Preparation of A-150 tissue-equivalent plastic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saion, E.B.; Shaari, A.H.; Watt, D.E.

1992-01-01

A-150 tissue-equivalent (TE) plastic is widely used as a wall material for tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCS) used in experimental microdosimetry. The objective of this note is to give a technical account of how A-150 TE plastic film can be fabricated in the laboratory from commercially available A-150 TE plastic. (author)

Material properties of plasticized hardwood xylans for potential application as oxygen barrier films.

Science.gov (United States)

Gröndahl, Maria; Eriksson, Lisa; Gatenholm, Paul

2004-01-01

Free films based on glucuronoxylan isolated from aspen wood were prepared by casting from aqueous solutions and drying in a controlled environment. Addition of xylitol or sorbitol facilitated film formation and thus examination of the material properties of these films. The mechanical properties of the films were evaluated using tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis in a controlled ambient relative humidity. The strain at break increased, and the stress at break and Young's modulus of the films decreased with increasing amounts of xylitol and sorbitol due to plasticization. At high amount of plasticizer, it was found that films with xylitol gave lower extensibility. Wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis showed that xylitol crystallized in a distinct phase, which we believe contributes to the more brittle behavior of these films. The effect of the plasticizers on the glass transition temperature was determined using dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. An increased amount of plasticizer shifted the glass transition to lower temperatures. The effect of moisture on the properties of plasticized films was investigated using water vapor sorption isotherms and by humidity scans in dynamic mechanical analysis. Sorption isotherms showed a transition from type II to type III when adding plasticizer. The films showed low oxygen permeability and thus have a potential application in food packaging.

Plasticizer effect on the properties of biodegradable blend film from rice starch-chitosan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thawien Bourtoom

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The properties of biodegradable blend film from rice starch-chitosan with different plasticizers were determined. Three plasticizers comprising sorbitol (SOR, glycerol (GLY and polyethylene glycol (PEG were studied over a range of concentration from 20 to 60%. Increasing concentration of these plasticizers resulted in decreased tensile strength (TS concomitant with an increase in elongation at break (E, water vapor permeability (WVP and film solubility (FS. SOR plasticized films were the most brittle, with the highest tensile strength (TS, 26.06 MPa. However, its effect on WVP was low (5.45 g.mm/m2.day.kPa. In contrast, GLY and PEG plasticized films had a flexible structure contradictory to a low TS (14.31MPa and 16.14MPa, respectively providing a high WVP (14.52 g.mm/m2.day.kPa and 14.69 g.mm/m2.day.kPa, respectively. SOR plasticized films, demonstrated little higher FS compared to PEG and GLY plasticized films but not significant different (p<0.05. The color of biodegradable blend film from rice starch-chitosan was more affected by the concentration of the plasticizer used than by its type. Nine moisture sorption models were applied to experimental data. Moisture content of the film increased at elevated water activity. The time to reach equilibrium moisture content (EMC was about 20-24 days at lower humidity and 13-16 days at higher humidities. The EMC of glycerol and sorbitol rice starchchitosan biodegradable blend films showed a logarithmic increase at above 0.59 aw and reached the highest moisture content of 51.46% and 42.97 % at 0.95 aw, whereas PEG rice starch-chitosan biodegradable blend films did not show much increase in moisture content.

Design study of plastic film heat exchanger

Science.gov (United States)

Guyer, E. C.; Brownell, D. L.

1986-02-01

This report presents the results of an effort to develop and design a unique thermoplastic film heat exchanger for use in an industrial heat pump evaporator system and other energy recovery applications. The concept for the exchanger is that of individual heat exchange elements formed by two adjoining and freely hanging plastic films. Liquid flows downward in a regulated fashion between the films due to the balance of hydrostatic and frictional forces. The fluid stream on the outside of film may be a free-falling liquid film, a condensing gas, or a noncondensing gas. The flow and structural principles are similar to those embodied in an earlier heat exchange system developed for use in waste water treatment systems (Sanderson). The design allows for high heat transfer rates while working within the thermal and structural limitations of thermoplastic materials. The potential of this new heat exchanger design lies in the relatively low cost of plastic film and the high inherent corrosion and fouling resistance. This report addresses the selection of materials, the potential heat transf er performance, the mechanical design and operation of a unit applied in a low pressure steam recovery system, and the expected selling price in comparison to conventional metallic shell and tube heat exchangers.

Application of β plastic film thickness gauge in automatic production of agricultural film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Longzhi; Guo Juhao

1996-01-01

The author briefly explains the importance of agricultural film at home, and mainly explains the measuring principles of plastic film thickness, the design of β detector, the temperature compensation technology and the design of automatic control device

Pixels Intensity Evolution to Describe the Plastic Films Deformation

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Juan C. Briñez-De León

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This work proposes an approach for mechanical behavior description in the plastic film deformation using techniques for the images analysis, which are based on the intensities evolution of fixed pixels applied to an images sequence acquired through polarizing optical assembly implemented around the platform of the plastic film deformation. The pixels intensities evolution graphs, and mechanical behavior graphic of the deformation has dynamic behaviors zones which could be associated together.

Preparation and Characterization of HPMC/PVP Blend Films Plasticized with Sorbitol

OpenAIRE

Somashekarappa, H.; Prakash, Y.; Hemalatha, K.; Demappa, T.; Somashekar, R.

2013-01-01

The aim of this present work is to investigate the effect of plasticizers like Sorbitol on microstructural and mechanical properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blend films. The pure blend and plasticized blend films were prepared by solution casting method and investigated using wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) method. WAXS analysis confirms that the plasticizers can enter into macromolecular blend structure and destroy the crystallinity of the f...

Gelatin films plasticized with a simulated biodiesel coproduct stream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2009-04-01

Full Text Available In order to explore the possibility of substituting an unrefined biodiesel coproduct stream (BCS for refined glycerol as a polymer plasticizer we have prepared cast gelatin films plasticized with a simulated BCS, i.e., mixtures of glycerol and some of the typical components found in BCS (methyl linoleate, methyl oleate, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. We measured the tensile properties as a function of plasticizer composition, and analyzed the specific effect of each individual component on tensile properties. We found that it is the unrecovered alkyl esters that largely determine the tensile properties, and that BCS can be successfully used to plasticize cast gelatin films as long as the BCS contains 11 parts by weight, or less, of unrecovered alkyl esters per 100 parts glycerol.

Closed Loop Recycling of Plastic Housing for Flat Screen TVs

OpenAIRE

Peeters, Jef; Vanegas, Paul; Devoldere, Tom; Dewulf, Wim; Duflou, Joost

2012-01-01

The treatment of the rapidly increasing number of End-of-Life (EoL) Flat screen Televisions (FTVs) presents major challenges and opportunities. Closing loops in plastic housing material flows remains a particular technical challenge because of the presence of additives, such as Flame Retardants (FR) in recovered housings. In the framework of a collaborative project PRIME with TP Vision the TV development site for Philips TVs and a Van Gansewinkel first level recycling plant, series of experim...

Ferroelectricity and Piezoelectricity in Free-Standing Polycrystalline Films of Plastic Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, Jun; Yoneyama, Naho; Yokokura, Seiya; Takahashi, Yukihiro; Miura, Atsushi; Kitamura, Noboru; Inabe, Tamotsu

2018-01-10

Plastic crystals represent a unique compound class that is often encountered in molecules with globular structures. The highly symmetric cubic crystal structure of plastic crystals endows these materials with multiaxial ferroelectricity that allows a three-dimensional realignment of the polarization axes of the crystals, which cannot be achieved using conventional molecular ferroelectric crystals with low crystal symmetry. In this work, we focused our attention on malleability as another characteristic feature of plastic crystals. We have synthesized the new plastic/ferroelectric ionic crystals tetramethylammonium tetrachloroferrate(III) and tetramethylammonium bromotrichloroferrate(III), and discovered that free-standing translucent films can be easily prepared by pressing powdered samples of these compounds. The thus obtained polycrystalline films exhibit ferroelectric polarization switching and a relatively large piezoelectric response at room temperature. The ready availability of functional films demonstrates the practical utility of such plastic/ferroelectric crystals, and considering the vast variety of possible constituent cations and anions, a wide range of applications should be expected for these unique and attractive functional materials.

Thermal Characteristics of Plastic Film Tension in Roll-to-Roll Gravure Printed Electronics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kui He

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In the printing section of a roll-to-roll gravure printed electronics machine, the plastic film tension is directly associated with the product quality. The temperature distribution of the plastic film in the printing section is non-uniform, because of the higher drying temperature and the lower room temperature. Furthermore, the drying temperature and the room temperature are not constants in industrial production. As the plastic film is sensitive to temperature, the temperature of the plastic film will affects the web tension in the printing section. In this paper, the thermal characteristics of the plastic film tension in roll-to-roll gravure printed electronics are studied in order to help to improve the product quality. First, the tension model including the factor of temperature is derived based on the law of mass conservation. Then, some simulations and experiments are carried out in order to in-depth research the effects of the drying temperature and room temperature based on the relations between system inputs and outputs. The results show that the drying temperature and room temperature have significant influences on the web tension. The research on the thermal characteristics of plastic film tension would benefit the tension control accuracy for further study.

Physical stability and moisture sorption of aqueous chitosan-amylose starch films plasticized with polyols

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cervera, Mirna Fernández; Karjalainen, Milja; Airaksinen, Sari

2004-01-01

The short-term stability and the water sorption of films prepared from binary mixtures of chitosan and native amylose maize starch (Hylon VII) were evaluated using free films. The aqueous polymer solutions of the free films contained 2% (w/w) film formers, glycerol, or erythritol as a plasticizer...... in the crystallinity of the films are evident within a 3-month period of storage, and the changes in the solid state are dependent on the plasticizer and storage conditions. When stored at ambient conditions for 3 months, the aqueous chitosan-amylose starch films plasticized with erythritol exhibited a partly...

Plasticizing Effects of Polyamines in Protein-Based Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Sabbah

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Zeta potential and nanoparticle size were determined on film forming solutions of native and heat-denatured proteins of bitter vetch as a function of pH and of different concentrations of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, both in the absence and presence of the plasticizer glycerol. Our results showed that both polyamines decreased the negative zeta potential of all samples under pH 8.0 as a consequence of their ionic interaction with proteins. At the same time, they enhanced the dimension of nanoparticles under pH 8.0 as a result of macromolecular aggregations. By using native protein solutions, handleable films were obtained only from samples containing either a minimum of 33 mM glycerol or 4 mM spermidine, or both compounds together at lower glycerol concentrations. However, 2 mM spermidine was sufficient to obtain handleable film by using heat-treated samples without glycerol. Conversely, brittle materials were obtained by spermine alone, thus indicating that only spermidine was able to act as an ionic plasticizer. Lastly, both polyamines, mainly spermine, were found able to act as “glycerol-like” plasticizers at concentrations higher than 5 mM under experimental conditions at which their amino groups are undissociated. Our findings open new perspectives in obtaining protein-based films by using aliphatic polycations as components.

Rheological and structural characterisation of film-forming solutions and biodegradable edible film made from kefiran as affected by various plasticizer types.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemlou, Mehran; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Oromiehie, Abdulrasoul

2011-11-01

The rheological properties of kefiran film-forming solutions, as well as the structural characterisation of the resulting films, were investigated as a function of various plasticizer types. The behaviours of the storage (G') and loss (G″) moduli as a function of frequency were typical of gel-like material, with the G' higher than the G″. Kefiran-based films, which may find application as edible films, were prepared by a casting and solvent-evaporation method. Possible interaction between the adjacent chains in the kefiran polymer and various plasticizers was proven by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The crystallinity of plasticized kefiran film was also analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD); this revealed an amorphous-crystalline structure. These results were explained by the film's microstructure, which was analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The present study has helped determine possible interactions of kefiran, plasticizer and water molecules in determining film properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

α-sealed transfer device and portable plastic film sealers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Zhujun; Shan Ruixia

1990-04-01

An α transfer device which can be operated remotely is presented. The device is able to perform sealed transfer of radioactive articles from a hot cell or shielded glove box to the outside and non-radioactive articles from the outside to a hot cell or shielded glove box by using bag sealing technology. The structure of the transfer device is simple. Its operation is safe and reliable. The sealing performance of the device is very good (for alpha). The use of this transfer device will greatly reduce α contamination of the building and creates a favourable condition for operating radioactive materials in an undivided area. The portable heat sealing device is also a necessary tool in bag sealing technology and α-sealed transfer. Two types of portable plastic film sealers have been developed. Their structure is simple. The operation of the portable plastic film sealers is easy. Their performance is also excellent. Both the α-sealed transfer device and portable plastic film sealers are very useful to the reprocessing plant of nuclear fuel

Biodegradation of compostable and oxodegradable plastic films by backyard composting and bioaugmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Quecholac-Piña, Xochitl; García-Rivera, Mariel Anel; Espinosa-Valdemar, Rosa María; Vázquez-Morillas, Alethia; Beltrán-Villavicencio, Margarita; Cisneros-Ramos, Adriana de la Luz

2017-11-01

Plastics are widely used in the production of short-life products, which are discarded producing an accumulation of these materials and problems due to their persistence in the environment and waste management systems. Degradable plastics (compostable, oxodegradable) have been presented as an alternative to decrease the negative effect of plastic waste. In this research, the feasibility of degrading a commercially available compostable film and oxodegradable polyethylene, with and without previous abiotic oxidation, is assessed in a home composting system. Reactors (200 L) were used to degrade the plastic films along with a mixture of organic food waste (50 %), mulch (25 %), and dry leaves (25 %), amended with yeast and a solution of brown sugar to increase the speed of the process. The presence of the plastic film did not affect the composting process, which showed an initial increase in temperature and typical profiles for moisture content, pH, with a final C/N of 17.4. After 57 days, the compostable plastic has decreased its mechanical properties in more than 90 %, while the oxodegradable film did not show significant degradation if it was not previously degraded by UV radiation. The use of these plastics should be assessed against the prevailing waste management system in each city or country. In the case of Mexico, which lacks the infrastructure for industrial composting, home composting could be an option to degrade compostable plastics along organic waste. However, more testing is needed in order to set the optimal parameters of the process.

Plasticization of Poly (lactic) acid Film as a Potential Coating Material

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ping; Li, Hua; Liu, Qingsong; Dong, Hongbiao; Duan, Yafei; Zhang, Jiasong

2018-01-01

PLA-based composite films with different plasticizers, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Tributyl citrate (TBC), were prepared using a solvent casting method and their machanical, water absorbency and NO3 --N permeability properties were tested. Tensile strength, elongation at break, water absorbency and NO3 --N permeability of neat PLA film were 1.99 ± 0.04 MPa, 2.7 ± 0.46%, 29.33 ± 0.3% and 216.03 ± 19.92 mg·L-1·m-2·h-1, respectively. After the addition of plasticizers the tensile strength were decreased, tensile strength of flims added 40wt% TBC and PEG decreased by 59.3% and 52.26%. While the elongation at break of the PLA film gradually increased. The elongation at break reached the value of 23.96±0.48% and 38.55±1.66% for the films added PEG and TBC respectively at the concentration of 40wt%. Water absorbency decreased as the increase of plasticizers. The NO3 --N permeability attained a maximum of 300.05±10.47 and 270.97±14.54 mg·L-1·m-2·h-1 for films added PEG and TBC at the concentration of 10 wt % respectively. Considered the NO3 --N permeability, PEG at 10wt% seemed the better plasticizer for PLA used in control release of fertilizer.

The Effects of plasticizers and palmitic acid toward the properties of the carrageenan Film

Science.gov (United States)

Heru Wibowo, Atmanto; Listiyawati, Oktaviana; Purnawan, Candra

2016-02-01

Varied plasticizers and palmitic acid additive have been added in the carrageenan film. The film was made by mixing of the carrageenan and plasticizers (glycerol, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol) with composition of 92:3, 90:6, 87:9, 84:12, 81:15(%w/w) and in the presence of palmitic acid as additive with 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% of total weight. Casting method was used for the film molding and drying at 60oC with the oven for 12 hours. To investigate the effects of plasticizers and additive, some mechanical tests on film were performed. The test result concludes that plasticizers in the film decreased the tensile strength and increased the elongation break of the carrageenan film. The additive of palmitic acid decreased the tensile strength of the carrageenan film and also decreased the-the water absorbance of the film. The highest tensile strength of films made was with the formulation of carrageenan: PEG with composition of 92:3 (% w/w). The highest elongation break of the film was for carrageenan:PVA with the composition of 81: 15 (%w/w) and carrageenan:palmitic acid:PEG with the composition of 92: 3: 1 (%w/w). The lowest water absorption of the film was achieved for carrageenan:PVA:palmitic acid with the composition of 87: 3: 5 (%w/w).

EFFECT OF PLASTICIZERS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EDIBLE FILM FROM JANENG STARCH – CHITOSAN

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Narlis Juandi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The interest in the development of edible and biodegradable films has increased because it is every day more evident that non degradable are doing much damage to the environment. In this research, edible films were based on blends of janeng starch in different proportions, added of palm oil or glycerol, which were used as plasticizers. The objective was to study the effect of two different plasticizers, palm oil and glycerol of edible film from janeng starch–chitosan on the mechanical properties and FTIR spectra. Increasing concentration of glycerol as plasticizer resulted tend to increased tensile strength and elongation at break. The tensile strength and elongation at break values for palm oil is higher than glycerol as plasticizer at the same concentration. FTIR spectra show the process of making edible film from janeng starch–chitosan with palm oil or glycerol as plasticizers are physically mixing in the presence of hydrogen interactions between chains.

Effects of plasticizers on sorption and optical properties of gum cordia based edible film.

Science.gov (United States)

Haq, Muhammad Abdul; Jafri, Feroz Alam; Hasnain, Abid

2016-06-01

The present study aimed to characterize a biodegradable film produced from the polysaccharide of an indigenous plant Cordia myxa. Effect of plasticizer type (Glycerol, Sorbitol, PEG200 and PEG 400) and concentration (0-30 %) was studied on sorption and optical properties of the casted film. Increase in plasticizer concentration resulted in increase in equilibrium moisture content of the film and was supported by GAB model of sorption indicating that isotherms were of Type II. The monolayer value increased with the increase in plasticizer concentration with a peak of 0.93 g.g-1 for glycerol. Addition of plasticizers improved the total color (ΔE) with glycerol showing the highest effects. All films showed resistance to UV light in the range of 280-200 nm. The polysaccharide of the fruit of C.myxa can be used to prepare an edible film with improved properties as compared to other available edible coatings.

A physicochemical study of sugar palm (Arenga Pinnata) starch films plasticized by glycerol and sorbitol

Science.gov (United States)

Poeloengasih, Crescentiana D.; Pranoto, Yudi; Hayati, Septi Nur; Hernawan, Rosyida, Vita T.; Prasetyo, Dwi J.; Jatmiko, Tri H.; Apriyana, Wuri; Suwanto, Andri

2016-02-01

The present work explores the physicochemical characteristics of sugar palm starch film for a potential hard capsule purpose. Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) starch films were plasticized with glycerol or sorbitol in various concentrations (30% up to 50% w/w starch). Their effects on physicochemical properties of the films were investigated. The results showed that sugar palm starch was successfully developed as the main material of film using casting method. Incorporation of both glycerol or sorbitol affected the properties of films in different ways. It was found that thickness and solubility increased as plasticizer concentration increased, whereas retraction ratio, swelling degree and swelling thickness decreased with the increased plasticizer concentration.

Morphology and thermal properties of PLA films plasticized with aliphatic oligoesters; Morfologia e propriedades termicas de filmes de PLA plastificados com oligoesteres alifaticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inacio, Erika M.; Dias, Marcos L., E-mail: erika.minacio@ima.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Lima, Maria Celiana P. [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Duque de Caxias, RJ (Brazil)

2015-07-01

The addition of plasticizers to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the known ways of changing its ductility, making possible the modification of its mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, it was synthesized two biodegradable aliphatic oligoesters: oligo(trimethylene sebacate) (OST) and oligo(trimethylene malonate) (OMT), and these oligomers were used as plasticizer in cast films of commercial film grade PLA at concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt% of each plasticizer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the morphology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used aiming the evaluation of the thermal properties of these films. The PLA films containing no plasticizer showed an amorphous behavior, and the addition of PMT on the PLA films acted, simultaneously, decreasing the Tg, and rising the material's crystallinity. In contrast, the increased addition of OST to the PLA films did not change the Tg, and equally, did not have a significant changes in the material's crystallinity. Therefore, it was possible to observe the effect of the concentration of oligomers on the crystallinity of the films as well as the no plasticizer effect of the OST. (author)

Starch behaviors and mechanical properties of starch blend films with different plasticizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen Vu, Hoang Phuong; Lumdubwong, Namfone

2016-12-10

The main objective of the study was to gain insight into structural and mechanical starch behaviors of the plasticized starch blend films. Mechanical properties and starch behaviors of cassava (CS)/and mungbean (MB) (50/50, w/w) starch blend films containing glycerol (Gly) or sorbitol (Sor) at 33% weight content were investigated. It was found that tensile strength TS and %E of the Gly-CSMB films were similar to those of MB films; but%E of all Sor-films was identical. TS of plasticized films increased when AM content and crystallinity increased. When Sor was substituted for Gly, crystallinity of starch films and their TS increased. The CSMB and MB films had somewhat a similar molecular profile and comparable mechanical properties. Therefore, it was proposed the starch molecular profile containing amylopectin with high M¯w, low M¯w of amylose, and the small size of intermediates may impart the high TS and%E of starch films. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and biological treatments of polyethylene-rice starch plastic films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Naggar, Manal M.A., E-mail: mmelnaggar@yahoo.com [Microbiology Lab., National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria (Egypt); Farag, Magdy Gh. [Development Plastic Center, Victoria, Alexandria (Egypt)

2010-04-15

This study aimed to produce an industrial applicable thermo-stable {alpha}-amylase from marine Bacillus amyloliquefaciens which isolated and selected according to its significant enzyme production. The effect of different pH values and temperatures on the bacterial growth and the enzyme production was estimated using an experimental statistical design; maximum amylase production and bacterial growth was obtained at pH 7.0 and 50 deg. C. Some biodegradable polyethylene rice starch plastic films (PERS-P) were manufactured using 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10% starch concentrations. The biodegradability (reduction in the plastic elongation%) was tested using the exposure to UV radiation at {lambda}{sub 300-400nm} (intensity of about 1000 W/m{sup 2}) and the produced B. amyloliquefaciens thermo-stable {alpha}-amylase. A significant reduction in the elongation% of these biodegradable plastics was observed in both cases especially on testing the 10% PERS-P; they showed a reduction of 26% and 20%, respectively, compared to the untreated plastic films (180 {+-} 5).

Physical and biological treatments of polyethylene-rice starch plastic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Naggar, Manal M.A.; Farag, Magdy Gh.

2010-01-01

This study aimed to produce an industrial applicable thermo-stable α-amylase from marine Bacillus amyloliquefaciens which isolated and selected according to its significant enzyme production. The effect of different pH values and temperatures on the bacterial growth and the enzyme production was estimated using an experimental statistical design; maximum amylase production and bacterial growth was obtained at pH 7.0 and 50 deg. C. Some biodegradable polyethylene rice starch plastic films (PERS-P) were manufactured using 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10% starch concentrations. The biodegradability (reduction in the plastic elongation%) was tested using the exposure to UV radiation at λ 300-400nm (intensity of about 1000 W/m 2 ) and the produced B. amyloliquefaciens thermo-stable α-amylase. A significant reduction in the elongation% of these biodegradable plastics was observed in both cases especially on testing the 10% PERS-P; they showed a reduction of 26% and 20%, respectively, compared to the untreated plastic films (180 ± 5).

Plastic film materials for dosimetry of very large absorbed doses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McLaughlin, W.L.; Miller, Arne; Abdel-Rahim, F.

1985-01-01

Most plastic films have limited response ranges for dosimetry because of radiation-induced brittleness, degradation, or saturation of the signal used for analysis (e.g. spectrophotometry) at high doses. There are, however, a few types of thin plastic films showing linearity of response even up...... to doses as high as 2 × 106 Gy (200 Mrad) without severe loss of mechanical properties. Among many candidate film types tested, those showing such resistance to radiation damage and continued response at such high doses are polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, dyed polyvinylchloride......, the dyed polychlorostyrenes show essentially the same response to radiation-processing gamma-ray fields and to very high-intensity electron beams, and a relatively stable absorption spectrum at wavelengths for dosimetry analysis in the visible spectral region of ≈430 nm....

Effect of Plasticizer Type on Tensile Property and In Vitro Indomethacin Release of Thin Films Based on Low-Methoxyl Pectin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pensak Jantrawut

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study developed the interests of low-methoxyl pectin (LMP together with plasticizers for the preparation of elastic thin films. The effect of different plasticizer types (glycerol: Gly; sorbitol: Sor; propylene glycol: PG; and polyethylene glycol 300: PEG 300 and concentrations (20–40% w/w on mechanical and thermal properties of LMP films as well as on in vitro release of indomethacin were evaluated. Without any plasticizer, a brittle LMP film with low tensile strength and % elongation at break was obtained. Addition of plasticizers from 20% to 40% caused reduction in the tensile strength and Young’s modulus values, whereas percent elongation was increased. Forty percent Gly-plasticized and PG-plasticized films were selected to deliver indomethacin in comparison with non-plasticized film. No significant difference in indomethacin release profiles was displayed between the films. The analysis of indomethacin release model indicated that more than one drug release mechanism from the film formulation was involved and possibly the combination of both diffusion and erosion. Even though indomethacin incorporated in non-plasticized film showed similar release profile, Gly or PG should be added to enhanced film flexibility and decrease film brittleness.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ECO-COMPATIBLE PLASTIC FILMS FOR SOIL SOLARIZATION: FOUR YEARS OF EXPERIMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvatore Margiotta

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Soil solarization relies on solar radiation being converted to heat for the killing of soilborne pathogens. On one hand, this technique can be considered as an environmentally-friendly way to manage soilborne pests, as an alternative of methyl bromide phased-out in 2005, than using chemicals. On the other hand, high employment of traditional plastic sheets in agriculture causes the production of enormous quantities of waste, whose inappropriate management might have negative effects on the environment. In order to determine a reduction of the charge of plastic waste and to facilitate the waste disposal, one of the most interesting approaches, from an environmental point of view, lies in the location of innovatory plastic films such as co-extruded ultrathin films, which are able to reduce the plastic quantity to be managed, and biodegradable laminates, which after a first usage, will spontaneously start up a degradation process that avoids their collection and their consequent disposal. Beside the ecological proprieties of these innovative films, it is necessary to study their technical and agronomical behavior in order to determine their efficiency and the possibility to be used in place of the traditional plastic films. This paper represents a review of the researches carrier out by the Technical Economics Department of the University of Basilicata (Italy in the last years (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003 on the technical performances of some innovative plastic films used for soil solarization.

Plastic-Film Mulching for Enhanced Water-Use Efficiency and Economic Returns from Maize Fields in Semiarid China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Wei, Ting; Cai, Tie; Ali, Shahzad; Han, Qingfang; Ren, Xiaolong; Jia, Zhikuan

2017-01-01

Film mulch has gradually been popularized to increase water availability to crops for improving and stabilizing agricultural production in the semiarid areas of Northwest China. To find more sustainable and economic film mulch methods for alleviating drought stress in semiarid region, it is necessary to test optimum planting methods in same cultivation conditions. A field experiment was conducted during 2013 and 2014 to evaluate the effects of different plastic film mulch methods on soil water, soil temperature, water use efficiency (WUE), yield and revenue. The treatments included: (i) the control, conventional flat planting without plastic film mulch (CK); (ii) flat planting with maize rows (60 cm spacing) on plastic film mulch (70 cm wide); (iii) furrow planting of maize (60 cm spacing), separated by consecutive plastic film-mulched ridges (each 50 cm wide and 15 cm tall); (iv) furrow planting of maize (60 cm spacing), separated by alternating large and small plastic film-mulched ridges (large ridges: 70 cm wide and 15 cm tall, small ridges 50 cm wide and 10 cm tall); and (v) furrow-flat planting of maize (60 cm spacing) with a large plastic film-mulched ridge (60 cm wide and 15 cm tall) alternating with a flat without plastic film-mulched space (60 cm wide). Topsoil temperature (5-25 cm) was significantly ( p plastic film mulch than the control (CK), and resulted in greater soil water storage (0-200 cm) up to 40 days after planting. Maize grain yield and WUE were significantly ( p < 0.05) higher with the furrow planting methods (consecutive film-mulched ridges and alternating film-mulched ridges) than the check in both years. Maize yield was, on average, 29% ( p < 0.05) greater and 28% ( p < 0.05) greater with these furrow planting methods, while the average WUE increased by 22.8% ( p < 0.05) with consecutive film-mulched ridges and 21.1% ( p < 0.05) with alternating film-mulched ridges. The 2-year average net income increased by 1559, 528, and 350 Chinese Yuan

Effect of Plasticizer Type and Concentration on Tensile, Thermal and Barrier Properties of Biodegradable Films Based on Sugar Palm (Arenga pinnata Starch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammed L. Sanyang

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The use of starch based films as a potential alternative choice to petroleum derived plastics is imperative for environmental waste management. This study presents a new biopolymer (sugar palm starch for the preparation of biodegradable packaging films using a solution casting technique. The effect of different plasticizer types (glycerol (G, sorbitol (S and glycerol-sorbitol (GS combination with varying concentrations (0, 15, 30 and 45, w/w% on the tensile, thermal and barrier properties of sugar palm starch (SPS films was evaluated. Regardless of plasticizer types, the tensile strength of plasticized SPS films decreased, whereas their elongation at break (E% increased as the plasticizer concentrations were raised. However, the E% for G and GS-plasticized films significantly decreased at a higher plasticizer concentration (45% w/w due to the anti-plasticization effect of plasticizers. Change in plasticizer concentration showed an insignificant effect on the thermal properties of S-plasticized films. The glass transition temperature of SPS films slightly decreased as the plasticizer concentration increased from 15% to 45%. The plasticized films exhibited increased water vapor permeability values from 4.855 × 10−10 to 8.70 × 10−10 g·m−1·s−1·Pa−1, irrespective of plasticizer types. Overall, the current study manifested that plasticized sugar palm starch can be regarded as a promising biopolymer for biodegradable films.

Constraints and potential of Sweet Pepper cultivation in plastic houses in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gunadi, N.; Everaarts, A.P.; Adiyoga, W.; Moekasan, T.

2007-01-01

At the start of a research project on the improvement of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) cultivation in plastic houses in Indonesia, an inventory of the present cultivation methods and constraints was made, together with an analysis of production costs and benefits. The inventory was carried out in

Bionanocomposite films based on plasticized PLA-PHB/cellulose nanocrystal blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrieta, M P; Fortunati, E; Dominici, F; López, J; Kenny, J M

2015-05-05

Optically transparent plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based bionanocomposite films intended for food packaging were prepared by melt blending. Materials were plasticized with 15wt% of acetyl(tributyl citrate) (ATBC) to improve the material processability and to obtain flexibile films. Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was used to increase PLA crystallinity. The thermal stability of the PLA-PHB blends was improved by the addition of 5 wt% of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose. The combination of ATBC and cellulose nanocrystals, mainly the better dispersed CNCs, improved the interaction between PLA and PHB. Thus, an improvement on the oxygen barrier and stretchability was achieved in PLA-PHB-CNCs-ATBC which also displayed somewhat UV light blocking effect. All bionanocomposite films presented appropriate disintegration in compost suggesting their possible applications as biodegradable packaging materials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical and barrier properties of starch-based films plasticized with two- or three component deep eutectic solvents.

Science.gov (United States)

Zdanowicz, Magdalena; Johansson, Caisa

2016-10-20

The aim of this work was to prepare two- and three-components deep eutectic solvents (DES) and investigate their potential as starch plasticizers. Starch/DES films were prepared via casting method. Mechanical properties, water vapor- and oxygen transmission rates were measured; additionally contact angle and moisture sorption were determined and FTIR analysis was applied on the films. Native potato starch and hydroxypropylated and oxidized starch (HOPS) with common plasticizers (e.g. polyols, urea) and DES were studied. Moreover, influence of three methods of DES introduction and concentration of plasticizer on the films properties were compared. HOPS films were prepared by two methods: as non-cured and cured samples. Some of DESs containing citrate anion exhibited crosslinking ability of polysaccharide matrix. Non-cured HOPS/DES films exhibited more favourable mechanical and barrier properties than cured analogue films. Samples prepared with unmodified potato starch had higher mechanical and barrier properties than films made with HOPS. Starch-based films plasticized with novel DESs with parallel crosslinking activity exhibited satisfactory mechanical and barrier properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of thin plastic films at cryogenic temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Lark, R. F.; Hoggatt, J. T.; Wiedekamp, K. E.; Shdo, J. G.

1972-01-01

Commercially available plastic film materials that remain flexible at cryogenic temperatures and resist failures caused by folds and wrinkles created during expulsion were investigated for use in expulsion bladders for liquefied gases. Compatible adhesive systems, fabrication techniques, and results of impact and dynamic loading tests are summarized.

The measurement of longwave radiation properties upon plastic films used in greenhouses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horiguchi, I.; Tani, H.; Sugaya, H.

1982-01-01

Due to the rising cost of heating oils in recent years, the subject of heat conservation on a greenhouse has become more important. In this aspect, the plastic films used for reducing heat losses must have low transmittance property for longwave radiation, also need to have low emissivity. The properties of plastic films which affect on the transfer of energy are important. The paper discusses the measurements of reflectance, transmittance, and emissivity of longwave radiation (thermal radiation) upon various plastic films used for crop protection in agriculture, particularly in a greenhouse. New measuring methods for reflectance and emissivity were presented, and the previous transmittance calculations (Hagiwara and Horiguchi, 1972) were improved by using newly obtained reflectance values. The transmittance values obtained from the present study are about 2-5 percent larger than the values obtained from the previous study. The reason for the discrepancy may be due to the negligence of the reflectance term in the previous calculation. (author)

The Influence of Thermic Plastic Films on Vegetative and Reproductive Growth of Iceberg Lettuce 'Dublin'

OpenAIRE

Wael M. Semida; P. Hadley; W. Sobeih; N. A. El-Sawah; M. A. S. Barakat

2013-01-01

Photoselective plastic films with thermic properties are now available so that greenhouses clad with such plastics exhibit a higher degree of “Greenhouse Effect” with a consequent increase in night time temperature. In this study, we investigate the potential benefits of a range of thermic plastic films used as greenhouse cover materials on the vegetative and reproductive growth and development of Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L). Transplants were grown under thermic fi...

Structure-property relation in HPMC polymer films plasticized with Sorbitol

Science.gov (United States)

Prakash, Y.; Somashekarappa, H.; Mahadevaiah, Somashekar, R.

2013-06-01

A correlation study on physical and mechanical properties of Hydroxy propyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) polymer films plasticized with different weight ratio of Sorbitol, prepared using solution casting method, was carried out using wide angle X-ray technique and universal testing machine. It is found that the crystallanity decreases as the concentration of Sorbitol increases up to a certain concentration and there afterwards increases. Measured Physical Properties like tensile strength decreases and elongation (%) increases indicating increase in the flexibility of the films. These observations confirm the correlation between microstructal parameters and mechanical properties of films. These films are suitable for packaging food products.

EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION FREQUENCY AND LEAF DETACHMENT ON CHRYSANTHEMUM GROWN IN TWO TYPES OF PLASTIC HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Budiarto

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Chrysanthemum is one of important ornamentals in Indonesia and it ranks in the first quantity of cut flower marketed every year. In most cases, the low productivity is still a constraint for the traditional growers to make production process profitable. Several problems revealed in chrysanthemum production were investigated. The study dealt with the effect of two types of plastic house constructions, irrigation frequency, and leaf detachment on the growth and development of chrysanthemum. The experiment was conducted at Segunung, Indonesian Ornamental Plants Research Institute during the dry season of 2005. A nested design with six replications was used. The results showed that plants grown in wood-constructed plastic house had better growth performance and flower quality than those under bamboo plastic house. Longer stem and higher plant fresh weight with more flowers and longer life span were also observed on chrysanthemum irrigated four times per week than those irrigated twice per week. Leaf removal often practiced by the growers is no longer recommended, since the number of leaves on the plant influenced all parameters observed. The more leaves were detached, the more negative impacts on plant growth were found.

Impact of Ultraviolet-Blocking Plastic Films on Insect Vectors of Virus Diseases Infesting Crisp Lettuce

OpenAIRE

Díaz Desani, Beatriz M.; Biurrun, R.; Moreno, Aránzazu; Nebreda, Miguel; Fereres, Alberto

2006-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing plastic films are being used as a photoselective barrier to control insect vectors and associated virus diseases in different horticultural crops. A 2-year experiment was carried out in northeastern Spain (Navarra) to evaluate the impact of a UV-blocking film (AD-IR AV) on the population density of insect pests and the spread of insect-transmitted virus diseases associated with head lettuce [Lactuca sativa (L.)]. Results showed that the UV-absorbing plastic film did...

Soil solarization in open air with experimental and biodegradable plastic films [Apulia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russo, G.; Scarascia Mugnozza, G.; Frisullo, S.

2004-01-01

The use of biodegradable materials is a sustainable solution to the problem of high amounts of plastic films that must be disposed for soil solarization, since biodegradable films can be degraded directly in soil. The comparison of Mater-B biodegradable film with EVA and Polydac film for soil solarization and phythopatological tests in field is the aim of the present research. Experimental field tests were carried out in Borgo Cervaro (FG) in June and July 2002. A data logger connected with sensors was used to measure and collect climatic parameters. During field tests, climatic parameters and soil temperatures at different depth for soil under the different materials were evaluated. The performances of plastic materials were investigated measuring laceration and tensile strength and radiometric properties every 15 days. Soil samples were analysed in order to verify the reduction of infesting load of soilborne pathogens during soil solarization. The tests, although affected by adverse climatic conditions, show the capacity of the biodegradable film to obtain similar performances compared to traditional films. The traditional films produced higher temperatures in soil, longer duration and a higher number of hours with temperature higher than 40 deg C. Phytopathological results showed a higher sterilising effect for EVA and Polydac films in comparison to the Mater-B one [it

Edible Film from Polyblend of Ginger Starch, Chitosan, and Sorbitol as Plasticizer

Science.gov (United States)

Sariningsih, N.; Putra, Y. P.; Pamungkas, W. P.; Kusumaningsih, T.

2018-03-01

Polyblend ginger starch/chitosan based edible film has been succesfully prepared and characterized. The purpose of this research was to produce edible film from polyblend of ginger starch, chitosan, and sorbitol as plasticizer. The resulted edible film were characterized by using FTIR, TGA and UTM. Edible film of ginger starch had OH vibration (3430 cm-1). Besides, edible film had elongation up to 15.63%. The thermal degradation of this material reached 208°C indicating high termal stability. The water uptake of the edible film was 42.85%. It concluded that edible film produce in this research has potential as a packaging.

Pattern formation in plastic liquid films on elastomers by ratcheting.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jiangshui; Yang, Jiawei; Jin, Lihua; Clarke, David R; Suo, Zhigang

2016-04-20

Plastic liquids, also known as Bingham liquids, retain their shape when loads are small, but flow when loads exceed a threshold. We discovered that plastic liquid films coated on elastomers develop wavy patterns under cyclic loads. As the number of cycles increases, the wavelength of the patterns remains unchanged, but the amplitude of the patterns increases and then saturates. Because the patterns develop progressively under cyclic loads, we call this phenomenon as "patterning by ratcheting". We observe the phenomenon in plastic liquids of several kinds, and studied the effects of thickness, the cyclic frequency of the stretch, and the range of the stretch. Finite element simulations show that the ratcheting phenomenon can occur in materials described by a commonly used model of elastic-plastic deformation.

Influence of colorant and film thickness on thermal aging characteristics of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags

Science.gov (United States)

Leuterio, Giselle Lou D.; Pajarito, Bryan B.; Domingo, Carla Marie C.; Lim, Anna Patricia G.

2016-05-01

Functional, lightweight, strong and cheap plastic bags incorporated with pro-oxidants undergo accelerated degradation under exposure to heat and oxygen. This work investigated the effect of colorant and film thickness on thermal aging characteristics of commercial oxo-biodegradable plastic bag films at 70 °C. Degradation is monitored through changes in infrared absorption, weight, and tensile properties of thermally aged films. The presence of carbonyl band in infrared spectrum after 672 h of thermal aging supports the degradation behavior of exposed films. Results show that incorporation of colorant and increasing thickness exhibit low maximum weight uptake. Titanium dioxide as white colorant in films lowers the susceptibility of films to oxygen uptake but enhances physical degradation. Higher amount of pro-oxidant loading also contributes to faster degradation. Opaque films are characterized by low tensile strength and high elastic modulus. Decreasing the thickness contributes to lower tensile strength of films. Thermally aged films with colorant and low thickness promote enhanced degradation.

Fruit sphere microenvironments and berry phenolic content of Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. cultivated under rain-shelter systems with coloured plastic film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang-Fei MENG

Full Text Available Abstract Rain-shelter cultivation has been proven an important cultivation method for grape-plantings in continental monsoon climate zones, of which white plastic films are the most common shelter material. However, while this method and material reduces the occurrence of the disease, it can also decrease the grape berry quality. Five colours (including red, yellow, blue, purple, and white of plastic films were covered above Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. grapevine rows before veraison. Rain-shelter cultivation reduced air temperature, wind speed, and total solar radiation and enhanced relative humidity in the fruit sphere of grapevines. For each particular colour plastic film, the irradiance of its corresponding spectrum band in the canopy of vines was higher than with other colour plastic films. Meanwhile, the blue plastic film treatment significantly promoted the accumulation of total phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids more than the other colours of plastic films. Blue plastic films are more beneficial for berry quality promotion of wine grapes, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, under rain-shelter cultivation in continental monsoon climate zones.

