the blade manufacturing cycle time and embodied energy, which in turn reduces costs. Thermoplastic materials can also be thermally welded, eliminating the need for adhesive bonds between blade components and increasing the overall strength and reliability of the blades. As well, thermoplastic materials enable end-of-life blade recycling by reheating and decomposing the materials, which is a limitation of existing blade technology. This paper presents a manufacturing demonstration for a 9-m-long thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade. This blade was constructed in the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology facility at the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process. Johns Manville fiberglass and an Arkema thermoplastic resin called Elium were used. Additional materials included Armacell-recycled polyethylene terephthalate foam from Creative Foam and low-cost carbon- fiber pultruded spar caps (manufactured in collaboration with NREL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huntsman, Strongwell, and Chomarat). This paper highlights the development of the thermoplastic resin formulations, including an additive designed to control the peak exothermic temperatures. Infusion and cure times of less than 3 hours are also demonstrated, highlighting the efficiency and energy savings associated with manufacturing thermoplastic composite blades.

  6. Radiation induced functionalism of polyethylene and ground tire rubber for their reactive compatibility in thermoplastic elastomers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fainleib, A.; Grigoryeva, O. [Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev 02160 (Ukraine); Martinez B, G. [Laboratorio de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Materiales Avanzados, Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Km. 12 Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, San Cayetano 50200, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)], e-mail: fainleib@i.kiev.ua

    2009-07-01

    Reactive compatibility of recycled low-or high-density polyethylenes (LDPE and HDPE, respectively) and ground tire rubber (GTR) via chemical interactions of pre-functionalized components in their blend interface has been carried out. Polyethylene component was functionalized with maleic anhydride (MAH) as well as the rubber component was modified via functionalism with MAH or acrylamide using chemically or irradiation ({gamma} rays) induced grafting techniques. Additional coupling agents such as-p-phenylene diamine (PDA) and polyamide fiber (PAF, from fiber wastes) were used for some thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) producing. The grafting degree and molecular mass distribution of the chromatography analyses, respectively. TPE materials based on synthesized reactive polyethylenes and GTR as well as ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber were prepared by dynamic vulcanization of the rubber phase inside thermoplastic (polyethylene) matrix and their phase structure, and main properties have been studied using DSC, TGA, DMTA and mechanical testing. As a final result, the high performance TPE with improved mechanical properties has been developed. (Author)

  7. Evolution of umbilicals in Brazil: optimizing deepwater umbilical applications with thermoplastic hoses and steel tubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guerra Neto, Mauro Del [DuPont do Brasil S.A., Barueri, SP (Brazil)

    2008-07-01

    thermoplastic-hoses or steel-tubes umbilicals will handle expected operating pressures and temperatures and neither option offers a clear-cut economic advantage, other umbilical performance characteristics or logistical factors take on greater importance. As with many other types of oil field technology, some deep water operators have developed considerable expertise working with one umbilical technology or the other and, thus, tend to prefer either thermoplastic-hose or steel tube-based umbilical systems. For example, Shell and Chevron have chosen to use steel tubes umbilicals. Meanwhile, PETROBRAS has successfully deployed thermoplastic-hoses umbilicals for subsea wells in as much as 2200 meters of water depth for the past 25 years. In addition to advances in subsea umbilical technology achieved by umbilical manufacturers, deep water oil and gas producers have strived to better understand the forces acting upon umbilicals deployed in deep water and have developed and are continuing to develop application strategies for overcoming limitations of thermoplastic-hose umbilicals in extremely deep water. Offshore oil and gas development is moving into unprecedented water depths and deep water producers are beginning to target geologic formations 7,500 m or more beneath the surface. The more challenging high-pressure, high-temperature (HP-HT) environments encountered on the world's deep water and ultra-deep water frontiers have resulted in increasing use of steel-tube umbilicals. This phenomenon has special implications for deep water oil and gas development offshore Brazil, where thermoplastic-hose umbilicals have been used almost exclusively until the past few years. (author)

  8. Tool-ply friction in thermoplastic composite forming (CD-rom)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Thije, R.H.W.; Akkerman, Remko; van der Meer, L.; Ubbink, M.P.; Boisse, P.

    2008-01-01

    Friction is an important phenomenon that can dominate the resulting product geometry of thermoplastic composites upon forming. A model was developed that predicts the friction between a thermoplastic laminate and a rigid tool. The mesoscopic model, based on the Reynolds’ equation for thin film

  9. Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of Lead Oxide- Thermoplastic Elas Tomer Composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudirman; Handayani, Ari; Darwinto, Tri; Teguh, Yulius S.P.P.; Sunarni, Anik; Marlijanti, Isni

    2000-01-01

    Research on microstructure and mechanical properties of lead oxide-thermoplastic elastomer composite with Pb 3 O 4 as lead oxide. Thermoplastic elastomer synthesized from natural rubber as the elastomer and methyl metacrilate as the thermoplastic and irradiated simultaneously with optimum gamma ray. Thermoplastic elastomer (NR-PMMA) grind in a laboplastomill and Pb 3 O 4 was added in varied amount of 10%. 30%. 40% and 50%wt.The results showed that mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation break) decreased as the Pb 3 O 4 composition increased. Microstructure from SEM observation showed that Pb 3 O 4 distributed evenly and having function as filler in composite

  10. The Place for Thermoplastic Composites in Structural Components

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-12-01

    hydroforming of thermoplastics is so attractive is that it takes advantage of sheet-metal forming technology that has been in development for many years. High ...interfacial bond strength and fracture energies (Table D-1). Note the high bond strength of treated type I fibers and a correspondingly low fracture energy ...value, indicating little energy dissipated in the pull-out of fractured fibers. The untreated type I fibers have a low bond strength and a high pull-out

  11. Attribute based selection of thermoplastic resin for vacuum infusion process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prabhakaran, R.T. Durai; Lystrup, Aage; Løgstrup Andersen, Tom

    2011-01-01

    The composite industry looks toward a new material system (resins) based on thermoplastic polymers for the vacuum infusion process, similar to the infusion process using thermosetting polymers. A large number of thermoplastics are available in the market with a variety of properties suitable...... for different engineering applications, and few of those are available in a not yet polymerised form suitable for resin infusion. The proper selection of a new resin system among these thermoplastic polymers is a concern for manufactures in the current scenario and a special mathematical tool would...... be beneficial. In this paper, the authors introduce a new decision making tool for resin selection based on significant attributes. This article provides a broad overview of suitable thermoplastic material systems for vacuum infusion process available in today’s market. An illustrative example—resin selection...

  12. Thermal Characterization of Modified Tacca Leontopetaloides Starch and Natural Rubber Based Thermoplastic Elastomer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ainatul Mardhiah Mohd Amin; Nur Shahidah Ab Aziz; Nurul Shuhada Mohd Makhtar; Miradatul Najwa Mohd Rodhi; Suhaila Mohd Sauid

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the potential of Tacca leontopetaloides starch as bio-based thermoplastic elastomers, TPEs. Starch based polymer had been recognized to have highly potential in replace existing source of conventional elastomeric polymer. The modification process of blending starch with natural rubber, plasticizers, additives, and filler contribute to the enhancement and improvement for the properties of starch in order to produce biopolymers by approaching the properties of TPEs. Thermal properties of starch based thermoplastic was studied to evaluate the decomposition and degradation of the samples by using Thermogravimetric Analysis, TGA while the properties of endothermic reactions of the samples were thermally analyzed via Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC. From the analysis, it was found that the thermal properties of samples were revealed by recognizing GM-2 (green materials, GM) has high thermal resistance towards high temperature up to 480.06 degree Celsius with higher amount of residue which is 4.97 mg compared to other samples. This indicates GM-2 comprises of superior combination of ratio between natural rubbers and glycerol (plasticizer) in purpose of approaching the properties of Thermoplastic Elastomers, TPEs. (author)

  13. Building Block Approach' for Structural Analysis of Thermoplastic Composite Components for Automotive Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carello, M.; Amirth, N.; Airale, A. G.; Monti, M.; Romeo, A.

    2017-12-01

    Advanced thermoplastic prepreg composite materials stand out with regard to their ability to allow complex designs with high specific strength and stiffness. This makes them an excellent choice for lightweight automotive components to reduce mass and increase fuel efficiency, while maintaining the functionality of traditional thermosetting prepreg (and mechanical characteristics) and with a production cycle time and recyclability suited to mass production manufacturing. Currently, the aerospace and automotive sectors struggle to carry out accurate Finite Elements (FE) component analyses and in some cases are unable to validate the obtained results. In this study, structural Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) has been done on a thermoplastic fiber reinforced component designed and manufactured through an integrated injection molding process, which consists in thermoforming the prepreg laminate and overmolding the other parts. This process is usually referred to as hybrid molding, and has the provision to reinforce the zones subjected to additional stresses with thermoformed themoplastic prepreg as required and overmolded with a shortfiber thermoplastic resin in single process. This paper aims to establish an accurate predictive model on a rational basis and an innovative methodology for the structural analysis of thermoplastic composite components by comparison with the experimental tests results.

  14. Wood thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel F. Caulfield; Craig Clemons; Roger M. Rowell

    2010-01-01

    The wood industry can expand into new sustainable markets with the formation of a new class of composites with the marriage of the wood industry and the plastics industry. The wood component, usually a flour or fiber, is combined with a thermoplastic to form an extrudable, injectable or thermoformable composite that can be used in many non-structural applications....

  15. Wood thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel F. Caulfield; Craig Clemons; Rodney E. Jacobson; Roger M. Rowell

    2005-01-01

    The term “wood-plastic composites” refers to any number of composites that contain wood (of any form) and either thermoset or thermoplastic polymers. Thermosets or thermoset polymers are plastics that, once cured, cannot be remelted by heating. These include cured resins, such as epoxies and phenolics, plastics with which the forest products industry is most familiar (...

  16. Method and apparatus for extruding thermoplastic material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKelvey, J.M.

    1985-01-01

    A gear pump assisted screw conveyor extrusion system utilizing a cartridge heating device disposed axially within the screw and having the drives for the gear pump and the screw correlated in speed to create relatively little pressure in the thermoplastic material being extruded such that relatively little mechanical working thereof occurs. The thermoplastic material is melted in the screw conveyor primarily by heat transfer from the cartridge heater and the gear pump is utilized for conveying the melted material under pressure to a subsequent work station. A relatively deep material-conveying spiral channel is provided in the screw for maximized extrusion output per revolution of the screw and minimized mechanical energy generation by the screw. A motionless mixer may be employed intermediate the screw and the work station to homogenize the melted material for reducing temperature gradients therein. The system advantageously is capable of extruding material at a substantially greater rate and a lower material temperature and with substantially increased power economy than conventional systems utilizing a high pressure, externally heated screw conveyor portion

  17. Low Cost Processing of Commingled Thermoplastic Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiasson, Matthew Lee

    A low cost vacuum consolidation process has been investigated for use with commingled thermoplastic matrix composites. In particular, the vacuum consolidation behaviour of commingled polypropylene/glass fibre and commingled nylon/carbon fibre precursors were studied. Laminates were consolidated in a convection oven under vacuum pressure. During processing, the consolidation of the laminate packs was measured by use of non-contact eddy current sensors. The consolidation curves are then used to tune an empirical consolidation model. The overall quality of the resulting laminates is also discussed. Dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and mechanical tensile testing were also performed in order to determine the effects of varying processing parameters on the physical and mechanical properties of the laminates. Through this analysis, it was determined that the nylon/carbon fibre blend was not suitable for vacuum consolidation, while the polypropylene/glass fibre blend is a viable option for vacuum consolidation. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a foundation from which low cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components can be designed and manufactured from thermoplastic matrix composites using a low cost processing technique as an alternative to traditional thermoset composite materials.

  18. Dosimetric effects of thermoplastic immobilizing devices on skin dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adu-Poku Olivia

    2017-07-01

    This work shows the increase in surface dose caused by thermoplastic immobilizing masks used for positioning and immobilization of patients. Thermoplastics are organic materials which soften when they are heated. They can be formed after softening and retain their final shape when cooled. The use of these thermoplastic masks are relevant during patient treatment. However, it can lead to an increased skin dose. Measurements were done at source-to-surface distance of 80 cm for external radiation beams produced by cobalt 60 using the Farmer type ionization chamber and the Unidos electrometer. Measurements were carried out using various mask thicknesses and no mask material on a solid water phantom. The thermoplastic percentage depth dose (PDD), equivalent thickness of water of the various thicknesses of the mask and surface doses were determined. The increase in the surface dose caused by the thermoplastic mask was compared by looking at the PDD at depth 0 with and without the mask present and was found to increase between 0.76 and 0.79% with no mask for a field size of 5 x 5 cm 2 . It was found that, the presence of the mask shifted the percentage depth dose curve to lower values. The physical thermoplastic thickness was measured to be between 2.30 and 1.80 mm, and the equivalent thicknesses of water, d e , were determined to be 1.2, 1.15, 1.10 and 1.09 and 1.00 mm for the unstretched, 5 cm stretched, 10 cm stretched, 15 cm stretched and 20 cm stretched masks, respectively. This meant that, as the mask thickness decreased, its water equivalent thickness also decreased. The presence of the mask material did not increase the skin dose significantly ( less than 1%). (au)

  19. Fabrication and mechanical testing of fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite tubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tufail, M.

    2005-01-01

    Polymer based composites are produced using less expensive moulds and quick fabrication techniques. The overall processing cost for such materials is much lesser than metallic materials. Usually monolithic parts are produced out of composite materials which further decreases the processing time needed for joining sub- , assemblies as in the case of metallic parts. Any defects encountered due to sub-assemblies are also eliminated. Thermoset based composites have been used for long time to produce parts for automotive, aerospace, marine, and sports industries. The properties thus obtained by using thermoset as matrix are very well in comparison with metals but certain draw backs a.e there with this kind of matrix. Thermoset based composites are processed in untidy environment and once the object is produced can not be reshaped. In contrary to that thermoplastic materials are processed in a clean environment and the material can be recycled. The component once produced can easily be reshaped if required as no chemical reaction does take place during the process. Although the high melt viscosity of thermoplastic has limited its application as due to its high viscosity, its processing would be very difficult. Various methods have been developed to resolve this issue. In this study, a commingled material has been used to produce thermoplastic based composite tubes. The method developed for making such tubes is defined along with the method adopted to measure some of the mechanical properties of these tubes. (author)

  20. Non-contact inline monitoring of thermoplastic CFRP tape quality using air-coupled ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essig, W.; Fey, P.; Meiler, S.; Kreutzbruck, M.

    2017-02-01

    Beginning with the aerospace industry, fiber reinforced plastics have spread towards many applications such as automotive, civil engineering as well as sports and leisure articles. Their superior strength and stiffness to mass ratio made them the number one material for achieving high performance. Especially continuous fiber reinforced plastics allow for the construction of structures which are custom tailored to their mechanical loads by adjusting the paths of the fibers to the loading direction. The two main constituents of CFRP are carbon fibers and matrix. Two possibilities for matrix material exist: thermosetting and thermoplastic matrix. While thermosetting matrix may yield better properties with respect to thermal loads, thermoplasticity opens a wide range of applications due to weldability, shapeability, and compatibility to e.g. injection molded thermoplastic materials. Thin (0.1 mm) thermoplastic continuous fiber CFRP tapes with a width of 100 mm were examined using air-coupled ultrasound. Transducers were arranged in reflection as well as transmission setup. By slanted incidence of the ultrasound on the tape surface, guided waves were excited in the material in fiber direction and perpendicular to the fiber direction. Artificial defects - fiber cuts, matrix cuts, circular holes, low velocity impacts from tool drop, and sharp bends - were produced. Experiments on a stationary tape showed good detectability of all artificial defects by guided waves. Also the effects of variation in material properties, fiber volume content and fiber matrix adhesion being the most relevant, on guided wave propagation were examined, to allow for quality assessment. Guided wave measurements were supported by destructive analysis. Also an apparatus containing one endless loop of CFRP tape was constructed and built to simulate inline testing of CFRP tapes, as it would be employed in a CFRP tape production environment or at a CFRP tape processing facility. The influences of tape

  1. Effects of Styrene-Acrylic Sizing on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Thermoplastic Towpregs and Their Composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowman, Sean; Jiang, Qiuran; Memon, Hafeezullah; Qiu, Yiping; Liu, Wanshuang; Wei, Yi

    2018-03-01

    Thermoplastic towpregs are convenient and scalable raw materials for the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites. In this paper, the potential to employ epoxy and styrene-acrylic sizing agents was evaluated for the making of carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs via a powder-coating method. The protective effects and thermal stability of these sizing agents were investigated by single fiber tensile test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement. The results indicate that the epoxy sizing agent provides better protection to carbon fibers, but it cannot be used for thermoplastic towpreg processing due to its poor chemical stability at high temperature. The bending rigidity of the tows and towpregs with two styrene-acrylic sizing agents was measured by cantilever and Kawabata methods. The styrene-acrylic sized towpregs show low torque values, and are suitable for further processing, such as weaving, preforming, and winding. Finally, composite panels were fabricated directly from the towpregs by hot compression molding. Both of the composite panels show superior flexural strength (>400 MPa), flexural modulus (>63 GPa), and interlaminar shear strength (>27 MPa), indicating the applicability of these two styrene-acrylic sizing agents for carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs.

  2. Effects of Styrene-Acrylic Sizing on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Thermoplastic Towpregs and Their Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sean Bowman

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic towpregs are convenient and scalable raw materials for the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites. In this paper, the potential to employ epoxy and styrene-acrylic sizing agents was evaluated for the making of carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs via a powder-coating method. The protective effects and thermal stability of these sizing agents were investigated by single fiber tensile test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC measurement. The results indicate that the epoxy sizing agent provides better protection to carbon fibers, but it cannot be used for thermoplastic towpreg processing due to its poor chemical stability at high temperature. The bending rigidity of the tows and towpregs with two styrene-acrylic sizing agents was measured by cantilever and Kawabata methods. The styrene-acrylic sized towpregs show low torque values, and are suitable for further processing, such as weaving, preforming, and winding. Finally, composite panels were fabricated directly from the towpregs by hot compression molding. Both of the composite panels show superior flexural strength (>400 MPa, flexural modulus (>63 GPa, and interlaminar shear strength (>27 MPa, indicating the applicability of these two styrene-acrylic sizing agents for carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs.

  3. Flammability and Thermophysical Characterization of Thermoplastic Elastomer Nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-08-01

    State University – M. Namani • Southern Clay Products – D. Hunter • Applied Sciences Inc. – J. Glasglow • Omega Point Laboratories – S . Romo Financial...Characterization of Thermoplastic Elastomer Nanocomposites 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER F04611-99-C-0025 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ... S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) ERC, Inc,AFRL/PRS,10 E. Saturn Blvd.,Edwards AFB,CA,93524 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER E04-082 9. SPONSORING

  4. Determination of adhesion between thermoplastic and liquid silicone rubbers in hard-soft-combinations via mechanical peeling test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kühr, C.; Spörrer, A.; Altstädt, V.

    2014-05-01

    The production of hard-soft-combinations via multi injection molding gained more and more importance in the last years. This is attributed to different factors. One principle reason is that the use of two-component injection molding technique has many advantages such as cancelling subsequent and complex steps and shortening the process chain. Furthermore this technique allows the combination of the properties of the single components like the high stiffness of the hard component and the elastic properties of the soft component. Because of the incompatibility of some polymers the adhesion on the interface has to be determined. Thereby adhesion is not only influenced by the applied polymers, but also by the injection molding parameters and the characteristics of the mold. Besides already known combinations of thermoplastics with thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), there consists the possibility to apply liquid silicone rubber (LSR) as soft component. A thermoplastic/LSR combination gains in importance due to the specific advantages of LSR to TPE. The faintly adhesion between LSR and thermoplastics is currently one of the key challenges when dealing with those combinations. So it is coercively necessary to improve adhesion between the two components by adding an adhesion promoter. To determine the promoters influence, it is necessary to develop a suitable testing method to investigate e.g. the peel resistance. The current German standard "VDI Richtlinie 2019', which is actually only employed for thermoplastic/TPE combinations, can serve as a model to determine the adhesion of thermoplastic/LSR combinations.

  5. Method for bonding a thermoplastic polymer to a thermosetting polymer component

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Tooren, M.J.L.

    2012-01-01

    The invention relates to a method for bonding a thermoplastic polymer to a thermosetting polymer component, the thermoplastic polymer having a melting temperature that exceeds the curing temperature of the thermosetting polymer. The method comprises the steps of providing a cured thermosetting

  6. Mechanical properties of a new thermoplastic polymer orthodontic archwire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Varela, Juan Carlos; Velo, Marcos [Grupo de investigación en Ortodoncia, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Espinar, Eduardo; Llamas, Jose Maria [Grupo de investigación en Ortodoncia, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain); Rúperez, Elisa; Manero, Jose Maria [Dept. C. Materiales e Ing. Metalúrgica, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Centre de Recerca Nanoenginyeria, Member of Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN (Spain); Javier Gil, F., E-mail: francesc.xavier.gil@upc.edu [Dept. C. Materiales e Ing. Metalúrgica, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Centre de Recerca Nanoenginyeria, Member of Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN (Spain)

    2014-09-01

    A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained and extruded into wires with round and rectangular cross sections. We evaluated the potential of new aesthetic archwire: tensile, three point bending, friction and stress relaxation behaviour, and formability characteristics were assessed. Stresses delivered were generally slightly lower than typical beta-titanium and nickel-titanium archwires. The polymer wire has good instantaneous mechanical properties; tensile stress decayed about 2% over 2 h depending on the initial stress relaxation for up to 120 h. High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires. The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic conventional archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. This new polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. - Highlights: • A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained. • This polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. • The polymer has good mechanical properties as orthodontic wire coating. • The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. • High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires.

  7. Mechanical properties of a new thermoplastic polymer orthodontic archwire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varela, Juan Carlos; Velo, Marcos; Espinar, Eduardo; Llamas, Jose Maria; Rúperez, Elisa; Manero, Jose Maria; Javier Gil, F.

    2014-01-01

    A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained and extruded into wires with round and rectangular cross sections. We evaluated the potential of new aesthetic archwire: tensile, three point bending, friction and stress relaxation behaviour, and formability characteristics were assessed. Stresses delivered were generally slightly lower than typical beta-titanium and nickel-titanium archwires. The polymer wire has good instantaneous mechanical properties; tensile stress decayed about 2% over 2 h depending on the initial stress relaxation for up to 120 h. High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires. The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic conventional archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. This new polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. - Highlights: • A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained. • This polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. • The polymer has good mechanical properties as orthodontic wire coating. • The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. • High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires

  8. Thermo-hydroforming of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites considering fiber orientations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Hyunchul; Kuuttila, Nicholas Eric; Pourboghrat, Farhang

    2018-05-01

    The Thermoplastic woven composites were formed using a composite thermal hydroforming process, utilizing heated and pressurized fluid, similar to sheet metal forming. This study focuses on the modification of 300-ton pressure formation and predicts its behavior. Spectra Shield SR-3136 is used in this study and material properties are measured by experiments. The behavior of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (FRTP) was modeled using the Preferred Fiber Orientation (PFO) model and validated by comparing numerical analysis with experimental results. The thermo-hydroforming process has shown good results in the ability to form deep drawn parts with reduced wrinkles. Numerical analysis was performed using the PFO model and implemented as commercial finite element software ABAQUS / Explicit. The user subroutine (VUMAT) was used for the material properties of the thermoplastic composite layer. This model is suitable for working with multiple layers of composite laminates. Model parameters have been updated to work with cohesive zone model to calculate the interfacial properties between each composite layer. The results of the numerical modeling showed a good correlation with the molding experiment on the forming shape. Numerical results were also compared with experimental results on punch force-displacement curves for deformed geometry and forming processes of the composite layer. Overall, the shape of the deformed FRTP, including the distribution of wrinkles, was accurately predicted as shown in this study.

  9. CO2-laser-assisted processing of glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brecher, Christian; Emonts, Michael; Schares, Richard Ludwig; Stimpfl, Joffrey

    2013-02-01

    To fully exploit the potential of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (FRTC) and to achieve a broad industrial application, automated manufacturing systems are crucial. Investigations at Fraunhofer IPT have proven that the use of laser system technology in processing FRTC allows to achieve high throughput, quality, flexibility, reproducibility and out-of-autoclave processing simultaneously. As 90% of the FRP in Europe1 are glass fiber-reinforced a high impact can be achieved by introducing laser-assisted processing with all its benefits to glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (GFRTC). Fraunhofer IPT has developed the diode laser-assisted tape placement (laying and winding) to process carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTC) for years. However, this technology cannot be transferred unchanged to process milky transparent GFRTC prepregs (preimpregnated fibers). Due to the short wavelength (approx. 980 nm) and therefore high transmission less than 20% of the diode laser energy is absorbed as heat into non-colored GFRTC prepregs. Hence, the use of a different wave length, e.g. CO2-laser (10.6 μm) with more than 90% laser absorption, is required to allow the full potential of laser-assisted processing of GFRTC. Also the absorption of CO2-laser radiation at the surface compared to volume absorption of diode laser radiation is beneficial for the interlaminar joining of GFRTC. Fraunhofer IPT is currently developing and investigating the CO2-laser-assisted tape placement including new system, beam guiding, process and monitoring technology to enable a resource and energy efficient mass production of GFRP composites, e.g. pipes, tanks, masts. The successful processing of non-colored glass fiber-reinforced Polypropylene (PP) and Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) has already been proven.

  10. Mechanical properties of green composites based on thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fornes, F.; Sánchez-Nácher, L.; Fenollar, O.; Boronat, T.; Garcia-Sanoguera, D.

    2010-06-01

    The present work is focused on study of "green composites" elaborated from thermoplastic starch (TPS) as polymer matrix and a fiber from natural origin (rush) as reinforced fiber. The effect of the fiber content has been studied by means of the mechanical properties. The composite resulting presents a lack of interaction between matrix and fiber that represents a performance decrease. However the biodegradability behavior of the resulting composite raise this composite as useful an industrial level.

  11. Characteristics and utilization of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)-an overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roestamsjah, [R and D Center for Applied Chemistry, Indonesian Inst. of Sciences (Indonesia)

    1998-10-01

    The unique feature of thermoplastic elastomer, the combining of processing characteristics of thermoplastics with the physical properties of vulcanized rubber is reviewed. Highlights of TPE and its characteristics is aimed to generate interest in TPE, where SANS technique will be utilized for its characterization. The topics discussed include rubber elasticity, state of aggregation of polymers, microseparation in block copolymer system, application of TPE, and finally some notes in developing interest in TPE and SANS in Indonesia. (author)

  12. Creep and creep-recovery of a thermoplastic resin and composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiel, Clem

    1988-01-01

    The database on advanced thermoplastic composites, which is currently available to industry, contains little data on the creep and viscoelastic behavior. This behavior is nevertheless considered important, particularly for extended-service reliability in structural applications. The creep deformation of a specific thermoplastic resin and composite is reviewed. The problem to relate the data obtained on the resin to the data obtained on the composite is discussed.

  13. Printing Electronic Components from Copper-Infused Ink and Thermoplastic Mediums

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flowers, Patrick F.

    The demand for printable electronics has sharply increased in recent years and is projected to continue to rise. Unfortunately, electronic materials which are suitable for desired applications while being compatible with available printing techniques are still often lacking. This thesis addresses two such challenging areas. In the realm of two-dimensional ink-based printing of electronics, a major barrier to the realization of printable computers that can run programs is the lack of a solution-coatable non-volatile memory with performance metrics comparable to silicon-based devices. To address this deficiency, I developed a nonvolatile memory based on Cu-SiO2 core-shell nanowires that can be printed from solution and exhibits on-off ratios of 106, switching speeds of 50 ns, a low operating voltage of 2 V, and operates for at least 104 cycles without failure. Each of these metrics is similar to or better than Flash memory (the write speed is 20 times faster than Flash). Memory architectures based on the individual memory cells demonstrated here could enable the printing of the more complex, embedded computing devices that are expected to make up an internet of things. Recently, the exploration of three-dimensional printing techniques to fabricate electronic materials began. A suitable general-purpose conductive thermoplastic filament was not available, however. In this work I examine the current state of conductive thermoplastic filaments, including a newly-released highly conductive filament that my lab has produced which we call Electrifi. I focus on the use of dual-material fused filament fabrication (FFF) to 3D print electronic components (conductive traces, resistors, capacitors, inductors) and circuits (a fully-printed high-pass filter). The resistivity of traces printed from conductive thermoplastic filaments made with carbon-black, graphene, and copper as conductive fillers was found to be 12, 0.78, and 0.014 ohm cm, respectively, enabling the creation of

  14. Investigation of Bauschinger effect in thermo-plastic polymers for biodegradable stents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schümann Kerstin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The Bauschinger effect is a phenomenon metals show as a result of plastic deformation. After a primary plastic deformation the yield strength in the opposite loading direction decreases. The aim of this study is to investigate if there is a phenomenon similar to Bauschinger effect in thermoplastic polymers for stent application that would influence the mechanical properties of these biodegradable implants. Combined uniaxial tensile with subsequent compression tests as well as conventional compression tests without prior tensile loading were performed using biodegradable polymers for stent application (PLLA and a PLLA based blend. Comparing the results of compression tests with prior tensile loading to the compression-only tests a decrease in compressive strength can be observed for both of the tested materials. The conclusion of the performed experiments is that there is a phenomenon similar to Bauschinger effect not only in metallic materials but also in the examined thermoplastic polymers. The observed reduction of compressive strength as a consequence of prior tensile loading can influence the mechanical behaviour, e.g. the radial strength, of polymeric stents after sustaining a complex load history due to crimping and expansion.

  15. Self-sorting of guests and hard blocks in bisurea-based thermoplastic elastomers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Botterhuis, N.E.; Karthikeyan, S.; Spiering, A.J.H.; Sijbesma, R.P.

    2010-01-01

    Self-sorting in thermoplastic elastomers was studied using bisurea-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) which are known to form hard blocks via hierarchical aggregation of bisurea segments into ribbons and of ribbons into fibers. Self-sorting of different bisurea hard blocks in mixtures of polymers

  16. Development of thermo-plastic heating and compaction facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ko, Dae Hak; Lim, Suk Nam

    1998-01-01

    Low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes consist of spent resin, spent filter, concentrated waste and dry active waste(DAW) and they are solidified or packaged into drums or high integrated containers(HICs). DAWs occupy 50 percent of all low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes generated from nuclear power plants in Korea. Incinerable wastes in the DAWs are about 60 percent. Therefore, it is very important for us to reduce the volume of incinerable wastes in DAWs. Experience of supercompaction turned out that thermo-plastic wastes have a swelling effect after supercompaction process due to their repulsive power. And the thermo-plastic heating and compaction facility has been developed by KEPCO. In conclusion, heating and compaction facility can reduce the volume of DAWs as well as upgrade the quality of treated wastes, because the swelling effect by repulsive power after compaction is removed, final wastes form the shape of block and they have no free-standing water in the wastes. Plan for practical use is that this facility will be installed in other nuclear power plants in Korea in 1999. (Cho, G. S.). 1 tab., 2 figs

  17. THERMOPLASTIC MATRIX SELECTION FOR FIBRE METAL LAMINATE USING FUZZY VIKOR AND ENTROPY MEASURE FOR OBJECTIVE WEIGHTING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. M. ISHAK

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to define the suitable thermoplastic matrix for fibre metal laminate for automotive front hood utilisation. To achieve the accurate and reliable results, the decision making process involved subjective and objective weighting where the combination of Fuzzy VIKOR and entropy method have been applied. Fuzzy VIKOR is used for ranking purpose and entropy method is used to determine the objective weighting. The result shows that polypropylene is the best thermoplastic matrix for fibre metal laminate by satisfying two compromise solutions with validation using least VIKOR index value scored 0.00, compared to low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene and polystyrene. Through a combination of Fuzzy VIKOR and entropy, it is proved that this method gives a higher degree of confidence to the decision maker especially for fibre metal laminate thermoplastic matrix selection due to its systematic and scientific selection method involving MCDM.

  18. Thermoplastic polymers surfaces for Dip-Pen Nanolithography of oligonucleotides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suriano, Raffaella; Biella, Serena; Cesura, Federico; Levi, Marinella; Turri, Stefano

    2013-01-01

    Different thermoplastic polymers were spin-coated to prepare smooth surfaces for the direct deposition of end-group modified oligonucleotides by Dip-Pen Nanolithography. A study of the diffusion process was done in order to investigate the dependence of calibration coefficient and quality of deposited features on environmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity) and ink's molecular weight and functionality. The optimization of the process parameters led to the realization of high quality and density nanoarrays on plastics.

  19. Comparative analysis of thermoplastic masks versus vacuum cushions in stereotactic body radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Navarro-Martin, Arturo; Cacicedo, Jon; Leaman, Olwen; Sancho, Ismael; García, Elvira; Navarro, Valentin; Guedea, Ferran

    2015-01-01

    To compare thermoplastic masks (TMP) and vacuum cushion system (VCS) to assess differences in interfraction set up accuracy in patients treated with stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) for oligometastatic lung cancer. Secondarily, to survey radiotherapy technologists to assess their satisfaction with the two systems. Retrospective study of patients treated with lung SBRT between 2008 to 2012 at our institution. Immobilization was performed for 73 treatment sessions (VCS = 40; TMP = 33). A total of 246 cone-beams were analysed. Patients considered ineligible for surgery with a life expectancy ≥6 months and performance status > 1 were included. Target lesion location was verified by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) prior to each session, with displacements assessed by CBCT simulation prior to each treatment session. Couch shifts were registered prospectively in vertical, longitudinal, and latero-lateral directions to obtain Kernel coordinates (3D representation). Technologists were surveyed to assess their satisfaction with indexing, positioning, and learning curve of the two systems. Setup displacements were obtained in all patients for each treatment plan and for each session. To assess differences between the immobilization systems, a t-test (Welch) was performed. Mean displacements for the TMP and VC systems, respectively, were as follows: session one, 0.64 cm vs 1.05 cm (p = 0.0002); session two, 0.49 cm vs 1.02 cm (p < 0.0001), and session three, 0.56 vs 0.97 cm (p = 0.0011). TMP resulted in significantly smaller shifts vs. VCS in all three treatment sessions. Technologists rated the learning curve, set up, and positioning more highly for TMP versus VCS. Due to the high doses and steep gradients in lung SBRT, accurate and reproducible inter-fraction set up is essential. We found that thermoplastic masks offers better reproducibility with significantly less interfractional set up displacement than vacuum cushions. Moreover, radiotherapy technologists rated

  20. Training programme impact on thermoplastic immobilization for head and neck radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Outhwaite, Julie-Anne; McDowall, W. Robert; Marquart, Louise; Rattray, Gregory; Fielding, Andrew; Hargrave, Catriona

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To determine whether uniform guidelines and training in the stabilization and formation of thermoplastic shells can improve the reproducibility of set-up for Head and Neck cancer patients. Methods and materials: Image based measurements of the planning and treatment positions for 35 head and neck cancer patients undergoing radical radiotherapy were analysed to provide a baseline of the reproducibility of thermoplastic immobilization. Radiation therapists (RT) were surveyed to establish a perception of their confidence in thermoplastic procedures. An evidence based staff training programme was created and implemented. Set-up reproduction and staff perception were reviewed to measure the impact of the training programme. Results: The mean (SD) 3D vectors of anatomical displacement, measured on the patient images, improved from 4.64 (2.03) for the baseline group compared to 3.02 (1.65) following training (p < 0.01). The proportion of 3D displacements of patient data exceeding 5 mm 3D vector was decreased from 37.1% to 5.7% (p < 0.001) and the 3 mm vector from 85.7% to 42.9% (p < 0.001). The post-training survey scores demonstrated improved confidence in reproducibility of set-up for head and neck patients. Conclusion: The Thermoplastic Shells Training Program has been found to improve the treatment reproducibility for head and neck radiation therapy patients. Uniform guidelines have increased RT confidence in thermoplastic procedures.

  1. The reactive extrusion of thermoplastic polyurethane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoeven, Vincent Wilhelmus Andreas

    2006-01-01

    The objective of this thesis was to increase the understanding of the reactive extrusion of thermoplastic polyurethane. Overall, several issues were identified: • Using a relative simple extrusion model, the reactive extrusion process can be described. This model can be used to further investigate

  2. Significant Enhancement of Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer by Polymer Blending and Nanoinclusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manwar Hussain

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic elastomer composites and nanocomposites were fabricated via melt processing technique by blending thermoplastic elastomer (TPEE with poly(butylene terephthalate (PBT thermoplastic and also by adding small amount of organo modified nanoclay and/or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE. We study the effect of polymer blending on the mechanical and thermal properties of TPEE blends with and without nanoparticle additions. Significant improvement was observed by blending only TPEE and virgin PBT polymers. With a small amount (0.5 wt.% of nanoclay or PTFE particles added to the TPEE composite, there was further improvement in both the mechanical and thermal properties. To study mechanical properties, flexural strength (FS, flexural modulus (FM, tensile strength (TS, and tensile elongation (TE were all investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC were used to analyze the thermal properties, including the heat distortion temperature (HDT, of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM was used to observe the polymer fracture surface morphology. The dispersion of the clay and PTFE nanoparticles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM analysis. This material is proposed for use as a baffle plate in the automotive industry, where both high HDT and high modulus are essential.

  3. Recycling C/PPS laminates into long fibre thermoplastic composites by low shear mixing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Bruijn, Thomas A.; Vincent, Guillaume Almire; van Hattum, Ferrie

    2017-01-01

    The increasing interest in continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites has resulted in a rise of industrial waste. The recycling of the waste is topic of this study, aiming at high mechanical properties by retaining both a long fibre length and the matrix material. Consolidated continuous

  4. Thermosetting epoxy resin/thermoplastic system with combined shape memory and self-healing properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Yongtao; Wang, Jingjie; Lu, Haibao; Liu, Yanju; Leng, Jinsong; Xu, Ben; Fu, Yongqing

    2016-01-01

    A novel and facile strategy was proposed to construct a thermosetting/thermoplastic system with both shape memory and self-healing properties based on commercial epoxy resin and poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-PCL. Thermoplastic material is capable of re-structuring and changing the stiffness/modulus when the temperature is above melting temperature. PCL microfiber was used as a plasticizer in epoxy resin–based blends, and served as a ‘hard segment’ to fix a temporary shape of the composites during shape memory cycles. In this study, the electrospun PCL membrane with a porous network structure enabled a homogenous PCL fibrous distribution and optimized interaction between fiber and epoxy resin. The self-healing capability is achieved by phase transition during curing of the composites. The mechanism of the shape memory effect of the thermosetting (rubber)/thermoplastic composite is attributed to the structural design of the thermoplastic network inside the thermosetting resin/rubber matrix. (paper)

  5. Studies on the structure and properties of thermoplastic starch/luffa fiber composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaewtatip, Kaewta; Thongmee, Jariya

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Thermoplastic starch/luffa fiber composites were prepared using compression molding. ► The tensile strengths of the composites were higher than for thermoplastic starch. ► Degradation temperatures of the composites were higher than for thermoplastic starch. ► Luffa fiber decreases the water absorption of TPS. -- Abstract: Thermoplastic starch (TPS)/luffa fiber composites were prepared using compression molding. The luffa fiber contents ranged from 0 wt.% to 20 wt.%. The tensile strength of the TPS/luffa fiber composite with 10 wt.% of luffa fiber had a twofold increase compared to TPS. The temperature values of maximum weight loss of the TPS/luffa fiber composites were higher than for TPS. The water absorption of the TPS/luffa fiber composites decreased significantly when the luffa fiber contents increased. The strength of adhesion between the luffa fiber and the TPS matrix was clearly demonstrated by their compatibility presumably due to their similar chemical structures as shown by scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra.

  6. Thermoplastic polymers surfaces for Dip-Pen Nanolithography of oligonucleotides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suriano, Raffaella [Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Biella, Serena, E-mail: serena.biella@polimi.it [Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Cesura, Federico; Levi, Marinella; Turri, Stefano [Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy)

    2013-05-15

    Different thermoplastic polymers were spin-coated to prepare smooth surfaces for the direct deposition of end-group modified oligonucleotides by Dip-Pen Nanolithography. A study of the diffusion process was done in order to investigate the dependence of calibration coefficient and quality of deposited features on environmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity) and ink's molecular weight and functionality. The optimization of the process parameters led to the realization of high quality and density nanoarrays on plastics.

  7. Thermoplastic Elastomers From Chemically or Irradiation Activated Polyolefin Wastes and Ground Tyre Rubber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tolstov, A.M.; Grigoryeva, A.L.; Bardash, O.P.

    2005-01-01

    Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are known as materials with unique combination of elastomeric properties and thermo plasticity. Among the TPE of different type the polymer blends of thermoplastics and rubbers are the most commonly used. Recently a very effective technology of dynamic vulcanization of rubber component inside thermoplastic matrix has been developed. As a result of rubber vulcanization and dispersion inside thermoplastic the new type of TPE so-called thermoplastic dynamic vulcanizations (TPV) are obtained. In our work we have applied the technology of dynamic vulcanization for recycled components (PP, HDPE, GTR). It has appeared that such components are not mixed well and the resulting TPV have poor mechanical properties. To solve a problem of poor compatibility of the components used we carried out a pre-modification (functionalization) of the component surfaces by gamma-irradiation or by chemically or gamma-irradiation induced grafting of reactive monomers. Both the polyolefin (HDPE) and GTR were functionalized before mixing. The monomers were selected by such a way that being grafted to be able to react to each other in interface during the components blending. For example, we used maleic anhydride and acrylamide. The effect of better compatibility has appeared in higher tensile characteristics of TPV synthesized

  8. Development of electroactive nanofibers based on thermoplastic polyurethane and poly(o-ethoxyaniline) for biological applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Karina Ferreira Noronha; Formaggio, Daniela Maria Ducatti; Tada, Dayane Batista; Cristovan, Fernando Henrique; Guerrini, Lilia Müller

    2017-02-01

    Electroactive nanofibers based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and poly(alkoxy anilines) produced by electrospinning has been explored for biomaterials applications. The thermoplastic polyurethane is a biocompatible polymer with good mechanical properties. The production of TPU nanofibers requires the application of high voltage during electrospinning in order to prepare uniform mats due to its weak ability to elongate during the process. To overcome this limitation, a conductive polymer can be incorporated to the process, allowing generates mats without defects. In this study, poly(o-ethoxyaniline) POEA doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) was blended with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by solution method. Films were produced by casting and nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning. The effect of the POEA on morphology, distribution of diameter and cell viability of the nanofibers was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of POEA in TPU provided to the mats a suitable morphology for cellular growth. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 601-607, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Preparation of cotton linter nanowhiskers by high-pressure homogenization process and its application in thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savadekar, N. R.; Karande, V. S.; Vigneshwaran, N.; Kadam, P. G.; Mhaske, S. T.

    2015-03-01

    The present work deals with the preparation of cotton linter nanowhiskers (CLNW) by acid hydrolysis and subsequent processing in a high-pressure homogenizer. Prepared CLNW were then used as a reinforcing material in thermoplastic starch (TPS), with an aim to improve its performance properties. Concentration of CLNW was varied as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 wt% in TPS. TPS/CLNW nanocomposite films were prepared by solution-casting process. The nanocomposite films were characterized by tensile, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water vapor permeability (WVP), oxygen permeability (OP), X-ray diffraction and light transmittance properties. 3 wt% CLNW-loaded TPS nanocomposite films demonstrated 88 % improvement in the tensile strength as compared to the pristine TPS polymer film; whereas, WVP and OP decreased by 90 and 92 %, respectively, which is highly appreciable compared to the quantity of CLNW added. DSC thermograms of nanocomposite films did not show any significant effect on melting temperature as compared to the pristine TPS. Light transmittance ( T r) value of TPS decreased with increased content of CLNW. Better interaction between CLNW and TPS, caused due to the hydrophilic nature of both the materials, and uniform distribution of CLNW in TPS were the prime reason for the improvement in properties observed at 3 wt% loading of CLNW in TPS. However, CLNW was seen to have formed agglomerates at higher concentration as determined from SEM analysis. These nanocomposite films can have potential use in food and pharmaceutical packaging applications.

  10. 3D printing of high drug loaded dosage forms using thermoplastic polyurethanes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verstraete, G; Samaro, A; Grymonpré, W; Vanhoorne, V; Van Snick, B; Boone, M N; Hellemans, T; Van Hoorebeke, L; Remon, J P; Vervaet, C

    2018-01-30

    It was the aim of this study to develop high drug loaded (>30%, w/w), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based dosage forms via fused deposition modelling (FDM). Model drugs with different particle size and aqueous solubility were pre-processed in combination with diverse TPU grades via hot melt extrusion (HME) into filaments with a diameter of 1.75 ± 0.05 mm. Subsequently, TPU-based filaments which featured acceptable quality attributes (i.e. consistent filament diameter, smooth surface morphology and good mechanical properties) were printed into tablets. The sustained release potential of the 3D printed dosage forms was tested in vitro. Moreover, the impact of printing parameters on the in vitro drug release was investigated. TPU-based filaments could be loaded with 60% (w/w) fine drug powder without observing severe shark skinning or inconsistent filament diameter. During 3D printing experiments, HME filaments based on hard TPU grades were successfully converted into personalized dosage forms containing a high concentration of crystalline drug (up to 60%, w/w). In vitro release kinetics were mainly affected by the matrix composition and tablet infill degree. Therefore, this study clearly demonstrated that TPU-based FDM feedstock material offers a lot of formulation freedom for the development of personalized dosage forms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Synthesis of thermoplastic elastomer using potassium persulfate and ammonium peroxydisulfate initiator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dewi Sondari; Agus Haryono; M Ghozali; Ahmad Randy; Kuntari Adi Suhardjo; Ariyadi B; Surasno

    2010-01-01

    Thermoplastic elastomer is polymeric material that has elastomer and thermoplastic properties. This material can be easily molded into finished and recyclable goods, thus environmentally safe for long term application. In this study we synthesize thermoplastic elastomer using two initiator that are potassium persulfate and ammonium peroxydisulfate with natural rubber to monomer (styrene/methyl methacrylate) ratio of 50 : 50 and 60 : 40 (v/v). The process of thermoplastic elastomer synthesis was conducted with emulsion grafting polymerization method for 6 hours at 65 °C. We used sodium dodecyl sulfate as emulsifier. FT-IR analysis result shows that grafting process had already occurred shown by new peaks that were observed in 1743 and 1519 cm"-"1. These peaks was assigned to carbonyl (C=O) group of methyl methacrylate and C=C benzene of styrene respectively. From "1H-NMR new peaks at δ = 7.1 ppm was aromatic proton from phenyl group of styrene, at δ = 3.5 ppm was methoxy proton of grafted methyl methacrylate acrylic group, and at δ = 5.1 ppm that is resonance of isoprene methine proton. This result showed that methyl methacrylate and styrene had already grafted onto natural rubber backbone. Initiator influenced grafting efficiency. Potassium persulfate gave 97.6 % grafting efficiency while ammonium peroxydisulfate gave 90.2 % grafting efficiency. (author)

  12. Surface dose measurements under stretched, perforated thermoplast sheets and under protective wound dressings for high energy photon radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staudenraus, J.; Christ, G.

    2000-01-01

    Patient fixation masks made of perforated thermoplast sheets are widely used in radiotherapy. These masks in particular serve to immobilize the head and neck region during radiation treatment. We placed samples made of differently stretched, perforated mask material on the surface of a white polystyrene (RW3) phantom and measured for high energy photon beams from Co-60 radiation up to 25 MV bremsstrahlung the dose increase resulting from the build-up under the hole and bridge areas. Depending on the energy of the incident beam and the thickness of the stretched mask material we observed a dose increase under the bridges at the phantom surface of 55% up to 140% compared to the dose without a layer of mask material. Under a hole the dose increase is almost half the value found under a bridge. However, deeper than 1 mm under the phantom surface this difference in dose increase under holes and bridges decreases to less than 10%. The mean dose increase under a perforated thermoplast sheet is lower than the dose increase under a homogeneous sheet made of the same material with the same mean thickness. Radiation induced skin lesions or an ulcerating tumour, respectively, may require a protective wound dressing under a patient fixation mask during radiation therapy. Choosing a thin hydrocolloid wound dressing the additional dose increase of the skin, compared to the dose increase due to the fixation mask, can be kept low. (orig.) [de

  13. Recycling of ligno-cellulosic and polyethylene wastes from agricultural operations in thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the US, wood plastic composites (WPC) represent one of the successful markets for natural fiber-filled thermoplastic composites. The WPC typically use virgin or recycled thermoplastic as the substrate and wood fiber as the filler. A major application of the WPC is in non-structural building appli...

  14. Conductive films of silver nanoparticles as novel susceptors for induction welding of thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dermanaki Farahani, Rouhollah; Janier, Mathieu; Dubé, Martine

    2018-03-01

    In the present work, a conductive film of silver nanoparticles (nAg) as a novel heating element type, called susceptor, was developed and tested for induction welding of carbon fiber/polyphenylene sulfide (CF/PPS) thermoplastic composites, i.e., unidirectional pre-impregnated 16 plies of CF/PPS compression-molded in a quasi-isotropic stacking sequence. The nAg were synthesized, dispersed in deionized (DI) water and casted onto a pure PPS film, resulting in a conductive film upon the evaporation of DI water and thermal post-annealing. The thermal annealing at 250 °C significantly (by 7 orders) decreased the film’s electrical resistivity from 9.4 × 103 down to 3.1 × 10-4 Ω cm. The new susceptors led to fast heating rates in induction welding when compared to the standard stainless steel mesh susceptors under similar welding conditions. Lap shear mechanical testing revealed that the apparent lap shear strength (LSS) is sensitive to the susceptors’ resistivity and the input current. A relatively high LSS value was achieved for the specimens welded using the new susceptors which exceeded the value of those welded using stainless steel mesh susceptors (28.3 MPa compared to 20 MPa). The weld interface and specimens’ cross-section observation revealed that the nAg were dispersed and embedded into the resin upon welding. This study contains preliminary results that show high potential of nanoparticles as effective susceptors to further improve the mechanical performance of the joints in welding of thermoplastic composites.

  15. Polycyanurates and Polycarbonates Based on Eugenol: Alternatives to Thermosetting and Thermoplastic Polymers Based on Bisphenol A

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-08-14

    to 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-House Thermosetting and Thermoplastic Polymers based on Bisphenol A 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...Francisco, CA, 14 August 2014. PA#14389 14. ABSTRACT Polycyanurate thermosetting networks, polycarbonate thermoplastics, and homogenous polycarbonate...ON EUGENOL: ALTERNATIVES TO THERMOSETTING AND THERMOPLASTIC POLYMES BASED ON BISPHENOL A 14 August 2014 Andrew J. Guenthner1, Benjamin G. Harvey2

  16. The influence of starch molecular mass on the properties of extruded thermoplastic starch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliegenthart, J.F.G.; Soest, J.J.G. van; Benes, K.; Wit, D. de

    1996-01-01

    The mechanical properties of a low and a high molecular mass thermoplastic starch (TPS) were monitored at water contents in the range of 5–30% (w/w). The granular starches were plasticized by extrusion processing with glycerol and water. The low molecular mass starch was prepared by partial acid

  17. Mechanical Properties of Isotactic Polypropylene Modified with Thermoplastic Potato Starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knitter, M.; Dobrzyńska-Mizera, M.

    2015-05-01

    In this paper selected mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) modified with potato starch have been presented. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) used as a modifier in the study was produced from potato starch modified with glycerol. Isotactic polypropylene/thermoplastic potato starch composites (iPP/TPS) that contained 10, 30, 50 wt.% of modified starch were examined using dynamic mechanical-thermal analysis, static tensile, Brinell hardness, and Charpy impact test. The studies indicated a distinct influence of a filler content on the mechanical properties of composites in comparison with non-modified polypropylene.

  18. The tensile strength test of thermoplastic materials based on poly(butylene terephtalate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rzepecka Anna

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic composites go toward making an increasingly greater percentage of all manufacturing polymer composites. They have a lot of beneficial properties and their manufacturing using injecting and extrusion methods is a very easy and cheap process. Their properties significantly overtake the properties of traditional materials and it is the reason for their use. Scientists are continuously carrying out research to find new applications of composites materials in new industries, not only in the automotive or aircraft industry. When thermoplastic composites are manufactured a very important factor is the appropriate accommodation of tensile strength to their predestination. Scientists need to know the behaviour of these materials during the impact of different forces, and the factors of working in normal conditions too. The main aim of this article was macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the structure of thermoplastic composites after static tensile strength test. Materials which were analysed were thermoplastic materials which have poly(butylene terephthalate – PBT matrix reinforced with different content glass fibres – from 10% for 30%. In addition, research showed the necessary force to receive fracture and set their distinguishing characteristic down.

  19. Performance of polymeric films based thermoplastic starch and organophilic clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cipriano, P.B.; Costa, A.N.M.; Araujo, S.S.; Araujo, A.R.A.; Canedo, E.L.; Carvalho, L.H.

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this work was the development and investigation of the properties of flat films of LDPE/corn thermoplastic starch (TPS). A bentonite clay (Argel) was organophilized and characterized by XRD. This clay (1%) in both pristine and organophilic forms was added to the matrix (LDPE) and to LDPE/TPS systems with TPS contents varying from 5-20% w/w. The films manufactured (LDPE, LDPE/Clay, LDPE/TPS, LDPE/TPS/Clay) were characterized. Results indicate that water vapor permeability is dependent and increases with TPS content which was attributed to the higher affinity of water by TPS. TPS and Clay addition to LDPE led to significant changes in film properties with respect to the neat LDPE. In general,tensile and perforation forces increased with clay and TPS contents; the strength of thermo sealed films lowered with natural clay addition and increased with TPS and organoclay incorporation and, in general, dynamic friction coefficient decrease with organoclay and TPS addition. Best overall properties were obtained for the systems containing the organoclay and optimal properties were achieved for the 5%TPS10 LDPE1% ANO system. (author)

  20. Behavioral variation by ionizing irradiation of recycled thermoplastic elastomer reinforced with natural fibers or inorganic fillers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamed, H.A.A.

    2015-01-01

    Plastics are organic polymeric materials consisting of giant organic molecules. Plastic materials can be formed into shapes by one of a variety of processes, such as extrusion, molding, casting or spinning. Modern plastics possess a number of extremely desirable characteristics; high strength to weight ratio, excellent thermal properties, electrical insulation, resistance to acids, alkalis and solvents. These polymers are made of a series of repeating units known as monomers. The structure and degree of polymerisation of a given polymer determine its characteristics. Linear polymers, a single linear chain of monomers, and branched polymers, linear with side chains, are thermoplastic that is they soften when heated. Thermoplastics make up 80% of the plastics produced today. Examples of thermoplastics include: • High density polyethylene (HDPE) used in piping, automotive fuel tanks, bottles, toys, • Low density polyethylene (LDPE) used in plastic bags, cling film, flexible containers; • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in bottles, carpets and food packaging; • Polypropylene (PP) used in food containers, battery cases, bottle crates, automotive parts and fibers; • Polystyrene (PS) used in dairy product containers, tape cassettes, cups and plates; • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used in window frames, flooring, bottles, packaging film, cable insulation, credit cards and medical products.

  1. Viscous and thermal modelling of thermoplastic composites forming process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guzman, Eduardo; Liang, Biao; Hamila, Nahiene; Boisse, Philippe

    2016-10-01

    Thermoforming thermoplastic prepregs is a fast manufacturing process. It is suitable for automotive composite parts manufacturing. The simulation of thermoplastic prepreg forming is achieved by alternate thermal and mechanical analyses. The thermal properties are obtained from a mesoscopic analysis and a homogenization procedure. The forming simulation is based on a viscous-hyperelastic approach. The thermal simulations define the coefficients of the mechanical model that depend on the temperature. The forming simulations modify the boundary conditions and the internal geometry of the thermal analyses. The comparison of the simulation with an experimental thermoforming of a part representative of automotive applications shows the efficiency of the approach.

  2. Bending behavior of thermoplastic composite sheets viscoelasticity and temperature dependency in the draping process

    CERN Document Server

    Ropers, Steffen

    2017-01-01

    Within the scope of this work, Steffen Ropers evaluates the viscoelastic and temperature-dependent nature of the bending behavior of thermoplastic composite sheets in order to further enhance the predictability of the draping simulation. This simulation is a useful tool for the development of robust large scale processes for continuously fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). The bending behavior thereby largely influences the size and position of wrinkles, which are one of the most common processing defects for continuously fiber-reinforced parts. Thus, a better understanding of the bending behavior of thermoplastic composite sheets as well as an appropriate testing method along with corresponding material models contribute to a wide-spread application of CFRPs in large scale production. Contents Thermoplastic Prepregs Draping Simulation of Thermoplastic Prepregs Bending Characterization of Textile Composites Modeling of Bending Behavior Target Groups Researchers and students in the field of polymer, lightweight,...

  3. Photoinitiated grafting of porous polymer monoliths and thermoplastic polymers for microfluidic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frechet, Jean M. J. [Oakland, CA; Svec, Frantisek [Alameda, CA; Rohr, Thomas [Leiden, NL

    2008-10-07

    A microfluidic device preferably made of a thermoplastic polymer that includes a channel or a multiplicity of channels whose surfaces are modified by photografting. The device further includes a porous polymer monolith prepared via UV initiated polymerization within the channel, and functionalization of the pore surface of the monolith using photografting. Processes for making such surface modifications of thermoplastic polymers and porous polymer monoliths are set forth.

  4. Effect of natural fibres on the mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oniszczuk, Tomasz; Wójtowicz, Agnieszka; Moácicki, Leszek; Mitrus, Marcin; Kupryaniuk, Karol; Kusz, Andrzej; Bartnik, Grzegorz

    2016-04-01

    This paper presents the results covering the mechanical properties of thermoplastic potato starch granules with flax, cellulose fibre, and pine bark addition. A modified single screw extrusion-cooker TS-45 with L/D = 18 and an additional cooling section of the barrel was used as the processing unit. The establishment influence of the fibre addition, as well as the extrusion-cooker screw speed, on the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic starch granules was the main objective of the investigation. The maximum force during compression to 50% of the sample diameter, elastic modulus, and compression strength were evaluated. Significant differences were noted depending on the amount of fibre used, while only an insignificant influence of screw speed on the mechanical properties of the granulate was reported. An increased amount of fibres lowered the maximum force as well as the elastic modulus and compression strength of the thermoplastic starch granulates.

  5. Pyrolysis characteristics of typical biomass thermoplastic composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongzhen Cai

    Full Text Available The biomass thermoplastic composites were prepared by extrusion molding method with poplar flour, rice husk, cotton stalk and corn stalk. The thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA has also been used for evaluating the pyrolysis process of the composites. The results showed that the pyrolysis process mainly consists of two stages: biomass pyrolysis and the plastic pyrolysis. The increase of biomass content in the composite raised the first stage pyrolysis peak temperature. However, the carbon residue was reduced and the pyrolysis efficiency was better because of synergistic effect of biomass and plastic. The composite with different kinds of biomass have similar pyrolysis process, and the pyrolysis efficiency of the composite with corn stalk was best. The calcium carbonate could inhibit pyrolysis process and increase the first stage pyrolysis peak temperature and carbon residue as a filling material of the composite. Keywords: Biomass thermoplastic composite, Calcium carbonate, Pyrolysis characteristic

  6. Accuracy of Implants Placed with Surgical Guides: Thermoplastic Versus 3D Printed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Caitlyn K; Sahl, Erik F; Kim, Yoon Jeong; Rice, Dwight D

    This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of implants placed using two different guided implant surgery materials: thermoplastic versus three-dimensionally (3D) printed. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan previously obtained and selected for single-tooth implant replacement was converted into a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file. All models were planned and exported for printing using BlueSkyBio Plan Software with the DICOM files. A total of 20 3D-printed mandibular quadrant jaws replicating the CBCT were printed by Right Choice Milling, as was the control model to accept the control implant. Previously, 10 thermoplastic and 10 3D-printed surgical guides had been made by the same lab technician at Right Choice Milling. One Nobel Biocare implant with a trilobe connection was placed per guide and replica jaw model pair. Implants were placed using the thermoplastic and 3D-printed surgical guides, representing the two test groups, following the Nobel Biocare guided surgical protocol. A total of 21 CBCT scans were then taken, one for the control implant and one for each test implant. The CBCT volume was converted to a DICOM file and transferred to Invivo5 software version 5.4 (Anatomage). The DICOM file of each test implant was superimposed over the DICOM file of the control. The deviation of the head of the implant, the deviation of the apex of the implant, and the angle of deviation were evaluated from measurements on the superimposition of the control and test implants. Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the null hypotheses at α = .05 and a confidence interval of 95%. Descriptive statistics were used for the average ± standard deviation. The implants placed with the thermoplastic surgical guides showed an average of 3.40 degrees of angular deviation compared to 2.36 degrees for implants placed with the 3D-printed surgical guides (P = .143). The implants placed with the thermoplastic surgical guides showed an average of 1

  7. Thermoplastic elastomers via controlled radical graft polymerization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tuzcu, G.

    2012-01-01

    Rubbery behavior with a consistent modulus over a wide temperature range is a challenge in the search for ultimate structure-property relations of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). This feature is closely related to the phase separation behavior of the constitutional segments and the Tg of the

  8. A non-invasive experimental approach for surface temperature measurements on semi-crystalline thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boztepe, Sinan; Gilblas, Remi; de Almeida, Olivier; Le Maoult, Yannick; Schmidt, Fabrice

    2017-10-01

    Most of the thermoforming processes of thermoplastic polymers and their composites are performed adopting a combined heating and forming stages at which a precursor is heated prior to the forming. This step is done in order to improve formability by softening the thermoplastic polymer. Due to low thermal conductivity and semi-transparency of polymers, infrared (IR) heating is widely used for thermoforming of such materials. Predictive radiation heat transfer models for temperature distributions are therefore critical for optimizations of thermoforming process. One of the key challenges is to build a predictive model including the physical background of radiation heat transfer phenomenon in semi-crystalline thermoplastics as their microcrystalline structure introduces an optically heterogeneous medium. In addition, the accuracy of a predictive model is required to be validated experimentally where IR thermography is one of the suitable methods for such a validation as it provides a non-invasive, full-field surface temperature measurement. Although IR cameras provide a non-invasive measurement, a key issue for obtaining a reliable measurement depends on the optical characteristics of a heated material and the operating spectral band of IR camera. It is desired that the surface of a material to be measured has a spectral band where the material behaves opaque and an employed IR camera operates in the corresponding band. In this study, the optical characteristics of the PO-based polymer are discussed and, an experimental approach is proposed in order to measure the surface temperature of the PO-based polymer via IR thermography. The preliminary analyses showed that IR thermographic measurements may not be simply performed on PO-based polymers and require a correction method as their semi-transparent medium introduce a challenge to obtain reliable surface temperature measurements.

  9. The effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L on the basic color stability of thermoplastic nylon resin dentures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amiyatun Naini

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Nylon thermoplastic resin is material of choice for the making of flexible. This denture do not use wire retention, but has the physical properties of water absorption. In the oral cavity, it will always be in contact with food and beverages consumed. One of the foods that are consumed by the public is chocolate. This study aimed to determine the effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L on color stability of the thermoplastic nylon denture base. The study sample was thermoplastic nylon (valplast with a size of 10x10x2 mm soaked in the chocolate solution for 7 and 14 days. As the control, the sample soaked with distilled water. The color testing stability used was densitometer. There were significant differences between the control group (distilled water and the chocolate solution. This was due to dissolved components/tannin having a capillary flow diffusion into thermoplastic nylons that causing discoloration. The conclusion of this study, there was the effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L against the color stability of the nylon thermoplastic denture base. The longer time of immersion of nylon thermoplastic the greater the change in color.

  10. A validation of the fibre orientation and fibre length attrition prediction for long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Weber, M.; van Haag, J.; Schöngart, M.

    2015-05-01

    To improve the mechanical performance of polymeric parts, fibre reinforcement has established in industrial applications during the last decades. Next to the widely used Short Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (SFT) the use of Long Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (LFT) is increasingly growing. Especially for non-polar polymeric matrices like polypropylene (PP), longer fibres can significantly improve the mechanical performance. As with every kind of discontinuous fibre reinforcement the fibre orientations (FO) show a high impact on the mechanical properties. On the contrary to SFT where the local fibre length distribution (FLD) can be often neglected, for LFT the FLD show a high impact on the material's properties and has to be taken into account in equal measure to the FOD. Recently numerical models are available in commercial filling simulation software and allow predicting both the local FOD and FLD in LFT parts. The aim of this paper is to compare i.) the FOD results and ii) the FLD results from available orientation- and fibre length attrition-models to those obtained from experimental data. The investigations are conducted by the use of different injection moulded specimens made from long glass fibre reinforced PP. In order to determine the FOD, selected part sections are examined by means of Computed Tomographic (CT) analyses. The fully three dimensional measurement of the FOD is then performed by digital image processing using grey scale correlation. The FLD results are also obtained by using digital image processing after a thermal pyrolytic separation of the polymeric matrix from the fibres. Further the FOD and the FLD are predicted by using a reduced strain closure (RSC) as well as an anisotropic rotary diffusion - reduced strain closure model (ARD-RSC) and Phelps-Tucker fibre length attrition model implemented in the commercial filling software Moldflow, Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, CA, USA.

  11. A validation of the fibre orientation and fibre length attrition prediction for long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Weber, M.; Haag, J. van; Schöngart, M.

    2015-01-01

    To improve the mechanical performance of polymeric parts, fibre reinforcement has established in industrial applications during the last decades. Next to the widely used Short Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (SFT) the use of Long Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (LFT) is increasingly growing. Especially for non-polar polymeric matrices like polypropylene (PP), longer fibres can significantly improve the mechanical performance. As with every kind of discontinuous fibre reinforcement the fibre orientations (FO) show a high impact on the mechanical properties. On the contrary to SFT where the local fibre length distribution (FLD) can be often neglected, for LFT the FLD show a high impact on the material’s properties and has to be taken into account in equal measure to the FOD. Recently numerical models are available in commercial filling simulation software and allow predicting both the local FOD and FLD in LFT parts. The aim of this paper is to compare i.) the FOD results and ii) the FLD results from available orientation- and fibre length attrition-models to those obtained from experimental data. The investigations are conducted by the use of different injection moulded specimens made from long glass fibre reinforced PP. In order to determine the FOD, selected part sections are examined by means of Computed Tomographic (CT) analyses. The fully three dimensional measurement of the FOD is then performed by digital image processing using grey scale correlation. The FLD results are also obtained by using digital image processing after a thermal pyrolytic separation of the polymeric matrix from the fibres. Further the FOD and the FLD are predicted by using a reduced strain closure (RSC) as well as an anisotropic rotary diffusion - reduced strain closure model (ARD-RSC) and Phelps-Tucker fibre length attrition model implemented in the commercial filling software Moldflow, Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, CA, USA

  12. A validation of the fibre orientation and fibre length attrition prediction for long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Weber, M.; Haag, J. van; Schöngart, M. [Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University, Pontstr. 49, 52062 Aachen (Germany)

    2015-05-22

    To improve the mechanical performance of polymeric parts, fibre reinforcement has established in industrial applications during the last decades. Next to the widely used Short Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (SFT) the use of Long Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastics (LFT) is increasingly growing. Especially for non-polar polymeric matrices like polypropylene (PP), longer fibres can significantly improve the mechanical performance. As with every kind of discontinuous fibre reinforcement the fibre orientations (FO) show a high impact on the mechanical properties. On the contrary to SFT where the local fibre length distribution (FLD) can be often neglected, for LFT the FLD show a high impact on the material’s properties and has to be taken into account in equal measure to the FOD. Recently numerical models are available in commercial filling simulation software and allow predicting both the local FOD and FLD in LFT parts. The aim of this paper is to compare i.) the FOD results and ii) the FLD results from available orientation- and fibre length attrition-models to those obtained from experimental data. The investigations are conducted by the use of different injection moulded specimens made from long glass fibre reinforced PP. In order to determine the FOD, selected part sections are examined by means of Computed Tomographic (CT) analyses. The fully three dimensional measurement of the FOD is then performed by digital image processing using grey scale correlation. The FLD results are also obtained by using digital image processing after a thermal pyrolytic separation of the polymeric matrix from the fibres. Further the FOD and the FLD are predicted by using a reduced strain closure (RSC) as well as an anisotropic rotary diffusion - reduced strain closure model (ARD-RSC) and Phelps-Tucker fibre length attrition model implemented in the commercial filling software Moldflow, Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, CA, USA.

  13. The influence of extruded starch molecular mass on the properties of extruded thermoplastic starch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Soest, van J.J.G.; Benes, K.; Wit, de D.; Vliegenthart, J.F.G.

    1996-01-01

    The mechanical properties of a low and a high molecular mass thermoplastic starch (TPS) were monitored at water contents in the range of 5-30% (w/w). The granular starches were plasticized by extrusion processing with glycerol and water. The low molecular mass starch was prepared by partial acid

  14. Synthesis and properties of butadiene-alpha-methylstyrene thermoplastic elastomer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Firsova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Butadiene-α-methylstyrene block – copolymer – a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-R DMST occupies a special place among the ethylene – vinyl aromatic block copolymers. TPE-R DMST comprising as plastic – poly-α-methylstyrene unit and elastic – polybutadiene block. TPE-R DMST has high heat resistance, flexibility, abrasion resistance compared to butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer (TPE DST. The synthesis of block copolymers of butadiene and α-methylstyrene was carried out. The process of polymerization the α-methylstyrene characterized the high speed of polymerization in polar medium and low reaction speed in hydrocarbon solvents. Anionic catalyst nbutyllithium (n-BuLi and high concentration – 60–80% α-methylstyrene in the mixture influenced by synthesis of the 1st block of TPE-R DMST, it’s technologically difficult. Found that the low temperature of polymerization α-methylstyrene (+61 o C, the reversibility of these reactions and the high concentration of residual monomer are very importance. It was revealed that a high polymerization rate α-methylstyrene can be achieved by conducting the reaction in a hydrocarbon solvent with polar additives compounds such as tetrahydrofuran (THF and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE. The conditions for the synthesis of P-DMST were developed. The kinetics of polymerization for the first DMST-P unit was obtained. Analysis of physical and mechanical properties DMST-P samples was conducted. The optimum content of bound α-methylstyrene block copolymer provides a good combination of properties in a relatively wide temperature range. The tensile strength at normal and elevated temperatures, the hardness and the stiffness of the polymer increased by increasing the content of bound α-methylstyrene. The elongation and the elasticity reduced by increasing the content of bound α-methylstyrene.

  15. Portable Device Slices Thermoplastic Prepregs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Beverly A.; Boston, Morton W.; Wilson, Maywood L.

    1993-01-01

    Prepreg slitter designed to slit various widths rapidly by use of slicing bar holding several blades, each capable of slicing strip of preset width in single pass. Produces material evenly sliced and does not contain jagged edges. Used for various applications in such batch processes involving composite materials as press molding and autoclaving, and in such continuous processes as pultrusion. Useful to all manufacturers of thermoplastic composites, and in slicing B-staged thermoset composites.

  16. Attribute Based Selection of Thermoplastic Resin for Vacuum Infusion Process: A Decision Making Methodology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raghavalu Thirumalai, Durai Prabhakaran; Lystrup, Aage; Løgstrup Andersen, Tom

    2012-01-01

    The composite industry looks toward a new material system (resins) based on thermoplastic polymers for the vacuum infusion process, similar to the infusion process using thermosetting polymers. A large number of thermoplastics are available in the market with a variety of properties suitable...... be beneficial. In this paper, the authors introduce a new decision making tool for resin selection based on significant attributes. This article provides a broad overview of suitable thermoplastic material systems for vacuum infusion process available in today’s market. An illustrative example—resin selection...... for vacuum infused of a wind turbine blade—is shown to demonstrate the intricacies involved in the proposed methodology for resin selection....

  17. Examination of injection moulded thermoplastic maize starch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the effect of the different injection moulding parameters and storing methods on injection moulded thermoplastic maize starch (TPS. The glycerol and water plasticized starch was processed in a twin screw extruder and then with an injection moulding machine to produce TPS dumbbell specimens. Different injection moulding set-ups and storing conditions were used to analyse the effects on the properties of thermoplastic starch. Investigated parameters were injection moulding pressure, holding pressure, and for the storage: storage at 50% relative humidity, and under ambient conditions. After processing the mechanical and shrinkage properties of the manufactured TPS were determined as a function of the ageing time. While conditioning, the characteristics of the TPS changed from a soft material to a rigid material. Although this main behaviour remained, the different injection moulding parameters changed the characteristics of TPS. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed the changes in the material on ageing.

  18. Synthesis and characterization of energetic thermoplastic elastomers for propellant formulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aparecida M. Kawamoto

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Synthesis and characterization of energetic ABA-type thermoplastic elastomers for propellant formulations has been carried out. Following the working plan elaborated, the synthesis and characterization of Poly 3- bromomethyl-3-methyl oxetane (PolyBrMMO, Poly 3- azidomethyl-3-methyl oxetane (PolyAMMO, Poly 3,3-bis-azidomethyl oxetane (PolyBAMO and Copolymer PolyBAMO/AMMO (by TDI end capping has been successfully performed. The thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs were synthesized using the chain elongation process PolyAMMO, GAP and PolyBAMO by diisocyanates. In this method 2.4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI is used to link block A (hard and mono- functional to B (soft and di-functional. For the hard A-block we used PolyBAMO and for the soft B-block we used PolyAMMO or GAP.This is a joint project set up, some years ago, between the Chemistry Division of the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE - subordinated to the Brazilian Ministry of Defense - and the Fraunhofer Institut Chemische Technologie (ICT, in Germany. The products were characterized by different techniques as IR- and (1H,13CNMR spectroscopies, elemental and thermal analyses. New methodologies based on FT-IR analysis have been developed as an alternative for the determination of the molecular weight and CHNO content of the energetic polymers.

  19. Variation of mechanical and thermal properties of the thermoplastics reinforced with natural fibers by electron beam processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sok Won [Department of Physics, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680 749 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: sokkim@ulsan.ac.kr; Oh, Seungmin; Lee, Kyuse [Ilkwang Co. Ltd. 1178-6 Goyon-ri, Ungchon-mueon, Ulju-gun 689 871 (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-11-15

    With restrictions for environmental protection being strengthened, the thermoplastics reinforced with natural fibers (NFs) such as jute, kenaf, flax, etc., appeared as an automobile interior material instead of the chemical plastics. Regardless of many advantages, one shortcoming is the deformation after being formed in high temperature of about 200 deg. C, caused by the poor adhesion between the natural fibers and thermoplastics. Also, the energy saving in connection with car air-conditioning becomes very important. In this study, the thermal conductivity, tensile strength, and deformation of several kinds of thermoplastic composites composing of 50% polypropylene (PP) and 50% natural fiber irradiated by the electron beam (energy: 0.5 MeV, dose: 0-20 kGy) were measured. The length and thickness of PP and NF are 80{+-}10 mm and 40-120 {mu}m, respectively. The results show that the thermal conductivity and the tensile strength changed and became minimum when the dose of electron beam is 10 kGy, and the deformation after the thermal cycle were reduced by the electron beam.

  20. Cost efficient carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics with in-situ polymerization of polyamide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köhler, T.; Akdere, M.; Röding, T.; Gries, T.; Seide, G.

    2017-10-01

    Lightweight design has gained more and more relevance over the last decades. Especially in automotive industry it is of paramount importance to reduce weight and save fuel. At the same time the demand for safety and performance increases the components’ weight. To reach a trade-off between driving comfort and efficiency new lightweight materials have to be developed. One possible solution is the usage of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) as a lightweight substitute material. In contrast to conventional carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP), CFRTPs are cheaper and have a higher impact resistance. Furthermore they are characterized by hot forming ability, weldability and recyclability. However, the impregnation of the textile requires high pressure, because of the melted polymer’s high viscosity. A new innovative approach for CFRTP is the usage of in-situ polymerization with ɛ-caprolactam as matrix, which has a much lower viscosity and thus requires much lower pressure for impregnation and consolidation.

  1. Friction and bending in thermoplastic composites forming processes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sachs, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    With the demand for better fuel economy in the aerospace and automotive industries, lightweight polymer matrix composites became an attractive alternative for metal structures. Despite the inherently higher toughness and impact damage resistance of thermoplastics, thermoset matrix composites are

  2. The Effects of Aluminium Hydroxide and Magnesium Hydroxide on the Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erkin Akdoğan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic polyurethane materials are widely used in automotive, clothing, electrical and electronics, medical, construction, machine industry due to excellent physical and chemical properties. Thermoplastic polyurethane materials combustion and resistance to high temperature characteristics are poor. Additives and fillers are added into the polyurethane matrix to improve those properties. Particularly adding these agents as a flame retardant are affect mechanical properties of polyurethane materials. Therefore, it is important to determinate the mechanical properties of these materials. In this study, 5% by weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane material, aluminium tri hydroxide (ATH, (Al2O3 3H2O and magnesium hydroxide (MgOH, (Mg(OH2 were added. Ammonium polyphosphate (APP as an intumescent flame retardant with inorganic flame retardants were added to increase the flame resistance of produced composite structure. Tensile test, tear test, hardness and Izod impact tests were made and compared of those produced composites. As a result of experiments the addition of ATH has lowered the tensile strength and tear strength contrast to this the addition of MgOH has improved those properties. Hardness and Izod impact test results were showed that both of the additives have no negative effect.

  3. Theoretical and experimental investigations of a thermoplastic constitutive law

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zdebel, U.

    1984-12-01

    A thermoplastic constitutive law allowing combinations of isotropic and kinematic hardening as well as deviations from the normality rule was examined. Since the energy balance for thermomechanical processes is taken into account, the consistent connection to thermodynamic laws is guaranteed. The experimental verification of material parameters is described; it is performed by isothermal tension-torsion tests on thin-walled tubes at different temperatures. The materials functions allow the extension to nonisothermal (adiabatic) processes. The comparison between theoretical and exprimental results is not entirely satisfactory and demonstrates the remaining inconsistencies. Suggestions which could lead to a better description of the behavior of elastoplastic materials are made.

  4. Investigation of production of continuous off axis fibre reinforced thermoplastic material

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Philip C.

    Fibre reinforced composites have been used in the engineering industry for many years since the discovery of glass fibre in 1930 and its first use to reinforce phenolic resin to form Bakelite. Since then thermoplastic and thermosetting composites have spread into almost every industry from marine to aerospace, automotive to motorsport, luggage to the hobby industry and even fashion. This vast range of applications for composite materials is due to their high strength to weight ratio, excellent impact absorption properties, lack of corrosion, and reformability. In recent years a government directive has forced automotive manufacturers to look at lighter and more efficient vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. This can be achieved by using fibre reinforced thermoplastics to replace steel panels throughout the vehicle.Steel panels from a Nissan Qashqai were tested to determine the failure loads of each panel which the replacement thermoplastic material had to match or better. After extensive testing in a laboratory a tailored laminate lay-up with 5 laminate layers has been developed to replace structural steel components in vehicles. This tailored laminate stack up has a higher failure load than the steel components tested from the Nissan Qashqai while reducing the mass by at least 50%. The key drivers within the automotive industry are fuel savings and reduced vehicle mass, the use of this material and the potential it has in the mass production automotive industry can have a high impact on the overall mass of the vehicle which would invariably have a positive effect to the fuel consumption, thereby improving fuel economy in petrol and diesel vehicles, and increasing the range of electric vehicles.Throughout this project a prototype machine was developed and built to achieve mass production of this 5 ply laminate at a rate of more than 345,000 laminates per year with a processing cost of 3 1p making it available to the mass production market. The estimated production

  5. Nanocomposites Based on Thermoplastic Polymers and Functional Nanofiller for Sensor Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serena Coiai

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic polymers like polyolefins, polyesters, polyamide, and styrene polymers are the most representative commodity plastics thanks to their cost-efficient manufacturing processes, excellent thermomechanical properties and their good environmental compatibility, including easy recycling. In the last few decades much effort has been devoted worldwide to extend the applications of such materials by conferring on them new properties through mixing and blending with different additives. In this latter context, nanocomposites have recently offered new exciting possibilities. This review discusses the successful use of nanostructured dispersed substrates in designing new stimuli-responsive nanocomposites; in particular, it provides an updated description of the synthetic routes to prepare nanostructured systems having the typical properties of thermoplastic polymers (continuous matrix, but showing enhanced optical, conductive, and thermal features dependent on the dispersion topology. The controlled nanodispersion of functional labeled clays, noble metal nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes is here evidenced to play a key role in producing hybrid thermoplastic materials that have been used in the design of devices, such as NLO devices, chemiresistors, temperature and deformation sensors.

  6. Nanocomposites Based on Thermoplastic Polymers and Functional Nanofiller for Sensor Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coiai, Serena; Passaglia, Elisa; Pucci, Andrea; Ruggeri, Giacomo

    2015-01-01

    Thermoplastic polymers like polyolefins, polyesters, polyamide, and styrene polymers are the most representative commodity plastics thanks to their cost-efficient manufacturing processes, excellent thermomechanical properties and their good environmental compatibility, including easy recycling. In the last few decades much effort has been devoted worldwide to extend the applications of such materials by conferring on them new properties through mixing and blending with different additives. In this latter context, nanocomposites have recently offered new exciting possibilities. This review discusses the successful use of nanostructured dispersed substrates in designing new stimuli-responsive nanocomposites; in particular, it provides an updated description of the synthetic routes to prepare nanostructured systems having the typical properties of thermoplastic polymers (continuous matrix), but showing enhanced optical, conductive, and thermal features dependent on the dispersion topology. The controlled nanodispersion of functional labeled clays, noble metal nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes is here evidenced to play a key role in producing hybrid thermoplastic materials that have been used in the design of devices, such as NLO devices, chemiresistors, temperature and deformation sensors.

  7. Diamond turning of thermoplastic polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, E.; Scattergood, R.O.

    1988-12-01

    Single point diamond turning studies were made using a series of thermoplastic polymers with different glass transition temperatures. Variations in surface morphology and surface roughness were observed as a function of cutting speed. Lower glass transition temperatures facilitate smoother surface cuts and better surface finish. This can be attributed to the frictional heating that occurs during machining. Because of the very low glass transition temperatures in polymeric compared to inorganic glasses, the precision machining response can be very speed sensitive.

  8. Enhanced printability of thermoplastic polyurethane substrates by silica particles surface interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cruz, S., E-mail: s.cruz@dep.uminho.pt [IPC/I3N – Institute of Polymers and Composites/Inst. of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication, Department Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4804-533 Guimarães (Portugal); Rocha, L.A. [CMEMS, University of Minho, 4804-533 Guimarães (Portugal); Viana, J.C. [IPC/I3N – Institute of Polymers and Composites/Inst. of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication, Department Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4804-533 Guimarães (Portugal)

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A new method development for surface treatment of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrates. • The proposed method increases TPU surface energy (by 45%) and consequently the TPU wettability. • Great increase of the TPU surface roughness (by 621%). • Inkjet printed conductive ink was applied to the surface treated TPU substrate and significant improvements on the printability were obtained. - Abstract: A new method developed for the surface treatment of thermoplastic polymer substrates that increases their surface energies is introduced in this paper. The method is environmental friendly and low cost. In the proposed surface treatment method, nanoparticles are spread over the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) flexible substrate surface and then thermally fixed. This latter step allows the nanoparticles sinking-in on the polymer surface, resulting in a higher polymer–particle interaction at their interfacial region. The addition of nanoparticles onto the polymer surface increases surface roughness. The extent of the nanoparticles dispersion and sink-in in the substrate was evaluated through microscopy analysis (SEM). The roughness of the surface treated polymeric substrate was evaluated by AFM analysis. Substrate critical surface tension (ST) was measured by contact angle. In general, a homogeneous roughness form is achieved to a certain level. Great increase of the TPU surface roughness (by 621%) was induced by the propose method. The proposed surface treatment method increased significantly the substrate ST (by 45%) and consequently the TPU wettability. This novel surface treatment of thermoplastic polymers was applied to the inkjet printing of TPU substrates with conductive inks, and significant improvements on the printability were obtained.

  9. Review of potential processing techniques for the encapsulation of wastes in thermoplastic polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, B.R.; Lageraaen, P.R.; Kalb, P.D.

    1995-08-01

    Thermoplastic encapsulation has been extensively studied at Brookhaven National Laboratory's (BNL) Environmental and Waste Technology Center (EWTC) as a waste encapsulation technology applicable to a wide range of waste types including radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. Encapsulation involves processing thermoplastic and waste materials into a waste form product by heating and mixing both materials into a homogeneous molten mixture. Cooling of the melt results in a solid monolithic waste form in which contaminants have been completely surrounded by a polymer matrix. Heating and mixing requirements for successful waste encapsulation can be met using proven technologies available in various types of commercial equipment. Processing techniques for thermoplastic materials, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), are well established within the plastics industry. The majority of commercial polymer processing is accomplished using extruders, mixers or a combination of these technologies. Extruders and mixers are available in a broad range of designs and are used during the manufacture of consumer and commercial products as well as for compounding applications. Compounding which refers to mixing additives such as stabilizers and/or colorants with polymers, is analogous to thermoplastic encapsulation. Several processing technologies were investigated for their potential application in encapsulating residual sorbent waste in selected thermoplastic polymers, including single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders, continuous mixers, batch mixers as well as other less conventional devices. Each was evaluated based on operational ease, quality control, waste handling capabilities as well as degree of waste pretreatment required. Based on literature review, this report provides a description of polymer processing technologies, a discussion of the merits and limitations of each and an evaluation of their applicability to the encapsulation of sorbent wastes

  10. Review of potential processing techniques for the encapsulation of wastes in thermoplastic polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, B.R.; Lageraaen, P.R.; Kalb, P.D.

    1995-08-01

    Thermoplastic encapsulation has been extensively studied at Brookhaven National Laboratory`s (BNL) Environmental and Waste Technology Center (EWTC) as a waste encapsulation technology applicable to a wide range of waste types including radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. Encapsulation involves processing thermoplastic and waste materials into a waste form product by heating and mixing both materials into a homogeneous molten mixture. Cooling of the melt results in a solid monolithic waste form in which contaminants have been completely surrounded by a polymer matrix. Heating and mixing requirements for successful waste encapsulation can be met using proven technologies available in various types of commercial equipment. Processing techniques for thermoplastic materials, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), are well established within the plastics industry. The majority of commercial polymer processing is accomplished using extruders, mixers or a combination of these technologies. Extruders and mixers are available in a broad range of designs and are used during the manufacture of consumer and commercial products as well as for compounding applications. Compounding which refers to mixing additives such as stabilizers and/or colorants with polymers, is analogous to thermoplastic encapsulation. Several processing technologies were investigated for their potential application in encapsulating residual sorbent waste in selected thermoplastic polymers, including single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders, continuous mixers, batch mixers as well as other less conventional devices. Each was evaluated based on operational ease, quality control, waste handling capabilities as well as degree of waste pretreatment required. Based on literature review, this report provides a description of polymer processing technologies, a discussion of the merits and limitations of each and an evaluation of their applicability to the encapsulation of sorbent wastes.

  11. The effect of titanium surface treatment on the interfacial strength of titanium – Thermoplastic composite joints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Su, Yibo; de Rooij, Matthijn; Grouve, Wouter; Akkerman, Remko

    2017-01-01

    Co-consolidated titanium – carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite hybrid joints show potential for application in aerospace structures. The strength of the interface between the titanium and the thermoplastic composite is crucial for the strength of the entire hybrid joint. Application of a

  12. Síntese de um poli (ácido âmico para aplicação como interfase em compósitos termoplásticos de alto desempenho Synthesis of a poly (amic acid for appplication as interphase in high performance thermoplastic composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana B. Nohara

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo do presente trabalho é apresentar a síntese de um poli (ácido âmico (PAA a ser utilizado como formador de interfase no processamento de compósitos termoplásticos de alto desempenho. Os materiais compósitos termoplásticos constituídos de um reforço rígido e de uma matriz dúctil têm as suas propriedades mecânicas fortemente dependentes do mecanismo de transferência de carga fibra/matriz. Por esse motivo, a região da interface/interfase nos materiais compósitos possui um papel fundamental nas propriedades finais do material. O PAA surge como uma alternativa para melhorar a adesão fibra/matriz na região interfacial em compósitos de alto desempenho, constituídos de matrizes termoplásticas, reforçadas com fibras de carbono ou vidro. O PAA é utilizado na forma de sal, na preparação de suspensões poliméricas de matrizes termoplásticas. O PAA estudado neste trabalho foi sintetizado utilizando-se os reagentes BTDA e DHPr. Em seguida, o PAA foi convertido em PI por imidização em solução. Análises por FTIR mostram o sucesso da síntese do PAA e da sua conversão em PI. As técnicas de DSC e TGA determinaram as temperaturas de transição vítrea (~213 °C e de decomposição (~310 °C, respectivamente. Estes resultados motivam a utilização do PAA/PI como formador de interfase na obtenção de compósitos termoplásticos com temperaturas de processamento abaixo de 310 °C.This work is aimed at presenting the synthesis of a poly (amic acid (PAA to be used as interphase precursor in the manufacturing of high performance thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites comprising a rigid reinforcement and a ductile matrix have their mechanical properties strongly dependent on the load transfer mechanism between the reinforcement and matrix. For this reason, the interface/interphase region plays a fundamental hole in the final properties of the composite materials. PAA appeared as an alternative to improve the

  13. Development and evaluation of thermoplastic street maintenance material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siemens, W. D.

    1973-01-01

    An all-weather permanent street patching material was investigated for flexible and rigid pavements. The economic, operational, and material requirements are discussed along with the results of field tests with various mixtures of EVA resins and asphalt. Cost analyses for thermoplastic patching methods are included.

  14. Clinical application of removable partial dentures using thermoplastic resin. Part II: Material properties and clinical features of non-metal clasp dentures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fueki, Kenji; Ohkubo, Chikahiro; Yatabe, Masaru; Arakawa, Ichiro; Arita, Masahiro; Ino, Satoshi; Kanamori, Toshikazu; Kawai, Yasuhiko; Kawara, Misao; Komiyama, Osamu; Suzuki, Tetsuya; Nagata, Kazuhiro; Hosoki, Maki; Masumi, Shin-ichi; Yamauchi, Mutsuo; Aita, Hideki; Ono, Takahiro; Kondo, Hisatomo; Tamaki, Katsushi; Matsuka, Yoshizo; Tsukasaki, Hiroaki; Fujisawa, Masanori; Baba, Kazuyoshi; Koyano, Kiyoshi; Yatani, Hirofumi

    2014-04-01

    This position paper reviews physical and mechanical properties of thermoplastic resin used for non-metal clasp dentures, and describes feature of each thermoplastic resin in clinical application of non-metal clasp dentures and complications based on clinical experience of expert panels. Since products of thermoplastic resin have great variability in physical and mechanical properties, clinicians should utilize them with careful consideration of the specific properties of each product. In general, thermoplastic resin has lower color-stability and higher risk for fracture than polymethyl methacrylate. Additionally, the surface of thermoplastic resin becomes roughened more easily than polymethyl methacrylate. Studies related to material properties of thermoplastic resin, treatment efficacy and follow-up are insufficient to provide definitive conclusions at this time. Therefore, this position paper should be revised based on future studies and a clinical guideline should be provided. Copyright © 2014 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Numerical modeling and experimental validation of thermoplastic composites induction welding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmieri, Barbara; Nele, Luigi; Galise, Francesco

    2018-05-01

    In this work, a numerical simulation and experimental test of the induction welding of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) was provided. The thermoplastic Polyamide 66 (PA66) with carbon fiber fabric was used. Using a dedicated software (JMag Designer), the influence of the fundamental process parameters such as temperature, current and holding time was investigated. In order to validate the results of the simulations, and therefore the numerical model used, experimental tests were carried out, and the temperature values measured during the tests were compared with the aid of an optical pyrometer, with those provided by the numerical simulation. The mechanical properties of the welded joints were evaluated by single lap shear tests.

  16. Methods of Recycling, Properties and Applications of Recycled Thermoplastic Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mădălina Elena Grigore

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to provide an updated survey of the main thermoplastic polymers in order to obtain recyclable materials for various industrial and indoor applications. The synthesis approach significantly impacts the properties of such materials and these properties in turn have a significant impact on their applications. Due to the ideal properties of the thermoplastic polymers such as corrosion resistance, low density or user-friendly design, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years, becoming more used than aluminum or other metals. Also, recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today.

  17. Green composites of thermoplastic corn starch and recycled paper cellulose fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amnuay Wattanakornsiri

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Ecological concerns have resulted in a renewed interest in environmental-friendly composites issues for sustainabledevelopment as a biodegradable renewable resource. In this work we used cellulose fibers from recycled newspaper as reinforcementfor thermoplastic starch in order to improve its mechanical, thermal and water resistance properties. The compositeswere prepared from corn starch plasticized by glycerol (30% wt/wt of glycerol to starch as matrix that was reinforcedwith micro-cellulose fibers, obtained from used newspaper, with fiber content ranging from 0 to 8% (wt/wt of fibers to matrix.Physical properties of composites were determined by mechanical tensile tests, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetricanalysis, water absorption measurement and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that higherfibers content raised the tensile strength and elastic modulus up to 175% and 292%, respectively, when compared to thenon-reinforced thermoplastic starch. The addition of the fibers improved the thermal resistance and decreased the waterabsorption up to 63%. Besides, scanning electron microscopy illustrated a good adhesion between matrix and fibers. Theseresults indicated that thermoplastic starch reinforced with recycled newspaper cellulose fibers could be fruitfully used ascommodity plastics being strong, cheap, abundant and recyclable.

  18. Evaluation of a Thermoplastic Immobilization System for Breast and Chest Wall Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strydhorst, Jared H.; Caudrelier, Jean-Michel; Clark, Brenda G.; Montgomery, Lynn A.; Fox, Greg; MacPherson, Miller S.

    2011-01-01

    We report on the impact of a thermoplastic immobilization system on intra- and interfraction motion for patients undergoing breast or chest wall radiation therapy. Patients for this study were treated using helical tomotherapy. All patients were immobilized using a thermoplastic shell extending from the shoulders to the ribcage. Intrafraction motion was assessed by measuring maximum displacement of the skin, heart, and chest wall on a pretreatment 4D computed tomography, while inter-fraction motion was inferred from patient shift data arising from daily image guidance procedures on tomotherapy. Using thermoplastic immobilization, the average maximum motion of the external contour was 1.3 ± 1.6 mm, whereas the chest wall was found to be 1.6 ± 1.9 mm. The day-to-day setup variation was found to be large, with random errors of 4.0, 12.0, and 4.5 mm in the left-right, superior-inferior, and anterior-posterior directions, respectively, and the standard deviations of the systematic errors were found to be 2.7, 9.8, and 4.1 mm. These errors would be expected to dominate any respiratory motion but can be mitigated by daily online image guidance. Using thermoplastic immobilization can effectively reduce respiratory motion of the chest wall and external contour, but these gains can only be realized if daily image guidance is used.

  19. Changes in the mechanical properties of thermoplastic potato starch in relation with changes in B-type crystallinity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliegenthart, J.F.G.; Soest, J.J.G. van; Hulleman, S.H.D.; Wit, D. de

    1996-01-01

    The influence of crystallization on the stress-strain behaviour of thermoplastic potato starch has been monitored. Potato starch has been processed by extrusion with glycerol and water added as plasticizers. The thermoplastic starch consists of a molecular network of semicrystalline amylose and

  20. Ultrasonic Welding of Thermoplastic Composite Coupons for Mechanical Characterization of Welded Joints through Single Lap Shear Testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villegas, Irene F; Palardy, Genevieve

    2016-02-11

    This paper presents a novel straightforward method for ultrasonic welding of thermoplastic-composite coupons in optimum processing conditions. The ultrasonic welding process described in this paper is based on three main pillars. Firstly, flat energy directors are used for preferential heat generation at the joining interface during the welding process. A flat energy director is a neat thermoplastic resin film that is placed between the parts to be joined prior to the welding process and heats up preferentially owing to its lower compressive stiffness relative to the composite substrates. Consequently, flat energy directors provide a simple solution that does not require molding of resin protrusions on the surfaces of the composite substrates, as opposed to ultrasonic welding of unreinforced plastics. Secondly, the process data provided by the ultrasonic welder is used to rapidly define the optimum welding parameters for any thermoplastic composite material combination. Thirdly, displacement control is used in the welding process to ensure consistent quality of the welded joints. According to this method, thermoplastic-composite flat coupons are individually welded in a single lap configuration. Mechanical testing of the welded coupons allows determining the apparent lap shear strength of the joints, which is one of the properties most commonly used to quantify the strength of thermoplastic composite welded joints.

  1. Phase transitions in blends functionalized thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grigoryeva, O.; Sergeeva, L.; Starostenko, O.; Pissis, P.

    2001-01-01

    Phase transitions, morphology and structure-property relationships in polymer blends based on functionalized thermoplastics, i.e. widely used polyurethanes and styrene-acrylic acid copolymers, were investigated by means of inter-expletive non-destructive methods. Wide and small angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, thermally stimulated depolarization currents techniques, dielectric relaxation spectroscopy and several physico-mechanical characterization techniques were used. The results obtained by the various techniques were critically compared to each other. (author)

  2. Computational modelling of a thermoforming process for thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szegda, D.; Song, J.; Warby, M. K.; Whiteman, J. R.

    2007-05-01

    Plastic packaging waste currently forms a significant part of municipal solid waste and as such is causing increasing environmental concerns. Such packaging is largely non-biodegradable and is particularly difficult to recycle or to reuse due to its complex composition. Apart from limited recycling of some easily identifiable packaging wastes, such as bottles, most packaging waste ends up in landfill sites. In recent years, in an attempt to address this problem in the case of plastic packaging, the development of packaging materials from renewable plant resources has received increasing attention and a wide range of bioplastic materials based on starch are now available. Environmentally these bioplastic materials also reduce reliance on oil resources and have the advantage that they are biodegradable and can be composted upon disposal to reduce the environmental impact. Many food packaging containers are produced by thermoforming processes in which thin sheets are inflated under pressure into moulds to produce the required thin wall structures. Hitherto these thin sheets have almost exclusively been made of oil-based polymers and it is for these that computational models of thermoforming processes have been developed. Recently, in the context of bioplastics, commercial thermoplastic starch sheet materials have been developed. The behaviour of such materials is influenced both by temperature and, because of the inherent hydrophilic characteristics of the materials, by moisture content. Both of these aspects affect the behaviour of bioplastic sheets during the thermoforming process. This paper describes experimental work and work on the computational modelling of thermoforming processes for thermoplastic starch sheets in an attempt to address the combined effects of temperature and moisture content. After a discussion of the background of packaging and biomaterials, a mathematical model for the deformation of a membrane into a mould is presented, together with its

  3. Thermoplastic Composite Wind Turbine Blades : An Integrated Design Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Joncas, S.

    2010-01-01

    This thesis proposes a new structural design concept for future large wind turbine blades based on fully recyclable thermoplastic composites (TPC). With respect to material properties, cost and processing, reactively processed anionic polyamide-6 (APA-6) has been identified as the most promising

  4. Synthesis of thermoplastic poly(ester-olefin elastomers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanasijević Branka

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available A series of thermoplastic poly(ester-olefin elastomers, based on poly(ethylene-stat-butylene, HO-PEB-OH, as the soft segment and poly (butylene terephthalate, PBT, as the hard segment, were synthesized by a catalyzed transesterification reaction in solution. The incorporation of soft hydrogenated poly(butadiene segments into the copolyester backbone was accomplished by the polycondensation of α, ω-dihydroxyl telechelic HO-PEB-OH, (PEB Mn = 3092 g/mol with 1,4-butanediol (BD and dimethyl terephthalate (DMT in the presence of a 50 wt-% high boiling solvent i.e., 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. The molar ratio of the starting comonomers was selected to result in a constant hard to soft weight ratio of 60:40. The synthesis was optimized in terms of both the concentration of catalyst, tetra-n-butyl-titanate (Ti(OBu4, and stabilizer, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD, as well as the reaction time. It was found that the optimal catalyst concentration (Ti(OBu4 for the synthesis of these thermoplastic elastomers was 1.0 mmol/mol ester and the optimal DPPD concentration was 1.0 wt-%. The extent of the reaction was followed by measuring the inherent viscosity of the reaction mixture. The effectiveness of the incorporation of the soft segments into the copolymer chains was proved by Soxhlet extraction with chloroform. The molecular structures, composition and the size of the synthesized poly(ester-butylenes were verified by 1H NMR spectroscopy, viscometry of dilute solutions and the complex dynamic melt viscosity. The thermal properties of poly(ester-olefins were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. The degree of crystallinity was also determined by DSC. The thermal and thermo-oxidative stability were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The rheological properties of poly(ester-olefins were investigated by dynamic mechanical spectroscopy in the melt and solid state.

  5. Direct generation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles dispersion under supercritical conditions for photocatalytic active thermoplastic surfaces for microbiological inactivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zydziak, Nicolas; Zanin, Maria-Helena Ambrosio; Trick, Iris; Hübner, Christof

    2015-01-01

    Thermoplastic poly(propylene) (PP) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) surfaces were coated with silica based films via the sol–gel process, containing titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as photocatalyst. TiO 2 was previously synthesized via sol–gel and treated under supercritical conditions in water dispersions. The characterization of the TiO 2 dispersions was performed via disc centrifuge to determine the particle size and via Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to characterize the crystallinity of TiO 2 . The synthesized TiO 2 dispersions and commercially available TiO 2 particles were incorporated in silica based films which were synthesized under acidic or basic conditions, leading to dense or porous films respectively. The morphology of the films was characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of synthesized TiO 2 in the coating led to photocatalytically more active thermoplastic surfaces than films formulated with commercially available TiO 2 as determined via dye discoloration test. A microbiological test performed with Sarcina lutea confirmed this result and showed an inactivation factor of 6 (99.9999%) after 24 h UV irradiation, for synthesized TiO 2 incorporated in acidic formulated silica layer on ABS surfaces. - Highlights: • We report about photocatalytic layers formulated on thermoplastic surfaces. • We synthesized silica layer and TiO 2 via sol–gel and supercritical treatment. • Amorphous, crystalline and commercial dispersions were generated and characterized. • The morphology of dense and porous photocatalytic layers is observed via SEM. • Discoloration and microbiological tests correlate activity and surface morphology

  6. A thermo-viscoelastic approach for the characterization and modeling of the bending behavior of thermoplastic composites – Part II

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ropers, Steffen; Sachs, Ulrich; Kardos, Marton; Osswald, Tim A.

    2017-01-01

    A proper description of the bending behavior is crucial to obtain accurate forming simulations, especially for continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. These materials exhibit a highly temperature and bending-curvature dependent bending stiffness. These dependencies make the property

  7. Effect of plasticiser on properties of styrene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norzalia, S.; Farid, A.S.; O'Brien, M.G.

    1999-01-01

    This study investigates the properties of plasticised styrene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomers for possible applications in pharmaceutical, medical and food industries. Unplasticised styrene-butadiene-styrene (USBS) materials: vector 8550-D and vector 4461-D, which are developmental materials introduced by Exxon, and blends of vector 8550-D with vector 4461-D were plasticised paraffinic type plasticisers plastol 172 and plastol 352. Shore A hardness, tensile stress at break, modulus at 100% strain, elongation at break and density values showed a decrease whereas flow properties such as melt flow index (MFI) increased considerably with increasing plasticiser concentration. The properties of the plasticised styrene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomers were compared to the USBS materials. (author)

  8. Diode Laser Assisted Filament Winding of Thermoplastic Matrix Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quadrini, Fabrizio; Squeo, Erica Anna; Prosperi, Claudia

    2010-01-01

    A new consolidation method for the laser-assisted filament winding of thermoplastic prepregs is discussed: for the first time a diode laser is used, as well as long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene prepregs. A consolidation apparatus was built by means of a CNC motion table, a stepper motor and a simple tensioner. Preliminary tests were performed in a hoop winding configuration: only the winding speed was changed, and all the other process parameters (laser power, distance from the laser focus, consolidation force) were kept constant. Small wound rings with an internal diameter of 25 mm were produced and compression tests were carried out to evaluate the composite agglomeration in dependence of the winding speed. At lower winding speeds, a strong interpenetration of adjacent layers was observed.

  9. Research and achievements on carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites for high pressure storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nony, Fabien; Thomas, Cedric; Villalonga, Stephane; Magnier, Christophe

    2012-01-01

    Hydrogen storage is a key enabling technology for the extensive use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. However, none of the current technologies satisfies all of the hydrogen storage attributes sought by manufacturers, legislators and end-users. At present, compressed gaseous hydrogen storage (CGH2) is recognized as the most mature technology. This paper reviews recent developments and achievements regarding materials and technologies investigated by CEA to promote the development of a of type IV 70 MPa hydrogen vessel. Particularly, results concerning innovative thermoplastic matrix composite vessel will be presented and discussed. On going developments on dedicated manufacturing process and material characterization will be shared in a first part of the presentation and a second part will be devoted to durability assessment and damage tolerance of such composite structures with respect to their potential applications. (authors)

  10. Impact Behavior of Composite Fan Blade Leading Edge Subcomponent with Thermoplastic Polyurethane Interleave

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Sandi G.; Roberts, Gary D.; Kohlman, Lee W.; Heimann, Paula J.; Pereira, J. Michael; Ruggeri, Charles R.; Martin, Richard E.; McCorkle, Linda S.

    2015-01-01

    Impact damage tolerance and damage resistance is a critical metric for application of polymer matrix composites where failure caused by impact damage could compromise structural performance and safety. As a result, several materials and/or design approaches to improve impact damage tolerance have been investigated over the past several decades. Many composite toughening methodologies impart a trade-off between increased fracture toughness and compromised in-plane strength and modulus. In large part, mechanical tests to evaluate composite damage tolerance include static methods such as Mode I, Mode II, and mixed mode failures. However, ballistic impact damage resistance does not always correlate with static properties. The intent of this paper is to evaluate the influence of a thermoplastic polyurethane veil interleave on the static and dynamic performance of composite test articles. Static coupon tests included tension, compression, double cantilever beam, and end notch flexure. Measurement of the resistance to ballistic impact damage were made to evaluate the composites response to high speed impact. The interlayer material showed a decrease of in-plane performance with only a moderate improvement to Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness. However, significant benefit to impact damage tolerance was observed through ballistic tests.

  11. Characterizing the influence of matrix ductility on damage phenomenology in continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic laminates undergoing quasi-static indentation

    KAUST Repository

    Yudhanto, Arief; Wafai, Husam; Lubineau, Gilles; Yaldiz, R.; Verghese, N.

    2017-01-01

    The use of thermoplastic matrix was known to improve the impact properties of laminated composites. However, different ductility levels can exist in a single family of thermoplastic matrix, and this may consequently modify the damage phenomenology

  12. Influence of gamma irradiation in the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE); Influência da radiação gama no elastômero termoplástico (TPE)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliveira, Camila B.; Parra, Duclerc F.; Marchini, Leonardo G., E-mail: camila@ba7.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2017-07-01

    The TPE is the nomenclature used for the thermoplastic elastomer, which is also known as thermoplastic rubber. It belongs to an under-researched class of engineering plastics, however, in recent years there has been steady growth due to its important and unusual combination of properties. During its use, it behaves like an elastomer, but, unlike traditional elastomers (vulcanized rubbers), it can be processed using conventional technologies and equipment used for thermoplastics, such as extrusion and injection. The processing of polymers, such as TPE by means of radiation, constitutes a technological area dedicated to the study of the physical and chemical effects caused by high energy radiation, such as gamma radiation. Thus the objective of this work is to evaluate the mechanical and thermal properties of TPE irradiated by {sup 60}Co source of gamma radiation in different doses. The thermoplastic elastomer being modified by means of ionizing radiation at doses of 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 kGy the effects of the radiation on the mechanical and thermal properties of this material are evaluated through the tests of tensile tests, TGA, FTIR and Fluency Index.

  13. Biobased composites from cross-linked soybean oil and thermoplastic polyurethane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soybean oil is an important sustainable material. Crosslinked acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) is brittle and the incorporation of thermoplastic polyurethane improves its toughness. The hydrophilic functional groups from both oil and polyurethane contribute to the adhesion of the blend compon...

  14. Direct generation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles dispersion under supercritical conditions for photocatalytic active thermoplastic surfaces for microbiological inactivation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zydziak, Nicolas, E-mail: nicolas.zydziak@kit.edu [Polymer Engineering Department, Fraunhofer Institute of Chemical Technology, Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 7, 76327 Pfinztal (Germany); Zanin, Maria-Helena Ambrosio [Laboratory of Chemical Processes and Particle Technology Bionanomanufacturing, Institute for Technological Research of the State of São Paulo – IPT, Av. Prof. Almeida Prado 532, Cidade Universitária, CEP 05508-901 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Trick, Iris [Environmental Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Department, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology, Nobelstrasse 12, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Hübner, Christof [Polymer Engineering Department, Fraunhofer Institute of Chemical Technology, Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 7, 76327 Pfinztal (Germany)

    2015-03-01

    Thermoplastic poly(propylene) (PP) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) surfaces were coated with silica based films via the sol–gel process, containing titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) as photocatalyst. TiO{sub 2} was previously synthesized via sol–gel and treated under supercritical conditions in water dispersions. The characterization of the TiO{sub 2} dispersions was performed via disc centrifuge to determine the particle size and via Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to characterize the crystallinity of TiO{sub 2}. The synthesized TiO{sub 2} dispersions and commercially available TiO{sub 2} particles were incorporated in silica based films which were synthesized under acidic or basic conditions, leading to dense or porous films respectively. The morphology of the films was characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of synthesized TiO{sub 2} in the coating led to photocatalytically more active thermoplastic surfaces than films formulated with commercially available TiO{sub 2} as determined via dye discoloration test. A microbiological test performed with Sarcina lutea confirmed this result and showed an inactivation factor of 6 (99.9999%) after 24 h UV irradiation, for synthesized TiO{sub 2} incorporated in acidic formulated silica layer on ABS surfaces. - Highlights: • We report about photocatalytic layers formulated on thermoplastic surfaces. • We synthesized silica layer and TiO{sub 2} via sol–gel and supercritical treatment. • Amorphous, crystalline and commercial dispersions were generated and characterized. • The morphology of dense and porous photocatalytic layers is observed via SEM. • Discoloration and microbiological tests correlate activity and surface morphology.

  15. Chemicals having estrogenic activity can be released from some bisphenol A-free, hard and clear, thermoplastic resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bittner, George D; Denison, Michael S; Yang, Chun Z; Stoner, Matthew A; He, Guochun

    2014-12-04

    Chemicals that have estrogenic activity (EA) can potentially cause adverse health effects in mammals including humans, sometimes at low doses in fetal through juvenile stages with effects detected in adults. Polycarbonate (PC) thermoplastic resins made from bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has EA, are now often avoided in products used by babies. Other BPA-free thermoplastic resins, some hypothesized or advertised to be EA-free, are replacing PC resins used to make reusable hard and clear thermoplastic products such as baby bottles. We used two very sensitive and accurate in vitro assays (MCF-7 and BG1Luc human cell lines) to quantify the EA of chemicals leached into ethanol or water/saline extracts of fourteen unstressed or stressed (autoclaving, microwaving, UV radiation) thermoplastic resins. Estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent agonist responses were confirmed by their inhibition with the ER antagonist ICI 182,780. Our data showed that some (4/14) unstressed and stressed BPA-free thermoplastic resins leached chemicals having significant levels of EA, including one polystyrene (PS), and three Tritan™ resins, the latter reportedly EA-free. Exposure to UV radiation in natural sunlight resulted in an increased release of EA from Tritan™ resins. Triphenyl-phosphate (TPP), an additive used to manufacture some thermoplastic resins such as Tritan™, exhibited EA in both MCF-7 and BG1Luc assays. Ten unstressed or stressed glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), cyclic olefin polymer (COP) or copolymer (COC) thermoplastic resins did not release chemicals with detectable EA under any test condition. This hazard survey study assessed the release of chemicals exhibiting EA as detected by two sensitive, widely used and accepted, human cell line in vitro assays. Four PC replacement resins (Tritan™ and PS) released chemicals having EA. However, ten other PC-replacement resins did not leach chemicals having EA (EA-free-resins). These results indicate that PC

  16. Diode Laser Assisted Filament Winding of Thermoplastic Matrix Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Prosperi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A new consolidation method for the laser-assisted filament winding of thermoplastic prepregs is discussed: for the first time a diode laser is used, as well as long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene prepregs. A consolidation apparatus was built by means of a CNC motion table, a stepper motor and a simple tensioner. Preliminary tests were performed in a hoop winding configuration: only the winding speed was changed, and all the other process parameters (laser power, distance from the laser focus, consolidation force were kept constant. Small wound rings with an internal diameter of 25 mm were produced and compression tests were carried out to evaluate the composite agglomeration in dependence of the winding speed. At lower winding speeds, a stronginterpenetration of adjacent layers was observed.