Local Plasticity of Al Thin Films as Revealed by X-Ray Microdiffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Spolenak, R.; Brown, W. L.; Tamura, N.; MacDowell, A. A.; Celestre, R. S.; Padmore, H. A.; Valek, B.; Bravman, J. C.; Marieb, T.; Fujimoto, H.; Batterman, B. W.; Patel, J. R.

2003-03-01

Grain-to-grain interactions dominate the plasticity of Al thin films and establish effective length scales smaller than the grain size. We have measured large strain distributions and their changes under plastic strain in 1.5-μm-thick Al0.5%Cu films using a 0.8-μm-diameter white x-ray probe at the Advanced Light Source. Strain distributions arise not only from the distribution of grain sizes and orientation, but also from the differences in grain shape and from stress environment. Multiple active glide plane domains have been found within single grains. Large grains behave like multiple smaller grains even before a dislocation substructure can evolve.

Thermatically sealed double window panes with distended plastic film between them. Termoruder med lag af plastfilm udspaendt mellem glassene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lund Nielsen, B.

1988-05-15

On the basis of a literary study this report examines improved methods of calculating the U-value and the solar factor for double glazings with plastic films suspended vertically in the air gap. The methods take into account that plastic film is capable of transmitting infrared radiation. Annex 1 includes copies of computer programs developed during the project. The programs calculate the U-value and the solar factor of glazings according to the above improved methods. The report further includes sections about the coating of glass and plastics and of the aging of plastic film. (author) 13 refs.

Soil contamination by phthalate esters in Chinese intensive vegetable production systems with different modes of use of plastic film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jun; Luo, Yongming; Teng, Ying; Ma, Wenting; Christie, Peter; Li, Zhengao

2013-01-01

The concentrations of six priority phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in intensively managed suburban vegetable soils in Nanjing, east China, were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The total PAE concentrations in the soils ranged widely from 0.15 to 9.68 mg kg −1 with a median value of 1.70 mg kg −1 , and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) were the most abundant phthalate esters. Soil PAE concentrations depended on the mode of use of plastic film in which PAEs were incorporated as plasticizing agents and both the plastic film and poultry manure appeared to be important sources of soil PAEs. Vegetables in rotation with flooded rice led to lower concentrations of PAEs in soil. The results indicate that agricultural plastic film can be an important source of soil PAE contamination and further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms of PAE contamination of intensive agricultural soils with different use modes of use of plastic film. -- Highlights: •Phthalate esters in soils from suburban intensive vegetable production systems were investigated. •Phthalate levels and risks of the vegetable soils with different plastic film use modes were examined. •Sources of phthalate esters in vegetable production soils were analyzed. -- PAE contamination of intensively managed vegetable soils varied widely depending on the mode of use of plastic film in different production systems

Effects of No-tillage Combined with Reused Plastic Film Mulching on Maize Yield and Irrigation Water Productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SU Yong-zhong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of reused plastic film mulching and no-tillage on maize yield and irriga-tion water productivity(IWP in the marginal oasis in the middle of Hexi Corridor region of northwestern China. The aim is to provide an alternative tillage and cultivation pattern for reducing plastic film pollution, saving cost and increasing income, and improving resource use efficiency. The field experiment was carried out in three soils with different textures and fertility levels. Three treatments for each soil were set up:(1 conventional tillage,winter irrigation, and new plastic mulching cultivation(NM;(2 no tillage, less winter irrigation and reused plastic mulching cultivation (RM;(3 no tillage, less winter irrigation and reused plastic mulching combined with straw mulching (RMS. The results showed that the average daily soil temperature in the two reused plastic mulching treatment(RM and RMS during maize sowing and elongation stage was lower 0.6~1.0℃(5 cm depth and 0.5~0.8℃(15 cm depth than that in the NM. This result suggested that no tillage and reused plastic mulching cultivation still had the effect of increasing soil temperature. Maize grain yield in the RM was reduced by 4.4%~10.6% compared with the conventional cultivation(NM, while the net income increased due to saving in plastic film and tillage ex-penses. There was no significant difference in maize grain yield between the RMS and NM treatment, but the net income in the RMS was in-creased by 12.5%~17.1% than that in the NM. Compared with the NM, the two reused plastic film mulching treatments (RM and RMS decreased the volume of winter irrigation, but maize IWP increased. Soil texture and fertility level affected significantly maize nitrogen uptake and IWP. In the arid oases with the shortage of water resources, cultivation practices of conservation tillage with recycle of plastic film is an ideal option for saving cost and increasing income

Large-grain polycrystalline silicon film by sequential lateral solidification on a plastic substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yong-Hae; Chung, Choong-Heui; Yun, Sun Jin; Moon, Jaehyun; Park, Dong-Jin; Kim, Dae-Won; Lim, Jung Wook; Song, Yoon-Ho; Lee, Jin Ho

2005-01-01

A large-grain polycrystalline silicon film was obtained on a plastic substrate by sequential lateral solidification. With various combinations of sputtering powers and Ar working gas pressures, the conditions for producing dense amorphous silicon (a-Si) and SiO 2 films were optimized. The successful crystallization of the a-Si film is attributed to the production of a dense a-Si film that has low argon content and can endure high-intensity laser irradiation

Effect of aging on the microstructure of plasticized cornstarch films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rossana M.S.M. Thiré

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Aging of cornstarch films prepared by casting was investigated. Water and glycerol-plasticized cornstarch films were stored at 50% relative humidity over a period of 330 days. Aging was followed by X-ray diffraction (XRD and atomic force microscopy (AFM. XRD spectra indicated development of B-type crystallinity even for fresh films and that the crystallinity index increased from 0.06 to 0.28 as a function of storage time. AFM images of 270-day-old films revealed that the general morphology and the overall roughness have not changed due to aging. AFM phase contrast images at higher magnification showed an increasing number of ordered domains at the surface of these films, which may be attributed to recrystallization of amylose. No morphological change was observed at least at the surface of the granular region, which is enriched in amylopectin.

Thin film transistors on plastic substrates with reflective coatings for radiation protection

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Jesse D [Fairfield, CA; Theiss, Steven D [Woodbury, MN; Carey, Paul G [Mountain View, CA; Smith, Patrick M [San Ramon, CA; Wickbold, Paul [Walnut Creek, CA

2006-09-26

Fabrication of silicon thin film transistors (TFT) on low-temperature plastic substrates using a reflective coating so that inexpensive plastic substrates may be used in place of standard glass, quartz, and silicon wafer-based substrates. The TFT can be used in large area low cost electronics, such as flat panel displays and portable electronics such as video cameras, personal digital assistants, and cell phones.

Influence of ionizing radiation and use of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and barrier properties of biodegradable films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponce, Patricia; Parra, Duclerc F.; Carr, Laura G.; Sato, Juliana S.; Lugao, Ademar B.

2005-01-01

This work reports the influence of radiation and plasticizers on the barrier properties [water vapour permeability (WVP)] and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) of edible films made of starch. These films were prepared with 4 g of starch/100 mL of water; 2-10 g polyethylene glycol (PEG)/100 g starch; and at natural pH. Tensile strength and percentage elongation were measured using a Mechanical Universal Testing Machine Instron 4400R and the water vapour permeability was determined according to ASTM E96-80 (ASTM, 1989). The mechanical properties of starch films are influenced by the plasticizer concentration. An increase in PEG content showed a considerable increase in elongation percentage and a decrease in the tensile strength of the films, also increase the permeability of the films in water. After irradiation, the barrier properties [water vapour permeability (WVP)] and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) of the films were improved due to chemical reactions among polymer molecules. The films were irradiated at room temperature with gamma radiation. Irradiated starch cassava films with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as plasticizer have good flexibility and low water permeability, which indicate potential application as edible films (author)

Forecasting waste compositions: A case study on plastic waste of electronic display housings.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, Jef R; Vanegas, Paul; Kellens, Karel; Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Dewulf, Wim; Duflou, Joost R

2015-12-01

Because of the rapid succession of technological developments, the architecture and material composition of many products used in daily life have drastically changed over the last decades. As a result, well-adjusted recycling technologies need to be developed and installed to cope with these evolutions. This is essential to guarantee continued access to materials and to reduce the ecological impact of our material consumption. However, limited information is currently available on the material composition of arising waste streams and even less on how these waste streams will evolve. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology to forecast trends in the material composition of waste streams. To demonstrate the applicability and value of the proposed methodology, it is applied to forecast the evolution of plastic housing waste from flat panel display (FPD) TVs, FPD monitors, cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs and CRT monitors. The results of the presented forecasts indicate that a wide variety of plastic types and additives, such as flame retardants, are found in housings of similar products. The presented case study demonstrates that the proposed methodology allows the identification of trends in the evolution of the material composition of waste streams. In addition, it is demonstrated that the recycling sector will need to adapt its processes to deal with the increasing complexity of plastics of end-of-life electronic displays while respecting relevant directives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental plasticity of cutaneous water loss and lipid composition in stratum corneum of desert and mesic nestling house sparrows.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Williams, Joseph B

2008-10-07

Intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis, form a barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. Previously, we measured cutaneous water loss (CWL) and lipid composition of the SC of adult house sparrows from two populations, one living in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and another living in mesic Ohio. Adult desert house sparrows had a lower CWL, a lower proportion of free fatty acids, and a higher proportion of ceramides and cerebrosides in the SC compared with mesic sparrows. In this study, we investigated developmental plasticity of CWL and lipid composition of the SC in desert and mesic nestling house sparrows reared in low and high humidity and compared our results with previous work on adults. We measured CWL of nestlings and analyzed the lipid composition of the SC using thin-layer chromatography. We showed that nestling house sparrows from both localities had higher CWL than adults in their natural environment, a result of major modifications of the lipid composition of the SC. The expression of plasticity in CWL seems to be a response to opposed selection pressures, thermoregulation and water conservation, at different life stages, on which regulation of CWL plays a crucial role. Desert nestlings showed a greater degree of plasticity in CWL and lipid composition of the SC than did mesic nestlings, a finding consistent with the idea that organisms exposed to more environmental stress ought to be more plastic than individuals living in more benign environments.

Energy recycling of plastic and rubber wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, R.

2003-01-01

Major areas for applications of plastics and rubbers are building and construction, packaging, transportation, automobiles, furniture, house wares, appliances, electrical and electronics. Approximately 20% of all the plastics produced are utilized by the building and construction industry/sup (1-3)/. Categories of polymers mostly used in the above industries include poly (vinyl chloride), polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene phenolics, acrylics and urethanes. Tyres and tubes are almost exclusively made up of rubbers. One third of total consumption of plastics finds applications, like films, bottles and packaging, in food-products that have a maximum life-span of two years, after which these find way to waste dumps. As the polymer industry in Pakistan is set to grow very rapidly in the near future the increase in utilization of plastic products in synchronous with the advent of computers and information technology. About 0.60 Kg per capita of waste generated daily in Lahore /(7.14)/ contains considerable quantity of plastics. (AB)

Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films: Impacts on Soil Microbial Communities and Ecosystem Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sreejata Bandopadhyay

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Agricultural plastic mulch films are widely used in specialty crop production systems because of their agronomic benefits. Biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene (PE mulch. Unlike PE films, which need to be removed after use, BDMs are tilled into soil where they are expected to biodegrade. However, there remains considerable uncertainty about long-term impacts of BDM incorporation on soil ecosystems. BDMs potentially influence soil microbial communities in two ways: first, as a surface barrier prior to soil incorporation, indirectly affecting soil microclimate and atmosphere (similar to PE films and second, after soil incorporation, as a direct input of physical fragments, which add carbon, microorganisms, additives, and adherent chemicals. This review summarizes the current literature on impacts of plastic mulches on soil biological and biogeochemical processes, with a special emphasis on BDMs. The combined findings indicated that when used as a surface barrier, plastic mulches altered soil microbial community composition and functioning via microclimate modification, though the nature of these alterations varied between studies. In addition, BDM incorporation into soil can result in enhanced microbial activity and enrichment of fungal taxa. This suggests that despite the fact that total carbon input from BDMs is minuscule, a stimulatory effect on microbial activity may ultimately affect soil organic matter dynamics. To address the current knowledge gaps, long term studies and a better understanding of impacts of BDMs on nutrient biogeochemistry are needed. These are critical to evaluating BDMs as they relate to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.

Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films: Impacts on Soil Microbial Communities and Ecosystem Functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandopadhyay, Sreejata; Martin-Closas, Lluis; Pelacho, Ana M; DeBruyn, Jennifer M

2018-01-01

Agricultural plastic mulch films are widely used in specialty crop production systems because of their agronomic benefits. Biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch. Unlike PE films, which need to be removed after use, BDMs are tilled into soil where they are expected to biodegrade. However, there remains considerable uncertainty about long-term impacts of BDM incorporation on soil ecosystems. BDMs potentially influence soil microbial communities in two ways: first, as a surface barrier prior to soil incorporation, indirectly affecting soil microclimate and atmosphere (similar to PE films) and second, after soil incorporation, as a direct input of physical fragments, which add carbon, microorganisms, additives, and adherent chemicals. This review summarizes the current literature on impacts of plastic mulches on soil biological and biogeochemical processes, with a special emphasis on BDMs. The combined findings indicated that when used as a surface barrier, plastic mulches altered soil microbial community composition and functioning via microclimate modification, though the nature of these alterations varied between studies. In addition, BDM incorporation into soil can result in enhanced microbial activity and enrichment of fungal taxa. This suggests that despite the fact that total carbon input from BDMs is minuscule, a stimulatory effect on microbial activity may ultimately affect soil organic matter dynamics. To address the current knowledge gaps, long term studies and a better understanding of impacts of BDMs on nutrient biogeochemistry are needed. These are critical to evaluating BDMs as they relate to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.

Temperature-dependent plastic hysteresis in highly confined polycrystalline Nb films

Science.gov (United States)

Waheed, S.; Hao, R.; Zheng, Z.; Wheeler, J. M.; Michler, J.; Balint, D. S.; Giuliani, F.

2018-02-01

In this study, the effect of temperature on the cyclic deformation behaviour of a confined polycrystalline Nb film is investigated. Micropillars encapsulating a thin niobium interlayer are deformed under cyclic axial compression at different test temperatures. A distinct plastic hysteresis is observed for samples tested at elevated temperatures, whereas negligible plastic hysteresis is observed for samples tested at room temperature. These results are interpreted using planar discrete dislocation plasticity incorporating slip transmission across grain boundaries. The effect of temperature-dependent grain boundary energy and dislocation mobility on dislocation penetration and, consequently, the size of plastic hysteresis is simulated to correlate with the experimental results. It is found that the decrease in grain boundary energy barrier caused by the increase in temperature does not lead to any appreciable change in the cyclic response. However, dislocation mobility significantly affects the size of plastic hysteresis, with high mobilities leading to a larger hysteresis. Therefore, it is postulated that the experimental observations are predominantly caused by an increase in dislocation mobility as the temperature is increased above the critical temperature of body-centred cubic niobium.

A Proposal for User Fees for In-House Video-Cassette Dubbing of Commercial Educational Films

Science.gov (United States)

Seymour, Jim

1973-01-01

A proposal for one possible route to determining an equitable basis for school districts and other end-users of educational films to produce in-house video copies of those films, while not violating the rights of the holders of copyrights on the films. (Author)

Enhancement of Moisture Protective Properties and Stability of Pectin through Formation of a Composite Film: Effects of Shellac and Plasticizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Luangtana-Anan, Manee; Soradech, Sitthiphong; Saengsod, Suthep; Nunthanid, Jurairat; Limmatvapirat, Sontaya

2017-12-01

The aim of this investigation was to develop the high moisture protective ability and stable pectin through the design of composite films based on varying shellac concentrations. A film casting method was applied to prepare a free film. The moisture protective properties and mechanical properties were investigated. The findings was the composite films exhibited the reductions in the hydrophilicity, water vapor permeability, and the moisture content compared with pectin films. The single and composite films were then study for their stability at 40 °C and 75% RH for 90 d. Among the concentrations of shellac, 50% (w/w) could improve stability in terms of moisture protection after 90 d of storage, whereas lower concentrations of shellac (10% to 40%) could not achieve this. However, the higher shellac content also contributed to weaker mechanical properties. The mechanical improvement and stability of composite films with the incorporation of plasticizers were further investigated. Polyethylene glycol 400 and diethyl phthalate at a concentration of 10% were used. The results indicated that both plasticizers could enhance the mechanical characteristics and had a slight effect on moisture protection. The stability of pectin in terms of moisture protective properties could, therefore, be modified through the fabrication of composite films with hydrophobic polymers, that is, shellac and the addition of proper plasticizers to enhance mechanical properties, which could offer wide applications for edible film in food, agro, and pharmaceutical industries. The composite film with 50% shellac could improve moisture protective properties of pectin film. Adding a plasticizer could build up the higher mechanical characteristics of composite film. Stability of pectin could be modified by fabrication of composite films with proper content of shellac and plasticizer. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Capturing Plastic Surgery on Film-Making Reconstruction Visible.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunger, Alexander; Ismail, Tarek; Sarraf, Namita; Epple, Christian; Schaefer, Kristin Marit; Schaefer, Dirk J

2017-09-01

The Swiss Plastic Surgery Association (https://plasticsurgery.ch/en/) decided to produce a corporate video to illustrate the concept of "plastic surgery of confidence" to the public. We show the diversity of specializations and the vast range of tasks that surgeons passionately handle day in and day out. We wanted to convey 2 main messages: first, that plastic surgery is more than just cosmetic surgery, and second, that plastic surgery in Switzerland is synonymous with quality and confidence. We selected 17 topics that we felt had good filmic potential and would best explain to the public what plastic surgery is about. This included the selection of appropriate patients, experts, and locations from all over the country. We thought it crucial to show the initial preoperative situation, as only in this case would the achievement of reconstruction be evident and comprehensive to the layman audience. The actual production was filmed in 5 different locations and took 5 days of shooting. We recorded 17 surgeons, 9 patients, and about 30 voluntary background actors. From 23 hours of footage, we created a 7 minute, 22 second corporate video, recorded in 3 of the Swiss national languages. The video was presented to the public online in June 2016, on the same day as the National Open Day of Plastic Surgery in Switzerland. The video is available online. We evaluated the impact of the video using a questionnaire for lay people and observed that it could substantially improve the perception of our specialty, especially regarding the reconstructive aspect. We feel that a freely available corporate video is a very useful means to promote plastic surgery and help patients better understand what it is all about.

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.

Basic Strain Gradient Plasticity Theories with Application to Constrained Film Deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof; Hutchinson, John W.

2011-01-01

films: the compression or extension of a finite layer joining rigid platens. Full elastic-plastic solutions are obtained for the same problem based on a finite element method devised for the new class of flow theories. Potential difficulties and open issues associated with the new class of flow theories......A family of basic rate-independent strain gradient plasticity theories is considered that generalize conventional J(2) deformation and flow theories of plasticity to include a dependence on strain gradients in a simple way. The theory builds on three recent developments: the work of Gudmundson (J....... Mech. Phys. Solids 52 (2004), 1379-1406) and Gurtin and Anand (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 57 (2009), 405-421), proposing constitutive relations for flow theories consistent with requirements of positive plastic dissipation; the work of Fleck and Willis (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 57 (2009), 161-177 and 1045...

Evaluation of retail fresh meat packagings covered with stretch films of plasticized PVC and non-PVC alternatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Jens Højslev; Togeskov, P.; Hallas, J.

2004-01-01

The characteristics and performance of several non-PVC stretch films were compared to those of plasticized PVC. Initially the main polymer components Of the film were identified by infrared spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry. The differences between films in mechanical properties......, such as puncture resistance and tensile strength, varied about a factor of two, while the differences in elongation at break were considerably higher. Plasticized PVC showed properties somewhere in the middle. The water vapour transmission was highest for PVC, while its permeability to oxygen was the lowest...

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Bailes, Graham; Lind, Margaret; Ely, Andrew; Powell, Marianne; Moore-Kucera, Jennifer; Miles, Carol; Inglis, Debra; Brodhagen, Marion

2013-01-01

Fungi native to agricultural soils that colonized commercially available biodegradable mulch (BDM) films were isolated and assessed for potential to degrade plastics. Typically, when formulations of plastics are known and a source of the feedstock is available, powdered plastic can be suspended in agar-based media and degradation determined by visualization of clearing zones. However, this approach poorly mimics in situ degradation of BDMs. First, BDMs are not dispersed as small particles throughout the soil matrix. Secondly, BDMs are not sold commercially as pure polymers, but rather as films containing additives (e.g. fillers, plasticizers and dyes) that may affect microbial growth. The procedures described herein were used for isolates acquired from soil-buried mulch films. Fungal isolates acquired from excavated BDMs were tested individually for growth on pieces of new, disinfested BDMs laid atop defined medium containing no carbon source except agar. Isolates that grew on BDMs were further tested in liquid medium where BDMs were the sole added carbon source. After approximately ten weeks, fungal colonization and BDM degradation were assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Isolates were identified via analysis of ribosomal RNA gene sequences. This report describes methods for fungal isolation, but bacteria also were isolated using these methods by substituting media appropriate for bacteria. Our methodology should prove useful for studies investigating breakdown of intact plastic films or products for which plastic feedstocks are either unknown or not available. However our approach does not provide a quantitative method for comparing rates of BDM degradation. PMID:23712218

Isolation of native soil microorganisms with potential for breaking down biodegradable plastic mulch films used in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailes, Graham; Lind, Margaret; Ely, Andrew; Powell, Marianne; Moore-Kucera, Jennifer; Miles, Carol; Inglis, Debra; Brodhagen, Marion

2013-05-10

Fungi native to agricultural soils that colonized commercially available biodegradable mulch (BDM) films were isolated and assessed for potential to degrade plastics. Typically, when formulations of plastics are known and a source of the feedstock is available, powdered plastic can be suspended in agar-based media and degradation determined by visualization of clearing zones. However, this approach poorly mimics in situ degradation of BDMs. First, BDMs are not dispersed as small particles throughout the soil matrix. Secondly, BDMs are not sold commercially as pure polymers, but rather as films containing additives (e.g. fillers, plasticizers and dyes) that may affect microbial growth. The procedures described herein were used for isolates acquired from soil-buried mulch films. Fungal isolates acquired from excavated BDMs were tested individually for growth on pieces of new, disinfested BDMs laid atop defined medium containing no carbon source except agar. Isolates that grew on BDMs were further tested in liquid medium where BDMs were the sole added carbon source. After approximately ten weeks, fungal colonization and BDM degradation were assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Isolates were identified via analysis of ribosomal RNA gene sequences. This report describes methods for fungal isolation, but bacteria also were isolated using these methods by substituting media appropriate for bacteria. Our methodology should prove useful for studies investigating breakdown of intact plastic films or products for which plastic feedstocks are either unknown or not available. However our approach does not provide a quantitative method for comparing rates of BDM degradation.

Soil contamination by phthalate esters in Chinese intensive vegetable production systems with different modes of use of plastic film.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Luo, Yongming; Teng, Ying; Ma, Wenting; Christie, Peter; Li, Zhengao

2013-09-01

The concentrations of six priority phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in intensively managed suburban vegetable soils in Nanjing, east China, were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total PAE concentrations in the soils ranged widely from 0.15 to 9.68 mg kg(-1) with a median value of 1.70 mg kg(-1), and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) were the most abundant phthalate esters. Soil PAE concentrations depended on the mode of use of plastic film in which PAEs were incorporated as plasticizing agents and both the plastic film and poultry manure appeared to be important sources of soil PAEs. Vegetables in rotation with flooded rice led to lower concentrations of PAEs in soil. The results indicate that agricultural plastic film can be an important source of soil PAE contamination and further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms of PAE contamination of intensive agricultural soils with different use modes of use of plastic film. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Sorbitol Plasticizer on the Structure and Properties of Melt Processed Polyvinyl Alcohol Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Huafeng; Liu, Di; Yao, Yuanyuan; Ma, Songbai; Zhang, Xing; Xiang, Aimin

2017-12-01

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) possesses wide applications as food packaging materials, but is difficult to melt process for its strong inter/intra hydrogen bonding. In this work, flexible PVA films with different content of sorbitol plasticizers were prepared by melt processing with the assistance of water. And the influence of sorbitol plasticizer content on the crystallinity, optical transparency, water-retaining capability, mechanical properties, thermal stability and oxygen and water permeability were investigated. The results indicated that sorbitol dramatically improved the melt processing ability of PVA. Sorbitol could interact with PVA to form strong hydrogen bonding interactions, which would decrease the original hydrogen bonding of the matrix, resulting in the decrease of crystallinity degrees. The glass transition, melting and crystallization peak temperatures decreased with the increase of sorbitol. All the films exhibited fine optical transparency. The water retaining capability were improved with the increase of sorbitol. Especially, an increase in elongation at break and decrease in Young's modulus and tensile strength were observed indicating good plasticizing effect of sorbitol on PVA films. In addition, the PVA films prepared in this work exhibited fine barrier properties against oxygen and water, suggesting wide application potential as packaging materials. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Degradation of brominated flame retardant in computer housing plastic by supercritical fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yanmin; Zhang, Fu-Shen

2012-02-29

The degradation process of brominated flame retardant (BFR) and BFR-containing waste computer housing plastic in various supercritical fluids (water, methanol, isopropanol and acetone) was investigated. The results showed that the debromination and degradation efficiencies, final products were greatly affected by the solvent type. Among the four tested solvents, isopropanol was the most suitable solvent for the recovery of oil from BFR-containing plastic for its (1) excellent debromination effectiveness (debromination efficiency 95.7%), (2) high oil production (60.0%) and (3) mild temperature and pressure requirements. However, in this case, the removed bromine mostly existed in the oil. Introduction of KOH into the sc-isopropanol could capture almost all the inorganic bromine from the oil thus bromine-free oil could be obtained. Furthermore, KOH could enhance the depolymerization of the plastic. The obtained oil mainly consisted of single- and duplicate-ringed aromatic compounds in a carbon range of C9-C17, which had alkyl substituents or aliphatic bridges, such as butyl-benzene, (3-methylbutyl)-benzene, 1,1'-(1,3-propanediyl)bis benzene. Phenol, alkyl phenols and esters were the major oxygen-containing compounds in the oil. This study provides an efficient approach for debromination and simultaneous recovering valuable chemicals from BFR-containing plastic in e-waste. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light Trapping in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, M.M.

2013-01-01

In the search for sustainable energy sources, solar energy can fulfil a large part of the growing demand. The biggest threshold for large-scale solar energy harvesting is the solar panel price. For drastic cost reductions, roll-to-roll fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells using plastic

Specific migration of di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA) from plasticized PVC film: results from an enforcement campaign

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Jens Højslev; Breindahl, T.

1998-01-01

Units. Initially, all films were screened for the migration into isooctane (exposed 2 h at 40 degrees C) of DEHA and other potentially present low molecular weight plasticizers using full scanning mass spectrometry. Films showing a substantial migration of DEHA were further tested with olive oil...... according to the declared field of application (exposed for 10 days at 40 degrees C). In 47 of the 49 films the migrate contained a substantial amount of DEHA. In 46 films the migration exceeded the specific migration limit of 3 mg/dm(2) after use of the relevant reduction factor given in legislation......) and these films were deemed to be illegal according to their present declared field of application as given by their labelling. In a few cases, some migration of the plasticizer di-n-butyl phthalate was seen....

Effects of No-tillage Combined with Reused Plastic Film Mulching on Maize Yield and Irrigation Water Productivity

OpenAIRE

SU Yong-zhong; ZHANG Ke; LIU Ting-na; WANG Ting

2016-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of reused plastic film mulching and no-tillage on maize yield and irriga-tion water productivity(IWP) in the marginal oasis in the middle of Hexi Corridor region of northwestern China. The aim is to provide an alternative tillage and cultivation pattern for reducing plastic film pollution, saving cost and increasing income, and improving resource use efficiency. The field experiment was carried out in three soils with different texture...

Towards a new thickness-independent gamma radiation plastic film dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, Marli Barbosa; Araujo, Patricia L.; Araujo, Elma S.

2013-01-01

A 100% national single-use gamma radiation plastic film dosimeter is presented in this work. A new approach for the development of this material allowed a step forward in the performance of poly (methyl metacrylate) films (PMMA) colored with bromothymol blue (BTB) acid-base indicator. We manage to improve dosimeter performance by introducing a gamma radiation insensitive dye to compensate film thickness variations. By doing so, we were able to obtain consistent dose-response correlations within a set of samples presenting 46 to 110 micrometers in thickness. Hence, our PMMA/BTB-P film dosimeter is suitable to measure absorbed dose in the 2-100kGy range even when film thickness undergoes more than 100% of variation. In addition, dose response data remain practically unaltered for four months after the exposure, when dosimeter films are kept in dark conditions and under refrigeration. The radiation effects on the optical properties were evaluated for Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometric analysis. Data of characteristic dose-response correlation in terms of changes in the maximum UV-Vis absorption due to radiation, and stability in time are also described. This potential new product is a promising tool for industrial radiation facilities, especially in gamma sterilization of medical supplies. (author)

Sintering effect on the optoelectronic characteristics of HgSe nanoparticle films on plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Kwangsub; Cho, Kyoungah; Kim, Sangsig

2010-01-01

The optoelectronic characteristics of HgSe nanoparticle films spin-coated on flexible plastic substrates are investigated under the illumination of 1.3 μm wavelength light. The sintering process improves the optoelectronic characteristics of the HgSe nanoparticle films. The photocurrent of the sintered HgSe nanoparticle films under the illumination of 1.3 μm wavelength light is approximately 20 times larger in magnitude than that of the non-sintered films in air at room temperature. Moreover, the endurance of the flexible optoelectronic device investigated by the continuous substrate bending test reveals that the photocurrent efficiency changes negligibly up to 250 cycles.

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 on ham steak by tea bioactive compounds incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vodnar Dan C

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The consumer demands for better quality and safety of food products have given rise to the development and implementation of edible films. The use of antimicrobial films can be a promising tool for controlling L. monocytogenes on ready to eat products. The aim of this study was to develop effective antimicrobial films incorporating bioactive compounds from green and black teas into chitosan, for controlling L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 on vacuum-packaged ham steak. The effectiveness of these antimicrobial films was evaluated at room temperature (20°C for 10 days and at refrigerated temperature (4°C for 8 weeks. Results The HPLC results clearly show that relative concentrations of catechins and caffeine in green tea ranked EGCG>EGC>CAF>ECG>EC>C while in black tea extracts ranked CAF>EGCG>ECG>EGC>EC>C. The chitosan-coated plastic films incorporating green tea and black tea extracts shows specific markers identified by FTIR. Incorporating natural extracts into chitosan showed that the growth of L monocytogenes ATCC 19115 was inhibited. The efficacy of antimicrobial effect of tea extracts incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic film was dose dependent. However, chitosan-coated films without addition of tea extracts did not inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. Chitosan-coated plastic films incorporating 4% Green tea extract was the most effective antimicrobial, reducing the initial counts from 3.2 to 2.65 log CFU/cm2 during room temperature storage and from 3.2 to 1–1.5 log CFU/cm2 during refrigerated storage. Conclusions Incorporation of tea extracts into the chitosan-coated films considerably enhanced their effectiveness against L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. 4% Green tea incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic film had a better antilisterial effect than 2% green tea or 2% and 4% black tea. Data from this study would provide new formulation options for developing antimicrobial packaging films using tea

The impact of film reviews on the box office performance of art house versus mainstream motion pictures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gemser, Gerda; van Oostrum, Martine; Leenders, Mark A. A. M.

Critics and their reviews can play an important role in consumer decision making in general, and film choice in particular. In this study, we propose that consumers of art house movies are being led by film reviews when making a film choice (influence effect), whereas consumers of mainstream movies

The impact of film reviews on the box office performance of art house versus mainstream motion pictures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gemser, G.; van Oostrum, M.; Leenders, M.A.A.M.

2007-01-01

Critics and their reviews can play an important role in consumer decision making in general, and film choice in particular. In this study, we propose that consumers of art house movies are being led by film reviews when making a film choice (influence effect), whereas consumers of mainstream movies

A time - zero detector based on thin film plastic scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrovici, M.; Simion, V.; Pagano, A.; Urso, S.; Geraci, E.

1998-01-01

Thin film scintillator used as a fast time-zero detector exhibits some advantages: fast response, small energy loss of transmitted particles, insensitivity to radiation damage, high efficiency and high counting rate capability. In order to increase the efficiency of the light collection, the scintillating plastic foil is housed in a reflecting body having an ellipsoidal geometry. A concave ellipsoidal mirror has the property that the geometrical foci are optically conjugate points and consequently, all optical path lengths from one focus to the other via a single reflection are equal. With the thin scintillator foil situated at one focal point and the PM's photocathode at the other one, an excellent light collection can be obtained. The principle of detector and the main components are presented. For our purposes we constructed the detector in two variants: glass mirror and polished aluminium mirror. The semi-axes of the ellipsoidal profile are: a 49.8 mm, b = 34.2 mm for the glass mirror and a = 35 mm, b = 26.5 mm for the aluminium mirror, respectively. The diameter of the beam access hole on the both mirrors is 12 mm. The detectors are foreseen to be used at 4π detecting system CHIMERA for experiments with heavy ion beams at intermediate energies delivered by Superconducting Cyclotron from LNS - Catania. Presently, the performance of these detectors are tested using alpha radioactive sources and in-beam measurements. (authors)

Thermal degradation and plasticizing mechanism of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with a novel cardanol derived plasticizer

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J.; Nie, X. A.; Jiang, J. C.; Zhou, Y. H.

2018-01-01

A natural plasticizer cardanol derivatives glycidyl ether (CGE) was synthesized and employed as a plasticizer for the poly(vinyl chloride). The effect of CGE on thermal degradation of PVC films and its plasticizing mechanism were firstly reported. The molecular structure of CGE was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal properties, degradation properties and compatibility of the PVC films were investigated by Differential scanning calorimeter analysis (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR, respectively. Compared with the commercial plasticizers dioctylphthalate (DOP), CGE can endow PVC film with a decrease of 4.31 °C in glass transition temperature (Tg), an increase of 24.01 °C and 25.53 °C in 10% weight loss (T 10) and 50% weight loss (T 50) respectively, and a higher activetion energy of thermal degradation (Ea ).

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HDPE PLASTIC FILM FOR HERBICIDE CONTAINER USING FLY ASH CLASS F AS FILLER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yatim Lailun Ni’mah

2010-06-01

Full Text Available High Density Polyethylene (HDPE plastic plays an important role in various applications, for example, it can be used as a container (bottle. Petrokimia Kayaku Company, a branch of Petrokimia Company of Gresik, produces herbicides using HDPE plastic bottles as their container. Those plastic bottles undergo degradation (kempot for certain period of time. The aim of this research is to characterize and to synthesize the HDPE plastic film with class F fly ash as filler. The results expected from this research are producing the plastic with a better properties and durability. This research was initiated by taking the sample of HDPE plastic bottle and herbicides (containing Gramakuat, on active material parakuat dichloride at Petrokimia Kayaku Company. Both the initial HDPE and the degraded bottles was analyzed their tensile strength and Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR spectral. The next step was to synthesize the HDPE plastic film using class F fly ash as filler and a coupling agent. The filler concentrations were 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20wt %. The best result was 5% filler concentration with tensile strength of 27.7 lbs. This HDPE film was then subjected to degradation test using pyridine solution with various concentrations (1%, 3% and 5% for two weeks, thermal degradation at 100 °C for two weeks and chemical resistance by xylene with soak time variation of 24 h, 98 h and 168 h. The result of degradations test show that the value of tensile strength was decreased with the increase of filler consentration. The chemical resistance, however, was increased.   Keywords: degradation, filler, fly ash, HDPE, Herbicide

Desorption modeling of hydrophobic organic chemicals from plastic sheets using experimentally determined diffusion coefficients in plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hwang; Byun, Da-Eun; Kim, Ju Min; Kwon, Jung-Hwan

2018-01-01

To evaluate rate of migration from plastic debris, desorption of model hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) from polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP) films to water was measured using PE/PP films homogeneously loaded with the HOCs. The HOCs fractions remaining in the PE/PP films were compared with those predicted using a model characterized by the mass transfer Biot number. The experimental data agreed with the model simulation, indicating that HOCs desorption from plastic particles can generally be described by the model. For hexachlorocyclohexanes with lower plastic-water partition coefficients, desorption was dominated by diffusion in the plastic film, whereas desorption of chlorinated benzenes with higher partition coefficients was determined by diffusion in the aqueous boundary layer. Evaluation of the fraction of HOCs remaining in plastic films with respect to film thickness and desorption time showed that the partition coefficient between plastic and water is the most important parameter influencing the desorption half-life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in soil environment by phylloplane fungi isolated from gramineous plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Koitabashi, Motoo; Noguchi, Masako T; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Hiradate, Syuntaro; Suzuki, Ken; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Watanabe, Takashi; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Tsushima, Seiya; Kitamoto, Hiroko K

2012-08-02

To improve the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic (BP) mulch films, 1227 fungal strains were isolated from plant surface (phylloplane) and evaluated for BP-degrading ability. Among them, B47-9 a strain isolated from the leaf surface of barley showed the strongest ability to degrade poly-(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) and poly-(butylene succinate) (PBS) films. The strain grew on the surface of soil-mounted BP films, produced breaks along the direction of hyphal growth indicated that it secreted a BP-degrading enzyme, and has directly contributing to accelerating the degradation of film. Treatment with the culture filtrate decomposed 91.2 wt%, 23.7 wt%, and 14.6 wt% of PBSA, PBS, and commercially available BP polymer blended mulch film, respectively, on unsterlized soil within 6 days. The PCR-DGGE analysis of the transition of soil microbial community during film degradation revealed that the process was accompanied with drastic changes in the population of soil fungi and Acantamoeba spp., as well as the growth of inoculated strain B47-9. It has a potential for application in the development of an effective method for accelerating degradation of used plastics under actual field conditions.

Microstructure and molecular interaction in glycerol plasticized chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blending films

Science.gov (United States)

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS) blended films plasticized by glycerol were investigated using mechanical testing, atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and FTIR spectroscopy, with primary emphasis on the effects of the glycerol content and the molecular weig...

Factors influencing leaching of PBDEs from waste cathode ray tube plastic housings.

Science.gov (United States)

Stubbings, William A; Harrad, Stuart

2016-11-01

Samples of waste cathode ray tube (CRT) plastic housings were exposed to Milli-Q® water containing dissolved humic matter at concentrations of 0, 100 and 1000mgL(-1) as leaching fluid under laboratory conditions, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) determined in the resulting leachate. Despite the relatively hydrophobic physicochemical properties of PBDEs, concentrations of ƩPBDEs in the leachate from the leaching experiments in this study ranged from 14,000 to 200,000ngL(-1). PBDE leaching appears to be a second order process, whereby a period of initially intense dissolution of more labile PBDEs is followed by a slower stage corresponding to external diffusion of the soluble residue in the material. The bulk of transfer of PBDEs to the leaching fluid occurs within the first 6h of contact, during which time we suggest that the most labile PBDEs are "washed" off the surface of the CRT plastics. The predominant congeners in the chips were BDE-209 (2600mgkg(-1)) and BDE 183 (220mgkg(-1)). The impacts on PBDE leaching of leachate pH and temperature were also examined. Increasing the temperature of leaching fluids from 20 to 80°C, enhances the leachability of BDE-209 and BDE-99 from plastics. In all cases, the alkaline pH8.5 examined, resulted in the greatest PBDE concentrations in leachate. Agitation of the waste/leachate mixture enhances PBDE leaching from CRT plastics. Potential evidence for debromination of heavy congeners to the lower brominated and more bioavailable BDEs was observed. Specifically, BDEs-47, -85 and -100 were detected in the leachates, but were absent from the CRT plastics themselves. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Sustainable Performance Assessment Framework for Plastic Film Supply Chain Management from a Chinese Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiuping Xu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Academics’ and practitioners’ interest in sustainable supply chain management has received great concern in recent years. The application of biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP plastic film has had a significant influence on the economic, environmental and social performance of supply chain management. However, research on the integration of these three sustainable dimensions is still rare in this field. In this paper, we identify sustainability criteria based on a triple bottom line approach (economic benefit, environmental protection and social responsibility from the supply chain perspective, develop a hybrid multi-criteria decision making framework to evaluate the criteria and select alternatives and apply the proposed approach to a real case study at a focal BOPP plastic film company in China. In the framework, a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP is used to determine the performance criteria weights and a fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS is applied to rank the alternatives. The case study finds that the economic dimension was the most important aspect with environmental second and social third. The results also verify the effectiveness of the proposed framework. This paper develops an effective and systematic approach for decision makers to conduct evaluations and select optimal alternatives for focal plastic film companies.

Poly-crystallinity of indium-tin-oxide films improved by using simultaneous ion beam and heat treatment of the plastic substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Phil Kook; Kim, Tae Hyung; Choi, Suk Won; Gwag, Jin Seog

2012-01-01

The combined treatment effects of an ion beam with directionality and heat of a low temperature on a plastic substrate was investigated as a method to increase the electrical conductivity of indium tinoxide (ITO) films deposited on plastic substrate surfaces at low temperatures. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surface treatment by using an ion beam at low temperature (120 .deg. C), which can be applied to plastic substrates, improves the conductivity of ITO films. X-ray diffraction indicates that ITO films deposited on PET surfaces treated simultaneously by using an ion beam and heat of a low temperature have an almost polycrystalline structure even though they have small amorphous party on. As a supplementary measurement, the contact angle showed that the polycrystalline structure was due to a self-assembly effect at the PET surfaces. Consequently, the electrical conductivity of an ITO film deposited by using the proposed technique is three times higher than that of an ITO film treated only with heat of low temperature due to the improved polycrystalline structure.