  17. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided navigation with a thermoplastic shell for breast-conserving surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, M; Kiryu, T; Sonoda, K; Kashiki, Y

    2011-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marking technique with a drape-type thermoplastic shell for planning breast-conserving surgery (BCS). A prospective review was performed on 35 consecutive patients who underwent MRI in the supine position and used the specified MRI marking technique. Eleven cases underwent pre-operative chemotherapy and 24 cases did not. After immobilizing the breast mound with a drape-type thermoplastic shell, patients underwent MRI, and the location of the lesion was marked on the shell. Resection lines were dyed blue by indigo carmine, which was pushed through the pores of the shell. Specimens obtained during BCS were sliced into 5-mm contiguous sections, and the margin was assessed for each specimen. Cancer foci less than 5 mm from the margin were classified as positive. Of 35 patients, 33 were included in the analysis; 2 were excluded due to a lack of effect of pre-operative chemotherapy. Of these 33 patients, 25 (75.8%) had negative margins and 7 (21.2%) had positive margins. Our MRI marking technique may be useful for evaluating the extent of tumors that were determined by MRI alone. Long-term outcomes of this technique should be evaluated further. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Interfractional variability in intensity-modulated radiotherapy of prostate cancer with or without thermoplastic pelvic immobilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.A.; Kim, C.Y.; Park, Y.J.; Yoon, W.S.; Lee, N.K.; Yang, D.S.

    2014-01-01

    To determine the variability of patient positioning errors associated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer and to assess the impact of thermoplastic pelvic immobilization on these errors using kilovoltage (kV) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). From February 2012 to June 2012, the records of 314 IMRT sessions in 19 patients with prostate cancer, performed with or without immobilization at two different facilities in the Korea University Hospital were analyzed. The kV CBCT images were matched to simulation computed tomography (CT) images to determine the simulation-to-treatment variability. The shifts along the x (lateral)-, y (longitudinal)- and z (vertical)-axes were measured, as was the shift in the three dimensional (3D) vector. The measured systematic errors in the immobilized group during treatment were 0.46 ± 1.75 mm along the x-axis, - 0.35 ± 3.83 mm along the y-axis, 0.20 ± 2.75 mm along the z-axis and 4.05 ± 3.02 mm in the 3D vector. Those of nonimmobilized group were - 1.45 ± 7.50 mm along the x-axis, 1.89 ± 5.07 mm along the y-axis, 0.28 ± 3.81 mm along the z-axis and 8.90 ± 4.79 mm in the 3D vector. The group immobilized with pelvic thermoplastics showed reduced interfractional variability along the x- and y-axes and in the 3D vector compared to the nonimmobilized group (p < 0.05). IMRT with thermoplastic pelvic immobilization in patients with prostate cancer appears to be useful in stabilizing interfractional variability during the planned treatment course. (orig.)

  19. Protesa Maksilofasial Thermoplastic Nylon (Valplast dengan Hollow Bulb (Klas III Aramany palate schisis hereditary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Azhindra

    2012-06-01

    hollow bulb thermoplastic nylon juga dapat mengembalikan estetik yang maksimal sehingga pasien dapat menambah kepercayaan dirinya serta mengembalikan keadaan psikologi pasien yang telah lama menurun.   Background: patients with palato schisis (clelf palate due to hereditary or congenital defect will be seen that cause speech disorders (nasal, swallowing, mastication, esthetic and psychological. Purpose: to inform the way rehabilitation defect in the face with a maxillofacial prosthesis thermoplastic nylon with hollow bulb that is useful to restore the fuction of speech, swallowing, mastication, esthetics, and psychiatric patients. Case and handling:  46-yearold male patient came to RSGM Prof. Soedomo referral from Dr. Sardjito hospital. When patient come to feel annoyed talking, chewing ang swallowing due to the precence cleft palate is open and is a congential abnormality accompanied with loss of many teeth. Obturator is made immediately by considering the closure of cleft palate, using a lighter material (using a hollow bulb with retention, stabilization and occlusion of the right and restore normal nendekati face shape. Hollow bulb is a cavity created in maxillofacial, prosthesis, to close the oral cavity, nasal cavity and the defect.at the time of insetation examined retention, stabilization, occlusion, esthetics and pronunciation. Control was performed 1 week and 1 month after application. The results of the examination and evaluation after 1 week and 1 month after the use of hollow bulb know maxillofacial prostheses retentation, stabilization, occlusion and better pronunciation. Conclusion:  maxillofacial prostheses after using thermoplastic nylon with hollow bulb in patients with palate scisis, patients can speak and chew normaly. Maxillofacial prostheses nylon thermoplastic hollow bulb can also restore the maximum aesthetic, especially in the lose of anterior teeth with retention or grip that can mimic the gingival so the patient increase self confidence and

  20. Application of extrusion-cooking for processing of thermoplastic starch (TPS)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moscicki, Leszek; Mitrus, Marcin; Wojtowicz, Agnieszka; Oniszczuk, Tomasz; Rejak, Andrzej; Janssen, Leon; Mościcki, Leszek

    Thermoplastic starch (TPS) as fully biodegradable biopolymer appeared to be one of the most useful and promising materials for packaging purpose. To obtain TPS thermal and mechanical processing should disrupt semi-crystalline starch granules. As the melting temperature of pure starch is

  1. Thermoplastic shape-memory polyurethanes based on natural oils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saralegi, Ainara; Eceiza, Arantxa; Corcuera, Maria Angeles; Johan Foster, E; Weder, Christoph

    2014-01-01

    A new family of segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes with thermally activated shape-memory properties was synthesized and characterized. Polyols derived from castor oil with different molecular weights but similar chemical structures and a corn-sugar-based chain extender (propanediol) were used as starting materials in order to maximize the content of carbon from renewable resources in the new materials. The composition was systematically varied to establish a structure–property map and identify compositions with desirable shape-memory properties. The thermal characterization of the new polyurethanes revealed a microphase separated structure, where both the soft (by convention the high molecular weight diol) and the hard phases were highly crystalline. Cyclic thermo-mechanical tensile tests showed that these polymers are excellent candidates for use as thermally activated shape-memory polymers, in which the crystalline soft segments promote high shape fixity values (close to 100%) and the hard segment crystallites ensure high shape recovery values (80–100%, depending on the hard segment content). The high proportion of components from renewable resources used in the polyurethane formulation leads to the synthesis of bio-based polyurethanes with shape-memory properties. (paper)

  2. The role of water on the structure and mechanical properties of a thermoplastic natural block co-polymer from squid sucker ring teeth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieu, Clément; Bertinetti, Luca; Schuetz, Roman; Salinas-Zavala, Cesar Ca; Weaver, James C; Fratzl, Peter; Miserez, Ali; Masic, Admir

    2016-09-02

    Hard biological polymers exhibiting a truly thermoplastic behavior that can maintain their structural properties after processing are extremely rare and highly desirable for use in advanced technological applications such as 3D-printing, biodegradable plastics and robust composites. One exception are the thermoplastic proteins that comprise the sucker ring teeth (SRT) of the Humboldt jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas). In this work, we explore the mechanical properties of reconstituted SRT proteins and demonstrate that the material can be re-shaped by simple processing in water and at relatively low temperature (below 100 °C). The post-processed material maintains a high modulus in the GPa range, both in the dry and the wet states. When transitioning from low to high humidity, the material properties change from brittle to ductile with an increase in plastic deformation, where water acts as a plasticizer. Using synchrotron x-ray scattering tools, we found that water mostly influences nano scale structure, whereas at the molecular level, the protein structure remains largely unaffected. Furthermore, through simultaneous in situ x-ray scattering and mechanical tests, we show that the supramolecular network of the reconstituted SRT material exhibits a progressive alignment along the strain direction, which is attributed to chain alignment of the amorphous domains of SRT proteins. The high modulus in both dry and wet states, combined with their efficient thermal processing characteristics, make the SRT proteins promising substitutes for applications traditionally reserved for petroleum-based thermoplastics.

  3. Sustainable Triblock Copolymers for Application as Thermoplastic Elastomers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Wenyue; Wang, Shu; Ganewatta, Mitra; Tang, Chuanbing; Robertson, Megan

    Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), combining the processing advantages of thermoplastics with the flexibility and extensibility of elastomeric materials, have found versatile applications in industry, including electronics, clothing, adhesives, and automotive components. ABA triblock copolymers, in which A represents glassy endblocks and B the rubbery midblock, are commercially available as TPEs, such as poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) or poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene) (SIS). However, the commercial TPEs are derived from fossil fuels. The finite availability of fossil fuels and the environmental impact of the petroleum manufacturing have led to the increased interest in the development of alternative polymeric materials from sustainable sources. Rosin acids are promising replacement for the petroleum source due to their abundance in conifers, rigid molecular structures, and ease of functionalization. In this study, we explored the utilization of a rosin acid derivative, poly(dehydroabietic ethyl methacrylate) (PDAEMA), as a sustainable alternative for the glassy domain. The triblock copolymer poly(dehydroabietic ethyl methacrylate-b-n-butyl acylate-b-dehydroabietic ethyl methacrylate) (DnBD) was synthesized and characterized. DnBD exhibited tunable morphological and thermal properties. Tensile testing revealed elastomeric behavior.

  4. 40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Jjj of... - Known Organic HAP Emitted From the Production of Thermoplastic Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Known Organic HAP Emitted From the... HAP Emitted From the Production of Thermoplastic Products Thermoplastic product/Subcategory Organic HAP/chemical name(CAS No.) Acet-aldehyde (75-07-0) Acrylo-nitrile (107-13-1) 1,3 Buta-diene (106-99-0...

  5. Characterizing the influence of matrix ductility on damage phenomenology in continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic laminates undergoing quasi-static indentation

    KAUST Repository

    Yudhanto, Arief

    2017-12-12

    The use of thermoplastic matrix was known to improve the impact properties of laminated composites. However, different ductility levels can exist in a single family of thermoplastic matrix, and this may consequently modify the damage phenomenology of thermoplastic composites. This paper focuses on the effect of matrix ductility on the out-of-plane properties of thermoplastic composites, which was studied through quasi-static indentation (QSI) test that may represent impact problem albeit the speed difference. We evaluated continuous glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene thermoplastic composites (GFPP), and selected homopolymer PP and copolymer PP that represent ductile and less ductile matrices, respectively. Several cross-ply laminates were selected to study the influence of ply thicknesses and relative orientation of interfaces on QSI properties of GFPP. It is expected that GFPP with ductile matrix improves energy absorption of GFPP. However, the damage mechanism is completely different between GFPP with ductile and GFPP with less ductile matrices. GFPP with ductile matrix exhibits smaller damage zone in comparison to the one with less ductile matrix. Higher matrix ductility inhibits the growth of ply cracking along the fiber, and this causes the limited size of delamination. The stacking sequence poses more influence on less ductile composites rather than the ductile one.

  6. Effect of thermal shock on mechanical properties of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Yutaka; Hamanaka, Ippei; Shimizu, Hiroshi

    2012-07-01

    This study investigated the effect of thermal shock on the mechanical properties of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins. Four thermoplastic resins (two polyamides, one polyethylene terephthalate, one polycarbonate) and, as a control, a conventional heat-polymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), were tested. Specimens of each denture base material were fabricated according to ISO 1567 and were either thermocycled or not thermocycled (n = 10). The flexural strength at the proportional limit (FS-PL), the elastic modulus and the Charpy impact strength of the denture base materials were estimated. Thermocycling significantly decreased the FS-PL of one of the polyamides and the PMMA and it significantly increased the FS-PL of one of the polyamides. In addition, thermocycling significantly decreased the elastic modulus of one of the polyamides and significantly increased the elastic moduli of one of the polyamides, the polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate and PMMA. Thermocycling significantly decreased the impact strength of one of the polyamides and the polycarbonate. The mechanical properties of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins changed after themocycling.

  7. Micro injection moulding process validation for high precision manufacture of thermoplastic elastomer micro suspension rings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Calaon, M.; Tosello, G.; Elsborg Hansen, R.

    Micro injection moulding (μIM) is one of the most suitable micro manufacturing processes for flexible mass-production of multi-material functional micro components. The technology was employed in this research used to produce thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) micro suspension rings identified...... main μIM process parameters (melt temperature, injection speed, packing pressure) using the Design of Experiment statistical technique. Measurements results demonstrated the importance of calibrating mould´s master geometries to ensure correct part production and effective quality conformance...... on the frequency in order to improve the signal quality and assure acoustic reproduction fidelity. Production quality of the TPE rings drastically influence the product functionality. In the present study, a procedure for μIM TPE micro rings production optimization has been established. The procedure entail using...

  8. Numerical and Experimental Characterization of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Structures with Embedded Piezoelectric Sensor-Actuator Arrays for Ultrasonic Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klaudiusz Holeczek

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents preliminary numerical and experimental studies of active textile-reinforced thermoplastic composites with embedded sensor-actuator arrays. The goal of the investigations was the assessment of directional sound wave generation capability using embedded sensor-actuator arrays and developed a wave excitation procedure for ultrasound measurement tasks. The feasibility of the proposed approach was initially confirmed in numerical investigations assuming idealized mechanical and geometrical conditions. The findings were validated in real-life conditions on specimens of elementary geometry. Herein, the technological aspects of unique automated assembly of thermoplastic films containing adapted thermoplastic-compatible piezoceramic modules and conducting paths were described.

  9. Thermoplastic polyolefins as formaldehyde free binders in highly filled lignocellulosic panel boards: using glycerine as a processing aid in kenaf fiber polypropylene boards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anand Ramesh Sanadi

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available A new technique was developed to make highly loaded (up to 95% formaldehyde free natural fiber boards. The purpose of the paper is to report a broad study on 85% kenaf boards using linear thermoplastic polymers as the binder in preparing the boards to determine if these materials have potential in commercial applications by comparing them to other commercial materials. In these materials, linear thermoplastic polymer chains act as an adhesive and the product resembles a typical wood based panel (e.g., phenol formaldehyde fiber board. The process involved the use of small amount of glycerine in the fiber to enhance processibility in a thermo-kinetic mixer followed by hot pressing. In this paper, we report the properties of 85% by weight kenaf fiber boards using polypropylene as the adhesive. A maleated polypropylene was used to improve the adhesion and stress transfer between the adhesive and kenaf fiber. The addition of 2% by weight of glycerine based on the dry weight of kenaf fiber resulted in the best properties of the boards. Differential scanning calorimetric studies suggested that the glycerine had a little effect on the percent crystallinity of the matrix. Dynamic mechanical tests of the 85% boards showed some differences compared to conventional 60% by weight kenaf-PP composites. The 85% kenaf boards had a flexural strength of 75 MPa and a flexural modulus of 6.8 GPa with a specific gravity of 1.24. These properties are comparable to standard formaldehyde free high density hardboards with flexural strengths of 48.3 MPa and flexural modulus of 5.5 GPa, and a specific gravity of 1.28. This paper gives a broad overview of an initial study of these new materials.

  10. Modelling and simulation of the consolidation behavior during thermoplastic prepreg composites forming process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, H.; Hamila, N.; Boisse, P.

    2017-10-01

    Pre-impregnated thermoplastic composites have recently attached increasing interest in the automotive industry for their excellent mechanical properties and their rapid cycle manufacturing process, modelling and numerical simulations of forming processes for composites parts with complex geometry is necessary to predict and optimize manufacturing practices, especially for the consolidation effects. A viscoelastic relaxation model is proposed to characterize the consolidation behavior of thermoplastic prepregs based on compaction tests with a range of temperatures. The intimate contact model is employed to predict the evolution of the consolidation which permits the microstructure prediction of void presented through the prepreg. Within a hyperelastic framework, several simulation tests are launched by combining a new developed solid shell finite element and the consolidation models.

  11. Preparation and Properties of Novel Thermoplastic Vulcanizate Based on Bio-Based Polyester/Polylactic Acid, and Its Application in 3D Printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Gao

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV combines the high elasticity of elastomers and excellent processability of thermoplastics. Novel bio-based TPV based on poly (lactide (PLA and poly (1,4-butanediol/2,3-butanediol/succinate/itaconic acid (PBBSI were prepared in this research. PBBSI copolyesters were synthesized by melting polycondensation, and the molecular weights, chemical structures and compositions of the copolyesters were characterized by GPC, NMR and FTIR. Bio-based 2,3-butanediol was successfully incorporated to depress the crystallization behavior of the PBBSI copolyester. With an increase of 2,3-butanediol content, the PBBSI copolyester transformed from a rigid plastic to a soft elastomer. Furthermore, the obtained TPV has good elasticity and rheological properties, which means it can be applied as a 3D-printing material.

  12. Nonlinear viscoelastic characterization of molten thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) through large amplitude harmonic experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leblanc, Jean L. [University P. and M. Curie-Paris 6, Polymer Rheology and Processing, Vitry-sur-Seine (France)

    2007-10-15

    The so-called thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) are essentially blends of a crystalline thermoplastic polymer (e.g., polypropylene) and a vulcanizable rubber composition, prepared through a special process called dynamic vulcanization, which yields a fine dispersion of micron-size crosslinked rubber particles in a thermoplastic matrix. Such materials are by nature complex polymer systems, i.e., multiphase, heterogeneous, typically disordered materials for which structure is as important as composition. Correctly assessing their rheological properties is a challenging task for several reasons: first, even if the uniformity of their composition is taken for granted, TPV are indeed very complicated materials, not only heterogeneous but also with a morphology related to their composition; second, their morphology can be affected by the flow field used; third, the migration of small labile ingredients (e.g., oil, curative residue, etc.) can in the meantime significantly change the boundary flow conditions, for instance through self-lubrication due to phase separation of the oil, or wall slip, or both. The aims of the work reported were to investigate a series of commercial TPV through the so-called Fourier transform rheometry, a testing technique especially developed to accurately investigate the nonlinear viscoelastic domain. Results are tentatively interpreted in terms of material composition and structure. (orig.)

  13. Experimental characterisation of Lamb wave propagation through thermoplastic composite ultrasonic welds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Viegas Ochoa de Carvalho, Pedro; Fernandez Villegas, I.; Groves, R.M.; Benedictus, R.

    2016-01-01

    Ultrasonic welding is a very promising technique for joining thermoplastic composite (TpC) components in aircraft primary structures [1, 2]. The potential introduction of new lightweight structures in civil aviation has been driving the change towards condition-based maintenance (CBM) as an

  14. Novel polymer blends with thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taghizadeh, Ata

    plasticizer content was increased, the gelatinization temperature increased for glycerol, sorbitol and diglycerol, but it moved in the opposite direction in the case of polyglycerol. The gelatinization temperature variation for glycerol, sorbitol and diglycerol caused by changing water and plasticizer content indicates that water is the primary agent causing granular swell and plasticization in the gelatinization process. Due to the high molecular weight and viscosity, as well as the low hydroxyl group density (~ one --OH per two carbon) and borderline solubility of polyglycerol in water, it is believed that water-aided penetration of the plasticizer among the crystalline structure of starch molecules is significantly decelerated. So it is proposed that in the case of low-water solubility of the plasticizers, gelatinization temperature is determined more by the total amount of the plasticizer and water, rather than the water/plasticizer ratio. Increasing the miscibility of polyglycerol in water by increasing the temperature of the initial slurry, results in a return of the system to the typical thermal dependence of gelatinization with plasticizer/water ratio. Secondly, the gelatinization of starch under "dynamic conditions" was studied. In this case, a constant shear is applied to the slurry, along with a temperature ramp to induce gelatinization. This is, in fact, a rheological technique that heats up the slurry, while a mechanical shear is applied throughout. The reason for using this method is that in the plastic industry, thermoplastic starch is produced via processes involving shear such as extrusion, but, to date, there has not yet been a thorough study on the effect of pure shear on the gelatinization process. Glycerol, diglycerol and sorbitol were subjected to different dynamic gelatinization treatments in a couette flow system, and the results were compared with static gelatinization. Applying shear showed virtually no effect on the onset gelatinization temperature

  15. Designing of molecular architecture, synthesis and properties of the next generation of state-of-the-art high-performance thermoplastic fluoro-poly(ether amide)s, (6F-PEA), fluoro-poly(ether amide-imide)s (6F-PEAI), and their co-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vora, Rohitkumar H.

    2010-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Molecular architectures of next generation of high-performance advanced heat stable thermoplastic polymer compositions of fluoro-poly(ether amide) (6F-PA) and fluoro-poly(ether amide-imide) (6F-PEAI) having di-ether diamines moieties were designed based on fluoro-polyimide (6F-PI) chemistry, and polymers were synthesized using two novel state-of-the-art 2-(3,4'-carboxy anhydrophenyl-2(4-carboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (6FTMA) and 2,2'-bis(4-carboxyphenyl) hexafluropropane (6F-DAc) monomers. Their copolymers: fluoro-copoly(ether amide-(ether imide))s (6F-co(PEA-PEI)), fluoro-copoly(ether amide-(ether amide-imide))s (6F-co(PEA-PEAI)) and fluoro-copoly(ether amide-imide-(ether imide))s (6F-co(PEAI-PEI)) were also designed and synthesized using 2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydrides (6FDA) for the advanced aerospace, defense and industrial engineering applications. -- Abstract: A new generation of high-performance polymers for the advanced industrial, aerospace and defense engineering applications are being investigated in the academic and industrial research institutions throughout the world. Fluoro-polyimides (6F-PI) are one such sub-class of high-performance polyimide polymers. In the last 25 years a number of fluoro-polyimides have been reported but only a handful of them have been commercialized. This paper describes the 6F-polyimide chemistry-based designed molecular architectures and synthesis of two series of next generation of heat stable thermoplastic polymer compositions having di-ether diamines moieties, such as fluoro-poly(ether amide) (6F-PA) and fluoro-poly(ether amide-imide) (6F-PEAI) using the novel state-of-the-art 2-(3,4'-carboxy anhydrophenyl-2(4-carboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (6F-TMA) and 2,2'-bis(4-carboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (6F-DAc) monomers. Their co-polymers: fluoro-copoly(ether amide-(ether imide))s (6F-co(PEA-PEI)), fluoro-copoly(ether amide-(ether amide-imide))s (6F-co(PEA-PEAI)) and fluoro

  16. Three Point Bending of Top-Hat Stiffened Chopped Short Fibre Ramie/HDPE Thermoplastic Composite Beam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadi, Bambang K.; Nuril, Yogie S.

    2018-04-01

    The use of natural fibre and thermoplastic matrices in composite materials increased significantly during the last decade especially in the automotive industries. Ramie is one of these potential natural fibres. In this paper, a three point bending of top-hat beam made of ramie/HDPE (High-Density-Polyethylene) composites was performed. Top-hat stiffened structures were common structures found in the aerospace industries. Nevertheless, these structures are beginning to be applied in automotive structures in the forms of chassis and bumpers. The ramie/HDPE composite was manufactured using hot-press technique. The temperature was set to be 135°C and the pressure was 6 bars. Chopped short ramie fibre was used, due to good drape ability characteristics. The experiments showed that the beams produced a large non-linearity. Linear Finite Element Analysis was carried out to be compared with the experimental data. The differences are reasonable.

  17. Preparation and properties of blends composed of lignosulfonated layered double hydroxide/plasticized starch and thermoplastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Privas, Edwige; Leroux, Fabrice; Navard, Patrick

    2013-07-01

    Layered double hydroxide prepared with lignosulfonate (LDH/LS) can be easily dispersed down to the nanometric scale in thermoplastic starch, at concentration of 1 up to 4 wt% of LDH/LS. They can thus be used as a bio-based reinforcing agent of thermoplastic starch. Incorporation of LDH/LS in starch must be done using LDH/LS slurry instead of powder on order to avoid secondary particles aggregation, the water of the paste being used as the starch plasticizer. This reinforced starch was used for preparing a starch-polyolefine composite. LDH/LS-starch nanocomposites were mixed in a random terpolymer of ethylene, butyl acrylate (6%) and maleic anhydride (3%) at concentrations of 20 wt% and 40 wt%. With a 20% loading of (1 wt% LDH/LS in thermoplastic starch), the ternary copolymer is partially bio-based while keeping nearly its original processability and mechanical properties and improving oxygen barrier properties. The use of layered double hydroxides is also removing most odours linked to the lignin phase. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Thermoplastic starch/ethylene vinyl alcohol/forsterite nanocomposite as a candidate material for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahdieh, Zahra [Polymeric Materials Research Group (PMRG), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-9466 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bagheri, Reza, E-mail: rezabagh@sharif.edu [Polymeric Materials Research Group (PMRG), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-9466 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Eslami, Masoud; Amiri, Mohammad [Polymeric Materials Research Group (PMRG), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-9466 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Mehrjoo, Morteza [National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-12-01

    Recently, biodegradable polymers such as starch based blends have been well renowned in the biomedical field. Studies have considered them suitable for bone scaffolds, bone cements, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems and hydrogels. The aim of this study was to synthesize nanocomposite biomaterial consisting a blend of thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol as the polymer matrix, and nano-structured forsterite as the ceramic reinforcing phase for bone tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, vitamin E was applied as a thermal stabilizer during melt compounding. Extrusion and injection molding were incorporated for melt blending and shaping of samples, respectively. With blending thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol, some properties of thermoplastic starch such as degradation rate and water absorption were modified. In addition, using nanoforsterite as the ceramic reinforcing phase resulted in the improvement of mechanical and biological traits. The addition of nanoforsterite decreased the weight loss of the thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol blend in simulated body fluid. Moreover, this addition modified the pH in the MTT (methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium) assay and stimulated the cell proliferation. Cell adhesion assays indicated a favorable interaction between cells and the biomaterial. The proposed nanocomposite has appropriate biocompatibility, as well as mechanical properties in order to be used in bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: • A biodegradable nanocomposite is proposed for orthopedic applications. • Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant to prevent the thermomechanical degradations. • Nanoforsterite reduced the composite degradation rate in the simulated body fluid. • Nanoforsterite modified pH in MTT assay and stimulated cell proliferation.

  19. Thermoplastic starch/ethylene vinyl alcohol/forsterite nanocomposite as a candidate material for bone tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahdieh, Zahra; Bagheri, Reza; Eslami, Masoud; Amiri, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Mehrjoo, Morteza

    2016-01-01

    Recently, biodegradable polymers such as starch based blends have been well renowned in the biomedical field. Studies have considered them suitable for bone scaffolds, bone cements, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems and hydrogels. The aim of this study was to synthesize nanocomposite biomaterial consisting a blend of thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol as the polymer matrix, and nano-structured forsterite as the ceramic reinforcing phase for bone tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, vitamin E was applied as a thermal stabilizer during melt compounding. Extrusion and injection molding were incorporated for melt blending and shaping of samples, respectively. With blending thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol, some properties of thermoplastic starch such as degradation rate and water absorption were modified. In addition, using nanoforsterite as the ceramic reinforcing phase resulted in the improvement of mechanical and biological traits. The addition of nanoforsterite decreased the weight loss of the thermoplastic starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol blend in simulated body fluid. Moreover, this addition modified the pH in the MTT (methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium) assay and stimulated the cell proliferation. Cell adhesion assays indicated a favorable interaction between cells and the biomaterial. The proposed nanocomposite has appropriate biocompatibility, as well as mechanical properties in order to be used in bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: • A biodegradable nanocomposite is proposed for orthopedic applications. • Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant to prevent the thermomechanical degradations. • Nanoforsterite reduced the composite degradation rate in the simulated body fluid. • Nanoforsterite modified pH in MTT assay and stimulated cell proliferation.

  20. Scalable creation of gold nanostructures on high performance engineering polymeric substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Kun; Wang, Pan; Wei, Shiliang; Huang, Yumin; Liu, Xiaobo

    2017-12-01

    The article reveals a facile protocol for scalable production of gold nanostructures on a high performance engineering thermoplastic substrate made of polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN) for the first time. Firstly, gold thin films with different thicknesses of 2 nm, 4 nm and 6 nm were evaporated on a spin-coated PEN substrate on glass slide in vacuum. Next, the as-evaporated samples were thermally annealed around the glass transition temperature of the PEN substrate, on which gold nanostructures with island-like morphology were created. Moreover, it was found that the initial gold evaporation thickness and annealing atmosphere played an important role in determining the morphology and plasmonic properties of the formulated Au NPs. Interestingly, we discovered that isotropic Au NPs can be easily fabricated on the freestanding PEN substrate, which was fabricated by a cost-effective polymer solution casting method. More specifically, monodispersed Au nanospheres with an average size of ∼60 nm were obtained after annealing a 4 nm gold film covered PEN casting substrate at 220 °C for 2 h in oxygen. Therefore, the scalable production of Au NPs with controlled morphology on PEN substrate would open the way for development of robust flexible nanosensors and optical devices using high performance engineering polyarylene ethers.

  1. Prediction of wrinklings and porosities of thermoplastic composits after thermostamping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamila, Nahiene; Guzman-Maldonado, Eduardo; Xiong, Hu; Wang, Peng; Boisse, Philippe; Bikard, Jerome

    2018-05-01

    During thermoforming process, the consolidation deformation mode of thermoplastic prepregs is one of the key deformation modes especially in the consolidation step, where the two resin flow phenomena: resin percolation and transverse squeeze flow, play an important role. This occurs a viscosity behavior for consolidation mode. Based on a visco-hyper-elastic model for the characterization of thermoplastic prepregs proposed by Guzman, which involves different independent modes of deformation: elongation mode, bending mode with thermo-dependent, and viscoelastic in-plan shearing mode with thermo-dependent, a viscoelastic model completed with consolidation behavior will be presented in this paper. A completed three-dimensional mechanical behavior with compaction effect for thermoplastic pre-impregnated composites is constituted, and the associated parameters are identified by compaction test. Moreover, a seven-node prismatic solid-shell finite element approach is used for the forming simulation. To subdue transverse shear locking, an intermediate material frame related to the element sides is introduced in order to fix nodal transverse shear strain components. Indeed, the enhanced assumed strain method and a reduced integration scheme are combined offering a linear varying strain field along the thickness direction to circumvent thickness locking, and an hourglass stabilization procedure is employed in order to correct the element's rank deficiency for pinching. An additional node is added at the center providing a quadratic interpolation of the displacement in the thickness direction. The predominance of this element is the ability of three dimensional analysis, especially for the transverse stress existence through the thickness of material, which is essential for the consolidation modelling. Finally, an intimate contact model is employed to predict the evolution of the consolidation which permits the microstructure prediction of void presented through the prepreg

  2. Impact of thermoplastic mask on dosimetry of different radiotherapeutic beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Lixin; Zhang Li; Qian Jianyang; Huang Xiaoyan; Lu Jie; Huang Shaomin

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To determine the influence of auxiliary thermoplastic mask on dose distribution of photon or electron beams. Methods: Using the PTW Marcus 23343 type fixed-separation parallel-plate ionization chamber in a special phantom(PMMA), the change of photon dose buildup region was measured with rectification of Bruce empirical formula. Using 3-D water phantom, the central axis percentage depth doses (PDD) of electron beams were measured with verification of the parallel-plate ionization chamber at several given depths. Results: When 8 MV X-ray was delivered through the added facial mask, the buildup region doses were increased obviously with a 25% relative increment beneath near the surface. When 8, 12, 15 MeV electron beams and mask were used, all PDD curves moved to the surface. Conclusions: The impact of thermoplastic mask on the dose increase in the X-ray buildup region, and on the PDD decrease in the electron beam target region should be paid much more attention. And the dose distribution, with an added mask, will have to be re-evaluated in 3-D conformal radiotherapy

  3. Shear behavior of thermoformed woven-textile thermoplastic prepregs: An analysis combining bias-extension test and X-ray microtomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gassoumi, M.; Rolland du Roscoat, S.; Casari, P.; Dumont, P. J. J.; Orgéas, L.; Jacquemin, F.

    2017-10-01

    Thermoforming allows the manufacture of structural parts for the automotive and aeronautical domains using long fiber thermoplastic prepregs with short cycle times. During this operation, several sheets of molten prepregs are stacked and subjected to large macroscale strains, mainly via in-plane shear, out-of-plane consolidation or dilatation, and bending of the fibrous reinforcement. These deformation modes and the related meso and microstructure evolutions are still poorly understood. However, they can drastically alter the end-use macroscale properties of fabricated parts. To better understand these phenomena, bias extension tests were performed using specimens made of several stacked layers of glass woven fabrics and polyamide matrix. The macroscale shear behavior of these prepregs was investigated at various temperatures. A multiscale analysis of deformed samples was performed using X-ray microtomography images of the deformed specimens acquired at two different spatial resolutions. The low-resolution images were used to analyze the deformation mechanisms and the structural characteristics of prepregs at the macroscale and bundle scales. It was possible to analyze the 3D shapes of deformed samples and, in particular, the spatial variations of their thickness so as to quantify the out-of-plane dilatancy or consolidation phenomena induced by the in-plane shear of prepregs. At a lower scale, the analysis of the high-resolution images showed that these mechanisms were accompanied by the growth of pores and the deformation of fiber bundles. The orientation of the fiber bundles and its through-thickness evolution were measured along the weft and warp directions in the deformed samples, allowing the relevance of geometrical models currently used to analyze bias extension tests to be discussed. Results can be used to enhance the current rheological models for the prediction of thermoforming of thermoplastic prepregs.

  4. Thermoplastic deformation of ferromagnetic CoFe-based bulk metallic glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chenguang; Hu, Renchao; Man, Qikui; Chang, Chuntao; Wang, Xinmin

    2017-12-01

    The superplastic deformation behavior of the ferromagnetic Co31Fe31Nb8B30 bulk metallic glass (BMG) in the supercooled liquid region was investigated. At a given temperature, the BMG exhibits a Newtonian behavior at low strain rates but a non-Newtonian behavior at high strain rates. The high thermal stability of this glassy alloy system offers an enough processing window to thermoplastic forming (TPF), and the strong processing ability was examined by simple micro-replication experiments. It is demonstrated that the TPF formability on length scales ranging down to nanometers can be achieved in the selected experimental condition. Based on the analysis of deformation behavior, the nearly full density sample (i.e. nearly 100%), was produced from water-atomized glassy powders and consolidated by the hot-pressing technique. The sample exhibits good soft-magnetic and mechanical properties, i.e., low coercive force of 0.43 Oe, high initial permeability of 4100 and high Vickers hardness 1398. These results suggest that the hot-pressing process opens up possibilities for the commercial exploitation of BMGs in engineering applications.

  5. Graphite and PMMA as pore formers for thermoplastic extrusion of porous 3Y-TZP oxygen transport membrane supports

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørnetun Haugen, Astri; Gurauskis, Jonas; Kaiser, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    A gas permeable porous support is a crucial part of an asymmetric oxygen transport membrane (OTM). Here, we develop feedstocks for thermoplastic extrusion of tubular, porous 3Y-TZP (partially stabilized zirconia polycrystals, (Y2O3)0.03(ZrO2)0.97)) ceramics, using graphite and/or polymethyl....... This demonstrates the suitability of thermoplastic extrusion for fabrication of porous 3Y-TZP OTM supports, or for other technologies requiring porous ceramics....

  6. Mechanical properties, microstructure and magnetic properties of composite magnet base on SrO.6Fe_2O_3 (SRM)-thermoplastic and thermoset polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grace Tj Sulungbudi; Aloma Karo Karo; Mujamilah; Sudirman

    2010-01-01

    The use of magnets in industrial applications do not always require high magnetic properties. Therefore, the use of polymer as a matrix that serves as a binder can be applied to obtain lightweight, flexible and cheap composite magnet. This report discuss composite magnet base on SrO.6Fe_2O_3(SRM)-thermoplastic and thermoset polymer. Thermoplastic polymer consist of polypropylene (PP) type of PP2 and PP10 and polyethylene (PE) type of LDPE were used. For thermoset polymer, epoxy and polyester were used. Synthesis of composite magnet based on thermoplastic polymer (PP2, PP10, LDPE) were carried using the blending method, while the thermoset composites magnet using casting method. Thermoplastic composite magnets were prepared with compositions of 50, 41, 38, 33 and 29 % weight of SRM with the blending temperature of 160 °C for LDPE and 180 °C for PP2 and PP10. For thermoset composite magnets, the compositions were 30, 40, 50 and 60 % by weight of SRM. The mechanical test conducted include tensile strength and elongation at break. Microstructure on the surface of the composite materials were observed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and the magnetic properties were measured using VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer). The SEM results showed the formation of flat shape powder particle with size of 1.6 µm. In general, the mechanical properties of polypropylene polymer composite magnet are better than that using polyethylene (LDPE) binder. For polypropylene binder PP10 is better than PP2. Magnetic properties are not significantly affected by the change of polymer or binder types. (author)

  7. Critical assessment of the mandrel peel test for fiber reinforced thermoplastic laminates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grouve, Wouter Johannes Bernardus; Warnet, Laurent; Akkerman, Remko

    2013-01-01

    The applicability of the mandrel peel test for thermoplastic composites was investigated experimentally by comparing the fracture toughness to the values obtained by the double cantilever beam (DCB) and end loaded split (ELS) beam test. Two laminates were considered: a unidirectionally carbon-PPS

  8. Thermoplastic vulcanizate nanocomposites based on polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (PP/EPDM) prepared by reactive extrusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirzadeh, Amin

    For this work, different grades of polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride polymers were chosen to elucidate the effect of compatibilizer on the nanoclay dispersion level in thermoplastic phase. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns along with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs confirmed that prepared PP nanocomposites ranged from intercalated structure to a coexistence of intercalated tactoids and exfoliated layers namely “partially exfoliated” nanocomposite. Among various factors affecting the compatibilizer performance, it is shown that only the relaxation behaviour of compatibilizer correlates directly with the nanocomposites characterization results; higher relaxation times of the compatibilizer are associated with better dispersion of nanoclay. To study the co-continuity development of the nonreactive blends, EPDM and the mentioned PP nanocomposites at various compositions were melt blended using an internal mixer. Based on continuity measurements of TPEs and TPE nanocomposites for both thermoplastic and rubber phase, it is shown that the presence of nanoclay decreases the co-continuity composition range and alters its symmetrical feature. However, this effect is more pronounced in the intercalated nanocomposites than in partially exfoliated nanocomposites. It seems that better nanoclay dispersion limits the reduction of the thermoplastic phase continuity in a manner that the continuity index of the thermoplastic phase for partially exfoliated TPE nanocomposite prepared at high EPDM content (i.e. at 70 wt%) is greater than that of corresponding TPE without nanoclay. According to these results, it is possible to shift to higher EPDM content using partially exfoliated system before formation of matrix-dispersed particle structure which limits thermoplastic vulcanizate production. This should be mentioned that gamma irradiation was carried out in order to fix the EPDM morphology to estimate the continuity of PP

  9. Nanoindentation study of interphases in epoxy/amine thermosetting systems modified with thermoplastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Jose Angel; Blanco, Miren; Zalakain, Iñaki; Mondragon, Iñaki

    2009-08-15

    The characterization of a mixture of epoxy/amine with different stoichiometric ratios was carried out by means of nanoindentation. The epoxy system was composed by diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A and 4,4'-methylene bis-(3-chloro 2,6-diethylaniline). Diffusion through interface formed by epoxy/amine system in stoichiometric ratio and several thermoplastic polymers was also analyzed by means of stiffness analysis, as studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and coupled nanoindentation tests. Used thermoplastics were an amorphous, atactic polystyrene, and two semicrystalline, syndiotactic polystyrene and poly(phenylene sulfide). Larger range diffusion was obtained in epoxy/amine systems modified with atactic polystyrene while the study of the influence of stoichiometric ratio suggests that the excess of epoxy generated stiffer material. In addition, larger indentation loads resulted in higher apparent stiffness because of the more number of polymer chains that had to re-accommodate owing to the increase in contact area.

  10. An afterloading brachytherapy device utilizing thermoplastic material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, T.H.; Gerbi, J.B.; Deibel, F.C.; Khan, F.M.; Priest, J.R.

    1989-01-01

    An afterloading brachytherapy device for treatment of residual cancer in an enucleated orbit with two cesium-137 sources was designed using a thermoplastic material, Aquaplast. The device consists of a face-mask support held in place with elastic bands around the head and an acrylic afterloading applicator. The device is very easy to make, holds the sources firmly in place, allows full mobility of the patient, and gives excellent dose distribution to the target area. It was easily tolerated by a 7-year-old child during the 50 h of treatment. (author). 3 refs.; 4 figs

  11. Microwave Induced Welding of Carbon Nanotube-Thermoplastic Interfaces for Enhanced Mechanical Strength of 3D Printed Parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, Charles; Lackey, Blake; Saed, Mohammad; Green, Micah

    Three-dimensional (3D) printed parts produced by fused-filament fabrication of a thermoplastic polymer have become increasingly popular at both the commercial and consumer level. The mechanical integrity of these rapid-prototyped parts however, is severely limited by the interfillament bond strength between adjacent extruded layers. In this report we propose for the first time a method for welding thermoplastic interfaces of 3D printed parts using the extreme heating response of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to microwave energy. To achieve this, we developed a coaxial printer filament with a pure polylactide (PLA) core and a CNT composite sheath. This produces parts with a thin electrically percolating network of CNTs at the interfaces between adjacent extruded layers. These interfaces are then welded together upon microwave irradiation at 2.45GHz. Our patent-pending method has been shown to increase the tensile toughness by 1000% and tensile strength by 35%. We investigated the dielectric properties of the PLA/CNT composites at microwave frequencies and performed in-situ microwave thermometry using a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to characterize the heating response of the PLA/CNT composites upon microwave irradiation.

  12. Nanoimprint technology nanotransfer for thermoplastic and photocurable polymers

    CERN Document Server

    Taniguchi, Jun; Mizuno, Jun; Saito, Takushi

    2013-01-01

    Nanoscale pattern transfer technology using molds is a rapidly advancing area and one that has seen much recent attention due to its potential for use in nanotechnology industries and applications. However, because of these rapid advances, it can be difficult to keep up with the technological trends and the latest cutting-edge methods. In order to fully understand these pioneering technologies, a comprehensive understanding of the basic science and an overview of the techniques are required. Nanoimprint Technology: Nanotransfer for Thermoplastic and Photocurable Polymers covers

  13. Thermoplastic poly(urethane urea)s from novel, bio-based amorphous polyester diols

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tang, D.; Noordover, B.A.J.; Sablong, R.J.; Koning, C.E.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, two novel, bio-based, amorphous polyester diols, namely poly(1,2-dimethylethylene adipate) (PDMEA) and poly(1,2-dimethylethylene succinate) (PDMES) are used to prepare thermoplastic poly(urethane urea)s (TPUUs). Interestingly, the TPUUs based on PDMEA show similar thermal and

  14. Are reactive thermoplastic polymers suitable for future wind turbine composite materials blades?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raghavalu Thirumalai, Durai Prabhakaran

    2014-01-01

    , it was found that only two potential reactive thermoplastic resin systems qualify for different processing requirements for blade manufacturing. Hence, the article focuses on the issues with the use of reactive polymers like APA-6 (Caprolactam) and CBT (Cyclic Butylene Terephtalate) resin systems for composite...

  15. Experimental characterisation of recycled (glass/tpu woven fabric) flake reinforced thermoplastic composites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abdul Rasheed, Mohammed Iqbal; Rietman, Bert; Visser, Roy; Akkerman, Remko; Hoa, S.V.; Hubert, P.

    2013-01-01

    Recycling of continuously reinforced thermoplastic composites (TPC) has a substantial prospect at present and in future due to its increasing availability and rapidly growing application regime. This study focusses on the first steps in using TPC process scrap on a scale in which its maximum

  16. Effects of matrix properties on microscale damage in thermoplastic laminates under quasi-static and impact loading

    KAUST Repository

    Wafai, B. Husam

    2018-03-01

    Thermoplastics reinforced with continuous fibers are very promising building materials for the auto industry and consumer electronics to reduce the weight of vehicles and portable devices, and to deliver a high impact tolerance at the same time. Polypropylene is an abundant thermoplastic, and its glass fibers composites make a valuable solution that is suitable for mass production. But the adoption of such composites requires a deep understanding of their mechanical behavior under the relevant loading conditions. In this Ph.D. work, we aim to understand the damage process in continuous glass fiberreinforced polypropylene in detail. We will focus in particular on developing an approach for microscale observation of damage during the out-of-plane loading process and will use these observations for both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the composite. We will apply our approach to two kinds of polypropylene composites, one of them is specially designed to withstand impact. The comparison between the two types of composites at slow and fast loading cases will shed some light on the effect of the polymer properties on the behavior of composites under out-of-plane loading.

  17. Biobased composites from thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and cross-linked acrylated-epoxidized soybean oil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soybean oil is an important sustainable material. Crosslinked acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) is brittle without flexibility and the incorporation of thermoplastic polyurethane improves its toughness for industrial applications. The hydrophilic functional groups from both oil and polyurethan...

  18. A novel thermoplastic elastomer based on dynamically vulcanized polypropylene/acrylic rubber blends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic elastomer based on polypropylene (PP and acrylic rubber (ACM was investigated, with special attention on the compatibilization and dynamic vulcanization. ACM component contains chlorine and carboxyl groups along the backbone, which act as center for the curing and reactive compatibilization. The last event was carried out by adding a combination of maleic anhydride-modified PP (PP-g-MA and triethylene tetramine (TETA, which act as interfacial agents between PP and ACM phases. The effectiveness of the compatibilization was suggested from mixing torque and viscosity, determined from rheological measurements. Outstanding mechanical performance, especially elongation at break, and better tensile set (lower values were obtained with the compatibilization. The dynamic vulcanization also resulted in good mechanical properties for compatibilized blends, but the performance was inferior to that observed for non vulcanized blends. The effect of the compatibilization and/or dynamic vulcanization on the dynamic mechanical, thermal, morphological and stress relaxation properties was investigated.

  19. COORDINATION COMPOUNDS OF NICKEL(II), COPPER(II) AND COBALT(II) BASED ON S-METHYLISOTHIOSEMICARBAZIDE AS DYES FOR THERMOPLASTIC POLYMERS

    OpenAIRE

    Ştefan Manole; Maria Cocu

    2011-01-01

    We have researched the color properties of coordination compounds synthesized by us previously [1] (8-(1',2'-naphthyl)-1- R3-methyl-6-thiomethyl-4,5,7-triazaocta-1,3,5,7-tetraenato-1,1'-diolato(-)O, O', N4, N7-M(II), where R=CH3, C6H5, M=Ni, Co, Cu), which can be used for coloring thermoplastic masses. They meet the requirements for use as a pigment for coloring thermoplastic masses.

  20. Characterization of the morphology of co-extruded, thermoplastic/rubber multi-layer tapes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    L'Abee, R.M.A.; Vissers, A.M.J.T.; Goossens, J.G.P.; Spoelstra, A.B.; Duin, M. van

    2009-01-01

    Tapes with alternating semi-crystalline thermoplastic/rubber layers with thicknesses varying from 100 nm up to several μm were prepared by multi-layer co-extrusion. The variation in layer thickness was obtained by varying the thermoplastic/rubber feed ratio. A systematic study on the use of various microscopy techniques to visualize the morphology of the layered systems is presented. The relatively large length scales and the sample preparation make optical microscopy (OM) unsuitable to study the morphology of the multi-layer tapes. Although excellent contrast between the thermoplastic and rubber layers can be obtained, the usually applied, relatively large magnifications limit the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to small sample areas. The large range of applicable magnifications makes scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the most suitable technique to study the morphology of the multi-layer tapes. The sample preparation for SEM with a secondary electron (SE) detector is often based on the removal of one of the components, which may induce changes in the morphology. SEM with a back-scattered electron (BSE) detector is a very convenient method to study the morphology over a wide range of length scales, where the contrast between the different layers can be enhanced by chemical staining. Finally, the nucleation behavior (homogeneous versus heterogeneous) of the semi-crystalline layers, as probed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), provides valuable information on the layered morphology. The use of relatively straightforward DSC measurements shows a clear advantage with respect to the discussed microscopy techniques, since no sample preparation is required and relatively large samples can be studied, which are more representative for the bulk.

  1. Investigations on laser transmission welding of absorber-free thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamuschkin, Viktor; Olowinsky, Alexander; Britten, Simon W.; Engelmann, Christoph

    2014-03-01

    Within the plastic industry laser transmission welding ranks among the most important joining techniques and opens up new application areas continuously. So far, a big disadvantage of the process was the fact that the joining partners need different optical properties. Since thermoplastics are transparent for the radiation of conventional beam sources (800- 1100 nm) the absorbance of one of the joining partners has to be enhanced by adding an infrared absorber (IR-absorber). Until recently, welding of absorber-free parts has not been possible. New diode lasers provide a broad variety of wavelengths which allows exploiting intrinsic absorption bands of thermoplastics. The use of a proper wavelength in combination with special optics enables laser welding of two optically identical polymer parts without absorbers which can be utilized in a large number of applications primarily in the medical and food industry, where the use of absorbers usually entails costly and time-consuming authorization processes. In this paper some aspects of the process are considered as the influence of the focal position, which is crucial when both joining partners have equal optical properties. After a theoretical consideration, an evaluation is carried out based on welding trials with polycarbonate (PC). Further aspects such as gap bridging capability and the influence of thickness of the upper joining partner are investigated as well.

  2. Long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics. Applications and limitations of a new type of material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neise, E.

    1986-06-01

    New processing possibilities are offered by long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics, because - contrary to thermoset processing - no chemical reaction occurs and thermoforming and welding of prepregs is possible. Processing techniques like filament winding, tape laying or pultrusion are in development at different institutes.

  3. Polymer-filler interactions in polyether based thermoplastic polyureathane/silica nanocomposites

    OpenAIRE

    Heinz, Özge; Heinz, Ozge

    2013-01-01

    Thermoplastic polyurethaneureas (TPU) are a unique class of materials that are used in a broad range of applications due to their tailorable chemistry and morphology that allow engineering materials with targeted properties. The central theme of this dissertation is to develop an understanding on polymer-filler interfacial interactions and related reinforcing mechanism of silica nanoparticles in polyether based TPU/silica nanocomposites. Prior to our investigation on nanocomposite materials, ...

  4. Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection-Molded Long-Carbon-Thermoplastic Composites: Weight and Cost Analyses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, Ba Nghiep [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fifield, Leonard S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gandhi, Umesh N. [Toyota Research Inst. North America, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Mori, Steven [MAGNA Exteriors and Interiors Corporation, Aurora, ON (Canada); Wollan, Eric J. [PlastiComp, Inc., Winona, MN (United States)

    2016-08-01

    This project proposed to integrate, optimize and validate the fiber orientation and length distribution models previously developed and implemented in the Autodesk Simulation Moldflow Insight (ASMI) package for injection-molded long-carbon-fiber thermoplastic composites into a cohesive prediction capability. The current effort focused on rendering the developed models more robust and efficient for automotive industry part design to enable weight savings and cost reduction. The project goal has been achieved by optimizing the developed models, improving and integrating their implementations in ASMI, and validating them for a complex 3D LCF thermoplastic automotive part (Figure 1). Both PP and PA66 were used as resin matrices. After validating ASMI predictions for fiber orientation and fiber length for this complex part against the corresponding measured data, in collaborations with Toyota and Magna PNNL developed a method using the predictive engineering tool to assess LCF/PA66 complex part design in terms of stiffness performance. Structural three-point bending analyses of the complex part and similar parts in steel were then performed for this purpose, and the team has then demonstrated the use of stiffness-based complex part design assessment to evaluate weight savings relative to the body system target (≥ 35%) set in Table 2 of DE-FOA-0000648 (AOI #1). In addition, starting from the part-to-part analysis, the PE tools enabled an estimated weight reduction for the vehicle body system using 50 wt% LCF/PA66 parts relative to the current steel system. Also, from this analysis an estimate of the manufacturing cost including the material cost for making the equivalent part in steel has been determined and compared to the costs for making the LCF/PA66 part to determine the cost per “saved” pound.

  5. Application of thermo-plastic elestomers to electric wires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yagyu, Hideki; Watanabe, Kiyoshi

    1988-02-15

    Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is used in only 1% of the total rubber and plastics in electric cable and wire fields. This report describes on the legal regulations, practical applications, and the future problems. Japanese regulation on the power cable is the use of specified materials only, whereas in Europe and USA the function of the material is given a priority. For the communication cable and for the material selection of electronic and household wires, the priority of selection is the function of the material. Merits of TPE in use are the specialty properties unknown in the conventional materials, non-necessity of crosslinking, and the high productivity. PE is mainly used for the communication cable, PE and PVC for sheath. Telefone cord is the biggest outlet of TPE presently. Other applications are found in connection cable between the OA equipments, shield wire, and insulation cables for robots, aeroplanes, and ocean development units, etc.. For more expansion of applications, balance between the flexibility and various properties, water resistance and price should be improved. (7 figs, 3 tabs, 3 refs)

  6. COORDINATION COMPOUNDS OF NICKEL(II, COPPER(II AND COBALT(II BASED ON S-METHYLISOTHIOSEMICARBAZIDE AS DYES FOR THERMOPLASTIC POLYMERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ştefan Manole

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available We have researched the color properties of coordination compounds synthesized by us previously [1] (8-(1',2'-naphthyl-1- R3-methyl-6-thiomethyl-4,5,7-triazaocta-1,3,5,7-tetraenato-1,1'-diolato(-O, O', N4, N7-M(II, where R=CH3, C6H5, M=Ni, Co, Cu, which can be used for coloring thermoplastic masses. They meet the requirements for use as a pigment for coloring thermoplastic masses.

  7. Material properties and glass transition temperatures of different thermoplastic starches after extrusion processing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, Léon P.B.M.; Karman, Andre P.; Graaf, Robbert A. de

    Four different starch sources, namely waxy maize, wheat, potato and pea starch were extruded with the plasticizer glycerol, the latter in concentrations of 15, 20 and 25% (w/w). The glass transition temperatures of the resulting thermoplastic products were measured by Dynamic Mechanical Thermal

  8. Optimum Combination of Thermoplastic Formability and Electrical Conductivity in Al-Ni-Y Metallic Glass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, Min Young; Park, Sung Hyun; Kim, Kang Cheol; Kim, Won Tae; Kim, Do Hyang

    2018-05-01

    Both thermoplastic formability and electrical conductivity of Al-Ni-Y metallic glass with 12 different compositions have been investigated in the present study with an aim to apply as a functional material, i.e. as a binder of Ag powders in Ag paste for silicon solar cell. The thermoplastic formability is basically influenced by thermal stability and fragility of supercooled liquid which can be reflected by the temperature range for the supercooled liquid region (ΔT x ) and the difference in specific heat between the frozen glass state and the supercooled liquid state (ΔC p ). The measured ΔT x and ΔC p values show a strong composition dependence. However, the composition showing the highest ΔT x and ΔC p does not correspond to the composition with the highest amount of Ni and Y. It is considered that higher ΔT x and ΔC p may be related to enhancement of icosahedral SRO near T g during cooling. On the other hand, electrical resistivity varies with the change of Al contents as well as with the change of the volume fraction of each phase after crystallization. The composition range with the optimum combination of thermoplastic formability and electrical conductivity in Al-Ni-Y system located inside the composition triangle whose vertices compositions are Al87Ni3Y10, Al85Ni5Y10, and Al86Ni5Y9.

  9. Studies on the influence of structurally different peroxides in polypropylene/ethylene alpha olefin thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Novel thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs based on polypropylene (PP and new generation ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC have been developed by dynamic vulcanization process, which involves melt-mixing and simultaneously crosslinking a rubber with a thermoplastic. In this paper technologically compatibilized blends of PP and EOC were dynamically vulcanized by coagent assisted peroxide crosslinking system. The effect of structurally different types of peroxides, namely dicumyl peroxide, di-tert butyl peroxy isopropyl benzene and tert-butyl cumyl peroxide with varying concentrations on the properties on TPVs was mainly studied. The physico-mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of these TPVs were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC and scanning electron microscopy (SEM.

  10. Research of the surface properties of the thermoplastic copolymer of vinilidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene modified with radio-frequency magnetron sputtering for medical application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tverdokhlebov, S.I.; Bolbasov, E.N.; Shesterikov, E.V.; Malchikhina, A.I.; Novikov, V.A.; Anissimov, Y.G.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A method for surface modification of the thermoplastic copolymer of vinilidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of hydroxyapatite target is proposed. ► It is demonstrated that the thermoplastic copolymer of vinilidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene surface becomes hydrophilic as the result of the modification. ► It is shown, using atomic force microscopy that the surface potential biases into positive value field and the surface roughness parameters increase as the result of the modification. ► In vitro testing has not found bio-toxicity of investigated surfaces - Abstract: The properties of thin calcium-phosphate coatings formed by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of a solid target made from hydroxyapatite on the surface of the thermoplastic copolymer of vinilidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene (VDF–TeFE) were investigated. Atomic force microscopy energy dispersive analysis and optical goniometry showed that deposited calcium-phosphate coatings change significantly the morphological, electrical, chemical, and contact properties of the surface of the initial polymeric substrates. These modified surfaces widen the scope of medical application of the thermoplastic copolymer.

  11. Laser Welding Analysis for 3D Printed Thermoplastic and Poly-acetate Polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Hae Woon; Yun, Sung Chul [Keimyung University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-07-15

    In this study, experimental and computer simulation results are compared and analyzed. Three-dimensional (3D) fabricated matrices from an MJM 3D printer were joined with poly-acetate thermoplastic polymers using a diode laser. A power range of 5-7 W was used to irradiate the boundary of two polymers. The heated polymers flowed into the matrices of the 3D fabricated structure, and reliable mechanical joining was achieved. Computer simulation showed the temperature distribution in the polymers, and flow direction was estimated based on the flux and temperature information. It was found that the more than the minimum energy threshold was required to effectively join the polymers and that two scans at low-speed were more effective than four scans at high speed.

  12. Laser Welding Analysis for 3D Printed Thermoplastic and Poly-acetate Polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Hae Woon; Yun, Sung Chul

    2015-01-01

    In this study, experimental and computer simulation results are compared and analyzed. Three-dimensional (3D) fabricated matrices from an MJM 3D printer were joined with poly-acetate thermoplastic polymers using a diode laser. A power range of 5-7 W was used to irradiate the boundary of two polymers. The heated polymers flowed into the matrices of the 3D fabricated structure, and reliable mechanical joining was achieved. Computer simulation showed the temperature distribution in the polymers, and flow direction was estimated based on the flux and temperature information. It was found that the more than the minimum energy threshold was required to effectively join the polymers and that two scans at low-speed were more effective than four scans at high speed

  13. Biopolymer-based thermoplastic mixture for producing solid biodegradable shaped bodies and its photo degradation stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulong, Nurulsaidatulsyida; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.

    2013-12-01

    In recent years, biopolymers with controllable lifetimes have become increasingly important for many applications in the areas of agriculture, biomedical implants and drug release, forestry, wild life conservation and waste management. Natural oils are considered to be the most important class of renewable sources. They can be obtained from naturally occurring plants, such as sunflower, cotton, linseed and palm oil. In Malaysia, palm oil is an inexpensive and commodity material. Biopolymer produced from palm oil (Bio-VOP) is a naturally occurring biodegradable polymer and readily available from agriculture. For packaging use however, Bio-VOP is not thermoplastic and its granular form is unsuitable for most uses in the plastics industry, mainly due to processing difficulties during extrusion or injection moulding. Thus, research workers have developed several methods to blend Bio-VOP appropriately for industrial uses. In particular, injections moulding processes, graft copolymerisation, and preparation of blends with thermoplastic polymers have been studied to produce solid biodegradable shaped bodies. HDPE was chosen as commercial thermoplastic materials and was added with 10% Bio-VOP for the preparation of solid biodegradable shaped bodies named as HD-VOP. The UV light exposure of HD-VOP at 12 minutes upon gives the highest strength of this material that is 17.6 MPa. The morphological structure of HD-VOP shows dwi structure surface fracture which is brittle and ductile properties.

  14. Tensile creep of thermoplastics: time-strain superposition of non-iso free-volume data

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolařík, Jan

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 41, č. 7 (2003), s. 736-748 ISSN 0887-6266 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/00/1307 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4050913 Keywords : creep * thermoplastics * viscoelastic properties Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.369, year: 2003

  15. Biodegradation of thermoplastic starch/eggshell powder composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bootklad, Munlika; Kaewtatip, Kaewta

    2013-09-12

    Thermoplastic starch (TPS) was prepared using compression molding and chicken eggshell was used as a filler. The effect of the eggshell powder (EP) on the properties of TPS was compared with the effect of commercial calcium carbonate (CC). The organic compound on the surface of the eggshell powder acted as a coupling agent that resulted in a strong adhesion between the eggshell powder and the TPS matrix, as confirmed by SEM micrographs. The biodegradation was determined by the soil burial test. The TPS/EP composites were more rapidly degraded than the TPS/CC composites. In addition, the eggshell powder improved the water resistance and thermal stability of the TPS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Characterization of thermoset and thermoplastic polyurethane pads, and molded and non-optimized machined grooving methods for oxide chemical mechanical planarization applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sampurno, Yasa; Borucki, Leonard; Zhuang, Yun; Misra, Sudhanshu; Holland, Karey; Boning, Duane; Philipossian, Ara

    2009-01-01

    This paper systematically studies the effect of pad material, grooving method and grooving pattern on interlayer dielectric chemical mechanical planarization. The tested polishing pads consist of thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethanes synthesized using two different processes. Grooves created using a molding technique are compared with grooves formed by mechanical cutting. The concentric groove design is also compared with the logarithmic positive spiral positive grooving design. Experimental data collected include removal rate, coefficient of friction, shear force variance, pad temperature and dynamic mechanical analyzer measurements. Scanning electron microscope images are used to correlate grooving methods with coefficient of friction and shear force variance measurements. Results show that all of the pads polish wafers in boundary lubrication mode with unique friction coefficient, shear force variance and pad temperature characteristics. Simulations using a two-step removal rate mechanism are performed to estimate the chemical and mechanical rate constants. The analysis indicates that the thermoplastic pad is more mechanically controlled than the thermoset pad and that molded grooving induces a more mechanically controlled process than non-optimized machined grooving

  17. Synthesis of thermoplastic starch-bacterial cellulose nanocomposites via in situ fermentation

    OpenAIRE

    Osorio, Marlon A.; Restrepo, David; Velásquez-Cock, Jorge A.; Zuluaga, Robin O.; Montoya, Ursula; Rojas, Orlando; Gañán, Piedad F.; Marin, Diana; Castro, Cristina I.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a nanocomposite based on thermoplastic starch (TPS) reinforced with bacterial cellulose (BC) nanoribbons was synthesized by in situ fermentation and chemical crosslinking. BC nanoribbons were produced by a Colombian native strain of Gluconacetobacter medellinensis; the nanocomposite was plasticized with glycerol and crosslinked with citric acid. The reinforcement percentage in the nanocomposites remained constant throughout the fermentation time because of the TPS absorption ca...

  18. Investigation of Droplet Deposition for Suspensions Usable for Thermoplastic 3D Printing (T3DP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheithauer, Uwe; Johne, Robert; Weingarten, Steven; Schwarzer, Eric; Richter, Hans-Jürgen; Moritz, Tassilo; Michaelis, Alexander

    2018-01-01

    Thermoplastic 3D printing (T3DP) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technology, which can be used for the production of dense single- and especially multi-material components. This becomes possible because of the combination of the precise deposition of small droplets of molten thermoplastic suspensions containing ceramic or metal particles, and a curing mechanism caused on cool down increasing the viscosity. In this paper, the droplet formation behavior of zirconia suspensions for T3DP (82 and 84 wt.%) was investigated. The droplet fusion factor (dff) is introduced to calculate the necessary distance between two droplets to form filament-like structures by fusion of adjacent droplets. Filament-like structures with a smooth surface and a nearly homogeneous cross section were manufactured for both suspensions with a dff of 44% or higher.

  19. Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites from acrylic polymer matrices: Interfacial adhesion and physical properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Kishi

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Acrylic polymers have high potential as matrix polymers for carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymers (CFRTP due to their superior mechanical properties and the fact that they can be fabricated at relatively low temperatures. We focused on improving the interfacial adhesion between carbon fibers (CFs and acrylic polymers using several functional monomers for co-polymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA. The copolymerized acrylic matrices showed good adhesion to the CF surfaces. In particular, an acrylic copolymer with acrylamide (AAm showed high interfacial adhesive strength with CFs compared to pure PMMA, and a hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA copolymer containing both amide and hydroxyl groups showed high flexural strength of the CFRTP. A 3 mol% HEAA-copolymerized CFRTP achieved a flexural strength almost twice that of pure PMMA matrix CFRTP, and equivalent to that of an epoxy matrix CFRP.

  20. Prototyping of thermoplastic microfluidic chips and their application in high-performance liquid chromatography separations of small molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wouters, Sam; De Vos, Jelle; Dores-Sousa, José Luís; Wouters, Bert; Desmet, Gert; Eeltink, Sebastiaan

    2017-11-10

    The present paper discusses practical aspects of prototyping of microfluidic chips using cyclic olefin copolymer as substrate and the application in high-performance liquid chromatography. The developed chips feature a 60mm long straight separation channel with circular cross section (500μm i.d.) that was created using a micromilling robot. To irreversibly seal the top and bottom chip substrates, a solvent-vapor-assisted bonding approach was optimized, allowing to approximate the ideal circular channel geometry. Four different approaches to establish the micro-to-macro interface were pursued. The average burst pressure of the microfluidic chips in combination with an encasing holder was established at 38MPa and the maximum burst pressure was 47MPa, which is believed to be the highest ever report for these polymer-based microfluidic chips. Porous polymer monolithic frits were synthesized in-situ via UV-initiated polymerization and their locations were spatially controlled by the application of a photomask. Next, high-pressure slurry packing was performed to introduce 3μm silica reversed-phase particles as the stationary phase in the separation channel. Finally, the application of the chip technology is demonstrated for the separation of alkyl phenones in gradient mode yielding baseline peak widths of 6s by applying a steep gradient of 1.8min at a flow rate of 10μL/min. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Improvement of bonding properties of laser transmission welded, dissimilar thermoplastics by plasma surface treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Weber, M.; Schöngart, M.; Sooriyapiragasam, S.; Behm, H.; Dahlmann, R. [Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV), RWTH Aachen University, Pontstrasse 49, 52062 Aachen (Germany)

    2015-05-22

    Compared to different welding methods such as ultrasonic welding, laser transmission welding is a relatively new technology to join thermoplastic parts. The most significant advantages over other methods are the contactless energy input which can be controlled very precisely and the low mechanical loads on the welded parts. Therefore, laser transmission welding is used in various areas of application, for example in medical technology or for assembling headlights in the automotive sector. However, there are several challenges in welding dissimilar thermoplastics. This may be due to different melting points on the one hand and different polarities on the other hand. So far these problems are faced with the intermediate layer technique. In this process a layer bonding together the two components is placed between the components. This means that an additional step in the production is needed to apply the extra layer. To avoid this additional step, different ways of joining dissimilar thermoplastics are investigated. In this regard, the improvement in the weldability of the dissimilar thermoplastics polyamide 6 (PA 6) and polypropylene (PP) by means of plasma surface modification and contour welding is examined. To evaluate the influence of the plasma surface modification process on the subsequent welding process of the two dissimilar materials, the treatment time as well as the storage time between treatment and welding are varied. The treatment time in pulsed micro wave excited oxygen plasmas with an electron density of about 1x10{sup 17} m{sup −3} is varied from 0.5 s to 120 s and the time between treatment and welding is varied from a few minutes up to a week. As reference, parts being made of the same polymer (PP and PA 6) are welded and tested. For the evaluation of the results of the welding experiments, short-time tensile tests are used to determine the bond strength. Without plasma treatment the described combination of PA 6/PP cannot be welded with

  2. Improvement of bonding properties of laser transmission welded, dissimilar thermoplastics by plasma surface treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Weber, M.; Schöngart, M.; Sooriyapiragasam, S.; Behm, H.; Dahlmann, R.

    2015-01-01

    Compared to different welding methods such as ultrasonic welding, laser transmission welding is a relatively new technology to join thermoplastic parts. The most significant advantages over other methods are the contactless energy input which can be controlled very precisely and the low mechanical loads on the welded parts. Therefore, laser transmission welding is used in various areas of application, for example in medical technology or for assembling headlights in the automotive sector. However, there are several challenges in welding dissimilar thermoplastics. This may be due to different melting points on the one hand and different polarities on the other hand. So far these problems are faced with the intermediate layer technique. In this process a layer bonding together the two components is placed between the components. This means that an additional step in the production is needed to apply the extra layer. To avoid this additional step, different ways of joining dissimilar thermoplastics are investigated. In this regard, the improvement in the weldability of the dissimilar thermoplastics polyamide 6 (PA 6) and polypropylene (PP) by means of plasma surface modification and contour welding is examined. To evaluate the influence of the plasma surface modification process on the subsequent welding process of the two dissimilar materials, the treatment time as well as the storage time between treatment and welding are varied. The treatment time in pulsed micro wave excited oxygen plasmas with an electron density of about 1x10 17 m −3 is varied from 0.5 s to 120 s and the time between treatment and welding is varied from a few minutes up to a week. As reference, parts being made of the same polymer (PP and PA 6) are welded and tested. For the evaluation of the results of the welding experiments, short-time tensile tests are used to determine the bond strength. Without plasma treatment the described combination of PA 6/PP cannot be welded with sufficient bond

  3. Thermoplastic polyurethanes from undecylenic acid-based soft segments: structural features and release properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lluch, Cristina; Lligadas, Gerard; Ronda, Joan C; Galià, Marina; Cádiz, Virginia

    2013-05-01

    A set of thermoplastic polyurethanes is synthesized, combining undecylenic acid-derived telechelic diols as soft segments and 1,4-butanediol/4,4'-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) as a hard segment (HS). These polymers are fully chemically and physically characterized by means of NMR and Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile testing, and contact angle measurements. The obtained results reveal that both the molecular weight of the diol and the HS content greatly influence the physical and mechanical properties of these polymers. In addition, given the potential use of these materials for biomedical applications, hydrolytic degradation, their biocompatibility using a human fibroblast cell line, and performance as drug delivery carriers are evaluated. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. 木质素/热塑性塑料复合材料界面增容的研究进展%Progress of interfacial compatibilization methods of lignin/thermoplast composites

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    陈福泉; 赵永青; 冯彦洪; 瞿金平

    2014-01-01

    Lignin is mixed into thermoplast as organic particulate filler, which resolves the tough problems of resource utilization of black liquor from paper industry, growing tension of petroleum feedstock and increasing environmental pollution. The compatibility between lignin and thermoplast is directly related to application and development of lignin in the plastics industry. This paper begins with an overview of the structure and properties of lignin and performance analysis of lignin/thermoplastic composites, and then elaborates the methods and principles of interfacial compatibilization between lignin and thermoplast. The methods of compatibilization are divided into adding compatibilizer, modifying lignin and modifying thermoplastics, and the three methods are compared and analyzed. The methods of adding compatibilizer and modifying thermoplastics are more commonly used than the modifying lignin for interfacial compatibilizing of the composites. Esterified lignin has better compatibilization than alkylated lignin. Then alternate and compounded use of the compatibilizing methods for lignin-based composites are reviewed. Finally, future research directions and ideas of compatibilization in lignin/thermoplastic composites are discussed.%将木质素作为一种有机颗粒填料添加到热塑性塑料中,可解决造纸黑液资源化利用、石油原料日渐紧张以及环境污染加剧等严峻问题。而木质素与热塑性塑料之间相容性直接影响木质素在塑料工业中的应用与发展。首先简要概述了木质素结构与性质和木质素/热塑性塑料复合材料的性能分析,然后系统地阐述国内外研究木质素/热塑性塑料复合材料界面增容方法及其原理;增容方法按添加相容剂、改性木质素和改性塑料进行归类,并对3

  5. Tribological behavior of plasma-polymerized aminopropyltriethoxysilane films deposited on thermoplastic elastomers substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alba-Elías, Fernando, E-mail: fernando.alba@unirioja.es [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, c/Luis de Ulloa 20, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja (Spain); Sainz-García, Elisa; González-Marcos, Ana [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, c/Luis de Ulloa 20, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja (Spain); Ordieres-Meré, Joaquín [ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid, c/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain)

    2013-07-01

    Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are multifunctional polymeric materials that are characterized by moderate cost, excellent mechanical properties (high elasticity, good flexibility, hardness, etc.), high tensile strength, oxidation and wettability. With an objective of reducing the superficial friction coefficient of TPE, this work analyzes the characteristics of coating films that are based on aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) over a TPE substrate. Since this material is heat-sensitive, it is necessary to use a technology that permits the deposition of coatings at low temperatures without affecting the substrate integrity. Thus, an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet system (APPJ) with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was used in this study. The coated samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared with Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and tribological tests (friction coefficient and wear rate). The studies showed that the coated samples that contain a higher amount of forms of silicon (SiOSi) and nitrogen (amines, amides and imines) have lower friction coefficients. The sample coated at a specific plasma power of 550 W and an APTES flow rate of 1.5 slm had the highest values of SiOSi and nitrogen-containing groups peak intensity and atomic percentages of Si2p and SiO{sub 4}, and the lowest percentages of C1s and average friction coefficient. The results of this research permit one to conclude that APPJ with a DBD is a promising technique to use in coating SiO{sub x} and nitrogen-containing groups layers on polymeric materials. - Highlights: • SiO{sub x} thin films on thermoplastic elastomers by atmospheric pressure plasma jet. • Study of influence of plasma power and precursor flow rate on film's properties. • Friction coefficient is inversely related to the amount of SiOSi and N groups. • Nitrogen groups from the ionization gas (N{sub 2}) seem to

  6. Clinical application of removable partial dentures using thermoplastic resin-part I: definition and indication of non-metal clasp dentures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fueki, Kenji; Ohkubo, Chikahiro; Yatabe, Masaru; Arakawa, Ichiro; Arita, Masahiro; Ino, Satoshi; Kanamori, Toshikazu; Kawai, Yasuhiko; Kawara, Misao; Komiyama, Osamu; Suzuki, Tetsuya; Nagata, Kazuhiro; Hosoki, Maki; Masumi, Shin-Ichi; Yamauchi, Mutsuo; Aita, Hideki; Ono, Takahiro; Kondo, Hisatomo; Tamaki, Katsushi; Matsuka, Yoshizo; Tsukasaki, Hiroaki; Fujisawa, Masanori; Baba, Kazuyoshi; Koyano, Kiyoshi; Yatani, Hirofumi

    2014-01-01

    This position paper proposes a definition and naming standard for removable partial dentures (RPDs) using thermoplastic resin, and presents a guideline for clinical application. A panel of 14 experts having broad experience with clinical application of RPDs using thermoplastic resin was selected from members of the Japan Prosthodontic Society. At a meeting of the panel, "non-metal clasp denture" was referred as the generic name of RPDs with retentive elements (resin clasps) made of thermoplastic resin. The panel classified non-metal clasp dentures into two types: one with a flexible structure that lacks a metal framework and the other having a rigid structure that includes a metal framework. According to current prosthetic principles, flexible non-metal clasp dentures are not recommended as definitive dentures, except for limited cases such as patients with a metal allergy. Rigid non-metal clasp dentures are recommended in cases where patients will not accept metal clasps for esthetic reasons. Non-metal clasp dentures should follow the same design principles as conventional RPDs using metal clasps. Copyright © 2013 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Additive free thermoplastic vulcanizates based on natural rubber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mondal, Manas, E-mail: mondal@ipfdd.de [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institut für Polymerwerkstoffe, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaft, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Gohs, Uwe, E-mail: gohs@ipfdd.de [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institut für Polymerwerkstoffe, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Wagenknecht, Udo [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institut für Polymerwerkstoffe, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Heinrich, Gert [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institut für Polymerwerkstoffe, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaft, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

    2013-12-16

    Electron induced reactive processing (EIReP) is an eco-friendly and sustainable reactive processing method based on the use of high energy electrons. It was used to cross-link the elastomeric domain phase during melt mixing in order to prepare natural rubber (NR) and polypropylene (PP) based thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs). The electron treatment with various values of absorbed dose showed a prominent effect on mechanical, rheological, and morphological characteristics of the PP/NR TPVs. SEM and TEM studies confirmed that these TPVs can exists across the co-continuous or discrete phase morphology. The maximum set of mechanical properties (tensile strength of 15 MPa and elongation at break of more than 500%) were obtained at an absorbed dose of 100 kGy for a 50/50 blend ratio of NR and PP without addition of any compatibilizer or chemicals. At higher values of absorbed dose the degradation of polypropylene showed a negative impact on the properties of the TPVs. Depending on the morphology and the evaluation of mechanical properties a structure–property co-relationship is drawn on the basis of common phenomenological understanding of the TPVs. - Highlights: • Dynamic vulcanization of 50:50 PP/NR blend by high energy electron beam. • PP/NR TPVs show rubber like behavior with melt processability. • High tensile strength of 15 MPa and large extensibility beyond 500%. • Complete phase inversed morphology from NR to PP matrix. • Vulcanized natural rubber particle size of 1–3 μm.

  8. Thermoplastic Composites Reinforced with Textile Grids: Development of a Manufacturing Chain and Experimental Characterisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böhm, R.; Hufnagl, E.; Kupfer, R.; Engler, T.; Hausding, J.; Cherif, C.; Hufenbach, W.

    2013-12-01

    A significant improvement in the properties of plastic components can be achieved by introducing flexible multiaxial textile grids as reinforcement. This reinforcing concept is based on the layerwise bonding of biaxially or multiaxially oriented, completely stretched filaments of high-performance fibers, e.g. glass or carbon, and thermoplastic components, using modified warp knitting techniques. Such pre-consolidated grid-like textiles are particularly suitable for use in injection moulding, since the grid geometry is very robust with respect to flow pressure and temperature on the one hand and possesses an adjustable spacing to enable a complete filling of the mould cavity on the other hand. The development of pre-consolidated textile grids and their further processing into composites form the basis for providing tailored parts with a large number of additional integrated functions like fibrous sensors or electroconductive fibres. Composites reinforced in that way allow new product groups for promising lightweight structures to be opened up in future. The article describes the manufacturing process of this new composite class and their variability regarding reinforcement and function integration. An experimentally based study of the mechanical properties is performed. For this purpose, quasi-static and highly dynamic tensile tests have been carried out as well as impact penetration experiments. The reinforcing potential of the multiaxial grids is demonstrated by means of evaluating drop tower experiments on automotive components. It has been shown that the load-adapted reinforcement enables a significant local or global improvement of the properties of plastic components depending on industrial requirements.

  9. Improved thermal stability and wettability behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane / barium metaborate composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baştürka, Emre; Madakbaş, Seyfullah; Kahraman, Memet Vezir

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, it was targeted to the enhance thermal stability and wettability behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by adding barium metaborate. TPU-Barium metaborate composites were prepared by adding various proportions of barium metaborate to TPU. The chemical structures of the composites were characterised by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. All prepared composites have extremely high Tg and thermal stability as determined from DSC and TGA analysis. All composite materials have the Tg ranging from 15 to 35 °C. The surface morphologies of the composites were investigated by a scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties of the samples were characterized with stress-strain test. Hydrophobicity of the samples was determined by the contact angle measurements. The obtained results proved that thermal, hydrophobic and mechanical properties were improved. (author)

  10. Improved thermal stability and wettability behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane / barium metaborate composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baştürka, Emre; Madakbaş, Seyfullah; Kahraman, Memet Vezir, E-mail: smadakbas@marmara.edu.tr [Department of Chemistry, Marmara University, Istanbul (Turkey)

    2016-03-15

    In this paper, it was targeted to the enhance thermal stability and wettability behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by adding barium metaborate. TPU-Barium metaborate composites were prepared by adding various proportions of barium metaborate to TPU. The chemical structures of the composites were characterised by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. All prepared composites have extremely high Tg and thermal stability as determined from DSC and TGA analysis. All composite materials have the Tg ranging from 15 to 35 °C. The surface morphologies of the composites were investigated by a scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties of the samples were characterized with stress-strain test. Hydrophobicity of the samples was determined by the contact angle measurements. The obtained results proved that thermal, hydrophobic and mechanical properties were improved. (author)

  11. Optical Characterization of Doped Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Polymer-Optical-Fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Ayesta

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The emission properties of a graded-index thermoplastic polymer optical fiber and a step-index thermosetting one, both doped with rhodamine 6G, have been studied. The work includes a detailed analysis of the amplified spontaneous emission together with a study of the optical gains and losses of the fibers. The photostability of the emission of both types of fibers has also been investigated. Comparisons between the results of both doped polymer optical fibers are presented and discussed.

  12. Importance of the textural characteristics of inert additives in the reduction of coal thermoplastic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A.M. Fernandez; C. Barriocanal; M.A. Diez; R. Alvarez [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, Oviedo (Spain)

    2010-11-15

    Seven carbonaceous materials of different origin were chosen in order to study the influence of their porous structure on the modification of the thermoplastic properties of a bituminous coal. The materials included were: two non-coking coals, a petroleum coke, coke fines, two residues from tyre recycling and a bituminous residue. The materials were heat-treated to 900{sup o}C to prevent any chemical interaction between the volatiles evolved during co-carbonization. The thermoplastic properties of blends that contained 10 wt.% of additive were measured by means of the Gieseler test. Microporosity was measured by CO{sub 2} adsorption at 273 K, whereas meso and macroporosity were determined by means of mercury porosimetry. The results of the porous structure assessment are discussed in relation to the modification of coal plasticity. 32 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs.

  13. Damage Modeling Of Injection-Molded Short- And Long-Fiber Thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, Ba Nghiep; Kunc, Vlastimil; Bapanapalli, Satish K.; Phelps, Jay; Tucker, Charles L. III

    2009-01-01

    This article applies the recent anisotropic rotary diffusion - reduced strain closure (ARD-RSC) model for predicting fiber orientation and a new damage model for injection-molded long-fiber thermoplastics (LFTs) to analyze progressive damage leading to total failure of injection-molded long-glass-fiber/polypropylene (PP) specimens. The ARD-RSC model was implemented in a research version of the Autodesk Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI) processing code, and it has been used to simulate injection-molding of a long-glass-fiber/PP plaque. The damage model combines micromechanical modeling with a continuum damage mechanics description to predict the nonlinear behavior due to plasticity coupled with damage in LFTs. This model has been implemented in the ABAQUS finite element code via user-subroutines and has been used in the damage analyses of tensile specimens removed from the injection-molded long-glass-fiber/PP plaques. Experimental characterization and mechanical testing were performed to provide input data to support and validate both process modeling and damage analyses. The predictions are in agreement with the experimental results.

  14. Compilation of radiation damage test data. Pt. 2. Thermoset and thermoplastic resins, composite materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tavlet, M.; Fontaine, A.; Schoenbacher, H.

    1998-01-01

    This catalogue summarizes radiation damage test data on thermoplastic and thermoset resins and composites. Most of them are epoxy resins used as insulator for magnet coils. Many results are also given for new engineering thermoplastics which can be used either for their electrical properties or for their mechanical properties. The materials have been irradiated either in a 60 Co source, up to integrated absorbed doses between 200 kGy and a few megagrays, at dose rates of the order of 1 Gy/s, or in a nuclear reactor at dose rates of the order of 50 Gy/s, up to doses of 100 MGy. The flexural strength, the deformation and the modulus of elasticity have been measured on irradiated and non-irradiated samples, according to the recommendations of the International Electrotechnical Commissions. The results are presented in the form of tables and graphs to show the effect of the absorbed dose on the measured properties. (orig.)

  15. Compilation of radiation damage test data. Pt. 2. Thermoset and thermoplastic resins, composite materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tavlet, M; Fontaine, A; Schoenbacher, H

    1998-05-18

    This catalogue summarizes radiation damage test data on thermoplastic and thermoset resins and composites. Most of them are epoxy resins used as insulator for magnet coils. Many results are also given for new engineering thermoplastics which can be used either for their electrical properties or for their mechanical properties. The materials have been irradiated either in a {sup 60}Co source, up to integrated absorbed doses between 200 kGy and a few megagrays, at dose rates of the order of 1 Gy/s, or in a nuclear reactor at dose rates of the order of 50 Gy/s, up to doses of 100 MGy. The flexural strength, the deformation and the modulus of elasticity have been measured on irradiated and non-irradiated samples, according to the recommendations of the International Electrotechnical Commissions. The results are presented in the form of tables and graphs to show the effect of the absorbed dose on the measured properties. (orig.)

  16. Toxicological Implications of Released Particulate Matter during Thermal Decomposition of Nano-Enabled Thermoplastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson-Wright, Christa; Singh, Dilpreet; Demokritou, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Nano-enabled thermoplastics are part of the growing market of nano-enabled products (NEPs) that have vast utility in several industries and consumer goods. The use and disposal of NEPs at their end of life has raised concerns about the potential release of constituent engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) during thermal decomposition and their impact on environmental health and safety. To investigate this issue, industrially relevant nano-enabled thermoplastics including polyurethane, polycarbonate, and polypropylene containing carbon nanotubes (0.1 and 3% w/v, respectively), polyethylene containing nanoscale iron oxide (5% w/v), and ethylene vinyl acetate containing nanoscale titania (2 and 5% w/v) along with their pure thermoplastic matrices were thermally decomposed using the recently developed lab based Integrated Exposure Generation System (INEXS). The life cycle released particulate matter (called LCPM) was monitored using real time instrumentation, size fractionated, sampled, extracted and prepared for toxicological analysis using primary small airway epithelial cells to assess potential toxicological effects. Various cellular assays were used to assess reactive oxygen species and total glutathione as measurements of oxidative stress along with mitochondrial function, cellular viability, and DNA damage. By comparing toxicological profiles of LCPM released from polymer only (control) with nano-enabled LCPM, potential nanofiller effects due to the use of ENMs were determined. We observed associations between NEP properties such as the percent nanofiller loading, host matrix, and nanofiller chemical composition and the physico-chemical properties of released LCPM, which were linked to biological outcomes. More specifically, an increase in percent nanofiller loading promoted a toxicological response independent of increasing LCPM dose. Importantly, differences in host matrix and nanofiller composition were shown to enhance biological activity and toxicity of LCPM

  17. Mechanically robust silver coatings prepared by electroless plating on thermoplastic polyurethane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcelos, B.; Vediappan, K.; Oliveira, J. C.; Fonseca, C.

    2018-06-01

    A simple and low-cost surface functionalization method is proposed to activate a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for the electroless deposition of a silver coating with excellent adhesion and low resistivity. The TPU surface functionalization was performed in solution and consisted in forming a physical interpenetrating network at the TPU surface, involving TPU and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a polymer displaying a strong affinity for metals. The presence of PVP on the TPU surface and its stability in aqueous solution were assessed by ATR-FTIR and contact angle measurements as a function of the PVP concentration and treatment time. A modified Tollens solution was used to grow a silver film on the TPU substrate, by using the electroless plating method. Compact silver films with an average thickness of 12.5 μm and a resistivity of 8.57 mΩ·cm were obtained for a 24 h plating time. The adhesion strength of the silver film proved to be higher than 8.5 N/cm. The resistance to fatigue of the silver films was studied by performing series of compression/stretching tests (150 cycles). It was concluded that the films kept low resistance values, although displaying a higher sensitivity to compression than to stretching. Furthermore, the films keep a good conductivity for strains up to 400%. The excellent electrical and mechanical properties of the films make them suitable candidates for the coating of multipin dry bioelectrodes. Owing to the high affinity of many metals for PVP, this activation technique has the potential to be extended to the deposition of other metals and other polymers as well, provided a suitable solvent is used.

  18. Interactions among different fractions in the thermoplastic state of Goonyella coking coal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahiro Yoshida; Toshimasa Takanohashi; Masashi Iino; Haruo Kumagai; Kenji Kato [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba (Japan)

    2004-04-01

    Goonyella coking-coal was extracted with a 1:1 (v/v) carbon disulfide/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (CS{sub 2}/NMP) mixed solvent and then fractionated into four with pyridine and chloroform. High-temperature {sup 1}H NMR analysis conducted on each fraction and their mixtures in-situ showed that the lightest, the chloroform-soluble fraction (CS), was rich in mobile hydrogen, H{sub m}, the variation of which with temperature corresponded to that of a thermoplastic parameter tan {delta} determined by in-situ viscoelastic measurement. In contrast, chloroform-insoluble and pyridine-soluble (CIPS) and pyridine-insoluble (PIMS) fractions showed scant change in H{sub m} with temperature, although the intermediate hydrogen, H{sub int}, increased upon heating. These results allow the different fractions to be characterized qualitatively on the basis of differences in hydrogen mobility. In mixtures of the continuous fractions, positive interactions occurred that enhanced the value of tan {delta} as well as the overall hydrogen mobility. A single maximum was observed in the tan {delta} response of these mixtures, which indicated that the heavier fractions were solvated through the action of the lighter ones. In a discontinuous mixture of the fractions, molecular interaction was slight compared to continuous mixtures; only the light fraction started to soften at low temperature and, as a result, a bimodal response occurred in tan {delta}. The thermoplastic response of coking coal can be modeled on a self-dissolution basis involving the {approximately}50% of solvent-soluble components that are present in whole coking coals and which possess a continuous fraction distribution from light to heavy. The mobility of the system develops continuously upon heating as a result of the progressive solvating action of the lighter components facilitating dissolution and/or dispersion of the heavier components. 25 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

  19. Thermal, mechanical and morphological behavior of starch thermoplastic (TPS) and polycaprolactone (PCL)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos, Adriana de; Marconcini, Jose M.; Mattoso, Luiz H.C.

    2011-01-01

    Thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polycaprolactone (PCL) blend obtained by extrusion was studied. The results showed that TPS/PCL blends are immiscible, however it is suggested some interaction in the interphase between TPS and PCL as observed by crystallinity decrease of the blend. The PCL addition in the TPS improves the properties and decreases the cost of the blend. (author)

  20. Isosorbide, a green plasticizer for thermoplastic starch that does not retrogradate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battegazzore, Daniele; Bocchini, Sergio; Nicola, Gabriele; Martini, Eligio; Frache, Alberto

    2015-03-30

    Isosorbide is a non-toxic biodegradable diol derived from bio-based feedstock. It can be used for preparing thermoplastic starch through a semi-industrial process of extrusion. Isosorbide allows some technological advantages with respect to classical plasticizers: namely, direct mixing with starch, energy savings for the low processing temperature required and lower water uptake. Indeed, maize starch was directly mixed with the solid plasticizer and direct fed in the main hopper of a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Starch plasticization was assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMTA). Oxygen permeability, water uptake and mechanical properties were measured at different relative humidity (R.H.) values. These three properties turned out to be highly depending on the R.H. No retrogradation and changing of the material properties were occurred from XRD and DMTA after 9 months. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Carbon nanotubes in blends of polycaprolactone/thermoplastic starch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taghizadeh, Ata; Favis, Basil D

    2013-10-15

    Despite the importance of polymer-polymer multiphase systems, very little work has been carried out on the preferred localization of solid inclusions in such multiphase systems. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNT) are dispersed with polycaprolactone (PCL) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) at several CNT contents via a combined solution/twin-screw extrusion melt mixing method. A PCL/CNT masterbatch was first prepared and then blended with 20 wt% TPS. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy images reveal a CNT localization principally in the TPS phase and partly at the PCL/TPS interface, with no further change by annealing. This indicates a strong driving force for the CNTs toward TPS. Young's model predicts that the nanotubes should be located at the interface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of extracted CNTs quantitatively confirms an encapsulation by TPS and reveals a covalent bonding of CNTs with thermoplastic starch. It appears likely that the nanotubes migrate to the interface, react with TPS and then are subsequently drawn into the low viscosity TPS phase. In a low shear rate/low shear stress internal mixer the nanotubes are found both in the PCL phase and at the PCL/TPS interface and have not completed the transit to the TPS phase. This latter result indicates the importance of choosing appropriate processing conditions in order to minimize kinetic effects. The addition of CNTs to PCL results in an increase in the crystallization temperature and a decrease in the percent crystallinity confirming the heterogeneous nucleating effect of the nanotubes. Finally, DMA analysis reveals a dramatic decrease in the starch rich phase transition temperature (~26 °C), for the system with nanotubes located in the TPS phase. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Creep damage index as a sensitive indicator of damage accumulation in thermoplastic laminates

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Minster, Jiří; Šperl, Martin; Šepitka, J.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 37, č. 3 (2018), s. 147-154 ISSN 0731-6844 Institutional support: RVO:68378297 Keywords : damage accumulation * thermoplastic laminate * cyclic tensile loading * time-dependent properties * microindentation Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics OBOR OECD: Audio engineering, reliability analysis Impact factor: 1.086, year: 2016 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0731684417735184

  3. Repositioning accuracy: Comparison of a noninvasive head holder with thermoplastic mask for fractionated radiotherapy and a case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sweeney, Reinhart; Bale, Reto; Vogele, Michael; Nevinny-Stickel, Meinhart; Bluhm, Anja; Auer, Thomas; Hessenberger, Gerhart; Lukas, Peter

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: To compare accuracy, clinical feasibility, and subjective patient impression between a noninvasive head holder (Vogele Bale Hohner [VBH]; Wellhoefer Dosimetry, Schwarzenbruck, Germany) developed at the University of Innsbruck and the thermoplastic mask fixation system for use in fractionated external radiotherapy. We present a case report of an actual patient fixated in the VBH head holder during radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: The VBH head holder consists of an individualized vacuum dental cast connected to a head plate via two hydraulic arms allowing noninvasive, reproducible head fixation of even uncooperative patients. Accuracy was tested and compared with that of the thermoplastic mask using the Phillips EasyGuide navigation system on five volunteers. Specific external registration points served as landmarks and their positions were compared after each repositioning. System and operator inaccuracy were also taken into account. The times taken for production and repositioning of the respective fixation devices were compared, and subjective impressions were noted. Results: Mean VBH head holder repositioning accuracy was 1.02 mm while that of the thermoplastic mask was 3.05 mm. 69% of mask repositionings showed a deviation > 2 mm and 41% > 3 mm (as opposed to 8% and 1% respectively for the VBH head holder) Those points located farthest away from the respective plane of fixation showed the largest deviations. Both production and repositioning times were similar between the systems; depending upon the patient, the VBH head holder was generally better tolerated than the mask system. Conclusion: Due to its significantly better repositioning accuracy compared to that of the thermoplastic mask, the VBH head holder is especially suited for external radiation requiring precise repositioning due to critical tissues in immediate surrounding of the area to be irradiated

  4. Study of Time-Dependent Properties of Thermoplastics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bolchoun A.

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Simple tests carried out with a common tension/compression testing machine are used to obtain timedependent properties of non-reinforced thermoplastics. These tests include ramp loadings as well as relaxation and creep tests. Two materials (PBT Celanex 2002-2 and POM Hostaform C9021, Ticona GmbH, Kelsterbach were taken for the experiments. The experiments show that an adequate description of the long-term material properties can be obtained from the short-time tests, namely from tests with constant traverse speed $L^.$. Below a model for the time-dependent mechanical behavior is presented and fitted to the obtained measured data. For the evaluation of the fitting quality long-term tests are used. Especially creep and relaxation tests with ”jumps”, i.e. rapid change of loading, are important for this purpose.

  5. Sustainability of thermoplastic vinyl roofing membrane systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graveline, S. P. [Sika Sanarfil, Canton, (United States)

    2010-07-01

    The International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB-RILEM) has developed a framework for sustainable roofing based on a series of tenets divided into three key areas: preservation of the environment, conservation of energy, and extended roof life. This paper investigated the sustainability of thermoplastic vinyl roof membranes using these guidelines and the relevant tenets for roof system selection. Several tenets provided alternatives for minimizing the burden on the environment using non-renewable raw materials, conserving energy with thermal insulation, and extending the lifespan of all roof components by using long lasting membranes. A life cycle assessment was carried out to provide a quantitative framework for assessing the sustainability of roofing materials. It was found that the PVC membrane systems had a lesser impact on the environment than other competing systems.

  6. Thermoplastic-thermosetting merged polyimides via furan-maleimide Diels–Alder polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yogesh S. Patel

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Novel thermoplastic-thermosetting merged polyimide system has been developed via Diels–Alder intermolecular polymerization of bisfuran namely, 2,5-bis(furan-2-ylmethylcarbamoyl terephthalic acid A with a series of bismaleimides B1–4. Thus obtained intermediate Diels–Alder adducts C1–4 were aromatized and imidized (i.e. cyclized through carboxylic and amide groups to afford thermoplastic-thermosetting merged polyimides D1–4. Bisfuran A was prepared by the condensation of pyromellitic dianhydride with furan-2-ylmethanamine and characterized by elemental, spectral, thermal and LCMS analyses. Synthesized Diels–Alder adducts C1–4 and polyimides D1–4 were characterized by elemental analysis, spectral features, number average molecular weight (Mn‾, degree of polymerization (DP and thermal analysis. To facilitate the correct structural assessment and to be able to verify the occurrence of the DA adducts and PIs, a model compound 4 was prepared from phthalic anhydride and furan-2-ylmethanamine in a similar way. FTIR spectral features of polyimides D1–4 were compared with model compound 4 and they were found to be quite identical. The ‘in situ' void-free glass fiber reinforced composites GFRC1–4 were prepared from the produced system and characterized by chemical, mechanical and electrical analyses. All the composites showed good mechanical, electrical and thermal properties and good resistance to organic solvents and mineral acids.

  7. Production and 3D printing processing of bio-based thermoplastic filament

    OpenAIRE

    Gkartzou, Eleni; Koumoulos, Elias P.; Charitidis, Costas A.

    2017-01-01

    In this work, an extrusion-based 3D printing technique was employed for processing of biobased blends of Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA) with low-cost kraft lignin. In Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing process, objects are built in a layer-by-layer fashion by melting, extruding and selectively depositing thermoplastic fibers on a platform. These fibers are used as building blocks for more complex structures with defined microarchitecture, in an automated, cost-effective process, with minim...

  8. Effect of cassava peel and cassava bagasse natural fillers on mechanical properties of thermoplastic cassava starch: Comparative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edhirej, Ahmed; Sapuan, S. M.; Jawaid, Mohammad; Zahari, Nur Ismarrubie; Sanyang, M. L.

    2017-12-01

    Increased awareness of environmental and sustainability issues has generated increased interest in the use of natural fiber reinforced composites. This work focused on the use of cassava roots peel and bagasse as natural fillers of thermoplastic cassava starch (TPS) materials based on cassava starch. The effect of cassava bagasse (CB) and cassava peel (CP) content on the tensile properties of cassava starch (CS) biocomposites films was studied. The biocomposites films were prepared by casting technique using cassava starch (CS) as matrix and fructose as plasticizer. The CB and CP were added to improve the properties of the films. The addition of both fibers increased the tensile strength and modulus while decreased the elongation at break of the biocomposites films. Films containing CB showed higher tensile strength and modulus as compared to the films containing the same amount of CP. The addition of 6 % bagasse increased the modulus and maximum tensile stress to 581.68 and 10.78 MPa, respectively. Thus, CB is considered to be the most efficient reinforcing agent due to its high compatibility with the cassava starch. The use of CB and CP as reinforcement agents for CS thermoplastic cassava added value to these waste by-products and increase the suitability of CS composite films as environmentally friendly food packaging material.

  9. Selected properties of biodegradable material produced from thermoplastic starch with by-products of food industry addition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zdybel Ewa

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work extrusion process were used to create thermoplastic starch and to mix obtained starch with linen, quince and apple pomace at the same time. Obtained starch beads were formed in shapes. In experimental material was determined thermal conductivity, water absorption and the solubility in water. It is possible to get the biodegradable material produced from thermoplastic starch with an addition of fruit pomace. Adding pomace and glycerine to the biodegradable material made from starch change of susceptibility on water action. In the case of materials containing pomace, glycerine addition decreases the susceptibility on water action compared to the material manufactured with pomace addition but without glycerine. In the material containing pomace, glycerine addition caused the increase of the thermal insulation time compared to the material with pomace but no glycerine in it.

  10. Development of thermoplastic composite aircraft structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renieri, Michael P.; Burpo, Steven J.; Roundy, Lance M.; Todd, Stephanie A.; Kim, H. J.

    1992-01-01

    Efforts focused on the use of thermoplastic composite materials in the development of structural details associated with an advanced fighter fuselage section with applicability to transport design. In support of these designs, mechanics developments were conducted in two areas. First, a dissipative strain energy approach to material characterization and failure prediction, developed at the Naval Research Laboratory, was evaluated as a design/analysis tool. Second, a finite element formulation for thick composites was developed and incorporated into a lug analysis method which incorporates pin bending effects. Manufacturing concepts were developed for an upper fuel cell cover. A detailed trade study produced two promising concepts: fiber placement and single-step diaphragm forming. Based on the innovative design/manufacturing concepts for the fuselage section primary structure, elements were designed, fabricated, and structurally tested. These elements focused on key issues such as thick composite lugs and low cost forming of fastenerless, stiffener/moldine concepts. Manufacturing techniques included autoclave consolidation, single diaphragm consolidation (SDCC) and roll-forming.

  11. Triple carbon coated LiFePO4 composite with hierarchical conductive architecture as high-performance cathode for Li-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, Riguo; Yang, Yanfeng; Song, Xiaorui; An, Zhenguo; Zhang, Jingjie

    2015-01-01

    Triple carbon coated LiFePO 4 composite is prepared by spray drying-carbothermal reduction (SD-CTR) method. The triple carbon sources (viz. graphene oxide, thermoplastic phenolic resin and water-solubility starch) play different roles in constructing the hierarchical conductive architecture. The structure, component and morphology of the as-obtained LiFePO 4 composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that, compared with double carbon coated LiFePO 4 counterparts, the triple carbon coated LiFePO 4 composite possesses smaller crystallite and high-efficiency of carbon coating such as more complete coating, lower I D /I G ratio, and better conductive architecture. Benefited from the above mentioned superiority, the triple carbon coated LiFePO 4 composite exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance, especially for high-rate capability, which reaches up to 120 mA h g −1 at 10 C

  12. Interfacial fracture of the fibre-metal laminates based on fibre reinforced thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdullah, M.R.; Prawoto, Y.; Cantwell, W.J.

    2015-01-01

    As the adhesion quality plays an important role in determining the mechanical performance and environmental stability of most types of fibre-metal laminates (FMLs), investigating the interfacial fracture properties becomes one of the key factors for the improvement. Adhesion of a self-reinforced polypropylene (SRPP) and glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (GFPP) based FML is evaluated experimentally. Single Cantilever Beam (SCB) tests were performed to access interfacial fracture energy (G c ) of the bi-material laminates and their associated interlayer materials. Simulations mimicking the experiments were also performed. The energy needed to fracture was obtained experimentally and also via stress intensity factor from the simulations. The test results show that good adhesion between the aluminium and fibre reinforced thermoplastics can be achieved using a sulphuric acid anodising surface pre-treatment. Further examination has shown that the edges of the test samples highlighted the presence of significant fibre bridging in the SRPP and plastics deformation in the GFPP. - Highlights: • Adhesion of a self-reinforced polypropylene and glass fibre reinforced polypropylene is evaluated. • Single Cantilever Beam tests were performed to access interfacial fracture energy. • The energy needed to fracture was obtained experimentally and also via stress intensity factor from the simulations. • The test results show that best adhesion is achieved using a sulphuric acid anodizing surface pre-treatment

  13. Non-isothermal kinetics of cold crystallization in multicomponent PLA/thermoplastic polyurethane/nanofiller system

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kratochvíl, Jaroslav; Kelnar, Ivan

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 130, č. 2 (2017), s. 1043-1052 ISSN 1388-6150 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-03194S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : poly(lactic acid) * cold crystallization * thermoplastic polyurethane Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 1.953, year: 2016

  14. Surface grafting of carboxylic groups onto thermoplastic polyurethanes to reduce cell adhesion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alves, P., E-mail: palves@eq.uc.pt [CIEPQPF, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade de Coimbra, Polo II, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790 Coimbra (Portugal); Ferreira, P. [CIEPQPF, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade de Coimbra, Polo II, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790 Coimbra (Portugal); Kaiser, Jean-Pierre [EMPA, St. Gallen, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen (Switzerland); Salk, Natalie [Mikrofertigung – Micro Engineering, Fraunhofer IFAM, Wiener Strasse 12, D-288359 Bremen (Germany); Bruinink, Arie [EMPA, St. Gallen, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen (Switzerland); Sousa, Hermínio C. de; Gil, M.H. [CIEPQPF, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade de Coimbra, Polo II, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790 Coimbra (Portugal)

    2013-10-15

    The interaction of polymers with other materials is an important issue, being their surface properties clearly crucial. For some important polymer applications, their surfaces have to be modified. Surface modification aims to tailor the surface characteristics of a material for a specific application without affecting its bulk properties. Materials can be surface modified by using biological, chemical or physical methods. The aim of this work was to improve the reactivity of the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material (Elastollan{sup ®}) surface and to make its surface cell repellent by grafting carboxylic groups onto its surface. Two TPU materials were studied: a polyether-based TPU and a polyester-based TPU. The grafting efficiency was evaluated by contact angle measurements and by analytical determination of the COOH groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the membranes surface was performed as well as cell adhesion tests. It was proved that the surfaces of the TPUs membranes were successfully modified and that cell adhesion was remarkably reduced.

  15. Process analysis of recycled thermoplasts from consumer electronics by laser-induced plasma spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, Herbert; Panne, Ulrich; Niessner, Reinhard

    2002-09-01

    An experimental setup for direct elemental analysis of recycled thermoplasts from consumer electronics by laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS, or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, LIBS) was realized. The combination of a echelle spectrograph, featuring a high resolution with a broad spectral coverage, with multivariate methods, such as PLS, PCR, and variable subset selection via a genetic algorithm, resulted in considerable improvements in selectivity and sensitivity for this complex matrix. With a normalization to carbon as internal standard, the limits of detection were in the ppm range. A preliminary pattern recognition study points to the possibility of polymer recognition via the line-rich echelle spectra. Several experiments at an extruder within a recycling plant demonstrated successfully the capability of LIPS for different kinds of routine on-line process analysis.

  16. Generating Autoclave-Level Mechanical Properties with Out-of-Autoclave Thermoplastic Placement of Large Composite Aerospace Structures, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Out-of-autoclave thermoplastic tape/tow placement (TP-ATP) is nearing commercialization but suffers a moderate gap in mechanical properties compared with laminates...

  17. Biodegradation Behaviour of Thermoplastic Starch Films Derived from Tacca leontopetaloides Starch under Controlled Composting Condition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, A. M. Mohd; Sauid, S. Mohd; Hamid, K. H. Ku; Musa, M.

    2018-05-01

    The biodegradation study of thermoplastic starch (TPS) films derived from Tacca leontopetaloides starch; namely TPS/GLY, TPS/ACE and TPS/BCHR were investigated under controlled composting conditions. A manual set-up test rig in laboratory scale was built according to ISO 14855-1: 2012. The biodegradation percentage was determined by measuring the amount of CO2 evolved using titration method and validated by automatic system (Arduino UNO System) that detected the CO2 evolved. After 45 days under controlled composting condition, results indicated that TPS/GLY degraded the fastest, followed by TPS/BCHR and the TPS/ACE had the slowest degradation. The biodegradation process of TPS/GLY, TPS/ACE and TPS/BCHR also exhibited two stages with different degradation speeds. From these results, it indicated that chemical modification of the TPS films by adding acetic acid and rice husk bio-char to the thermoplastic starch can have a major impact on the biodegradation rate and final biodegradation percentage.

  18. Improvement of the fracture toughness matrix cured by electron beam radiation, by incorporation of thermoplastic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chauray, E.

    2003-07-01

    The aim of the present study is to improve the fracture toughness of a vinyl-ester matrix cured by electron beam radiation, by incorporation of a thermoplastic polymer. The ultimate plan is to improve the fracture toughness of the composite material made of this reinforced matrix and carbon fibres. The first step deals with the study of an epoxy matrix reinforced by a polyether-sulfone. This well-known material, as it is used in industrial formulation, allowed us to characterize all the parameters needed to obtain a good reinforcement as for instance the morphology, and also to compare two kinds of processes: thermal and electron beam curing. In fact, we are really interested in increasing fracture toughness of a vinyl-ester matrix that is not miscible with polyether-sulfone. So a copolymer which has a similar structure as polyether-sulfone is synthesized in order to obtain a miscible blend. The corresponding material has good fracture toughness, with an increase of 80 % for 15 % addition of thermoplastic. (author)

  19. Thermoplastic impact property improvement in hybrid natural fibre epoxy composite bumper beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davoodi, M M; Sapuan, S M; Ali, Aidy; Ahmad, D; Khalina, A

    2010-01-01

    Utilization of thermoset resin as a bumper beam composite matrix is currently more dominated in car manufacturer suppliers, because of availability, easy processing, low material cost and production equipment investment. Moreover, low viscosity, shrinkage and excellent flow facilitate better fibre impregnation and proper surface resin wetting. Three-dimensional cross linking curing increase impact, creep and environmental stress cracking resistance properties. Low impact properties of natural fibre epoxy composite, are main issues in its employment for automotive structural components. Impact properties in epoxy composite bumper beam could be increased by modifying the resin, reinforcement and manufacturing process as well as geometry parameters such as cross section, thickness, added ribs and fixing method optimizations could strengthen impact resistance. There are two main methods, flexibilisation and toughening, as modifying the resin in order to improve the impact properties of epoxy composite, which form single phase or two-phase morphology to make modifier as epoxy or from separate phase to keep the thermo-mechanical properties. Liquid rubber, thermoplastic, core shell particle and rigid particle are different methods of toughening improvements. In this research, thermoplastic toughening has used to improve impact properties in hybrid natural fibre epoxy composite for automotive bumper beam and has achieved reasonable impact improvements.

  20. Pyrolysis characteristics of typical biomass thermoplastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Hongzhen; Ba, Ziyu; Yang, Keyan; Zhang, Qingfa; Zhao, Kunpeng; Gu, Shiyan

    The biomass thermoplastic composites were prepared by extrusion molding method with poplar flour, rice husk, cotton stalk and corn stalk. The thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA) has also been used for evaluating the pyrolysis process of the composites. The results showed that the pyrolysis process mainly consists of two stages: biomass pyrolysis and the plastic pyrolysis. The increase of biomass content in the composite raised the first stage pyrolysis peak temperature. However, the carbon residue was reduced and the pyrolysis efficiency was better because of synergistic effect of biomass and plastic. The composite with different kinds of biomass have similar pyrolysis process, and the pyrolysis efficiency of the composite with corn stalk was best. The calcium carbonate could inhibit pyrolysis process and increase the first stage pyrolysis peak temperature and carbon residue as a filling material of the composite.

  1. Controlled nanostructure and high loading of single-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced polycarbonate composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Shiren; Liang Zhiyong; Pham, Giang; Park, Young-Bin; Wang, Ben; Zhang, Chuck; Kramer, Leslie; Funchess, Percy

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents an effective technique to fabricate thermoplastic nanocomposites with high loading of well-dispersed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). SWNT membranes were made from a multi-step dispersion and filtration method, and then impregnated with polycarbonate solution to make thermoplastic nanocomposites. High loading of nanotubes was achieved by controlling the viscosity of polycarbonate solution. SEM and AFM characterization results revealed the controlled nanostructure in the resultant nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical property tests indicated that the storage modulus of the resulting nanocomposites at 20 wt% nanotubes loading was improved by a factor of 3.4 compared with neat polycarbonate material. These results suggest the developed approach is an effective way to fabricate thermoplastic nanocomposites with good dispersion and high SWNT loading

  2. Recent advances in high performance poly(lactide): From ``green'' plasticization to super-tough materials via (reactive) compounding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kfoury, Georgio; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Hassouna, Fatima; Odent, Jérémy; Toniazzo, Valérie; Ruch, David; Dubois, Philippe

    2013-12-01

    Due to its origin from renewable resources, its biodegradability, and recently, its industrial implementation at low costs, poly(lactide) (PLA) is considered as one of the most promising ecological, bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic materials to potentially and increasingly replace traditional petroleum derived polymers in many commodity and engineering applications. Beside its relatively high rigidity (high tensile strength and modulus compared with many common thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), high impact poly(styrene) (HIPS) and poly(propylene) (PP)), PLA suffers from an inherent brittleness, which can limit its applications especially where mechanical toughness such as plastic deformation at high impact rates or elongation is required. Therefore, the curve plotting stiffness vs. impact resistance and ductility must be shifted to higher values for PLA-based materials, while being preferably fully bio-based and biodegradable upon the application. This review aims to establish a state of the art focused on the recent progresses and preferably economically viable strategies developed in the literature for significantly improve the mechanical performances of PLA. A particular attention is given to plasticization as well as to impact resistance modification of PLA in the case of (reactive) blending PLA-based systems.

  3. Recent advances in high performance poly(lactide: From green plasticization to super-tough materials via (reactive compounding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgio eKfoury

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Due to its origin from renewable resources, its biodegradability, and recently, its industrial implementation at low costs, poly(lactide (PLA is considered as one of the most promising ecological, bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic materials to potentially and increasingly replace traditional petroleum derived polymers in many commodity and engineering applications. Beside its relatively high rigidity (high tensile strength and modulus compared with many common thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET, high impact poly(styrene (HIPS and poly(propylene (PP, PLA suffers from an inherent brittleness, which can limit its applications especially where mechanical toughness such as plastic deformation at high impact rates or elongation is required. Therefore, the curve plotting stiffness vs. impact resistance and ductility must be shifted to higher values for PLA-based materials, while being preferably fully bio-based and biodegradable upon the application.This review aims to establish a state of the art focused on the recent progresses and preferably economically viable strategies developed in the literature for significantly improve the mechanical performances of PLA. A particular attention is given to plasticization as well as to impact resistance modification of PLA in the case of (reactive blending PLA-based systems.