Poly-crystallinity of indium-tin-oxide films improved by using simultaneous ion beam and heat treatment of the plastic substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Phil Kook; Kim, Taehyung; Choi, Suk-Won; Gwag, Jin Seog

2012-08-01

The combined treatment effects of an ion beam with directionality and heat of a low temperature on a plastic substrate was investigated as a method to increase the electrical conductivity of indiumtin-oxide (ITO) films deposited on plastic substrate surfaces at low temperatures. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surface treatment by using an ion beam at low temperature (120 °C), which can be applied to plastic substrates, improves the conductivity of ITO films. X-ray diffraction indicates that ITO films deposited on PET surfaces treated simultaneously by using an ion beam and heat of a low temperature have an almost polycrystalline structure even though they have small amorphous party on. As a supplementary measurement, the contact angle showed that the polycrystalline structure was due to a self-assembly effect at the PET surfaces. Consequently, the electrical conductivity of an ITO film deposited by using the proposed technique is three times higher than that of an ITO film treated only with heat of low temperature due to the improved polycrystalline structure.

Plastic flow and preferred orientation in molybdenum and zirconium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Window, B.

1989-01-01

X-ray diffraction measurements on samples of molybdenum and zirconium growth with ion assistance at low temperatures support the occurrence of plastic flow during growth, provided the level of bombardment is high enough. As the energy of the argon ions was increased, the lattice strain in the growth direction increased to a maximum before decreasing slowly. That this is a plastic flow transition is shown by the independence of the maximum strain on preparation conditions and by the changes in microstructure. In particular, the grain size in the growth direction decreased and the preferred orientation favored the usual wire drawing textures of these metals. For the zirconium films this involved a change in preferred orientation from a (00.2) to a (10.0) texture. A reduction in strain is observed at high bombardment levels

Characterization and ageing study of poly(lactic acid) films plasticized with oligomeric lactic acid

OpenAIRE

Burgos, Nuria; Martino, Verónica P.; Jiménez, Alfonso

2013-01-01

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was melt-blended with a bio-based oligomeric lactic acid (OLA) plasticizer at different concentrations between 15 wt% and 25 wt% in order to enhance PLA ductility and to get a fully biodegradable material with potential application in films manufacturing. OLA was an efficient plasticizer for PLA, as it caused a significant decrease on glass transition temperature (Tg) while improving considerably ductile properties. Only one Tg value was observed in all cases and no ap...

Effect of plastic strain on shape memory characteristics in sputter-deposited Ti-Ni thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, K.

1995-01-01

The plastic strain which is introduced during cooling and heating under a constant stress has an influence upon the transformation and deformation characteristics of sputter-deposited Ti-Ni shape memory alloy thin films. With increasing the accumulated plastic strain, Ms rises and recovery strain increases. The changes in such characteristics are due to the internal stress field that is formed by plastic deformation. However, the change in Ms in Ti-50.5at%Ni is larger than that in Ti-48.9at%Ni, although the plastic strain in the former is lower than that in the latter. In order to understand this point, the effective internal stresses were estimated in both alloys; the internal stress in the former is more effectively created by the introduction of plastic strain than in the latter. (orig.)

Formation of sterilized edible-films based on caseinates: Effects of calcium and plasticizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mezgheni, E.; D'Aprano, G.; Lacroix, M.

1998-01-01

Gamma-irradiation was used to produce free-standing sterilized edible films based on caseinate. The effect of calcium ions (Ca 2+ ) and two plasticizers, namely propylene glycol (PG) and triethylene glycol (TEG) were investigated, as well as the effect of the irradiation on both the gel formation and mechanical properties of the resulting films. Gamma-irradiation provoked formation of bityrosine, i.e. crosslinks, accounting for the increase of the puncture strength of films. The presence of PG or TEG enhanced the formation of crosslinks, leading to an improved mechanical strength of films. TEG was found to interact more favorably with the caseinate than PG, being responsible for the improved film extensibility. Addition of CA 2+ caused the formation of gels. The breaking strength of gels was directly related to the concentration of Ca 2+ , while the puncture strength of films was found to be almost independent. Moreover, high irradiation dose seemed to affect the protein structure, accounting for the decrease of the breaking strength of gels and for the depreciation of the mechanical behavior of films

Degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in soil environment by phylloplane fungi isolated from gramineous plants

OpenAIRE

Koitabashi, Motoo; Noguchi, Masako T; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Hiradate, Syuntaro; Suzuki, Ken; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Watanabe, Takashi; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Tsushima, Seiya; Kitamoto, Hiroko K

2012-01-01

To improve the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic (BP) mulch films, 1227 fungal strains were isolated from plant surface (phylloplane) and evaluated for BP-degrading ability. Among them, B47-9 a strain isolated from the leaf surface of barley showed the strongest ability to degrade poly-(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) and poly-(butylene succinate) (PBS) films. The strain grew on the surface of soil-mounted BP films, produced breaks along the direction of hyphal growth ind...

Occurrence and risk assessment of phthalate esters (PAEs) in vegetables and soils of suburban plastic film greenhouses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Chen, Gangcai; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Manyun; Luo, Yongming; Teng, Ying

2015-08-01

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are suspected of having adverse effects on human health and have been frequently detected in soils and vegetables. The present study investigated their occurrence and composition in plastic film greenhouse soil-vegetable systems and assessed their potential health risks to farmers exposed to these widespread pollutants. Six priority control phthalates, namely dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), were determined in 44 plastic film greenhouse vegetables and corresponding soils. Total PAEs ranged from 0.51 to 7.16mgkg(-1) in vegetables and 0.40 to 6.20mgkg(-1) in soils with average concentrations of 2.56 and 2.23mgkg(-1), respectively. DnBP, DEHP and DnOP contributed more than 90% of the total PAEs in both vegetables and soils but the proportions of DnBP and DnOP in vegetables were significantly (p3.00mgkg(-1) but were plastic film greenhouses. Health risks were mainly by exposure through vegetable consumption and soil ingestion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Xylan Blending Films with 1,2,3,4-Butane Tetracarboxylic Acid as a New Plasticizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cun-dian Gao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Miscible, biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/xylan blending films were firstly prepared in the range of the PVA/xylan weight ratio from 1 : 2 to 3 : 1 by casting method using 1,2,3,4-butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA as a new plasticizer. The properties of blending films as functions of PVA/xylan weight ratio and BTCA amount were discussed. XRD and FT-IR were applied to characterize the blending films. Experimental results indicated that tensile strength (TS and elongation at break (EAB of blending films decreased along with the decrease of the PVA/xylan weight ratio. Both of TS and EAB firstly increased and then decreased as the amount of BTCA was increased. More importantly, blending films were biodegraded almost by 41% with an addition of 10% BTCA in blending films within 30 days in soil. For all hydroxyl functionalized polymers (xylan and PVA, their molecular interactions and miscibility with BTCA endowed blending films with the biocompatibility and biodegradability. Therefore, these blending films are environmentally friendly materials which could be applied as biodegradable plastics for food packaging and agricultural applications.

Use of plastic films for weed control during field establishment of micropropagated hardwoods

Science.gov (United States)

J. W. Van Sambeek; John E. Preece; Carl A. Huetteman; Paul L. Roth

1995-01-01

This study compares the use of plastic films to conventional methods for establishing hardwoods on a recently cultivated old field site using 1-year-old micropropagated plantlets of white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.). After one growing season in the field, height of plantlets with all weed...

Conductive plastic film electrodes for Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment : A proof of principle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roodenburg, B.; Haan, S.W.H. de; Boxtel, L.B.J. van; Hatt, V.; Wouters, P.C.; Coronel, P.; Ferreira, J.A.

2010-01-01

Nowadays Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment of food needs to be performed prior to packaging, either hygienic or aseptic packaging is necessary. New techniques for PEF treatment after packaging can be considered when plastic conductive (film) electrodes can be integrated within the package, so

Plastic-Film Mulching for Enhanced Water-Use Efficiency and Economic Returns from Maize Fields in Semiarid China

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Peng; Wei, Ting; Cai, Tie; Ali, Shahzad; Han, Qingfang; Ren, Xiaolong; Jia, Zhikuan

2017-01-01

Film mulch has gradually been popularized to increase water availability to crops for improving and stabilizing agricultural production in the semiarid areas of Northwest China. To find more sustainable and economic film mulch methods for alleviating drought stress in semiarid region, it is necessary to test optimum planting methods in same cultivation conditions. A field experiment was conducted during 2013 and 2014 to evaluate the effects of different plastic film mulch methods on soil wate...

Inter- and intragranular plasticity mechanisms in ultrafine-grained Al thin films: An in situ TEM study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mompiou, F.; Legros, M.; Boé, A.; Coulombier, M.; Raskin, J.-P.; Pardoen, T.

2013-01-01

The nature of the elementary deformation mechanisms in small-grained metals has been the subject of numerous recent studies. In the submicron range, mechanisms other than intragranular dislocation mechanisms, such as grain boundary (GB)-based mechanisms, are active and can explain the deviations from the Hall–Petch law. Here, we report observations performed during in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tensile tests on initially dislocation-free Al thin films with a mean grain size around 250 nm prepared by microfabrication techniques. Intergranular plasticity is activated at the onset of plasticity. It consists of the motion of dislocations in the GB plane irrespective of the GB character. Surface imperfections, such as GB grooves, are supposed to trigger intergranular plasticity. At larger deformations, the motion of the intergranular dislocations leads to GB sliding and eventually cavitation. In the meantime, GB stress-assisted migration and dislocation emission inside the grain from GB sources have also been observed. The observation of these different mechanisms during the deformation provides an important insight into the understanding of the mechanical properties of metallic thin films.

Comparison of the solar collection efficiencies of various vinyl house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, K H; Shin, H N; Lee, D S; Shin, D H; Suh, K B

1982-01-01

Three plastic film solar dryers covered with different film layers were constructed by modifying a farm vinyl house and studying their performance. The collection efficiency and temperature raising of type C which was covered with double layers of transparent PE and black PVC film was most efficient, followed by B (which was covered with a double layer of transparent PE film) and type A (which was covered with single layer transparent PE film). The inside temperature of type C averaged 18/sup 0/C higher than ambient temperature and its collection efficiency was 31.5% with air flow rate of 3.8 m/sup 3//min. The solar energy collection efficiency of type C was increased in proportion to air flow rate up to 60.2% at 11.3 m/sup 3//min. In a demonstration drying test of red pepper in type C, drying capacity per unit area was 2.5 times higher than that of conventional solar drying on straw mat and drying time shortened to about half.

Plastic properties of thin films on substrates as measured by submicron indentation hardness and substrate curvature techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerner, M.F.; Gardner, D.S.; Nix, W.D.

1986-01-01

Substrate curvature and submicron indentation measurements have been used recently to study plastic deformation in thin films on substrates. In the present work both of these techniques have been employed to study the strength of aluminum and tungsten thin films on silicon substrates. In the case of aluminum films on silicon substrates, the film strength is found to increase with decreasing thickness. Grain size variations with film thickness do not account for the variations in strength. Wafer curvature measurements give strengths higher than those predicted from hardness measurements suggesting the substrate plays a role in strengthening the film. The observed strengthening effect with decreased thickness may be due to image forces on dislocations in the film due to the elastically stiffer silicon substrate. For sputtered tungsten films, where the substrate is less stiff than the film, the film strength decreases with decreasing film thickness

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Plastic-Housing BioSand Filter and Its Impact on Diarrheal Disease in Copan, Honduras

Science.gov (United States)

Fabiszewski de Aceituno, Anna M.; Stauber, Christine E.; Walters, Adam R.; Meza Sanchez, Rony E.; Sobsey, Mark D.

2012-01-01

Point of use drinking water treatment with the BioSand filter (BSF) allows people to treat their water in the home. The purpose of this research was to document the ability of the Hydraid plastic-housing BSF to reduce diarrheal disease in households who received a BSF in a randomized controlled trial. The trial of the Hydraid plastic-housing BSF was carried out in rural, mountainous communities in Copan, Honduras during April of 2008 to February of 2009. A logistic regression adjusting for clustering showed that the incidence of diarrheal disease in children under 5 years was reduced by approximately 45% (odds ratio = 0.55, 95% confidence interval = 0.28, 1.10) in households that had a BSF compared with those households without a BSF, but this finding fluctuated depending on season and was not statistically significant. Households with a BSF had significantly better drinking water quality regardless of water source or season. PMID:22665593

Nanoparticles from Degradation of Biodegradable Plastic Mulch

Science.gov (United States)

Flury, Markus; Sintim, Henry; Bary, Andy; English, Marie; Schaefer, Sean

2017-04-01

Plastic mulch films are commonly used in crop production. They provide multiple benefits, including control of weeds and insects, increase of soil and air temperature, reduction of evaporation, and prevention of soil erosion. The use of plastic mulch film in agriculture has great potential to increase food production and security. Plastic mulch films must be retrieved and disposed after usage. Biodegradable plastic mulch films, who can be tilled into the soil after usage offer great benefits as alternative to conventional polyethylene plastic. However, it has to be shown that the degradation of these mulches is complete and no micro- and nanoparticles are released during degradation. We conducted a field experiment with biodegradable mulches and tested mulch degradation. Mulch was removed from the field after the growing season and composted to facilitate degradation. We found that micro- and nanoparticles were released during degradation of the mulch films in compost. This raises concerns about degradation in soils as well.

Plasticity enhancement mechanisms in refractory metals and intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibala, R.; Chang, H.; Czarnik, C.M.; Edwards, K.M.; Misra, A.

1993-01-01

Plasticity enhancement associated with surface films and precipitates or dispersoids in bcc refractory metals is operative in ordered intermetallic compounds. Some results are given for NiAl and MoSi 2 -based materials. The monotonic and cyclic plasticity of NiAl at room temperature can be enhanced by surface films. Ductile second phases also enhance the plasticity of NiAl. MoSi 2 exhibits similar effects of surface films and dispersoids, but primarily at elevated temperatures. The plasticity enhancement is associated with enhanced dislocation generation from constrained deformation at the film-substrate or precipitate/dispersoid-matrix interface of the composite systems

[Effects of plastic film mulching and nitrogen application rate on net global warming potential in semiarid rain-fed maize cropland].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jian Can; Wang, Ze Lin; Yue, Shan Chao; Li, Shi Qing

2018-04-01

A one-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of plastic film mulching (FM) and nitrogen application rates applied to rain-fed maize fields on net global warming potential (Net GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) at the Changwu Agricultural and Ecological Experimental Station. Both GWP and GHGI were affected by the plastic film mulching and nitrogen application rate. Under the FM treatment, maize yield ranged from 1643 to 16699 kg·hm -2 , the net GWP (CO 2 -eq) ranged from 595 to 4376 kg·hm -2 ·a -1 , and the GHGI (CO 2 -eq) ranged from 213 to 358 kg·t -1 . The grain yield of maize, net GWP and GHGI for the UM (no mulching) treatment were 956 to 8821 kg·hm -2 , 342 to 4004 kg·hm -2 ·a -1 and 204 to 520 kg·t -1 , respectively. The results suggested that plastic film mulching could simultaneously improve grain yield and decrease GHGI in rain-fed cropland along with nitrogen fertilizer of 250 kg·hm -2 .

Waxes and plastic film in relation to the shelf life of yellow passion fruit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mota Wagner Ferreira da

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The high perishability of the yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa reduces its postharvest conservation and availability, mainly for in natura consumption. These losses of quality and commercial value occur due to the high respiration and loss of water. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of a modified atmosphere - wax emulsions and plastic film - on the shelf life of the yellow passion fruit. Plastic film (Cryovac D-955, 15 mum thickness reduced fresh weight loss and fruit wilting, kept higher fruit and rind weight and higher pulp osmotic potential over the storage period. However, it was not efficient in the control of rottenness. Sparcitrus wax (22-23% polyethylene/maleyc resin caused injury to the fruit, high fruit weight losses and wilting and resulted in lower pulp osmotic potential; this wax lead to a higher concentration of acid and a lower relation of soluble solids/acidity. Among the tested waxes, Fruit Wax (18-21% carnauba wax was the best, promoting reduced weight loss, wilting and rottenness.

Antimicrobial, Rheological, and Thermal Properties of Plasticized Polylactide Films Incorporated with Essential Oils to Inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Jasim; Hiremath, Nikhil; Jacob, Harsha

2016-02-01

Polylactide (PLA) is the most mature biobased and biodegradable polymer. Due to its inherent brittleness, the polymer cannot be used as a packaging material without plasticizer. An attempt was made to develop antimicrobial plasticized PLA film by incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 3 essential oils (EO), namely cinnamon, garlic, and clove by solvent casting method. Physical, thermal, and rheological properties of those films were evaluated for practical applications whereas the antimicrobial properties were tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni-pathogens related to poultry industry. Both PEG and EOs led to the formation of flexible PLA/PEG/EO films with significant drop in the glass transition temperature (Tg ), and mechanical property. Time-temperature superposition (TTS) principle was employed to melt rheology of EO-based films at selected temperature, and rheological moduli superimposed well in an extended frequency range. Among EOs, cinnamon and clove oil-based films (PLA/PEG/CIN and PLA/PEG/CLO) exhibited a complete zone of inhibition against C. jejuni at the maximum concentration (1.6 mL per 2 g PLA/PEG blend) whereas the garlic oil-based film (PLA/PEG/GAR) had the lowest activity. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Full House: A Retrospective Analysis of High Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevalence among Adult Film Actors at a Singular Residence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendrick, Katherine; Brown, Veronica; Lords, Caleb; Matthias, James; Henning, Ian; Blackmore, Carina; Likos, Anna

2016-09-01

During a routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) investigation, Florida Department of Health staff identified a house (house A) in which over 150 individuals had resided at least briefly. Further investigation revealed that house A is used by the producer of a small adult film production company to board his actors. This report describes sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence among male actors in gay adult films residing in a common Florida residence. LexisNexis Accurint was used to identify house A residents since October 2002 when the producer arrived. Information on STIs and interview data were obtained from Florida's STI surveillance system. An infection was considered to be associated with residence in house A if the date of diagnosis occurred 6 months before an individual's residence start date through 6 months after his residence end date. Excluding the producer, 150 men resided in house A starting from September 2003 to July 2015. Forty-six individuals had a reported case of HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and/or chlamydia with 92 infections total. Forty-two (46%) infections among 24 men were considered associated with residence in house A. LexisNexis Accurint was a useful tool for identifying house A residents, a highly mobile and highly sexually active population. There is a high prevalence of STIs among residents, but it is unclear where transmission is occurring. Settings like house A are good candidates for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and active STI screenings and may be an opportunity for public health officials to intervene in high-risk groups to reduce STI rates in the community.

Poster – 13: Evaluation of an in-house CCD camera film dosimetry imaging system for small field deliveries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lalonde, Michel; Alexander, Kevin; Olding, Tim; Schreiner, L. John; Kerr, Andrew T. [Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario at KGH, Queen’s University (Canada)

2016-08-15

Purpose: Radiochromic film dosimetry is a standard technique used in clinics to verify modern conformal radiation therapy delivery, and sometimes in research to validate other dosimeters. We are using film as a standard for comparison as we improve high-resolution three-dimensional gel systems for small field dosimetry; however, precise film dosimetry can be technically challenging. We report here measurements for fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (FSRT) delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to investigate the accuracy and reproducibility of film measurements with a novel in-house readout system. We show that radiochromic film can accurately and reproducibly validate FSRT deliveries and also benchmark our gel dosimetry work. Methods: VMAT FSRT plans for metastases alone (PTV{sub MET}) and whole brain plus metastases (WB+PTV{sub MET}) were delivered onto a multi-configurational phantom with a sheet of EBT3 Gafchromic film inserted mid-plane. A dose of 400 cGy was prescribed to 4 small PTV{sub MET} structures in the phantom, while a WB structure was prescribed a dose of 200 cGy in the WB+PTV{sub MET} iterations. Doses generated from film readout with our in-house system were compared to treatment planned doses. Each delivery was repeated multiple times to assess reproducibility. Results and Conclusions: The reproducibility of film optical density readout was excellent throughout all experiments. Doses measured from the film agreed well with plans for the WB+PTV{sub MET} delivery. But, film doses for PTV{sub MET} only deliveries were significantly below planned doses. This discrepancy is due to stray/scattered light perturbations in our system during readout. Corrections schemes will be presented.

Poster – 13: Evaluation of an in-house CCD camera film dosimetry imaging system for small field deliveries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lalonde, Michel; Alexander, Kevin; Olding, Tim; Schreiner, L. John; Kerr, Andrew T.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Radiochromic film dosimetry is a standard technique used in clinics to verify modern conformal radiation therapy delivery, and sometimes in research to validate other dosimeters. We are using film as a standard for comparison as we improve high-resolution three-dimensional gel systems for small field dosimetry; however, precise film dosimetry can be technically challenging. We report here measurements for fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (FSRT) delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to investigate the accuracy and reproducibility of film measurements with a novel in-house readout system. We show that radiochromic film can accurately and reproducibly validate FSRT deliveries and also benchmark our gel dosimetry work. Methods: VMAT FSRT plans for metastases alone (PTV MET ) and whole brain plus metastases (WB+PTV MET ) were delivered onto a multi-configurational phantom with a sheet of EBT3 Gafchromic film inserted mid-plane. A dose of 400 cGy was prescribed to 4 small PTV MET structures in the phantom, while a WB structure was prescribed a dose of 200 cGy in the WB+PTV MET iterations. Doses generated from film readout with our in-house system were compared to treatment planned doses. Each delivery was repeated multiple times to assess reproducibility. Results and Conclusions: The reproducibility of film optical density readout was excellent throughout all experiments. Doses measured from the film agreed well with plans for the WB+PTV MET delivery. But, film doses for PTV MET only deliveries were significantly below planned doses. This discrepancy is due to stray/scattered light perturbations in our system during readout. Corrections schemes will be presented.

Flexibility of the Indium Tin Oxide Transparent Conductive Film Deposited Onto the Plastic Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shao-Kai Lu

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, we utilize the RF magnetron sputtering system to deposit the indium tin oxide (ITO conductive transparent film with low resistivity and high light transmittance to the polyethylene tetephthalate (PET plastic substrate and measure the film’s bending property and reliability at different tensile/compressive strain bending curvatures as well as the flexibility after cycling bending. The results show that the critical curvatures corresponded to the significant increase in the resistance of the 150 nm-thick ITO film deposited onto the PET substrate under tensile and compressive stress areO 14.1 mm and 5.4 mm, respectively. By observing the film’s surface crack and morphology, we can further discover that the critical curvature of the crack generated when the film is bent is quite consistent with the critical curvature at which the conductivity property degrades, and the film can withstand a higher compressive strain bending. In addition, the resistance and adhesion behavior of the film almost is unchanged after cycling bent for 1000 times with the curvature below the critical curvature.

Medium-scale carbon nanotube thin-film integrated circuits on flexible plastic substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Qing; Kim, Hoon-sik; Pimparkar, Ninad; Kulkarni, Jaydeep P; Wang, Congjun; Shim, Moonsub; Roy, Kaushik; Alam, Muhammad A; Rogers, John A

2008-07-24

The ability to form integrated circuits on flexible sheets of plastic enables attributes (for example conformal and flexible formats and lightweight and shock resistant construction) in electronic devices that are difficult or impossible to achieve with technologies that use semiconductor wafers or glass plates as substrates. Organic small-molecule and polymer-based materials represent the most widely explored types of semiconductors for such flexible circuitry. Although these materials and those that use films or nanostructures of inorganics have promise for certain applications, existing demonstrations of them in circuits on plastic indicate modest performance characteristics that might restrict the application possibilities. Here we report implementations of a comparatively high-performance carbon-based semiconductor consisting of sub-monolayer, random networks of single-walled carbon nanotubes to yield small- to medium-scale integrated digital circuits, composed of up to nearly 100 transistors on plastic substrates. Transistors in these integrated circuits have excellent properties: mobilities as high as 80 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), subthreshold slopes as low as 140 m V dec(-1), operating voltages less than 5 V together with deterministic control over the threshold voltages, on/off ratios as high as 10(5), switching speeds in the kilohertz range even for coarse (approximately 100-microm) device geometries, and good mechanical flexibility-all with levels of uniformity and reproducibility that enable high-yield fabrication of integrated circuits. Theoretical calculations, in contexts ranging from heterogeneous percolative transport through the networks to compact models for the transistors to circuit level simulations, provide quantitative and predictive understanding of these systems. Taken together, these results suggest that sub-monolayer films of single-walled carbon nanotubes are attractive materials for flexible integrated circuits, with many potential areas of

Plastic for indicating a radiation dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, Y.; Yoshikawa, N.; Ohmori, S.

1975-01-01

A plastic film suitable for indicating radiation dose contains a chlorine polymer, at least one acid sensitive coloring agent and a plasticizer. The film undergoes a distinct change of color in response to a given radiation dose, the degree of change proportional to the total change. These films may be stored for a long period without loss of sensitivity, and have good color stability after irradiation. (auth)

Synthesis of indium nanoclusters and formation of thin film contacts on plastic substrates for organic and flexible electronics applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Frank F; Bulkowski, Michal; Hsieh, K C

2007-01-01

In this work, we described the processes of synthesizing free-standing indium nanoclusters using inverse micelles and microemulsions as well as synthesizing organic-encapsulated indium nanoclusters using alkanethiols as the organic encapsulants. The synthesized organic-encapsulated indium nanoclusters have demonstrated the feasibilities to be used as plastic compatible soft metal contacts for emerging organic devices. The homogeneously distributed indium nanoclusters with sizes of 10-30 nm have been fabricated on a few different plastic substrates. By changing the alkanethiol carbon chain length and the sizes of the indium nanoclusters, the annealing temperature required to form low-resistance indium thin film conductors has been reduced to 80-100 deg. C, which is acceptable for a variety of organic thin films

[Effects of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lin Lin; Sun, Shi Jun; Chen, Zhi Jun; Jiang, Hao; Zhang, Xu Dong; Chi, Dao Cai

2018-01-01

In order to investigate the effect of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on spring maize dry matter accumulation and yield in the rain-fed area of the Northeast China, a complete combination field experiment which was comprised by three types of mulching (non-mulching, transparent plastic film mulching and black plastic film mulching) and five densities (60000, 67500, 75000, 82500 and 90000 plants·hm -2 ), was conducted to analyze the water and heat effect, dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize (Liangyu 99). The results showed that, compared with the other mulching treatments, the black plastic film mulching treatment significantly increased the maize dry matter accumulation and maize biomass by 3.2%-8.2%. In mature stage, the biomass increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing plant density. When planting density was 82500 plants·hm -2 , the biomass was the highest, which was 5.2%-28.3% higher than that of other plant density treatments. The mean soil temperature in prophase of transparent plastic film mulching treatment was 0.4-2.7 ℃ higher than that of other treatments, which accelerated the maize growth process and augmented the dry matter transportation amount (T), dry matter transportation efficiency (TE) and contribution rate of dry matter transportation to the grain yield (TC) of maize stalk and leaf. The T, TE, TC of leaf and leaf-stalk under 60000 plants·hm -2 treatment were the highest. The highest T, TE, TC of stalk were observed under 75000 plants·hm -2 treatment. In heading period, the water consumption and daily water consumption intensity of maize under the treatment of black film mulching were the largest, which were 9.4%-10.6% and 10.6%-24.5% higher than that of other mulching treatments, respectively. The highest water consumption and daily water consumption intensity were both obtained under 90000 plants·hm -2 treatment, which increased by 6.8%-15.7% and 7.0%-20.0% compared with other

Mechanisms of oxygen permeation through plastic films and barrier coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Wilski, Stefan; Wipperfürth, Jens; Jaritz, Montgomery; Kirchheim, Dennis; Mitschker, Felix; Awakowicz, Peter; Dahlmann, Rainer; Hopmann, Christian

2017-10-01

Oxygen and water vapour permeation through plastic films in food packaging or other applications with high demands on permeation are prevented by inorganic barrier films. Most of the permeation occurs through small defects (visualized by etching with reactive oxygen in a capacitively coupled plasma and subsequent SEM imaging. In this work, defects in SiO x -coatings deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are investigated and the mass transport through the polymer is simulated in a 3D approach. Calculations of single defects showed that there is no linear correlation between the defect area and the resulting permeability. The influence of adjacent defects in different distances was observed and led to flow reduction functions depending on the defect spacing and defect area. A critical defect spacing where no interaction between defects occurs was found and compared to other findings. According to the superposition principle, the permeability of single defects was added up and compared to experimentally determined oxygen permeation. The results showed the same trend of decreasing permeability with decreasing defect densities.

Seasonal abundance of eggplant leafminer Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard, 1938) (Diptera, Agromyzidae) in plastic-house

Science.gov (United States)

Kathiar, S. A.; Flaih, S. K.; Al-Khazraji, H. I.; Ismael, S. K.

2018-05-01

The eggplant Solanum melongena L. crop is attacked by one of the most common pests which is the leafminer Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard, 1938); therefore, this investigation was conducted to study the seasonal abundance of the eggplant leafminer in eggplant Plastic-house. The results showed that the highest average of infested leaves was 6.67 leaf, the highest average of tunnels by leaf miner was 9.87 tunnels and the highest percent of infestation was recorded 30.5% in 23. April. 2017. This study showed the parasitoid Diglyphus isaea (Walker, 1838) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) was recorded as a natural enemy to control the pest and the highest incidence of parasitism was 32.2 parasites on average in 16. April. 2017.

Solvent-assisted microstructural evolution and enhanced performance of porous ZnO films for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ohashi, Hitomi; Hagiwara, Manabu; Fujihara, Shinobu

2017-02-01

A low-temperature process for fabricating porous ZnO films on plastic, indium tin oxide-coated polyethylene naphthalate substrates is developed for their use in dye-sensitized solar cells. A special attention is paid to modification of microscopic morphologies for enhancing interparticle connection. ZnO films having two kinds of macroscopic morphologies (flower-like particles and densely packed nanoparticles) are fabricated at temperatures below the heatproof temperature of the substrate, and subsequently immersed in mixed solvents composed of water and ethanol at 90 °C. The immersion leads to the growth of constituting ZnO particles and also the evolution of interparticle connection, depending on solvent compositions. The cell performance is largely improved especially in a short-circuit current density and a power conversion efficiency. The immersion effect is more remarkable for the cell using the densely packed ZnO film, with a 62% increase in the current density and an 84% increase in the conversion efficiency. In consequence, our plastic N719-sensitized ZnO cell shows the conversion efficiency as high as 4.1%.

Pentiptycene-based polyurethane with enhanced mechanical properties and CO2-plasticization resistance for thin film gas separation membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pournaghshband Isfahani, Ali; Sadeghi, Morteza; Wakimoto, Kazuki; Shrestha, Binod Babu; Bagheri, Rouhollah; Sivaniah, Easan; Ghalei, Behnam

2018-04-30

Development of thin film composite (TFC) membranes offers an opportunity to achieve the permeability/selectivity requirements for optimum CO2 separation performance. However, the durability and performance of thin film gas separation membranes are mostly challenged by weak mechanical properties and high CO2 plasticization. Here, we designed new polyurethane (PU) structures with bulky aromatic chain extenders that afford preferred mechanical properties for ultra-thin film formation. An improvement of about 1500% in Young's modulus and 600% in hardness was observed for pentiptycene-based PUs compared to typical PU membranes. Single (CO2, H2, CH4, and N2) and mixed (CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4) gas permeability tests were performed on the PU membranes. The resulting TFC membranes showed a high CO2 permeance up to 1400 GPU (10-6 cm3(STP) cm-2s-1 cmHg-1) and the CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 selectivities of about 22 and 2.1, respectively. The enhanced mechanical properties of pentiptycene-based PUs results in high performance thin membranes with the similar selectivity of the bulk polymer. The thin film membranes prepared from pentiptycene-based PUs also showed a two-fold enhanced plasticization resistance compared to non-pentiptycene containing PU membranes.

Functional Properties of Plasticized Bio-Based Poly(Lactic Acid)_Poly(Hydroxybutyrate) (PLA_PHB) Films for Active Food Packaging

OpenAIRE

Burgos, Nuria; Armentano, Ilaria; Fortunati, Elena; Dominici, Franco; Luzi, Francesca; Fiori, Stefano; Cristofaro, Francesco; Visai, Livia; Jiménez, Alfonso; Kenny, José María

2017-01-01

Fully bio-based and biodegradable active films based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blended with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and incorporating lactic acid oligomers (OLA) as plasticizers and carvacrol as active agent were extruded and fully characterized in their functional properties for antimicrobial active packaging. PLA_PHB films showed good barrier to water vapor, while the resistance to oxygen diffusion decreased with the addition of OLA and carvacrol. Their overall migration in aqueous f...

Platinum/titanium bilayer deposited on polymer film as efficient counter electrodes for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikegami, M.; Miyoshi, K.; Miyasaka, T.; Teshima, K.; Wei, T. C.; Wan, C. C.; Wang, Y. Y.

2007-01-01

A surface-rich platinum/titanium bilayer was deposited on poly(ethylene naphthalate) film by vacuum sputtering as counterelectrode for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Compared to the electrodes made of pure Pt layer, this electrode maintained similar electrochemical catalytic effect at relative low Pt usage. Current-voltage characteristics of the plastic DSSC at this stage stand at 0.69 V on V OC , 9.97 mA/cm 2 on I SC , 0.69 on fill factor, and 4.31% cell efficiency under AM1.5, 100 mW/cm 2 illumination

Ultrathin film, high specific power InP solar cells on flexible plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiu, K.-T.; Zimmerman, Jeramy; Wang Hongyu; Forrest, Stephen R.

2009-01-01

We demonstrate ultrathin-film, single-crystal InP Schottky-type solar cells mounted on flexible plastic substrates. The lightly p-doped InP cell is grown epitaxially on an InP substrate via gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The InP substrate is removed via selective chemical wet-etching after the epitaxial layers are cold-welded to a 25 μm thick Kapton sheet, followed by the deposition of an indium tin oxide top contact that forms the Schottky barrier with InP. The power conversion efficiency under 1 sun is 10.2±1.0%, and its specific power is 2.0±0.2 kW/kg. The ultrathin-film solar cells can tolerate both tensile and compressive stress by bending over a <1 cm radius without damage.

Master of the House Blu-Ray

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tybjerg, Casper

2014-01-01

In this interview, produced by the Criterion Collection in 2014, Danish film historian Casper Tybjerg discusses how Master of the House went from being a popular stage play to a film, one that was a major stepping-stone in director Carl Theodor Dreyer's career.......In this interview, produced by the Criterion Collection in 2014, Danish film historian Casper Tybjerg discusses how Master of the House went from being a popular stage play to a film, one that was a major stepping-stone in director Carl Theodor Dreyer's career....

Plasticity mechanisms in ultrafine grained freestanding aluminum thin films revealed by in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idrissi, Hosni; Kobler, Aaron; Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Schryvers, Dominique; Coulombier, Michael; Pardoen, Thomas; Galceran, Montserrat; Godet, Stéphane; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Kübel, Christian

2014-01-01

In-situ bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) nanomechanical tensile testing and in-situ automated crystallographic orientation mapping in TEM were combined to unravel the elementary mechanisms controlling the plasticity of ultrafine grained Aluminum freestanding thin films. The characterizations demonstrate that deformation proceeds with a transition from grain rotation to intragranular dislocation glide and starvation plasticity mechanism at about 1% deformation. The grain rotation is not affected by the character of the grain boundaries. No grain growth or twinning is detected

Plasticity mechanisms in ultrafine grained freestanding aluminum thin films revealed by in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Idrissi, Hosni, E-mail: hosni.idrissi@ua.ac.be [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Sainte Barbe 2, B-1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium); Kobler, Aaron [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials (KIT and TUD) at Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD), Petersenstr. 32, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Schryvers, Dominique [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Coulombier, Michael; Pardoen, Thomas [Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Sainte Barbe 2, B-1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium); Galceran, Montserrat; Godet, Stéphane [Matters and Materials Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Av. FD Roosevelt CP194/03, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Raskin, Jean-Pierre [Information and Communications Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), Microwave Laboratory, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Kübel, Christian [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2014-03-10

In-situ bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) nanomechanical tensile testing and in-situ automated crystallographic orientation mapping in TEM were combined to unravel the elementary mechanisms controlling the plasticity of ultrafine grained Aluminum freestanding thin films. The characterizations demonstrate that deformation proceeds with a transition from grain rotation to intragranular dislocation glide and starvation plasticity mechanism at about 1% deformation. The grain rotation is not affected by the character of the grain boundaries. No grain growth or twinning is detected.

Plastic relaxation of GeSi/Si(001) films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy in the presence of the Sb surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolkhovityanov, Yu. B.; Deryabin, A. S.; Gutakovskii, A. K.; Kolesnikov, A. V.; Sokolov, L. V.

2007-01-01

Plastically relaxed GeSi films with the Ge fraction equal to 0.29-0.42 and thickness as large as 0.5 μm were grown on Si (001) substrates using the low-temperature (350 deg. C) buffer Si layer and Sb as a surfactant. It is shown that introduction of Sb that smoothens the film surface at the stage of pseudomorphic growth lowers the density of threading dislocations in the plastically relaxed heterostructure by 1-1.5 orders of magnitude and also reduces the final roughness of the surface. The root-mean-square value of roughness smaller than 1 nm was obtained for a film with the Ge content of 0.29 and the density of threading dislocations of about 10 6 cm -2 . It is assumed that the effect of surfactant is based on the fact that the activity of surface sources of dislocations is reduced in the presence of Sb

Mechanisms of oxygen permeation through plastic films and barrier coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilski, Stefan; Wipperfürth, Jens; Jaritz, Montgomery; Kirchheim, Dennis; Dahlmann, Rainer; Hopmann, Christian; Mitschker, Felix; Awakowicz, Peter

2017-01-01

Oxygen and water vapour permeation through plastic films in food packaging or other applications with high demands on permeation are prevented by inorganic barrier films. Most of the permeation occurs through small defects (<3 µ m) in the barrier coating. The defects were visualized by etching with reactive oxygen in a capacitively coupled plasma and subsequent SEM imaging. In this work, defects in SiO x -coatings deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are investigated and the mass transport through the polymer is simulated in a 3D approach. Calculations of single defects showed that there is no linear correlation between the defect area and the resulting permeability. The influence of adjacent defects in different distances was observed and led to flow reduction functions depending on the defect spacing and defect area. A critical defect spacing where no interaction between defects occurs was found and compared to other findings. According to the superposition principle, the permeability of single defects was added up and compared to experimentally determined oxygen permeation. The results showed the same trend of decreasing permeability with decreasing defect densities. (paper)

[Effects of plastic film mulching and rain harvesting modes on chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, yield and water use efficiency of dryland maize].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shang-Zhong; Fan, Ting-Lu; Wang, Yong; Zhao, Gang; Wang, Lei; Tang, Xiao-Ming; Dang, Yi; Zhao, Hui

2014-02-01

The differences on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, yield and water use efficiency of dryland maize were compared among full plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (FFDRF), half plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (HFDRF), plastic film mulching on ridge and planting in film-side (FS), and flat planting with no plastic film mulching (NM) under field conditions in dry highland of Loess Plateau in 2007-2012. The results showed that fluorescence yield (Fo), the maximum fluorescence yield (Fm), light-adapted fluorescence yield when PS II reaction centers were totally open (F), light-adapted fluorescence yield when PS II reaction centers closed (Fm'), the maximal photochemical efficiency of PS II (Fv/Fm), the actual photochemical efficiency of PS II in the light (Phi PS II), the relative electron transport rate (ETR), photochemical quenching (qP) and non-photochemical quenching (qN) in maize leaves of FFDRF were higher than that of control (NM), and the value of 1-qP was lower than that of control, at 13:00, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters values of FFDRF was significantly higher than control, which were increased by 5.3%, 56.8%, 10.7%, 36.3%, 23.6%, 56.7%, 64.4%, 45.5%, 23.6% and -55.6%, respectively, compared with the control. Yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were the highest in every year no matter dry year, normal year, humid year and hail disaster year. Average yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were 12,650 kg x hm(-2) and 40.4 kg x mm(-1) x hm(-2) during 2007-2012, increased by 57.8% and 61.6% compared with the control, respectively, and also significantly higher compared with HFDRF and PS. Therefore, it was concluded that FFDRF had significantly increased the efficiency of light energy conversion and improved the production capacity of dryland maize.

Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity Emulated in Modified Graphene Oxide Electrolyte Gated IZO-Based Thin-Film Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Wen, Juan; Guo, Liqiang; Wan, Xiang; Du, Peifu; Feng, Ping; Shi, Yi; Wan, Qing

2016-11-09

Emulating neural behaviors at the synaptic level is of great significance for building neuromorphic computational systems and realizing artificial intelligence. Here, oxide-based electric double-layer (EDL) thin-film transistors were fabricated using 3-triethoxysilylpropylamine modified graphene oxide (KH550-GO) electrolyte as the gate dielectrics. Resulting from the EDL effect and electrochemical doping between mobile protons and the indium-zinc-oxide channel layer, long-term synaptic plasticity was emulated in our devices. Synaptic functions including long-term memory, synaptic temporal integration, and dynamic filters were successfully reproduced. In particular, spike rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP), one of the basic learning rules of long-term plasticity in the neural network where the synaptic weight changes according to the rate of presynaptic spikes, was emulated in our devices. Our results may facilitate the development of neuromorphic computational systems.