  4. Thermoplastic starch composites with TiO2 particles: preparation, morphology, rheology and mechanical properties

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ostafinska, Aleksandra; Mikešová, Jana; Krejčíková, Sabina; Nevoralová, Martina; Šturcová, Adriana; Zhigunov, Alexander; Michálková, Danuše; Šlouf, Miroslav

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 101, August (2017), s. 273-282 ISSN 0141-8130 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-17921S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : thermoplastic starch * titanium dioxide particles * morphology Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 3.671, year: 2016

  5. Quantitative Analyses of the Modes of Deformation in Engineering Thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landes, B. G.; Bubeck, R. A.; Scott, R. L.; Heaney, M. D.

    1998-03-01

    Synchrotron-based real-time small-angle X-ray scattering (RTSAXS) studies have been performed on rubber-toughened engineering thermoplastics with amorphous and semi-crystalline matrices. Scattering patterns are measured at successive time intervals of 3 ms were analyzed to determine the plastic strain due to crazing. Simultaneous measurements of the absorption of the primary beam by the sample permits the total plastic strain to be concurrently computed. The plastic strain due to other deformation mechanisms (e.g., particle cavitation and macroscopic shear yield can be determined from the difference between the total and craze-derived plastic strains. The contribution from macroscopic shear deformation can be determined from video-based optical data measured simultaneously with the X-ray data. These types of time-resolved experiments result in the generation of prodigious quantities of data, the analysis of which can considerably delay the determination of key results. A newly developed software package that runs in WINDOWSa 95 permits the rapid analysis of the relative contributions of the deformation modes from these time-resolved experiments. Examples of using these techniques on ABS-type and QUESTRAa syndiotactic polystyrene type engineering resins will be given.

  6. The analysis of thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Książek, Mariusz

    2017-01-01

    Specific chemical environments step out in the industry objects. Portland cement composites (concrete and mortar) were impregnated by using the special polymerized sulfur and technical soot as a filler (polymer sulfur composite). Sulfur and technical soot was applied as the industrial waste. Portland cement composites were made of the same aggregate, cement and water. The process of special polymer sulfur composite applied as the industrial waste is a thermal treatment process in the temperature of about 150-155°C. The result of such treatment is special polymer sulfur composite in a liquid state. This paper presents the plastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion of special polymer sulfur composites, with isotropic porous matrix, reinforced by disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions with orthotropic symmetry of the thermoplastic properties. The investigations are based on the stochastic differential equations of solid mechanics. A model and algorithm for calculating the effective characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites are suggested. The effective thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites, with disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions, are calculated in two stages: First, the properties of materials with oriented inclusions are determined, and then effective constants of a composite with disoriented inclusions are determined on the basis of the Voigt or Rice scheme. A brief summary of new products related to special polymer sulfur composites is given as follows: Impregnation, repair, overlays and precast polymer concrete will be presented. Special polymer sulfur as polymer coating impregnation, which has received little attention in recent years, currently has some very interesting applications.

  7. Damage detection in laminar thermoplastic composite materials by means of embedded optical fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kojović Aleksandar M.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the possibility of applying optical fibers as sensors for investigating low energy impact damage in laminar thermoplastic composite materials, in real time. Impact toughness testing by a Charpy impact pendulum with different loads was conducted in order to determine the method for comparative measurement of the resulting damage in the material. For that purpose intensity-based optical fibers were built in to specimens of composite materials with Kevlar 129 (the DuPont registered trade-mark for poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide woven fabric as reinforcement and thermoplastic PVB (poly(vinyl butyral as the matrix. In some specimens part of the layers of Kevlar was replaced with metal mesh (50% or 33% of the layers. Experimental testing was conducted in order to observe and analyze the response of the material under multiple low-energy impacts. Light from the light-emitting diode (LED was launched to the embedded optical fiber and was propagated to the phototransistor-based photo detector. During each impact, the signal level, which is proportional to the light intensity in the optical fiber, drops and then slowly recovers. The obtained signals were analyzed to determine the appropriate method for real time damage monitoring. The major part of the damage occurs during impact. The damage reflects as a local, temporary release of strain in the optical fiber and an increase of the signal level. The obtained results show that intensity-based optical fibers could be used for measuring the damage in laminar thermoplastic composite materials. The acquired optical fiber signals depend on the type of material, but the same set of rules (relatively different, depending on the type of material could be specified. Using real time measurement of the signal during impact and appropriate analysis enables quantitative evaluation of the impact damage in the material. Existing methods in most cases use just the intensity of the signal before

  8. Tensile strength of ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE thermoplastic matrix composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banowati, Lies; Hadi, Bambang K.; Suratman, Rochim; Faza, Aulia

    2016-01-01

    Technological developments should be trooped to prevent a gap between technology and environmental sustainability, then it needs to be developed “Green technology”. In this research is making of green composites which use natural fiber ramie as reinforcement. Whereas the matrix used was HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) thermoplastic polymer which could be recycled and had a good formability and flexibility. The ramie yarns and fibers for unidirectional (0°) direction respectively were mixed with HDPE powder and processed using hot compression molding. The surface morphology was observed by SEM (Scanning Electrone Microscopy). Results showed that both tensile strength of the ramie fiber/HDPE composites increased in comparison with the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites. However, the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites have a good producibility for wider application. Analysis of the test results using the Weibull distribution as approaches to modeling the reliability of the specimens.

  9. Tensile strength of ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE thermoplastic matrix composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Banowati, Lies, E-mail: liesbano@gmail.com; Hadi, Bambang K., E-mail: bkhadi@ae.itb.ac.id; Suratman, Rochim, E-mail: rochim@material.itb.ac.id; Faza, Aulia [Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung (Indonesia)

    2016-03-29

    Technological developments should be trooped to prevent a gap between technology and environmental sustainability, then it needs to be developed “Green technology”. In this research is making of green composites which use natural fiber ramie as reinforcement. Whereas the matrix used was HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) thermoplastic polymer which could be recycled and had a good formability and flexibility. The ramie yarns and fibers for unidirectional (0°) direction respectively were mixed with HDPE powder and processed using hot compression molding. The surface morphology was observed by SEM (Scanning Electrone Microscopy). Results showed that both tensile strength of the ramie fiber/HDPE composites increased in comparison with the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites. However, the ramie yarn (spinning by machine)/HDPE composites have a good producibility for wider application. Analysis of the test results using the Weibull distribution as approaches to modeling the reliability of the specimens.

  10. Radiation Curing of Rubber/Thermoplastic Composites Containing Different Inorganic Fillers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    EL-Zayat, M.M.M.

    2012-01-01

    Blending of polymeric materials has proved to be a successful method for preparing new polymeric materials having not only the main properties of the blends components but also new modification as well as specific ones. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) are both soild and constitute the blend components to be investigated in present study and hence the method of mechanical blending is the most suitable one for its preparation . HDPE thermoplastic is a semi – crystalline polymer ; on the other hand , NBR elastomer is totally amorphous polymer. Both polymers are categorized as crosslinking polymers with respect to ionizing gamma rays with different extents. In order to increase the efficiency of irradiation curing of such NBR/HDPE blend , it may be required to add suitable additives such as reinforcing fillers that may increase the extent of crosslinking at the same irradiation dose . Thus synthetic fillers are used commercially in industrial processing of rubber formulation due to its specific characteristics and hence its high reinforcing capacity and suitable price . To follow property changes occurred to the blend as well as its composites , measurements have been done to monitor the changes that happened to mechanical, physical and thermal properties as a function of irradiation dose and composition of blends and composites.

  11. Conformal Pad-Printing Electrically Conductive Composites onto Thermoplastic Hemispheres: Toward Sustainable Fabrication of 3-Cents Volumetric Electrically Small Antennas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Haoyi; Chiang, Sum Wai; Yang, Cheng; Lin, Ziyin; Liu, Jingping; Moon, Kyoung-Sik; Kang, Feiyu; Li, Bo; Wong, Ching Ping

    2015-01-01

    Electrically small antennas (ESAs) are becoming one of the key components in the compact wireless devices for telecommunications, defence, and aerospace systems, especially for the spherical one whose geometric layout is more closely approaching Chu's limit, thus yielding significant bandwidth improvements relative to the linear and planar counterparts. Yet broad applications of the volumetric ESAs are still hindered since the low cost fabrication has remained a tremendous challenge. Here we report a state-of-the-art technology to transfer electrically conductive composites (ECCs) from a planar mould to a volumetric thermoplastic substrate by using pad-printing technology without pattern distortion, benefit from the excellent properties of the ECCs as well as the printing-calibration method that we developed. The antenna samples prepared in this way meet the stringent requirement of an ESA (ka is as low as 0.32 and the antenna efficiency is as high as 57%), suggesting that volumetric electronic components i.e. the antennas can be produced in such a simple, green, and cost-effective way. This work can be of interest for the development of studies on green and high performance wireless communication devices.

  12. Pressure transmission area and maximum pressure transmission of different thermoplastic resin denture base materials under impact load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasution, Hubban; Kamonkhantikul, Krid; Arksornnukit, Mansuang; Takahashi, Hidekazu

    2018-01-01

    The purposes of the present study were to examine the pressure transmission area and maximum pressure transmission of thermoplastic resin denture base materials under an impact load, and to evaluate the modulus of elasticity and nanohardness of thermoplastic resin denture base. Three injection-molded thermoplastic resin denture base materials [polycarbonate (Basis PC), ethylene propylene (Duraflex), and polyamide (Valplast)] and one conventional heat-polymerized acrylic resin (PMMA, SR Triplex Hot) denture base, all with a mandibular first molar acrylic resin denture tooth set in were evaluated (n=6). Pressure transmission area and maximum pressure transmission of the specimens under an impact load were observed by using pressure-sensitive sheets. The modulus of elasticity and nanohardness of each denture base (n=10) were measured on 15×15×15×3mm 3 specimen by using an ultramicroindentation system. The pressure transmission area, modulus of elasticity, and nanohardness data were statistically analyzed with 1-way ANOVA, followed by Tamhane or Tukey HSD post hoc test (α=.05). The maximum pressure transmission data were statistically analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis H test, followed by Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05). Polymethyl methacrylate showed significantly larger pressure transmission area and higher maximum pressure transmission than the other groups (Pelasticity and nanohardness among the four types of denture bases (Pelasticity and nanohardness of each type of denture base were demonstrated. Copyright © 2017 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Modeling and experimental investigation of induction welding of thermoplastic composites and comparison with other welding processes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gouin O'Shaughnessey, P.; Dube, M; Fernandez Villegas, I.

    2016-01-01

    A three-dimensional finite element model of the induction welding of carbon fiber/polyphenylene sulfide thermoplastic composites is developed. The model takes into account a stainless steel mesh heating element located at the interface of the two composite adherends to be welded. This heating

  14. A prospective randomized comparison of neoprene vs thermoplast hand-based thumb spica splinting for trapeziometacarpal arthrosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Becker, S. J. E.; Bot, A. G. J.; Curley, S. E.; Jupiter, J. B.; Ring, D.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: In patients with trapeziometacarpal arthrosis, we tested the hypothesis that there is no difference in arm-specific disability 5-15 weeks after prescription of a pre-fabricated neoprene or a custom-made thermoplast hand-based thumb spica splint with the metacarpophalangeal joint included

  15. Modelling of the glass fiber length and the glass fiber length distribution in the compounding of short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kloke, P.; Herken, T.; Schöppner, V.; Rudloff, J.; Kretschmer, K.; Heidemeyer, P.; Bastian, M.; Walther, Dridger, A.

    2014-05-01

    The use of short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics for the production of highly stressed parts in the plastics processing industry has experienced an enormous boom in the last few years. The reasons for this are primarily the improvements to the stiffness and strength properties brought about by fiber reinforcement. These positive characteristics of glass fiber-reinforced polymers are governed predominantly by the mean glass fiber length and the glass fiber length distribution. It is not enough to describe the properties of a plastics component solely as a function of the mean glass fiber length [1]. For this reason, a mathematical-physical model has been developed for describing the glass fiber length distribution in compounding. With this model, it is possible on the one hand to optimize processes for the production of short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, and, on the other, to obtain information on the final distribution, on the basis of which much more detailed statements can be made about the subsequent properties of the molded part. Based on experimental tests, it was shown that this model is able to accurately describe the change in glass fiber length distribution in compounding.

  16. Friction and wear performance of some thermoplastic polymers and polymer composites against unsaturated polyester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unal, H.; Mimaroglu, A.; Arda, T.

    2006-09-01

    Wear experiments have been carried out with a range of unfilled and filled engineering thermoplastic polymers sliding against a 15% glass fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester polymer under 20, 40 and 60 N loads and 0.5 m/s sliding speed. Pin materials used in this experimental investigation are polyamide 66 (PA 66), poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and aliphatic polyketone (APK), glass fibre reinforced polyamide 46 (PA 46 + 30% GFR), glass fibre reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE + 17% GFR), glass fibre reinforced poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK + 20% GFR), glass fibre reinforced poly-phylene-sulfide (PPS + 30% GFR), polytetrafluoroethylene filled polyamide 66 (PA 66 + 10% PTFE) and bronze filled pofytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE + 25% bronze) engineering polymers. The disc material is a 15% glass fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester thermoset polymer produced by Bulk Moulding Compound (BMC). Sliding wear tests were carried out on a pin-on-disc apparatus under 0.5 m/s sliding speed and load values of 20, 40 and 60 N. The results showed that the highest specific wear rate is for PPS + 30% GFR with a value of 1 × 10 -11 m 2/N and the lowest wear rate is for PTFE + 17% GFR with a value of 9.41 × 10 -15 m 2/N. For the materials and test conditions of this investigation, apart from polyamide 66 and PA 46 + 30% GFR polymers, the coefficient of friction and specific wear rates are not significantly affected by the change in load value. For polyamide 66 and PA 46 + 30% GFR polymers the coefficient of friction and specific wear rates vary linearly with the variation in load values.

  17. In-situ electrical analysis in view of monitoring the processing of thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonnet, J. M.; Guillet, J.; Ainser, A.; Boiteux, G.; Fulchiron, R.; Seytre, Gerard

    1999-12-01

    In the last recent years, electrical techniques like microdielectrometry have presented an attracting and increasing interest for continuous monitoring, in a nondestructive way, of the advancement of the reaction of thermoset resins under cure. We think that the use of electrical analysis for in situ monitoring of chemical reactions can be extended to get information on thermoplastic and the physical phenomena such sa crystallization or study of residence time distribution in processing machines such as extruders.

  18. Mechanical properties of soil buried kenaf fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sapuan, S.M.; Pua, Fei-ling; El-Shekeil, Y.A.; AL-Oqla, Faris M.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We developed composites from kenaf and thermoplastic polyurethane. • Soil burial of composites after 80 days shows increase in flexural strength. • Soil burial of composites after 80 days shows increase in flexural modulus. • Tensile properties of composites degrade after soil burial tests. • We investigate the morphological fracture through scanning electron microscopy. - Abstract: A study on mechanical properties of soil buried kenaf fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites is presented in this paper. Kenaf bast fibre reinforced TPU composites were prepared via melt-mixing method using Haake Polydrive R600 internal mixer. The composites with 30% fibre loading were prepared based on some important parameters; i.e. 190 °C for reaction temperature, 11 min for reaction time and 400 rpm for rotating speed. The composites were subjected to soil burial tests where the purpose of these tests was to study the effect of moisture absorption on the mechanical properties of the composites. Tensile and flexural properties of the composites were determined before and after the soil burial tests for 20, 40, 60 and 80 days. The percentages of both moisture uptake and weight gain after soil burial tests were recorded. Tensile strength of kenaf fibre reinforced TPU composite dropped to ∼16.14 MPa after 80 days of soil burial test. It was also observed that there was no significant change in flexural properties of soil buried kenaf fibre reinforced TPU composite specimens

  19. [Thermoplastic mask in radiotherapy: a source of anxiety for the patient?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arino, C; Stadelmaier, N; Dupin, C; Kantor, G; Henriques de Figueiredo, B

    2014-12-01

    The thermoplastic mask often used to immobilize patients in radiotherapy can cause varying levels of stress and anxiety. This study aimed at evaluating the anxiety related to the use of radiotherapy masks and the coping strategies adopted by patients. Nineteen patients treated with radiotherapy mask for head and neck cancer, a brain tumour or a lymphoma, were met twice by a psychologist, either after the making of the mask and the first course of radiotherapy, or in the middle and at the end of treatment. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews were treated using a thematic content analysis and 13 patients answered to anxiety (STAI-YB) and coping (WCC) scales. The STAI-YB anxiety scores related to wearing the masks were low during the radiotherapy treatment period, and were confirmed by the remarks of patients recorded during the semi-structured interviews. Most patients had a positive perception of the mask, and considered it as a friend or protection. Twelve out of the 13 patients admitting to anxiety benefited from problem focused coping strategies. Thermoplastic mask-related anxiety is low and possibly lies in the positive representation patients have about the mask. The explanations provided by health professionals on the radiotherapy mask possibly have a very positive effect on this perception. Copyright © 2014 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Effect of carrageenan on properties of biodegradable thermoplastic cassava starch/low-density polyethylene composites reinforced by cotton fibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prachayawarakorn, Jutarat; Pomdage, Wanida

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We prepared the TPCS/LDPE composites modified by carrageenan and/or cotton fibers. • The IR O–H stretching peak of the modified composites shifts to lower wavenumber. • Stress and Young’s modulus of the modified composites increase significantly. • The modified composites degrade faster than the non-modified composite. - Abstract: Applications of biodegradable thermoplastic starch (TPS) have been restricted due to its poor mechanical properties, limited processability and high water uptake. In order to improve properties and processability, thermoplastic cassava starch (TPCS) was compounded with low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The TPCS/LDPE blend was, then, modified by a natural gelling agent, i.e. carrageenan and natural fibers, i.e. cotton fibers. All composites were compounded and processed using an internal mixer and an injection molding machine, respectively. It was found that stress at maximum load and Young’s modulus of the TPCS/LDPE composites significantly increased by the addition of the carrageenan and/or the cotton fibers. The highest mechanical properties were obtained from the TPCS/LDPE composites modified by both the carrageenan and the cotton fibers. Percentage water absorption of all of the TPCS/LDPE composites was found to be similar. All modified composites were also degraded easier than the non-modified one. Furthermore, all the composites were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

  1. Karakteristik Mekanik Panel Dinding dari Komposit Sabut Kelapa (Coco Fiber)-Sampah Plastik (Thermoplastics)

    OpenAIRE

    Fajriyanto, Fajriyanto

    2009-01-01

    The research about utilization of coco fiber and thermoplastic waste to produce partition wall based on fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composites has been conducted. The research methodology used was experimental research method. There were three steps conducted in the research; the first, preparation of instruments and sampling of raw materials, the second, blending process for producing fiberboard composites, the third, mechanical-waterproof testing and analyzing of products. The obje...

  2. Thermoplastic elastomers containing 2D nanofillers: montmorillonite, graphene nanoplatelets and oxidized graphene platelets

    OpenAIRE

    Paszkiewicz Sandra; Pawelec Iwona; Szymczyk Anna; Rosłaniec Zbigniew

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a comparative study on which type of platelets nanofiller, organic or inorganic, will affect the properties of thermoplastic elastomer matrix in the stronger manner. Therefore, poly(trimethylene terephthalate-block-poly(tetramethylene oxide) copolymer (PTT-PTMO) based nanocomposites with 0.5 wt.% of clay (MMT), graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and graphene oxide (GO) have been prepared by in situ polymerization. The structure of the nanocomposites was characterized by transmis...

  3. Prediction of thermoplastic failure of a reactor pressure vessel under a postulated core melt accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duijvestijn, G.; Birchley, J.; Reichlin, K.

    1997-01-01

    This paper presents the lower head failure calculations performed for a postulated accident scenario in a commercial nuclear power plant. A postulated one inch break in the primary coolant circuit leads to dryout and subsequent meltdown of the core. The reference plant is a pressurized water reactor without penetrations in the reactor vessel lower head. The molten core material accumulates in the lower head, eventually causing failure of the vessel. The analysis investigates flow conditions in the melt pool, temperature evolution in the reactor vessel wall, and structure mechanical evaluation of the vessel under strong thermal loads and a range of internal pressures. The calculations were performed using the ADINA finite element codes. The analysis focusses on the failure processes, time and mode of failure. The most likely mode of failure at low pressure is global rupture due to gradual accumulation of creep strain over a large part of the heated area. In contrast, thermoplasticity becomes important at high pressure or following a pressure spike and can lead to earlier local failure. In situations in which part of the heat load is concentrated over a small area, resulting in a hot spot, local failure occurs, but not until the temperatures are close to the melting point. At low pressure, in particular, the hot spot area remains intact until the structure is molten across more than half of the thickness. (author) 14 figs., 16 refs

  4. Recent advances in high performance poly(lactide): from “green” plasticization to super-tough materials via (reactive) compounding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kfoury, Georgio; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Hassouna, Fatima; Odent, Jérémy; Toniazzo, Valérie; Ruch, David; Dubois, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    Due to its origin from renewable resources, its biodegradability, and recently, its industrial implementation at low costs, poly(lactide) (PLA) is considered as one of the most promising ecological, bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic materials to potentially and increasingly replace traditional petroleum derived polymers in many commodity and engineering applications. Beside its relatively high rigidity [high tensile strength and modulus compared with many common thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), high impact poly(styrene) (HIPS) and poly(propylene) (PP)], PLA suffers from an inherent brittleness, which can limit its applications especially where mechanical toughness such as plastic deformation at high impact rates or elongation is required. Therefore, the curve plotting stiffness vs. impact resistance and ductility must be shifted to higher values for PLA-based materials, while being preferably fully bio-based and biodegradable upon the application. This review aims to establish a state of the art focused on the recent progresses and preferably economically viable strategies developed in the literature for significantly improve the mechanical performances of PLA. A particular attention is given to plasticization as well as to impact resistance modification of PLA in the case of (reactive) blending PLA-based systems. PMID:24790960

  5. Facile Method and Novel Dielectric Material Using a Nanoparticle-Doped Thermoplastic Elastomer Composite Fabric for Triboelectric Nanogenerator Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhi; Chen, Ying; Debeli, Dereje Kebebew; Guo, Jian Sheng

    2018-04-18

    The trends toward flexible and wearable electronic devices give rise to the attention of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) which can gather tiny energy from human body motions. However, to accommodate the needs, wearable electronics are still facing challenges for choosing a better dielectric material to improve their performance and practicability. As a kind of synthetic rubber, the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) contains many advantages such as lightweight, good flexibility, high tear strength, and friction resistance, accompanied by good adhesion with fabrics, which is an optimal candidate of dielectric materials. Herein, a novel nanoparticle (NP)-doped TPE composite fabric-based TENG (TF-TENG) has been developed, which operates based on the NP-doped TPE composite fabric using a facile coating method. The performances of the TENG device are systematically investigated under various thicknesses of TPE films, NP kinds, and doping mass. After being composited with a Cu NP-doped TPE film, the TPE composite fabric exhibited superior elastic behavior and good bending property, along with excellent flexibility. Moreover, a maximum output voltage of 470 V, a current of 24 μA, and a power of 12 mW under 3 MΩ can be achieved by applying a force of 60 N on the TF-TENG. More importantly, the TF-TENG can be successfully used to harvest biomechanical energy from human body and provides much more comfort. In general, the TF-TENG has great application prospects in sustainable wearable devices owing to its lightweight, flexibility, and high mechanical properties.

  6. Fabrication of thermoplastic ductile films of chitin butyrate/poly(ɛ-caprolactone) blends and their cytocompatibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashiwaki, Hiroki; Teramoto, Yoshikuni; Nishio, Yoshiyuki

    2014-12-19

    We fabricate thermoplastic films of chitin burtyrate (ChB)/poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) blends with different degree of miscibility (miscible (M), partially miscible (PM), and immiscible (IM)), and examined the feasibility as a cell scaffold system through evaluating mechanical properties and cytocompatibility. We found a remediation of the brittleness and an increase in ductility of ChB by blending PCL for the M and PM blends. The blend films were subjected to alkaline hydrolysis (2-M NaOH/37°C/48 h) with expectation of the improvement of the surface hydrophilicity and cell accessibility. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of the alkaline-treated PM and IM films revealed that PCL component and ester side-chains of acyl chitin were selectively removed from the surface domain. L929 fibroblast cells well adhered and proliferated on these films. Therefore, the materials possess a great potential for the utilization as a thermoplastic cell scaffold in tissue engineering by adequate selection of the degree of miscibility and post treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Preparation and properties of blends of polypropylene and acrylonitril-butadiene-styrene with thermoplastic starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaseem, M.; Deri, F.

    2012-01-01

    In the present work the rheological and mechanical properties of polypropylene / thermoplastic starch (PP/TPS) and acrylo nitril-butadiene-styrene/ thermoplastic starch (ABS/TPS) blends were investigated. Starch was plasticised using glycerol and blends were prepared using a laboratory scale with single screw extruder. Rheological properties of the prepared blends were determined using a capillary rheometer. Mechanical properties were studied in term of tensile tests, stress at break, strain at break and young's modulus were determined. Rheological results showed that the blends are pseudo plastic in manner and the true viscosity of Pp/TPS blend decreases with increasing TPS content in the blend until 10%, and at more than 10% TPS it increases with increasing TPS. In ABS/TPS, the true viscosity decreases with increasing TPS content in the blend. The mechanical results showed that in both systems, the stress at break and strain at break decrease with increasing TPS content in the blend while the young's modulus increases with increasing TPS content. The mechanical results shown that the addition of TPS to each of PP and ABS follows the general trend for filler effects on polymer properties. (author)

  8. Effects of temperature changes and stress loading on the mechanical and shape memory properties of thermoplastic materials with different glass transition behaviours and crystal structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iijima, Masahiro; Kohda, Naohisa; Kawaguchi, Kyotaro; Muguruma, Takeshi; Ohta, Mitsuru; Naganishi, Atsuko; Murakami, Takashi; Mizoguchi, Itaru

    2015-12-01

    To investigate the effects of temperature changes and stress loading on the mechanical and shape memory properties of thermoplastic materials with different glass transition behaviours and crystal structures. Five thermoplastic materials, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (Duran®, Scheu Dental), polypropylene (Hardcast®, Scheu Dental), and polyurethane (SMP MM®, SMP Technologies) with three different glass transition temperatures (T g) were selected. The T g and crystal structure were assessed using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The deterioration of mechanical properties by thermal cycling and the orthodontic forces during stepwise temperature changes were investigated using nanoindentation testing and custom-made force-measuring system. The mechanical properties were also evaluated by three-point bending tests; shape recovery with heating was then investigated. The mechanical properties for each material were decreased significantly by 2500 cycles and great decrease was observed for Hardcast (crystal plastic) with higher T g (155.5°C) and PU 1 (crystalline or semi-crystalline plastic) with lower T g (29.6°C). The Duran, PU 2, and PU 3 with intermediate T g (75.3°C for Duran, 56.5°C for PU 2, and 80.7°C for PU 3) showed relatively stable mechanical properties with thermal cycling. The polyurethane polymers showed perfect shape memory effect within the range of intraoral temperature changes. The orthodontic force produced by thermoplastic appliances decreased with the stepwise temperature change for all materials. Orthodontic forces delivered by thermoplastic appliances may influence by the T g of the materials, but not the crystal structure. Polyurethane is attractive thermoplastic materials due to their unique shape memory phenomenon, but stress relaxation with temperature changes is expected. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For

  9. Short-time dynamics of phenylene-rings in bisphenol based engineering thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arrese-Igor, S.; Arbe, A.; Alegria, A.; Colmenero, J.; Frick, B.

    2003-01-01

    We have recently performed one of the first approaches by means of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) to the problem of identifying the molecular motions giving rise to the secondary relaxations of engineering thermoplastics. Preliminary results point to phenylene ring π-flips as the main motion causing the observed quasielastic broadening in the ∼10 -10 -10 -9 s time scale below the glass transition temperature T g . Continuing our study of sub-T g dynamics in these systems by QENS, measurements on polycarbonate (PC) and polysulfone (PSF) with deuterated methyl groups (d6) in the ∼10 -13 -10 -11 s time scale have been performed. The intermediate scattering function shows a smooth second decay in addition to that of vibrations and 'fast dynamics' at T > or approx. 200 K. The extrapolation of phenylene π-flip motion to faster times does not explain the decay observed. However, a non-negligible contribution of π-flips at T≥350 K in PCd6 is noticeable, whereas for PSFd6 some effect can be inferred above ∼450 K. In the temperature region where the π-flips do not contribute to the spectra we have characterised the signal by assuming a temperature dependent distribution of small angle oscillations of phenylene rings leading to an activation energy of 0.18 eV

  10. Effect of starch types on properties of biodegradable polymer based on thermoplastic starch process by injection molding technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yossathorn Tanetrungroj

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In this study effects of different starch types on the properties of biodegradable polymer based on thermoplastic starch (TPS were investigated. Different types of starch containing different contents of amylose and amylopectin were used, i.e. cassava starch, mungbean starch, and arrowroot starch. The TPS polymers were compounded and shaped using an internal mixer and an injection molding machine, respectively. It was found that the amount of amylose and amylopectin contents on native starch influence the properties of the TPS polymer. A high amylose starch of TPMS led to higher strength, hardness, degree of crystallization than the high amylopectin starch of TPCS. In addition, function group analysis by Fourier transforms infrared spectrophotometer, water absorption, and biodegradation by soil burial test were also examined.

  11. Composite panels made with biofiber or office wastepaper bonded with thermoplastic and/or thermosetting resin

    Science.gov (United States)

    James H. Muehl; Andrzej M. Krzysik; Poo Chow

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate two groups of composite panels made from two types of underutilized natural fiber sources, kenaf bast fiber and office wastepaper, for their suitability in composite panels. All panels were made with 5% thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin and 1.5% wax. Also, an additional 10% polypropylene (PP) thermoplastic resin was...

  12. Fabrication and physical properties of glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics for non-metal-clasp dentures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagakura, Manamu; Tanimoto, Yasuhiro; Nishiyama, Norihiro

    2017-11-01

    Recently, non-metal-clasp dentures (NMCDs) made from thermoplastic resins such as polyamide, polyester, polycarbonate, and polypropylene have been used as removable partial dentures (RPDs). However, the use of such RPDs can seriously affect various tissues because of their low rigidity. In this study, we fabricated high-rigidity glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (GFRTPs) for use in RPDs, and examined their physical properties such as apparent density, dynamic hardness, and flexural properties. GFRTPs made from E-glass fibers and polypropylene were fabricated using an injection-molding. The effects of the fiber content on the GFRTP properties were examined using glass-fiber contents of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mass%. Commercially available denture base materials and NMCD materials were used as controls. The experimental densities of GFRTPs with various fiber contents agreed with the theoretical densities. Dynamic micro-indentation tests confirmed that the fiber content does not affect the GFRTP surface properties such as dynamic hardness and elastic modulus, because most of the reinforcing glass fibers are embedded in the polypropylene. The flexural strength increased from 55.8 to 217.6 MPa with increasing glass-fiber content from 0 to 50 mass%. The flexural modulus increased from 1.75 to 7.42 GPa with increasing glass-fiber content from 0 to 50 mass%, that is, the flexural strength and modulus of GFRTP with a fiber content of 50 mass% were 3.9 and 4.2 times, respectively, those of unreinforced polypropylene. These results suggest that fiber reinforcement has beneficial effects, and GFRTPs can be used in NMCDs because their physical properties are better than those of controls. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2254-2260, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. The melt/shrink effect of low density thermoplastics insulates: Cone calorimeter tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Qiang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The melt/shrink effects on the fire behavior of low density thermoplastic foam have been studied in a cone calorimeter. The experiments have been performed with four samples of expanded polystyrene foams having different thicknesses and two extruded polystyrene foams. Decrease in surface area and increase in density, characterizing the melt/shrink effect have been measured at different incident heat fluxes. Three of these foams tested have been also examined by burning tests at an incident heat flux of 50 kW/m2. It was assessed that the fire behavior predictions based the current literature models provided incorrect results if the cone test results were applied directly. However, the correct models provided adequate results when the initial burning area and the density of the molten foam were used to correct the initial cone calorimeter data. This communication refers to the fact that both the effective burning area and the density of the molten foam affect the cone calorimeter data, which requires consequent corrections to attain adequate predictions of models about the materials fire behavior.

  14. Viscoelasticity of new generation thermoplastic polyurethane vibration isolators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bek, Marko; Betjes, Joris; von Bernstorff, Bernd-Steffen; Emri, Igor

    2017-12-01

    This paper presents the analysis of pressure dependence of three thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) materials on vibration isolation. The three TPU Elastollan® materials are 1190A, 1175A, and 1195D. The aim of this investigation was to analyze how much the performance of isolation can be enhanced using patented Dissipative bulk and granular systems technology. The technology uses granular polymeric materials to enhance materials properties (without changing its chemical or molecular composition) by exposing them to "self-pressurization," which shifts material energy absorption maxima toward lower frequencies, to match the excitation frequency of dynamic loading to which a mechanical system is exposed. Relaxation experiments on materials were performed at different isobaric and isothermal states to construct mastercurves, the time-temperature-pressure interrelation was modeled using the Fillers-Moonan-Tschoegl model. Dynamic material functions, related to isolation stiffness and energy absorption, were determined with the Schwarzl approximation. An increase in stiffness and energy absorption at selected hydrostatic pressure, compared to its stiffness and energy absorption at ambient conditions, is represented with κk(p, ω), defining the increase in stiffness and κd(p, ω), defining the increase in energy absorption. The study showed that close to the glassy state, moduli of 1190A and 1195D are about 6-9 times higher compared to 1175A, whereas their properties at ambient conditions are, for all practical purposes, the same. TPU 1190A turns out to be most sensitive to pressure: at 300 MPa its properties are shifted for 5.5 decades, while for 1195D and 1175A this shift is only 3.5 and 1.5 decades, respectively. In conclusion, the stiffness and energy absorption of isolation may be increased with pressure for about 100 times for 1190A and 1195D and for about 10 times for 1175A.

  15. Environment-friendly, flame retardant thermoplastic elastomer-magnesium hydroxide composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Hao; Chen, Kunfeng; Li, Xiaonan; Ao, Man; Guo, Xinwen; Xue, Dongfeng

    Halogen-free and environment-friendly magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) was synthesized to enhance the flame retardant properties of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). When the Mg(OH)2 content was optimized to 35wt.%, the TPE-Mg(OH)2 composites exhibited the best flame retardant properties. The results showed that there was a delay of ignition time of the samples containing Mg(OH)2; compared with the samples without Mg(OH)2, the heat release rate and total heat release decrease by 31.4% and 35.6%, while total smoke production and mass loss rate reduce by 56% and 34.2%, respectively. This work opens a door to manufacture fire-resistant polymer-based composites with environmental-friendly flame retardant additives by controllable crystallization and chemical strategies.

  16. Production and properties of micro-cellulose reinforced thermoplastic starch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kmetty, Á.; Karger-Kocsis, J.; Czigány, T.

    2015-02-01

    Thermoplastic starch (TPS)/micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) composites were prepared from maize starch with different amount of distilled water, glycerol and cellulose reinforcement. The components were homogenized by kneader and twin roll technique. The produced TPS and TPS-based polymer composites were qualified by static and dynamic mechanical tests and their morphology was analysed by microscopic techniques. The results showed that the amount of water and the order of the production steps control the properties of both the TPS and its MFC reinforced version. With increasing content of MFC the stiffness and strength of the TPS matrix increased, as expected. Microscopic inspection revealed that the TPS has a homogenous structure and the MFC is well dispersed therein when suitable preparation conditions were selected.

  17. Neutron shielding behavior of thermoplastic natural rubber/boron carbide composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mat Zali, Nurazila; Yazid, Hafizal; Megat Ahmad, Megat Harun Al Rashid

    2018-01-01

    Many shielding materials have been designed against the harm of different types of radiation to the human body. Today, polymer-based lightweight composites have been chosen by the radiation protection industry. In the present study, thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) composites with different weight percent of boron carbide (B4C) fillers (0% to 30%) were fabricated as neutron shielding through melt blending method. Neutron attenuation properties of TPNR/B4C composites have been investigated. The macroscopic cross section (Σ), half value layer (HVL) and mean free path length (λ) of the composites have been calculated and the transmission curves have been plotted. The obtained results show that Σ, HVL and λ greatly depend on the B4C content. Addition of B4C fillers into TPNR matrix were found to enhance the macroscopic cross section values thus decrease the mean free path length (λ) and half value layer (HVL) of the composites. The transmission curves exhibited that the neutron transmission of the composites decreased with increasing shielding thickness. These results showed that TPNR/B4C composites have high potential for neutron shielding applications.

  18. Measurement of through-thickness thermal diffusivity of thermoplastics using thermal wave method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, R.; Mellinger, A.

    2015-04-01

    Thermo-physical properties, such as thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat are important quantities that are needed to interpret and characterize thermoplastic materials. Such characterization is necessary for many applications, ranging from aerospace engineering to food packaging, electrical and electronic industry and medical science. In this work, the thermal diffusivity of commercially available polymeric films is measured in the thickness direction at room temperature using thermal wave method. The results obtained with this method are in good agreement with theoretical and experimental values.

  19. Magnetomechanical properties of composites and fibers made from thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and carbonyl iron powder (CIP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schrödner, Mario; Pflug, Günther

    2018-05-01

    Magnetoactive elastomers (MAE) made from composites of five thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) of different stiffness with carbonyl iron powder (CIP) as magnetic component were investigated. The composites were produced by melt blending of the magnetic particles with the TPEs in a twin-screw extruder. The resulting materials were characterized by ac permeability testing, stress-strain measurements with and without external magnetic field and magnetically controlled bending of long cylindrical rods in a homogenous magnetic field. The magnetic field necessary for deflection of the rods decreases with decreasing modulus and increasing iron particle content. This effect can be used e.g. for magnetically controlled actuation. Some highly filled MAE show a magnetic field induced increase of Young's modulus. Filaments could be spun from some of the composites.

  20. The development of thermoplastic fibre based reinforcements for the rotational moulding process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alemán, D. N. Castellanos; McCourt, M.; Kearns, M. P.; Martin, P. J.; Butterfield, J.

    2018-05-01

    Rotational moulding is a method used to produce hollow plastic parts through the heating, melting and cooling of polymer powder within a metal mould. A wide range of products are made using this process, such as fluid containment tanks, boats, light weight vehicle bodies and marine buoys. Rotomoulded composites using thermoplastic fibres are of increasing interest to the industry, as they have the potential to significantly improve impact strength, whilst reducing part weight, resulting in a structure that is 100% recyclable compared to a traditional composite. A series of self-reinforced thermoplastic weaves can be used to produce a number of composite structures using the rotational moulding process. This work outlines the improvements obtained from the range of rotomoulded composites structures, as well as preforms that could be used in future rotational moulding work. Characteristics of self-reinforced materials were exploited with the aim of increasing the mechanical properties, preserving the weaves and increasing the nature of the material adhesion. Addition of the fabrics in the cooling stage was shown to be of great interest as this avoided exposure of the material to the peak temperature, which may affect the integrity of the fabric. Placing the weave during cooling was useful as the material could receive the maximum amount of tensile force during the impact test. A total of nine diverse types of compounds were manufactured and tested, with seven of the impact tests showing an increase in strength greater than 50%.

  1. Tailoring the microstructure of porous MgO supports for asymmetric oxygen separation membranes: Optimization of thermoplastic feedstock systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kothanda Ramachandran, Dhavanesan; Clemens, F.; Glasscock, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Porous magnesium oxide (MgO) structures were prepared by thermoplastic processing for use as supports in asymmetric thin film oxygen transport membranes (OTMs). The open porosity, pore size distribution, and resulting gas permeability of the MgO structures were measured for different feedstock...

  2. A Novel CAE Method for Compression Molding Simulation of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Sheet Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuyang Song

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Its high-specific strength and stiffness with lower cost make discontinuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRT materials an ideal choice for lightweight applications in the automotive industry. Compression molding is one of the preferred manufacturing processes for such materials as it offers the opportunity to maintain a longer fiber length and higher volume production. In the past, we have demonstrated that compression molding of FRT in bulk form can be simulated by treating melt flow as a continuum using the conservation of mass and momentum equations. However, the compression molding of such materials in sheet form using a similar approach does not work well. The assumption of melt flow as a continuum does not hold for such deformation processes. To address this challenge, we have developed a novel simulation approach. First, the draping of the sheet was simulated as a structural deformation using the explicit finite element approach. Next, the draped shape was compressed using fluid mechanics equations. The proposed method was verified by building a physical part and comparing the predicted fiber orientation and warpage measurements performed on the physical parts. The developed method and tools are expected to help in expediting the development of FRT parts, which will help achieve lightweight targets in the automotive industry.

  3. The Intangible Assets Advantages in the Machine Vision Inspection of Thermoplastic Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muntean, Diana; Răulea, Andreea Simina

    2017-12-01

    Innovation is not a simple concept but is the main source of success. It is more important to have the right people and mindsets in place than to have a perfectly crafted plan in order to make the most out of an idea or business. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the importance of intangible assets when it comes to machine vision inspection of thermoplastic materials pointing out some aspects related to knowledge based assets and their need for a success idea to be developed in a successful product.

  4. Experimental assessment of the influence of welding process parameters on Lamb wave transmission across ultrasonically welded thermoplastic composite joints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochôa, Pedro; Fernandez Villegas, Irene; Groves, Roger M.; Benedictus, Rinze

    2018-01-01

    One of the advantages of thermoplastic composites relative to their thermoset counterparts is the possibility of assembling components through welding. Ultrasonic welding in particular is very promising for industrialization. However, uncertainty in the fatigue and fracture behaviour of composites is still an obstacle to the full utilisation of these materials. Health monitoring is then of vital importance, and Lamb wave techniques have been widely recognised as some of the most promising approaches for that end. This paper presents the first experimental study about the influence of welding travel on the transmission of Lamb waves across ultrasonically welded thermoplastic composite joints in single-lap configuration. The main aim of this research is to start to understand how guided waves interact with the internal structure of ultrasonic welds, so that benign, manufacturing-related structural features can be distinguished from damaging ones in signal interpretation. The power transmission coefficient and the correlation coefficient proved to be suitable for analysing the wave propagation phenomena, allowing quantitative identification of small variations of weld-line thickness and intermolecular diffusion at the weld interface. The conclusions are used to develop a tentative damage detection criterion which can later on assist the design of a Lamb wave based structural health monitoring system for thermoplastic composite structures. The Lamb wave test results are backed up by phased-array inspections, which also provide some extra insight on the internal structure of ultrasonic welds.

  5. Identifying design parameters controlling damage behaviors of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites using micromechanics as a virtual testing tool

    KAUST Repository

    Pulungan, Ditho Ardiansyah; Lubineau, Gilles; Yudhanto, Arief; Yaldiz, Recep; Schijve, Warden

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a micromechanical approach to predict damage mechanisms and their interactions in glass fibers/polypropylene thermoplastic composites. First, a representative volume element (RVE) of such materials was rigorously determined using a geometrical two-point probability function and the eigenvalue stabilization of homogenized elastic tensor obtained by Hill-Mandel kinematic homogenization. Next, the 3D finite element models of the RVE were developed accordingly. The fibers were modeled with an isotropic linear elastic material. The matrix was modeled with an isotropic linear elastic, rate-independent hyperbolic Drucker-Prager plasticity coupled with a ductile damage model that is able to show pressure dependency of the yield and damage behavior often found in a thermoplastic material. In addition, cohesive elements were inserted into the fiber-matrix interfaces to simulate debonding. The RVE faces are imposed with periodical boundary conditions to minimize the edge effect. The RVE was then subjected to transverse tensile loading in accordance with experimental tensile tests on [90]8 laminates. The model prediction was found to be in very good agreement with the experimental results in terms of the global stress-strain curves, including the linear and nonlinear portion of the response and also the failure point, making it a useful virtual testing tool for composite material design. Furthermore, the effect of tailoring the main parameters of thermoplastic composites is investigated to provide guidelines for future improvements of these materials.

  6. Identifying design parameters controlling damage behaviors of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites using micromechanics as a virtual testing tool

    KAUST Repository

    Pulungan, Ditho Ardiansyah

    2017-03-31

    In this paper, we propose a micromechanical approach to predict damage mechanisms and their interactions in glass fibers/polypropylene thermoplastic composites. First, a representative volume element (RVE) of such materials was rigorously determined using a geometrical two-point probability function and the eigenvalue stabilization of homogenized elastic tensor obtained by Hill-Mandel kinematic homogenization. Next, the 3D finite element models of the RVE were developed accordingly. The fibers were modeled with an isotropic linear elastic material. The matrix was modeled with an isotropic linear elastic, rate-independent hyperbolic Drucker-Prager plasticity coupled with a ductile damage model that is able to show pressure dependency of the yield and damage behavior often found in a thermoplastic material. In addition, cohesive elements were inserted into the fiber-matrix interfaces to simulate debonding. The RVE faces are imposed with periodical boundary conditions to minimize the edge effect. The RVE was then subjected to transverse tensile loading in accordance with experimental tensile tests on [90]8 laminates. The model prediction was found to be in very good agreement with the experimental results in terms of the global stress-strain curves, including the linear and nonlinear portion of the response and also the failure point, making it a useful virtual testing tool for composite material design. Furthermore, the effect of tailoring the main parameters of thermoplastic composites is investigated to provide guidelines for future improvements of these materials.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. Creep of thermoplastic polyurethane reinforced with ozone functionalized carbon nanotubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Zhang

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This work focused on the mechanical behavior, especially creep resistance, of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU filled with ozone-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs. It was found that the ozone functionalization of MWCNTs could improve their dispersion and interfacial adhesion to the TPU matrix as proved by scanning electron microscope and Raman spectrometer. It finally contributed to the enhancement of Young’s modulus and yield strength of TPU/MWCNT composites. Moreover, the creep resistance and recovery of MWCNT/TPU composites revealed a significant improvement by incorporating ozone functionalized MWCNTs. The strong interaction between the modified MWCNTs and TPU matrix would enhance the interfacial bonding and facilitate the load transfer, resulting in low creep strain and unrecovered strain.

  10. Bright is the New Black - Multi-Year Performance of Generic High-Albedo Roofs in an Urban Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaffin, S. R.; Imhoff, M.; Rosenzweig, C.; Khanbilvardi, R.; Pasqualini, A.; Kong, A. Y. Y.; Grillo, D.; Freed, A.; Hillel, D.; Hartung, E.

    2012-01-01

    High-albedo white and cool roofing membranes are recognized as a fundamental strategy that dense urban areas can deploy on a large scale, at low cost, to mitigate the urban heat island effect. We are monitoring three generic white membranes within New York City that represent a cross-section of the dominant white membrane options for U.S. flat roofs: (1) an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber membrane; (2) a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane and; (3) an asphaltic multi-ply built-up membrane coated with white elastomeric acrylic paint. The paint product is being used by New York City s government for the first major urban albedo enhancement program in its history. We report on the temperature and related albedo performance of these three membranes at three different sites over a multi-year period. The results indicate that the professionally installed white membranes are maintaining their temperature control effectively and are meeting the Energy Star Cool Roofing performance standards requiring a three-year aged albedo above 0.50. The EPDM membrane however shows evidence of low emissivity. The painted asphaltic surface shows high emissivity but lost about half of its initial albedo within two years after installation. Given that the acrylic approach is an important "do-it-yourself," low-cost, retrofit technique, and, as such, offers the most rapid technique for increasing urban albedo, further product performance research is recommended to identify conditions that optimize its long-term albedo control. Even so, its current multi-year performance still represents a significant albedo enhancement for urban heat island mitigation.

  11. SU-E-T-71: A Radiochromic Film Based Quantitative Assessment of Thermoplastic Mask Bolus Effect in Head and Neck IMRT/VMAT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalavagunta, C; Lin, M; Snider, J; Xu, H; Schrum, A; Vadnais, P; Marter, K; Suntharalingam, M; Prado, K [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To quantify the factors leading to thermoplastic mask bolus-associated-increased skin dose in head and neck IMRT/VMAT using EBT2 film. Methods: EBT2 film placed beneath a dual layer 3-point ORFIT head, neck and shoulder mask was used to test the effect of mask thickness, beam modulation, air gap, and beam obliquity on bolus effect. Mask thickness was varied based on the distribution of 1.6mm Orfilight layer on top of 2 mm Efficast layer. Beam modulation was varied by irradiating the film with an open field (no beam modulation) and a step and shoot field (beam modulation). Air gap between mask and film was varied from 0 to 5mm. Beam obliquity was varied by irradiating the film at gantry angles of 0°, 35°, and 70°.Finally, film strips placed on a Rando phantom under an Orfit mask, in regions of expected high dose, were irradiated using 5 IMRT and 5 VMAT plans with various modulation levels (modulation factor 2 to 5) and the results were compared with those obtained placing OSLDs at the same locations. Results: An 18–34% increase in mask bolus effect was observed for three factors where the effect of beam obliquity ≥ beam modulation > mask thickness. No increase in mask bolus effect was observed for change in air gap. A 6–13% increase in dose due to mask bolus effect was observed on film strips. Conclusion: This work underlines the role of beam obliquity and beam modulation combined with thermoplastic mask thickness in increasing mask bolus-associated skin dose in head and neck IMRT/VMAT. One possible method of dose reduction, based on knowledge gained from this work, is inclusion of skin as an avoidance structure in treatment planning. Another approach is to design a mask with the least amount of thermoplastic material necessary for immobilization.

  12. SU-E-T-71: A Radiochromic Film Based Quantitative Assessment of Thermoplastic Mask Bolus Effect in Head and Neck IMRT/VMAT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalavagunta, C; Lin, M; Snider, J; Xu, H; Schrum, A; Vadnais, P; Marter, K; Suntharalingam, M; Prado, K

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To quantify the factors leading to thermoplastic mask bolus-associated-increased skin dose in head and neck IMRT/VMAT using EBT2 film. Methods: EBT2 film placed beneath a dual layer 3-point ORFIT head, neck and shoulder mask was used to test the effect of mask thickness, beam modulation, air gap, and beam obliquity on bolus effect. Mask thickness was varied based on the distribution of 1.6mm Orfilight layer on top of 2 mm Efficast layer. Beam modulation was varied by irradiating the film with an open field (no beam modulation) and a step and shoot field (beam modulation). Air gap between mask and film was varied from 0 to 5mm. Beam obliquity was varied by irradiating the film at gantry angles of 0°, 35°, and 70°.Finally, film strips placed on a Rando phantom under an Orfit mask, in regions of expected high dose, were irradiated using 5 IMRT and 5 VMAT plans with various modulation levels (modulation factor 2 to 5) and the results were compared with those obtained placing OSLDs at the same locations. Results: An 18–34% increase in mask bolus effect was observed for three factors where the effect of beam obliquity ≥ beam modulation > mask thickness. No increase in mask bolus effect was observed for change in air gap. A 6–13% increase in dose due to mask bolus effect was observed on film strips. Conclusion: This work underlines the role of beam obliquity and beam modulation combined with thermoplastic mask thickness in increasing mask bolus-associated skin dose in head and neck IMRT/VMAT. One possible method of dose reduction, based on knowledge gained from this work, is inclusion of skin as an avoidance structure in treatment planning. Another approach is to design a mask with the least amount of thermoplastic material necessary for immobilization

  13. The effect of maleinized linseed oil (MLO) on mechanical performance of poly(lactic acid)-thermoplastic starch (PLA-TPS) blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferri, J M; Garcia-Garcia, D; Sánchez-Nacher, L; Fenollar, O; Balart, R

    2016-08-20

    In this work, poly(lactic acid), PLA and thermoplastic starch, TPS blends (with a fixed content of 30wt.% TPS) were prepared by melt extrusion process to increase the low ductile properties of PLA. The TPS used contains an aliphatic/aromatic biodegradable polyester (AAPE) that provides good resistance to aging and moisture. This blend provides slightly improved ductile properties with an increase in elongation at break of 21.5% but phase separation is observed due to the lack of strong interactions between the two polymers. Small amounts of maleinized linseed oil (MLO) can positively contribute to improve the ductile properties of these blends by a combined plasticizing-compatibilizing effect. The elongation at break increases over 160% with the only addition of 6phr MLO. One of the evidence of the plasticizing-compatibilizing effect provided by MLO is the change in the glass transition temperature (Tg) with a decrease of about 10°C. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of PLA-TPS blends with varying amounts of maleinized linseed oil also suggests an increase in compatibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Mechanical and Thermal Properties and Morphology of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU/Clay Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandro Pizzatto

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In this study, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU composites were prepared with different nanoclay contents (1, 3 and 10 wt%. The nanoclay Cloisite ®30B (C30B was dispersed in the TPU matrix by melt processing using a twin-screw extruder. The synthesis method of TPU involved the two-step bulk polymerization of polyesterpolyol and 4,4’ diphenylmethanediisocyanate with butane-1,4-diol as the chain extender. The dispersion of the nanoclay particles and its effect on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites was investigated. The characterization of TPU/nanoclay composites was carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion microanalysis and X ray diffraction. The mechanical characterization was performed through determination of the tensile strength. The TPU 3 wt% composite showed the best improvement with increases in stress and tensile at break (28% and 35%, respectively, compared to the neat TPU (sample without nanoclay. The differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analyses for composites indicated that the nanoclay did not affect significantly the glass transition, melt, and degradation temperatures of the polymeric matrix, but reduces the molecular mobility.

  15. Thermal decomposition of nano-enabled thermoplastics: Possible environmental health and safety implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sotiriou, Georgios A.; Singh, Dilpreet; Zhang, Fang; Chalbot, Marie-Cecile G.; Spielman-Sun, Eleanor; Hoering, Lutz; Kavouras, Ilias G.; Lowry, Gregory V.; Wohlleben, Wendel; Demokritou, Philip

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Nano-enabled products might reach their end-of-life by thermal decomposition. • Thermal decomposition provides two by-products: released aerosol and residual ash. • Is there any nanofiller release in byproducts? • Risk assessment of potential environmental health implications. - Abstract: Nano-enabled products (NEPs) are currently part of our life prompting for detailed investigation of potential nano-release across their life-cycle. Particularly interesting is their end-of-life thermal decomposition scenario. Here, we examine the thermal decomposition of widely used NEPs, namely thermoplastic nanocomposites, and assess the properties of the byproducts (released aerosol and residual ash) and possible environmental health and safety implications. We focus on establishing a fundamental understanding on the effect of thermal decomposition parameters, such as polymer matrix, nanofiller properties, decomposition temperature, on the properties of byproducts using a recently-developed lab-based experimental integrated platform. Our results indicate that thermoplastic polymer matrix strongly influences size and morphology of released aerosol, while there was minimal but detectable nano-release, especially when inorganic nanofillers were used. The chemical composition of the released aerosol was found not to be strongly influenced by the presence of nanofiller at least for the low, industry-relevant loadings assessed here. Furthermore, the morphology and composition of residual ash was found to be strongly influenced by the presence of nanofiller. The findings presented here on thermal decomposition/incineration of NEPs raise important questions and concerns regarding the potential fate and transport of released engineered nanomaterials in environmental media and potential environmental health and safety implications.

  16. Thermal decomposition of nano-enabled thermoplastics: Possible environmental health and safety implications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sotiriou, Georgios A.; Singh, Dilpreet; Zhang, Fang [Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Chalbot, Marie-Cecile G. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Spielman-Sun, Eleanor [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Hoering, Lutz [BASF SE, Material Physics, 67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany); Kavouras, Ilias G. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Lowry, Gregory V. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Wohlleben, Wendel [Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115 (United States); BASF SE, Material Physics, 67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany); Demokritou, Philip, E-mail: pdemokri@hsph.harvard.edu [Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115 (United States)

    2016-03-15

    Highlights: • Nano-enabled products might reach their end-of-life by thermal decomposition. • Thermal decomposition provides two by-products: released aerosol and residual ash. • Is there any nanofiller release in byproducts? • Risk assessment of potential environmental health implications. - Abstract: Nano-enabled products (NEPs) are currently part of our life prompting for detailed investigation of potential nano-release across their life-cycle. Particularly interesting is their end-of-life thermal decomposition scenario. Here, we examine the thermal decomposition of widely used NEPs, namely thermoplastic nanocomposites, and assess the properties of the byproducts (released aerosol and residual ash) and possible environmental health and safety implications. We focus on establishing a fundamental understanding on the effect of thermal decomposition parameters, such as polymer matrix, nanofiller properties, decomposition temperature, on the properties of byproducts using a recently-developed lab-based experimental integrated platform. Our results indicate that thermoplastic polymer matrix strongly influences size and morphology of released aerosol, while there was minimal but detectable nano-release, especially when inorganic nanofillers were used. The chemical composition of the released aerosol was found not to be strongly influenced by the presence of nanofiller at least for the low, industry-relevant loadings assessed here. Furthermore, the morphology and composition of residual ash was found to be strongly influenced by the presence of nanofiller. The findings presented here on thermal decomposition/incineration of NEPs raise important questions and concerns regarding the potential fate and transport of released engineered nanomaterials in environmental media and potential environmental health and safety implications.

  17. Investigation of a thermoplastic-powder metallurgy process for the fabrication of porous niobium rods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nordin, D.R.

    1978-06-01

    The feasibility of using a thermoplastic-powder metallurgy technique for the fabrication of porous niobium rods was investigated. Some early problems were overcome to successfully extrude the polymer coated niobium powder into long lengths. The effects of certain process variables were investigated. Residual porosity and extrusion pressure were found to be regulated by the polymer fraction. The procedures for taking the extruded polystyrene--niobium rods through the heat treatments to the final, tin infiltrated stage are explained

  18. CT-guided thermoplastic assisted segmentectomy is an optimal breast conserving surgery for breast cancer with nipple discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makita, Masujiro; Gomi, Naoya; Tachikawa, Tomohiro

    2004-01-01

    Improvement of imaging by injecting contrast agents into the discharging duct and immobilizing the breast mound with a drape-type thermoplastic shell in breast conserving surgery was assessed by evaluating 96 cases of breast cancer patients with nipple discharge treated by partial mastectomy between April 1998 and August 2003. These patients were divided to three groups: Group A was treated by ordinary partial mastectomy or microdochectomy without new methods. Group B underwent contrast imaging without shell immobilization, and Group C received both shell immobilization and contrast imaging. The negative rates of surgical margins in Groups A, B and C were 19.0%, 17.2%, and 37.5%, respectively. The rates of negative ''lateral'' surgical margins in Groups A, B and C were 23.8%, 27.6%, and 50%, respectively. The rate of negative ''lateral'' surgical margins in Group C was significantly higher than that in Group A. Our findings suggest CT-guided thermoplastic assisted segmentectomy, adopting both ductography CT and immobilization by shell, is an optimal breast conserving surgery for breast cancer with nipple discharge. (author)

  19. Poly(CL/DLLA-b-CL multiblock copolymers as biodegradable thermoplastic elastomers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Lactic acid and ∑-caprolactone based polymers and their derivates are widely used in biomedical applications. Different properties are introduced by modifying the composition. In this study, poly(ε-caprolactone/D,L-lactide-b-poly(ε-caprolactone multiblock copolymers were synthesized as poly(ester-urethanes (PEUs by polymerizing in two steps involving ring-opening polymerization of precursors and by diisocyanate linking of precursors to produce thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs. The precursors and products were characterized by SEC, 1H-NMR and DSC, and dynamic mechanical study (by dynamic mechanical analysis, DMA as well as morphological characterization (by transmission electron microscopy, TEM of the product TPEs was carried out. Tensile and creep recovery properties of them were also studied. According to the characterizations, all the polymerizations were successful, and the prepared TPEs showed clear elastic behavior. In the DMA scans, rubbery plateau in the storage modulus curves between Tg and terminal flow region was clearly detectable indicating elasticity. The TEM images demonstrated phase separation of amorphous and crystalline blocks when the degree of crystallinity of the hard blocks was high enough. The elongations of TPEs varied between 800–1800%, while the modulus was 7–66 MPa. Two different types of recovery tests indicated the creep properties of TPEs to be highly dependent on the degree of crystallinity.

  20. Microstructure and thermomechanical properties relationship of segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frick, Achim; Borm, Michael; Kaoud, Nouran; Kolodziej, Jan; Neudeck, Jens

    2014-05-01

    Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) are important polymeric materials for seals. In competition with Acrylonitrile butadiene rubbers (NBR), TPU exhibits higher strength and a considerable better abrasion resistance. The advantage of NBR over TPU is a smaller compression set but however TPU excels in its much shorter processing cycle times. Generally a TPU is a block copolymer composed of hard and soft segments, which plays an important role in determining the material properties. TPU can be processed either to ready moulded parts or can be incorporated by multi component moulding, in both cases it shows decent mechanical properties. In the present work, the relationship between melt-process induced TPU morphology and resultant thermo mechanical properties were examined and determined by means of quasi-static tensile test, creep experiment, tension test and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). Scanning electron beam microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were used to study the morphology of the samples. A significant mathematical description of the stress-strain behaviour of TPU was found using a 3 term approach. Moreover it became evident that processing conditions such as processing temperature have crucial influence on morphology as well as short and long-term performance. To be more precise, samples processed at higher temperatures showed a lack of large hard segment agglomerates, a smaller strength for strains up to 250% and higher creep compliance.

  1. Microstructure and thermomechanical properties relationship of segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frick, Achim; Borm, Michael; Kaoud, Nouran; Kolodziej, Jan; Neudeck, Jens

    2014-01-01

    Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) are important polymeric materials for seals. In competition with Acrylonitrile butadiene rubbers (NBR), TPU exhibits higher strength and a considerable better abrasion resistance. The advantage of NBR over TPU is a smaller compression set but however TPU excels in its much shorter processing cycle times. Generally a TPU is a block copolymer composed of hard and soft segments, which plays an important role in determining the material properties. TPU can be processed either to ready moulded parts or can be incorporated by multi component moulding, in both cases it shows decent mechanical properties. In the present work, the relationship between melt-process induced TPU morphology and resultant thermo mechanical properties were examined and determined by means of quasi-static tensile test, creep experiment, tension test and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). Scanning electron beam microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were used to study the morphology of the samples. A significant mathematical description of the stress-strain behaviour of TPU was found using a 3 term approach. Moreover it became evident that processing conditions such as processing temperature have crucial influence on morphology as well as short and long-term performance. To be more precise, samples processed at higher temperatures showed a lack of large hard segment agglomerates, a smaller strength for strains up to 250% and higher creep compliance

  2. Thermal and mechanical properties of selected 3D printed thermoplastics in the cryogenic temperature regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, K-P; Bagrets, N; Lange, C; Goldacker, W; Wohlgemuth, J

    2015-01-01

    Insulating materials for use in cryogenic boundary conditions are still limited to a proved selection as Polyamid, Glasfiber reinforced resins, PEEK, Vespel etc. These materials are usually formed to parts by mechanical machining or sometimes by cast methods. Shaping complex geometries in one piece is limited. Innovative 3D printing is now an upcoming revolutionary technology to construct functional parts from a couple of thermoplastic materials as ABS, Nylon and others which possess quite good mechanical stability and allow realizing very complex shapes with very subtle details. Even a wide range of material mixtures is an option and thermal treatments can be used to finish the material structure for higher performance. The use of such materials in cryogenic environment is very attractive but so far poor experience exists. In this paper, first investigations of the thermal conductivity, expansion and mechanical strength are presented for a few selected commercial 3D material samples to evaluate their application prospects in the cryogenic temperature regime. (paper)

  3. Mathematical modeling of the in-mold coating process for injection-molded thermoplastic parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xu

    In-Mold Coating (IMC) has been successfully used for many years for exterior body panels made from compression molded Sheet Molding Compound (SMC). The coating material is a single component reactive fluid, designed to improve the surface quality of SMC moldings in terms of functional and cosmetic properties. When injected onto a cured SMC part, IMC cures and bonds to provide a pain-like surface. Because of its distinct advantages, IMC is being considered for application to injection molded thermoplastic parts. For a successful in mold coating operation, there are two key issues related to the flow of the coating. First, the injection nozzle should be located such that the thermoplastic substrate is totally covered and the potential for air trapping is minimized. The selected location should be cosmetically acceptable since it most likely will leave a mark on the coated surface. The nozzle location also needs to be accessible for easy of maintenance. Secondly, the hydraulic force generated by the coating injection pressure should not exceed the available clamping tonnage. If the clamping force is exceeded, coating leakage will occur. In this study, mathematical models for IMC flow on the compressible thermoplastic substrate have been developed. Finite Difference Method (FDM) is first used to solve the 1 dimensional (1D) IMC flow problem. In order to investigate the application of Control Volume based Finite Element Method (CV/FEM) to more complicated two dimensional IMC flow, that method is first evaluated by solving the 1D IMC flow problem. An analytical solution, which can be obtained when a linear relationship between the coating thickness and coating injection pressure is assumed, is used to verify the numerical results. The mathematical models for the 2 dimensional (2D) IMC flow are based on the generalized Hele-Shaw approximation. It has been found experimentally that the power law viscosity model adequately predicts the rheological behavior of the coating

  4. Influence of carbon nanotubes on the properties of epoxy based composites reinforced with a semicrystalline thermoplastic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díez-Pascual, A.; Shuttleworth, P.; Gónzalez-Castillo, E.; Marco, C.; Gómez-Fatou, M.; Ellis, G.

    2014-08-01

    Novel ternary nanocomposites based on a thermoset (TS) system composed of triglycidyl p-aminophenol (TGAP) epoxy resin and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) curing agent incorporating 5 wt% of a semicrystalline thermoplastic (TP), an ethylene/1-octene copolymer, and 0.5 or 1.0 wt% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been prepared via physical blending and curing. The influence of the TP and the MWCNTs on the curing process, morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of the hybrid nanocomposites has been analyzed. Different morphologies evolved depending on the CNT content: the material with 0.5 wt% MWCNTs showed a matrix-dispersed droplet-like morphology with well-dispersed nanofiller that selectively located at the TS/TP interphase, while that with 1.0 wt% MWCNTs exhibited coarse dendritic TP areas containing agglomerated MWCNTs. Although the cure reaction was accelerated in its early stage by the nanofillers, curing occurred at a lower rate since these obstructed chain crosslinking. The nanocomposite with lower nanotube content displayed two crystallization peaks at lower temperature than that of pure TP, while a single peak appearing at similar temperature to that of TP was observed for the blend with higher nanotube loading. The highest thermal stability was found for TS/TP (5.0 wt%)/MWCNTs (0.5 wt%), due to a synergistic barrier effect of both TP and the nanofiller. Moreover, this nanocomposite displayed the best mechanical properties, with an optimal combination of stiffness, strength and toughness. However, poorer performance was found for TS/TP (5.0 wt%)/MWCNTs (1.0 wt%) due to the less effective reinforcement of the agglomerated nanotubes and the coalescence of the TP particles into large areas. Therefore, finely tuned morphologies and properties can be obtained by adjusting the nanotube content in the TS/TP blends, leading to high-performance hybrid nanocomposites suitable for structural and high-temperature applications.

  5. Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomer Nanocomposites: Morphology, Thermophysical, and Flammability Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wai K. Ho

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Novel materials based on nanotechnology creating nontraditional ablators are rapidly changing the technology base for thermal protection systems. Formulations with the addition of nanoclays and carbon nanofibers in a neat thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU were melt-compounded using twin-screw extrusion. The TPU nanocomposites (TPUNs are proposed to replace Kevlar-filled ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer rubber, the current state-of-the-art solid rocket motor internal insulation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was conducted to study the char characteristics of the TPUNs at elevated temperatures. Specimens were examined to analyze the morphological microstructure during the pyrolysis reaction and in fully charred states. Thermophysical properties of density, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity of the different TPUN compositions were determined. To identify dual usage of these novel materials, cone calorimetry was employed to study the flammability properties of these TPUNs.

  6. Using a magnetite/thermoplastic composite in 3D printing of direct replacements for commercially available flow sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leigh, S J; Purssell, C P; Billson, D R; Hutchins, D A

    2014-01-01

    Flow sensing is an essential technique required for a wide range of application environments ranging from liquid dispensing to utility monitoring. A number of different methodologies and deployment strategies have been devised to cover the diverse range of potential application areas. The ability to easily create new bespoke sensors for new applications is therefore of natural interest. Fused deposition modelling is a 3D printing technology based upon the fabrication of 3D structures in a layer-by-layer fashion using extruded strands of molten thermoplastic. The technology was developed in the late 1980s but has only recently come to more wide-scale attention outside of specialist applications and rapid prototyping due to the advent of low-cost 3D printing platforms such as the RepRap. Due to the relatively low-cost of the printers and feedstock materials, these printers are ideal candidates for wide-scale installation as localized manufacturing platforms to quickly produce replacement parts when components fail. One of the current limitations with the technology is the availability of functional printing materials to facilitate production of complex functional 3D objects and devices beyond mere concept prototypes. This paper presents the formulation of a simple magnetite nanoparticle-loaded thermoplastic composite and its incorporation into a 3D printed flow-sensor in order to mimic the function of a commercially available flow-sensing device. Using the multi-material printing capability of the 3D printer allows a much smaller amount of functional material to be used in comparison to the commercial flow sensor by only placing the material where it is specifically required. Analysis of the printed sensor also revealed a much more linear response to increasing flow rate of water showing that 3D printed devices have the potential to at least perform as well as a conventionally produced sensor. (paper)

  7. Melt-Flow Behaviours of Thermoplastic Materials under Fire Conditions: Recent Experimental Studies and Some Theoretical Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Joseph

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric materials often exhibit complex combustion behaviours encompassing several stages and involving solid phase, gas phase and interphase. A wide range of qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative testing techniques are currently available, both at the laboratory scale and for commercial purposes, for evaluating the decomposition and combustion behaviours of polymeric materials. They include, but are not limited to, techniques such as: thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA, oxygen bomb calorimetry, limiting oxygen index measurements (LOI, Underwriters Laboratory 94 (UL-94 tests, cone calorimetry, etc. However, none of the above mentioned techniques are capable of quantitatively deciphering the underpinning physiochemical processes leading to the melt flow behaviour of thermoplastics. Melt-flow of polymeric materials can constitute a serious secondary hazard in fire scenarios, for example, if they are present as component parts of a ceiling in an enclosure. In recent years, more quantitative attempts to measure the mass loss and melt-drip behaviour of some commercially important chain- and step-growth polymers have been accomplished. The present article focuses, primarily, on the experimental and some theoretical aspects of melt-flow behaviours of thermoplastics under heat/fire conditions.

  8. Melt-Flow Behaviours of Thermoplastic Materials under Fire Conditions: Recent Experimental Studies and Some Theoretical Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Paul; Tretsiakova-McNally, Svetlana

    2015-12-15

    Polymeric materials often exhibit complex combustion behaviours encompassing several stages and involving solid phase, gas phase and interphase. A wide range of qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative testing techniques are currently available, both at the laboratory scale and for commercial purposes, for evaluating the decomposition and combustion behaviours of polymeric materials. They include, but are not limited to, techniques such as: thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), oxygen bomb calorimetry, limiting oxygen index measurements (LOI), Underwriters Laboratory 94 (UL-94) tests, cone calorimetry, etc. However, none of the above mentioned techniques are capable of quantitatively deciphering the underpinning physiochemical processes leading to the melt flow behaviour of thermoplastics. Melt-flow of polymeric materials can constitute a serious secondary hazard in fire scenarios, for example, if they are present as component parts of a ceiling in an enclosure. In recent years, more quantitative attempts to measure the mass loss and melt-drip behaviour of some commercially important chain- and step-growth polymers have been accomplished. The present article focuses, primarily, on the experimental and some theoretical aspects of melt-flow behaviours of thermoplastics under heat/fire conditions.

  9. Correlation between thermal, optical and morphological properties of heterogeneous blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and thermoplastic polyurethane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    PatrIcio, PatrIcia S O; Calado, Hallen D R; Oliveira, Flavio A C de; Righi, Ariete; Neves, Bernardo R A; Silva, Glaura G; Cury, Luiz A

    2006-01-01

    A correlation between thermal, optical and morphological properties of self-sustained films formed from blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), with 1, 10 and 20 wt% of P3HT in TPU, is established. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show the formation of domains of P3HT into the TPU matrix, characterizing the blend material as heterogeneous. The heat capacity (C p ) dependence on P3HT contents was investigated in a large temperature interval. In the region of the TPU glass transition, the difference between the experimental and predicted ΔC p values is more pronounced for the 1 wt% case, which strongly suggests that in this case there is a higher influence of the P3HT chains on the TPU matrix. The SEM images for the 1 wt% blended film present the formation of the smallest P3HT domains in the TPU matrix. The relatively high reduction of the PL intensity of the pure electronic transition peak in the 1 wt% blended film, in comparison to the other blended films and also to a pure P3HT film, favours the assumption that the smallest P3HT domains are at the origin of a more structural disordered character. This fact is in agreement with the results obtained by Raman spectroscopy and also by photoluminescence resolved by polarization in stretched self-sustained films, showing an ample correlation between morphological, thermal and optical properties of these blended materials. In addition, the thermoplastic properties of the polyurethane configure very good conditions for tensile drawing of P3HT and other conjugated polymer molecules

  10. Correlation between thermal, optical and morphological properties of heterogeneous blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and thermoplastic polyurethane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    PatrIcio, PatrIcia S O [Departamento de QuImica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Calado, Hallen D R [Departamento de QuImica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Oliveira, Flavio A C de [Departamento de Fisica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Righi, Ariete [Departamento de Fisica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Neves, Bernardo R A [Departamento de Fisica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Silva, Glaura G [Departamento de QuImica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil); Cury, Luiz A [Departamento de Fisica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 702, 30123-970, Belo Horizonte MG (Brazil)

    2006-08-16

    A correlation between thermal, optical and morphological properties of self-sustained films formed from blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), with 1, 10 and 20 wt% of P3HT in TPU, is established. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show the formation of domains of P3HT into the TPU matrix, characterizing the blend material as heterogeneous. The heat capacity (C{sub p}) dependence on P3HT contents was investigated in a large temperature interval. In the region of the TPU glass transition, the difference between the experimental and predicted {delta}C{sub p} values is more pronounced for the 1 wt% case, which strongly suggests that in this case there is a higher influence of the P3HT chains on the TPU matrix. The SEM images for the 1 wt% blended film present the formation of the smallest P3HT domains in the TPU matrix. The relatively high reduction of the PL intensity of the pure electronic transition peak in the 1 wt% blended film, in comparison to the other blended films and also to a pure P3HT film, favours the assumption that the smallest P3HT domains are at the origin of a more structural disordered character. This fact is in agreement with the results obtained by Raman spectroscopy and also by photoluminescence resolved by polarization in stretched self-sustained films, showing an ample correlation between morphological, thermal and optical properties of these blended materials. In addition, the thermoplastic properties of the polyurethane configure very good conditions for tensile drawing of P3HT and other conjugated polymer molecules.

  11. Durability-Based Design Criteria for a Quasi-Isotropic Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Automotive Composite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naus, Dan J [ORNL; Corum, James [ORNL; Klett, Lynn B [ORNL; Davenport, Mike [ORNL; Battiste, Rick [ORNL; Simpson, Jr., William A [ORNL

    2006-04-01

    This report provides recommended durability-based design properties and criteria for a quais-isotropic carbon-fiber thermoplastic composite for possible automotive structural applications. The composite consisted of a PolyPhenylene Sulfide (PPS) thermoplastic matrix (Fortron's PPS - Ticona 0214B1 powder) reinforced with 16 plies of carbon-fiber unidirectional tape, [0?/90?/+45?/-45?]2S. The carbon fiber was Hexcel AS-4C and was present in a fiber volume of 53% (60%, by weight). The overall goal of the project, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Freedom Car and Vehicle Technologies and is closely coordinated with the Advanced Composites Consortium, is to develop durability-driven design data and criteria to assure the long-term integrity of carbon-fiber-based composite systems for automotive structural applications. This document is in two parts. Part 1 provides design data and correlations, while Part 2 provides the underlying experimental data and models. The durability issues addressed include the effects of short-time, cyclic, and sustained loadings; temperature; fluid environments; and low-energy impacts (e.g., tool drops and kickups of roadway debris) on deformation, strength, and stiffness. Guidance for design analysis, time-independent and time-dependent allowable stresses, rules for cyclic loadings, and damage-tolerance design guidance are provided.

  12. Accelerated Strength Testing of Thermoplastic Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeder, J. R.; Allen, D. H.; Bradley, W. L.

    1998-01-01

    Constant ramp strength tests on unidirectional thermoplastic composite specimens oriented in the 90 deg. direction were conducted at constant temperatures ranging from 149 C to 232 C. Ramp rates spanning 5 orders of magnitude were tested so that failures occurred in the range from 0.5 sec. to 24 hrs. (0.5 to 100,000 MPa/sec). Below 204 C, time-temperature superposition held allowing strength at longer times to be estimated from strength tests at shorter times but higher temperatures. The data indicated that a 50% drop in strength might be expected for this material when the test time is increased by 9 orders of magnitude. The shift factors derived from compliance data applied well to the strength results. To explain the link between compliance and strength, a viscoelastic fracture model was investigated. The model, which used compliance as input, was found to fit the strength data only if the critical fracture energy was allowed to vary with temperature reduced stress rate. This variation in the critical parameter severely limits its use in developing a robust time-dependent strength model. The significance of this research is therefore seen as providing both the indication that a more versatile acceleration method for strength can be developed and the evidence that such a method is needed.

  13. Thermoplastic starch composites with TiO2 particles: Preparation, morphology, rheology and mechanical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostafińska, A; Mikešová, J; Krejčíková, S; Nevoralová, M; Šturcová, A; Zhigunov, A; Michálková, D; Šlouf, M

    2017-08-01

    Composites of thermoplastic starch (TPS) with titanium dioxide particles (mTiO 2 ; average size 0.1μm) with very homogeneous matrix and well-dispersed filler were prepared by a two-step method, including solution casting (SC) followed by melt mixing (MM). Light and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that only the two-step procedure (SC+MM) resulted in ideally homogeneous TPS/mTiO 2 systems. The composites prepared by single-step MM contained non-plasticized starch granules and the composites prepared by single-step SC suffered from mTiO 2 agglomeration. Dynamic mechanical measurements showed an increase modulus with increasing filler concentration. In TPS containing 3wt.% of mTiO 2 the stiffness was enhanced by >40%. Further experiments revealed that the recommended addition of chitosan or the exchange of mTiO 2 for anisometric titanate nanotubes with high aspect ratio did not improve the properties of the composites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. A comparative evaluation of the marginal adaptation of a thermoplastic resin, a light cured wax and an inlay casting wax on stone dies: An in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalan, Reji P; Nair, Vivek V; Harshakumar, K; Ravichandran, R; Lylajam, S; Viswambaran, Prasanth

    2018-01-01

    Different pattern materials do not produce copings with satisfactory, marginal accuracy when used on stone dies at varying time intervals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the vertical marginal accuracy of patterns formed from three materials, namely, thermoplastic resin, light cured wax and inlay casting wax at three-time intervals of 1, 12, and 24 h. A master die (zirconia abutment mimicking a prepared permanent maxillary central incisor) and metal sleeve (direct metal laser sintering crown #11) were fabricated. A total of 30 stone dies were obtained from the master die. Ten patterns were made each from the three materials and stored off the die at room temperature. The vertical marginal gaps were measured using digital microscope at 1, 12, and 24 h after reseating with gentle finger pressure. The results revealed a significant statistical difference in the marginal adaptation of three materials at all the three-time intervals. Light cured wax was found to be most accurate at all time intervals, followed by thermoplastic resin and inlay casting wax. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between all pairs of materials. The change in vertical marginal gap from 1 to 24 h between thermoplastic resin and light cured wax was not statistically significant. The marginal adaptation of all the three materials used, was well within the acceptable range of 25-70 μm. The resin pattern materials studied revealed significantly less dimensional change than inlay casting wax on storage at 1, 12, and 24 h time intervals. They may be employed in situations where high precision and delayed investing is expected.

  15. Thermoplastic fusion bonding using a pressure-assisted boiling point control system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Taehyun; Song, In-Hyouk; Park, Daniel S; You, Byoung Hee; Murphy, Michael C

    2012-08-21

    A novel thermoplastic fusion bonding method using a pressure-assisted boiling point (PABP) control system was developed to apply precise temperatures and pressures during bonding. Hot embossed polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) components containing microchannels were sealed using the PABP system. Very low aspect ratio structures (AR = 1/100, 10 μm in depth and 1000 μm in width) were successfully sealed without collapse or deformation. The integrity and strength of the bonds on the sealed PMMA devices were evaluated using leakage and rupture tests; no leaks were detected and failure during the rupture tests occurred at pressures greater than 496 kPa. The PABP system was used to seal 3D shaped flexible PMMA devices successfully.

  16. Usefulness of a thermoplastic breast bra for breast cancer radiotherapy. A prospective analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piroth, Marc D.; Holy, Richard [RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Aachen (Germany); HELIOS University Hospital Wuppertal, Witten/Herdecke University, Department of Radiation Oncology, Wuppertal (Germany); Petz, Dalma; Pinkawa, Michael; Eble, Michael J. [RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Aachen (Germany)

    2016-09-15

    Despite modern techniques, in some patients receiving whole breast radiotherapy (WBI) parts of the heart and the lung might receive doses which are nowadays considered relevant for the development of late morbidity. Our aim was to analyze the usefulness of a thermoplastic breast brassiere to reduce lung and heart doses. A total of 29 patients with left-sided and 16 patients with right-sided breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery and WBI between 2012 and 2013 were included in a prospective study analyzing the effectiveness of a thermoplastic breast bra. WBI was performed using 3D tangential fields up to 50.4 Gy. Treatment planning was performed with and without bra. Several dosimetrical parameters were analyzed comparatively focusing on the heart and ipsilateral lung. For heart dose comparisons, subvolumes like the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and a defined apical region, so-called ''apical myocardial territory'' (AMT), were defined. By using the bra, the mean lung dose was reduced by 30.6 % (left-sided cancer) and 29.5 % (right-sided; p < 0.001). The V{sub 20Gy} for the left lung was reduced by 39.5 % (4.9 vs. 8.1 % of volume; p < 0.001). The mean and maximum heart doses were significantly lower (1.6 vs. 2.1 Gy and 30.7 vs. 39.3 Gy; p = 0.01 and p < 0.001), which also applies to the mean and maximum dose for the AMT (2.5 vs. 4.4 Gy and 31.0 vs. 47.2 Gy; p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). The mean and maximum dose for LAD was lower without reaching significance. No acute skin toxicities > grade 2 were observed. By using a thermoplastic breast bra, radiation doses to the heart and especially parts of the heart apex and ipsilateral lung can be significantly lowered without additional skin toxicity. (orig.) [German] Trotz moderner Techniken koennen bei manchen Patientinnen bei der Ganzbrustbestrahlung Areale des Herzens und der Lunge Dosen erhalten, die heute als relevant fuer Spaettoxizitaeten gelten. Ziel war es, den Nutzen eines

  17. Effect of Stabilization on Morphology Polystyrene and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Thermoplastic Foams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mozafar Mokhtari Motameni Shirvan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Microcellular thermoplastic foams can be usually produced in a one-step batch system using a physical foaming agent which is dissolved in a polymer system under specific pressure and temperature, higher than the critical condition of solvent and the glass transition temperature of polymer and solvent mixture. By application of a sudden pressure drop the foam structure is formed through stages of nucleation, growth and coalescence. After pressure drop, if the foam temperature is reduced below the glass transition of the gas-polymer mixture, the cells stop growing which results in a foam with stabilized morphology. This stabilization stage has not been thoroughly focused in previous studies. In this work, polystyrene as a polymer system and supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent were used at 18.5 MPa pressure and different temperatures. The stabilization process took place within milliseconds and helped to a better understanding of cellular structure in thermoplastic foams. In this mechanism, the nucleation takes place in the phase transition of solvent molecules at supercritical state to the gas state and the formation of very small nuclei containing gas molecules between polymer chains. The energy originated from the nuclei growth is in competition with the elastic energy of polymer chains, and the predominance of one type of energy over another determines the final cell size. The results showed that the effect of stabilization process on the structure of the foam depended on the foaming temperature. Stabilization at 110°C resulted in a 50% cell size reduction and a 60% cell density promotion, while at lower temperatures, the stabilization led to greater cell size and reduced cell density.

  18. Influence of tribological additives on friction and impact performance of injection moulded polyacetal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Jens Lolle; Sivebæk, Ion Marius; Christoffersen, L.W.

    2009-01-01

    Tribological additives are used to improve frictional properties of injection moulded thermoplastics. The additives might however also affect the mechanical properties of the material. The influence of processing conditions on both frictional and mechanical properties is highly relevant in the de......Tribological additives are used to improve frictional properties of injection moulded thermoplastics. The additives might however also affect the mechanical properties of the material. The influence of processing conditions on both frictional and mechanical properties is highly relevant...... in the development of tribologically modified grades. In the present study we investigate how two commonly used tribological additives, polydimethylsiloxane and polytetrafluoroethylene, affect friction and impact properties of polyacetal (polyoxymethylene). A new injection mould provides test specimens for both...

  19. Water Susceptibility and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Starch–Pectin Blends Reactively Extruded with Edible Citric Acid

    OpenAIRE

    Da Róz,Alessandra Luzia; Veiga-Santos,Pricila; Ferreira,Adriane Medeiros; Antunes,Thaís Cristina Ribeiro; Leite,Fabio de Lima; Yamaji,Fabio Minoru; Carvalho,Antonio José Felix de

    2016-01-01

    Pectin and starch are edible, non-toxic, biodegradable and obtained from renewable sources. Also, have the benefit to be easily cross-linked producing hydrogels. Reactive extrusion with edible citric acid and cross linking interactions was evaluated on extruded thermoplastic in natura and cationic starch-pectin blends. Materials water susceptibility and mechanical properties were characterised. Reactive extrusion decreased (up to 75% in natura starch) mechanical properties. Also have decrease...

  20. Microcellular injection molding process for producing lightweight thermoplastic polyurethane with customizable properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellingham, Thomas; Kharbas, Hrishikesh; Manitiu, Mihai; Scholz, Guenter; Turng, Lih-Sheng

    2018-03-01

    A three-stage molding process involving microcellular injection molding with core retraction and an "out-of-mold" expansion was developed to manufacture thermoplastic polyurethane into lightweight foams of varying local densities, microstructures, and mechanical properties in the same microcellular injection molded part. Two stages of cavity expansion through sequential core retractions and a third expansion in a separate mold at an elevated temperature were carried out. The densities varied from 0.25 to 0.42 g/cm3 (77% to 62% weight reduction). The mechanical properties varied as well. Cyclic compressive strengths and hysteresis loss ratios, together with the microstructures, were characterized and reported.

  1. New X-ray refractometry for nondestructive characterization of high performance composites; Charakterisierung von Hochleistungsverbundwerkstoffen mittels Roentgenrefraktion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harbich, K W; Hentschel, M P [Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung, Berlin (Germany). Labor 6.22 ` ` Zerstoerungsfreie Charakterisierung von Materialstrukturen` `

    1994-12-01

    Facing the basic relevance of single fibre bonding for the mechanical properties of composites relating testing methods are requested. These have not yet been satisfactory. A new nondestructive method provides a fast and precise tool to determine the fraction of debonded fibres by refraction of X-rays at the interface of fibres in composites. The systematic analysis of thinwalled unidirectional tapes of carbon fibres in thermoplastics results in specific characteristics of different lots. These were successfully exploited for the improvement of the processing parameters. The new method is selective for fibre orientation. The detection of specific defects in composites of orthogonal fibre orientation is performed by X-ray refraction topography. First investigations reveal clearly the detectibility and identification of impact damages and paper inserts. (orig.)

  2. Hemocompatibility of Inorganic Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD Coatings on Thermoplastic Polyurethane Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Heim

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Biocompatibility improvements for blood contacting materials are of increasing interest for implanted devices and interventional tools. The current study focuses on inorganic (titanium, titanium nitride, titanium oxide as well as diamond-like carbon (DLC coating materials on polymer surfaces (thermoplastic polyurethane, deposited by magnetron sputtering und pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. DLC was used pure (a-C:H as well as doped with silicon, titanium, and nitrogen + titanium (a-C:H:Si, a-C:H:Ti, a-C:H:N:Ti. In-vitro testing of the hemocompatibility requires mandatory dynamic test conditions to simulate in-vivo conditions, e.g., realized by a cone-and-plate analyzer. In such tests, titanium- and nitrogen-doped DLC and titanium nitride were found to be optimally anti-thrombotic and better than state-of-the-art polyurethane polymers. This is mainly due to the low tendency to platelet microparticle formation, a high content of remaining platelets in the whole blood after testing and low concentration of platelet activation and aggregation markers. Comparing this result to shear-flow induced cell motility tests with e.g., Dictostelium discoideum cell model organism reveals similar tendencies for the investigated materials.

  3. Hemocompatibility of Inorganic Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Coatings on Thermoplastic Polyurethane Polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lackner, Juergen M; Waldhauser, Wolfgang; Hartmann, Paul; Bruckert, Franz; Weidenhaupt, Marianne; Major, Roman; Sanak, Marek; Wiesinger, Martin; Heim, Daniel

    2012-04-17

    Biocompatibility improvements for blood contacting materials are of increasing interest for implanted devices and interventional tools. The current study focuses on inorganic (titanium, titanium nitride, titanium oxide) as well as diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating materials on polymer surfaces (thermoplastic polyurethane), deposited by magnetron sputtering und pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. DLC was used pure (a-C:H) as well as doped with silicon, titanium, and nitrogen + titanium (a-C:H:Si, a-C:H:Ti, a-C:H:N:Ti). In-vitro testing of the hemocompatibility requires mandatory dynamic test conditions to simulate in-vivo conditions, e.g., realized by a cone-and-plate analyzer. In such tests, titanium- and nitrogen-doped DLC and titanium nitride were found to be optimally anti-thrombotic and better than state-of-the-art polyurethane polymers. This is mainly due to the low tendency to platelet microparticle formation, a high content of remaining platelets in the whole blood after testing and low concentration of platelet activation and aggregation markers. Comparing this result to shear-flow induced cell motility tests with e.g., Dictostelium discoideum cell model organism reveals similar tendencies for the investigated materials.

  4. Sigma Level Verification of a Thermoplastic Industry with the Support of DMAIC Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    de Queiroz Santos Antonio Carlos

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the sigma level of the production process of a thermoplastics industry with the implementation of DMAIC approach. To achieve this purpose it was conducted interviews to know the production system, analysing the non-conformities in the produced forks. It was found that the industry has a sigma level that is the reality of industries in general, however, this level still does not equal to what is presented by large industries. The paper contributed to the improvement of industrial quality control, and the proposed method it is being evaluated so that other improvements can be implemented.

  5. Clinical validation of a nanodiamond-embedded thermoplastic biomaterial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Dong-Keun; Kee, Theodore; Liang, Zhangrui; Hsiou, Desiree; Miya, Darron; Wu, Brian; Osawa, Eiji; Chow, Edward Kai-Hua; Sung, Eric C; Kang, Mo K; Ho, Dean

    2017-11-07

    Detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) are promising drug delivery and imaging agents due to their uniquely faceted surfaces with diverse chemical groups, electrostatic properties, and biocompatibility. Based on the potential to harness ND properties to clinically address a broad range of disease indications, this work reports the in-human administration of NDs through the development of ND-embedded gutta percha (NDGP), a thermoplastic biomaterial that addresses reinfection and bone loss following root canal therapy (RCT). RCT served as the first clinical indication for NDs since the procedure sites involved nearby circulation, localized administration, and image-guided treatment progress monitoring, which are analogous to many clinical indications. This randomized, single-blind interventional treatment study evaluated NDGP equivalence with unmodified GP. This progress report assessed one control-arm and three treatment-arm patients. At 3-mo and 6-mo follow-up appointments, no adverse events were observed, and lesion healing was confirmed in the NDGP-treated patients. Therefore, this study is a foundation for the continued clinical translation of NDs and other nanomaterials for a broad spectrum of applications. Published under the PNAS license.

  6. Reduction of Noise from Disc Brake Systems Using Composite Friction Materials Containing Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoomi, Mohsen; Katbab, Ali Asghar; Nazockdast, Hossein

    2006-09-01

    Attempts have been made for the first time to prepare a friction material with the characteristic of thermal sensitive modulus, by the inclusion of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) as viscoelastic polymeric materials into the formulation in order to the increase the damping behavior of the cured friction material. Styrene butadiene styrene (SBS), styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) and nitrile rubber/polyvinyl chloride (NBR/PVC) blend system were used as TPE materials. In order to evaluate the viscoelastic parameters such as loss factor (tan δ) and storage modulus (E‧) for the friction material, dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) were used. Natural frequencies and mode shapes of friction material and brake disc were determined by modal analysis. However, NBR/PVC and SEBS were found to be much more effective in damping behavior. The results from this comparative study suggest that the damping characteristics of commercial friction materials can be strongly affected by the TPE ingredients. This investigation also confirmed that the specimens with high TPE content had low noise propensity.

  7. Continuous welding of unidirectional fiber reinforced thermoplastic tape material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schledjewski, Ralf

    2017-10-01

    Continuous welding techniques like thermoplastic tape placement with in situ consolidation offer several advantages over traditional manufacturing processes like autoclave consolidation, thermoforming, etc. However, still there is a need to solve several important processing issues before it becomes a viable economic process. Intensive process analysis and optimization has been carried out in the past through experimental investigation, model definition and simulation development. Today process simulation is capable to predict resulting consolidation quality. Effects of material imperfections or process parameter variations are well known. But using this knowledge to control the process based on online process monitoring and according adaption of the process parameters is still challenging. Solving inverse problems and using methods for automated code generation allowing fast implementation of algorithms on targets are required. The paper explains the placement technique in general. Process-material-property-relationships and typical material imperfections are described. Furthermore, online monitoring techniques and how to use them for a model based process control system are presented.

  8. Starch and cellulose nanocrystals together into thermoplastic starch bionanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Kizkitza; Retegi, Aloña; González, Alba; Eceiza, Arantxa; Gabilondo, Nagore

    2015-03-06

    In the present work, thermoplastic maize starch based bionanocomposites were prepared as transparent films, plasticized with 35% of glycerol and reinforced with both waxy starch (WSNC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), previously extracted by acidic hydrolysis. The influence of the nanofiller content was evaluated at 1 wt.%, 2.5 wt.% and 5 wt.% of WSNC. The effect of adding the two different nanoparticles at 1 wt.% was also investigated. As determined by tensile measurements, mechanical properties were improved at any composition of WSNC. Water vapour permeance values maintained constant, whereas barrier properties to oxygen reduced in a 70%, indicating the effectiveness of hydrogen bonding at the interphase. The use of CNC or CNC and WSNC upgraded mechanical results, but no significant differences in barrier properties were obtained. A homogeneous distribution of the nanofillers was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy, and a shift of the two relaxation peaks to higher temperatures was detected by dynamic mechanical analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Comparison of setup deviations for two thermoplastic immobilization masks in glottis cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jung, Jae Hong [Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    The purpose of this study was compare to the patient setup deviation of two different type thermoplastic immobilization masks for glottis cancer in the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). A total of 16 glottis cancer cases were divided into two groups based on applied mask type: standard or alternative group. The mean error (M), three-dimensional setup displacement error (3D-error), systematic error (Σ), random error (σ) were calculated for each group, and also analyzed setup margin (mm). The 3D-errors were 5.2 ± 1.3 mm and 5.9 ± 0.7 mm for the standard and alternative groups, respectively; the alternative group was 13.6% higher than the standard group. The systematic errors in the roll angle and the x, y, z directions were 0.8°, 1.7 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.5 mm in the alternative group and 0.8°, 1.1 mm, 1.8 mm, and 2.0 mm in the alternative group. The random errors in the x, y, z directions were 10.9%, 1.7%, and 23.1% lower in the alternative group than in the standard group. However, absolute rotational angle (i.e., roll) in the alternative group was 12.4% higher than in the standard group. For calculated setup margin, the alternative group in x direction was 31.8% lower than in standard group. In contrast, the y and z direction were 52.6% and 21.6% higher than in the standard group. Although using a modified thermoplastic immobilization mask could be affect patient setup deviation in terms of numerical results, various point of view for an immobilization masks has need to research in terms of clinic issue.

  10. A new approach in compatibilization of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch (PLA/TPS) blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akrami, Marzieh; Ghasemi, Ismaeil; Azizi, Hamed; Karrabi, Mohammad; Seyedabadi, Mohammad

    2016-06-25

    In this study, a new compatibilizer was synthesized to improve the compatibility of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch blends. The compatibilizer was based on maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene glycol grafted starch (mPEG-g-St), and was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and back titration techniques. The results indicated successful accomplishment of the designed reactions and formation of a starch cored structure with many connections to m-PEG chains. To assess the performance of synthesized compatibilizer, several PLA/TPS blends were prepared using an internal mixer. Consequently, their morphology, dynamic-mechanical behavior, crystallization and mechanical properties were studied. The compatibilizer enhanced interfacial adhesion, possibly due to interaction between free end carboxylic acid groups of compatibilizer and active groups of TPS and PLA phases. In addition, biodegradability of the samples was evaluated by various methods consisting of weight loss, FTIR-ATR analysis and morphology. The results revealed no considerable effect of compatibilizer on biodegradability of samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A constitutive model for AS4/PEEK thermoplastic composites under cyclic loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rui, Yuting; Sun, C. T.

    1990-01-01

    Based on the basic and essential features of the elastic-plastic response of the AS4/PEEK thermoplastic composite subjected to off-axis cyclic loadings, a simple rate-independent constitutive model is proposed to describe the orthotropic material behavior for cyclic loadings. A one-parameter memory surface is introduced to distinguish the virgin deformation and the subsequent deformation process and to characterize the loading range effect. Cyclic softening is characterized by the change of generalized plastic modulus. By the vanishing yield surface assumption, a yield criterion is not needed and it is not necessary to consider loading and unloading separately. The model is compared with experimental results and good agreement is obtained.

  12. Tailoring the porosity and shrinkage of extruded MgO support tubes for oxygen separation membranes by thermoplastic feedstock development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kothanda Ramachandran, Dhavanesan; Kaiser, Andreas; Glasscock, Julie

    for co-extrusion and co-sintering of a porous Magnesium oxide (MgO) support with a thin film of cerium gadolinium oxide (Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95-δ, CGO) as active oxygen transport membrane layer has been developed using a thermoplastic ceramic system and graphite as pore former. The feedstocks have been...

  13. Development of biomimetic thermoplastic polyurethane/fibroin small-diameter vascular grafts via a novel electrospinning approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Emily; Mi, Hao-Yang; Zhang, Jue; Thomson, James A; Turng, Lih-Sheng

    2018-04-01

    A new electrospinning approach for fabricating vascular grafts with a layered, circumferentially aligned, and micro-wavy fibrous structure similar to natural elastic tissues has been developed. The customized electrospinning collector was able to generate wavy fibers using the dynamic "jump rope" collecting process, which also solved the sample removal problem for mandrel-type collectors. In this study, natural silk fibroin and synthetic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were combined at different weight ratios to produce hybrid small-diameter vascular grafts. The purpose of combining these two materials was to leverage the bioactivity and tunable mechanical properties of these natural and synthetic materials. Results showed that the electrospun fiber morphology was highly influenced by the material compositions and solvents employed. All of the TPU/fibroin hybrid grafts had mechanical properties comparable to natural blood vessels. The circumferentially aligned and wavy biomimetic configuration provided the grafts with a sufficient toe region and the capacity for long-term usage under repeated dilatation and contraction. Cell culture tests with human endothelial cells (EC) also revealed high cell viability and good biocompatibility for these grafts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 985-996, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Flexible and Lightweight Pressure Sensor Based on Carbon Nanotube/Thermoplastic Polyurethane-Aligned Conductive Foam with Superior Compressibility and Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Wenju; Dai, Kun; Zhai, Yue; Liu, Hu; Zhan, Pengfei; Gao, Jiachen; Zheng, Guoqiang; Liu, Chuntai; Shen, Changyu

    2017-12-06

    Flexible and lightweight carbon nanotube (CNT)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) conductive foam with a novel aligned porous structure was fabricated. The density of the aligned porous material was as low as 0.123 g·cm -3 . Homogeneous dispersion of CNTs was achieved through the skeleton of the foam, and an ultralow percolation threshold of 0.0023 vol % was obtained. Compared with the disordered foam, mechanical properties of the aligned foam were enhanced and the piezoresistive stability of the flexible foam was improved significantly. The compression strength of the aligned TPU foam increases by 30.7% at the strain of 50%, and the stress of the aligned foam is 22 times that of the disordered foam at the strain of 90%. Importantly, the resistance variation of the aligned foam shows a fascinating linear characteristic under the applied strain until 77%, which would benefit the application of the foam as a desired pressure sensor. During multiple cyclic compression-release measurements, the aligned conductive CNT/TPU foam represents excellent reversibility and reproducibility in terms of resistance. This nice capability benefits from the aligned porous structure composed of ladderlike cells along the orientation direction. Simultaneously, the human motion detections, such as walk, jump, squat, etc. were demonstrated by using our flexible pressure sensor. Because of the lightweight, flexibility, high compressibility, excellent reversibility, and reproducibility of the conductive aligned foam, the present study is capable of providing new insights into the fabrication of a high-performance pressure sensor.

  15. Thermoplastic Micromodel Investigation of Two-Phase Flows in a Fractured Porous Medium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shao-Yiu Hsu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the past few years, micromodels have become a useful tool for visualizing flow phenomena in porous media with pore structures, e.g., the multifluid dynamics in soils or rocks with fractures in natural geomaterials. Micromodels fabricated using glass or silicon substrates incur high material cost; in particular, the microfabrication-facility cost for making a glass or silicon-based micromold is usually high. This may be an obstacle for researchers investigating the two-phase-flow behavior of porous media. A rigid thermoplastic material is a preferable polymer material for microfluidic models because of its high resistance to infiltration and deformation. In this study, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC was selected as the substrate for the micromodel because of its excellent chemical, optical, and mechanical properties. A delicate micromodel with a complex pore geometry that represents a two-dimensional (2D cross-section profile of a fractured rock in a natural oil or groundwater reservoir was developed for two-phase-flow experiments. Using an optical visualization system, we visualized the flow behavior in the micromodel during the processes of imbibition and drainage. The results show that the flow resistance in the main channel (fracture with a large radius was higher than that in the surrounding area with small pore channels when the injection or extraction rates were low. When we increased the flow rates, the extraction efficiency of the water and oil in the mainstream channel (fracture did not increase monotonically because of the complex two-phase-flow dynamics. These findings provide a new mechanism of residual trapping in porous media.

  16. Morphological and mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and its blend with poly(lactic acid)(PLA) using cassava bagasse and starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, Eliangela de M.; Correa, Ana C.; Campos, Adriana de; Marconcini, Jose M.; Mattoso, Luiz H.C.; Curvelo, Antonio A.S.

    2011-01-01

    This study aims the use of an agro waste coming from the industrialization of cassava starch, known as cassava bagasse (BG). This material contains residual starch and cellulose fibers which can be used to obtain thermoplastic starch (TPS) and /or blends reinforced with fibers. In this context, it was prepared a thermoplastic starch with BG (TPSBG) and evaluated the incorporation of 20wt% of it into the biodegradable polymer poly (lactic acid) (PLA), resulting in a blend PLA/TPSBG20. The materials were investigated through morphology (scanning electron microscopy with field emission gun (FEG), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and mechanical behavior (tensile test). Their properties were compared to the blend PLA/TPSI20 in which TPSI is obtained from commercial cassava starch. The results showed that the use of bagasse generates homogenous materials with higher mechanical strength if compared to TPS obtained from commercial cassava starch. The fiber in this residue acted as reinforcement for TPS and PLA/TPS systems. (author)

  17. Fibre reinforced composites '84; Proceedings of the International Conference, University of Liverpool, England, April 3-5, 1984

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1984-01-01

    Among the topics discussed are phenolic resin matrix composites for high temperature and fire-exposure applications, novel resins for fiber-reinforced composite productivity improvement, the use of engineering textiles for mechanical property improvement in composites, the significance of aramid fiber reinforcement in composites, the energy absorption properties of Sheet Metal Compounds (SMCs) under crash conditions, and SMC impact behavior variations with temperature. Also covered are CFRP applications in high performance structures, composite helicopter main rotor blade technology, composite vehicular leaf springs, carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, filament winding development status, the injection processing of fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, civil aircraft composite structure certification, composite radomes, design procedures for short fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, the strength limitations of mechanically fastened lap joints, environmental fatigue and creep in glass-reinforced materials, the effects of moisture on high performance laminates, the environmental behavior of SMC, and corrugated composites.

  18. Dissipation of mechanical work and temperature rise in AS4/PEEK thermoplastic composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgiou, I.; Sun, C. T.

    1990-01-01

    The dissipated mechanical work per cycle of sinusoidal stress in the thermoplastic composite material AS4/PEEK was measured as a function of stress amplitude for fixed frequency and fiber orientation. The experimental result shows that the dissipated work per cycle is proportional to the square of the stress amplitude. Using the concept of the equivalent isotropic material, it is shown that the relaxation modulus satisfies a proportionality condition. Also, the rate of temperature rise due to sinusoidal stresses has been measured as a function of stress amplitude. The result shows that the rate of temperature rise is not proportional to the square of the stress amplitude.

  19. Novel alpha-zirconium phosphonates for the reinforcement of ductile thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furman, Benjamin R.

    2007-12-01

    Ductile thermoplastics are useful additives for providing fracture toughness to brittle thermosetting polymers; however, this toughening is usually accompanied by a significant decrease in elastic modulus. Therefore, alpha-zirconium phosphonates (ZrP) were developed and investigated as reinforcing nano-scale fillers that increase the yield strength and elastic modulus of a polyester thermoplastic without causing a reduction in its ductility. ZrP materials are synthetic layered compounds that are imbued with targeted organic surface functionalities and whose structural development can be carefully controlled in the laboratory. Ether-terminal alkyl ZrP materials were designed and synthesized, using a conventional ZrF62--mediated preparation, with the intent of developing strong dipole-dipole interactions between the layer surfaces and polyester macromolecules. Additionally, a general method for using lamellar lyotropic liquid crystals (LLC's) as supramolecular templates for alkyl ZrP was evaluated, whose products showed promising similarity to the conventionally prepared materials. The LLC-forming characteristics of several organophosphonate preparations were determined, showing improved mesophase stability with mixed amphiphiles and preparation with R4N + counterions. A mixed-surface octyl/methoxyundecyl ZrP was produced and combined with polycaprolactone (PCL) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in concentrations up to 50% (w/w). The mechanical properties of the ZrP/PCL nanocomposite were evaluated by tensile, flexural, and dynamic mechanical testing methods. Nanocomposites containing 5% (w/w) ZrP showed significant increases in tensile yield stress and elastic modulus without suffering any loss of ductility versus the unfilled polymer. Layer delamination from the ZrP tactoids was minimal and did not occur through an intercalative mechanism. Higher ZrP loadings resulted in the agglomeration of tactoids, leading to defect structures and loss of strength and ductility

  20. Covalent Bonding of Thermoplastics to Rubbers for Printable, Reel-to-Reel Processing in Soft Robotics and Microfluidics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Jay M; Perez-Toralla, Karla; Aispuro, Ruby; Morin, Stephen A

    2018-02-01

    The lamination of mechanically stiff structures to elastic materials is prevalent in biological systems and popular in many emerging synthetic systems, such as soft robotics, microfluidics, stretchable electronics, and pop-up assemblies. The disparate mechanical and chemical properties of these materials have made it challenging to develop universal synthetic procedures capable of reliably adhering to these classes of materials together. Herein, a simple and scalable procedure is described that is capable of covalently laminating a variety of commodity ("off-the-shelf") thermoplastic sheets to silicone rubber films. When combined with laser printing, the nonbonding sites can be "printed" onto the thermoplastic sheets, enabling the direct fabrication of microfluidic systems for actuation and liquid handling applications. The versatility of this approach in generating thin, multifunctional laminates is demonstrated through the fabrication of milliscale soft actuators and grippers with hinged articulation and microfluidic channels with built-in optical filtering and pressure-dependent geometries. This method of fabrication offers several advantages, including technical simplicity, process scalability, design versatility, and material diversity. The concepts and strategies presented herein are broadly applicable to the soft robotics, microfluidics, and advanced and additive manufacturing communities where hybrid rubber/plastic structures are prevalent. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Effects of joint alignment and type on mechanical properties of thermoplastic articulated ankle-foot orthosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Fan; Carlton, William; Kapp, Susan

    2011-06-01

    Articulated or hinged ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) allow more range of motion. However, quantitative investigation on articulated AFO is still sparse. The objective of the study was to quantitatively investigate effects of alignment and joint types on mechanical properties of the thermoplastic articulated AFO. Tamarack dorsiflexion assist flexure joints with three durometers (75, 85 and 95) and free motion joint were tested. The AFO joint was aligned with the center of the motor shaft (surrogate ankle joint), 10 mm superior, inferior, anterior and posterior with respect to the motor shaft center. The AFO was passively moved from 20° plantar flexion to 15° dorsiflexion at a speed of 10°/s using a motorized device. Mechanical properties including index of hysteresis, passive resistance torque and quasi-static stiffness (at neutral, 5°, 10° and 15° in plantar flexion) were quantified. Significant effects of joint types and joint alignment on the mechanical properties of an articulated thermoplastic AFO were revealed. Specifically, center alignment showed minimum resistance and stiffness while anterior and posterior alignment showed significantly higher resistance and stiffness. The dorsiflexion assist torques at neutral position ranged from 0.69 ± 0.09 to 1.88 ± 0.10 Nm. Anterior and posterior alignment should be avoided as much as possible. The current study suggested that anterior and posterior alignment be avoided as much as possible in clinical practice due to potential skin irritation and increase in stress around the ankle joint.

  2. Temperature rise due to mechanical energy dissipation in undirectional thermoplastic composites(AS4/PEEK)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgious, I. T.; Sun, C. T.

    1992-01-01

    The history of temperature rise due to internal dissipation of mechanical energy in insulated off-axis uniaxial specimens of the unidirectional thermoplastic composite (AS4/PEEK) has been measured. The experiment reveals that the rate of temperature rise is a polynomial function of stress amplitude: It consists of a quadratic term and a sixth power term. This fact implies that the specific heat of the composite depends on the stretching its microstructure undergoes during deformation. The Einstein theory for specific heat is used to explain the dependence of the specific heat on the stretching of the microstructure.

  3. Mass spectrometric and chemometric studies of thermoplastic properties of coals. 1. Chemometry of conventional, solvent swelling and extraction data of coals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marzec, A.; Czajkowska, S.; Moszynski, J.; Schulten, H.-R. (Polish Academy of Sciences, Gliwice (Poland). Inst. of Coal Chemistry)

    Twenty-seven coals from Carboniferous seams in Poland were studied with the aim to find links between thermoplastic properties and chemical characteristics of the coals. Three sets of data were obtained for all the coals: (1) thermoplastic properties measured using the Gieseler plastometer; (2) yields of pyridine extractables and swelling measurements for pyridine residues; (3) ultimate, proximate, and petrographic analyses. The three data sets were evaluated using chemometric techniques with the purpose of looking for significant correlations between all the data. Temperature of softening is a linear regression of pyridine extractables and hydrogen content in coals as well as of swelling data. Temperatures of maximum fluidity and resolidification are correlated with each other and with oxygen, exinite, and moisture contents of the coals as well as with the swelling data. It has been concluded that temperature of softening is a colligative property and indicates a phase transition resulting in an increase of thermal induced mobility of coal material; the energy demand of the transition is dependent on contents of bulk components of coal system that were specified in this study. Temperatures of maximum fluidity and resolidification appear to have the same chemical background; i.e. the temperatures depend on the content of the same structural units or components. However, the means of chemical characterization of coal material used in this study were not capable of identifying them. Volatile matter and petrographic composition showed rather limited value as predictive means for some (T{sub F(max)} and T{sub R}) and no predictive value for the other thermoplastic properties. 20 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs.

  4. Polyurethane elastomer as a matrix material for short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ümit Tayfun

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Short carbon fibers (CF with different surface sized (epoxy (EP and polyurethane (PU were used as reinforcing agent in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU based composites. Composites containing 5, 10, 15, and 20 weight % sized and desized CFs were prepared by using melt-mixing method. The surface characteristics of CFs were examined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. Tensile testing, shore hardness test, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA and melt flow index (MFI test were performed for determining final composite properties. The dispersion of CFs in TPU matrix was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Tensile strength, Youngs’ modulus and Shore hardness of TPU were enhanced by the addition of sized CFs. About two-fold improvement for tensile strength and ten-fold improvement for Youngs’ modulus were observed with the incorporation of 20 wt% EP-CF and PU-CF in TPU. The storage modulus of PU-CF containing composites was higher than those of TPU and other composites. No remarkable change was observed in MFI value of TPU after CF loadings. Processing conditions in this work was suitable for composite production. Sized CFs exhibited better dispersion with regard to desized CF due to the stronger adhesion of TPU matrix to fiber surface.