Radon reduction in crawl-space houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborne, M.C.; Moore, D.G.; Southerlan, R.E.; Brennan, T.; Pyle, B.E.

1989-01-01

This paper gives results of an EPA study of radon-mitigation alternatives for crawl space houses in several houses in Nashville, TN. Application of one of these alternative mitigation options, suction under a polyethylene membrane, has been successful in significantly reducing radon levels in both the crawl space and the house. The large radon concentrations measured under unvented plastic ground covers and the moisture barriers found in many crawl spaces can act as radon-rich reservoirs capable of contaminating a crawl space and house during periods of depressurization. With the exhaust components of the mitigation system in place, radon levels below the plastic decreased by more than 95% under both passive and active suction conditions. Based on the study, the design of a cost-effective subplastic suction passive radon mitigation system for crawl spaces seems promising

Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, Chandra Mohan; Purwar, Roli; Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak

2017-01-01

This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. - Highlights: • Cocoon extracted muga and tasar fibroin have regenerated as flexible films. • Dextrose acts as plasticizer in muga and tasar fibroin films. • Films show good mechanical integrity, water absorption, biocompatibility over the un-plasticized films. • These flexible films are found to be promising candidates for wound healing.

Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Chandra Mohan [Department of Applied Chemistry and Polymer Technology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad, Daulatpur Bawana Road, Delhi 110042 (India); Purwar, Roli, E-mail: roli.purwar@dce.edu [Department of Applied Chemistry and Polymer Technology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad, Daulatpur Bawana Road, Delhi 110042 (India); Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak [Department of Pharmaceutics, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031 (India)

2017-06-01

This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. - Highlights: • Cocoon extracted muga and tasar fibroin have regenerated as flexible films. • Dextrose acts as plasticizer in muga and tasar fibroin films. • Films show good mechanical integrity, water absorption, biocompatibility over the un-plasticized films. • These flexible films are found to be promising candidates for wound healing.

Review of Agricultural Plastic Mulching and Its Residual Pollution and Prevention Measures In China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YAN Chang-rong

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Agricultural plastic film mulching is one of important technologies, but the plastic film pollution has been a serious issue for agri-cultural sustainable development in China. System analysis of this technique and its residue pollution and control ways have vital practicalsignificance for rational application of agricultural plastil film. In this paper, on the basis of our previous work,agricultural plastic filmmulching, its residue pollution and control technologies were concluded. Some important conclusions were found that, the amount of plasticfilm and mulching area had kept increasing with annual increasing rate about 8% since the 80s of the 20th century. From 1991 to 2011, thedensity of plastic film utilized increased 3-10 times, but it has very sharply different spatial pattern in different province. In general, the northand west China has high value, and the increase rate is also huge in the past 20 years. The crops of utilized mulching plastic film have extendedfrom cash crops to grain crops, and the order of crop area is followed by maize, vegetable, cotton, tobacco and peanut. The main functions ofmulching plastic film are keeping soil moisture and increasing soil temperature, against weeds and insect. At the same time, its side effectsappear with continuous utilization. The main problems are residues left in soil to destroy soil structure, impress soil permeability, impede seedgermination as well as water and nutrients uptaking, and block crop root system development. It has very serious pollution for the field utilizedplastic mulching film for long term. The residual amount in soil is about 71.9-259.1 kg·hm-2, and has sharply spatial difference. The residualamount in soil. In Northwest China, is more serious than that in North China and Southwest China. Because of difference of tillage and appli-canon ways, there are great differences on the area and shape of the plastic film piece left in soil. The main types of shapes are flaky

Ge-on-Si films obtained by epitaxial growing: edge dislocations and their participation in plastic relaxation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolkhovityanov, Yu B; Sokolov, L V

2012-01-01

Pure edge 90° misfit dislocations (MDs) are the most effective linear defects that combine the substrate and the film with different lattice parameters. A system consisting of a nonstressed film and a substrate approaches the perfect case in terms of the structural transition from one lattice parameter to the other if imperfections in the form of an ordered network of edge MDs are located exclusively at the interface, while threading dislocations are practically absent. The path to this perfect case goes through studying the possibilities of creating such an ordered network of edge MDs. The mechanism of formation of edge MDs proposed previously by Kvam et al (1990 J. Mater. Res. 5 1900) is discussed. This mechanism involves induced formation of a complementary pair of 60° MDs whose coalescence at the interface creates an edge MD. Some publications are presented, which demonstrate on the basis of experimental data that this mechanism under certain conditions can be the basic mechanism responsible for plastic relaxation of Ge-on-Si films. A cardinal method for decreasing the number of defects at the initial stages of growth of Ge/Si heterosystems is a set of procedures that allow a specified number of MDs to be inserted into the stressed film earlier than conditions of spontaneous nucleation of MDs from the film surface in the 2D–3D transition occur. When the low-temperature/high-temperature strategy of growth is used, the low-temperature GeSi seed layer tuned with respect to the growth temperature, composition and thickness can serve as a source of 60° dislocations, which facilitate earlier formation of edge MDs at the initial stage of plastic relaxation of the GeSi or Ge main layer. Results of some recent publications that report reaching high structural perfection of thin (∼1 µm and less) Ge-on-Si films are discussed. The proposed explanation of these results is based on postulates of controlled insertion of MDs and formation of edge MDs by the model of

Plastic condoms.

Science.gov (United States)

1968-01-01

Only simple equipment, simple technology and low initial capital investment are needed in their manufacture. The condoms can be made by people who were previously unskilled or only semi-skilled workers. Plastic condoms differ from those made of latex rubber in that the nature of the plastic film allows unlimited shelf-life. Also, the plastic has a higher degree of lubricity than latex rubber; if there is a demand for extra lubrication in a particular market, this can be provided. Because the plastic is inert, these condoms need not be packaged in hermetically sealed containers. All these attributes make it possible to put these condoms on the distributors' shelves in developing countries competitively with rubber condoms. The shape of the plastic condom is based on that of the lamb caecum, which has long been used as luxury-type condom. The plastic condom is made from plastic film (ethylene ethyl acrilate) of 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm.) thickness. In addition, a rubber ring is provided and sealed into the base of the condom for retention during coitus. The advantage of the plastic condom design and the equipment on which it is made is that production can be carried out either in labour-intensive economy or with varying degrees of mechanization and automation. The uniform, finished condom if made using previously untrained workers. Training of workers can be done in a matter of hours on the two machines which are needed to produce and test the condoms. The plastic film is provided on a double wound roll, and condom blanks are prepared by means of a heat-sealing die on the stamping machine. The rubber rings are united to the condom blanks on an assembly machine, which consists of a mandrel and heat-sealing equipment to seal the rubber ring to the base of the condom. Built into the assembly machine is a simple air-testing apparatus that can detect the smallest pinhole flaw in a condom. The manufacturing process is completed by unravelling the condom from the assembly

Solarização do solo com filmes plásticos com e sem aditivo estabilizador de luz ultravioleta Soil solarization with plastic films with and without UV light stabilizers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedito C. Barros

2004-06-01

menor nos tratamentos com plástico contendo aditivo. A viabilidade de P. aphanidermatum foi reduzida em todos os tratamentos solarizados, independente do plástico utilizado. Houve aumento no pH, na saturação por bases (V% e nos teores de NH4+ (190%, Mn (94,6% e Mg2+ (18%, dos solos solarizados. Também as plantas de alface colhidas nessas parcelas apresentaram maiores teores de Zn (43%, Mg2+ (12% e K+ (4%. Em Mogi das Cruzes foram observados aumentos nos teores de Mn (236% e Cu (18% nos solos solarizados e nas plantas colhidas nesses tratamentos (aumento de 99% para Mn e de 27% para Cu. A incidência da podridão de esclerotínia foi reduzida de 27,7% na testemunha para índices inferiores a 1% nas parcelas solarizadas com os diferentes filmes plásticos. O plástico sem aditivo estabilizador de luz ultravioleta partiu-se durante ambos os experimentos, após 60 e 90 dias de exposição ao ambiente, sendo considerado inadequado para a solarização, mas não houve diferença entre os plásticos para nenhum atributo avaliado.Three plastic films [low-density polyethylene (LDPE plastic films, 100 mm thick, produced by Nortène Plásticos Ltda] were evaluated in their adequacy for soil solarization:. a LDPE with UV light stabilizer additive, based on hindered amine; b LDPE with half load of the same additive, c without additive, and d a control treatment without plastic mulch. Two experiments were set up from January to February 2000, in Mogi das Cruzes and Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. After solarization, a lettuce crop was grown in both experiments. Chemical analyses were performed in soil samples and in the harvested lettuce heads of all plots. Weed infestation and the fresh weight of the harvested lettuce heads were assessed. In Piracicaba the soils were analyzed for microbiological properties and the viability of Pythium aphanidermatum was evaluated. In Mogi das Cruzes incidence of lettuce drop, caused by Sclerotinia minor, was assessed. The mean soil

ANALISA FAKTOR PENYEBAB KEGAGALAN MESIN GRINDER PADA PROSES PRODUKSI PLASTIC FILM DI PT. MUTIARA HEXAGON

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imam Hidayat

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Bila suatu mesin memiliki tingkat kegagalan yang tinggi, maka perlu dilakukan analisis mengenai  penyebab  –  penyebab  kegagalan  tersebut  hingga  ke  akar  permasalahannya sehingga dapat menentukan tindakan yang sesuai untuk meningkatkan kinerja suatu mesin. PT. Mutiara Hexagon merupakan sebuah perusahaan yang bergerak dibidang industri pembuatan plastik  kemasan.  Dalam  line  pembuatan lembaran film  diperlukan mesin  CPP  (Cast  Poly Propylene Machine dan mesin grinder dalam prosesnya. Pada penelitian yang dilakukan di PT. Mutiara Hexagon, terdapat beberapa kegagalan yang terjadi pada mesin grinder pada proses produksi plastic film, sehingga menyebabkan seluruh line pada divisi film mengalami downtime. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk melakukan analisa mengenai faktor penyebab kegagalan mesin grinder, penulis melakukan observasi secara langsung dan melihat proses produksi plastic film.Penulis menggunakan metode Failure Effect and Mode Analysis (FMEA dan Fault Tree Analysis (FTA. Penerapan analisis Failure Effect and  Mode Analysis (FMEA dapat menentukan sejauh mana tingkat kegagalan terjadi. Dari hasil analisis FMEA kemudian dapat dilanjutkan dengan menggunakan Fault Tree Analysis (FTA guna mengetahui lebih lanjut penyebab-penyebab dasar suatu kegagalan.Dari hasil perhitungan nilai Risk Priority Number (RPN pada tiap-tiap kegagalan yang terjadi  diantaranya yang  paling  tinggi  adalah kegagalan mesin  grinder rusak  dengan nilai kegagalannya mencapai 120. Kemudian dianalisa penyebab kegagalan tersebut dengan menggunakan metode FTA di dapatkan minimal cut sets yaitu: as grinder patah, katup hisap blower terbuka terlalu besar, kegagalan pada motor blower, baut pada dudukan pisau patah, pisau tumpul dan human error. Berdasarkan nilai probabilitas masing-masing cut set didapatkan nilai probabilitas kegagalan grinder periode 1 Juni 2012 -1 Juni 2013 mencapai 60%.

A coupled atomistics and discrete dislocation plasticity simulation of nanoindentation into single crystal thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, Ronald E.; Shilkrot, L.E.; Curtin, William A.

2004-01-01

The phenomenon of 2D nanoindentation of circular 'Brinell' indenter into a single crystal metal thin film bonded to a rigid substrate is investigated. The simulation method is the coupled atomistics and discrete dislocation (CADD) model recently developed by the authors. The CADD model couples a continuum region containing any number of discrete dislocations to an atomistic region, and permits accurate, automatic detection and passing of dislocations between the atomistic and continuum regions. The CADD model allows for a detailed study of nanoindentation to large penetration depths (up to 60 A here) using only a small region of atoms just underneath the indenter where dislocation nucleation, cross-slip, and annihilation occur. Indentation of a model hexagonal aluminum crystal shows: (i) the onset of homogeneous dislocation nucleation at points away from the points of maximum resolved shear stress; (ii) size-dependence of the material hardness, (iii) the role of dislocation dissociation on deformation; (iv) reverse plasticity, including nucleation of dislocations on unloading and annihilation; (v) permanent deformation, including surface uplift, after full unloading; (vi) the effects of film thickness on the load-displacement response; and (vii) the differences between displacement and force controlled loading. This application demonstrates the power of the CADD method in capturing both long-range dislocation plasticity and short-range atomistic phenomena. The use of CADD permits for a clear study of the physical and mechanical influence of both complex plastic flow and non-continuum atomistic-level processes on the macroscopic response of material under indentation loading

Radon in the Houses of Slavonski Brod-Posavina County

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poleto, Z.; Varga, M.; Radolic, V.; Poje, M.; Vukovic, B.

2008-01-01

Radon is a noble alpha-emitting radioactive gas produced by the decay od radium. The aim of this study was to measure radon concentrations in the houses of Slavonski Brod-Posavina county. The measurements were performed by means of the passive track etching method with strippable LR-115 SSNDT film, type II (Kodak-Pathe, France). The cylindrical plastic vessel of detector, with the diameter and the length of 11 and 7 cm, respectively, was covered with a paper filter of 0.078 kg/m 3 surface density. Inside, of the bottom of the vessel, a LR-115 film that presented a diffusion detector was fixed.Outside, on the cylindrical shell of the vessel, another film, that presented the open detector was fixed. The open LR-115 detector registers the total number of alpha-particles of radon and its short-lived progeny, while the diffusion detector registers tracks only of alpha particles emitted by radon. Measurements gave radon concentrations in the range of 14-404 Bq m -3 . Average annual effective radon dose for population of Slavonski Brod-Posavina county is 2.91 mSv

Investigation into Plastic Cards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neringa Stašelytė

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The article examines the strength of laminating plastic cards at different lamination temperatures. For investigation purposes, two types of plastic substrate and films have been used. Laminate strength has been tested (CMYK to establish the impact of colours on the strength of laminate. The paper compares inks supplied by two different producers. The colour characteristics of CIE L*a*b* space before and after the lamination process have been found. According to lamination strength and characteristics of the colours, the most suitable inks, temperature and films have been chosen.

Fabrication of highly crystalline oxide thin films on plastics: Sol–gel transfer technique involving high temperature process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiromitsu Kozuka

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Si(100 substrates were coated with a polyimide (PI–polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP mixture film, and an alkoxide-derived TiO2 gel film was deposited on it by spin-coating. The gel films were fired under various conditions with final annealing at 600–1000 °C. The PI–PVP layer was completely decomposed at such high temperatures while the TiO2 films survived on Si(100 substrates without any damages. When the final annealing temperature was raised, the crystalline phase changed from anatase to rutile, and the crystallite size and the refractive index of the films tended to increase. The TiO2 films thus fired on Si(100 substrates were transferred to polycarbonate (PC substrates by melting the surface of the plastic substrate either in a near-infrared image furnace or on a hot plate under a load. Cycles of deposition and firing were found to be effective in achieving successful transfer even for the films finally annealed at 1000 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses on the film/Si(100 interface suggested that the residual carbon or carbides at the interface could be a possible factor, but not a necessary and decisive factor that allows the film transfer.

Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Chandra Mohan; Purwar, Roli; Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak

2017-06-01

This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A photochemical approach designed to improve the coating of nanoscale silver films onto food plastic wrappings intended to control bacterial hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustatea, Gabriel; Vidal, Loïc; Calinescu, Ioan; Dobre, Alina; Ionescu, Mariana; Balan, Lavinia

2015-01-01

Plasmonic silver film was directly generated on a variety of substrates through a facile and environmentally friendly method, which involves a UV-photoreduction process without any reducing or stabilizing agent and requiring no thermal step. Top-coated films of unprotected silver nanoparticles (3–11 nm) were generated from hydroalcoholic AgNO 3 solution and directly on glass substrates or food packaging plastic wraps, low density polyethylene film, and polyvinyl chloride. The natural antibacterial activity of the material was evaluated. The correlation between silver migration and antimicrobial activity of silver-functionalized substrates against pure strains of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) was demonstrated. By way of illustration, food plastic wraps top-coated in this way exhibited a high antibacterial activity. The metal nanoparticle film obtained in this way was characterized and the influence of several parameters (fluence, exposure, silver nitrate concentration, and nature of the free radicals generator) on their formation was studied. Moreover, by shaping the actinic beam with an appropriate device, it is very easy to pattern the brown yellow silver nanofilm or to print messages in plain text

A photochemical approach designed to improve the coating of nanoscale silver films onto food plastic wrappings intended to control bacterial hazards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mustatea, Gabriel [University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science (Romania); Vidal, Loïc [Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse, CNRS UMR 7361 (France); Calinescu, Ioan [University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science (Romania); Dobre, Alina; Ionescu, Mariana [National Research and Development Institute for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest (Romania); Balan, Lavinia, E-mail: lavinia.balan@uha.fr [Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse, CNRS UMR 7361 (France)

2015-01-15

Plasmonic silver film was directly generated on a variety of substrates through a facile and environmentally friendly method, which involves a UV-photoreduction process without any reducing or stabilizing agent and requiring no thermal step. Top-coated films of unprotected silver nanoparticles (3–11 nm) were generated from hydroalcoholic AgNO{sub 3} solution and directly on glass substrates or food packaging plastic wraps, low density polyethylene film, and polyvinyl chloride. The natural antibacterial activity of the material was evaluated. The correlation between silver migration and antimicrobial activity of silver-functionalized substrates against pure strains of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) was demonstrated. By way of illustration, food plastic wraps top-coated in this way exhibited a high antibacterial activity. The metal nanoparticle film obtained in this way was characterized and the influence of several parameters (fluence, exposure, silver nitrate concentration, and nature of the free radicals generator) on their formation was studied. Moreover, by shaping the actinic beam with an appropriate device, it is very easy to pattern the brown yellow silver nanofilm or to print messages in plain text.

A photochemical approach designed to improve the coating of nanoscale silver films onto food plastic wrappings intended to control bacterial hazards

Science.gov (United States)

Mustatea, Gabriel; Vidal, Loïc; Calinescu, Ioan; Dobre, Alina; Ionescu, Mariana; Balan, Lavinia

2015-01-01

Plasmonic silver film was directly generated on a variety of substrates through a facile and environmentally friendly method, which involves a UV-photoreduction process without any reducing or stabilizing agent and requiring no thermal step. Top-coated films of unprotected silver nanoparticles (3-11 nm) were generated from hydroalcoholic AgNO3 solution and directly on glass substrates or food packaging plastic wraps, low density polyethylene film, and polyvinyl chloride. The natural antibacterial activity of the material was evaluated. The correlation between silver migration and antimicrobial activity of silver-functionalized substrates against pure strains of gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli) and gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus) was demonstrated. By way of illustration, food plastic wraps top-coated in this way exhibited a high antibacterial activity. The metal nanoparticle film obtained in this way was characterized and the influence of several parameters (fluence, exposure, silver nitrate concentration, and nature of the free radicals generator) on their formation was studied. Moreover, by shaping the actinic beam with an appropriate device, it is very easy to pattern the brown yellow silver nanofilm or to print messages in plain text.

Starch/polyester films: simultaneous optimisation of the properties for the production of biodegradable plastic bags

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. B. Olivato

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Blends of starch/polyester have been of great interest in the development of biodegradable packaging. A method based on multiple responses optimisation (Desirability was used to evaluate the properties of tensile strength, perforation force, elongation and seal strength of cassava starch/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT blown films produced via a one-step reactive extrusion using tartaric acid (TA as a compatibiliser. Maximum results for all the properties were set as more desirable, with an optimal formulation being obtained which contained (55:45 starch/PBAT (88.2 wt. (%, glycerol (11.0 wt. (% and TA (0.8 wt. (%. Biodegradable plastic bags were produced using the film with this formulation, and analysed according to the standard method of the Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT. The bags exhibited a 45% failure rate in free-falling dart impact tests, a 10% of failure rate in dynamic load tests and no failure in static load tests. These results meet the specifications set by the standard. Thus, the biodegradable plastic bags fabricated with an optimised formulation could be useful as an alternative to those made from non-biodegradable materials if the nominal capacity declared for this material is considered.

Effects of Adopting Different Kinds of Collecting Method for Years on Film Residual Coefficient and Maize Yields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TANG Wen-xue

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Wide usage of mulching technology has increased crop yields, but the large amounts of mulching film residue resulting from widespread use of plastic film in China has brought about a series of pollution hazards. Based on a 4-year (2011-2014 long-term experiment, the effects of different kinds of collecting mothod (zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues, whole plastic film residues remainded on plastic film residues, residual coefficient and maize yield were explored. Plastic film residues mainly remained in 0~10 cm, 10~20 cm soil layers. In 0~30 cm soil layers, the two types of mulch residues (>25 cm2, 4~25 cm2 under zero plastic film residues treatment were much less than conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments, no significant differences were observed in the mulch residues (2 among 3 treatments. After maize harvest, the amount of plastic film residues under zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments were 52.71, 80.85 kg·hm-2 and 152.65 kg·hm-2, respectively, the residual coefficient for zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments were -9.45%, 8.53% and 54.42%, respectively. The stem diameter, ear length, ear width, ear row number, grain number per row and 100-grain weight of maize decreased with the increase of residual film amount. Compared with the conventional plastic film residues, the mean grain yield of whole plastic film residues remainded treatment decreased by 15.08%, whereas the zero plastic film residues treatment increased by 4.70%. The plastic film residues, residual coefficient and maize yield were comprehensively analyzed, the conventional plastic film residues practice should be adopted currently without appropriate plastic film residues collector. But from the long-term development, we should speed up the

A thermal sensor for water using self-heated NTC thick-film segmented thermistors

OpenAIRE

Nikolić, Maria Vesna; Radojčić, B. M.; Aleksić, Obrad; Luković, Miloljub D.; Nikolić, Pantelija

2011-01-01

A simple thermal (heat loss) sensor system was designed in a small plastic tube housing using a negative thermal coefficient (NTC) thick-film thermistor as a self-heating sensor. The voltage power supply [range constant voltage (RCV)-range constant voltage] uses the measured input water temperature to select the applied voltage in steps (up and down) in order to enable operation of the sensor at optimal sensitivity for different water temperatures. The input water temperature was measured usi...

Plastic-film mulching and urea types affect soil CO2 emissions and grain yield in spring maize on the Loess Plateau, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiaofei; Chen, Yu; Li, Weiwei; Liu, Yang; Han, Juan; Wen, Xiaoxia; Liao, Yuncheng

2016-06-22

A 2-year field experiment was conducted on maize (Zea mays L.) to explore effective ways to decrease soil CO2 emissions and increase grain yield. Treatments established were: (1) no mulching with urea, (2) no mulching with controlled release fertiliser (CRF), (3) transparent plastic-film mulching (PMt) with urea, (4) PMt with CRF, (5) black plastic-film mulching (PMb) with urea, and (6) PMb with CRF. During the early growth stages, soil CO2 emissions were noted as PMt > PMb > no mulching, and this order was reversed in the late growth stages. This trend was the result of topsoil temperature dynamics. There were no significant correlations noted between soil CO2 emissions and soil temperature and moisture. Cumulative soil CO2 emissions were higher for the PMt than for the PMb, and grain yield was higher for the PMb treatments than for the PMt or no mulching treatments. The CRF produced higher grain yield and inhibited soil CO2 emissions. Soil CO2 emissions per unit grain yield were lower for the BC treatment than for the other treatments. In conclusion, the use of black plastic-film mulching and controlled release fertiliser not only increased maize yield, but also reduced soil CO2 emissions.

Apparatus for housing radiation measuring material housed in a plastic insert

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collica, C.; Epifano, L.; Farella, R.

1977-01-01

An apparatus for housing radiation measuring material is described. First and second members having generally flat and opposing surfaces are provided, the members being joined with their surfaces in spaced relationship. The first surface has a plurality of circular recessed areas. The second surface has a plurality of recessed areas positionally aligned with the plurality of recessed areas in the first surface. A generally flat insert member is provided, the insert member proportioned to removably fit between the surfaces. The insert member has a plurality of circular apertures positionally aligned with the recessed areas, the apertures being adapted to removably receive and retain dosimetry discs. The recessed areas in the first and second surfaces are adapted to removably receive filter elements. The apparatus can be used for housing many of the various types of commercially available radiation measuring material

THE EFFECT OF PLASTICIZER CONTENT AND DISACCHARIDE TYPE ON THE MECHANICAL, BARRIER AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BOVINE GELATIN-BASED FILMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PEDRO GUERRERO1

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Gelatins are regarded as alternative raw materials to prepare films for food packaging. However, the improvement of their mechanical and water barrier properties is necessary in order to obtain useful materials in service conditions. To improve these functional properties, two strategies have been carried out in this work. First, glycerol was added as plasticizer to increase the flexibility of the films. Second, lactose or sucrose was added to react with gelatin and increase water resistance of gelatin-based films. Commercial gelatin, glycerol and lactose or sucrose were employed in this work and processing of the films was carried out by solution casting. All gelatin films obtained were transparent and flexible. Moreover, the hydrophobic character of the films was increased and the film solubility was decreased by the addition of glycerol and disaccharides. As was observed via FTIR, the changes were due to the interactions between gelatin and glycerol and Maillard reaction between gelatin and disaccharides.

Radiochromic Plastic Films for Accurate Measurement of Radiation Absorbed Dose and Dose Distributions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McLaughlin, W. L.; Miller, Arne; Fidan, S.

1977-01-01

of dose rate (1–1014 rad s−1). Upon irradiation of the film, the profile of the radiation field is registered as a permanent colored image of the dose distribution. Unlike most other types of dyed plastic dose meters, the optical density produced by irradiation is in most cases stable for periods...... of many polymeric systems in industrial radiation processing. The result is that errors due to energy dependence of response of the radiation sensor are effectively reduced, since the spectral sensitivity of the dose meter matches that of the polymer of interest, over a wide range of photon and electron...

A new approach to film dosimetry for high-energy photon beams using organic plastic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeo, I.J.; Wang, C.-K.C.; Burch, S.E.

1999-01-01

Successful radiotherapy relies on accurate dose measurement. Traditional dosimeters such as ion chambers, TLDs and diodes have disadvantages such as relatively long measurement time and poor spatial resolution. These drawbacks become more serious problems for dynamic beams (i.e. with the use of dynamic wedges or even the intensity modulation technique). X-ray film, an integrating dosimeter, may not be associated with the above disadvantages and problems. However, there are several major issues regarding use of x-ray film for routine dosimetry, including the over-response of the film to low-energy photons, variations in the dose response curve (nonlinearity), lack of reproducibility due to variation in processing, etc. This paper addresses the first problem. That is, x-ray film over-responds to low-energy photons (energies below 400 keV), and thus generates unacceptably inaccurate dosimetric data compared with ion-chamber data. To overcome the over-response problem of x-ray film in a phantom, a scintillation method has been investigated. In this method, a film is sandwiched by two plastic scintillation screens to enhance the film response to upstream electrons, and therefore minimize the over-response caused by low-energy photons. The sandwiched system was tested with a 4 MV linac beam. The result shows that, depending on the uniformity of the scintillation screens, the depth-dose distribution obtained from the sandwich system can be made to agree well with that obtained from ion chambers. However, the required high degree of uniformity remains a challenge for the scintillation screen manufacturers. (author)

Sol-gel antireflective coating on plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Ashley, Carol S.; Reed, Scott T.

1990-01-01

An antireflection film made from a reliquified sol-gel hydrolyzation, condensation polymeric reaction product of a silicon, alkoxides and/or metal alkoxides, or mixtures thereof. The film is particularly useful for coating plastics.

Gamma radiation effects in packaging for sterilization of health products and their constituents paper and plastic film

Science.gov (United States)

B. G. Porto, Karina Meschini; Napolitano, Celia Marina; Borrely, Sueli Ivone

2018-01-01

The integrity of materials containing packaging (natural or synthetic polymers) is essential to keep the aseptic condition of commercialized products (health care products, food and pharmaceuticals). The objective of this paper was to study gamma radiation effects (25 kGy, 40 kGy and 50 kGy) on the main properties of paper and multilayer films (polyester and polyethylene). Paper and multilayer films are components of packaging (pouches) for radiation sterilization containing medical equipment or products. Paper was the more radiation sensitive among the studied materials and radiation effects were more pronounced at brightness, pH, tearing resistance, bursting strength and tensile strength. Concerning plastic film, no pinholes were induced by radiation and the effects on the tensile strength were not significant. Although the seal strength packaging (pouches) decreased according to increasing dose, the sealing integrity was preserved.

High-conductance low-voltage organic thin film transistor with locally rearranged poly(3-hexylthiophene) domain by current annealing on plastic substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Zingway; Tsai, Hsing-Wang; Lai, Hsin-Cheng

2016-02-01

The organic material based thin film transistors (TFTs) are attractive for flexible optoelectronics applications due to the ability of lager area fabrication by solution and low temperature process on plastic substrate. Recently, the research of organic TFT focus on low operation voltage and high output current to achieve a low power organic logic circuit for optoelectronic device,such as e-paper or OLED displayer. To obtain low voltage and high output current, high gate capacitance and high channel mobility are key factors. The well-arranged polymer chain by a high temperature postannealing, leading enhancement conductivity of polymer film was a general method. However, the thermal annealing applying heat for all device on the substrate and may not applicable to plastic substrate. Therefore, in this work, the low operation voltage and high output current of polymer TFTs was demonstrated by locally electrical bias annealing. The poly(styrene-comethyl methacrylate) (PS-r-PMMA) with ultra-thin thickness is used as gate dielectric that the thickness is controlled by thermal treatment after spin coated on organic electrode. In electrical bias-annealing process, the PS-r- PMMA is acted a heating layer. After electrical bias-annealing, the polymer TFTs obtain high channel mobility at low voltage that lead high output current by a locally annealing of P3HT film. In the future, the locally electrical biasannealing method could be applied on plastic substrate for flexible optoelectronic application.

Nano-Ceramic Coated Plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Junghyun

2013-01-01

Plastic products, due to their durability, safety, and low manufacturing cost, are now rapidly replacing cookware items traditionally made of glass and ceramics. Despite this trend, some still prefer relatively expensive and more fragile ceramic/glassware because plastics can deteriorate over time after exposure to foods, which can generate odors, bad appearance, and/or color change. Nano-ceramic coatings can eliminate these drawbacks while still retaining the advantages of the plastic, since the coating only alters the surface of the plastic. The surface coating adds functionality to the plastics such as self-cleaning and disinfectant capabilities that result from a photocatalytic effect of certain ceramic systems. These ceramic coatings can also provide non-stick surfaces and higher temperature capabilities for the base plastics without resorting to ceramic or glass materials. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are the candidates for a nano-ceramic coating to deposit on the plastics or plastic films used in cookware and kitchenware. Both are wide-bandgap semiconductors (3.0 to 3.2 eV for TiO2 and 3.2 to 3.3 eV for ZnO), so they exhibit a photocatalytic property under ultraviolet (UV) light. This will lead to decomposition of organic compounds. Decomposed products can be easily washed off by water, so the use of detergents will be minimal. High-crystalline film with large surface area for the reaction is essential to guarantee good photocatalytic performance of these oxides. Low-temperature processing (nano-ceramic coatings (TiO2, ZnO) on plastic materials (silicone, Teflon, PET, etc.) that can possess both photocatalytic oxide properties and flexible plastic properties. Processing cost is low and it does not require any expensive equipment investment. Processing can be scalable to current manufacturing infrastructure.

Formation of conductive and reflective silver nanolayers on plastic films via ion doping and solid–liquid interfacial reduction at ambient temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Guanghui; Wu, Dezhen; Zhao, Yuan; Liu, Wei; Wu, Zhanpeng

2013-01-01

Conductive and reflective silver layers on both sides of polyimide films have been prepared by doping silver–ammonia ions into the surfaces of polyimide film, and subsequent solid–liquid interfacial reduction, during which double diffusion of silver ions and newly formed silver crystals occurred between the interfaces of polyimide films and the aqueous reducing surroundings. The newly formed silver nanoparticles could migrate and aggregate onto both sides of substrate films, forming continuous and compact silver layers that result in excellent conductivity, i.e. ∼0.6 and 0.5 Ω/sq on the upside and downside surfaces, respectively. The surface reflectivity could be detected up to 80% on the downside and 90% on the upside surface as well. The effects of the silver contents and reducing conditions on the morphologies and properties have been investigated comprehensively, and the two-side properties differences were discussed. A convictive relationship between the morphologies and properties has been established, providing reliable and general guidance in terms of preparation of inorganic nanoparticles on plastic substrates. This novel and simple strategy can be extended to fabricate many other metal, metal oxide and metal sulfide nanoparticles on plastic substrates, using proper oxidants or sulfions to replace the diverse reductants. The films were characterized by inductively coupled plasma, contact angle measurement, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, four-point probe instrument and ultraviolet spectrophotometry

The plasticity of clays

Science.gov (United States)

Group, F.F.

1905-01-01

(1) Sand injures plasticity little at first because the grains are suspended in a plastic mass. It is only when grains are abundant enough to come in contact with their neighbors, that the effect becomes serious, and then both strength and amount of possible flow are injured. (2) Certain rare organic colloids increase the plasticity by rendering the water viscous. (3) Fineness also tends to increase plasticity. (4) Plane surfaces (plates) increase the amount of possible flow. They also give a chance for lubrication by thinner films, thus increasing the friction of film, and the strength of the whole mass. The action of plates is thus twofold ; but fineness may be carried to such an extent as to break up plate-like grains into angular fragments. The beneficial effects of plates are also decreased by the fact that each is so closely surrounded by others in the mass. (5) Molecular attraction is twofold in increasing plasticity. As the attraction increases, the coherence and strength of the mass increase, and the amount of possible deformation before crumbling also increases. Fineness increases this action by requiring more water. Colloids and crystalloids in solution may also increase the attraction. It is thus seen to be more active than any other single factor.

Antireflection coatings on plastics deposited by plasma ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the ophthalmic industry, plastic lenses are rapidly displacing glass lenses ... Moreover, the plasma polymerization process allows deposition of optical films at room temperature, essential for plastics. ... Bulletin of Materials Science | News.

Biodegradable plastics derived from micro-fibrillated cellulose fiber and chitosan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishiyama, M.; Hosokawa, J.; Yoshihara, K.; Kubo, T.; Kabeya, H.; Endo, T. [Shikoku National Industrial Research Inst., Kagawa (Japan)

1995-12-25

We have been carrying out studies to develop biodegradable plastics from natural polysaccharides. We have found that a combination of micro-fibrillated cellulose fiber and chitosan produces a useful material that can be used to form biodegradable film and moldings. Cellulose-chitosan composite film demonstrate higher strength than general purpose plastic films, and wet strength peaks when chitosan content is 10-20%. The relatively small amount of chitosan needed is economically convenient because chitosan is more expensive than cellulose. This film biodegrade well in soil, completely dissolving and disappearing in two months. Biodegradability is influenced by the temperature used in thermal treatment the film, the quantity of acid groups in the cellulose, and other factors. These characteristics will be used to control decomposition. Since cellulose-chitosan-plastics are not thermoplastics, we have been working on joint research with companies to produce films, nonwoven fabrics and foams. We discuss here the properties and application of these composite moldings. 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Optimization of mass of plastic scintillator film for flow-cell based tritium monitoring: a Monte Carlo study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Arup Singha; Palani Selvam, T.; Raman, Anand; Raja, V.; Chaudhury, Probal

2014-01-01

Over the years, various types of tritium-in-air monitors have been designed and developed based on different principles. Ionization chamber, proportional counter and scintillation detector systems are few among them. A plastic scintillator based, flow-cell type online tritium-in-air monitoring system was developed for online monitoring of tritium in air. The value of the scintillator mass inside the cell-volume, which maximizes the response of the detector system, should be obtained to get maximum efficiency. The present study is aimed to optimize the amount of mass of the plastic scintillator film for the flow-cell based tritium monitoring instrument so that maximum efficiency is achieved. The Monte Carlo based EGSnrc code system has been used for this purpose

Uranium exploration in Pakistan using alpha sensitive plastic films (ASPF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qureshi, A.A.; Khan, H.A. (Pakistan Inst. of Nuclear Science and Technology, Islamabad (Pakistan). Health Physics Div.); Samad Beg, M.A.; Ahmed, Fazal (Atomic Energy Minerals Centre, Lahore (Pakistan))

1988-01-01

The Alpha Sensitive Plastic Film (ASPF) technique has been successfully developed in Pakistan. Studies concerning optimisation of tube size, exposure time, position of detector in tube, etching conditions, type of detector, etc. have been done in the laboratory. Some studies like effects of depth, size and grade of ore body and water table were carried out in the field. The application of this technique was fairly successful in sandstone areas. Based on this technique, subsurface uranium occurrences were established in D.G. Khan and Isa Khel. The ASPF-results were confirmed by subsequent drilling and other methods. The technique has been found to be workable and inexpensive. It has been found to supplement the conventional exploration methods, and if applied as a part of normal exploration programme may reduce overall project cost substantially. This paper briefly describes the methodology, parameters, applications and results of the ASPF technique in the field of uranium prospecting and exploration in Pakistan. (author).

Effects of gamma radiation (60Co) on the main physical and chemical properties of health care packaging and their compounds paper and multilayer plastic film, used for health products sterilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porto, Karina Meschini Batista Geribello

2013-01-01

Gamma radiation is one of the technologies applied for the sterilization of packaging systems containing products for health. During sterilization process it is critical that the properties of packages are maintained. In this study two samples of commercial pouch packaging comprised of surgical grade paper on one side and the other side multilayer plastic film were irradiated with gamma rays. The following doses were applied 25 kGy (1,57 kGy/h) and 50 kGy (1,48 kGy/h). One packaging sample was paper formed by softwood fibers and multilayer plastic film based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/polyethylene (PE). The second type of paper sample was made by a mixture of softwood and hardwood fibers and multilayer plastic film based on polyethylene terephthalate (ethylene) (PET)/polypropylene (PP). The effects of radiation on the physical and chemical properties of papers and multilayer plastic films, as well as the properties of the package were studied. The paper was the more radiation sensitive among the studied materials and radiation effects were more pronounced at brightness, pH, tearing resistance, bursting strength and tensile strength. Nonetheless, worst comparatively effects were noted on the sample made by a mixture of softwood and hardwood fibers. The porosity of paper was enhanced by 50 kGy. In the case of plastic films, radiation effects on tensile strength was the most pronounced property for both samples. In the case of the packaging the sealing resistance decreased with radiation. The effects observed for the treatment at 50 kGy were more pronounced when compared to 25 kGy. This last is the dose which is usually applied to sterilize health products. A dosimetry study was performed during irradiation at 25 kGy, 40 kGy and 50 kGy and its importance may be reported by the average dose variation 20 %. (author)

Phyllosphere yeasts rapidly break down biodegradable plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamoto, Hiroko K; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Cao, Xiao-Hong; Morita, Tomotake; Konishi, Masaaki; Tago, Kanako; Kajiwara, Hideyuki; Koitabashi, Motoo; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Watanabe, Takashi; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Nakajima-Kambe, Toshiaki; Tsushima, Seiya

2011-11-29

The use of biodegradable plastics can reduce the accumulation of environmentally persistent plastic wastes. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics depends on environmental conditions and is highly variable. Techniques for achieving more consistent degradation are needed. However, only a few microorganisms involved in the degradation process have been isolated so far from the environment. Here, we show that Pseudozyma spp. yeasts, which are common in the phyllosphere and are easily isolated from plant surfaces, displayed strong degradation activity on films made from poly-butylene succinate or poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate. Strains of P. antarctica isolated from leaves and husks of paddy rice displayed strong degradation activity on these films at 30°C. The type strain, P. antarctica JCM 10317, and Pseudozyma spp. strains from phyllosphere secreted a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme with a molecular mass of about 22 kDa. Reliable source of biodegradable plastic-degrading microorganisms are now in our hands.

Phyllosphere yeasts rapidly break down biodegradable plastics

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The use of biodegradable plastics can reduce the accumulation of environmentally persistent plastic wastes. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics depends on environmental conditions and is highly variable. Techniques for achieving more consistent degradation are needed. However, only a few microorganisms involved in the degradation process have been isolated so far from the environment. Here, we show that Pseudozyma spp. yeasts, which are common in the phyllosphere and are easily isolated from plant surfaces, displayed strong degradation activity on films made from poly-butylene succinate or poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate. Strains of P. antarctica isolated from leaves and husks of paddy rice displayed strong degradation activity on these films at 30°C. The type strain, P. antarctica JCM 10317, and Pseudozyma spp. strains from phyllosphere secreted a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme with a molecular mass of about 22 kDa. Reliable source of biodegradable plastic-degrading microorganisms are now in our hands. PMID:22126328

STUDY CONCERNING THE INFLUENCE OF CERTAIN HYDROPHILIC AUXILIARIES ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE PLASTICIZED POLYVINYL CHLORIDE POROUS FILMS Part II-HYGIENIC PROPERTIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BĂLĂU MÎNDRU Tudorel

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper was to obtain certain PVC films with improved hygienic properties, with applications both in the artificial leather industry and in other domains. This was done by introducing certain hydrophilic auxiliaries with free chemical functions into the chemical structure of the PVC films, such as: collagen hydrolysates (CH, hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS and nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE. The use of these hydrophilic auxiliaries combined with the action of the high frequency electric fields (H.F.E.F. allows the attainment of cellular structures where the walls of the cells obtained from the expanding process display an enhanced humidity absorption. The collagen hydrolysates used to obtain the plasticized PVC porous films was obtained by electrolytic hydrolysis starting from Chamois leather powder waste resulting from buffing operation, according to a methodology described in a previous paper. The first part of this study was concerned with the influence of the addition of hydrophilic agents upon the moisture sorption of the plasticized PVC porous films. In this paper, there was investigated the water vapour and air permeability as well as the water vapour absorption of the porous films expanded in the H.F.E.F. in correlation with the nature and the recipe variant of the hydrophilic auxiliaries. The results highlighted the fact that the use of certain combinations of hydrophilic agents led to obtaining materials with adequate hygienic properties.

Effect of Polylactic Acid-Degradable Film Mulch on Soil Temperature and Cotton Yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHANG Ni

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Concern on biodegradable plastic film is increasing because of pollution problems caused by the plastic films currently used. The objective of this field experiment is to evaluate the effect of two thicknesses of polyactic acid-degradable film on soil temperature and cotton yield. The results showed that small holes appeared in the polyactic acid-degradable film at 17~22 d after it was installed. Burst period appeared about 60 d after installation. Splits were observed in the polyactic acid-degradable film at 130 d after installation. Soil temperatures rose slowly under polyactic acid-degradable film during the cotton seedling stage. Daytime soil temperatures were 0.8℃ and 6.2℃ lower under 18μm and 15μm thick polyactic acid-degradable film than non-degradable plastic film(CK, respectively. Nighttime soil temperatures under the polyactic acid-degradable film were about 1℃ warmer than CK. There was no significant difference in cotton yields between the 18μm polyactic acid degradable film treatment and CK. In contrast, yields in the 15μm degradable plastic film treatment were 8.9% less than that in CK. This study indicated that 18μm polyactic acid degradable plastic film had good degradability and no negative effect on cotton growth. The 18μm polyactic acid degradable plastic film can replace ordinary plastic film in agricultural production.

Projekce artových filmů v multikině Cinestar Anděl

OpenAIRE

Kafuňková, Martina

2011-01-01

The Bachelor Thesis "Screening art house movies in the multiplex Cinestar Andel" deals with the role of art house movies in the multiplex Cinestar Andel. The theoretical part describes the terms "art house film", "multiplex" and "film festival". It also shows the possibilities of screening art house films. The question of the impact of digitalization on the distribution of Art House films is also considered. The practical part focuses on current examples of screening art house films, namely F...

Morphology and thermal properties of PLA films plasticised with aliphatic oligoesters; Morfologia e propriedades termicas de filmes de PLA plastificados com oligoesteres alifaticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inacio, Erika M.; Dias, Marcos L., E-mail: erika.minacio@ima.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Lima, Maria Celiana P. [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Duque de Caxias, RJ (Brazil)

2013-07-01

The addition of plasticizers to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the known ways of changing its ductility, making possible the modification of its mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, it was synthesized two biodegradable aliphatic oligoesters: oligo(trimethylene sebacate) (OST) and oligo(trimethylene malonate) (OMT), and these oligomers were used as plasticizer in cast films of commercial film grade PLA at concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt% of each plasticizer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the morphology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used aiming the evaluation of the thermal properties of these films. The PLA films containing no plasticizer showed an amorphous behavior, and the addition of PMT on the PLA films acted, simultaneously, decreasing the Tg, and rising the material's crystallinity. In contrast, the increased addition of OST to the PLA films did not change the Tg, and equally, did not have a significant changes in the material's crystallinity. Therefore, it was possible to observe the effect of the concentration of oligomers on the crystallinity of the films as well as the no plasticizer effect of the OST. (author)

Effects of Adopting Different Kinds of Collecting Method for Years on Film Residual Coefficient and Maize Yields

OpenAIRE

TANG Wen-xue; MA Zhong-ming; WEI Tao

2017-01-01

Wide usage of mulching technology has increased crop yields, but the large amounts of mulching film residue resulting from widespread use of plastic film in China has brought about a series of pollution hazards. Based on a 4-year (2011-2014) long-term experiment, the effects of different kinds of collecting mothod (zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues, whole plastic film residues remainded) on plastic film residues, residual coefficient and maize yield were explored....

Determination of structural and mechanical properties, diffractometry, and thermal analysis of chitosan and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC films plasticized with sorbitol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jefferson Rotta

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, the structural, mechanical, diffractometric, and thermal parameters of chitosan-hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC films plasticized with sorbitol were studied. Solutions of HPMC (2% w/v in water and chitosan (2% w/v in 2% acetic acid solution were prepared. The concentration of sorbitol used was 10% (w/w to both polymers. This solutions were mixed at different proportions (100/0; 70/30; 50/50; 30/70, and 0/100 of chitosan and HPMC, respectively, and 20 mL was cast in Petri dishes for further analysis of dried films. The miscibility of polymers was assessed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA. The results obtained indicate that the films are not fully miscible at a dry state despite the weak hydrogen bonding between the polymer functional groups.

Development of radiophotometric dosemeters with high sensitivity using plastic scintillators as a light intensifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesquita, C.H. de; Hamada, M.M.

1987-01-01

Rectangular plates of plastic scintillators are developed and their effect as light converter evaluated, when used as film-holder in conventional photography dosemeters. In this dosemeter, the radiation that not interacts in the photographic film can be detected by light photons generation in the plastic scintillators, sensitizing the film. (C.G.C.) [pt

Effect of heating cast kafirin films on their functional properties

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Byaruhanga, YB

2007-01-01

Full Text Available of heated plasticized films showed more wrinkled structures compared to non-heated films, whereas the non-plasticized films appeared more brittle with heating. The results indicate that heat-induced intermolecular disulfide cross-linking was involved...

Preparation and characterization of milk protein films and their application for packaging of Cheddar cheese.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagh, Y R; Pushpadass, Heartwin A; Emerald, F Magdaline Eljeeva; Nath, B Surendra

2014-12-01

Casein and whey protein concentrate (WPC) films, plasticized with glycerol and sorbitol independently, were prepared by casting. The film thickness, water vapour and oxygen permeation and tensile and moisture sorption properties of the films were determined. The tensile strength (TS), tensile strain (TE) and elastic modulus (EM) of the films ranged from 0.71 to 4.58 MPa, 19.22 to 66.63 % and 2.05 to 6.93 MPa, respectively. The film properties were influenced by the type of biopolymer (casein and whey protein concentrate), plasticizer and its concentration. Increasing the plasticizer concentration, increased the film thickness, TE and water vapour permeability (WVP), but decreased the TS and EM. As the concentration of plasticizer increased to the highest level, the film thickness increased from 0.168 to 0.305 mm for glycerol-plasticized films and from 0.251 to 0.326 mm for sorbitol-plasticized films. The film thickness increased because the amount of plasticizer in the film network increased and the amount of biopolymer remained same. Casein films showed superior tensile properties as compared to WPC films. The WVP of both casein and WPC films lied between 3.87 and 13.97 g.mm./(m(2).h.kPa). The moisture sorption isotherms of both films were typical of high-protein material, and were adequately described by the GAB model. The oxygen permeability of casein films was relatively lower than that of WPC films, regardless of the plasticizer used. The sensory data revealed that the organoleptic quality of Cheddar cheese was unaffected by milk-protein film packaging.

Characteristics of low-resistivity aluminum-doped zinc oxide films deposited at room temperature by off-axis radio-frequency sputtering on flexible plastic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li-Min; Wang, Chih-Yi; Jheng, Ciao-Ren; Wu, Syu-Jhan; Sai, Chen-Kai; Lee, Ya-Ju; Chiang, Ching-Yu; Shew, Bor-Yuan

2016-08-01

The crystalline structure, morphology, composition, electrical transport, and optical properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films are studied for applications in transparent electronics and optoelectronic devices. AZO thin films of c-axis-oriented growth and with different thickness were deposited on PET flexible plastic substrates at room temperature by rf magnetron sputtering. A larger grain size with a decreased strain ɛ value is observed in a thicker film, while changes in composition for films with different thicknesses are insignificant. Moreover, the resistivity of film decreases with increasing thickness, and the low-temperature electrical transport properties can be described by the scenario of quantum corrections to conductivity. With the room-temperature growth conditions, the resistivity of 4.5 × 10-4 Ω cm, carrier concentration of 6.4 × 1020 cm-3, and transmittance of 80 % for the 1100-nm-thick film are obtained. In addition, the optical bandgap energy decreases with increasing film thickness, which can be attributed to the bandgap renormalization and crystallite size effects.

Starch films from a novel (Pachyrhizus ahipa) and conventional sources: Development and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López, Olivia V.; García, María A.

2012-01-01

Biodegradable films from ahipa, cassava and corn native starches were developed by casting method and their physicochemical, mechanical and barrier properties were analyzed taking into account the different starch botanical sources. Filmogenic suspensions were prepared; their rheological behaviors were studied and all of them exhibited film-forming ability. However, mechanical assays demonstrated that unplasticized films were too rigid, limiting their technological applications. Thus, 1.5% w/w of glycerol as plasticizer was added to filmogenic suspensions and film flexibility and extensibility were improved, this effect was more significant for ahipa and cassava starch films. Furthermore, thickness, moisture content and water solubility of the developed films were increased when plasticizer was incorporated. Glycerol addition reduced film water vapor permeability and the lowest reduction corresponded to cassava starch films due to the high viscosity of its filmogenic suspensions. Plasticized starch films resulted to be UV radiation barriers; ahipa starch films had the lowest light absorption capacity and higher transparency than cassava and corn starch films. Dynamic-mechanical analysis indicated that plasticized films were partially miscible systems exhibiting two relaxations, one attributed to the starch-rich phase and the other to the glycerol-rich one. Likewise, it could be demonstrated that glycerol exerted a major plasticizing effect on ahipa starch matrixes. Highlights: ► Ahipa, cassava and corn starch films were developed by casting method. ► Glycerol effect on film mechanical behavior was major for tuberous starch films. ► Ahipa starch films resulted to be more transparent with lower UV absorption capacity. ► Plasticized films were partially miscible systems: with a glycerol-rich and a starch-rich phase. ► Glycerol exerted a major plasticizing effect on ahipa starch films.

Effect of cellulose reinforcement on the properties of organic acid modified starch microparticles/plasticized starch bio-composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Teacă, Carmen-Alice; Bodîrlău, Ruxanda; Spiridon, Iuliana

2013-03-01

The present paper describes the preparation and characterization of polysaccharides-based bio-composite films obtained by the incorporation of 10, 20 and 30 wt% birch cellulose (BC) within a glycerol plasticized matrix constituted by the corn starch (S) and chemical modified starch microparticles (MS). The obtained materials (coded as MS/S, respectively MS/S/BC) were further characterized. FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to evidence structural and crystallinity changes in starch based films. Morphological, thermal, mechanical, and water resistance properties were also investigated. Addition of cellulose alongside modified starch microparticles determined a slightly improvement of the starch-based films water resistance. Some reduction of water uptake for any given time was observed mainly for samples containing 30% BC. Some compatibility occurred between MS and BC fillers, as evidenced by mechanical properties. Tensile strength increased from 5.9 to 15.1 MPa when BC content varied from 0 to 30%, while elongation at break decreased significantly. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation studies on plasticised PVC films submitted to gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinhas, Gloria Maria; Souto-Maior, Rosa Maria; Lapa, Camila Maria; Almeida, Yeda Medeiros Bastos de

2003-01-01

Poly (vinyl chloride), PVC, is a rigid polymer and for several of its applications must be compounded with plasticizing agents. The plasticizers minimize the dipolar interactions, which exist between the polymer's chains, promoting their mobility. In this work we studied the properties of PVC/plasticizer systems submitted to different doses of gamma radiation. We have used four commercial plasticizers among them di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, DEHP, which is present in a great number of commercial applications. The PVC/plasticizer systems have been studied as films made by the solvent evaporation technique. Irradiated and non-irradiated films have been characterized by viscosimetric analysis, mechanical essays and infrared spectroscopy. The results have shown that the rigid, non plasticized, PVC film presented the greatest degradation index, while among the plasticised films the one which presented the larger degradation index due to chain scission was the DEHP plasticised PVC. (author)

House dust and storage mite contamination of dry dog food stored in open bags and sealed boxes in 10 domestic households.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Christina; McEwan, Neil; McGarry, John; Nuttall, Tim

2011-04-01

Dry pet food is a potential source of exposure to house dust and storage mite allergens in canine atopic dermatitis. This study evaluated contamination of house dust and dry dog food stored in paper bags, sealable plastic bags and sealable plastic boxes in 10 households for 90 days using Acarex(®) tests for guanine, a Der p 1 ELISA and mite flotation. Acarex(®) tests were negative in all the food samples but positive in all the house dust samples. The Der p 1 levels and mite numbers significantly increased in food from paper bags (P = 0.0073 and P = 0.02, respectively), but not plastic bags or boxes. Mite numbers and Der p 1 levels were 10-1000 times higher in house dust than the corresponding food samples (P bags (P = 0.003), and mite numbers in house dust and food from the paper bags (P = 0.0007). Bedding and carpets were significantly associated with Der p 1 levels in house dust (P = 0.015 and P = 0.01, respectively), and food from the paper (both P = 0.02) and plastic bags (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively). Mites were identified in six of 10 paper bag, three of 10 plastic bag, one of 10 plastic box and nine of 10 house dust samples. These comprised Dermatophagoides (54%), Tyrophagus (10%; all from food) and unidentified mites (36%). Storage of food in sealable plastic boxes largely prevented contamination for 3 months. Exposure to mites and mite proteins in all the stored food, however, appeared to be trivial compared with house dust. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 ESVD and ACVD.

Protocol Implementation for Radon Concentration Measurements in Houses in Croatia - Baranja Case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radolic, V.; Miklavcic, I.; Poje, M.; Stanic, D.; Varga Pajtler, M.; Vukovic, B.

2011-01-01

The newly established protocol for radon measurements in homes was implemented on the radon survey in houses of Baranja region which was carried out from July 2009 until July 2010. The radon measurements were performed with passive track etched detectors. The method consists of cylindrical plastic vessel and two strippable LR-115 films type II (Kodak-Path, France). This method with two detector films enables the estimation of equilibrium factor as well.Croatian territory is divided in 10 x 10 km 2 cells which were part of a reference grid map which is used in a preparation of European radon concentration map. Detector locations were randomly chosen inside each grid and their number was determined by the number of inhabitants inside (one locations per 350 inhabitants). Radon detectors were exposed for a year in a living room or a bedroom away from strong ventilation and 30 cm from side walls (usually on closet at height of 2 m). After the exposure, detectors were collected and etched in 10 % NaOH aqueous solution at 50 degrees of C for 180 minutes. The tracks were automatically counted using spark counter AIST-2V. The obtained results were in the range from 6 to 355 Bq m -3 with arithmetic mean of 88 Bq m -3 and standard deviation of 69.0 Bq m -3 . The geometric mean was 67.2 Bq m -3 while the geometric standard deviation was 2.1 Bq m -3 . The statistical χ2 -test showed that the empirical frequency distribution for radon in houses of Baranja region belonged to the log-normal distribution. The percentage of houses with radon concentrations between 200 and 400 Bq m -3 was 6.7% and 1.0% of houses have radon concentration above 400 Bq m -3 . The annual effective dose from the indoor radon and its short-lived progenies for the inhabitants of Baranja region (for the average equilibrium factor of 0.53 and occupancy factor of 0.6) was 1.5 mSv. (author)

Development of starch biofilms using different carboxylic acids as plasticizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cruz, L.C.; Miranda, C.S.; Santos, W.J. dos; Goncalves, A.P.B.; Oliveira, J.C.; Jose, N.M.

2014-01-01

Biodegradable films have become a widely exploited issue among scientists because of their positive environmental impact, besides their potential to promote better food conservation and an increase in shelf life. Starch has been studied in this field due to its availability, low cost and biodegradability. However, starch films tend to be brittle and they need addition of a plasticizer to enable their usage. In this work, starch films were synthesized with different carboxylic acids as plasticizers, aiming to observe the effect of the acids chain size in the final films properties. The acids used were: oxalic, succinic and adipic. The materials were produced by casting and characterized by DSC, TG, DRX e FTIR. It was observed that the acids chain size influenced on the thermal and structural properties of the films. (author)

Large-area WSe2 electric double layer transistors on a plastic substrate

KAUST Repository

Funahashi, Kazuma; Pu, Jiang; Li, Ming Yang; Li, Lain-Jong; Iwasa, Yoshihiro; Takenobu, Taishi

2015-01-01

Due to the requirements for large-area, uniform films, currently transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) cannot be used in flexible transistor industrial applications. In this study, we first transferred chemically grown large-area WSe2 monolayer films from the as-grown sapphire substrates to the flexible plastic substrates. We also fabricated electric double layer transistors using the WSe2 films on the plastic substrates. These transistors exhibited ambipolar operation and an ON/OFF current ratio of ∼104, demonstrating chemically grown WSe2 transistors on plastic substrates for the first time. This achievement can be an important first step for the next-generation TMDC based flexible devices. © 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.

Large-area WSe2 electric double layer transistors on a plastic substrate

KAUST Repository

Funahashi, Kazuma

2015-04-27

Due to the requirements for large-area, uniform films, currently transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) cannot be used in flexible transistor industrial applications. In this study, we first transferred chemically grown large-area WSe2 monolayer films from the as-grown sapphire substrates to the flexible plastic substrates. We also fabricated electric double layer transistors using the WSe2 films on the plastic substrates. These transistors exhibited ambipolar operation and an ON/OFF current ratio of ∼104, demonstrating chemically grown WSe2 transistors on plastic substrates for the first time. This achievement can be an important first step for the next-generation TMDC based flexible devices. © 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.

Cherry tomato yield in greenhouses with different plastic covers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ester Holcman

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of different plastic covers on microclimate and cherry tomato yield in greenhouses. The experiments were carried out in Piracicaba, state of São Paulo (Brazil, during three growing periods (2008/2009/2010. A greenhouse was divided in: Environment I (EI - covered with plastic film anti-UV and thermo-reflective shading screen, and Environment II (EII - covered with diffusive plastic film; monitored with automatic weather sensors; and cultivated with cherry tomato (‘Sweet Grape’ and ‘Sweet Million’. Use of diffusive plastic in greenhouses provides a better inside distribution of solar energy without causing major changes in air temperature and relative humidity, resulting in higher yield (kg plant-1, fruits quantity (number plant-1 and fruits average weight than those obtained under thermo-reflective shading screen.

Thermal degradation and kinetic study for different waste/rejected plastic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rana, Srujal; Parikh, Jigisha Kamal; Mohanty, Pravakar

2013-01-01

A kinetic analysis based on thermal decomposition of rejected polypropylene, plastic film and plastic pellets collected from different industrial outlet has been carried out. Non-isothermal experiments using different heating rates of 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 .deg. C min"−"1 have been performed from ambient to 700 .deg. C in a thermo-balance with the objective of determining the kinetic parameters. The values of activation energy and frequency factor were found to be in the range of 107-322 kJ/mol, 85-331 kJ/mol, 140-375 kJ/mol and 3.49E+07-4.74E+22 min⌃(-1), 3.52E+06-2.88E+22min⌃(-1), 7.28E+13-1.17E+25 min⌃(-1) for rejected polypropylene, plastic film and plastic pellets, respectively, by Coats-Redfern and Ozawa methods including different models. Kissinger method, a model free analysis is also adopted to find the kinetic parameters. Activation energy and frequency factor were found to be 108 kJ/mol, 98 kJ/mol, 132 kJ/mol and 6.89E+03, 2.12E+02, 8.06E+05 min⌃(-1) for rejected polypropylene, plastic film and plastic pellets, respectively, by using the Kissinger method

Changes in the flavonoid and phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity of red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) due to cultivation under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Macías, Paulina; Ordidge, Matthew; Vysini, Eleni; Waroonphan, Saran; Battey, Nicholas H; Gordon, Michael H; Hadley, Paul; John, Philip; Lovegrove, Julie A; Wagstaffe, Alexandra

2007-12-12

Red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) was grown under three types of plastic films that varied in transparency to UV radiation (designated as UV block, UV low, and UV window). Flavonoid composition was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), total phenolics by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, and antioxidant capacity by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Exposure to increased levels of UV radiation during cultivation caused the leaves to redden and increased concentrations of total phenols and the main flavonoids, quercetin and cyanidin glycosides, as well as luteolin conjugates and phenolic acids. The total phenol content increased from 1.6 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of fresh weight (FW) for lettuce grown under UV block film to 2.9 and 3.5 mg of GAE/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV low and UV window films. The antioxidant activity was also higher in lettuce exposed to higher levels of UV radiation with ORAC values of 25.4 and 55.1 micromol of Trolox equivalents/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV block and UV window films, respectively. The content of phenolic acids, quantified as caffeic acid, was also different, ranging from 6.2 to 11.1 micromol/g of FW for lettuce cultivated under the lowest and highest UV exposure plastic films, respectively. Higher concentrations of the flavonoid glycosides were observed with increased exposure to UV radiation, as demonstrated by the concentrations of aglycones after hydrolysis, which were cyanidin (ranging from 165 to 793 microg/g), quercetin (ranging from 196 to 880 microg/g), and luteolin (ranging from 19 to 152 microg/g). The results demonstrate the potential of the use of UV-transparent plastic as a means of increasing beneficial flavonoid content of red leaf lettuce when the crop is grown in polytunnels.

Ceramic External Pressure Housings For Deep Sea Vehicles

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Stachiw, J. D; Peters, Donald; McDonald, Glenn

2006-01-01

Only glasses, ceramic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic can provide the necessary weight to strength ratio to make the external pressure housings for undersea vehicles positively buoyant at the abyssal design depth...

Time-resolved plastic scintillator dosimetry in a dynamic thorax phantom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sibolt, Patrik; Andersen, Claus E.; Ottosson, Wiviann

2017-01-01

in a lung. The phantom motion was controlled by a script in-house developed using LabVIEW (National Instruments) and synchronized with the in-house developed ME40 scintillator dosimetry system (DTU Nutech). The dose in the center of the tumor was measured, using a BCF-60 plastic scintillator detector (Saint...

Marine microbe with potential to adhere and degrade plastic structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alka Kumari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Extensive usages of plastics have led to their accumulation as a contaminant in natural environment worldwide. Plastic is an inert and non-biodegradable material, due to its complex structure and hydrophobic backbone [1]. Conventional methods for reduction of plastic waste such as burning, land-filling release unwanted toxic chemicals to the environment and harming living organism of land as well as the ocean. There is growing interest in development of strategies for the degradation of plastic wastes to clean the environment [2]. Marine bacteria have evolved with the capability to adapt and grow in the diverse environmental conditions [3]. We studied the ability of marine bacteria for destabilization and utilization of different plastic films (LDPE, HDPE, PVC and PET as a sole source of carbon. An active bacterial strain AIIW2 was selected based on the triphenyl tetrazolium chloride reduction assay, and it was identified as Bacillus species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The viability of the strain over the plastic surface was studied and confirmed by bacLight assay with fluorescent probes. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope images suggested that bacterial interaction over the plastic surface is causing deterioration and roughness with increasing bacterial incubation time. In Fourier transform infrared spectra of treated plastic film evidenced stretching of the (-CH alkane rock chain and (-CO carbonyl region, suggested the oxidative activities of the bacteria. The results revealed that ability of bacterial strain for instigating their colonization over plastic films and deteriorating the polymeric structure in the absence of other carbon sources [4]. Moreover, production of extracellular enzymes such as esterase, laccase, and dehalogenase which are reported to support utilization of plastics was confirmed by plate assays. In concise, our results suggested that the marine bacterial strain AIIW2 have the ability to utilize

Preparation and mechanical properties of edible rapeseed protein films.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Sung-Ae; Lim, Geum-Ok; Song, Kyung Bin

2011-03-01

Edible films were manufactured from rapeseed oil extraction residues. To prepare rapeseed protein (RP) films, various concentrations of plasticizers and emulsifiers were incorporated into the preparation of a film-forming solution. The optimal conditions for the preparation of the RP film were 2% sorbitol/0.5% sucrose as plasticizer and 1.5% polysorbate 20 as an emulsifier. In addition, RP blend films were prepared. Gelidium corneum or gelatin was added to improve the physical properties of the RP film, and the highest tensile strength value of the films was 53.45 MPa for the 3% RP/4% gelatin film. Our results suggest that the RP-gelatin blend film is suitable for applications in food packaging. Edible RP films prepared in the present investigation can be applied in food packaging.

Cling film plastic wrap: An innovation for dead body packaging, preservation and transportation by first responders as a replacement for cadaver body bag in large scale disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoo, Lay See; Lai, Poh Soon; Saidin, Mohd Hilmi; Noor, Zahari; Mahmood, Mohd Shah

2018-04-01

Cadaver body bags are the conventional method to contain a human body or human remains, which includes the use for storage and transportation of the deceased at any crime scene or disaster scene. During disasters, most often than not, the first responders including the police will be equipped with cadaver body bags to do scene processing of human remains and collection of personal belongings at the disaster site. However, in an unanticipated large scale disasters involving hundreds and thousands of fatalities, cadaver body bags supplies may be scarce. The authors have therefore innovated the cling film plastic wrap as an alternative for the cadaver body bag used at the disaster site. The plastic wrap was tested on six different experimental subjects, i.e. both adult and child mannequins; body parts of the mannequin figure (arm and hand); a human adult subject and an unknown dead body. The strengths of the cling film plastic wrap are discussed in comparison with the cadaver body bag in the aspects of costing, weight, duration of the wrap, water and body fluid resistant properties, visibility and other advantages. An average savings of more than 5000% are noted for both adult body wrap and child body wrap compared to the cadaver body wrap. This simply means that the authors can either wrap 25 adult dead bodies or 80 children dead bodies with the cost of 1 cadaver body bag. The cling film plastic wrap has proven to have significant innovation impact for dead body management particularly by the first responders in large scale disasters. With proper handling of dead bodies, first responders can manage the dead with dignity and respect in an overwhelmed situation to facilitate the humanitarian victim identification process later. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plastic Deformation as a Means to Achieve Stretchable Polymer Semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Brendan

Developing intrinsically stretchable semiconductors will seamlessly transition traditional devices into a stretchable platform. Polymer semiconductors are inherently soft materials due to the weak van der Waal intermolecular bonding allowing for flexible devices. However, these materials are not typically stretchable and when large strains are applied they either crack or plastically deform. Here, we study the use of repeated plastic deformation as a means of achieving stretchable films. In this talk, critical aspects of polymer semiconductor material selection, morphology and interface properties will be discussed that enable this approach of achieving stretchable films. We show that one can employ high performance donor-acceptor polymer semiconductors that are typically brittle through proper polymer blending to significantly increase ductility to achieve stretchable films. We demonstrate a polymer blend film that can be repeatedly deformed over 65%, while maintaining charge mobility consistently above 0.15 cm2/Vs. During the stretching process we show that the films follow a well-controlled repeated deformation pattern for over 100 stretching cycles.

All-natural bio-plastics using starch-betaglucan composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagnelli, Domenico; Kirkensgaard, Jacob J K; Giosafatto, Concetta Valeria L; Ogrodowicz, Natalia; Kruczała, Krzysztof; Mikkelsen, Mette S; Maigret, Jean-Eudes; Lourdin, Denis; Mortensen, Kell; Blennow, Andreas

2017-09-15

Grain polysaccharides represent potential valuable raw materials for next-generation advanced and environmentally friendly plastics. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is processed using conventional plastic technology, such as casting, extrusion, and molding. However, to adapt the starch to specific functionalities chemical modifications or blending with synthetic polymers, such as polycaprolactone are required (e.g. Mater-Bi). As an alternative, all-natural and compostable bio-plastics can be produced by blending starch with other polysaccharides. In this study, we used a maize starch (ST) and an oat β-glucan (BG) composite system to produce bio-plastic prototype films. To optimize performing conditions, we investigated the full range of ST:BG ratios for the casting (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 BG). The plasticizer used was glycerol. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) as a spin probe, showed that the composite films with high BG content had a flexible chemical environment. They showed decreased brittleness and improved cohesiveness with high stress and strain values at the break. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction displayed a decrease in crystallinity at high BG content. Our data show that the blending of starch with other natural polysaccharides is a noteworthy path to improve the functionality of all-natural polysaccharide bio-plastics systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Industrial Production of Food Plastic Packaging and the Use of Irradiation for Modifying Some Film Properties. Chapter 5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, A. V.; Moura, E. A.B., [Nuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPEN - São Paulo (Brazil); Nuclear and Energy National Commission – CNEN, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

2014-07-15

The four main industrial processes needed to produce a plastic packaging structure are: cast extrusion, blown extrusion, injection moulding, and blown moulding. Since one polymer may not offer all the protection and marketing properties required for a specific food product, multilayer films can be produced. Each layer will be composed of a different polymer and additives to meet all the requirements. Ionizing radiation plays an important role in the packaging industry, especially in the heat shrinkable barrier film production process. In this process, irradiating the film structure is aimed mostly at the crosslinking of the polyolefin. Cross-linked polyolefin-based films can withstand higher stretching rates, be better stabilized, and will both have a high degree of shrinkage and higher shrinking forces. This leads to very thin structures with very well balanced cost-benefit ratios and better final packaging presentation. The use of ionizing radiation for cross-linking polymers is one of the most successful cases of irradiation used by the industry. Besides cross-linking, scission may also occur in the polymeric structure, and it may liberate toxic or unwanted substances that can be transferred to the food. Therefore, irradiated food packaging materials should be thoroughly assessed according to active legislation to guarantee that it will not harm the consumer’s health either in the short or the long term. (author)

Characterization of the adhesion of thin film by Cross-Sectional Nanoindentation. Analysis of the substrate edge chipping and the film delamination

Science.gov (United States)

Felder, Eric; Roy, Sébastien; Darque-Ceretti, Evelyne

2011-07-01

Cross-Sectional Nanoindentation (CSN) is a recent method for adhesion measurement of nanoscale thin films in Ultra-Large Scale Integrated circuits. In the case of ductile thin films, the motion of the substrate chip implies significant plastic deformation of the film and complex geometry of delaminated areas. This article recalls first the experimental procedure and the two main features observed in this test performed on various plane copper films deposited on silicon: the critical force producing silicon edge chipping increases linearly with the distance of the indenter to the interface; on the section the delaminated length of the film ( a-b) is proportional to the residual silicon chip displacement u and the ratio S=u/(a-b) depends on the manufacturing process of the film, and is so related to its adhesion to the substrate. One proposes a simple analysis of the silicon edge chipping. Then a model of pull-off of an elastic-strain hardening plastic film is developed, which suggests an explanation for the delamination process. Application of the model to experimental results starting from films plastic properties deduced from nanoindentation measurements provides plausible results. Some improvements for performing the CSN test are proposed in order to make easier its interpretation.

Cratering Studies in Thin Plastic Films

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, A. J.; Bugiel, S.; Gruen, E.; Hillier, J.; Horanyi, M.; Munsat, T. L.; Srama, R.

2013-12-01

Thin plastic films, such as Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), have been used as protective coatings or dust detectors on a number of missions including the Dust Counter and Mass Analyzer (DUCMA) instrument on Vega 1 and 2, the High Rate Detector (HRD) on the Cassini Mission, and the Student Dust Counter (SDC) on New Horizons. These types of detectors can be used on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit to detect dust grain size distributions and velocities. Due to their low power requirements and light weight, large surface area detectors can be built for observing low dust fluxes. The SDC dust detector is made up of a permanently polarized layer of PVDF coated on both sides with a thin layer (≈ 1000 Å) of aluminum nickel. The operation principle is that a micrometeorite impact removes a portion of the metal surface layer exposing the permanently polarized PVDF underneath. This causes a local potential near the crater changing the surface charge of the metal layer. The dimensions and shape of the crater determine the strength of the potential and thus the signal generated by the PVDF. The theoretical basis for signal interpretation uses a crater diameter scaling law which was not intended for use with PVDF. In this work, a crater size scaling law has been experimentally determined, and further simulation work is being done to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of crater formation. LS-Dyna, a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code from the Livermore Software Technology Corp. was chosen to simulate micrometeorite impacts. SPH is known to be well suited to the large deformities found in hypervelocity impacts. It is capable of incorporating key physics phenomena, including fracture, heat transfer, melting, etc. Furthermore, unlike Eulerian methods, SPH is gridless allowing large deformities without the inclusion of unphysical erosion algorithms. Material properties are accounted for using the Grüneisen Equation of State. The results of the SPH model can

Biodegradation of degradable plastic polyethylene by phanerochaete and streptomyces species.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, B; Pometto, A L; Fratzke, A; Bailey, T B

1991-03-01

The ability of lignin-degrading microorganisms to attack degradable plastics was investigated in pure shake flask culture studies. The degradable plastic used in this study was produced commercially by using the Archer-Daniels-Midland POLYCLEAN masterbatch and contained pro-oxidant and 6% starch. The known lignin-degrading bacteria Streptomyces viridosporus T7A, S. badius 252, and S. setonii 75Vi2 and fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium were used. Pro-oxidant activity was accelerated by placing a sheet of plastic into a drying oven at 70 degrees C under atmospheric pressure and air for 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 days. The effect of 2-, 4-, and 8-week longwave UV irradiation at 365 nm on plastic biodegradability was also investigated. For shake flask cultures, plastics were chemically disinfected and incubated-shaken at 125 rpm at 37 degrees C in 0.6% yeast extract medium (pH 7.1) for Streptomyces spp. and at 30 degrees C for the fungus in 3% malt extract medium (pH 4.5) for 4 weeks along with an uninoculated control for each treatment. Weight loss data were inconclusive because of cell mass accumulation. For almost every 70 degrees C heat-treated film, the Streptomyces spp. demonstrated a further reduction in percent elongation and polyethylene molecular weight average when compared with the corresponding uninoculated control. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions were demonstrated for the 4- and 8-day heat-treated films by all three bacteria. Heat-treated films incubated with P. chrysosporium consistently demonstrated higher percent elongation and molecular weight average than the corresponding uninoculated controls, but were lower than the corresponding zero controls (heat-treated films without 4-week incubation). The 2- and 4-week UV-treated films showed the greatest biodegradation by all three bacteria. Virtually no degradation by the fungus was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating bacterial degradation of these oxidized polyethylenes in

Potential of bacteria isolated from landfill soil in degrading low density polyethylene plastic

Science.gov (United States)

Munir, E.; Sipayung, F. C.; Priyani, N.; Suryanto, D.

2018-03-01

Plastic is an important material and used for many purposes. It is returned to the environment as a waste which is recently considered as the second largest solid waste. The persistency of plastic in the environment has been attracted researchers from a different point of view. The study of the degradation of plastic using bacteria isolated from local landfill soil was conducted. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic was used as tested material. Potential isolates were obtained by culturing the candidates in mineral salt medium broth containing LDPE powder. Two of ten exhibited better growth response in the selection media and were used in degradation study. Results showed that isolate SP2 and SP4 reduced the weight of LDPE film significantly to a weight loss of 10.16% and 12.06%, respectively after four weeks of incubation. Scanning electron micrograph analyses showed the surface of LDPE changed compared to the untreated film. It looked rough and cracked, and bacteria cells attached to the surface was also noticed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed the degradation of LDPE film. These results indicated that bacteria isolated from landfill might play an important role in degrading plastic material in the landfill.

Dynamical mechanism of the liquid film motor

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhong-Qiang; Li, Ying-Jun; Zhang, Guang-Cai; Jiang, Su-Rong

2011-02-01

The paper presents a simple dynamical model to systemically explain the rotation mechanism of the liquid film motor reported by experiments. The field-induced-plasticity effect of the liquid film is introduced into our model, in which the liquid film in crossed electric fields is considered as a Bingham plastic fluid with equivalent electric dipole moment. Several analytic results involving the torque of rotation, the scaling relation of the threshold fields, and the dynamics equation of a square film and its solution are obtained. We find that the rotation of the liquid film motor originates from the continuous competition between the destruction and the reestablishment of the polarization equilibrium maintained by the external electric field, which is free from the boundary effects. Most experimental phenomena observed in direct current electric fields are interpreted well.

Mechanical properties of bioplastics cassava starch film with Zinc Oxide nanofiller as reinforcement

Science.gov (United States)

Harunsyah; Yunus, M.; Fauzan, Reza

2017-06-01

This study focuses on investigating the influence of zinc oxide nanofiller on the mechanical properties of bioplastic cassava starch films. Bioplastic cassava starch film-based zinc oxide reinforced composite biopolymeric films were prepared by casting technique. The content of zinc oxide in the bioplastic films was varied from 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8% and 1.0% (w/w) by weight of starch. Surface morphologies of the composites bioplastic films were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM).The result showed that the Tensile strength (TS) was improved significantly with the additional of zinc oxide but the elongation at break (EB %) of the composites was decreased. The maximum tensile strength obtained was 22.30 kgf / mm on the additional of zinc oxide by 0.6% and plastilizer by 25%. Based on data of FTIR, the produced film plastic did not change the group function and it can be concluded that theinteraction in film plastic produced was only a physical interaction. Biodegradable plastic film based on cassava starch-zinc oxide and plasticizer glycerol showed that interesting mechanical properties being transparent, clear, homogeneous, flexible, and easily handled.

Influence of the film thickness on the structure, optical and electrical properties of ITO coatings deposited by sputtering at room temperature on glass and plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillén, C; Herrero, J

2008-01-01

Transparent and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) films with thickness between 0.2 and 0.7 µm were deposited by sputtering at room temperature on glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. All films were polycrystalline, with crystallite size increasing and lattice distortion decreasing when the film thickness was increased. Besides, transmission in the near-infrared region is found to be decreasing and carrier concentration increasing when the film thickness was increased. For the same thickness, the lattice distortion is slightly lower and the carrier concentration higher for the layers grown on PET substrates. A direct relationship between the lattice distortion and the free carrier concentration has been established, applying to the films grown on glass and plastic substrates. By adjusting ITO coating thickness, sheet resistance below 15 Ω sq −1 and average visible transmittance about 90% have been achieved by sputtering at room temperature

LPG based all plastic pressure sensor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bundalo, Ivan-Lazar; Lwin, R.; Leon-Saval, S.

2015-01-01

A prototype all-plastic pressure sensor is presented and characterized for potential use as an endoscope. The sensor is based on Long Period Gratings (LPG) inscribed with a CO2 laser in 6-ring microstructured PMMA fiber. Through a latex coated, plastic 3D-printed transducer pod, external pressure...... is converted to longitudinal elongation of the pod and therefore of the fiber containing the LPG. The sensor has been characterised for pressures of up to 160 mBar in an in-house built pressure chamber. Furthermore, the influence of the fiber prestrain, fiber thickness and the effect of different glues...

An improved Monte-Carlo model of the Varian EPID separating support arm and rear-housing backscatter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monville, M E; Greer, P B; Kuncic, Z

2014-01-01

Previous investigators of EPID dosimetric properties have ascribed the backscatter, that contaminates dosimetric EPID images, to its supporting arm. Accordingly, Monte-Carlo (MC) EPID models have approximated the backscatter signal from the layers under the detector and the robotic support arm using either uniform or non-uniform solid water slabs, or through convolutions with back-scatter kernels. The aim of this work is to improve the existent MC models by measuring and modelling the separate backscatter contributions of the robotic arm and the rear plastic housing of the EPID. The EPID plastic housing is non-uniform with a 11.9 cm wide indented section that runs across the cross-plane direction in the superior half of the EPID which is 1.75 cm closer to the EPID sensitive layer than the rest of the housing. The thickness of the plastic housing is 0.5 cm. Experiments were performed with and without the housing present by removing all components of the EPID from the housing. The robotic support arm was not present for these measurements. A MC model of the linear accelerator and the EPID was modified to include the rear-housing indentation and results compared to the measurement. The rear housing was found to contribute a maximum of 3% additional signal. The rear housing contribution to the image is non-uniform in the in-plane direction with 2% asymmetry across the central 20 cm of an image irradiating the entire detector. The MC model was able to reproduce this non-uniform contribution. The EPID rear housing contributes a non-uniform backscatter component to the EPID image, which has not been previously characterized. This has been incorporated into an improved MC model of the EPID.

Toxicity characterization of waste mobile phone plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Nnorom, I C; Osibanjo, O

2009-01-15

Waste plastic housing units (N=60) of mobile phones (of different models, and brands), were collected and analyzed for lead, cadmium, nickel and silver using atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion using a 1:1 mixture of H2SO4 and HNO3. The mean (+/-S.D.) and range of the results are 58.3+/-50.4mg/kg (5.0-340mg/kg) for Pb, 69.9+/-145mg/kg (4.6-1005mg/kg) for Cd, 432+/-1905mg/kg (5.0-11,000mg/kg) for Ni, and 403+/-1888mg/kg (5.0-12,500mg/kg) for Ag. Approximately 90% of the results for the various metals were plastic housing if appropriately treated/managed. However, considering the large quantities generated and the present low-end management practices in most developing countries, such as open burning, there appears a genuine concern over the potential for environmental pollution and toxicity to man and the ecology.

Radon concentration distribution mapping in a small detached house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muellerova, Monika; Moravcsik, Attila; Holy, Karol; Hutka, Miroslav; Hola, Olga

2013-01-01

Radon activity concentration was investigated in an older, single storey detached house. The rooms of the house are in contact with the bedrock. The house is fitted with plastic windows and populated mostly during the summer. Integral (Raduet) and continuous (AlphaGUARD) methods were used to measure the radon activity concentration. Average radon and thoron activity concentrations in the house were 150 Bq/m 3 and 40 Bq/m 3 , respectively. The impact of the house occupancy on radon activity concentration was significant only during the summer months when a decrease of radon activity concentration was recorded due to an increased ventilation rate. In the autumn and winter months, the impact of the house occupancy on radon activity concentration was relatively small - up to 20 %. The increases in radon activity concentration after the room had been thoroughly ventilated were analysed in order to estimate the ventilation rate and the rate of radon supply into the house. (orig.)