  5. Nonlinear analysis of AS4/PEEK thermoplastic composite laminate using a one parameter plasticity model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, C. T.; Yoon, K. J.

    1990-01-01

    A one-parameter plasticity model was shown to adequately describe the orthotropic plastic deformation of AS4/PEEK (APC-2) unidirectional thermoplastic composite. This model was verified further for unidirectional and laminated composite panels with and without a hole. The nonlinear stress-strain relations were measured and compared with those predicted by the finite element analysis using the one-parameter elastic-plastic constitutive model. The results show that the one-parameter orthotropic plasticity model is suitable for the analysis of elastic-plastic deformation of AS4/PEEK composite laminates.

  6. Processing and characterization of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends with chain extenders, thermoplastic elastomer, and/or poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yottha Srithep; Alireza Javadi; Srikanth Pilla; Lih-Sheng Turng; Shaoqin Gong; Craig Clemons; Jun Peng

    2011-01-01

    Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) resin is one of the most widely used thermoplastics, especially in packaging. Because thermal and hydrolytic degradations, recycled PET (RPET) exhibits poor mechanical properties and lacks moldability. The effects of adding elastomeric modifiers, chain extenders (CE), and poly(butylenes adipate-co-terephthalate), PBAT, as a toughener...

  7. High-Temperature Shape Memory Polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoonessi, Mitra; Weiss, Robert A.

    2012-01-01

    physical conformation changes when exposed to an external stimulus, such as a change in temperature. Such materials have a permanent shape, but can be reshaped above a critical temperature and fixed into a temporary shape when cooled under stress to below the critical temperature. When reheated above the critical temperature (Tc, also sometimes called the triggering or switching temperature), the materials revert to the permanent shape. The current innovation involves a chemically treated (sulfonated, carboxylated, phosphonated, or other polar function group), high-temperature, semicrystalline thermoplastic poly(ether ether ketone) (Tg .140 C, Tm = 340 C) mix containing organometallic complexes (Zn++, Li+, or other metal, ammonium, or phosphonium salts), or high-temperature ionic liquids (e.g. hexafluorosilicate salt with 1-propyl-3- methyl imidazolium, Tm = 210 C) to form a network where dipolar or ionic interactions between the polymer and the low-molecular-weight or inorganic compound forms a complex that provides a physical crosslink. Hereafter, these compounds will be referred to as "additives". The polymer is semicrystalline, and the high-melt-point crystals provide a temporary crosslink that acts as a permanent crosslink just so long as the melting temperature is not exceeded. In this example case, the melting point is .340 C, and the shape memory critical temperature is between 150 and 250 C. PEEK is an engineering thermoplastic with a high Young fs modulus, nominally 3.6 GPa. An important aspect of the invention is the control of the PEEK functionalization (in this example, the sulfonation degree), and the thermal properties (i.e. melting point) of the additive, which determines the switching temperature. Because the compound is thermoplastic, it can be formed into the "permanent" shape by conventional plastics processing operations. In addition, the compound may be covalently cross - linked after forming the permanent shape by S-PEEK by applying ionizing

  8. Process for producing a grafted thermoplastic resin having a multiple constituent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watanabe, T; Nomura, T; Higasa, A; Ito, I

    1964-05-15

    A process for producing a thermoplastic graft copolymer having a multiple constituent is provided to obtain a stable, weather-proof resin with high impact strength by irradiating with high energy radiations an aqueous solution composed of: (1) a polymer or copolymer of isobutylene or a mixture thereof, (2) at least one aromatic vinyl monomer, (3) at least one acrylic monomer having no carboxylic radicals, and (4) at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid. The preferable proportions of the abovesaid materials are: (1) 10% to 40%, (2) 25% to 65%, (3) 10% to 45% and (4) 3% to 20%. The resin is suitable for high impact resistant materials for use in vehicles business machines, electric appliances, housing, pipes and the like. The concentration of monomers or polymers in the total emulsified solution may generally be 10% to 80%, but 30% to 60% is preferable. The concentration of the emulsifying agent may be 0.1% to 10%, preferably 1% to 5%. The range of the radiation doses is 1 x 10/sup 4/ to 5 x 10/sup 7/ rad. A dose rate of 1 x 10/sup 3/ to 1 x 10/sup 8/ rad/hr is preferred. The irradiation temperature may be 0/sup 0/ to about 100/sup 0/C, preferably room temperature to 80/sup 0/C. The irradiation time is several minutes to some ten minutes. In one of the examples, a graft copolymer thus produced had the following composition: 27% of isobutylene, 54% of styrene, 13% of acrylonitrile and 6% of maleic acid; and it showed a tensile strength of 293 kg/cm/sup 2/, a hardness of 93R and an impact strength of 0.572 kg.m/cm/sup 2/.

  9. Feasibility of tailoring of press formed thermoplastic composite parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinke, J.

    2018-05-01

    The Tailor Made Blank concept is widely accepted in the production of sheet metal parts. By joining, adding and subtracting materials, and sometimes even applying different alloys, parts can be produced more efficiently by cost and/or weight, and new design options have been discovered. This paper is about the manufacture of press formed parts of Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics and the evaluation whether the Tailoring concept, though adapted to the material behavior of FRTP, can be applied to these composites as well. From research, the first results and ideas are presented. One of the ideas is the multistep forming process, creating parts with thickness variations and combinations of fibre orientations that are usually not feasible using common press forming strategies. Another idea is the blending of different prepreg materials in one component. This might be useful in case of specific details, like for areas of mechanical fastening or to avoid carbon/metal contact, otherwise resulting in severe corrosion. In a brief overview, future perspectives of the potential of the Tailoring concept are presented.

  10. The development of an alternative thermoplastic powder prepregging technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogden, A. L.; Hyer, M. W.; Wilkes, G. L.; Loos, A. C.

    1992-01-01

    An alternative powder prepregging technique is discussed that is based on the deposition of powder onto carbon fibers that have been moistened using an ultrasonic humidifier. The dry fiber tow is initially spread to allow a greater amount of the fiber surface to be exposed to the powder, thus ensuring a significant amount of intimate contact between the fiber and the matrix. Moisture in the form of ultrafine water droplets is then deposited onto the spread fiber tow. The moisture promotes adhesion to the fiber until the powder can be tacked to the fibers by melting. Powdered resin is then sieved onto the fibers and then tacked onto the fibers by quick heating in a convective oven. This study focuses on the production of prepregs and laminates made with LaRC-TPI (thermoplastic polyimide) using this process. Although the process appears to be successful, early evaluation was hampered by poor interfacial adhesion. The adhesion problem, however, seems to be the result of a material system incompatibility, rather than being influenced by the process.

  11. Helium High Pressure Tanks at EADS Space Transportation New Technology with Thermoplastic Liner

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Benedic, Fabien; Leard, Jean-Philippe; Lefloch, Christian

    2005-01-01

    Although EADS ST has been involved in high pressure tanks for 25 years. EADS ST is still developing new technologies and products to provide the best solution in response to the evolution of the market in terms of performances and costs...

  12. Force decay evaluation of thermoplastic and thermoset elastomeric chains: A mechanical design comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoud, Ahmed I; Tsay, T Peter; BeGole, Ellen; Bedran-Russo, Ana K

    2014-11-01

    To compare the following over a period of 8 weeks: (1) force decay between thermoplastic (TP) and thermoset (TS) elastomeric chains; (2) force decay between light (200-g) and heavy (350-g) initial forces; and (3) force decay between direct chains and chain loops (stretched from one pin around the second pin and back to the first pin). TP and TS chains were obtained from American Orthodontics™ (AOTP, AOTS) and ORMCO™ (OrTP, OrTS). Each of the four chain groups was subdivided into four subgroups with 10 specimens per subgroup: (1) direct chains light force, (2) direct chains heavy force, (3) chain loops light force, and (4) chain loops heavy force. The experiment was performed in artificial saliva (pH of 6.75) at 37°C. A significant difference was found between TP and TS chains, with an average mean difference of around 20% more force decay found in the TP chains (P < .001, α  =  .05). There was no significant difference between direct chains and chain loops except in OrTP, in which direct chains showed more force decay. There was also no significant difference in force decay identified when using light vs heavy forces. TS chains decayed less than TP chains, and chain loop retraction was beneficial only when using OrTP chains. Contrary to the interchangeable use of TP and TS chains in the published literature and in clinical practice, this study demonstrates that they perform differently under stress and that a clear distinction should be made between the two.

  13. Blending Novatein{sup ®} thermoplastic protein with PLA for carbon dioxide assisted batch foaming

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walallavita, Anuradha, E-mail: asw15@students.waikato.ac.nz; Verbeek, Casparus J. R., E-mail: jverbeek@waikato.ac.nz; Lay, Mark, E-mail: mclay@waikato.ac.nz [University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240 (New Zealand)

    2016-03-09

    The convenience of polymeric foams has led to their widespread utilisation in everyday life. However, disposal of synthetic petroleum-derived foams has had a detrimental effect on the environment which needs to be addressed. This study uses a clean and sustainable approach to investigate the foaming capability of a blend of two biodegradable polymers, polylactic acid (PLA) and Novatein® Thermoplastic Protein (NTP). PLA, derived from corn starch, can successfully be foamed using a batch technique developed by the Biopolymer Network Ltd. NTP is a patented formulation of bloodmeal and chemical additives which can be extruded and injection moulded similar to other thermoplastics. However, foaming NTP is a new area of study and its interaction with blowing agents in the batch process is entirely unknown. Subcritical and supercritical carbon dioxide have been examined individually in two uniquely designed pressure vessels to foam various compositions of NTP-PLA blends. Foamed material were characterised in terms of expansion ratio, cell size, and cellular morphology in order to study how the composition of NTP-PLA affects foaming with carbon dioxide. It was found that blends with 5 wt. % NTP foamed using subcritical CO{sub 2} expanded up to 11 times due to heterogeneous nucleation. Morphology analysis using scanning electron microscopy showed that foams blown with supercritical CO{sub 2} had a finer cell structure with consistent cell size, whereas, foams blown with subcritical CO{sub 2} ranged in cell size and showed cell wall rupture. Ultimately, this research would contribute to the production of a biodegradable foam material to be used in packaging applications, thereby adding to the application potential of NTP.

  14. Towards Practical Application of Paper based Printed Circuits: Capillarity Effectively Enhances Conductivity of the Thermoplastic Electrically Conductive Adhesives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Haoyi; Chiang, Sum Wai; Lin, Wei; Yang, Cheng; Li, Zhuo; Liu, Jingping; Cui, Xiaoya; Kang, Feiyu; Wong, Ching Ping

    2014-09-01

    Direct printing nanoparticle-based conductive inks onto paper substrates has encountered difficulties e.g. the nanoparticles are prone to penetrate into the pores of the paper and become partially segmented, and the necessary low-temperature-sintering process is harmful to the dimension-stability of paper. Here we prototyped the paper-based circuit substrate in combination with printed thermoplastic electrically conductive adhesives (ECA), which takes the advantage of the capillarity of paper and thus both the conductivity and mechanical robustness of the printed circuitsweredrastically improved without sintering process. For instance, the electrical resistivity of the ECA specimen on a pulp paper (6 × 10-5Ω.cm, with 50 wt% loading of Ag) was only 14% of that on PET film than that on PET film. This improvement has been found directly related to the sizing degree of paper, in agreement with the effective medium approximation simulation results in this work. The thermoplastic nature also enables excellent mechanical strength of the printed ECA to resist repeated folding. Considering the generality of the process and the wide acceptance of ECA technique in the modern electronic packages, this method may find vast applications in e.g. circuit boards, capacitive touch pads, and radio frequency identification antennas, which have been prototyped in the manuscript.

  15. Fibre-reinforced composite structures based on thermoplastic matrices with embedded piezoceramic modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hufenbach, Werner A; Modler, Niels; Winkler, Anja; Ilg, Juergen; Rupitsch, Stefan J

    2014-01-01

    The paper presents recent developments for the integration of piezoceramic modules into fibre-reinforced composite structures based on thermoplastic matrices. An adapted hot pressing technology is conceptualized that allows for material homogeneous integration of the active modules. The main focus of this contribution is on the development of a robust and continuous manufacturing process of such novel active composites as well as on the operational testing of the produced samples. Therefore, selected specimens are manufactured as bending beams and investigated by means of electrical impedance measurements, modal analysis and structural excitation tests. In particular, the functionality of representative specimens is characterized based on frequency as well as spatially resolved deflection measurements. Moreover, the mentioned samples are compared to non-integrated piezoceramic modules and to equivalent passive reinforced composite structures. (paper)

  16. Sequential ultrasonic spot welding of thermoplastic composites : An experimental study on the welding process and the mechanical behaviour of (multi-)spot welded joints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhao, T.

    2018-01-01

    The popularity of thermoplastic composites (TPCs) has been growing steadily in the last decades in the aircraft industry. This is not only because of their excellent material properties, but also owing to their fast and cost-effective manufacturing process. Fusion bonding, or welding, is a typical

  17. Morphological analysis of thermoplastic starch films and montmorillonite (TPS/MMT) using vegetable oils of Brazilian Cerrado as plasticizers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlemmer, Daniela; Sales, Maria Jose A.; Angelica, Romulo S.; Gomes, Ana Cristina M.M.

    2009-01-01

    Biopolymers can be used where petrochemical plastics have applications with short life. The excellent degradation of starch and its low cost make it an alternative for obtaining biodegradable plastics. To obtain thermoplastic starch (TPS) is necessary mechanical shake, high temperature and plasticizers. In this work, TPS were produced using three different vegetable oils from Brazilian's cerrado as plasticizers: buriti, macauba or pequi. Materials are also produced with montmorillonite (MMT). All the materials were analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The starch micrographs revealed irregular delaminate with a predominance of starch and 'holes' for the oils. In nanocomposites the clusters of clay are dispersed without a defined standard. It was understood that the plasticizers and processing completely changed the structure of starch causing a decrease in their crystallinity degree. Almost all nanocomposites presented exfoliate structure, only one presented intercalated structure. (author)

  18. Ceramic-Based 4D Components: Additive Manufacturing (AM) of Ceramic-Based Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) by Thermoplastic 3D Printing (T3DP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheithauer, Uwe; Weingarten, Steven; Johne, Robert; Schwarzer, Eric; Abel, Johannes; Richter, Hans-Jürgen; Moritz, Tassilo; Michaelis, Alexander

    2017-11-28

    In our study, we investigated the additive manufacturing (AM) of ceramic-based functionally graded materials (FGM) by the direct AM technology thermoplastic 3D printing (T3DP). Zirconia components with varying microstructures were additively manufactured by using thermoplastic suspensions with different contents of pore-forming agents (PFA), which were co-sintered defect-free. Different materials were investigated concerning their suitability as PFA for the T3DP process. Diverse zirconia-based suspensions were prepared and used for the AM of single- and multi-material test components. All of the samples were sintered defect-free, and in the end, we could realize a brick wall-like component consisting of dense (<1% porosity) and porous (approx. 5% porosity) zirconia areas to combine different properties in one component. T3DP opens the door to the AM of further ceramic-based 4D components, such as multi-color, multi-material, or especially, multi-functional components.

  19. Effect of jute and kapok fibers on properties of thermoplastic cassava starch composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prachayawarakorn, Jutarat; Chaiwatyothin, Sudarat; Mueangta, Suwat; Hanchana, Areeya

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► TPCS matrix was reinforced by the low (jute) and high (kapok) absorbency cellulosic fibers. ► Water absorption of the TPCS/jute and TPCS/kapok fiber composites decreases. ► Stress and Young’s modulus of the TPCS/jute and TPCS/kapok fiber composites increase. ► Thermal degradation temperature of the TPCS/kapok fiber composite decreases. - Abstract: Since mechanical properties and water uptake of biodegradable thermoplastic cassava starch (TPCS) was still the main disadvantages for many applications. The TPCS matrix was, therefore, reinforced by two types of cellulosic fibers, i.e. jute or kapok fibers; classified as the low and high oil absorbency characteristics, respectively. The TPCS, plasticized by glycerol, was compounded by internal mixer and shaped by compression molding machine. It was found that water absorption of the TPCS/jute fiber and TPCS/kapok fiber composites was clearly reduced by the addition of the cellulosic fibers. Moreover, stress at maximum load and Young’s modulus of the composites increased significantly by the incorporation of both jute and kapok fibers. Thermal degradation temperature, determined from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), of the TPCS matrix increased by the addition of jute fibers; however, thermal degradation temperature decreased by the addition of kapok fibers. Functional group analysis and morphology of the TPCS/jute fiber and TPCS/kapok fiber composites were also examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques

  20. Photochemical Copper Coating on 3D Printed Thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yung, Winco K. C.; Sun, Bo; Huang, Junfeng; Jin, Yingdi; Meng, Zhengong; Choy, Hang Shan; Cai, Zhixiang; Li, Guijun; Ho, Cheuk Lam; Yang, Jinlong; Wong, Wai Yeung

    2016-08-01

    3D printing using thermoplastics has become very popular in recent years, however, it is challenging to provide a metal coating on 3D objects without using specialized and expensive tools. Herein, a novel acrylic paint containing malachite for coating on 3D printed objects is introduced, which can be transformed to copper via one-step laser treatment. The malachite containing pigment can be used as a commercial acrylic paint, which can be brushed onto 3D printed objects. The material properties and photochemical transformation processes have been comprehensively studied. The underlying physics of the photochemical synthesis of copper was characterized using density functional theory calculations. After laser treatment, the surface coating of the 3D printed objects was transformed to copper, which was experimentally characterized by XRD. 3D printed prototypes, including model of the Statue of Liberty covered with a copper surface coating and a robotic hand with copper interconnections, are demonstrated using this painting method. This composite material can provide a novel solution for coating metals on 3D printed objects. The photochemical reduction analysis indicates that the copper rust in malachite form can be remotely and photo-chemically reduced to pure copper with sufficient photon energy.

  1. High performance homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beim, Anne; Vibæk, Kasper Sánchez

    2014-01-01

    Can prefabrication contribute to the development of high performance homes? To answer this question, this chapter defines high performance in more broadly inclusive terms, acknowledging the technical, architectural, social and economic conditions under which energy consumption and production occur....... Consideration of all these factors is a precondition for a truly integrated practice and as this chapter demonstrates, innovative project delivery methods founded on the manufacturing of prefabricated buildings contribute to the production of high performance homes that are cost effective to construct, energy...

  2. Tailoring the mechanical and biodegradable properties of binary blends of biomedical thermoplastic elastomer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ang, Hui Ying; Chan, Jingni; Toong, Daniel; Venkatraman, Subbu S; Chia, Sing Joo; Huang, Ying Ying

    2018-03-01

    Blending polymers with complementary properties capitalizes on the inherent advantages of both components, making it possible to tailor the behaviour of the resultant material. A polymer blend consisting of an elastomer and thermoplastic can help to improve the mechanical integrity of the system without compromising on its processibility. A series of blends of biodegradable Poly(L-lactide-co-ɛ-caprolactone) (PLC) and Poly-(l,l-lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLLGA), and PLC with Poly-(d,l-lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PDLLGA) were evaluated as a potential material for a biodegradable vesicourethral connector device. Based on the Tg of the blends, PLC/PLLGA formed an immiscible mixture while PLC/PDLLGA resulted in a compatible blend. The results showed that with the blending of PLC, the failure mode of PLLGA and PDLLGA changed from brittle to ductile fracture, with an significant decreas in tensile modulus and strength. SEM images demonstrated the different blend morphologies of different compositions during degradation. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and mechanical characterization revealed the degradation behaviour of the blends in this order (fastest to slowest): PDLLGA and PLC/PDLLGA blends > PLLGA and PLC/PLLGA blends > PLC. The PLC/PLLGA (70:30) blend was recommended as a suitable for the vesicourethral connector device application, highlighting the tailoring of blends to achieve a desired mechanical performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Performance of polymeric films based thermoplastic starch and organophilic clay; Efeito da incorporacao de argila no desempenho de filmes de amido termoplastico/PEBD

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cipriano, P.B.; Costa, A.N.M.; Araujo, S.S.; Araujo, A.R.A.; Canedo, E.L.; Carvalho, L.H., E-mail: pamufcg@gmail.co [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Materiais

    2010-07-01

    The aim of this work was the development and investigation of the properties of flat films of LDPE/corn thermoplastic starch (TPS). A bentonite clay (Argel) was organophilized and characterized by XRD. This clay (1%) in both pristine and organophilic forms was added to the matrix (LDPE) and to LDPE/TPS systems with TPS contents varying from 5-20% w/w. The films manufactured (LDPE, LDPE/Clay, LDPE/TPS, LDPE/TPS/Clay) were characterized. Results indicate that water vapor permeability is dependent and increases with TPS content which was attributed to the higher affinity of water by TPS. TPS and Clay addition to LDPE led to significant changes in film properties with respect to the neat LDPE. In general,tensile and perforation forces increased with clay and TPS contents; the strength of thermo sealed films lowered with natural clay addition and increased with TPS and organoclay incorporation and, in general, dynamic friction coefficient decrease with organoclay and TPS addition. Best overall properties were obtained for the systems containing the organoclay and optimal properties were achieved for the 5%TPS10 LDPE1% ANO system. (author)

  4. In situ development of self-reinforced cellulose nanocrystals based thermoplastic elastomers by atom transfer radical polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Juan; Wang, Chunpeng; Wang, Jifu; Chu, Fuxiang

    2016-05-05

    Recently, the utilization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as a reinforcing material has received a great attention due to its high elastic modulus. In this article, a novel strategy for the synthesis of self-reinforced CNCs based thermoplastic elastomers (CTPEs) is presented. CNCs were first surface functionalized with an initiator for surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Subsequently, SI-ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) was carried out in the presence of sacrificial initiator to form CTPEs in situ. The CTPEs together with the simple blends of CNCs and linear poly(MMA-co-BA) copolymer (P(MMA-co-BA)) were characterized for comparative study. The results indicated that P(MMA-co-BA) was successfully grafted onto the surface of CNCs and the compatibility between CNCs and the polymer matrix in CTPEs was greatly enhanced. Specially, the CTPEs containing 2.15wt% CNCs increased Tg by 19.2°C and tensile strength by 100% as compared to the linear P(MMA-co-BA). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Effects of composition and processing conditions on morphology and properties of thermoplastic elastomer blends of SEBS-PP-Oil and dynamically vulcanized EPDM-PP-Oil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sengupta, P.; Noordermeer, Jacobus W.M.

    2004-01-01

    This work presents a comparative study of the morphology and structure-related properties of thermoplastic elastomer blends based on SEBS-PP-oil and dynamically vulcanized EPDM-PP-oil prepared under identical conditions. Compositions of each blend type with three different SEBS-PP and EPDM-PP ratios

  6. Degradation assessment of natural weathering on low density polyethylene/thermoplastic soya spent powder blends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuradibah, M. A.; Sam, S. T.; Noriman, N. Z.; Ragunathan, S.; Ismail, H.

    2015-07-01

    Soya spent powder was blended with low density polyethylene (LDPE) ranging from 5-25 wt%. Glycerol was added to soya spent powder (SSP) for preparation of thermoplastic soya spent powder (TSSP). Then, the blends were exposed to natural weathering for 6 months. The susceptibility of the LDPE/soya spent powder blends based on its tensile, morphological properties and structural changes was measured every three months. The tensile strength of LDPE/TSSP blends after 6 months of weathering was the lowest compared to the other blends whereas LDPE/SSP blends after 6 months of weathering demonstrated the lowest elongation at break (Eb). Large pore can be seen on the surface of 25 wt% of LDPE/SSP blends.

  7. Nanocomposites based on thermoplastic elastomers with functional basis of nano titanium dioxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yulovskaya, V. D.; Kuz’micheva, G. M., E-mail: galina-kuzmicheva@list.ru [Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education “Moscow Technological University” (Russian Federation); Klechkovskaya, V. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation); Orekhov, A. S.; Zubavichus, Ya. V. [National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute” (Russian Federation); Domoroshchina, E. N.; Shegay, A. V. [Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education “Moscow Technological University” (Russian Federation)

    2016-03-15

    Nanocomposites based on a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) (low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and 1,2-polybutadiene in a ratio of 60/40) with functional titanium dioxide nanoparticles of different nature, TiO{sub 2}/TPE, have been prepared and investigated by a complex of methods (X-ray diffraction analysis using X-ray and synchrotron radiation beams, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy). The morphology of the composites is found to be somewhat different, depending on the TiO{sub 2} characteristics. It is revealed that nanocomposites with cellular or porous structures containing nano-TiO{sub 2} aggregates with a large specific surface and large sizes of crystallites and nanoparticles exhibit the best deformation‒strength and fatigue properties and stability to the effect of active media under conditions of ozone and vapor‒air aging.

  8. Development of thermoplastic starch blown film by incorporating plasticized chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, Khanh Minh; Yoksan, Rangrong

    2015-01-22

    The objective of the present work was to improve blown film extrusion processability and properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) film by incorporating plasticized chitosan, with a content of 0.37-1.45%. The effects of chitosan on extrusion processability and melt flow ability of TPS, as well as that on appearance, optical properties, thermal properties, viscoelastic properties and tensile properties of the films were investigated. The possible interactions between chitosan and starch molecules were evaluated by FTIR and XRD techniques. Chitosan and starch molecules could interact via hydrogen bonds, as confirmed from the blue shift of OH bands and the reduction of V-type crystal formation. Although the incorporation of chitosan caused decreased extensibility and melt flow ability, as well as increased yellowness and opacity, the films possessed better extrusion processability, increased tensile strength, rigidity, thermal stability and UV absorption, as well as reduced water absorption and surface stickiness. The obtained TPS/chitosan-based films offer real potential application in the food industry, e.g. as edible films. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A fractional model with parallel fractional Maxwell elements for amorphous thermoplastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Dong; Liang, Yingjie; Xiao, Rui

    2018-01-01

    We develop a fractional model to describe the thermomechanical behavior of amorphous thermoplastics. The fractional model is composed of two parallel fractional Maxwell elements. The first fractional Maxwell model is used to describe the glass transition, while the second component is aimed at describing the viscous flow. We further derive the analytical solutions for the stress relaxation modulus and complex modulus through Laplace transform. We then demonstrate the model is able to describe the master curves of the stress relaxation modulus, storage modulus and loss modulus, which all show two distinct transition regions. The obtained parameters show that the modulus of the two fractional Maxwell elements differs in 2-3 orders of magnitude, while the relaxation time differs in 7-9 orders of magnitude. Finally, we apply the model to describe the stress response of constant strain rate tests. The model, together with the parameters obtained from fitting the master curve of stress relaxation modulus, can accurately predict the temperature and strain rate dependent stress response.

  10. Novel thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs based on silicone rubber and polyamide exploring peroxide cross-linking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Naskar

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Novel thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs based on silicone rubber (PDMS and polyamide (PA12 have been prepared by dynamic vulcanization process. The effect of dynamic vulcanization and influence of various types of peroxides as cross-linking agents were studied in detail. All the TPVs were prepared at a ratio of 50/50 wt% of silicone rubber and polyamide. Three structurally different peroxides, namely dicumyl peroxide (DCP, 3,3,5,7,7-pentamethyl 1,2,4-trioxepane (PMTO and cumyl hydroperoxide (CHP were taken for investigation. Though DCP was the best option for curing the silicone rubber, at high temperature it suffers from scorch safety. An inhibitor 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxyl (TEMPO was added with DCP to stabilize the radicals in order to increase the scorch time. Though CHP (hydroperoxide had higher half life time than DCP at higher temperature, it has no significant effect on cross-linking of silicone rubber. PMTO showed prolonged scorch safety and better cross-linking efficiency rather than the other two. TPVs of DCP and PMTO were made up to 11 minutes of mixing. Increased values of tensile strength and elongation at break of PMTO cross-linked TPV indicate the superiority of PMTO. Scanning electron micrographs correlate with mechanical properties of the TPVs. High storage modulus (E' and lower loss tangent value of the PMTO cross-linked TPV indicate the higher degree of cross-linking which is also well supported by the overall cross-link density value. Thus PMTO was found to be the superior peroxide for cross-linking of silicone rubber at high temperature.

  11. From Process Modeling to Elastic Property Prediction for Long-Fiber Injection-Molded Thermoplastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, Ba Nghiep; Kunc, Vlastimil; Frame, Barbara J.; Phelps, Jay; Tucker III, Charles L.; Bapanapalli, Satish K.; Holbery, James D.; Smith, Mark T.

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents an experimental-modeling approach to predict the elastic properties of long-fiber injection-molded thermoplastics (LFTs). The approach accounts for fiber length and orientation distributions in LFTs. LFT samples were injection-molded for the study, and fiber length and orientation distributions were measured at different locations for use in the computation of the composite properties. The current fiber orientation model was assessed to determine its capability to predict fiber orientation in LFTs. Predicted fiber orientations for the studied LFT samples were also used in the calculation of the elastic properties of these samples, and the predicted overall moduli were then compared with the experimental results. The elastic property prediction was based on the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka method combined with the orientation averaging technique. The predictions reasonably agree with the experimental LFT data

  12. Environmentally-Friendly Synthesis of Carbonate-Type Macrodiols and Preparation of Transparent Self-Healable Thermoplastic Polyurethanes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seon-Mi Kim

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Carbonate-type macrodiols synthesized by base-catalyzed polycondensation of co-diols and dimethyl carbonate as an environmentally-friendly route were subsequently utilized for the preparation of transparent and self-healable thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs containing a carbonate-type soft segment. Three types of macrodiols, obtained from mono, dual and triple diol-monomers for target molecular weights of 1 and 1.5 kg mol−1, were analyzed by 1H NMR integration and the OH titration value. Colorless transparent macrodiols in a liquid state at a room temperature of 20 °C were obtained, except the macrodiol from mono 1,6-hexanediol. Before TPU synthesis, macrodiols require pH neutralization to prevent gelation. TPUs synthesized by a solution pre-polymer method with 4,4′-methylene(bisphenyl isocyanate and 1,4-butanediol as a chain extender exhibited moderate molecular weights, good transparencies and robust mechanical properties. Especially, the incorporation of 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol within carbonate-type macrodiols enhanced the transparency of the resultant TPUs by decreasing the degree of microphase separation evidenced by ATR-FTIR and DSC. Interestingly, packing density of hard segments and the degree of microphase separation determined the self-healing efficiency of TPUs, which showed good performances in the case of sourced macrodiols from triple diol-monomers.

  13. Evaluation of mechanical properties and durability performance of HDPE-wood composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tazi, M.; Erchiqui, F. [Engineering department, Université de Quebec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Canada); Kaddami, H. [Université Caddi Ayad Marrakech, Laboratoire ’LCO2MC’, B.P. 549, Marrakech 40000, Maroc (Morocco); Bouazara, M. [Mechanical department, Université de Québec à Chicoutimi Canada (Canada); Poaty, B. [Technology Center of industrial residuals, QC Canada (Canada)

    2015-05-22

    The objective of this work is to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability performance of bio-composite materials made from sawdust and thermoplastic polymer (HDPE). For the preparation of the composites, sawdust in different proportions with Maleic Anhydride grafted Polyethylene (MAPE) as the coupling agent was used. The thermal and mechanical properties were successively characterized. The results indicate that adding wood fillers to a polymer matrix increases the degree of crystallinity and improves the tensile strength and ductility of composites. On the contrary, resistance to water absorption decreases as a function of the wood fillers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze morphological structure alteration when exposed to intense weathering. The biodegradability of bio-composites up to 97 days was also investigated; the results indicate that, by increasing the filler content, the amount of weight loss increased as well. In other words, even though the addition of sawdust to thermoplastic polymer improves the mechanical performance of a composite material, it also accelerates the biodegradation rate of the composite. An optimum amount of filler content might compromise the effect of biodegradation and mechanical properties of composite materials.

  14. Evaluation of mechanical properties and durability performance of HDPE-wood composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tazi, M.; Erchiqui, F.; Kaddami, H.; Bouazara, M.; Poaty, B.

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this work is to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability performance of bio-composite materials made from sawdust and thermoplastic polymer (HDPE). For the preparation of the composites, sawdust in different proportions with Maleic Anhydride grafted Polyethylene (MAPE) as the coupling agent was used. The thermal and mechanical properties were successively characterized. The results indicate that adding wood fillers to a polymer matrix increases the degree of crystallinity and improves the tensile strength and ductility of composites. On the contrary, resistance to water absorption decreases as a function of the wood fillers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze morphological structure alteration when exposed to intense weathering. The biodegradability of bio-composites up to 97 days was also investigated; the results indicate that, by increasing the filler content, the amount of weight loss increased as well. In other words, even though the addition of sawdust to thermoplastic polymer improves the mechanical performance of a composite material, it also accelerates the biodegradation rate of the composite. An optimum amount of filler content might compromise the effect of biodegradation and mechanical properties of composite materials

  15. TU-CD-304-09: Feasibility Study for Thermoplastic Mask Set Up Monitoring Using Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) Sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, T; Cho, M; Kang, S; Kim, D; Kim, K; Shin, D; Suh, T; Kim, S

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To improve the setup accuracy of thermoplastic mask, we developed a new monitoring method based on force sensing technology and evaluated its feasibility. Methods: The thermoplastic mask setup monitoring system consists of a force sensing resistor sensor unit, a signal transport device, a control PC and an in-house software. The system is designed to monitor pressure variation between the mask and patient in real time. It also provides a warning to the user when there is a possibility of movement. A preliminary study was performed to evaluate the reliability of the sensor unit and developed monitoring system with a head phantom. Then, a simulation study with volunteers was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the monitoring system. Note that the sensor unit can have multiple end-sensors and every end-sensor was confirmed to be within 2% reliability in pressure reading through a screening test. Results: To evaluate the reproducibility of the proposed monitoring system in practice, we simulated a mask setup with the head phantom. FRS sensors were attached on the face of the head phantom and pressure was monitored. For 3 repeated mask setups on the phantom, the variation of the pressure was less than 3% (only 1% larger than 2% potential uncertainty confirmed in the screening test). In the volunteer study, we intended to verify that the system could detect patient movements within the mask. Thus, volunteers were asked to turn their head or lift their chin. The system was able to detect movements effectively, confirming the clinical feasibility of the monitoring system developed. Conclusion: Through the proposed setup monitoring method, it is possible to monitor patient motion inside a mask in real time, which has never been possible with most commonly used systems using non-radiographic technology such as infrared camera system and surface imaging system. This work was supported by the Radiation Technology R&D program (No. 2013M2A2A7043498) and the Mid

  16. TU-CD-304-09: Feasibility Study for Thermoplastic Mask Set Up Monitoring Using Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) Sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, T; Cho, M; Kang, S; Kim, D; Kim, K; Shin, D; Suh, T [The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, S [Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To improve the setup accuracy of thermoplastic mask, we developed a new monitoring method based on force sensing technology and evaluated its feasibility. Methods: The thermoplastic mask setup monitoring system consists of a force sensing resistor sensor unit, a signal transport device, a control PC and an in-house software. The system is designed to monitor pressure variation between the mask and patient in real time. It also provides a warning to the user when there is a possibility of movement. A preliminary study was performed to evaluate the reliability of the sensor unit and developed monitoring system with a head phantom. Then, a simulation study with volunteers was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the monitoring system. Note that the sensor unit can have multiple end-sensors and every end-sensor was confirmed to be within 2% reliability in pressure reading through a screening test. Results: To evaluate the reproducibility of the proposed monitoring system in practice, we simulated a mask setup with the head phantom. FRS sensors were attached on the face of the head phantom and pressure was monitored. For 3 repeated mask setups on the phantom, the variation of the pressure was less than 3% (only 1% larger than 2% potential uncertainty confirmed in the screening test). In the volunteer study, we intended to verify that the system could detect patient movements within the mask. Thus, volunteers were asked to turn their head or lift their chin. The system was able to detect movements effectively, confirming the clinical feasibility of the monitoring system developed. Conclusion: Through the proposed setup monitoring method, it is possible to monitor patient motion inside a mask in real time, which has never been possible with most commonly used systems using non-radiographic technology such as infrared camera system and surface imaging system. This work was supported by the Radiation Technology R&D program (No. 2013M2A2A7043498) and the Mid

  17. Structural and Magnetic Properties of Type-M Barium Ferrite - Thermoplastic Natural Rubber Nano composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nurhidayaty Mokhtar

    2012-01-01

    Structural and magnetic properties of type-M barium ferrite (BaFe 12 O 19 ) nanoparticles (∼ 20 nm) embedded in non-magnetic thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) matrices were investigated. The TPNR matrices were prepared from high density polyethylene (HDPE) and natural rubber (NR) in the weight ratios of 80:20 and 60:40, respectively, with 10 wt % of NR in the form of liquid natural rubber (LNR) which act as a comparabilities. BaFe 12 O 19 - filled nano composites with 2 - 12 wt % BaFe 12 O 19 ferrite were prepared using a melt- blending technique. Magnetic hysteresis was measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in a maximum field of 10 kOe at room temperature (25 degree Celsius). The saturation magnetisation (MS), remanence (MR) and coercivity (Hc) were derived from the hysteresis loops. The results show that the structural and magnetic properties of nano composites depend on both the ferrite content and the composition of the natural rubber or plastic in the nano composites. All the nano composites exhibit an exchange bias-like phenomenon resulting from the exchange coupling of spins at the interface between the core ferrimagnetic region and the disordered surface region of the nanoparticles. (author)

  18. Effect of Rubber Nanoparticle Agglomeration on Properties of Thermoplastic Vulcanizates during Dynamic Vulcanization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanguang Wu

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available We previously reported that the dispersed rubber microparticles in ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM/polypropylene (PP thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs are actually agglomerates of rubber nanoparticles. In this study, based on this new understanding of the microstructure of TPV, we further revealed the microstructure-properties relationship of EPDM/PP TPV during dynamic vulcanization, especially the effect of the size of rubber nanoparticle agglomerates (dn, the thicknesses of PP ligaments (IDpoly and the rubber network on the properties of EPDM/PP TPV. We were able to simultaneously obtain a high tensile strength, elongation at break, elastic modulus, and elasticity for the EPDM/PP TPV by the achievement of a smaller dn, a thinner IDpoly and a denser rubber network. Interestingly, the effect of dn and IDpoly on the elastic modulus of EPDM/PP TPV composed of rubber nanoparticle agglomerates is different from that of EPDM/PP TPVs composed of rubber microparticles reported previously. The deformation behavior of the TPVs during stretching was studied to understand the mechanism for the achievement of good mechanical properties. Interestingly, the rubber nanoparticle agglomerates are oriented along the tensile direction during stretching. The TPV samples with smaller and more numerous rubber nanoparticle agglomerates can slow down the development of voids and cracks more effectively, thus leading to increase in tensile strength and elongation at break of the EPDM/PP TPV.

  19. Influence of the internal anatomy on the leakage of root canals filled with thermoplastic technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Jadaa, Anas; Attin, T; Peltomäki, T; Heumann, C; Schmidlin, P R; Paquè, F

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of the internal anatomy on the leakage of root canals filled with the thermoplastic technique. The upper central incisors (UCI) and mesial roots of the lower molars (MRLM) (n = 12 each) were tested regarding leakage using the gas-enhanced permeation test (GEPT) after root filling. The quality of the root fillings was assessed using micro-computed tomography (μCT) by superimposing scans before and after treatment to calculate unfilled volume. The calculated void volume was compared between the groups and correlated to the measured leakage values. Data were analyzed using t test and Pearson's correlation tests (p anatomy should be considered.

  20. Is 3D printing safe? Analysis of the thermal treatment of thermoplastics: ABS, PLA, PET, and nylon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojtyła, Szymon; Klama, Piotr; Baran, Tomasz

    2017-06-01

    The fast development of low-cost desktop three-dimensional (3D) printers has made those devices widely accessible for goods manufacturing at home. However, is it safe? Users may belittle the effects or influences of pollutants (organic compounds and ultrafine particles) generated by the devices in question. Within the scope of this study, the authors attempt to investigate thermal decomposition of the following commonly used, commercially available thermoplastic filaments: acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and nylon. Thermogravimetric analysis has shown the detailed thermal patterns of their behavior upon increasing temperature in neutral atmosphere, while GC analysis of organic vapors emitted during the process of heating thermoplastics have made it possible to obtain crucial pieces of information about the toxicity of 3D printing process. The conducted study has shown that ABS is significantly more toxic than PLA. The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) has been in the range of 0.50 µmol/h. Styrene has accounted for more than 30% of total VOC emitted from ABS, while for PLA, methyl methacrylate has been detected as the predominant compound (44% of total VOCs emission). Moreover, the authors have summarized available or applicable methods that can eliminate formed pollutants and protect the users of 3D printers. This article summarizes theoretical knowledge on thermal degradation of polymers used for 3D printers and shows results of authors' investigation, as well as presents forward-looking solutions that may increase the safety of utilization of 3D printers.

  1. High Performance Marine Vessels

    CERN Document Server

    Yun, Liang

    2012-01-01

    High Performance Marine Vessels (HPMVs) range from the Fast Ferries to the latest high speed Navy Craft, including competition power boats and hydroplanes, hydrofoils, hovercraft, catamarans and other multi-hull craft. High Performance Marine Vessels covers the main concepts of HPMVs and discusses historical background, design features, services that have been successful and not so successful, and some sample data of the range of HPMVs to date. Included is a comparison of all HPMVs craft and the differences between them and descriptions of performance (hydrodynamics and aerodynamics). Readers will find a comprehensive overview of the design, development and building of HPMVs. In summary, this book: Focuses on technology at the aero-marine interface Covers the full range of high performance marine vessel concepts Explains the historical development of various HPMVs Discusses ferries, racing and pleasure craft, as well as utility and military missions High Performance Marine Vessels is an ideal book for student...

  2. Application of Image And X-Ray Microtomography Technique To Quantify Filler Distribution In Thermoplastic-Natural Rubber Blend Composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, Sahrim; Rasid, Rozaidi; Mouad, A. T.; Aziz Mohamed, A.; Abdullah, Jaafar; Dahlan, M.; Mohamad, Mahathir; Jamro, Rafhayudi; Hamzah Harun, M.; Yazid, Hafizal; Abdullah, W. Saffiey W.

    2010-01-01

    X-ray microtomography and ImageJ 1.39 u is used as a tool to quantify volume percentage of B 4 C as fillers in thermoplastic-natural rubber blend composites. The use of percentage of area occupied by fillers as obtain from ImageJ from the microtomography sliced images enables the proposed technique to easily obtain the amount volume percentage of B 4 C in the composite non-destructively. Comparison with other technique such as density measurement and chemical analysis proves the proposed technique as one of the promising approach.

  3. Fabrication of Closed Hollow Bulb Obturator Using Thermoplastic Resin Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bidhan Shrestha

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Closed hollow bulb obturators are used for the rehabilitation of postmaxillectomy patients. However, the time consuming process, complexity of fabrication, water leakage, and discoloration are notable disadvantages of this technique. This paper describes a clinical report of fabricating closed hollow bulb obturator using a single flask and one time processing method for an acquired maxillary defect. Hard thermoplastic resin sheet has been used for the fabrication of hollow bulb part of the obturator. Method. After fabrication of master cast conventionally, bulb and lid part of the defect were formed separately and joined by autopolymerizing acrylic resin to form one sized smaller hollow body. During packing procedure, the defect area was loaded with heat polymerizing acrylic resin and then previously fabricated smaller hollow body was adapted over it. The whole area was then loaded with heat cure acrylic. Further processes were carried out conventionally. Conclusion. This technique uses single flask which reduces laboratory time and makes the procedure simple. The thickness of hollow bulb can be controlled and light weight closed hollow bulb prosthesis can be fabricated. It also minimizes the disadvantages of closed hollow bulb obturator such as water leakage, bacterial infection, and discoloration.

  4. Out-of-autoclave manufacturing of a stiffened thermoplastic carbon fibre PEEK panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flanagan, M.; Goggins, J.; Doyle, A.; Weafer, B.; Ward, M.; Bizeul, M.; Canavan, R.; O'Bradaigh, C.; Doyle, K.; Harrison, N.

    2017-10-01

    Out-of-Autoclave manufacturing methods, specifically Automated Tape Placement (ATP) and induction welding, used in the fabrication of a stiffened thermoplastic demonstrator panel, are presented in this study. The demonstrator panel consists of two stiffeners induction welded to a flat skin, to form a typical load bearing aerospace sub-component. The skin of the panel is manufactured from uni-directional Carbon Fibre (CF) Polyetheretherkeytone (PEEK) using laser assisted Automated Tape Placement (ATP) and the stiffeners are press formed from woven CF-PEEK. The stiffeners are fusion bonded to the skin using a continuous induction welding process. A susceptor material is used at the interface to ensure the required heating is concentrated at the weldline. Microscopy was used to examine the manufactured coupons for defects. Destructive testing was carried out to evaluate the strength of the overall assembly. The work shows that assemblies manufactured using continuous induction welding and ATP are suitable for load bearing aerospace applications.

  5. Mechanical Properties of Dynamically Vulcanized Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU/Polybutadiene Rubber (BR Blends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji-Hoo Kim

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To obtain thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU with low hardness, dynamically vulcanized TPU/polybutadiene rubber(BR(70/30 blends were prepared. The effect of dicumyl peroxide (DCP content and stabilizers on the tensile strength and elongation at break of the dynamically vulcanized blends was examined. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the dynamically vulcanized blends decrease with increasing content of DCP. The addition of optimal content of stabilizer leads to the improvement of tensile strength and elongation at break of the blends. Also, the effect of sulfur cure systems and accelerators on the tensile strength and elongation of the blends was investigated. The tensile strength and elongation at break of all the dynamically vulcanized TPU/BR (70/30 blends using 1-step processing are not higher than those of simple TPU/BR (70/30 blends. However, the tensile strength and elongation of the dynamically vulcanized blends prepared at 8 min (mixing time using 2-step processing are higher than those of the simple blends.

  6. Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x fibers from the thermoplastic gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchikawa, F.; Mackenzie, J.D.

    1989-01-01

    The successful fabrication of ceramic superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x fibers has been investigated. A new method was proposed for synthesis of the fibers through a solution route. The thermoplastic gels were synthesized using Y, Ba, Cu, ethoxides, and diethylenetriamine. The fibers were drawn from the reheated gels. The fibers were characterized by x-ray diffraction, SEM, and shrinkage ratio measurements. The fired and then annealed fiber is shown to have a superconducting transition temperature of 91 K (onset) and zero resistance temperature of 84 K. With regard to the fired fibers, it is found that the surface area increased and superconducting transition temperature decreased with increasing organic content in the initial gel. The usefulness of this method is shown and the structure of the synthesized gel is discussed

  7. High performance systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vigil, M.B. [comp.

    1995-03-01

    This document provides a written compilation of the presentations and viewgraphs from the 1994 Conference on High Speed Computing given at the High Speed Computing Conference, {open_quotes}High Performance Systems,{close_quotes} held at Gleneden Beach, Oregon, on April 18 through 21, 1994.

  8. Evaluation of the effect of reprocessing on the structure and properties of low density polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peres, Anderson M; Pires, Ruthe R; Oréfice, Rodrigo L

    2016-01-20

    The great quantity of synthetic plastic discarded inappropriately in the environment is forcing the search for materials that can be reprocessable and biodegradable. Blends between synthetic polymers and natural and biodegradable polymers can be good candidates of such novel materials because they can combine processability with biodegradation and the use of renewable raw materials. However, traditional polymers usually present high levels of recyclability and use the well-established recycling infrastructure that can eventually be affected by the introduction of systems containing natural polymers. Thus, this work aims to evaluate the effect of reprocessing (simulated here by multiple extrusions) on the structure and properties of a low density polyethylene/thermoplastic starch (LDPE/TPS) blend compared to LDPE. The results indicated that multiple extrusion steps led to a reduction in the average size of the starch-rich phases of LDPE/TPS blends and minor changes in the mechanical and rheological properties of the materials. Such results suggest that the LDPE/TPS blend presents similar reprocessability to the LDPE for the experimental conditions used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Improvement of the Shock Absorption Ability of a Face Guard by Incorporating a Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic and Buffering Space

    OpenAIRE

    Wada, Takahiro; Churei, Hiroshi; Takayanagi, Haruka; Iwasaki, Naohiko; Ueno, Toshiaki; Takahashi, Hidekazu; Uo, Motohiro

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the shock absorption ability of trial face guards (FGs) incorporating a glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (GF) and buffering space. The mechanical properties of 3.2 mm and 1.6 mm thick commercial medical splint materials (Aquaplast, AP) and experimental GF prepared from 1.6 mm thick AP and fiberglass cloth were determined by a three-point bending test. Shock absorption tests were conducted on APs with two different thicknesses and two types of experimental mate...

  10. The effect of temperature and strain rate on the mechanical properties of highly oriented polypropylene tapes and all-polypropylene composites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alcock, B.; Cabrera, N.O.; Barkoula, N.M.; Reynolds, C.T.; Govaert, L.E.; Peijs, A.A.J.M.

    2007-01-01

    The creation of highly oriented, co-extruded polypropylene (PP) tapes allows the production of recyclable "all-polypropylene" (all-PP) composites, with a large temperature processing window and a high volume fraction of highly oriented PP (>90%). The wholly thermoplastic nature of these

  11. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis and Three-Body Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Thermoplastic Copolyester Elastomer Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hemanth Rajashekaraiah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Various amounts of short fibers (glass and carbon and particulate fillers like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, silicon carbide (SiC, and alumina (Al2O3 were systematically introduced into the thermoplastic copolyester elastomer (TCE matrix for reinforcement purpose. The mechanical properties such as storage modulus, loss modulus, and Tan δ by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA and three-body abrasive wear performance on a dry sand rubber wheel abrasion tester have been investigated. For abrasive wear study, the experiments were planned according to L27 orthogonal array by considering three factors and three levels. The complex moduli for TCE hybrid composites were pushed to a higher level relative to the TCE filled PTFE composite. At lower temperatures (in the glassy region, the storage modulus increases with increase in wt.% of reinforcement (fiber + fillers and the value is maximum for the composite with 40 wt.% reinforcement. The loss modulus and damping peaks were also found to be higher by the incorporation of SiC and Al2O3 microfillers. The routine abrasive wear test results indicated that TCE filled PTFE composite exhibited better abrasion resistance. Improvements in the abrasion resistance, however, have not been achieved by short-fiber and particlaute filler reinforcements. From the Taguchi’s experimental findings, optimal combination of control factors were obtained for minimum wear volume and also predictive correlations were proposed. Further, the worn surface morphology of the samples was discussed.

  12. Management of pediatric mandibular fracture using orthodontic vacuum-formed thermoplastic splint: A case report and review of literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanu, O O; Ayodele, Aos; Akeredolu, M O

    2017-05-01

    Fractures of the mandible are relatively less frequent in children when compared to adults. The anatomic features of children are protected. Children have a higher adaptation to maxillofacial fractures compared to adults. Treatment principles of mandibular fractures in children differ from that of adults due to concerns regarding mandibular growth and the developing dentition. A case of a 6-year-old boy with fractured mandibular symphysis managed by closed reduction using a vacuum formed thermoplastic splint and circummandibular wiring is presented. This article also provides a review of the literature regarding the management of mandibular fracture in young children.

  13. Mechanical properties of thermoplastic composites reinforced with Entada Mannii fibre

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oluwayomi BALOGUN

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The mechanical properties and fracture mechanisms of thermoplastic composites reinforced with Entada mannii fibres was investigated. Polypropylene reinforced with 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt% KOH treated and untreated Entada mannii fibres were processed using a compression moulding machine. The tensile properties, impact strength, and flexural properties of the composites were evaluated while the tensile fracture surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The results show that reinforcing polypropylene with Entada mannii fibres resulted in improvement of the tensile strength and elastic modulus. This improvement is remarkable for 5 wt% KOH treated Entada mannii fibre reinforced composites by 28 % increase as compared with the unreinforced polypropylene. The composites reinforced with Entada mannii fibres also had impact strength values of 70 % higher than the unreinforced polypropylene. However, the polypropylene reinforced with 5 and 7wt% KOH treated fibres exhibited significantly higher flexural strength and Young’s modulus by 53% and 52% increase as compared with the unreinforced polypropylene. The fracture surface of the polypropylene composites reinforced with untreated Entada mannii fibres were characterized by fibre debonding, fibre pull-out and matrix yielding while less voids and fibre pull-outs are observed in the composites reinforced with KOH treated Entada mannii fibres. v

  14. Improved construction materials for polar regions using microcellular thermoplastic foams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Daniel J.

    1994-01-01

    Microcellular polymer foams (MCF) are thermoplastic foams with very small cell diameters, less than 10 microns, and very large cell densities, 10(exp 9) to 10(exp 15) cells per cubic centimeter of unfoamed material. The concept of foaming polymers with microcellular voids was conceived to reduce the amount of material used for mass-produced items without compromising the mechanical properties. The reasoning behind this concept was that if voids smaller than the critical flaw size pre-existing in polymers were introduced into the matrix, they would not affect the overall strength of the product. MCF polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were examined to determine the effects of the microstructure towards the mechanical properties of the materials at room and arctic temperatures. Batch process parameters were discovered for these materials and foamed samples of three densities were produced for each material. To quantify the toughness and strength of these polymers, the tensile yield strength, tensile toughness, and impact resistance were measured at room and arctic temperatures. The feasibility of MCF polymers has been demonstrated by the consistent and repeatable MCF microstructures formed, but the improvements in the mechanical properties were not conclusive. Therefore the usefulness of the MCF polymers to replace other materials in arctic environments is questionable.

  15. Castor oil and commercial thermoplastic polyurethane membranes modified with polyaniline: a comparative study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida Junior, Jose Humberto Santos; Meneguzzi, Alvaro; Ferreira, Carlos Arthur, E-mail: jhsajunior@globomail.com [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegtre, RS (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Materiais; Bertuol, Daniel Assumpcao [Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), RS (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica; Amado, Franco Dani Rico [Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Ilheus, BA (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologia

    2013-11-01

    The study of conducting polymeric membranes is decisive in some areas, as in fuel cells and electrodialysis. This work aims the study of membranes using conventional and conductive polymers blends. Two types of polyurethane were used as conventional polymers, commercial thermoplastic polyurethane and polyurethane synthesized from castor oil and 4-4-dicyclohexylmethane isocyanate. Two kinds of conducting polymers were used, polyaniline doped with organic acid and a self doped polyaniline. The polymers and the membranes were characterized by electrical conductivity, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The synthesis of the membranes produced was proper, featuring a complete reaction, analyzed by FTIR. The membranes also showed good mechanical properties and thermal stability ( Almost-Equal-To 220 Degree-Sign C). Among the membranes studied, the polyaniline doped with p-toluenesulphonic acid obtained higher thermal and viscoelastic properties. Thus they can be used in separation techniques using membranes. (author)

  16. Thermoplastic elastomers containing 2D nanofillers: montmorillonite, graphene nanoplatelets and oxidized graphene platelets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paszkiewicz Sandra

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a comparative study on which type of platelets nanofiller, organic or inorganic, will affect the properties of thermoplastic elastomer matrix in the stronger manner. Therefore, poly(trimethylene terephthalate-block-poly(tetramethylene oxide copolymer (PTT-PTMO based nanocomposites with 0.5 wt.% of clay (MMT, graphene nanoplatelets (GNP and graphene oxide (GO have been prepared by in situ polymerization. The structure of the nanocomposites was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM in order to present good dispersion without large aggregates. It was indicated that PTT-PTMO/GNP composite shows the highest crystallization temperature. Unlike the addition of GNP and GO, the introduction of MMT does not have great effect on the glass transition temperature of PTMO-rich soft phase. An addition of all three types of nanoplatelets in the nanocomposites caused the enhancement in tensile modulus and yield stress. Additionally, the cyclic tensile tests showed that prepared nanocomposites have values of permanent set slightly higher than neat PTT-PTMO.