A preliminary study of the effects of plastic film-mulched raised beds on soil temperature and crop performance of early-sown short-season spring maize (Zea mays L. in the North China Plain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Dang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available To identify a strategy for earlier sowing and harvesting of spring maize (Zea mays L. in an alternative maize–maize double cropping system, a 2-year field experiment was performed at Quzhou experimental station of China Agricultural University in 2014 and 2015. A short-season cultivar, Demeiya number 1 (KX7349, was used in the experiment. Soil temperature to 5 cm depth in the early crop growth stage, crop growth, crop yield, and water use of different treatments (plastic film-mulched raised bed (RF and flat field without plastic film mulching (CK in 2014; RF, plastic film-mulched flat field (FF, and CK in 2015 were measured or calculated and compared. Soil temperature in the film-mulched treatments was consistently higher than that in CK (1.6–3.5 °C in average during the early growth stage. Crops in plastic film-mulched treatments used 214 fewer growing-degree days (GDDs in 2014 and 262 fewer GDDs in 2015. In 2014, the RF treatment yielded 32.7% higher biomass than CK, although its 9.4% higher grain yield was not statistically significant. Also, RF used 17.9% less water and showed 33.1% higher water use efficiency (WUE than CK. In 2015, RF and FF showed 56.2% and 49.5% higher yield, 15.0% and 4.5% lower water use (ET, and 63.4% and 75.7% higher WUE, respectively, than CK. RF markedly increased soil temperature in the early crop season, accelerated crop growth, reduced ET, and greatly increased crop yield and WUE. Compared with FF, RF had no obvious effect on crop growth rate, although soil temperature during the period between sowing and stem elongation was slightly increased. However, RF resulted in lower ET and higher WUE than FF. Effects of RF on soil water dynamics as well as its cost-effectiveness remain topics for further study.

Determination of the optimum concentration cellulose baggase in making film bioplastic

Science.gov (United States)

Chadijah, S.; Rustiah, W. O.; Munir, M. I. D.

2018-03-01

The hoarding rubbish synthetic plastic caused pollution and demage in life circles, to cope it can be done with synthesizing the plastic from agriculture substance or called biopolymer (bioplastic). It was that potentially as bioplastic was biopolymer from agriculture substance baggase that contain cellulose 40 %. This research aimed to determine the optimum concentration cellulose baggase in making bioplastic film with adding chitosan and sorbitol plasticizer and also to know the result of characterization film bioplastic. The steps in this research were; the extraction of cellulose, making film bioplastic, tensile strenght test and used characterization spectrofotometer FTIR. In this research showed that optimum concentration cellulose baggase in making film bioplastic was 2% with adding chitosan and sorbitol plasticizer. The optimal result of tensile strenght test was 0,089 Kgf/cm2 with elongation percent 15,90 %. The analyzing FTIR in all of variation that looked almost same with characterization with tapes -OH, -NH and C-O.

Simulation of synaptic short-term plasticity using Ba(CF3SO3)2-doped polyethylene oxide electrolyte film.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, C T; Zeng, F; Li, X J; Dong, W S; Lu, S H; Gao, S; Pan, F

2016-01-07

The simulation of synaptic plasticity using new materials is critical in the study of brain-inspired computing. Devices composed of Ba(CF3SO3)2-doped polyethylene oxide (PEO) electrolyte film were fabricated and with pulse responses found to resemble the synaptic short-term plasticity (STP) of both short-term depression (STD) and short-term facilitation (STF) synapses. The values of the charge and discharge peaks of the pulse responses did not vary with input number when the pulse frequency was sufficiently low(~1 Hz). However, when the frequency was increased, the charge and discharge peaks decreased and increased, respectively, in gradual trends and approached stable values with respect to the input number. These stable values varied with the input frequency, which resulted in the depressed and potentiated weight modifications of the charge and discharge peaks, respectively. These electrical properties simulated the high and low band-pass filtering effects of STD and STF, respectively. The simulations were consistent with biological results and the corresponding biological parameters were successfully extracted. The study verified the feasibility of using organic electrolytes to mimic STP.

Nano-deformation behavior of silicon (100) film studied by depth sensing indentation and nanoscratch technique

Science.gov (United States)

Geetha, D.; Pratyank, R.; Kiran, P.

2018-04-01

Silicon being the most important material applied in microelectronic and photovoltaic technology, repeated investigation of the mechanical properties becomes essential. The nanoscale elastic-plastic deformation characteristics of Si (100) film were analyzed using nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques. The hardness and elastic modulus values of the film obtained from nanoindentation tests were found to be consistent with the reported values. The load-displacement curves showed discontinuities and kinks which confirms the plastic behaviour of Si. The indentation induced plastic deformations were the consequences of the phase transformations. The critical shear stress, tensile strength and plastic zone size, of the Si film when subjected to nanoindentation were determined. The nanoscratch tests were performed to understand the tribological properties of the film. The SPM images of both the nanoindentation and nanoscratch profiles were useful in revealing the plastic character in terms of the piling up of matter in the vicinity of the dents. Conclusions were drawn in quantifying the plastic deformations and phase transformations.

Reprint of: Cling film plastic wrap: An innovation for dead body packaging, preservation and transportation by first responders as a replacement for cadaver body bag in large scale disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoo, Lay See; Lai, Poh Soon; Saidin, Mohd Hilmi; Noor, Zahari; Mahmood, Mohd Shah

2018-07-01

Cadaver body bags are the conventional method to contain a human body or human remains, which includes the use for storage and transportation of the deceased at any crime scene or disaster scene. During disasters, most often than not, the first responders including the police will be equipped with cadaver body bags to do scene processing of human remains and collection of personal belongings at the disaster site. However, in an unanticipated large scale disasters involving hundreds and thousands of fatalities, cadaver body bags supplies may be scarce. The authors have therefore innovated the cling film plastic wrap as an alternative for the cadaver body bag used at the disaster site. The plastic wrap was tested on six different experimental subjects, i.e. both adult and child mannequins; body parts of the mannequin figure (arm and hand); a human adult subject and an unknown dead body. The strengths of the cling film plastic wrap are discussed in comparison with the cadaver body bag in the aspects of costing, weight, duration of the wrap, water and body fluid resistant properties, visibility and other advantages. An average savings of more than 5000% are noted for both adult body wrap and child body wrap compared to the cadaver body wrap. This simply means that the authors can either wrap 25 adult dead bodies or 80 children dead bodies with the cost of 1 cadaver body bag. The cling film plastic wrap has proven to have significant innovation impact for dead body management particularly by the first responders in large scale disasters. With proper handling of dead bodies, first responders can manage the dead with dignity and respect in an overwhelmed situation to facilitate the humanitarian victim identification process later. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of Degradable Plastic Polyethylene by Phanerochaete and Streptomyces Species †

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Byungtae; Pometto, Anthony L.; Fratzke, Alfred; Bailey, Theodore B.

1991-01-01

The ability of lignin-degrading microorganisms to attack degradable plastics was investigated in pure shake flask culture studies. The degradable plastic used in this study was produced commercially by using the Archer-Daniels-Midland POLYCLEAN masterbatch and contained pro-oxidant and 6% starch. The known lignin-degrading bacteria Streptomyces viridosporus T7A, S. badius 252, and S. setonii 75Vi2 and fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium were used. Pro-oxidant activity was accelerated by placing a sheet of plastic into a drying oven at 70°C under atmospheric pressure and air for 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 days. The effect of 2-, 4-, and 8-week longwave UV irradiation at 365 nm on plastic biodegradability was also investigated. For shake flask cultures, plastics were chemically disinfected and incubated-shaken at 125 rpm at 37°C in 0.6% yeast extract medium (pH 7.1) for Streptomyces spp. and at 30°C for the fungus in 3% malt extract medium (pH 4.5) for 4 weeks along with an uninoculated control for each treatment. Weight loss data were inconclusive because of cell mass accumulation. For almost every 70°C heat-treated film, the Streptomyces spp. demonstrated a further reduction in percent elongation and polyethylene molecular weight average when compared with the corresponding uninoculated control. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions were demonstrated for the 4- and 8-day heat-treated films by all three bacteria. Heat-treated films incubated with P. chrysosporium consistently demonstrated higher percent elongation and molecular weight average than the corresponding uninoculated controls, but were lower than the corresponding zero controls (heat-treated films without 4-week incubation). The 2- and 4-week UV-treated films showed the greatest biodegradation by all three bacteria. Virtually no degradation by the fungus was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating bacterial degradation of these oxidized polyethylenes in pure culture. PMID:16348434

Laser direct joining of metal and plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katayama, Seiji; Kawahito, Yousuke

2008-01-01

We have developed an innovative rapid laser direct joining process of metal and plastic lap plates without adhesives or glues. The joints made between a Type 304 stainless steel plate and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic sheet of 30 mm width possessed tensile shear loads of about 3000 N. Transmission electron microscope photographs of the joint demonstrated that Type 304 and the PET were bonded on the atomic, molecular or nanostructural level through a Cr oxide film

Liquid crystal displays with plastic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Lueder, Ernst H.

1998-04-01

Plastic substrates for the cells of displays exhibit only 1/6 of the weight of glass substrates; they are virtually unbreakable; their flexibility allows the designer to give them a shape suppressing reflections, to realize a display board on a curved surface or meeting the requirements for an appealing styling; displays with plastics are thinner which provides a wider viewing angle. These features render them attractive for displays in portable systems such as mobile phones, pagers, smart cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and portable computers. Reflective displays are especially attractive as they don't need a back light. The most important requirements are the protection of plastics against gas permeation and chemical agents, the prevention of layers on plastics to crack or peel off when the plastic is bent and the development of low temperature thin film processes because the plastics, as a rule, only tolerate temperatures below 150 degrees Celsius. Bistable reflective FLC- and PSCT-displays with plastic substrates will be introduced. Special sputtered SiO2-orientation layers preserve the displayed information even if pressure or torsion is applied. MIM-addressed PDLC-displays require additional Al- or Ti-layers which provide the necessary ductility. Sputtered or PECVD-generated TFTs can be fabricated on plastics at temperatures below 150 degrees Celsius.

Plastic degrading fungi Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus nomius isolated from local landfill soil in Medan

Science.gov (United States)

Munir, E.; Harefa, R. S. M.; Priyani, N.; Suryanto, D.

2018-03-01

Plastic is a naturally recalcitrant polymer, once it enters the environment, it will remain there for many years. Accumulation of plastic as wastes in the environment poses a serious problem and causes an ecological threat. Alternative strategies to reduce accumulation of plastic wastes have been initiated and implemented from a different aspect including from microbiological view point. The study to obtain potential fungi in degrading plastic molecule has been initiated in our laboratory. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic was used as a tested material. Candidate fungi were isolated from local landfill soil. The fungi were cultured in mineral salt medium broth containing LDPE powder. Two of nine isolates showed best growth response in broth media containing LDPE. These isolates (RH03 and RH06) were used in degradation test. Results showed that isolate RH03 and RH06 reduced the weight of LDPE film by 5.13% and 6.63%, respectively after 45 days of cultivation. The tensile strength of treated film even reduced significantly by 58% and 40% of each isolate. Analyses of electron micrograph exhibited grove ands rough were formed on the surface of LDPE film. These were not found in the untreated film. Furthermore, molecular analysis through polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing indicated that RH03 is Trichoderma viride and RH06 is Aspergillus nomius with 97% and 96% similarities, respectively.

Preparation and characterization of a magneto-polymeric nanocomposite: Fe 3O 4 nanoparticles in a grafted, cross-linked and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Fernández, Oliverio S.; Rodríguez-Calzadíaz, C. A.; Yáñez-Flores, Isaura G.; Montemayor, Sagrario M.

In this work two kind of materials: (1) grafted, cross-linked and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) "plastic films" and (2) magnetic plastic films "magneto-polymeric nanocomposites" were prepared. Precursor solutions or "plastisols" used to obtain the plastic films were obtained by mixing PVC (emulsion grade) as polymeric matrix, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DOP) as plasticizer, a thermal stabilizer based in Ca/Zn salts, and a cross-linking agent, 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) or 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (ATES), at several concentrations. Flexible films were obtained from the plastisols using static casting. The stress-strain behavior and the gel content (determined by Soxhlet extraction with boiling THF) of the flexible films were measured in order to evaluate the effect of the cross-linking agent and their content on the degree of cross-linking. The magneto-polymeric nanocomposites were obtained by mixing the optimum composition of the plastisols (analyzed previously) with magnetite (Fe 3O 4)-based ferrofluid and DOP. Later, flexible films were obtained by static casting of the plastisol/ferrofluid systems. The magnetic films were characterized by the above-mentioned techniques and X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry and thermogravimetrical analysis.

Thin-Film Coated Plastic Wrap for Food Packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsin-Yu Wu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, the antimicrobial property and food package capability of polymethylpentene (PMP substrate with silicon oxdie (SiOx and organic silicon (SiCxHy stacked layers deposited by an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition system were investigated. The experimental results show that the stacked pair number of SiOx/SiCxHy on PMP is limited to three pairs, beyond which the films will crack and cause package failure. The three-pair SiOx/SiCxHy on PMP shows a low water vapor transmission rate of 0.57 g/m2/day and a high water contact angle of 102°. Three-pair thin-film coated PMP demonstrates no microbe adhesion and exhibits antibacterial properties within 24 h. Food shelf life testing performed at 28 °C and 80% humidity reports that the three-pair thin-film coated PMP can enhance the food shelf-life to 120 h. The results indicate that the silicon-based thin film may be a promising material for antibacterial food packaging applications to extend the shelf-life of food products.

Effects of gamma radiation ({sup 60}Co) on the main physical and chemical properties of health care packaging and their compounds paper and multilayer plastic film, used for health products sterilization; Efeitos da radiacao gama (Cobalto-60) nas principais propriedades fisicas e quimicas da embalagens compostas por papel grau cirurgico e filme plastico laminado, destinadas a esterilizacao de produtos para saude

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porto, Karina Meschini Batista Geribello

2013-07-01

Gamma radiation is one of the technologies applied for the sterilization of packaging systems containing products for health. During sterilization process it is critical that the properties of packages are maintained. In this study two samples of commercial pouch packaging comprised of surgical grade paper on one side and the other side multilayer plastic film were irradiated with gamma rays. The following doses were applied 25 kGy (1,57 kGy/h) and 50 kGy (1,48 kGy/h). One packaging sample was paper formed by softwood fibers and multilayer plastic film based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/polyethylene (PE). The second type of paper sample was made by a mixture of softwood and hardwood fibers and multilayer plastic film based on polyethylene terephthalate (ethylene) (PET)/polypropylene (PP). The effects of radiation on the physical and chemical properties of papers and multilayer plastic films, as well as the properties of the package were studied. The paper was the more radiation sensitive among the studied materials and radiation effects were more pronounced at brightness, pH, tearing resistance, bursting strength and tensile strength. Nonetheless, worst comparatively effects were noted on the sample made by a mixture of softwood and hardwood fibers. The porosity of paper was enhanced by 50 kGy. In the case of plastic films, radiation effects on tensile strength was the most pronounced property for both samples. In the case of the packaging the sealing resistance decreased with radiation. The effects observed for the treatment at 50 kGy were more pronounced when compared to 25 kGy. This last is the dose which is usually applied to sterilize health products. A dosimetry study was performed during irradiation at 25 kGy, 40 kGy and 50 kGy and its importance may be reported by the average dose variation 20 %. (author)

Filmes plásticos e ácido ascórbico na qualidade de araticum minimamente processado Plastic packaging film and ascorbic acid treatment on the quality of fresh cut araticum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manoel Soares Soares Júnior

2007-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do ácido ascórbico e do tipo de filme plástico como embalagem na qualidade do araticum minimamente processado e mantido sob refrigeração. O ácido ascórbico não evitou o escurecimento do araticum minimamente processado. Independentemente do tipo de embalagem, a acidez titulável aumentou com o tempo. A embalagem de policloreto de vinila ou polietileno de baixa densidade promoveu uma significativa perda de massa se comparada com a a laminada a vácuo. A embalagem laminada a vácuo propiciou vida-de-prateleira mais longa ao produto, o qual permaneceu com aparência adequada e qualidade comercial até o sétimo dia do armazenamento. A vida-de-prateleira dos demais tratamentos alcançou somente três dias.This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of ascorbic acid and type of plastic packaging film on the quality of refrigerated fresh cut araticum. Ascorbic acid did not prevent fresh cut araticum from darkening. Regardless of the type of plastic packaging, the fruit titrable acidity increased with time. Packing with polyvynil chloride or with low density polyethylene promoted a significant mass loss compared to laminate vacuum packaging. Laminate vacuum packaging increased the shelf life of the product up 7 days, maintaining its commercial quality and appearance. The shelf life of the other treatments reached 3 days only.

Warmer and Wetter Soil Stimulates Assimilation More than Respiration in Rainfed Agricultural Ecosystem on the China Loess Plateau: The Role of Partial Plastic Film Mulching Tillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Daozhi; Hao, Weiping; Mei, Xurong; Gao, Xiang; Liu, Qi; Caylor, Kelly

2015-01-01

Effects of agricultural practices on ecosystem carbon storage have acquired widespread concern due to its alleviation of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Recently, combining of furrow-ridge with plastic film mulching in spring maize ecosystem was widely applied to boost crop water productivity in the semiarid regions of China. However, there is still limited information about the potentials for increased ecosystem carbon storage of this tillage method. The objective of this study was to quantify and contrast net carbon dioxide exchange, biomass accumulation and carbon budgets of maize (Zea maize L.) fields under the traditional non-mulching with flat tillage (CK) and partial plastic film mulching with furrow-ridge tillage (MFR) on the China Loess Plateau. Half-hourly net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of both treatments were synchronously measured with two eddy covariance systems during the growing seasons of 2011 through 2013. At same time green leaf area index (GLAI) and biomass were also measured biweekly. Compared with CK, the warmer and wetter (+1.3°C and +4.3%) top soil at MFR accelerated the rates of biomass accumulation, promoted greater green leaf area and thus shortened the growing seasons by an average value of 10.4 days for three years. MFR stimulated assimilation more than respiration during whole growing season, resulting in a higher carbon sequestration in terms of NEE of -79 gC/m2 than CK. However, after considering carbon in harvested grain (or aboveground biomass), there is a slight higher carbon sink (or a stronger carbon source) in MFR due to its greater difference of aboveground biomass than that of grain between both treatments. These results demonstrate that partial plastic film mulched furrow-ridge tillage with aboveground biomass exclusive of grain returned to the soil is an effective way to enhance simultaneously carbon sequestration and grain yield of maize in the semiarid regions.

75 FR 49893 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From the People's Republic of China...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-16

..., Stretch Wrap Film, Plastic Bag, Paper Plate, PE Foam using November 2008 through October 2009 weighted... Teijin Films, Mitsubishi Polyester Film, Inc., SKC, Inc., and Toray Plastics (America), Inc.... U.S. Price In accordance with section 772(a) of the Act, the Department used EP as the basis for U.S...

State of the Plastic Surgery Workforce and the Impact of Graduate Medical Education Reform on Training of Plastic Surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Janes, Lindsay; Lanier, Steven T; Evans, Gregory R D; Kasten, Steven J; Hume, Keith M; Gosain, Arun K

2017-08-01

Although recent estimates predict a large impending shortage of plastic surgeons, graduate medical education funding through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services remains capped by the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. The authors' aim was to develop a plan to stimulate legislative action. The authors reviewed responses of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and American Medical Association from January of 2015 to a House Energy & Commerce Committee request for input on graduate medical education funding. In addition, all program directors in plastic surgery were surveyed through the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons to determine their graduate medical education funding sources. All three organizations agree that current graduate medical education funding is inadequate to meet workforce needs, and this has a significant impact on specialty selection and distribution for residency training. All agreed that funding should be tied to the resident rather than to the institution, but disagreed on whether funds should be divided between direct (allocated to residency training) and indirect (allocated to patient care) pools, as is currently practiced. Program directors' survey responses indicated that only 38 percent of graduate medical education funds comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Organized medicine is at risk of losing critically needed graduate medical education funding. Specific legislation to support additional graduate medical education positions and funding (House Resolutions 1180 and 4282) has been proposed but has not been universally endorsed, in part because of a lack of collaboration in organized medicine. Collaboration among major organizations can reinvigorate these measures and implement real change in funding.

Effect of Die Head Temperature at Compounding Stage on the Degradation of Linear Low Density Polyethylene/Plastic Film Waste Blends after Accelerated Weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Al-Salem

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Accelerated weathering test was performed on blends of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE and plastic film waste constituting the following percentages of polyolefin polymers (wt.%: LLDPE (46%, low density polyethylene (LDPE, 51%, high density polyethylene (HDPE, 1%, and polypropylene (PP, 2%. Compounded blends were evaluated for their mechanical and physical (optical properties. The impact of photodegradation on the formulated blends was studied, and loss of mechanical integrity was apparent with respect to both the exposure duration to weathering and waste content. The effect of processing conditions, namely, the die head temperature (DHT of the blown-film assembly used, was investigated in this work. It was witnessed that surpassing the melting point of the blends constituting polymers did not always result in a synergistic behaviour between polymers. This was suspected to be due to the loss of amorphous region that polyolefin polymers get subjected to with UV exposure under weathering conditions and the effect of the plastic waste constituents. The total change in colour (ΔE did not change with respect to DHT or waste content due to rapid change degradation on the material’s surface. Haze (% and light transmission (% decreased with the increase in waste content which was attributed to lack of miscibility between constituting polymers.

Isotopic study of the wear of sliding bearings with plastic friction surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandur, J.; Varkonyi, A.

1978-01-01

A new complex device has been elaborated for the investigation of the duration of bearings in the Institute of Isotopes of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The simultaneous determination of wear by an isotopic method the coefficient of friction by means of a Wheatstone bridge and the bearing temperature by means of a thermoresistor is described. Dynamic loading and variable revolution per minute are applied to produce a forced wear of the bearings. The isotopically labelled wear products are removed by oil and the collected sample is measured by a scintillation detector. Wear of a steel axle in plastic housing and plastic coated axle in cast iron housing was determined. (V.N.)

Flexible and Transparent Plastic Electrodes Composed of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Polyaniline Films for Supercapacitor Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarker, Ashis K.; Hong, Jongdal

2014-01-01

In this article, we described about the preparation and electrochemical properties of a flexible energy storage system based on a plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The PET treated with UV/ozone was fabricated with multilayer films composed of 30 polyaniline (PANi)/graphene oxide (GO) bilayers using layerby-layer assembly of positively charged PANi and negatively charged GO. The conversion of GO to the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in the multilayer film was achieved using hydroiodic acid vapor at 100 .deg. C, whereby PANi structure remained nearly unchanged except a little reduction of doping state. Cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge curves of 30 PANi/RGO bilayers on PET substrate (shorten to PANi-RGO 30 /PET) exhibited an excellent volumetric capacitance, good cycling stability, and rapid charge/discharge rates despite no use of any metal current collectors. The specific capacitance from charge/discharge curve of the PANi-RGO 30 /PET electrode was found to be 529 F/cm 3 at a current density of 3 A/cm 3 , which is one of the best values yet achieved among carbon-based materials including conducting polymers. Furthermore, the intrinsic electrical resistance of the PANi-RGO 30 /PET electrodes varied within 20% range during 200 bending cycles at a fixed bend radius of 2.2 mm, indicating the increase in their flexibility by a factor of 225 compared with the ITO/PET electrode

Performance evaluation of cassava starch-zinc nanocomposite film for tomatoes packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeshina Fadeyibi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable nanocomposite films are novel materials for food packaging because of their potential to extend the shelf life of food. In this research, the performance of cassava starch-zincnanocomposite film was evaluated for tomatoes packaging. The films were developed by casting the solutions of 24 g cassava starch, 0-2% (w/w zinc nanoparticles and 55% (w/w glycerol in plastic mould of 12 mm depth. The permeability of the films, due to water and oxygen, was investigated at 27°C and 65% relative humidity while the mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation technique. The average thickness of the dried nanocomposite films was found to be 17±0.13 μm. The performances of films for tomatoes packaging was evaluated in comparison with low density polyethylene (LDPE; 10 μm at the temperature and period ranges of 10-27°C and 0-9 days, respectively. The quality and microbial attributes of the packaged tomatoes, including ascorbic acid, β-carotene and total coliform were analysed at an interval of 3 days. The results revealed that the water vapour permeability increased while the oxygen permeability decreased with the nanoparticles (P<0.05. The hardness, creep, elastic and plastic works, which determined the plasticity index of the film, decreased generally with the nanoparticles. The films containing 1 and 2% of the nanoparticles suppressed the growth of microorganisms and retained the quality of tomatoes than the LDPE at 27°C and day-9 of packaging (P<0.05. The results implied that the film could effectively be used for tomatoes packaging due to their lower oxygen permeability, hardness, elastic and plastic works.

Influência do armazenamento refrigerado em associação com atmosfera modificada por filmes plásticos na qualidade de mangas 'Tommy Atkins Influence of refrigerated storage associated with plastic film-modified atmosphere in quality of 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joaci Pereira de Sousa

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se a qualidade de mangas Tommy Atkins, embaladas em filmes plásticos e armazenadas sob condição refrigerada. Utilizaram-se frutos da safra 2000 obtidos na Fazenda Paulicéia Empreendimentos Ltda., situada no Pólo Agrícola Mossoró-Assu. Os frutos foram colhidos no estádio 2 (Brix 7 º e 75% verde e 25% vermelha e selecionados de acordo com o tipo 12 (12 frutos/caixa e tratados com fungicida para evitar podridões. No laboratório, os frutos foram submetidos aos seguintes tratamentos: 1 - frutos não embalados; 2 - frutos embalados individualmente em cloreto de polivinila (PVC; 3 - frutos embalados em sacola de polietileno de alta densidade (PEAD; 4 - frutos embalados em sacola de polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD. Os frutos foram armazenados por 42 dias em condição controlada (11 ± 1°C; 85-90% UR. O armazenamento dos frutos sob condição controlada, associada à atmosfera modificada pelos filmes plásticos, reduziu-lhes a perda de matéria fresca e proporcionou-lhes a manutenção dos teores de sólidos solúveis totais, açúcares solúveis totais e acidez total titulável. A atmosfera modificada pelos filmes plásticos manteve mais regular as perdas na firmeza da polpa, possibilitando uma vida útil pós-colheita de 42 dias em ralação à testemunha. Até o final do armazenamento, o uso de PEAD promoveu o desenvolvimento da coloração da casca e da polpa dos frutos, porém o uso de PVC e PEBD reteve a coloração da casca.The quality of mangoes cv Tommy Atkins enclosed in plastic films and stored under refrigerated conditions were evaluated. Mangoes from the 2000 crop harvested at the Fazenda Paulicéia Empreendimentos Ltda., located in the Mossoró-Assu Agropole were used as experimental unity. The fruits were harvested in stage 2 ( 7º brix and 75% green, 25% red and selected for the type 12 (12 fruits/box, then treated with fungicide to prevent rots. The fruits were submited to the following treatments in the

Radiation processing in the plastics industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saunders, C.B.

1988-01-01

The interaction of ionizing radiation with organic substrates to produce useful physical and chemical changes is the basis of the radiation processing industry for plastics. Electron beam (EB) accelerators dominate the industry; however, there are a few small applications that use gamma radiation. The five general product categories that account for over 95% of the worldwide EB capacity used for plastics production are the following: wire and cable insulation; heat-shrinkable film, tubes and pipes; radiation-curable coatings; rubber products; and polyolefin foam. A total of 6.1% of the yearly production of these products in the United States is EB treated. The United States accounts for 59% of the total worldwide EB capacity of 20.5 MW (1984), followed by Europe (16%) and Japan (15%). There are 469 to 479 individual EB units worldwide used for the production of plastics and rubber. The average annual rate of growth (AARG) for the EB processing of plastics in Japan, from 1977 to 1987, was 13.3%. The AARG for Japan has decreased from 20% for 1977 to 198, to 6.4% for 1984 to 1987. Radiation cross-linking, of power cable insulation (cable rating ≥75 kV), thick polyolefin and rubber sheet (≥15 mm), and thick-walled tubing is one fo the potential applications for a 5- to 10-MeV EB system. Other products such as coatings, films and wire insulation may be economically EB-treated using a 5 to 10 MeV accelerator, if several layers of the product could be irradiated simultaneously. Two general product categories that require more study to determine the potential of high-energy EB processing are moulded plastics and composite materials. 32 refs

Plastic consumption and diet of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens).

Science.gov (United States)

Lindborg, Valerie A; Ledbetter, Julia F; Walat, Jean M; Moffett, Cinamon

2012-11-01

We analyzed dietary habits and presence of plastic in 589 boluses of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) as one of two studies on the impact of plastics on marine life in the US Salish Sea. Volunteers dissected boluses collected (2007-2010) from Protection Island, Washington. Components were separated into 23 food and non-food categories. Plastic was found in 12.2% of boluses, with plastic film being the most common plastic form. No diet specialization was observed. Vegetation was the most abundant component, found in 91.3% of boluses. No relationship was observed between any dietary items and occurrence or type of plastic found. Load and potential ecological impact in the marine environment can be expected to increase concurrently with increasing plastic use and number and variety of plastic sources. Future studies are necessary to understand the impacts of plastic ingestion on this species. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plastics for corrosion inhibition

CERN Document Server

Goldade, Victor A; Makarevich, Anna V; Kestelman, Vladimir N

2005-01-01

The development of polymer composites containing inhibitors of metal corrosion is an important endeavour in modern materials science and technology. Corrosion inhibitors can be located in a polymer matrix in the solid, liquid or gaseous phase. This book details the thermodynamic principles for selecting these components, their compatibility and their effectiveness. The various mechanisms of metal protection – barrier, inhibiting and electromechanical – are considered, as are the conflicting requirements placed on the structure of the combined material. Two main classes of inhibited materials (structural and films/coatings) are described in detail. Examples are given of structural plastics used in friction units subjected to mechano-chemical wear and of polymer films/coatings for protecting metal objects against corrosion.

On the role of initial void geometry in plastic deformation of metallic thin films: A molecular dynamics study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Yanqing [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340 (United States); Xu, Shuozhi, E-mail: shuozhixu@gatech.edu [GWW School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405 (United States)

2016-12-15

Void growth is usually considered one of the most critical phases leading to dynamic fracture of ductile materials. Investigating the detailed process of void growth at the nanoscale aids in understanding the damage mechanism of metals. While most atomistic simulations by far assume circular or spherical voids for simplicity, recent studies highlight the significance of the initial void ellipticity in mechanical response of voided metals. In this work, we perform large scale molecular dynamics simulations with millions of atoms to investigate the void growth in plastic deformation of thin films in face-centered cubic Cu. It is found that the initial ellipticity and the initial orientation angle of the void have substantial impacts on the dislocation nucleation, the void evolution, and the stress-strain response. In particular, the initial dislocation emission sites and the sequence of slip plane activation vary with the initial void geometry. For the void size evolution, three regimes are identified: (I) the porosity increases relatively slowly in the absence of dislocations, (II) the porosity grows much more rapidly after dislocations start to glide on different slip planes, and (III) the rate of porosity variation becomes much more slowly when dislocations are saturated in the model, and the void surface becomes irregular, non-smooth. In terms of the stress-strain response, the effects of the initial orientation angle are more pronounced when the initial void ellipticity is large; the influence of the initial void ellipticity is different for different initial orientation angles. The effects of the temperature, the strain rate, the loading direction, and the initial porosity in the void growth are also explored. Our results reveal the underlying mechanisms of initial void geometry-dependent plastic deformation of metallic thin films and shed light on informing more accurate theoretical models.

On the role of initial void geometry in plastic deformation of metallic thin films: A molecular dynamics study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Yanqing; Xu, Shuozhi

2016-01-01

Void growth is usually considered one of the most critical phases leading to dynamic fracture of ductile materials. Investigating the detailed process of void growth at the nanoscale aids in understanding the damage mechanism of metals. While most atomistic simulations by far assume circular or spherical voids for simplicity, recent studies highlight the significance of the initial void ellipticity in mechanical response of voided metals. In this work, we perform large scale molecular dynamics simulations with millions of atoms to investigate the void growth in plastic deformation of thin films in face-centered cubic Cu. It is found that the initial ellipticity and the initial orientation angle of the void have substantial impacts on the dislocation nucleation, the void evolution, and the stress-strain response. In particular, the initial dislocation emission sites and the sequence of slip plane activation vary with the initial void geometry. For the void size evolution, three regimes are identified: (I) the porosity increases relatively slowly in the absence of dislocations, (II) the porosity grows much more rapidly after dislocations start to glide on different slip planes, and (III) the rate of porosity variation becomes much more slowly when dislocations are saturated in the model, and the void surface becomes irregular, non-smooth. In terms of the stress-strain response, the effects of the initial orientation angle are more pronounced when the initial void ellipticity is large; the influence of the initial void ellipticity is different for different initial orientation angles. The effects of the temperature, the strain rate, the loading direction, and the initial porosity in the void growth are also explored. Our results reveal the underlying mechanisms of initial void geometry-dependent plastic deformation of metallic thin films and shed light on informing more accurate theoretical models.

Characterization of cinematographic films by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaspard, S.; Oujja, M.; Rebollar, E.; Abrusci, C.; Catalina, F.; Castillejo, M.

2007-01-01

The emulsion-coated transparent plastic-base film has been the main carrier for production and preservation of motion picture contents since the 19th century. The knowledge of the composition of black and white silver gelatine cinematographic films is of great importance for the characterization of the photographic process and for identifying the optimum conditions for conservation. A cinematographic film is a multi-component system that consists of a layer of photographic emulsion overcoating a polymeric support (plasticized cellulose triacetate) and a protective transparent cross-linked gelatine layer coating the emulsion. In the present work, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is used to characterize the composition of the materials of cinematographic films. LIB spectra of film samples and of different individual film components, polymeric support and reference gelatines, were acquired in vacuum by excitation at 266 nm (Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, 6 ns, 10 Hz). In the cinematographic film, silver lines from the light-sensitive silver halide salts of the photographic emulsion are accompanied by iron, lead, chrome and phosphorus lines. Iron and lead are constituents of film developers, chrome is included in the composition of the hardening agents and phosphorus has its origin in the plasticizer used in the polymeric support. By applying successive pulses on the same spot of the film sample, it was possible to observe through stratigraphic analysis the different layers composition. Additionally, the results obtained reveal the analytical capacity of LIBS for the study and classification of the different gelatine types and qualities used for the protecting layer and the photographic emulsion

Effect of concentrations of plasticizers on the sol-gel properties developed from alkoxides precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunst, Sandra Raquel; Longhi, Marielen; Zini, Lucas Pandolphi [Universidade de Caxias do Sul (CCET/UCS), Caxias do Sul, RS (Brazil). Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia; Beltrami, Lilian Vanessa Rossa; Boniatti, Rosiana; Cardoso, Henrique Ribeiro Piaggio; Vega, Maria Rita Ortega; Malfatti, Célia de Fraga, E-mail: lvrossa@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (LAPEC/UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Laboratorio de Pesquisa em Corrosão

2017-07-01

Coatings developed through sol-gel method is presented as an interesting replacement to chromium coating. Sol-gel method present advantages as high purity and excellent distribution of the components. The objective of this work is to synthesize and characterize a film obtained by sol-gel route. The film was prepared with 3-(trimethoxysilylpropyl) methacrylate (TMSPMA), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and cerium nitrate, using water and ethanol as solvents. Polyethyleneglycol (PEG) plasticizer was added at four different concentrations. The sol was characterized by techniques of viscosity, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that tetrafunctional alkoxides condensation was retarded by the plasticizer, forming a compact film. The film with 20 g.L-1 of PEG showed the best electrochemical behavior. (author)

Evaluation of plastic packaging materials used in radiation sterilized medical products and food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Fengmei; Wang Ying; Liu Xiaoguang; Yang Baoyu

2000-01-01

This paper studied the results of evaluation on resistance to radiation, moisture permeability, bacteria permeability, tensile strength, elongation at break and sealing ability for several plastic films available on the market. The result shows that nylon, sarin, and polyethylene complex films, high and low density polyethylene films are applicable for packing of radiation sterilized products. (author)

Plastic response of thin films due to thermal cycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nicola, L.; van der Giessen, E.; Needleman, A.; Ahzi, S; Cherkaoui, M; Khaleel, MA; Zbib, HM; Zikry, MA; Lamatina, B

2004-01-01

Discrete dislocation simulations of thin films on semi-infinite substrates under cyclic thermal loading are presented. The thin film is modelled as a two-dimensional single crystal under plane strain conditions. Dislocations of edge character can be generated from initially present sources and glide

Hydrogen absorption in thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melikhova, O.; Čížek, J.; Lukáč, F.; Vlček, M.; Novotný, M.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.; Connolly, J.; McCarthy, E.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Mosnier, J.-P.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Thin ZnO films and high quality ZnO crystal were electrochemically doped with hydrogen. ► Hydrogen absorbed in ZnO causes plastic deformation both in ZnO crystal and thin films. ► In ZnO crystal a sub-surface region with very high density of defects was formed. ► Moreover, plastic deformation causes specific surface modification of ZnO crystal. ► In ZnO films hydrogen-induced plastic deformation introduced defects in the whole film. -- Abstract: ZnO films with thickness of ∼80 nm were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on MgO (1 0 0) single crystal and amorphous fused silica (FS) substrates. Structural studies of ZnO films and a high quality reference ZnO single crystal were performed by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS). It was found that ZnO films exhibit significantly higher density of defects than the reference ZnO crystal. Moreover, the ZnO film deposited on MgO substrate exhibits higher concentration of defects than the film deposited on amorphous FS substrate most probably due to a dense network of misfit dislocations. The ZnO films and the reference ZnO crystal were subsequently loaded with hydrogen by electrochemical cathodic charging. SPIS characterizations revealed that absorbed hydrogen introduces new defects into ZnO

Hydrogen absorption in thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melikhova, O., E-mail: oksivmel@yahoo.com [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, CZ-180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Čížek, J.; Lukáč, F.; Vlček, M. [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, CZ-180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Novotný, M.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J. [Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague (Czech Republic); Anwand, W.; Brauer, G. [Institut für Strahlenphysik, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, PO Box 510 119, D-01314 Dresden (Germany); Connolly, J.; McCarthy, E.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Mosnier, J.-P. [National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, School of Physical Sciences, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (Ireland)

2013-12-15

Highlights: ► Thin ZnO films and high quality ZnO crystal were electrochemically doped with hydrogen. ► Hydrogen absorbed in ZnO causes plastic deformation both in ZnO crystal and thin films. ► In ZnO crystal a sub-surface region with very high density of defects was formed. ► Moreover, plastic deformation causes specific surface modification of ZnO crystal. ► In ZnO films hydrogen-induced plastic deformation introduced defects in the whole film. -- Abstract: ZnO films with thickness of ∼80 nm were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on MgO (1 0 0) single crystal and amorphous fused silica (FS) substrates. Structural studies of ZnO films and a high quality reference ZnO single crystal were performed by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS). It was found that ZnO films exhibit significantly higher density of defects than the reference ZnO crystal. Moreover, the ZnO film deposited on MgO substrate exhibits higher concentration of defects than the film deposited on amorphous FS substrate most probably due to a dense network of misfit dislocations. The ZnO films and the reference ZnO crystal were subsequently loaded with hydrogen by electrochemical cathodic charging. SPIS characterizations revealed that absorbed hydrogen introduces new defects into ZnO.

Microbial degradation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), an e-plastic with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekhar, Vini C.; Nampoothiri, K. Madhavan; Mohan, Arya J.; Nair, Nimisha R.; Bhaskar, Thallada; Pandey, Ashok

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Biodegradation of a high impact polystyrene e − plastic. • 12.4% (w/w) e plastic film lost using an isolate, Enterobacter sp. • Noted changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of degraded e-plastic film. • Polystyrene intermediates were detected in the degradation medium. • e-plastic degrading microbes displayed extracellular depolymerase activity. - Abstract: Accumulation of electronic waste has increased catastrophically and out of that various plastic resins constitute one of the leading thrown out materials in the electronic machinery. Enrichment medium, containing high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide as sole carbon source, was used to isolate microbial cultures. The viability of these cultures in the e-plastic containing mineral medium was further confirmed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test. Four cultures were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sedlakii, Alcaligenes sp. and Brevundimonas diminuta. Biodegradation experiments were carried out in flask level and gelatin supplementation (0.1% w/v) along with HIPS had increased the degradation rate to a maximum of 12.4% (w/w) within 30 days. This is the first report for this kind of material. The comparison of FTIR, NMR, and TGA analysis of original and degraded e-plastic films revealed structural changes under microbial treatment. Polystyrene degradation intermediates in the culture supernatant were also detected using HPLC analysis. The gravity of biodegradation was validated by morphological changes under scanning electron microscope. All isolates displayed depolymerase activity to substantiate enzymatic degradation of e-plastic.

Microbial degradation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), an e-plastic with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhar, Vini C. [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Nampoothiri, K. Madhavan, E-mail: madhavan85@hotmail.com [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Mohan, Arya J.; Nair, Nimisha R. [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Bhaskar, Thallada [Bio-Fuels Division (BFD), CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248005 (India); Pandey, Ashok [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Biodegradation of a high impact polystyrene e − plastic. • 12.4% (w/w) e plastic film lost using an isolate, Enterobacter sp. • Noted changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of degraded e-plastic film. • Polystyrene intermediates were detected in the degradation medium. • e-plastic degrading microbes displayed extracellular depolymerase activity. - Abstract: Accumulation of electronic waste has increased catastrophically and out of that various plastic resins constitute one of the leading thrown out materials in the electronic machinery. Enrichment medium, containing high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide as sole carbon source, was used to isolate microbial cultures. The viability of these cultures in the e-plastic containing mineral medium was further confirmed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test. Four cultures were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sedlakii, Alcaligenes sp. and Brevundimonas diminuta. Biodegradation experiments were carried out in flask level and gelatin supplementation (0.1% w/v) along with HIPS had increased the degradation rate to a maximum of 12.4% (w/w) within 30 days. This is the first report for this kind of material. The comparison of FTIR, NMR, and TGA analysis of original and degraded e-plastic films revealed structural changes under microbial treatment. Polystyrene degradation intermediates in the culture supernatant were also detected using HPLC analysis. The gravity of biodegradation was validated by morphological changes under scanning electron microscope. All isolates displayed depolymerase activity to substantiate enzymatic degradation of e-plastic.

Effect of UV-Blocking Plastic Films on Take-Off and Host Plant Finding Ability of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, M P; Dos Santos, F L; Felippe, M R; Moreno, A; Fereres, A

2015-02-01

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a major pest of citrus worldwide due to its ability to transmit the bacteria associated with huanglongbing. Vision, behavior, and performance of insect pests can be manipulated by using ultraviolet (UV)-blocking materials. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate how UV-blocking plastic films may affect the take-off and host plant finding ability of D. citri. To assess the effect of a UV-deficient environment on take-off, adult psyllids were released from a vial inside a screenhouse covered by a UV-blocking or standard (control) film and the number of insects remaining on each vial under each treatment was counted at different time intervals. Moreover, to assess the ability of D. citri to find citrus plants under a UV-deficient environment, two independent no-choice host plant finding assays with different plant arrangements were conducted. In each treatment, the number of psyllids per plant at different time intervals was counted. Both D. citri take-off and host plant finding ability was clearly disrupted under a UV-deficient environment. The number of psyllids remaining in the vials was significantly higher under UV-blocking than standard film in all periods recorded. Furthermore, psyllids were present in significantly higher number on citrus plants under standard film than under UV-blocking film in all of the periods assessed and experiments conducted. Our results showed that UV-blocking materials could become a valuable strategy for integrated management of D. citri and huanglongbing in citrus grown in enclosed environments. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improvement of food packaging related properties in whey protein isolate‑based nanocomposite films and coatings by addition of montmorillonite nanoplatelets

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, Markus; Merzbacher, Sarah; Brzoska, Nicola; Müller, Kerstin; Jesdinszki, Marius

2017-11-01

In the present study the effects of the addition of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets on whey protein isolate (WPI)-based nanocomposite films and coatings were investigated. The main objective was the development of WPI-based MMT-nanocomposites with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties. WPI-based nanocomposite cast-films and coatings were prepared by dispersing 0 % (reference sample), 3 %, 6 %, 9 % (w/w protein) MMT, or, depending on the protein concentration, also 12 % and 15 % (w/w protein) MMT into native WPI-based dispersions, followed by subsequent denaturation during the drying and curing process. The natural MMT nanofillers could be randomly dispersed into film-forming WPI-based nanodispersions, displaying good compatibility with the hydrophilic biopolymer matrix. As a result, by addition of 15 % (w/w protein) MMT into 10 % (w/w dispersion) WPI-based cast-films or coatings, the oxygen permeability (OP) was reduced by 91 % for glycerol-plasticized and 84 % for sorbitol-plasticized coatings, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was reduced by 58 % for sorbitol-plasticized cast-films. Due to the addition of MMT- nanofillers the Young’s modulus and tensile strength improved by 315 % and 129 %, respectively, whereas elongation at break declined by 77 % for glycerol-plasticized cast-films. In addition, comparison of plasticizer type revealed that sorbitol-plasticized cast-films were generally stiffer and stronger, but less flexible compared glycerol-plasticized cast-films. Viscosity measurements demonstrated good processability and suitability for up-scaled industrial processes of native WPI-based nanocomposite dispersions, even at high nanofiller-loadings. These results suggest that the addition of natural MMT- nanofillers into native WPI-based matrices to form nanocomposite films and coatings holds great potential to replace well-established, fossil-based packaging materials for at least certain applications such as oxygen barriers as part of

Effect of concentrations of plasticizers on the sol-gel properties developed from alkoxides precursors

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Sandra Raquel Kunst

Full Text Available Abstract Coatings developed through sol-gel method is presented as an interesting replacement to chromium coating. Sol-gel method present advantages as high purity and excellent distribution of the components. The objective of this work is to synthesize and characterize a film obtained by sol-gel route. The film was prepared with 3-(trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate (TMSPMA, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS and cerium nitrate, using water and ethanol as solvents. Polyethyleneglycol (PEG plasticizer was added at four different concentrations. The sol was characterized by techniques of viscosity, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, X-ray diffraction (XRD nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR. The results showed that tetrafunctional alkoxides condensation was retarded by the plasticizer, forming a compact film. The film with 20 g.L-1 of PEG showed the best electrochemical behavior.

Water Vapor Permeation of Metal Oxide/Polymer Coated Plastic Films

Science.gov (United States)

Numata, Yukihiro; Oya, Toshiyuki; Kuwahara, Mitsuru; Ito, Katsuya

Barrier performance to water vapor permeation of ceramic coated layers deposited on flexible polymer films is of great interest to food packaging, medical device packaging and flat panel display industries. In this study, a new type film in which a ceramic layer is deposited on a polymer coated film was proposed for lower water vapor permeation. It is important how to control interfacial properties between each layer and film for good barrier performance. Several kinds of polymer coated materials were prepared for changing surface free energy of the films before and after depositing the ceramic layer. The ceramic layer, which is composed of mixed material of SiO2 and Al2O3, was adopted under the same conditions. The following results were obtained; 1) Water vapor permeation is not related to the surface energy of polymer coated films, 2) After depositing the ceramic layer, however, a strong correlation is observed between the water vapor permeation and surface free energy. 3) The phenomenon is considered that the polarity of the polymer layers plays a key role in changing the structure of ceramic coated layers.

PLASTIC MATERIALS IN EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE: ACTUAL USE AND PERSPECTIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giacomo Scarascia-Mugnozza

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The world consumption of plastics in agriculture amounts yearly to 6.5 million tons. In addition to conventional polymers used in agriculture for greenhouses and mulches such as PE, PVC, EVA, photo-selective and luminescent polymers have been used, in order to improve the quality of crops. For the same reason plastic nets are used mainly in countries with tropical and Mediterranean climates. For an environmentally friendly agricultural activity, an alternative strategy can be represented by bio-based agricultural raw materials. For low environmental impact applications, biodegradable materials for agricultural films are nowadays produced. An overview of the main methods for the disposal and recycling of plastic materials are presented with the results of mechanical and radiometric tests on recycled plastics. The strategies to reduce the burden of plastics in agriculture are: a correct procedure for the collection, disposal and recycling of post-consumption plastics; the increase of lifetime duration and performance; and the introduction and promotion of bio-based materials.

Dye film dosimetry for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humphreys, J.C.; McLaughlin, W.L.

1981-01-01

Commercially available plastic films containing dyes or dye precursors are convenient dosimeters and imaging media for electron beams or photons used for industrial radiation processing. As ''grainless'' imaging systems having thicknesses down to a few micrometers, they provide high spatial resolution for determining detailed absorbed dose distributions through microdensitometric analysis. The radiation absorption properties of these systems are adjusted by changing film composition so that the dosimeter materials can be made to simulate the material of interest undergoing irradiation. Other advantages include long-term stability, dose-rate independence, and ease of use and calibration. Radiochromic dye films with thicknesses varying from 0.005 to 1 mm are presently used to monitor electron-beam or gamma-ray doses from 10 to 10 5 Gy (10 3 to 10 7 rad), typical of those encountered in medical applications, radiation curing of polymeric composites, wire and cable insulation, shrinkable plastic tubing and film, as well as sterilization of medical supplies and treatment of municipal and industrial wastes. An NBS calibration service to industry involves the traceability of standard 60 Co gamma ray absorbed dose measurements by means of these films employed as transfer standards

Thick-film analysis: literature search and bibliography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehman, R.W.

1981-09-01

A literature search was conducted to support development of in-house diagnostic testing of thick film materials for hybrid microcircuits. A background literature review covered thick film formulation, processing, structure, and performance. Important material properties and tests were identified and several test procedures were obtained. Several tests were selected for thick film diagnosis at Bendix Kansas City. 126 references

Characterization of new biodegradable edible film made from basil seed (Ocimum basilicum L.) gum.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaei, Naimeh; Esmaiili, Mohsen; Djomeh, Zahra Emam; Ghasemlou, Mehran; Jouki, Mohammad

2014-02-15

It is well known that the market for edible films is experiencing remarkable growth and expected to continue. This study investigated the using of basil seed gum (BSG) as a new film-forming material under the influence of addition of glycerol (GLY) as plasticizer. Edible films based on BSG and three different concentrations of GLY (25%, 35%, and 50% w/w BSG) were developed, and their water vapor permeability (WVP), as well as physical, thermal and mechanical properties were measured. The addition of glycerol significantly increased water vapor permeability and solubility of the film (p<0.05). As expected, the increase in GLY concentration from 25% to 50% (w/w) increased the extensibility, but decreased tensile strength. This suggests weaker mechanical strength and higher mobility of polymer chains by plasticizing effect of GLY. The color measurement values showed that increasing the glycerol concentration in polymer matrix caused the b and L values increased while ΔE value decreased. The electron scanning micrograph showed plasticized films as smooth, and uniform which lacked pores or cracks compared with those were not plasticized. This study revealed that the BSG had a good potential to be used in producing edible films for various food applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Warmer and Wetter Soil Stimulates Assimilation More than Respiration in Rainfed Agricultural Ecosystem on the China Loess Plateau: The Role of Partial Plastic Film Mulching Tillage.

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Daozhi Gong

Full Text Available Effects of agricultural practices on ecosystem carbon storage have acquired widespread concern due to its alleviation of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Recently, combining of furrow-ridge with plastic film mulching in spring maize ecosystem was widely applied to boost crop water productivity in the semiarid regions of China. However, there is still limited information about the potentials for increased ecosystem carbon storage of this tillage method. The objective of this study was to quantify and contrast net carbon dioxide exchange, biomass accumulation and carbon budgets of maize (Zea maize L. fields under the traditional non-mulching with flat tillage (CK and partial plastic film mulching with furrow-ridge tillage (MFR on the China Loess Plateau. Half-hourly net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE of both treatments were synchronously measured with two eddy covariance systems during the growing seasons of 2011 through 2013. At same time green leaf area index (GLAI and biomass were also measured biweekly. Compared with CK, the warmer and wetter (+1.3°C and +4.3% top soil at MFR accelerated the rates of biomass accumulation, promoted greater green leaf area and thus shortened the growing seasons by an average value of 10.4 days for three years. MFR stimulated assimilation more than respiration during whole growing season, resulting in a higher carbon sequestration in terms of NEE of -79 gC/m2 than CK. However, after considering carbon in harvested grain (or aboveground biomass, there is a slight higher carbon sink (or a stronger carbon source in MFR due to its greater difference of aboveground biomass than that of grain between both treatments. These results demonstrate that partial plastic film mulched furrow-ridge tillage with aboveground biomass exclusive of grain returned to the soil is an effective way to enhance simultaneously carbon sequestration and grain yield of maize in the semiarid regions.

Nitrapyrin addition mitigates nitrous oxide emissions and raises nitrogen use efficiency in plastic-film-mulched drip-fertigated cotton field.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Liang, Yongchao; Chu, Guixin

2017-01-01

Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) have been used extensively to reduce nitrogen losses and increase crop nitrogen nutrition. However, information is still scant regarding the influence of NIs on nitrogen transformation, nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and nitrogen utilization in plastic-film-mulched calcareous soil under high frequency drip-fertigated condition. Therefore, a field trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrapyrin (2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl)-pyridine) on soil mineral nitrogen (N) transformation, N2O emission and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in a drip-fertigated cotton-growing calcareous field. Three treatments were established: control (no N fertilizer), urea (225 kg N ha-1) and urea+nitrapyrin (225 kg N ha-1+2.25 kg nitrapyrin ha-1). Compared with urea alone, urea plus nitrapyrin decreased the average N2O emission fluxes by 6.6-21.8% in June, July and August significantly in a drip-fertigation cycle. Urea application increased the seasonal cumulative N2O emission by 2.4 kg N ha-1 compared with control, and nitrapyrin addition significantly mitigated the seasonal N2O emission by 14.3% compared with urea only. During the main growing season, the average soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) concentration was 28.0% greater and soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) concentration was 13.8% less in the urea+nitrapyrin treatment than in the urea treatment. Soil NO3--N and water-filled pore space (WFPS) were more closely correlated than soil NH4+-N with soil N2O fluxes under drip-fertigated condition (Puse efficiency by 10.7%. The results demonstrated that nitrapyrin addition significantly inhibited soil nitrification and maintained more NH4+-N in soil, mitigated N2O losses and improved nitrogen use efficiency in plastic-film-mulched calcareous soil under high frequency drip-fertigated condition.

Plastic debris in the coastal environment: The invincible threat? Abundance of buried plastic debris on Malaysian beaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Fauziah, S H; Liyana, I A; Agamuthu, P

2015-09-01

Studies on marine debris have gained worldwide attention since many types of debris have found their way into the food chain of higher organisms. Thus, it is crucial that more focus is given to this area in order to curb contaminations in sea food. This study was conducted to quantify plastic debris buried in sand at selected beaches in Malaysia. Marine debris was identified according to size range and distribution, and this information was related to preventive actions to improve marine waste issues. For the purpose of this study, comparison of plastic waste abundance between a recreational beach and fish-landing beaches was also carried out, since the different beach types represent different activities that produce debris. Six beaches along the Malaysian coastline were selected for this study. The plastic types in this study were related to the functions of the beach. While recreational beaches have abundant quantities of plastic film, foamed plastic including polystyrene, and plastic fragment, fish-landing beaches accumulated line and foamed plastic. A total of 2542 pieces (265.30 g m(-2)) of small plastic debris were collected from all six beaches, with the highest number from Kuala Terengganu, at 879 items m(-2) on Seberang Takir Beach, followed by Batu Burok Beach with 780 items m(-2). Findings from studies of Malaysian beaches have provided a clearer understanding of the distribution of plastic debris. This demonstrates that commitments and actions, such as practices of the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' (3R) approach, supporting public awareness programmes and beach clean-up activities, are essential in order to reduce and prevent plastic debris pollution. © The Author(s) 2015.

Internal friction study of microplasticity of aluminum thin films on silicon substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishio, Y.; Tanahashi, K.; Asano, S. [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya (Japan)

1995-12-01

Internal friction in aluminum thin films 0.2 to 2.0 {mu}m thick on silicon substrates has been investigated between 180 and 360 K as a function of strain amplitude by means of a free-decay method of flexural vibration. According to the constitutive equation, the internal friction in the film alone can be evaluated separately from the data on the film/substrate composite. The amplitude-dependent part of internal friction in aluminum films is found in the strain range approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that for bulk aluminum. On the basis of the microplasticity theory, the amplitude-dependent internal friction can be converted into the plastic strain as a function of the effective stress on dislocation motion. The mechanical responses thus obtained for aluminum films show that the plastic strain of the order of 10-9 in creases nonlinearly with increasing stress. These curves tend to shift to a higher stress with decreasing film thickness and also with decreasing temperature, both indicating a suppression of the microplastic deformation. At all temperatures examined, the microflow stress at a constant level of the plastic strain varies inversely with the film thickness, which qualitatively agrees with the variation in macroscopic yield stress. 36 refs., 7 figs.

Transport of organic solutes through amorphous teflon AF films.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hong; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Nianqiang; Zhang, Xu; Crowley, Katie; Weber, Stephen G

2005-11-02

Fluorous media have great potential for selective extraction (e.g., as applied to organic synthesis). Fluorous polymer films would have significant advantages in fluorous separations. Stable films of Teflon AF 2400 were cast from solution. Films appear defect-free (SEM; AFM). Rigid aromatic solutes are transported (from chloroform solution to chloroform receiving phase) in a size-dependent manner (log permeability is proportional to -0.0067 times critical volume). Benzene's permeability is about 2 orders of magnitude higher than in comparable gas-phase experiments. The films show selectivity for fluorinated solutes in comparison to the hydrogen-containing control. Transport rates are dependent on the solvent making up the source and receiving phases. The effect of solvent is, interestingly, not due to changes in partition ratio, but rather it is due to changes in the solute diffusion coefficient in the film. Solvents plasticize the films. A less volatile compound, -COOH-terminated poly(hexafluoropropylene oxide) (4), plasticizes the films (T(g) = -40 degrees C). Permeabilities are decreased in comparison to 4-free films apparently because of decreased diffusivity of solutes. The slope of dependence of log permeability on critical volume is not changed, however.

Pyrolysis of plastic packaging waste: A comparison of plastic residuals from material recovery facilities with simulated plastic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adrados, A.; Marco, I. de; Caballero, B.M.; López, A.; Laresgoiti, M.F.; Torres, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Pyrolysis of plastic waste. ► Comparison of different samples: real waste, simulated and real waste + catalyst. ► Study of the effects of inorganic components in the pyrolysis products. - Abstract: Pyrolysis may be an alternative for the reclamation of rejected streams of waste from sorting plants where packing and packaging plastic waste is separated and classified. These rejected streams consist of many different materials (e.g., polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), aluminum, tetra-brik, and film) for which an attempt at complete separation is not technically possible or economically viable, and they are typically sent to landfills or incinerators. For this study, a simulated plastic mixture and a real waste sample from a sorting plant were pyrolyzed using a non-stirred semi-batch reactor. Red mud, a byproduct of the aluminum industry, was used as a catalyst. Despite the fact that the samples had a similar volume of material, there were noteworthy differences in the pyrolysis yields. The real waste sample resulted, after pyrolysis, in higher gas and solid yields and consequently produced less liquid. There were also significant differences noted in the compositions of the compared pyrolysis products.

Plastic ingestion by a generalist seabird on the coast of Uruguay.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenzi, Javier; Burgues, María Fernanda; Carrizo, Daniel; Machín, Emanuel; Teixeira-de Mello, Franco

2016-06-15

We analyzed plastic ingestion by Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) from 806 pellets collected between 2011 and 2013. Employing a Raman spectroscopy, we characterized those polymers used to produce the plastics ingested. Debris was recorded in 143 pellets (%FO=17.7%, n=202, 92.58g). Plastic was found in 119 pellets (%FO=83%) and non-plastic occurred in 56 pellets (%FO=39%). The most important debris category was plastic film with 55.3% (n=79). Plastic bags were observed in 19 pellets (%FO=2.4%, weight=25.02g). Glass was the second most important component (%FO=18.9%) followed by plastic fragments (%FO=17.8%). Plastic debris represented the 65.3% of the debris fragments (n=132, weight=58.84g), and was composed by polyethylene (52%), polypropylene (26%), polyamide (12%), polystyrene (6%), polyvinyl chloride (2%), and polyethylene terephthalate (2%). How plastics were obtained by gulls and the effects on individuals are discussed, as well as environmental considerations about plastic pollution on coastal environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microclimatic changes caused by different plastic coverings in greenhouses cultivated with cherry tomato in southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ester Holcman

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In regions with intense solar radiation it is common the use of aluminated covers in greenhouses, with the aim of reducing the inside temperature. However, the use of these covers reduces photosynthetic active radiation (PAR transmitted into the greenhouse. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of different covers on microclimate in greenhouses cultivated with cherry tomato during three growing seasons. The environment I was covered with plastic film anti-UV and with thermo-reflective screen (40% disposed internally. The environment II was covered with diffusive plastic film (55%. The transmitted solar radiation to the interior of covered environments was, on average, 5.5 MJ m-2 day-1 in the environment I and 8.2 MJ m-2 day-1 in environment II. The air temperature in environment II was, on average, 1°C higher than external conditions. The highest difference for the relative humidity (RH was also observed between environment II and the outside conditions, with 10.7% for the minimum RH during the first growing period. Considering all growing periods, the diffusive plastic film provided higher solar energy availability inside the greenhouse than the plastic film with thermo-reflective screen, without causing major changes in air temperature and relative humidity, and promoting greater productivity of tomato grown under this environment for the three periods evaluated.

Incidence and Identification of Root-Knot Nematode in Plastic-House Fields of Central Area of Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyoung Rai Ko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available To investigate occurrence of root-knot nematode (RKN in plastic house of central area of Korea, 132 soil samples were collected in cucumber, water melon, tomato, red pepper and strawberry fields from 2013 to 2015. Among 132 soil samples, 65 soil samples (49% were infested with RKN and mean density of RKN was 178 second-stage juveniles per 100 cm³ soil (min. 1 ~ max. 3,947. The frequency of RKN by regional was the highest in Chuncheon with 80%, followed by Cheonan (68%, Nonsan (36%, Buyeo (33% and Yesan (30%. The frequency of RKN by crops was the highest in tomato with 83%, followed by cucumber (61%, strawberry (41%, red pepper (30%, watermelon (26%. To identify the species of RKN, fifteen populations were selected for representative populations. As a phylogenetic analysis of 15 populations, southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita, peanut root-knot nematode (M. arenaria and northern root-knot nematode (M. hapla were identified with 47%, 20% and 33% ratio, respectively. In crops, M. incognita, M. arenaria and M. hapla were detected in tomato, M. incognita and M. arenaria were detected in cucumber and watermelon, and M. hapla was detected in strawberry and lettuce. Thus, there should be a continuous management to major species of each crops to prevent dispersal of RKN damages.

Microbial Enzymatic Degradation of Biodegradable Plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roohi; Bano, Kulsoom; Kuddus, Mohammed; Zaheer, Mohammed R; Zia, Qamar; Khan, Mohammed F; Ashraf, Ghulam Md; Gupta, Anamika; Aliev, Gjumrakch

2017-01-01

The renewable feedstock derived biodegradable plastics are important in various industries such as packaging, agricultural, paper coating, garbage bags and biomedical implants. The increasing water and waste pollution due to the available decomposition methods of plastic degradation have led to the emergence of biodegradable plastics and biological degradation with microbial (bacteria and fungi) extracellular enzymes. The microbes utilize biodegradable polymers as the substrate under starvation and in unavailability of microbial nutrients. Microbial enzymatic degradation is suitable from bioremediation point of view as no waste accumulation occurs. It is important to understand the microbial interaction and mechanism involved in the enzymatic degradation of biodegradable plastics under the influence of several environmental factors such as applied pH, thermo-stability, substrate molecular weight and/or complexity. To study the surface erosion of polymer film is another approach for hydrolytic degradation characteristion. The degradation of biopolymer is associated with the production of low molecular weight monomer and generation of carbon dioxide, methane and water molecule. This review reported the degradation study of various existing biodegradable plastics along with the potent degrading microbes (bacteria and fungi). Patents available on plastic biodegradation with biotechnological significance is also summarized in this paper. This paper assesses that new disposal technique should be adopted for the degradation of polymers and further research is required for the economical production of biodegradable plastics along with their enzymatic degradation. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

The strength limits of ultra-thin copper films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiederhirn, Guillaume

2007-07-02

Elucidating size effects in ultra-thin films is essential to ensure the performance and reliability of MEMS and electronic devices. In this dissertation, the influence of a capping layer on the mechanical behavior of copper (Cu) films was analyzed. Passivation is expected to shut down surface diffusion and thus to alter the contributions of dislocation- and diffusion-based plasticity in thin films. Experiments were carried out on 25 nm to 2 {mu}m thick Cu films magnetron-sputtered onto amorphous-silicon nitride coated silicon (111) substrates. These films were capped with 10 nm of aluminum oxide or silicon nitride passivation without breaking vacuum either directly after Cu deposition or after a 500 C anneal. The evolution of thermal stresses in these films was investigated mainly by the substrate curvature method between -160 C and 500 C. Negligible differences were detected for the silicon nitride vs. the aluminum oxide passivated Cu films. The processing parameters associated with the passivation deposition also had no noticeable effect on the stress-temperature behavior of the Cu. However, the thermomechanical behavior of passivated Cu films strongly depended on the Cu film thickness. For films in the micrometer range, the influence of the passivation layer was not significant, which suggests that the Cu deformed mainly by dislocation plasticity. However, diffusional creep plays an increasing role with decreasing film thickness since it becomes increasingly difficult to nucleate dislocations in smaller grains. Size effects were investigated by plotting the stress at room temperature after thermal cycling as a function of the inverse film thickness. Between 2 {mu}m and 200 nm, the room temperature stress was inversely proportional to the film thickness. The passivation exerted a strong effect on Cu films thinner than 100 nm by effectively shutting down surface diffusion mechanisms. Since dislocation processes were also shut off in these ultra-thin films, they

Patterning of metallic electrodes on flexible substrates for organic thin-film transistors using a laser thermal printing method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Kun-Tso; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Ho, Jeng-Rong; Chen, Chih-Kant; Liu, Sung-Ho; Liao, Jin-Long; Cheng, Hua-Chi

2011-01-01

We report on a laser thermal printing method for transferring patterned metallic thin films on flexible plastic substrates using a pulsed CO 2 laser. Aluminium and silver line patterns, with micrometre scale resolution on poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrates, are shown. The printed electrodes demonstrate good conductivity and fulfil the properties for bottom-contact organic thin-film transistors. In addition to providing the energy for transferring the film, the absorption of laser light results in a rise in the temperature of the film and the substrate. This also further anneals the film and softens the plastic substrate. Consequently, it is possible to obtain a film with better surface morphology and with its film thickness implanted in part into the plastic surface. This implantation reveals excellent characteristics in adhesion and flexure resistance. Being feasible to various substrates and executable at ambient temperatures renders this approach a potential alternative for patterning metallic electrodes.

Physical and Degradable Properties of Mulching Films Prepared from Natural Fibers and Biodegradable Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhijian Tan

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The use of plastic film in agriculture has the serious drawback of producing vast quantities of waste. In this work, films were prepared from natural fibers and biodegradable polymers as potential substitutes for the conventional non-biodegradable plastic film used as mulching material in agricultural production. The physical properties (e.g., mechanical properties, heat preservation, water permeability, and photopermeability and degradation characteristics (evaluated by micro-organic culture testing and soil burial testing of the films were studied in both laboratory and field tests. The experimental results indicated that these fiber/polymer films exhibited favorable physical properties that were sufficient for use in mulching film applications. Moreover, the degradation degree of the three tested films decreased in the following order: fiber/starch (ST film > fiber/poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA film > fiber/polyacrylate (PA film. The fiber/starch and fiber/PVA films were made from completely biodegradable materials and demonstrated the potential to substitute non-biodegradable films.

Precipitation alters plastic film mulching impacts on soil respiration in an arid area of northwest China

Science.gov (United States)

Ming, Guanghui; Hu, Hongchang; Tian, Fuqiang; Peng, Zhenyang; Yang, Pengju; Luo, Yiqi

2018-05-01

Plastic film mulching (PFM) has widely been used around the world to save water and improve crop yield. However, the effect of PFM on soil respiration (Rs) remains unclear and could be further confounded by irrigation and precipitation. To address these topics, controlled experiments were conducted in mulched and non-mulched fields under drip irrigation from 2014 to 2016 in an arid area of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China. The spatio-temporal pattern of soil surface CO2 flux as an index of soil respiration under drip irrigation with PFM was investigated, and the confounded effects of PFM and irrigation/precipitation on soil respiration were explored. The main findings were as follows. (1) Furrows, planting holes, and plastic mulch are three important pathways of soil CO2 emissions in mulched fields, of which the planting hole efflux outweighs that from the furrow, with the largest values of 8.0 and 6.6 µmol m-2 s-1, respectively, and the plastic mulch itself can emit up to 3.6 µmol m-2 s-1 of CO2. (2) The frequent application of water (i.e. through irrigation and precipitation) elevates soil moisture and soil respiration and enhances their variation. The resultant higher variation of soil moisture further alleviates the sensitivity of soil respiration to soil temperature, leading to a weak correlation and lower Q10 values. (3) Soil CO2 effluxes from furrows and ridges in mulched fields outweigh the corresponding values in non-mulched fields in arid areas. However, this outweighing relation attenuates with increasing precipitation. Furthermore, by combining our results with those from the literature, we show that the difference in soil CO2 effluxes between non-mulched and mulched fields presents a linear relation with the amount of precipitation, which results in negative values in arid areas and positive values in humid areas. Therefore, whether PFM increases soil respiration or not depends on the amount of precipitation during the crop

SU-E-T-746: The Use of Radiochromic Film Analyzed with Three Channel Dosimetry as a Secondary Patient-Specific QA Tool for Small SBRT Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadsell, M; Holcombe, C; Chin, E; Hsu, A

2015-01-01

Introduction: As diagnostic techniques become more sensitive and targeting methods grow in accuracy, target volumes continue to shrink and SBRT becomes more prevalent. Due to this fact, patient-specific QA must also enhance resolution and accuracy in order to verify dose delivery in these volumes. It has been suggested that when measuring small fields at least two separate detectors be used to verify delivered dose. Therefore, we have instituted a secondary patient QA verification for small (<3cm) SBRT fields using Gafchromic EBT2 film. Methods: Films were cross-calibrated using a Farmer chamber in plastic water at reference conditions as defined by TG-51. Films were scanned, and an RGB calibration curve was created according to best practices published by Ashland, Inc. Four SBRT cases were evaluated both with the Scandidos Delta4 and with EBT2 films sandwiched in plastic water. Raw values obtained from the film were converted to dose using an in-house algorithm employing all three color channels to increase accuracy and dosimetric range. Gamma and dose profile comparisons to Eclipse dose calculations were obtained using RIT and compared to values obtained with the Delta4. Results: Film gamma pass rates at 2% and 2mm were similar to those obtained with the Delta4. However, dose difference histograms showed better absolute dose agreement, with the average mean film dose agreeing with calculation to 0.3% and the Delta4 only agreeing to 3.1% across the cases. Additionally, films provided more resolution than the Delta4 and thus their dose profiles better succeeded in diagnosing dose calculation inaccuracies. Conclusion: We believe that the implementation of secondary patient QA using EBT2 film analyzed with all three color channels is an invaluable tool for evaluation of small SBRT fields. Furthermore, we have shown that this method can sometimes provide a more detailed and faithful reproduction of plan dose than the Delta4

Wet etching rates of InGaZnO for the fabrication of transparent thin-film transistors on plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Chang, Chienliu; Shih, Wen-Pin; Dai, Ching-Liang

2010-01-01

The wet etch process for amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO or a-InGaZnO) by using various etchants is reported. The etch rates of a-IGZO, compared to another indium-based oxides including indium gallium oxide (IGO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), and indium tin oxide (ITO), are measured by using acetic acid, citric acid, hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, and aqua ammonia as etchants, respectively. In our experimental results, the etch rate of the transparent oxide semiconductor (TOS) films by using acid solutions ranked accordingly from high to low are IZO, IGZO, IGO and ITO. Comparatively, the etch rate of the TOS films by using alkaline ammonia solution ranked from high to low are IGZO, IZO, IGO and ITO, in that order. Using the proposed wet etching process with high etch selectivity, bottom-gate-type thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on a-IGZO channels and Y 2 O 3 gate-insulators were fabricated by radio-frequency sputtering on plastic substrates. The wet etch processed TFT with 30 μm gate length and 120 μm gate width exhibits a saturation mobility of 46.25 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , a threshold voltage of 1.3 V, a drain current on-off ratio > 10 6 , and subthreshold gate voltage swing of 0.29 V decade -1 . The performance of the TFTs ensures the applicability of the wet etching process for IGZO to electronic devices on organic polymer substrates.

The sigma-1 receptor enhances brain plasticity and functional recovery after experimental stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruscher, Karsten; Shamloo, Mehrdad; Rickhag, Karl Mattias

2011-01-01

Stroke leads to brain damage with subsequent slow and incomplete recovery of lost brain functions. Enriched housing of stroke-injured rats provides multi-modal sensorimotor stimulation, which improves recovery, although the specific mechanisms involved have not been identified. In rats housed in ...... of biomolecules required for brain repair, thereby stimulating brain plasticity. Pharmacological targeting of the sigma-1 receptor provides new opportunities for stroke treatment beyond the therapeutic window of neuroprotection....

Coatings and Biodegradable and Bioabsorbable Films

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thames, Shelby F; Rawlins, James W

2006-01-01

.... Specifically focusing on the plasticizing effects of vegetable oil macromonomers as incorporated into emulsion polymers for efficient almost zero VOC film formation and the additional benefit of auto...

Coatings and Biodegradable and Bioasorbable Films

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thames, Shelby F; Rawlins, James W

2006-01-01

.... Specifically focusing on the plasticizing effects of vegetable oil macromonomers as incorporated into emulsion polymers for efficient almost zero VOC film formation and the additional benefit of auto...

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2009-01-01

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

Substrate effects on the characteristics of (In2O3)1-x (ZnO)x films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J. M.; Kim, J. J.; Kim, H. M.; Kim, J. H.; Ryu, S. W.; Park, S. H.; Ahn, J. S.

2006-01-01

The electrical and the optical properties of (In 2 O 3 ) 1-x (ZnO) x (IZO) films deposited by the rf magnetron sputtering on plastic substrates, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly carbonate (PC), were investigated. The results are compared with those of IZO films deposited on a conventional coring glass (CG) substrate. The average transmittance of the IZO films deposited on plastic substrates is over 80 %, irrespective of the substrate, which is comparable to that of IZO films deposited on CG substrates. IZO films deposited on PC or PET substrates show larger resistivities than those deposited on CG substrates. This may be attributed to the fact that compositions, such as H 2 O or the organic solvent contained in the plastic substrates, are adsorbed into the IZO layer during sputtering. The surface resistance of the IZO films is nearly independent of the substrate and decreases with increasing deposition time. Compared to the IZO films deposited on PET substrates without hard coatings, those deposited on PET substrates with hard coatings show superior electrical stability for thermal environments.

Studies on performance evaluation of a green plasticizer made by enzymatic esterification of furfuryl alcohol and castor oil fatty acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Sohini; Ghosh, Mahua

2017-02-10

The esterification of furfuryl alcohol (FA) and castor oil fatty acid (COFA) at 3:1 molar ratio, by immobilized Candida antarctica Lipase B (NS 435 from Novozyme) in a solvent free system gave a maximum yield of 88.64% (%w/w) at 5h. Performance of the FA-COFA ester plasticized Ethyl Cellulose (EC) films were evaluated by surface morphologies, XRD analysis, mechanical properties,thermal properties, water vapor permeability and migration stability test. It was an effective plasticizer with better mechanical properties and thermal stability at the increasing concentration of FA-COFA ester (15-25%) containing EC film, than the traditional plasticizer, i.e; dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in producing good quality films. Chemical structure and the intermolecular interactions between FA-COFA ester and ethyl cellulose chains were the causative agents of these outstanding performances. Therefore, this FA-COFA ester, with significant plasticizing property, at a certain concentration, can be a substitute of DBP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atomic force microscopy indentation of fluorocarbon thin films fabricated by plasma enhanced chemical deposition at low radio frequency power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirghi, L.; Ruiz, A.; Colpo, P.; Rossi, F.

2009-01-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation technique is used for characterization of mechanical properties of fluorocarbon (CF x ) thin films obtained from C 4 F 8 gas by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition at low r.f. power (5-30 W) and d.c. bias potential (10-80 V). This particular deposition method renders films with good hydrophobic property and high plastic compliance. Commercially available AFM probes with stiff cantilevers (10-20 N/m) and silicon sharpened tips (tip radius < 10 nm) are used for indentations and imaging of the resulted indentation imprints. Force depth curves and imprint characteristics are used for determination of film hardness, elasticity modulus and plasticity index. The measurements show that the decrease of the discharge power results in deposition of films with decreased hardness and stiffness and increased plasticity index. Nanolithography based on AFM indentation is demonstrated on thin films (thickness of 40 nm) with good plastic compliance.

Global plastic surgeons images depicted in motion pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Se Jin; Park, Sowhey; Hwang, Kun

2013-03-01

Motion pictures are made to entertain and enlighten people, but they are viewed differently by different people. What one considers to be a tearjerker may induce giggles in another. We have gained added interest in this because our professional pictures contain plastic surgery in their venue. We have recently reviewed 21 motion pictures that were made from 1928 to 2006 and that includes plastic surgical procedures in their content. As a habit, we tried to analyze them from a surgical point of view. About one third (35.7%) of the patients were criminals, whereas 14.3% of them were spies. One third of the procedures were done by illegitimate "surgeons," whereas a quarter of the procedures (25%) were performed by renowned surgeons. Surgeons who were in love with the patients did the rest (25%) of the operations. The complication rate was 14.3%; the surgery was successful in 85.7% of cases, but were the patients happy with the results? This was not the case in the movies. Only 7.7% were happy; 14.5 % of them were eminently unhappy. Why the discrepancy? It is difficult to analyze the minds of the people in the film, but considering that the majority of the characters in the films were rather unsavory, one may deduce that a crooked mind functions differently. Motion pictures have advanced greatly in the past several decades with the advent of improved mechanical and electronic devices, and plastic surgery as also advanced in tandem. This surgical field has become a common procedure in our daily life. It is readily available and mostly painless. However, the public sees it in only one way, that is, that the performing physicians are highly compensated. Very few consider the efforts and the suffering that accompanies each and every surgical procedure as it is performed. Perhaps, it is too much to hope for a day that will come when we will see a film that portrays the mental anguish that accompanies each and every procedure the plastic surgeon makes.

Resistance to moist conditions of whey protein isolate and pea starch biodegradable films and low density polyethylene nondegradable films: a comparative study

Science.gov (United States)

Mehyar, G. F.; Bawab, A. Al

2015-10-01

Biodegradable packaging materials are degraded under the natural environmental conditions. Therefore using them could alleviate the problem of plastics accumulation in nature. For effective replacement of plastics, with biodegradable materials, biodegradable packages should keep their properties under the high relative humidity (RH) conditions. Therefore the objectives of the study were to develop biodegradable packaging material based on whey protein isolate (WPI) and pea starch (PS). To study their mechanical, oxygen barrier and solubility properties under different RHs compared with those of low density polyethylene (LDPE), the most used plastic in packaging. Films of WPI and PS were prepared separately and conditioned at different RH (30-90%) then their properties were studied. At low RHs ( 40% RH. Oxygen permeability of WPI and LDPE did not adversely affected by increasing RH to 65%. Furthermore, WPI and LDPE films had lower degree of hydration at 50% and 90% RH and total soluble matter than PS films. These results suggest that WPI could be successfully replacing LDPE in packaging of moist products.

GREENHOUSE PLASTIC FILMS CAPABLE OF MODIFYING THE SPECTRAL DISTRIBUTION OF SOLAR RADIATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evelia Schettini

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to investigate the radiometric properties of innovative covering films for protected cultivation capable of modifying the spectral distribution of the transmitted radiation and thus the vegetative activity. Two photoselective films, three photoluminescent films and one low-density polyethylene film were used as greenhouse coverings for cherry trees and peach trees, grown in pots. The photoselective films were characterised by a reduction of the R/FR ratio in comparison to the natural solar radiation. Tree growth parameters, such as the apical shoot of cherry trees and the shoot of peach trees, were monitored. Different responses to vegetative activities were observed under the films, depending on the species, with a higher shoots growth rate in the peach with respect to the cherry. The photoselective film characterised by the lowest R/FR ratio significantly enhanced the growth of cherry and peach trees in comparison to the trees cultivated under the other greenhouse films

Ftir study of gamma irradiation LDPE film in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moura, Esperidiana A.B.; Silva, Andre L.A.; Gouvea, Paulo H.D.; Silva, Leonardo G. Andrade e; Gouvea, Douglas; Castro, Ricardo H.R.; Wiebeck, Helio; Kawano, Yoshio

2003-01-01

The use of the ionizing radiation for application in plastic packaging, to improve some of properties and for radiation sterilization, has been gaining popularity in the packaging industry. As a consequence of the irradiation, plastic packaging materials can undergo some chemical and physical alterations in their basic function, mainly concerning the protection characteristics. Since changes in physical properties of irradiated packaging films reflect radiation-induced chemical changes in molecular structure, in this work, an investigation was performed by Ftir analysis of LDPE film before and after radiation. Film samples were irradiated with doses between 0 Gy and 100 kGy, at room temperature and in the presence of air. The results showed alterations in the molecular structure, according to the absorbed radiation dose. (author)

Stress evolution in elastic-plastic electrodes during electrochemical processes: A numerical method and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jici; Wei, Yujie; Cheng, Yang-Tse

2018-07-01

Monitoring in real time the stress state in high capacity electrodes during charge-discharge processes is pivotal to the performance assessment and structural optimization of advanced batteries. The wafer curvature measurement technique broadly employed in thin-film industry, together with stress analysis using the Stoney equation, has been successfully adopted to measure in situ the stress in thin film electrodes. How large plastic deformation or interfacial delamination during electrochemical cycles in such electrodes affects the applicability of Stoney equation remains unclear. Here we develop a robust electrochemical-mechanical coupled numerical procedure to investigate the influence of large plastic deformation and interfacial failure on the measured stress in thin film electrodes. We identify how the constitutive behavior of electrode materials and film-substrate interfacial properties affect the measured stress-capacity curves of electrodes, and hence establish the relationship of electrode material parameters with the characteristics of stress-capacity curves. Using Li-ions batteries as examples, we show that plastic deformation and interfacial delamination account for the asymmetric stress-capacity loops seen in in situ stress measurements. The methods used here, along with the finite-element code in the supplementary material, may be used to model the electrode behavior as a function of the state of charge.