  17. Thermo-mechanical behaviors of thermoplastic starch derived from sugar palm tree (Arenga pinnata).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahari, J; Sapuan, S M; Zainudin, E S; Maleque, M A

    2013-02-15

    In recent years, increasing environmental concerns focused greater attention on the development of biodegradable materials. A thermoplastic starch derived from bioresources, sugar palm tree was successfully developed in the presence of biodegradable glycerol as a plasticizer. Sugar palm starch (SPS) was added with 15-40 w/w% of glycerol to prepare workable bioplastics and coded as SPS/G15, SPS/G20, SPS/G30 and SPS/G40. The samples were characterized for thermal properties, mechanical properties and moisture absorption on exposure to humidity were evaluated. Morphological studies through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to explain the observed mechanical properties. Generally, the addition of glycerol decrease the transition temperature of plasticized SPS. The mechanical properties of plasticized SPS increase with the increasing of glycerol but up to 30 w/w%. Meanwhile, the water absorption of plasticized SPS decrease with increasing of glycerol. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Patterning of diamond like carbon films for sensor applications using silicon containing thermoplastic resist (SiPol) as a hard mask

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Virganavičius, D. [Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Kaunas University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science, 51423 Kaunas (Lithuania); Cadarso, V.J.; Kirchner, R. [Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Stankevičius, L.; Tamulevičius, T.; Tamulevičius, S. [Kaunas University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science, 51423 Kaunas (Lithuania); Schift, H., E-mail: helmut.schift@psi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • Nanopatterning of thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) films and silver containing DLC composites. • Nanoimprint lithography with thermoplastic silicon containing resist. • Zero-residual layer imprinting and pattern transfer by reactive ion etching. • Robust leaky waveguide sensors with sensitivity up to 319 nm/RIU. - Abstract: Patterning of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and DLC:metal nanocomposites is of interest for an increasing number of applications. We demonstrate a nanoimprint lithography process based on silicon containing thermoplastic resist combined with plasma etching for straightforward patterning of such films. A variety of different structures with few hundred nanometer feature size and moderate aspect ratios were successfully realized. The quality of produced patterns was directly investigated by the means of optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Such structures were further assessed by employing them in the development of gratings for guided mode resonance (GMR) effect. Optical characterization of such leaky waveguide was compared with numerical simulations based on rigorous coupled wave analysis method with good agreement. The use of such structures as refractive index variation sensors is demonstrated with sensitivity up to 319 nm/RIU, achieving an improvement close to 450% in sensitivity compared to previously reported similar sensors. This pronounced GMR signal fully validates the employed DLC material, the technology to pattern it and the possibility to develop DLC based gratings as corrosion and wear resistant refractometry sensors that are able to operate under harsh conditions providing great value and versatility.

  19. Structure-Property Relationships in Tough, Superabsorbent Thermoplastic Elastomers for Hemorrhage Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beyer, Frederick; Bain, Erich; Long, Tyler; Mrozek, Randy; Savage, Alice; Martin, Halie; Dadmun, Mark; Lenhart, Joseph

    Between 2001 and 2009, uncontrolled hemorrhaging from major trauma accounted for the deaths of roughly 80% of wounded soldiers with potentially survivable injuries. Modern hemostatic materials are limited in their ability to deliver therapeutic agents, causing tissue damage themselves, or being difficult to remove intact. The goal of this study is to create a mechanically robust polymer that takes up as much as 1000 wt% water in seconds while maintaining sufficient toughness to be removed intact from the wound intact. A thermoplastic elastomer scaffold in which physical crosslinks provide mechanical toughness might provide an appropriate combination of fast swelling and excellent toughness if the matrix material can be engineered to be strongly hydrophilic and swell rapidly. In this work, a commercial SBS triblock copolymer has been modified with poly(acrylic acid) side chains, resulting in materials that are superabsorbent but retain good mechanical properties when saturated. Although SAXS experiments failed to show any significant changes in morphology, even with 800 wt% water uptake, preliminary SANS experiments using selectively deuterated materials and swelling with D2O show significant changes in morphology. Our most recent findings will be presented.

  20. Micromechanical modeling of short glass-fiber reinforced thermoplastics-Isotropic damage of pseudograins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kammoun, S.; Brassart, L.; Doghri, I.; Delannay, L.; Robert, G.

    2011-01-01

    A micromechanical damage modeling approach is presented to predict the overall elasto-plastic behavior and damage evolution in short fiber reinforced composite materials. The practical use of the approach is for injection molded thermoplastic parts reinforced with short glass fibers. The modeling is proceeded as follows. The representative volume element is decomposed into a set of pseudograins, the damage of which affects progressively the overall stiffness and strength up to total failure. Each pseudograin is a two-phase composite with aligned inclusions having same aspect ratio. A two-step mean-field homogenization procedure is adopted. In the first step, the pseudograins are homogenized individually according to the Mori-Tanaka scheme. The second step consists in a self-consistent homogenization of homogenized pseudograins. An isotropic damage model is applied at the pseudograin level. The model is implemented as a UMAT in the finite element code ABAQUS. Model is shown to reproduce the strength and the anisotropy (Lankford coefficient) during uniaxial tensile tests on samples cut under different directions relative to the injection flow direction.

  1. Morphological Parameters in Relation to the Electromagnetic Properties of Microcellular Thermoplastic Polyurethane Foam in X-Band Frequency Ranges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Hassan Moeini

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Microcellular thermoplastic polyurethane foams are examined as absorbing materials in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz frequency range by means of experiment. In this work, we aim to establish relationships between foam morphology including cell size and air volume fraction and electromagnetic properties including absorption, transmission and reflection quality. Nanocomposites based on thermoplastic polyurethane containing carbon black were prepared by coagulation method. In this procedure 15 wt% carbon black-containing nanocomposite was converted to microcellular foams using batch foaming process and supercritical carbon dioxide as physical foaming agent. The morphology of the foams was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. S-parameters of the samples were measured by a vector network analyzer (VNA and the effect of morphological parameters such as cell size and air volume fraction on the absorbing properties was investigated. We also established structure/properties relationships which were essential for further optimizations of the materials used in the construction of radar absorbing composites. Foaming reduced the percolation threshold of the nanocomposites due to the reduction in the average distance between nanoparticles. Foaming and dielectric constant reduction dropped the reflection percentage significantly. The increase in air volume fraction in the foam increased absorption per its weight, because of multiple scattering in composite media. The sensitivity of electromagnetic wave toward the variation of cell size is strongly weaker than that toward the variation of air volume fraction. Electromagnetic properties of the microcellular foams deviated a little from effective medium theories (EMTs. Air volume fraction of the cells was a function of cell size and smaller cells showed higher absorption.

  2. Single-Stroke Synthesis of Tin Sulphide/Oxide Nanocomposites Within Engineering Thermoplastic and Their Humidity Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adkar, Dattatraya; Adhyapak, Parag; Mulik, Uttamrao; Jadkar, Sandesh; Vutova, Katia; Amalnerkar, Dinesh

    2018-05-01

    SnS nanostructured materials have attracted enormous interest due to their important properties and potential application in low cost solar energy conversion systems and optical devices. From the perspective of SnS based device fabrication, we offer single-stroke in-situ technique for the generation of Sn based sulphide and oxide nanostructures inside the polymer network via polymer-inorganic solid state reaction route. In this method, polyphenylene sulphide (PPS)-an engineering thermoplastic-acts as chalcogen source as well as stabilizing matrix for the resultant nano products. Typical solid state reaction was accomplished by simply heating the physical admixtures of the tin salts (viz. tin acetate/tin chloride) with PPS at the crystalline melting temperature (285 °C) of PPS in inert atmosphere. The synthesized products were characterized by using various physicochemical characterization techniques. The prima facie observations suggest the concurrent formation of nanocrystalline SnS with extraneous oxide phase. The TEM analysis revealed formation of nanosized particles of assorted morphological features with polydispersity confined to 5 to 50 nm. However, agglomerated particles of nano to submicron size were also observed. The humidity sensing characterization of these nanocomposites was also performed. The resistivity response with the level of humidity (20 to 85% RH) was compared for these nanocomposites. The linear response was obtained for both the products. Nevertheless, the nanocomposite product obtained from acetate precursor showed higher sensitivity towards the humidity than that of one prepared from chloride precursor.

  3. Preparation of Thermoplastic Polyimide Ultrafine Fiber Nonwovens by Electrospinning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHEN Jun

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The superfine fiber of thermoplastic polyimide(LPI, whose average diameter ranges from 0.36μm to 1.47μm, was prepared through electrospinning with DMAc as solvent. It lays a good foundation for the mass preparation of LPI non-woven. The influence of electrospinning process conditions, including LPI concentration, flow rate and voltage, on morphology of LPI fiber was investigated systematically. The results show that the average diameter increases and the fibers diameter distribution turns wider with the LPI concentration increasing from 22%(mass fraction, same as below to 30%. Meanwhile, when the concentration is rather lower, some cambiform fibers can be observed. As the concentration increases, the cambiform fiber disappears. While the concentration increases continually, the fibers are adhered to be flakiness. The change of the spinning voltage makes little difference on the average diameter of fibers; the average diameter of fibers increases with the increase of the flow rate of LPI solution; when the flow rate is more than 1.5mL/h, the fibers start to be adhered, the cambiform fibers appear while the flow rate is over 1.8mL/h. Through optimizing the process, the LPI fibers with average diameter of 1.18μm were prepared under 30℃ with the conditions of 28% concentration, 15kV voltage, 1.2mL/h flow rate and the 25cm receiving distance.

  4. High performance work practices, innovation and performance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Frances; Newton, Cameron; Johnston, Kim

    2013-01-01

    Research spanning nearly 20 years has provided considerable empirical evidence for relationships between High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) and various measures of performance including increased productivity, improved customer service, and reduced turnover. What stands out from......, and Africa to examine these various questions relating to the HPWP-innovation-performance relationship. Each paper discusses a practice that has been identified in HPWP literature and potential variables that can facilitate or hinder the effects of these practices of innovation- and performance...

  5. New high-temperature flame-resistant resin matrix for RP/C

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kourtides, D. A.

    1981-01-01

    The processing parameters of graphite composites utilizing graphite fabric and epoxy or other advanced thermoset and thermoplastic resins as matrices are discussed. The evaluated properties include anaerobic char yield, limiting oxygen index, smoke evolution, moisture absorption, and high-temperature mechanical properties. It is shown that graphite composites having the highest char yield exhibit optimum fire-resistant properties.

  6. Toughening of Poly(lactic acid and Thermoplastic Cassava Starch Reactive Blends Using Graphene Nanoplatelets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anibal Bher

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Poly(lactic acid (PLA was reactively blended with thermoplastic cassava starch (TPCS and functionalized with commercial graphene (GRH nanoplatelets in a twin-screw extruder, and films were produced by cast-film extrusion. Reactive compatibilization between PLA and TPCS phases was reached by introducing maleic anhydride and a peroxide radical during the reactive blending extrusion process. Films with improved elongation at break and toughness for neat PLA and PLA-g-TPCS reactive blends were obtained by an addition of GRH nanoplatelets. Toughness of the PLA-g-TPCS-GRH was improved by ~900% and ~500% when compared to neat PLA and PLA-g-TPCS, respectively. Crack bridging was established as the primary mechanism responsible for the improvement in the mechanical properties of PLA and PLA-g-TPCS in the presence of the nanofiller due to the high aspect ratio of GRH. Scanning electron microscopy images showed a non-uniform distribution of GRH nanoplatelets in the matrix. Transmittance of the reactive blend films decreased due to the TPCS phase. Values obtained for the reactive blends showed ~20% transmittance. PLA-GRH and PLA-g-TPCS-GRH showed a reduction of the oxygen permeability coefficient with respect to PLA of around 35% and 50%, respectively. Thermal properties, molecular structure, surface roughness, XRD pattern, electrical resistivity, and color of the films were also evaluated. Biobased and compostable reactive blend films of PLA-g-TPCS compounded with GRH nanoplatelets could be suitable for food packaging and agricultural applications.

  7. Improvement of Physico-Chemical Properties of Recycled (Elastomers /Thermoplastics) Composites using Ionizing Radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, M.Y.E.A.

    2013-01-01

    Recycling of ground tire rubber (GRT) not only solves the waste disposal problem and maintains environmental quality, but also saves the valuable and limited resource of fossil feedstock. The major problem in the recycling of rubber-like materials such as tires is the cross linked molecular structure of already vulcanized rubber, which not only prevents the softening and processing of waste rubber particles but also inhibits binding of the powder surface to the virgin material. Several reclamation methods have proposed to overcome these barriers, which have basically followed two main approaches: (1) the de vulcanization of cured rubber and (2) the surface modifications of waste particles. The de vulcanization of rubber causes the cleavage of crosslinks via chemical treatments, which make used rubber suitable to be reformulated and recurred into new articles. In consequence, this work is mainly aimed to prepare of de vulcanized rubber (DR) and evaluating mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the thermoplastic vulcanizations (TPVs) based on de vulcanized rubber blended with polypropylene, EPDM using peroxide under the effect of radiation dose and DR feed ratio. The efficiency of the compounding process has been examined by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical and thermal behaviors of the blends composed of de vulcanized rubber (DR) , high crystalline polypropylene (PP) and EPDM in different proportions were studied. Evaluation of the mechanical and thermal properties of the developed blends, unirradiated and gamma irradiated, was carried out using tensile strength (Ts), elongation at break (Eb), hardness, TGA and DSC measurements.

  8. Application of reactive siloxane prepolymers for the synthesis of thermoplastic poly(ester–siloxanes and poly(ester–ether–siloxanes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VESNA V. ANTIC

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Thermoplastic poly(ester–siloxanes (TPES and poly(ester–ether–siloxane s, (TPEES, based on poly(butylene terephthalate (PBT as the hard segment and different siloxane-prepolymers as the soft segments, were prepared. The TPES and TPEES were synthesized by catalyzed two-step transesterification from dimethyl terephthalate, (DMT, 1,4-butanediol, (BD and a siloxane-prepolymer. Incorporation of dicarboxypropyl- or disilanol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxanes (PDMS into the polar poly(butylene terephthalate chains resulted in rather inhomogeneous TPES copolymers, which was a consequence of a prononuced phase separation of the polar and non-polar reactants during synthesis. Two concepts were employed to avoid or reduce phase separation: 1 the use of siloxane-containing triblock prepolymers with hydrophilic terminal blocks, such as ethylene oxide (EO, poly(propylene oxide (PPO or poly(caprolactone (PLC when the terminal blocks serve as a compatibilizer between the extremely non-polar PDMS and the polar DMT and BD, and 2 the use of a high-boiling solvent (1,2,4-trichlorobenzene during the first phase of the reaction. Homogeneity was significantly improved in the case of copolymers based on PCL–PDMS–PCL.

  9. Heat shrink ability of electron-beam-modified thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer and polyethylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chattopadhyay, S.; Chaki, T.K.; Bhowmick, Anil K.

    2000-01-01

    The heat shrink ability of electron-beam-irradiated thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer (EVA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has been investigated in this paper. The effects of temperature, time and extent of stretching and shrinkage temperature and time have been reported. Based on the above data, the optimized conditions in terms of high heat shrinkage and low amnesia rating have been evaluated. Influence of radiation doses (0-500 kGy), multifunctional sensitizer levels (ditri methylol propane tetraacrylate, DTMPTA), and blend proportions on heat shrink ability has been explained with the help of gel fraction and X-ray data. With the increase in radiation dose, gel fraction increases, which in turn gives rise to low values of heat shrinkage and amnesia rating. At a constant radiation dose and blend ratio, percent heat shrinkage is found to decrease with increase in DTMPTA level. Gel content increases with the increase in EVA content of the blend at a constant radiation dose and monomer level, giving rise to decrease in heat shrink ability. Heat shrinkage increases with the increase in percent crystallinity, although the amnesia rating follows the reverse trend.

  10. Heat shrink ability of electron-beam-modified thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer and polyethylene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chattopadhyay, S.; Chaki, T.K.; Bhowmick, Anil K. E-mail: anilkb@rtc.iitkgp.ernet.in

    2000-11-01

    The heat shrink ability of electron-beam-irradiated thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer (EVA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has been investigated in this paper. The effects of temperature, time and extent of stretching and shrinkage temperature and time have been reported. Based on the above data, the optimized conditions in terms of high heat shrinkage and low amnesia rating have been evaluated. Influence of radiation doses (0-500 kGy), multifunctional sensitizer levels (ditri methylol propane tetraacrylate, DTMPTA), and blend proportions on heat shrink ability has been explained with the help of gel fraction and X-ray data. With the increase in radiation dose, gel fraction increases, which in turn gives rise to low values of heat shrinkage and amnesia rating. At a constant radiation dose and blend ratio, percent heat shrinkage is found to decrease with increase in DTMPTA level. Gel content increases with the increase in EVA content of the blend at a constant radiation dose and monomer level, giving rise to decrease in heat shrink ability. Heat shrinkage increases with the increase in percent crystallinity, although the amnesia rating follows the reverse trend.

  11. Skin damage probabilities using fixation materials in high-energy photon beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carl, J.; Vestergaard, A.

    2000-01-01

    Patient fixation, such as thermoplastic masks, carbon-fibre support plates and polystyrene bead vacuum cradles, is used to reproduce patient positioning in radiotherapy. Consequently low-density materials may be introduced in high-energy photon beams. The aim of the this study was to measure the increase in skin dose when low-density materials are present and calculate the radiobiological consequences in terms of probabilities of early and late skin damage. An experimental thin-windowed plane-parallel ion chamber was used. Skin doses were measured using various overlaying low-density fixation materials. A fixed geometry of a 10 x 10 cm field, a SSD = 100 cm and photon energies of 4, 6 and 10 MV on Varian Clinac 2100C accelerators were used for all measurements. Radiobiological consequences of introducing these materials into the high-energy photon beams were evaluated in terms of early and late damage of the skin based on the measured surface doses and the LQ-model. The experimental ion chamber save results consistent with other studies. A relationship between skin dose and material thickness in mg/cm 2 was established and used to calculate skin doses in scenarios assuming radiotherapy treatment with opposed fields. Conventional radiotherapy may apply mid-point doses up to 60-66 Gy in daily 2-Gy fractions opposed fields. Using thermoplastic fixation and high-energy photons as low as 4 MV do increase the dose to the skin considerably. However, using thermoplastic materials with thickness less than 100 mg/cm 2 skin doses are comparable with those produced by variation in source to skin distance, field size or blocking trays within clinical treatment set-ups. The use of polystyrene cradles and carbon-fibre materials with thickness less than 100 mg/cm 2 should be avoided at 4 MV at doses above 54-60 Gy. (author)

  12. A new thermoplastic resin shell for immobilization of patients receiving high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation for rectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamikonya, Norihiko; Hishikawa, Yoshio; Kurisu, Koichi; Taniguchi, Midori; Miura, Takashi

    1990-01-01

    An adjustable immobilizing shell, made of thermoplastic resin (Kurare Shell Filter, KSL) was developed for stabilizing the source during radiotherapy. A piece of KSF was cut to about 15 x 30 cm in size. The KSF was heated at 70-80deg C to soften up. It was kept at room temperature until it cooled to 40deg C. A colonoscope was used to determine the source position in patients being in a left lateral position on the table of the simulator. A piece of KSF was then molded around the patient to fit it over the gluteofemoral region in conformity with the body curvature. The position of the anus was confirmed and marked on the KSF. A cold towel was applied to the shell to harden it rapidly. When the KSF became transparent and hard, it was detached from the patient. A hole was made to insert the outer tube of the radiation source. A cylinder for immobilizing the outer tube was attached. The outer tube of the radiation source was inserted into the patient lying in a left lateral position on the radiotherapy couch. The shell was placed over the outer tube and hold in position on the patient using an elastic tape. The inner tube with its dummy source was introduced into the outer tube, and the source position was fluoroscopically determined. The shell and the inner tube were immobilized with a tape and irradiation was commenced. The newly developed shell was clinically used in 5 patients. The movement of the source during radiotherapy was compared with that in 5 other patients not using the shell. There were no significant differences in irradiation time between the groups, The movement of the source per unit time varied between 0 and 0.13 with a mean of 0.05 in the shell group and 0.09 and 0.60 with a mean of 0.48 in the non-shell group, with statistically significant difference. (N.K.)

  13. Bursting Bubbles from Combustion of Thermoplastic Materials in Microgravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, K. B.

    1999-01-01

    Many thermoplastic materials in common use for a wide range of applications, including spacecraft, develop bubbles internally as they burn due to chemical reactions taking place within the bulk. These bubbles grow and migrate until they burst at the surface, forceably ejecting volatile gases and, occasionally, molten fuel. In experiments in normal gravity, Kashiwagi and Ohlemiller observed vapor jets extending a few centimeters from the surface of a radiatively heated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) sample, with some molten material ejected into the gas phase. These physical phenomena complicated the combustion process considerably. In addition to the non-steady release of volatiles, the depth of the surface layer affected by oxygen was increased, attributed to the roughening of the surface by bursting events. The ejection of burning droplets in random directions presents a potential fire hazard unique to microgravity. In microgravity combustion experiments on nylon Velcro fasteners and on polyethylene wire insulation, the presence of bursting fuel vapor bubbles was associated with the ejection of small particles of molten fuel as well as pulsations of the flame. For the nylon fasteners, particle velocities were higher than 30 cm/sec. The droplets burned robustly until all fuel was consumed, demonstrating the potential for the spread of fire in random directions over an extended distance. The sequence of events for a bursting bubble has been photographed by Newitt et al.. As the bubble reaches the fluid surface, the outer surface forms a dome while the internal bubble pressure maintains a depression at the inner interface. Liquid drains from the dome until it breaks into a cloud of droplets on the order of a few microns in size. The bubble gases are released rapidly, generating vortices in the quiescent surroundings and transporting the tiny droplets. The depression left by the escaping gases collapses into a central jet, which rises with a high velocity and may

  14. RavenDB high performance

    CERN Document Server

    Ritchie, Brian

    2013-01-01

    RavenDB High Performance is comprehensive yet concise tutorial that developers can use to.This book is for developers & software architects who are designing systems in order to achieve high performance right from the start. A basic understanding of RavenDB is recommended, but not required. While the book focuses on advanced topics, it does not assume that the reader has a great deal of prior knowledge of working with RavenDB.

  15. Constitutive modelling of creep in a long fiber random glass mat thermoplastic composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dasappa, Prasad

    The primary objective of this proposed research is to characterize and model the creep behaviour of Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) composites under thermo-mechanical loads. In addition, tensile testing has been performed to study the variability in mechanical properties. The thermo-physical properties of the polypropylene matrix including crystallinity level, transitions and the variation of the stiffness with temperature have also been determined. In this work, the creep of a long fibre GMT composite has been investigated for a relatively wide range of stresses from 5 to 80 MPa and temperatures from 25 to 90°C. The higher limit for stress is approximately 90% of the nominal tensile strength of the material. A Design of Experiments (ANOVA) statistical method was applied to determine the effects of stress and temperature in the random mat material which is known for wild experimental scatter. Two sets of creep tests were conducted. First, preliminary short-term creep tests consisting of 30 minutes creep followed by recovery were carried out over a wide range of stresses and temperatures. These tests were carried out to determine the linear viscoelastic region of the material. From these tests, the material was found to be linear viscoelastic up-to 20 MPa at room temperature and considerable non-linearities were observed with both stress and temperature. Using Time-Temperature superposition (TTS) a long term master curve for creep compliance for up-to 185 years at room temperature has been obtained. Further, viscoplastic strains were developed in these tests indicating the need for a non-linear viscoelastic viscoplastic constitutive model. The second set of creep tests was performed to develop a general non-linear viscoelastic viscoplastic constitutive model. Long term creep-recovery tests consisting of 1 day creep followed by recovery has been conducted over the stress range between 20 and 70 MPa at four temperatures: 25°C, 40°C, 60°C and 80°C. Findley's model

  16. Tailoring barrier properties of thermoplastic corn starch-based films (TPCS) by means of a multilayer design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabra, María José; López-Rubio, Amparo; Cabedo, Luis; Lagaron, Jose M

    2016-12-01

    This work compares the effect of adding different biopolyester electrospun coatings made of polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) on oxygen and water vapour barrier properties of a thermoplastic corn starch (TPCS) film. The morphology of the developed multilayer structures was also examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results showed a positive linear relationship between the amount of the electrospun coatings deposited onto both sides of the TPCS film and the thickness of the coating. Interestingly, the addition of electrospun biopolyester coatings led to an exponential oxygen and water vapour permeability drop as the amount of the electrospun coating increased. This study demonstrated the versatility of the technology here proposed to tailor the barrier properties of food packaging materials according to the final intended use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Production and 3D printing processing of bio-based thermoplastic filament

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gkartzou Eleni

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work, an extrusion-based 3D printing technique was employed for processing of biobased blends of Poly(Lactic Acid (PLA with low-cost kraft lignin. In Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF 3D printing process, objects are built in a layer-by-layer fashion by melting, extruding and selectively depositing thermoplastic fibers on a platform. These fibers are used as building blocks for more complex structures with defined microarchitecture, in an automated, cost-effective process, with minimum material waste. A sustainable material consisting of lignin biopolymer blended with poly(lactic acid was examined for its physical properties and for its melt processability during the FFF process. Samples with different PLA/lignin weight ratios were prepared and their mechanical (tensile testing, thermal (Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis and morphological (optical and scanning electron microscopy, SEM properties were studied. The composition with optimum properties was selected for the production of 3D-printing filament. Three process parameters, which contribute to shear rate and stress imposed on the melt, were examined: extrusion temperature, printing speed and fiber’s width varied and their effect on extrudates’ morphology was evaluated. The mechanical properties of 3D printed specimens were assessed with tensile testing and SEM fractography.

  18. Development of thermoplastic elastomers based on maleated ethylene propylene rubber (m-EPM and polypropylene (PP by dynamic vulcanization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Dicumyl peroxide (DCP-cured thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs based on blends of maleated ethylene propylene rubber (m-EPM and polypropylene (PP using maleated-PP as a compatibilizer have been developed. Physical properties of these TPVs change significantly with concentrations of DCP and rubber/plastic blend ratios. Important correlations were obtained from rheometer delta torque values with various physical properties of the TPVs like tension set and crosslink density etc. Wide angle X-ray diffraction study confirms that concentration of DCP has a strong influence on the crystallinity of PP, which might affect the final physical properties of TPVs. The recyclability and ageing characteristics of these TPVs are also found excellent.

  19. High-performance computing using FPGAs

    CERN Document Server

    Benkrid, Khaled

    2013-01-01

    This book is concerned with the emerging field of High Performance Reconfigurable Computing (HPRC), which aims to harness the high performance and relative low power of reconfigurable hardware–in the form Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)–in High Performance Computing (HPC) applications. It presents the latest developments in this field from applications, architecture, and tools and methodologies points of view. We hope that this work will form a reference for existing researchers in the field, and entice new researchers and developers to join the HPRC community.  The book includes:  Thirteen application chapters which present the most important application areas tackled by high performance reconfigurable computers, namely: financial computing, bioinformatics and computational biology, data search and processing, stencil computation e.g. computational fluid dynamics and seismic modeling, cryptanalysis, astronomical N-body simulation, and circuit simulation.     Seven architecture chapters which...

  20. Fully Biodegradable Biocomposites with High Chicken Feather Content

    OpenAIRE

    Aranberri, Ibon; Montes, Sarah; Azcune, Itxaso; Rekondo, Alaitz; Grande, Hans-Jürgen

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work was to develop new biodegradable polymeric materials with high loadings of chicken feather (CF). In this study, the effect of CF concentration and the type of biodegradable matrix on the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of the biocomposites was investigated. The selected biopolymers were polylactic acid (PLA), polybutyrate adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and a PLA/thermoplastic copolyester blend. The studied biocomposites were manufactured with a to...

  1. High-Performance Networking

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2003-01-01

    The series will start with an historical introduction about what people saw as high performance message communication in their time and how that developed to the now to day known "standard computer network communication". It will be followed by a far more technical part that uses the High Performance Computer Network standards of the 90's, with 1 Gbit/sec systems as introduction for an in depth explanation of the three new 10 Gbit/s network and interconnect technology standards that exist already or emerge. If necessary for a good understanding some sidesteps will be included to explain important protocols as well as some necessary details of concerned Wide Area Network (WAN) standards details including some basics of wavelength multiplexing (DWDM). Some remarks will be made concerning the rapid expanding applications of networked storage.

  2. High Performance Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Traian Oneţ

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

  3. Control of Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers by Restriction of Crystallization of Soft Segment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadaharu Nakamura

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers based on either polyether or polycarbonate (PC-glycols, 4,4’-dipheylmethane diisocyanate (1,1’-methylenebis(4-isocyanatobenzene, 1,4-butanediol, were controlled by restriction of crystallization of polymer glycols. For the polyether glycol based-polyurethane elastomers (PUEs, poly(oxytetramethylene glycol (PTMG, and PTMG incorporating dimethyl groups (PTG-X and methyl side groups (PTG-L were employed as a polymer glycol. For the PC-glycol, the randomly copolymerized PC-glycols with hexamethylene (C6 and tetramethylene (C4 units between carbonate groups with various composition ratios (C4/C6 = 0/100, 50/50, 70/30 and 90/10 were employed. The degree of microphase separation and mechanical properties of both the PUEs were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic viscoelastic property measurements and tensile testing. Mechanical properties could be controlled by changing the molar ratio of two different monomer components.

  4. HPTA: High-Performance Text Analytics

    OpenAIRE

    Vandierendonck, Hans; Murphy, Karen; Arif, Mahwish; Nikolopoulos, Dimitrios S.

    2017-01-01

    One of the main targets of data analytics is unstructured data, which primarily involves textual data. High-performance processing of textual data is non-trivial. We present the HPTA library for high-performance text analytics. The library helps programmers to map textual data to a dense numeric representation, which can be handled more efficiently. HPTA encapsulates three performance optimizations: (i) efficient memory management for textual data, (ii) parallel computation on associative dat...

  5. Pressurized planar electrochromatography, high-performance thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography--comparison of performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Płocharz, Paweł; Klimek-Turek, Anna; Dzido, Tadeusz H

    2010-07-16

    Kinetic performance, measured by plate height, of High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Pressurized Planar Electrochromatography (PPEC) was compared for the systems with adsorbent of the HPTLC RP18W plate from Merck as the stationary phase and the mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and buffer solution. The HPLC column was packed with the adsorbent, which was scrapped from the chromatographic plate mentioned. An additional HPLC column was also packed with adsorbent of 5 microm particle diameter, C18 type silica based (LiChrosorb RP-18 from Merck). The dependence of plate height of both HPLC and PPEC separating systems on flow velocity of the mobile phase and on migration distance of the mobile phase in TLC system was presented applying test solute (prednisolone succinate). The highest performance, amongst systems investigated, was obtained for the PPEC system. The separation efficiency of the systems investigated in the paper was additionally confirmed by the separation of test component mixture composed of six hormones. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Toughness Enhancement of Commercial Poly (Hydroxybutyrate-co-Valerate) (PHBV) by Blending with a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Ausejo, Jennifer; Sánchez-Safont, Estefania; Cabedo, Luis; Gamez-Perez, Jose

    2016-11-01

    Poly(hydroxyl butyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV) is a biopolymer synthesized by microorganisms that is fully biodegradable with improved thermal and tensile properties with respect to some commodity plastics. However, it presents an intrinsic brittleness that limits its potential application in replacing plastics in packaging applications. Films made of blends of PHBV with different contents of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were prepared by single screw extruder and their fracture toughness behavior was assessed by means of the essential work of fracture (EWF) Method. As the crack propagation was not always stable, a partition method has been used to compare all formulations and to relate results with the morphology of the blends. Indeed, fully characterization of the different PHBV/TPU blends showed that PHBV was incompatible with TPU. The blends showed an improvement of the toughness fracture, finding a maximum with intermediate TPU contents.

  7. High Performance Computing in Science and Engineering '15 : Transactions of the High Performance Computing Center

    CERN Document Server

    Kröner, Dietmar; Resch, Michael

    2016-01-01

    This book presents the state-of-the-art in supercomputer simulation. It includes the latest findings from leading researchers using systems from the High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) in 2015. The reports cover all fields of computational science and engineering ranging from CFD to computational physics and from chemistry to computer science with a special emphasis on industrially relevant applications. Presenting findings of one of Europe’s leading systems, this volume covers a wide variety of applications that deliver a high level of sustained performance. The book covers the main methods in high-performance computing. Its outstanding results in achieving the best performance for production codes are of particular interest for both scientists and engineers. The book comes with a wealth of color illustrations and tables of results.

  8. High Performance Computing in Science and Engineering '17 : Transactions of the High Performance Computing Center

    CERN Document Server

    Kröner, Dietmar; Resch, Michael; HLRS 2017

    2018-01-01

    This book presents the state-of-the-art in supercomputer simulation. It includes the latest findings from leading researchers using systems from the High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) in 2017. The reports cover all fields of computational science and engineering ranging from CFD to computational physics and from chemistry to computer science with a special emphasis on industrially relevant applications. Presenting findings of one of Europe’s leading systems, this volume covers a wide variety of applications that deliver a high level of sustained performance.The book covers the main methods in high-performance computing. Its outstanding results in achieving the best performance for production codes are of particular interest for both scientists and engineers. The book comes with a wealth of color illustrations and tables of results.

  9. SU-E-T-541: Bolus Effect of Thermoplastic Masks in IMRT and VMAT Head and Neck Treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhen, H; Nedzi, L; Chen, S; Jiang, S; Zhao, B

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate the bolus effect of thermoplalstic mask on patient skin dose during multi-field IMRT and VMAT treatment. Methods: The clinically approved target contours for five head and neck patients were deformably registered to an anthropomorphic Rando phantom. Two plans: Multifield IMRT plan with 7-9 beams and VMAT plan with 2-4 arcs were created for each patient following same dose constraints. 3mm skin was excluded from PTVs but not constrained during optimization. The prescription dose was 200-220 cGy/fraction. A thermoplastic head and shoulder mask was customized for the Rando phantom. Each plan was delivered to the phantom twice with and without mask. During each delivery, two rectangular strips of EBT3 films (1cm x 6.8cm) were placed across the anterior upper and lower neck near PTVs to measure the surface dose. For consistency films were positioned at same locations for same patient. A total of 8 film strips were obtained for each patient. Film dose was calibrated in the range of 0-400cGy on the day of plan delivery. For dose comparison 3 regions of interests (ROIs) of 1×1 cm 2 were selected at left, right and middle part of each film, resulting in 6 point doses at each plan delivery. Results: The films without mask show relatively uniform dose distribution while those with mask clearly show mesh pattern of mask, usually indicating an increase in skin dose. On average the increase in skin dose over all ROIs with mask was 31.9%(±14.8%) with a range of 11.4%- 58.4%. There is no statistically significant difference (p=0.44) between skin dose increase in VMAT (30.8%±15.3%) and IMRT delivery (33.0%±14.9%). Conclusion: Thermoplastic immobilization masks increase surface dose for HN patient by around 30%. The magnitude is comparable between multi-field IMRT and VMAT. Radiochromic EBT3 film serves as an effective tool to quantify bolus effect

  10. High-Performance Operating Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sharp, Robin

    1999-01-01

    Notes prepared for the DTU course 49421 "High Performance Operating Systems". The notes deal with quantitative and qualitative techniques for use in the design and evaluation of operating systems in computer systems for which performance is an important parameter, such as real-time applications......, communication systems and multimedia systems....

  11. Compilation of radiation damage test data part III: materials used around high-energy accelerators

    CERN Document Server

    Beynel, P; Schönbacher, H; CERN. Geneva

    1982-01-01

    For pt.II see CERN report 79-08 (1979). This handbook gives the results of radiation damage tests on various engineering materials and components intended for installation in radiation areas of the CERN high-energy particle accelerators. It complements two previous volumes covering organic cable-insulating materials and thermoplastic and thermosetting resins.

  12. Physical optics in the factory works - holographic quality and safety tests with a laser and a thermoplast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lhotzky, A.

    1982-01-01

    Using holographic methods, the quality of bonds between various materials can be tested. The measuring method is explained using the aeroplane tyre test which is particularly important for practical use. The method can also be used for parts where faulty parts deform in a different way to fault-free parts. The deformations used for the test lie in the micron range. A second important field of use is the vibration analysis. Here the hologrammes show weak points in the construction and indicate to the designer the way to design optimization. Noise sources can also be detected with the holographic vibration analysis. The most important novelty in the holographic testing methods was made by the thermoplast film which makes possible the obtaining of instant hologrammes and thus automatic running of the test. (orig.) [de

  13. High performance fuel technology development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koon, Yang Hyun; Kim, Keon Sik; Park, Jeong Yong; Yang, Yong Sik; In, Wang Kee; Kim, Hyung Kyu [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-01-15

    {omicron} Development of High Plasticity and Annular Pellet - Development of strong candidates of ultra high burn-up fuel pellets for a PCI remedy - Development of fabrication technology of annular fuel pellet {omicron} Development of High Performance Cladding Materials - Irradiation test of HANA claddings in Halden research reactor and the evaluation of the in-pile performance - Development of the final candidates for the next generation cladding materials. - Development of the manufacturing technology for the dual-cooled fuel cladding tubes. {omicron} Irradiated Fuel Performance Evaluation Technology Development - Development of performance analysis code system for the dual-cooled fuel - Development of fuel performance-proving technology {omicron} Feasibility Studies on Dual-Cooled Annular Fuel Core - Analysis on the property of a reactor core with dual-cooled fuel - Feasibility evaluation on the dual-cooled fuel core {omicron} Development of Design Technology for Dual-Cooled Fuel Structure - Definition of technical issues and invention of concept for dual-cooled fuel structure - Basic design and development of main structure components for dual- cooled fuel - Basic design of a dual-cooled fuel rod.

  14. High performance homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beim, Anne; Vibæk, Kasper Sánchez

    2014-01-01

    . Consideration of all these factors is a precondition for a truly integrated practice and as this chapter demonstrates, innovative project delivery methods founded on the manufacturing of prefabricated buildings contribute to the production of high performance homes that are cost effective to construct, energy...

  15. A novel lab-on-chip platform with integrated solid phase PCR and Supercritical Angle Fluorescence (SAF) microlens array for highly sensitive and multiplexed pathogen detection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hung, Tran Quang; Chin, Wai Hoe; Sun, Yi

    2016-01-01

    technology. In this paper, we addressed this challenge by combining the SP-PCR with super critical angle fluorescence (SAF) microlens array embedded in a microchip. We fabricated miniaturized SAF microlens array as part of a microfluidic chamber in thermoplastic material and performed multiplexed SP...

  16. Influence of chemical treatment on the tensile properties of kenaf fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. A. El-Shekeil

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the effect of polymeric Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (pMDI chemical treatment on kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU/KF was examined using two different procedures. The first consisted of treating the fibers with 4% pMDI, and the second involved 2% NaOH + 4% pMDI. The composites were characterized according to their tensile properties, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. The treatment of the composite with 4% pMDI did not significantly affect its tensile properties, but the treatment with 2% NaOH + 4% pMDI significantly increased the tensile properties of the composite (i.e., 30 and 42% increases in the tensile strength and modulus, respectively. FTIR also showed that treatment with 2% NaOH + 4% pMDI led to the strongest H-bonding. Additionally, the surface morphology of specimens after tensile fracture confirmed that the composite treated with 2% NaOH + 4% pMDI had the best adhesion and wettability.

  17. Strategy Guideline: High Performance Residential Lighting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holton, J.

    2012-02-01

    The Strategy Guideline: High Performance Residential Lighting has been developed to provide a tool for the understanding and application of high performance lighting in the home. The high performance lighting strategies featured in this guide are drawn from recent advances in commercial lighting for application to typical spaces found in residential buildings. This guide offers strategies to greatly reduce lighting energy use through the application of high quality fluorescent and light emitting diode (LED) technologies. It is important to note that these strategies not only save energy in the home but also serve to satisfy the homeowner's expectations for high quality lighting.

  18. High performance conductometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, B.

    2000-01-01

    Inexpensive but high performance systems have emerged progressively for basic and applied measurements in physical and analytical chemistry on one hand, and for on-line monitoring and leak detection in plants and facilities on the other. Salient features of the developments will be presented with specific examples

  19. INL High Performance Building Strategy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jennifer D. Morton

    2010-02-01

    High performance buildings, also known as sustainable buildings and green buildings, are resource efficient structures that minimize the impact on the environment by using less energy and water, reduce solid waste and pollutants, and limit the depletion of natural resources while also providing a thermally and visually comfortable working environment that increases productivity for building occupants. As Idaho National Laboratory (INL) becomes the nation’s premier nuclear energy research laboratory, the physical infrastructure will be established to help accomplish this mission. This infrastructure, particularly the buildings, should incorporate high performance sustainable design features in order to be environmentally responsible and reflect an image of progressiveness and innovation to the public and prospective employees. Additionally, INL is a large consumer of energy that contributes to both carbon emissions and resource inefficiency. In the current climate of rising energy prices and political pressure for carbon reduction, this guide will help new construction project teams to design facilities that are sustainable and reduce energy costs, thereby reducing carbon emissions. With these concerns in mind, the recommendations described in the INL High Performance Building Strategy (previously called the INL Green Building Strategy) are intended to form the INL foundation for high performance building standards. This revised strategy incorporates the latest federal and DOE orders (Executive Order [EO] 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance” [2009], EO 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management” [2007], and DOE Order 430.2B, “Departmental Energy, Renewable Energy, and Transportation Management” [2008]), the latest guidelines, trends, and observations in high performance building construction, and the latest changes to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

  20. Thermal and dynamic mechanical characterization of thermoplastic polyurethane/organoclay nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barick, A.K.; Tripathy, D.K.

    2010-01-01

    Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites based on organically modified layered silicate (OMLS) were prepared by melt intercalation process followed by compression molding. Different percentage of organoclays was incorporated into the TPU matrix in order to examine the influence of the nanoscaled fillers on nanostructure morphology and material properties. The microscopic morphology of the nanocomposites was evaluated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The observation revealed that both nanoclay-polymer interactions and shear stress developed during melt mixing are responsible for the effectively organoclay dispersion in TPU matrix resulting intercalated/exfoliated morphology. Thermal stability of the nanocomposites measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was improved significantly with the addition of nanoclay. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis reveals that melting point of the nanocomposites increased with incorporation of nanoclay. The dynamic mechanical properties of the TPU nanocomposites were analyzed using a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA), which indicates that the storage modulus (E'), loss modulus (E''), and glass transition temperature (T g ) are significantly increased with increasing nanoclay content.

  1. High Performance Networks for High Impact Science

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scott, Mary A.; Bair, Raymond A.

    2003-02-13

    This workshop was the first major activity in developing a strategic plan for high-performance networking in the Office of Science. Held August 13 through 15, 2002, it brought together a selection of end users, especially representing the emerging, high-visibility initiatives, and network visionaries to identify opportunities and begin defining the path forward.

  2. High performance fuel technology development : Development of high performance cladding materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jeongyong; Jeong, Y. H.; Park, S. Y.

    2012-04-01

    The superior in-pile performance of the HANA claddings have been verified by the successful irradiation test and in the Halden research reactor up to the high burn-up of 67GWD/MTU. The in-pile corrosion and creep resistances of HANA claddings were improved by 40% and 50%, respectively, over Zircaloy-4. HANA claddings have been also irradiated in the commercial reactor up to 2 reactor cycles, showing the corrosion resistance 40% better than that of ZIRLO in the same fuel assembly. Long-term out-of-pile performance tests for the candidates of the next generation cladding materials have produced the highly reliable test results. The final candidate alloys were selected and they showed the corrosion resistance 50% better than the foreign advanced claddings, which is beyond the original target. The LOCA-related properties were also improved by 20% over the foreign advanced claddings. In order to establish the optimal manufacturing process for the inner and outer claddings of the dual-cooled fuel, 18 different kinds of specimens were fabricated with various cold working and annealing conditions. Based on the performance tests and various out-of-pile test results obtained from the specimens, the optimal manufacturing process was established for the inner and outer cladding tubes of the dual-cooled fuel

  3. Fibroblastic response and surface characterization of O2-plasma-treated thermoplastic polyetherurethane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlicht, Henning; Wintermantel, Erich; Haugen, Haavard J; Sabetrasekh, Roya

    2010-01-01

    Injection-molded samples of thermoplastic polyetherurethane (TPU) were treated with low-temperature oxygen plasma for different processing times in order to enhance cellular attachment for a gastric implant. Its effects were investigated by contact angle measurement, surface topography, cytotoxicity and cell colonization tests. No significant changes were found in the surface roughness of plasma treatment with plasma treatment time of less than 5 min. Longer treatment showed significantly higher surface roughness. It seems that there was a link between the changes in contact angle and enhanced cell growth on the treated surface, although only for the range up to plasma treatment times of 3 min. Prolonged treatment times did not cause any major changes in the water contact angle, but strongly improved the number of growing cells on the surface. Plasma treatment for 3-7 min led to a twofold increase in the number of cells compared to untreated samples and did not significantly alter the WST-1 nor worsened the lactate dehydrogenase activity compared to the control. Thus, it appears that O 2 plasma treatment is a suitable surface modification method for a gastric implant made of TPU in order to improve surface cell attachment where 3-7 min is the recommended treatment time.

  4. Carbon nanomaterials for high-performance supercapacitors

    OpenAIRE

    Tao Chen; Liming Dai

    2013-01-01

    Owing to their high energy density and power density, supercapacitors exhibit great potential as high-performance energy sources for advanced technologies. Recently, carbon nanomaterials (especially, carbon nanotubes and graphene) have been widely investigated as effective electrodes in supercapacitors due to their high specific surface area, excellent electrical and mechanical properties. This article summarizes the recent progresses on the development of high-performance supercapacitors bas...

  5. Clojure high performance programming

    CERN Document Server

    Kumar, Shantanu

    2013-01-01

    This is a short, practical guide that will teach you everything you need to know to start writing high performance Clojure code.This book is ideal for intermediate Clojure developers who are looking to get a good grip on how to achieve optimum performance. You should already have some experience with Clojure and it would help if you already know a little bit of Java. Knowledge of performance analysis and engineering is not required. For hands-on practice, you should have access to Clojure REPL with Leiningen.

  6. Initial forces and moments delivered by removable thermoplastic appliances during rotation of an upper central incisor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahn, Wolfram; Engelke, Benjamin; Jung, Klaus; Dathe, Henning; Fialka-Fricke, Julia; Kubein-Meesenburg, Dietmar; Sadat-Khonsari, Reza

    2010-03-01

    To determine the forces and moments delivered to a maxillary central incisor during rotation by three different thermoplastic appliances with identical thickness. Five identical appliances were manufactured from each of three materials (Ideal Clear 1.0 mm, Erkodur 1.0 mm, Biolon 1.0 mm). An upper central incisor fixed in a measuring device was rotated around its central axis in 0.5-degree steps to +/-2.5 degrees, +/-5 degrees, and +/-7.5 degrees (equivalent to an activation of +/-0.17 mm, +/-0.34 mm, and +/-0.51 mm of the incisor edge) in the clockwise and anticlockwise directions with the respective appliance fixed in place. For statistical analysis, the moments Tz (rotation) and forces Fz (intrusion) were tested. Means and standard deviations for Tz and median and 25% and 75% quantiles for Fz were calculated. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed. The minimal moment was determined at a rotation of -0.17 mm (-7.3 Nmm, +/-0.8), and the maximal moment at a deflection of -0.51 mm (-71.8 Nmm. +/-2.5) was recorded. The minimal value for Fz was measured at an activation of -0.17 mm (0.0 N), and the highest intrusive forces were evaluated for a rotation of -0.51 mm (-5.8 N). The particular material sometimes had a significant (P aligners, an intrusive force can also be observed. The direction of rotation, and the materials used all exert an influence on the force delivery properties of the appliance.

  7. Tailoring the toughness and CTE of high temperature bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy resin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Thunga

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present work is to enhancing the toughness and minimizing the CTE of a special class of bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy resin by blending it with a thermoplastic toughening agent. Poly(ether sulfone was chosen as a high temperature resistant thermoplastic resin to enhance the thermo-mechanical properties of BECy. The influence of poly(ether sulfone/BECy blend composition on the morphology and phase behavior was studied using scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis. The mechanical properties of the blends were evaluated by flexural tests, which demonstrated significant enhancement in the material’s toughness with an increase in PES concentration from 0 to 15 wt%. The coefficient of thermal expansion of pure BECy was reduced from 61 to 48 ppm/°C in the blends with PES, emphasizing the multi-functional benefits of PES as a toughening agent in BECy.

  8. Delivering high performance BWR fuel reliably

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schardt, J.F.

    1998-01-01

    Utilities are under intense pressure to reduce their production costs in order to compete in the increasingly deregulated marketplace. They need fuel, which can deliver high performance to meet demanding operating strategies. GE's latest BWR fuel design, GE14, provides that high performance capability. GE's product introduction process assures that this performance will be delivered reliably, with little risk to the utility. (author)

  9. High performance bio-integrated devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dae-Hyeong; Lee, Jongha; Park, Minjoon

    2014-06-01

    In recent years, personalized electronics for medical applications, particularly, have attracted much attention with the rise of smartphones because the coupling of such devices and smartphones enables the continuous health-monitoring in patients' daily life. Especially, it is expected that the high performance biomedical electronics integrated with the human body can open new opportunities in the ubiquitous healthcare. However, the mechanical and geometrical constraints inherent in all standard forms of high performance rigid wafer-based electronics raise unique integration challenges with biotic entities. Here, we describe materials and design constructs for high performance skin-mountable bio-integrated electronic devices, which incorporate arrays of single crystalline inorganic nanomembranes. The resulting electronic devices include flexible and stretchable electrophysiology electrodes and sensors coupled with active electronic components. These advances in bio-integrated systems create new directions in the personalized health monitoring and/or human-machine interfaces.

  10. High Performance Macromolecular Material

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Forest, M

    2002-01-01

    .... In essence, most commercial high-performance polymers are processed through fiber spinning, following Nature and spider silk, which is still pound-for-pound the toughest liquid crystalline polymer...

  11. Delivering high performance BWR fuel reliably

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schardt, J.F. [GE Nuclear Energy, Wilmington, NC (United States)

    1998-07-01

    Utilities are under intense pressure to reduce their production costs in order to compete in the increasingly deregulated marketplace. They need fuel, which can deliver high performance to meet demanding operating strategies. GE's latest BWR fuel design, GE14, provides that high performance capability. GE's product introduction process assures that this performance will be delivered reliably, with little risk to the utility. (author)

  12. Carpet Aids Learning in High Performance Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurd, Frank

    2009-01-01

    The Healthy and High Performance Schools Act of 2002 has set specific federal guidelines for school design, and developed a federal/state partnership program to assist local districts in their school planning. According to the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), high-performance schools are, among other things, healthy, comfortable,…

  13. High-performance-vehicle technology. [fighter aircraft propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Povinelli, L. A.

    1979-01-01

    Propulsion needs of high performance military aircraft are discussed. Inlet performance, nozzle performance and cooling, and afterburner performance are covered. It is concluded that nonaxisymmetric nozzles provide cleaner external lines and enhanced maneuverability, but the internal flows are more complex. Swirl afterburners show promise for enhanced performance in the high altitude, low Mach number region.

  14. Academic performance in high school as factor associated to academic performance in college

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mileidy Salcedo Barragán

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available This study intends to find the relationship between academic performance in High School and College, focusing on Natural Sciences and Mathematics. It is a descriptive correlational study, and the variables were academic performance in High School, performance indicators and educational history. The correlations between variables were established with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results suggest that there is a positive relationship between academic performance in High School and Educational History, and a very weak relationship between performance in Science and Mathematics in High School and performance in College.

  15. High Performance Grinding and Advanced Cutting Tools

    CERN Document Server

    Jackson, Mark J

    2013-01-01

    High Performance Grinding and Advanced Cutting Tools discusses the fundamentals and advances in high performance grinding processes, and provides a complete overview of newly-developing areas in the field. Topics covered are grinding tool formulation and structure, grinding wheel design and conditioning and applications using high performance grinding wheels. Also included are heat treatment strategies for grinding tools, using grinding tools for high speed applications, laser-based and diamond dressing techniques, high-efficiency deep grinding, VIPER grinding, and new grinding wheels.

  16. Processing of high performance composites based on peek by aqueous suspension prepregging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Burakowski Nohara

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The use of polyamic acid (PAA precursor as interphase in polymer composites is one of the many applications of polyimides (PIs. In this work, composites based on poly(ether-ether-ketone (PEEK and carbon fibers were prepared using two manufacturing techniques for thermoplastic composites: hot compression molding, and aqueous polymeric suspension prepregging using PIs as interphase. Two PAAs were synthesized and used as interphases: 3,3'-4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride/oxydianiline (BTDA/ODA and pyromellitic dianhydride/oxydianiline (PMDA/ODA. The PAA/PI systems were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermogravimetry (TGA, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR. Results from these analyses confirmed the synthesis of these compounds. Aqueous polymeric suspension prepregging was more efficient than hot compression molding when the PMDA/ODA PAA/PI interphase was used; also, the interlaminar shear strength of composites produced using this technique was 14.5% higher than the one produced using hot compression molding.

  17. Computational design of mould sprue for injection moulding thermoplastics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muralidhar Lakkanna

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available To injection mould polymers, designing mould is a key task involving several critical decisions with direct implications to yield quality, productivity and frugality. One prominent decision among them is specifying sprue-bush conduit expansion as it significantly influences overall injection moulding; abstruseness anguish in its design criteria deceives direct determination. Intuitively designers decide it wisely and then exasperate by optimising or manipulating processing parameters. To overwhelm that anomaly this research aims at proposing an ideal design criteria holistically for all polymeric materials also tend as a functional assessment metric towards perfection i.e., criteria to specify sprue conduit size before mould development. Accordingly, a priori analytical criterion was deduced quantitatively as expansion ratio from ubiquitous empirical relationships specifically a.k.a an exclusive expansion angle imperatively configured for injectant properties. Its computational intelligence advantage was leveraged to augment functionality of perfectly injecting into an impression gap, while synchronising both injector capacity and desired moulding features. For comprehensiveness, it was continuously sensitised over infinite scale as an explicit factor dependent on in-situ spatio-temporal injectant state perplexity with discrete slope and altitude for each polymeric character. In which congregant ranges of apparent viscosity and shear thinning index were conceived to characteristically assort most thermoplastics. Thereon results accorded aggressive conduit expansion widening for viscous incrust, while a very aggressive narrowing for shear thinning encrust; among them apparent viscosity had relative dominance. This important rationale would certainly form a priori design basis as well diagnose filling issues causing several defects. Like this the proposed generic design criteria, being simple would immensely benefit mould designers besides serve

  18. Highlighting High Performance: Whitman Hanson Regional High School; Whitman, Massachusetts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2006-06-01

    This brochure describes the key high-performance building features of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. The brochure was paid for by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as part of their Green Schools Initiative. High-performance features described are daylighting and energy-efficient lighting, indoor air quality, solar and wind energy, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, water conservation, and acoustics. Energy cost savings are also discussed.

  19. Effect of seaweed on mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of thermoplastic sugar palm starch/agar composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jumaidin, Ridhwan; Sapuan, Salit M; Jawaid, Mohammad; Ishak, Mohamad R; Sahari, Japar

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of thermoplastic sugar palm starch/agar (TPSA) blend containing Eucheuma cottonii seaweed waste as biofiller. The composites were prepared by melt-mixing and hot pressing at 140°C for 10min. The TPSA/seaweed composites were characterized for their mechanical, thermal and biodegradation properties. Incorporation of seaweed from 0 to 40wt.% has significantly improved the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the TPSA/seaweed composites. Scanning electron micrograph of the tensile fracture showed homogeneous surface with formation of cleavage plane. It is also evident from TGA results that thermal stability of the composites were enhanced with addition of seaweed. After soil burial for 2 and 4 weeks, the biodegradation of the composites was enhanced with addition of seaweed. Overall, the incorporation of seaweed into TPSA enhances the properties of TPSA for short-life product application such as tray, plate, etc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Optical design and development of a fiber coupled high-power diode laser system for laser transmission welding of plastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Vidal, Eva; Quintana, Iban; Etxarri, Jon; Azkorbebeitia, Urko; Otaduy, Deitze; González, Francisco; Moreno, Fernando

    2012-12-01

    Laser transmission welding (LTW) of thermoplastics is a direct bonding technique already used in different industrial applications sectors such as automobiles, microfluidics, electronics, and biomedicine. LTW evolves localized heating at the interface of two pieces of plastic to be joined. One of the plastic pieces needs to be optically transparent to the laser radiation whereas the other part has to be absorbent, being that the radiation produced by high power diode lasers is a good alternative for this process. As consequence, a tailored laser system has been designed and developed to obtain high quality weld seams with weld widths between 0.7 and 1.4 mm. The developed laser system consists of two diode laser bars (50 W per bar) coupled into an optical fiber using a nonimaging solution: equalization of the beam parameter product (BPP) in the slow and fast axes by a pair of step-mirrors. The power scaling was carried out by means of a multiplexing polarization technique. The analysis of energy balance and beam quality was performed considering ray tracing simulation (ZEMAX) and experimental validation. The welding experiments were conducted on acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS), a thermoplastic frequently used in automotive, electronics and aircraft applications, doped with two different concentrations of carbon nanotubes (0.01% and 0.05% CNTs). Quality of the weld seams on ABS was analyzed in terms of the process parameters (welding speed, laser power and clamping pressure) by visual and optical microscope inspections. Mechanical properties of weld seams were analyzed by mechanical shear tests. High quality weld seams were produced in ABS, revealing the potential of the laser developed in this work for a wide range of plastic welding applications.