How Do Organic Vapors Swell Ultra-Thin PIM-1 Films?

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech

2017-06-22

Dynamic sorption of ethanol and toluene vapor into ultra-thin supported PIM-1 films down to 6 nm are studied with a combination of in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and in-situ X-ray reflectivity. Both ethanol and toluene significantly swell the PIM-1 matrix and, at the same time, induce persistent structural relaxations of the frozen-in glassy PIM-1 morphology. For ethanol below 20 nm three effects were identified. First, the swelling magnitude at high vapor pressures is reduced by about 30% as compared to thicker films. Second, at low penetrant activities (below 0.3 p/p0) films below 20 nm are able to absorb slightly more penetrant as compared with thicker films despite similar swelling magnitude. Third, for the ultra-thin films the onset of the dynamic penetrant-induced glass transition Pg has been found to shift to higher values indicating higher resistance to plasticization. All of these effects are consistent with a view where immobilization of the super-glassy PIM-1 at the substrate surface leads to an arrested, even more rigid and plasticization-resistant, yet still very open, microporous structure. PIM-1 in contact with the larger and more condensable toluene shows very complex, heterogeneous swelling dynamics and two distinct penetrant-induced relaxation phenomena, probably associated with the film outer surface and the bulk, are detected. Following the direction of the penetrant\\'s diffusion the surface seems to plasticize earlier than the bulk and the two relaxations remain well separated down to 6 nm film thickness, where they remarkably merge to form just a single relaxation.

Plastics additives in the indoor environment-flame retardants and plasticizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wensing, M.; Uhde, E.; Salthammer, T.

2005-01-01

Phthalic acid esters and phosphororganic compounds (POC) are generally known as semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and are frequently utilized as plasticizers and flame retardants in commercial products. In the indoor environment, both compound groups are released from a number of sources under normal living conditions and accumulate in air and dust. Therefore, inhalation of air and ingestion of house dust have to be considered as important pathways for the assessment of exposure in living habitats. Especially in the case of very young children, the oral and dermal uptake from house dust might be of relevance for risk assessment. A critical evaluation of indoor exposure to phthalates and POC requires the determination of the target compounds in indoor air and house dust as well as emission studies. The latter are usually carried out under controlled conditions in emission test chambers or cells. Furthermore, chamber testing enables the determination of condensable compounds by fogging sampling. In the case of automobiles, specific scenarios have been developed to study material emissions on a test stand or to evaluate the exposure of users while the vehicle is driving. In this review, results from several studies are summarized and compared for seven phthalic esters and eight POC. The available data for room air and dust differ widely depending on investigated compound and compartment. Room air studies mostly include only a limited number of measurements, which makes a statistical evaluation difficult. The situation is much better for house dust measurements. However, the composition of house dust is very inhomogeneous and the result is strongly dependent on the particle size distribution used for analysis. Results of emission studies are presented for building products, electronic equipment, and automobiles. Daily rates for inhalation and dust ingestion of phthalic esters and POC were calculated from 95-percentiles or maximum values. A comparison of the data

TEM study of the indentation behaviour of thin Au film on GaAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patriarche, G.; Le Bourhis, E.; Faurie, D.; Renault, P.O.

2004-01-01

Au films of 8.9 nm thickness have been sputter deposited onto a (001) GaAs substrate at room temperature. An average grain size of 10 nm and no texture were obtained. Subsequent, nanoindentation tests were performed on the coated specimens and the mechanical response was compared to that of a bulk GaAs sample with the same crystallographic orientation. Furthermore, the loading-unloading curves were analysed in view of transmission electron microscopy plan-view images obtained on the deformed substrate-film specimens and compared to results previously reported in the literature for bulk sample. Constrained plasticity of the films was observed to occur for residual depth to thickness ratio below 0.67. Further, plastic deformation of the substrate happened on coated specimens at loads less than those required to plastically deform bare substrate

PEMBUATAN DAN KAJIAN SIFAT-SIFAT FISIKOKIMIA, MEKANIKAL, DAN FUNGSIONAL EDIBLE FILM DARI KITOSAN UDANG WINDU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irwan Sofia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This research aims to develop bioplastic as primary packaging or edible film of chitosan biopolymer derived from tiger prawn shells (Penaeus monodon, and to perform physicochemical and mechanical characteristics. An evaluation of the physicochemical properties of plastic films made from chitosan, by modifying the order of the different treatment processes, namely: a DPMA (deproteination, demineralization, deacetylation, b DMKA (demineralization, decoloration, and deacetylation has conducted. The results of scanning FT-IR of the product shows that chitosan has identical spectrum compare of standard compound. Chitosan product from tiger prawn shells was the used as raw material for the manufacture of bioplastics. Experiments variable on the manufacture of edible film is a study of the effect of the use of different plasticizers (glycerol and sorbitol and carboxylmethylcelullose (CMC additives to the physicochemical, mechanical characteristics, and edible film functional. The results showed that all the edible film produced has a clear coat with a thickness between 0.05 to 0.3 mm. Meanwhile, the film density is highest at the DPMA + chitosan edible film sorbitol + CMC with a value of 1.7300 g/cm3. The use of plasticizer sorbitol provides great tensile strength but not too elastic, compared to the glycerol, while an increase in the average CMC can increase tensile strength and %Elongation. The use of different plasticizers and additives CMC does not significantly affect its functional properties, where the value of WVTR (water vapor transmission rate is relatively the same on both types of edible films, ranging from 3.2409 to 4.8858 g /hr.m2.

Physical Evaluation of PVA/Chitosan Film Blends with Glycerine and Calcium Chloride

Science.gov (United States)

Nugraheni, A. D.; Purnawati, D.; Kusumaatmaja, A.

2018-04-01

PVA/chitosan film has been fabricated by using drop casting method. PVA/chitosan film is produced by dissolving 2% (w/v) PVA solution and 2% (w/v) chitosan solution. PVA/chitosan film is produced with weight ratio variation (w/w) 100/0, 75/25, 50/50 and 0/100. The film is fabricated using drop casting method in Petry dish with diameter 11 cm at room temperature and RH 50%–60% during seven days. The mechanical properties were characterized by using Universal Technical Machine (UTM) and UV-Vis to understand the physical properties of weight ratio (w/w) of PVA/Chitosan film by addition of plasticizer and calcium chloride. The film thickness tends to decrease with PVA content. The addition of chitosan will increase film thickness, and it will decrease swelling index, elongation (%), and transmittance of UV rays. The additions of plasticizer to PVA/Chitosan film will increase film thickness and elongation (%), and it will decrease swelling index, tensile strength and transmittance of UV rays. The crosslink of PVA/Chitosan film with calcium chloride will decrease film thickness, swelling index, elongation (%) and transmittance of UV rays, and increase tensile strength.

Impact of plastic mulching on nitrous oxide emissions in China's arid agricultural region under climate change conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yongxiang; Tao, Hui; Jia, Hongtao; Zhao, Chengyi

2017-06-01

The denitrification-decomposition (DNDC) model is a useful tool for integrating the effects of agricultural practices and climate change on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural ecosystems. In this study, the DNDC model was evaluated against observations and used to simulate the effect of plastic mulching on soil N2O emissions and crop growth. The DNDC model performed well in simulating temporal variations in N2O emissions and plant growth during the observation period, although it slightly underestimated the cumulative N2O emissions, and was able to simulate the effects of plastic mulching on N2O emissions and crop yield. Both the observations and simulations demonstrated that the application of plastic film increased cumulative N2O emissions and cotton lint yield compared with the non-mulched treatment. The sensitivity test showed that the N2O emissions and lint yield were sensitive to changes in climate and management practices, and the application of plastic film made the N2O emissions and lint yield less sensitive to changes in temperature and irrigation. Although the simulations showed that the beneficial impacts of plastic mulching on N2O emissions were not gained under high fertilizer and irrigation scenarios, our simulations suggest that the application of plastic film effectively reduced soil N2O emissions while promoting yields under suitable fertilizer rates and irrigation. Compared with the baseline scenario, future climate change significantly increased N2O emissions by 15-17% without significantly influencing the lint yields in the non-mulched treatment; in the mulched treatment, climate change significantly promoted the lint yield by 5-6% and significantly reduced N2O emissions by 14% in the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Overall, our results demonstrate that the application of plastic film is an efficient way to address increased N2O emissions and simultaneously enhance crop yield in the future.

The Size Spectrum as Tool for Analyzing Marine Plastic Pollution

KAUST Repository

Martí , E.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Có zar, A.

2016-01-01

to abundance, color (129 tons), polymer type, and category (rigid fragments, films, threads, foam, pellets, and microbeads). Using GPSS database, we show for instance the dependence of plastic composition on the item size, with high diversity of categories

Migration of dioctyladipate plasticizer from food-grade PVC film into chicken meat products: effect of gamma-radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goulas, A.E.; Kontominas, M.G.

1996-01-01

Food-grade PVC film containing 28.3% dioctyladipate (DOA) plasticizer was used to wrap chicken meat samples, with and without skin, contained in a polystyrene tray. Samples were then irradiated with gamma-radiation [60Co] at doses equal to 4 kGy and 9 kGy corresponding to ''cold pasteurization''. Irraddiation was carried out at 8-10 degrees C and samples were subsequently stored at 4-5 degrees C. Contaminated chicken meat samples were analysed for DOA at intervals between 7 h and 240 h of contact, using an indirect GC method. Identical non-irradiated (control) samples were also analysed for their DOA content. Results showed no statistically significant differences in migrated amounts of DOA between irradiated and non-irradiated samples. Neither were differences observed between samples irradiated at 4 kGy and 9 kGy. This was supported by identical IR spectra recorded for irradiated and non-irradiated samples and leads to the conclusion that, at such intermediate radiation doses ( < or = kGy), the migration characteristics of PVC film are not affected. DOA migration was found to be time dependent, approaching equilibrium after approximately 170 h for the chicken flesh plus skin samples and 120 h for the chicken flesh samples. The amount of DOA migrated into chicken flesh plus skin samples was significantly greater (3.2-22.3 mg/dm2) than that for chicken flesh samples (0.9-8.9 mg/dm2). After 240 h of sample/film contact under refrigeration, loss of DOA was approximately 35.6% for chicken flesh plus skin samples and 14.3% for chicken flesh samples. Sample spoilage, as demonstrated by off-odour development, occurred after approximately 120 h of refrigerated storage. Diffusion coefficients for DOA were calculated and were found to be lower for chicken flesh (1 x 10(-13) than for flesh plus skin (4.4 x 10(-13)) samples

Projecting Homes: Domestic Spaces in Three Filipino Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tito R. Quiling Jr.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The house is a fundamental space for a character’s consciousness, and this structure is a familiar image in Filipino f ilms. This particular space as a setting in which the narrative and the characters are able to move in, is essential. This paper analyzes the influence of domestic spaces and the characteristics of home, which correspond to the characters’ consciousness and the narrative. These are presented in the selected films: Oro, Plata, Mata (1982 by Peque Gallaga, “Hellow, Soldier,” the second episode in Lino Brocka’s Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa (1975, and Kisapmata (1981 by Mike De Leon. The method for assessment consists of three parts: (1 the background in which the films are set, (2 the influence of the house using Gaston Bachelard’s notion of the house in The Poetics of Space (1994 as a framework, (3 and the behavior of the characters as portrayed in the films. The significance of domestic spaces to a character’s experience is illustrated in the selected texts.

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for the fast identification of PVC-based films.

Science.gov (United States)

Laasonen, M; Rantanen, J; Harmia-Pulkkinen, T; Michiels, E; Hiltunen, R; Räsänen, M; Vuorela, H

2001-07-01

Near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy was used to develop a non-destructive and rapid qualitative method for the analysis of plastic films used by the pharmaceutical industry for blistering. Three types of films were investigated: 250 microm PVC [poly(vinyl chloride)] films, 250 microm PVC films coated with 40 g m(-2) of PVDC [poly(vinylidene dichloride)] and 250 microm PVC films coated with 5 g m(-2) of TE (Thermoelast) and 90 g m(-2) of PVDC. Three analyses were carried out using different pre-treatment options and a PLS (partial least squares) algorithm. Each analysis was aimed at identifying one type of film and rejecting all types of false sample (different thickness, colour or layer). True and false samples from four plastics manufacturers were included in the calibration sets in order to obtain robust methods that were suitable regardless of the supplier. Specificity was demonstrated by testing validation sets against the methods. The tests showed 0% of type I (false negative identification) and 1% of type II errors (false positive identification) for the PVC method, 13 and 3%, respectively, for the PVC-PVDC method and no error for the PVC-TE-PVDC method. Type II errors, mostly due to the slight sensitivity of the methods to film thickness, are easily corrected by simple thickness measurements. This study demonstrates that NIR spectroscopy is an excellent tool for the identification of PVC-based films. The three methods can be used by the pharmaceutical industry or plastics manufacturers for the quality control of films used in blister packaging.

Filmes de amidos de mandioca modificados para recobrimento e conservação de uvas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suellen Laís Vicentino

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In this article, films were produced with six types of cassava's starch mixed with gelatin and plasticized with sorbitol. These films were used in covering of grapes 'Benitaka' (Vitis vinifera L. as biodegradable packaging. The acetylated starch film showed the best results in solubility, thickness and homogeneity, besides the less water loss the fruit, resulting in better coverage, increasing the shelf life fruits in 12 days. These results demonstrate the great potential of using films in food conservation, adding value to agricultural activity and helping to reduce non-biodegradable plastics in the environment.

Film Sensor Device Fabricated by a Piezoelectric Poly(L-lactic acid) Film

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, Masamichi; Kawamura, Hideki; Kageyama, Keisuke; Tajitsu, Yoshiro

2012-09-01

Synthetic piezoelectric polymer films produced from petroleum feedstock have long been used as thin-film sensors and actuators. However, the fossil fuel requirements for synthetic polymer production and carbon dioxide emission from its combustion have raised concern about the environmental impact of its continued use. Eco-friendly biomass polymers, such as poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), are made from plant-based (vegetable starch) plastics and, thus, have a much smaller carbon footprint. Additionally, PLLA does not exhibit pyroelectricity or unnecessary poling. This suggests the usefulness of PLLA films for the human-machine interface (HMI). As an example of a new HMI, we have produced a TV remote control using a PLLA film. The intuitive operation provided by this PLLA device suggests that it is useful for the elderly or handicapped.

Toxicity characterization of waste mobile phone plastics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nnorom, I.C.; Osibanjo, O.

2009-01-01

Waste plastic housing units (N = 60) of mobile phones (of different models, and brands), were collected and analyzed for lead, cadmium, nickel and silver using atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion using a 1:1 mixture of H 2 SO 4 and HNO 3 . The mean (±S.D.) and range of the results are 58.3 ± 50.4 mg/kg (5.0-340 mg/kg) for Pb, 69.9 ± 145 mg/kg (4.6-1005 mg/kg) for Cd, 432 ± 1905 mg/kg (5.0-11,000 mg/kg) for Ni, and 403 ± 1888 mg/kg (5.0-12,500 mg/kg) for Ag. Approximately 90% of the results for the various metals were ≤100 mg/kg. Results greater than 300 mg/kg were generally less than 7% for each metal and could be attributed to exogenous contamination of the samples. These results suggest that there may not be any immediate danger from end-of-life (EoL) mobile phone plastic housing if appropriately treated/managed. However, considering the large quantities generated and the present low-end management practices in most developing countries, such as open burning, there appears a genuine concern over the potential for environmental pollution and toxicity to man and the ecology

A Comparison of the Plastic Flow Response of a Powder Metallurgy Nickel Base Superalloy (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-01

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2017-0225 A COMPARISON OF THE PLASTIC-FLOW RESPONSE OF A POWDER- METALLURGY NICKEL-BASE SUPERALLOY (POSTPRINT) S.L...COMPARISON OF THE PLASTIC-FLOW RESPONSE OF A POWDER- METALLURGY NICKEL-BASE SUPERALLOY (POSTPRINT) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER IN-HOUSE 5b. GRANT...behavior at hot-working temperatures and strain rates of the powder- metallurgy superalloy LSHR was determined under nominally-isothermal and transient

Electrochemical deposition of molybdenum sulfide thin films on conductive plastic substrates as platinum-free flexible counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Chao-Kuang; Hsieh, Chien-Kuo, E-mail: jack_hsieh@mail.mcut.edu.tw

2015-06-01

In this study, pulsed electrochemical deposition (pulsed ECD) was used to deposit molybdenum sulfide (MoS{sub x}) thin films on indium tin oxide/polyethylene naphthalate (ITO/PEN) substrates as flexible counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The surface morphologies and elemental distributions of the prepared MoS{sub x} thin films were examined using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The chemical states and crystallinities of the prepared MoS{sub x} thin films were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The optical transmission (T (%)) properties of the prepared MoS{sub x} samples were determined by ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Tafel-polarization measurements were performed to analyze the electrochemical properties and catalytic activities of the thin films for redox reactions. The FE-SEM results showed that the MoS{sub x} thin films were deposited uniformly on the ITO/PEN flexible substrates via the pulsed ECD method. The CV and Tafel-polarization curve measurements demonstrated that the deposited MoS{sub x} thin films exhibited excellent performances for the reduction of triiodide ions. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the DSSC produced with the pulsed ECD MoS{sub x} thin-film CE was examined by a solar simulator. In combination with a dye-sensitized TiO{sub 2} working electrode and an iodine-based electrolyte, the DSSC with the MoS{sub x} flexible CE showed a PCE of 4.39% under an illumination of AM 1.5 (100 mW cm{sup −2}). Thus, we report that the MoS{sub x} thin films are active catalysts for triiodide reduction. The MoS{sub x} thin films are prepared at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and in a simple and rapid manner. This is an important practical contribution to the production of flexible low-cost thin-film CEs based on plastic substrates. The MoS{sub x

Stress relaxation and hillock growth in thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, M.S.; Li, C.Y.

1978-01-01

The relaxation of thermal stress in a thin film adhering to a substrate of differing expansion coefficient is discussed. Good agreement is found between literature data on relaxation during isothermal anneals of Pb films at up to 350 0 K and model calculations based on a state variable description of plastic flow. The stress system during relaxation is explored, and the absence of diffusional creep is explained. The plasticity-dominated relaxation process suggested by this analysis is shown to be in good qualitative agreement with data on rapid relaxation over the course of a cycle between room and cryogenic temperatures. The implications of this for long-range material transport in the film are discussed. It is shown that hillock volume should increase over the course of a temperature cycle. Finally, a mechanism for hillock nucleation based on grain boundary sliding is suggested

Dispersive solid-phase imprinting of proteins for the production of plastic antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ashley, Jon; Feng, Xiaotong; Halder, Arnab

2018-01-01

We describe a novel dispersive solid-phase imprinting technique for the production of nano-sized molecularly imprinted polymers (nanoMIPs) as plastic antibodies. The template was immobilized on in-house synthesized magnetic microspheres instead of conventional glass beads. As a result, high...

16 CFR 1611.35 - Testing certain classes of fabric and film.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Testing certain classes of fabric and film... REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611.35 Testing certain classes of fabric and film. (a) Fabric not customarily washed or dry cleaned. (1) Except as...

16 CFR 1611.33 - Test procedures for textile fabrics and film.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Test procedures for textile fabrics and film... REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611.33 Test procedures for textile fabrics and film. (a)(1) All textile fabrics (except those with a nitro-cellulose...

Karakteristik Edible Film dari Pektin Hasil Ekstraksi Kulit Pisang

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Sudirman Akili

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Banana peel is a waste of banana processing industries which is obviously uneconomy and unfriendly to the environment. However, this material could be used as a source of important natural compounds, such as pectin. Owing to the fact that pectin has good gelling properties, it can be used to make edible film. The objectives of this research were to extract and characterize pectin from banana peel and to make edible film from the obtained pectin by using glycerol as plasticizer. Characterization of edible films were conducted in terms of color, thickness, elongation, tensile strength and water vapor transmission. The research used factorial completely randomized design. The results showed that yield of pectin made from ambon banana peel ripeness level one was 8.42% with the characteristics werewater content : 11.27% (<12%, ash content : 1.70%, low methoxil content : 4.15% (<7% and galacturonat content : 25.86% (65%. The addition of glycerol significantly increased elongation and decreased tensile strength of edible film. Based on edible film result, the recomended treatment is the addition with glycerol 20% as plasticizer of pectin based edible film.

Pyrolysis of plastic packaging waste: A comparison of plastic residuals from material recovery facilities with simulated plastic waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Adrados, A; de Marco, I; Caballero, B M; López, A; Laresgoiti, M F; Torres, A

2012-05-01

Pyrolysis may be an alternative for the reclamation of rejected streams of waste from sorting plants where packing and packaging plastic waste is separated and classified. These rejected streams consist of many different materials (e.g., polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), aluminum, tetra-brik, and film) for which an attempt at complete separation is not technically possible or economically viable, and they are typically sent to landfills or incinerators. For this study, a simulated plastic mixture and a real waste sample from a sorting plant were pyrolyzed using a non-stirred semi-batch reactor. Red mud, a byproduct of the aluminum industry, was used as a catalyst. Despite the fact that the samples had a similar volume of material, there were noteworthy differences in the pyrolysis yields. The real waste sample resulted, after pyrolysis, in higher gas and solid yields and consequently produced less liquid. There were also significant differences noted in the compositions of the compared pyrolysis products. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photo-Induced Room-Temperature Gas Sensing with a-IGZO Based Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated on Flexible Plastic Foil.

Science.gov (United States)

Knobelspies, Stefan; Bierer, Benedikt; Daus, Alwin; Takabayashi, Alain; Salvatore, Giovanni Antonio; Cantarella, Giuseppe; Ortiz Perez, Alvaro; Wöllenstein, Jürgen; Palzer, Stefan; Tröster, Gerhard

2018-01-26

We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT) based on an amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO₂ gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

Photo-Induced Room-Temperature Gas Sensing with a-IGZO Based Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated on Flexible Plastic Foil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Knobelspies

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT based on an amorphous Indium–Gallium–Zinc–Oxide (a-IGZO semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO2 gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

Development of non-water soluble, ductile mung bean starch based edible film with oxygen barrier and heat sealability.

Science.gov (United States)

Rompothi, Onjira; Pradipasena, Pasawadee; Tananuwong, Kanitha; Somwangthanaroj, Anongnat; Janjarasskul, Theeranun

2017-02-10

This research determined the effects of starch concentration (3.5-5.0%w/w), and plasticizer [glycerol (0-30%w/w) or sorbitol (0-60%w/w)] on properties of mung bean starch (MBS) films. The result showed that increasing plasticizer concentration tended to decrease tensile strength (TS), elastic modulus (EM) and oxygen permeability (OP); but increase elongation (%E), solubility, water vapor permeability (WVP) and seal strength. The extent of those changes also depended on starch concentration. Glycerol provided better plasticizer efficiency than sorbitol. A bimodal melting endotherm of retrograded structure was evident in non-plasticized film. However, only a low temperature endotherm was observed in polyol-plasticized films, indicating a plasticizer-induced structural modification. The developed ductile MBS films, (TS of 7.14±0.95 to 46.30±3.09MPa, %E of 2.46±0.21 to 56.95±4.34% and EM of 16.29±3.40 to 1428.45±148.72MPa) with an OP of 0.2397±0.0365 to 1.1520±0.1782 ccmm/m 2 daykPa and seal strength up to 422.36±7.93N/m, demonstrated in this study indicate the potential for food packaging applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dislocation/hydrogen interaction mechanisms in hydrided nanocrystalline palladium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Connétable, Damien; Fivel, Marc; Tanguy, Döme; Delmelle, Renaud; Turner, Stuart; Malet, Loic; Godet, Stephane; Pardoen, Thomas; Proost, Joris; Schryvers, Dominique

2016-01-01

The nanoscale plasticity mechanisms activated during hydriding cycles in sputtered nanocrystalline Pd films have been investigated ex-situ using advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques. The internal stress developing within the films during hydriding has been monitored in-situ. Results showed that in Pd films hydrided to β-phase, local plasticity was mainly controlled by dislocation activity in spite of the small grain size. Changes of the grain size distribution and the crystallographic texture have not been observed. In contrast, significant microstructural changes were not observed in Pd films hydrided to α-phase. Moreover, the effect of hydrogen loading on the nature and density of dislocations has been investigated using aberration-corrected TEM. Surprisingly, a high density of shear type stacking faults has been observed after dehydriding, indicating a significant effect of hydrogen on the nucleation energy barriers of Shockley partial dislocations. Ab-initio calculations of the effect of hydrogen on the intrinsic stable and unstable stacking fault energies of palladium confirm the experimental observations.

Timing of Environmental Enrichment Affects Memory in the House Cricket, Acheta domesticus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather S Mallory

Full Text Available Learning appears to be ubiquitous among animals, as it plays a key role in many behaviors including foraging and reproduction. Although there is some genetic basis for differences in learning ability and memory retention, environment also plays an important role, as it does for any other trait. For example, adult animals maintained in enriched housing conditions learn faster and remember tasks for longer than animals maintained in impoverished conditions. Such plasticity in adult learning ability has often been linked to plasticity in the brain, and studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms, stimuli, and consequences of adult behavioral and brain plasticity are numerous. However, the role of experiences during post-embryonic development in shaping plasticity in adult learning ability and memory retention remain relatively unexplored. Using the house cricket (Acheta domesticus as a model organism, we developed a protocol to allow the odor preference of a large number of crickets to be tested in a short period of time. We then used this new protocol to examine how enrichment or impoverishment at two developmental stages (either the last nymphal instar or young adult affected adult memory. Our results show that regardless of nymphal rearing conditions, crickets that experienced an enriched rearing condition as young adults performed better on a memory task than individuals that experienced an impoverished condition. Older adult crickets (more than 1 week post adult molt did not demonstrate differences in memory of the odor task, regardless of rearing condition as a young adult. Our results suggest that environmentally-induced plasticity in memory may be restricted to the young adult stage.

16 CFR 1610.33 - Test procedures for textile fabrics and film.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Test procedures for textile fabrics and film... for textile fabrics and film. (a)(1) All textile fabrics (except those with a nitro-cellulose fiber... under the procedures outlined in part 1611, Standard for the Flammability of Vinyl Plastic Film, and if...

Influence of additives on melt viscosity, surface tension, and film formation of dry powder coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Dorothea; McGinity, James W

2009-06-01

Limited information on thermally cured dry-powder coatings used for solid dosage forms has been available in the literature. The aim of this study was to characterize the film formation process of Eudragit L 100-55 dry-powder coatings and to investigate the influence of film additives on melt viscosity and surface tension. The coating process employed no liquids and the plasticizer was combined with the polymer using hot melt extrusion. Thermoanalytical methods including differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to investigate the thermal properties of the dry-coating formulations. The rheological behavior of the coating formulations were characterized with the extrusion torque, and the surface energy parameters were determined from contact angle measurements. The influence of the level of triethyl citrate (TEC) as plasticizer and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 in the polymer film on film formation was investigated using a digital force tester. TGA confirmed thermal stability of all coating excipients at the investigated curing conditions. Increasing TEC levels and the addition of PEG 3350 as a low melting excipient in the coating reduced the viscosity of the polymer. Plasticization of the polymer with TEC increased the surface free energy, whereas the admixture of 10% PEG 3350 did not affect the surface free energy of Eudragit L 100-55. The spreading coefficient of the polymers over two sample tablet formulations was reduced with increasing surface free energy. During the curing process, puncture strength, and elongation of powder-cast films increased. The effect of curing time on the mechanical properties was dependent on the plasticizer content. The incorporation of TEC and PEG 3350 into the Eudragit L 100-55 powder coating formulation improved film formation. Mechanical testing of powder-cast films showed an increase of both elongation and puncture strength over the curing process as criterion for polymer particle fusion

Method of determining local distribution of water or aqueous solutions penetrated into plastics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krejci, M.; Joks, Z.

1983-01-01

Penetrating water is labelled with tritium and the distribution is autoradiographically monitored. The discovery consists in that the plastic with the penetrating water or aqueous solution is cooled with liquid nitrogen and under the stream of liquid nitrogen the plastic is cut and exposed on the autoradiographic film in the freezer at temperatures from -15 to -30 degC. The autoradiogram will show the distribution of water in the whole area of the section. The described method may be used to detect water distribution also in filled plastics. (J.P.)

Highly-efficient, flexible piezoelectric PZT thin film nanogenerator on plastic substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kwi-Il; Son, Jung Hwan; Hwang, Geon-Tae; Jeong, Chang Kyu; Ryu, Jungho; Koo, Min; Choi, Insung; Lee, Seung Hyun; Byun, Myunghwan; Wang, Zhong Lin; Lee, Keon Jae

2014-04-23

A highly-efficient, flexible piezoelectric PZT thin film nanogenerator is demonstrated using a laser lift-off (LLO) process. The PZT thin film nanogenerator harvests the highest output performance of ∼200 V and ∼150 μA·cm(-2) from regular bending motions. Furthermore, power sources generated from a PZT thin film nanogenerator, driven by slight human finger bending motions, successfully operate over 100 LEDs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Plastic substrates for active matrix liquid crystal display incapable of withstanding processing temperature of over 200 C and method of fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carey, P.G.; Smith, P.M.; Havens, J.H.; Jones, P.

1999-01-05

Bright-polarizer-free, active-matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) are formed on plastic substrates. The primary components of the display are a pixel circuit fabricated on one plastic substrate, an intervening liquid-crystal material, and a counter electrode on a second plastic substrate. The-pixel circuit contains one or more thin-film transistors (TFTs) and either a transparent or reflective pixel electrode manufactured at sufficiently low temperatures to avoid damage to the plastic substrate. Fabrication of the TFTs can be carried out at temperatures less than 100 C. The liquid crystal material is a commercially made nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) film. The counter electrode is comprised of a plastic substrate coated with a transparent conductor, such as indium-doped tin oxide (ITO). By coupling the active matrix with NCAP, a high-information content can be provided in a bright, fully plastic package. Applications include any low cost portable electronics containing flat displays where ruggedization of the display is desired. 12 figs.

Climate under cover

CERN Document Server

Takakura, Tadashi

2002-01-01

1.1. INTRODUCTION Plastic covering, either framed or floating, is now used worldwide to protect crops from unfavorable growing conditions, such as severe weather and insects and birds. Protected cultivation in the broad sense, including mulching, has been widely spread by the innovation of plastic films. Paper, straw, and glass were the main materials used before the era of plastics. Utilization of plastics in agriculture started in the developed countries and is now spreading to the developing countries. Early utilization of plastic was in cold regions, and plastic was mainly used for protection from the cold. Now plastic is used also for protection from wind, insects and diseases. The use of covering techniques started with a simple system such as mulching, then row covers and small tunnels were developed, and finally plastic houses. Floating mulch was an exception to this sequence: it was introduced rather recently, although it is a simple structure. New development of functional and inexpensive films trig...

Processing and characterization of plasticized PLA/PHB blends for biodegradable multiphase systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Armentano

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Blends of poly(lactic acid (PLA and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB plasticized with a lactic acid oligomer (OLA added at three different concentrations (15, 20 and 30 wt% by weight, were prepared by an optimized extrusion process to improve the processability and mechanical properties of these biopolymers for flexible film manufacturing. Morphological, chemical, thermal, mechanical, barrier and migration properties were investigated and formulations with desired performance in eco-friendly films were selected. The efficiency of OLA as plasticizer for PLA_PHB blends was demonstrated by the significant decrease of their glass transition temperatures and a considerable improvement of their ductile properties. The measured improvements in the barrier properties are related to the higher crystallinity of the plasticized PLA_PHB blends, while the overall migration test underlined that all the proposed formulations maintained migration levels below admitted levels. The PLA_PHB blend with 30 wt% OLA was selected as the optimum formulation for food packaging, since it offered the best compromise between ductility and oxygen and water vapor barrier properties with practically no migration.

Within-female plasticity in sex allocation is associated with a behavioural polyphenism in house wrens.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowers, E K; Thompson, C F; Sakaluk, S K

2016-03-01

Sex allocation theory assumes individual plasticity in maternal strategies, but few studies have investigated within-individual changes across environments. In house wrens, differences between nests in the degree of hatching synchrony of eggs represent a behavioural polyphenism in females, and its expression varies with seasonal changes in the environment. Between-nest differences in hatching asynchrony also create different environments for offspring, and sons are more strongly affected than daughters by sibling competition when hatching occurs asynchronously over several days. Here, we examined variation in hatching asynchrony and sex allocation, and its consequences for offspring fitness. The number and condition of fledglings declined seasonally, and the frequency of asynchronous hatching increased. In broods hatched asynchronously, sons, which are over-represented in the earlier-laid eggs, were in better condition than daughters, which are over-represented in the later-laid eggs. Nonetheless, asynchronous broods were more productive later within seasons. The proportion of sons in asynchronous broods increased seasonally, whereas there was a seasonal increase in the production of daughters by mothers hatching their eggs synchronously, which was characterized by within-female changes in offspring sex and not by sex-biased mortality. As adults, sons from asynchronous broods were in better condition and produced more broods of their own than males from synchronous broods, and both males and females from asynchronous broods had higher lifetime reproductive success than those from synchronous broods. In conclusion, hatching patterns are under maternal control, representing distinct strategies for allocating offspring within broods, and are associated with offspring sex ratios and differences in offspring reproductive success. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Development of starch biofilms using different carboxylic acids as plasticizers; Desenvolvimento de biofilmes de amido utilizando como plastificantes diferentes acidos carboxilicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz, L.C.; Miranda, C.S.; Santos, W.J. dos; Goncalves, A.P.B.; Oliveira, J.C.; Jose, N.M., E-mail: uanaconceicaocruz@gmail.com [Universidade Federal da Bahia (GECIM/UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia Quimica. Grupo de Energia e Ciencias dos Materiais

2014-07-01

Biodegradable films have become a widely exploited issue among scientists because of their positive environmental impact, besides their potential to promote better food conservation and an increase in shelf life. Starch has been studied in this field due to its availability, low cost and biodegradability. However, starch films tend to be brittle and they need addition of a plasticizer to enable their usage. In this work, starch films were synthesized with different carboxylic acids as plasticizers, aiming to observe the effect of the acids chain size in the final films properties. The acids used were: oxalic, succinic and adipic. The materials were produced by casting and characterized by DSC, TG, DRX e FTIR. It was observed that the acids chain size influenced on the thermal and structural properties of the films. (author)

Processing Conditions, Thermal and Mechanical Responses of Stretchable Poly (Lactic Acid)/Poly (Butylene Succinate) Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortunati, Elena; Puglia, Debora; Iannoni, Antonio; Terenzi, Andrea; Kenny, José Maria; Torre, Luigi

2017-07-16

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) based films containing two different plasticizers [Acetyl Tributyl Citrate (ATBC) and isosorbide diester (ISE)] at three different contents (15 wt %, 20 wt % and 30 wt %) were produced by extrusion method. Thermal, morphological, mechanical and wettability behavior of produced materials was investigated as a function of plasticizer content. Filmature parameters were also adjusted and optimized for different formulations, in order to obtain similar thickness for different systems. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results and evaluation of solubility parameter confirmed that similar miscibility was obtained for ATBC and ISE in PLA, while the two selected plasticizers resulted as not efficient for plasticization of PBS, to the limit that the PBS-30ATBC resulted as not processable. On the basis of these results, isosorbide-based plasticizer was considered a suitable agent for modification of a selected blend (PLA/PBS 80:20) and two mixing approaches were used to identify the role of ISE in the plasticization process: results from mechanical analysis confirmed that both produced PLA-PBS blends (PLA85-ISE15)-PBS20 and (PLA80-PBS20)-ISE15 could guarantee advantages in terms of deformability, with respect to the PLA80-PBS20 reference film, suggesting that the promising use of these stretchable PLA-PBS based films plasticized with isosorbide can provide novel solutions for food packaging applications.

Integral alpha and gamma radiation measurements in dwelling houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paripas, B.; Takacs, S.; Somogyi, G.; Nikl, I.

1984-01-01

A solid state nuclear track detector method is applied to determine radon and total alpha-exposures (time integral of activity concentrations). The mathematical description of the method of measurement by a passive device equipped with two plastic sheets is presented. Measurements have been carried out in 88 houses over a five-month period and in 20 houses every season for a whole year. Simultaneously with the seasonal measurements of alpha-exposures, the gamma doses were also determined by means of TL dosemeters. The mean exposures due to thoron and its progeny have been estimated by statistical methods. A possible connection between the measured quantities and the lung cancer rates in two settlements were examined. (Author)

Determination of the migration of a plasticizer by 14C-labelled compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troparevsky, Alejandro; Pisarello de Troparevsky, M.L.; Mitta, A.E.A.

1975-05-01

The migration rate of a plasticizer (dioctyl phthlate 14 C) from a P.V.C. film, with different media in contact with it, was determined by measurements of radioactivity in the extraction liquids. Mineral oil, vegetal, oil aliphatic hidrocarbon and detergent solution were used for this purpose. The resulting figures were compared to those obtained from weight loss determinations and in some cases the percentage of ''swelling'' of the plastic could be established. (author)

The fabrication of plastic cages for suspension in mass air flow racks.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, F H; Bailey, B

1979-08-01

A cage for suspension in mass air flow racks was constructed of plastic and used to house rats. Little or no difficulty was encountered with the mass air flow rack-suspended cage system during the 4 years it was used for the study of trace elements.

Absorbed Dose Distributions in Irradiated Plastic Tubing and Wire Insulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miller, Arne; McLaughlin, W. L.

1979-01-01

Plastic tubing and wire insulation were simulated by radiochromic dye dosimeter films having electron absorbing properties similar to the materials of interest (polyethylene and PVC). A 400-keV electron accelerator was used to irradiate from 1, 2, 3 and 4 sides simulating possible industrial...

Mechanical properties of molybdenum coated with titanium carbide film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shikama, T.; Shinno, H.; Fukutomi, M.; Fujitsuka, M.; Okada, M.

1983-01-01

TiC-coated molybdenum is mechanically tensile tested. The 6 μm thick TiC-coated molybdenum has a higher 0.2% proof strength with a slight decrease in uniform and rupture elongation than the uncoated one. This strengthening effect of the TiC coating can be explained by the constrained effect of the high strength TiC film. The 1.2 μm thick TiC-coated molybdenum starts its plastic deformation at a lower stress than the uncoated one. Also, the coating makes the stress-strain curve more smooth. These effects are attributed to the surface effect, namely, that the interface between the molybdenum substrate and the strong and brittle TiC film acts as a strong dislocation source. The compressive stress in the TiC film will also help the start of plastic deformation at lower external stresses. (author)

Suberin fatty acids isolated from outer birch bark improve moisture barrier properties of cellulose ether films intended for tablet coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinämäki, Jyrki; Halenius, Anna; Paavo, Maaja; Alakurtti, Sami; Pitkänen, Pauliina; Pirttimaa, Minni; Paaver, Urve; Kirsimäe, Kalle; Kogermann, Karin; Yliruusi, Jouko

2015-07-15

We showed that the addition of suberin fatty acids (SFAs) even at small concentrations significantly improves the water vapor barrier properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) films. SFAs were isolated from the outer birch bark using extractive hydrolysis. The effects of SFAs on the film formation of aqueous HPMC were investigated with free films plasticized with polyethylene glycol (PEG 400). Special attention was paid on the physical solid-state, moisture barrier and mechanical stress-strain properties of films intended for tablet film coatings. Topography and surface morphology, glass transition temperature (Tg), tensile strength, Young's modulus, and water vapor permeation (WVP) of films were studied. The addition of SFAs lowered the Tg of films suggesting partial enhancement in film plasticization. The WVP of films decreased with increasing SFAs concentration up to 15% (calculated as a % w/w from a polymer weight). The WVP value for a non-suberized reference film and suberized film plasticized with PEG 400 was 2.13×10(-6) and 0.69[×10(-6) g/(mm(2)×h)×mm/Pa], respectively. The addition of SFAs impaired the mechanical stress-strain properties of HPMC films by reducing the deformation capacity of film. In conclusion, the film properties and performance of aqueous HPMC can be modified by including SFAs in the films. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modification of plastic by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalager, P.

1974-01-01

Very few of the modifications of plastic materials have got industrial status. Nearly all of the succesful industrial irradiations processes are performed with polyethylene. Irradiated polyethylene has been used in industries and products such as wire, cables, foams and heat shrinkable products, i.e. films, tubings and molded parts. Also the irradiation of finished products, i.e. improvement on a thermoplastic material into thermosetting material, has been developed in this field. (M.S.)

Film holder for radiographing tubing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, E.V.; Foster, B.E.

1976-01-01

A film cassette is described which may be easily placed about tubing or piping and readily held in place while radiographic inspection is performed. A pair of precurved light-impervious semi-rigid plastic sheets, hinged at one edge, enclose sheet film together with any metallic foils or screens. Other edges are made light-tight with removable caps, and the entire unit is held securely about the object to be radiographed with a releasable fastener such as a strip of Velcro

Film holder for radiographing tubing

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Earl V.; Foster, Billy E.

1976-01-01

A film cassette is provided which may be easily placed about tubing or piping and readily held in place while radiographic inspection is performed. A pair of precurved light-impervious semi-rigid plastic sheets, hinged at one edge, enclose sheet film together with any metallic foils or screens. Other edges are made light-tight with removable caps, and the entire unit is held securely about the object to be radiographed with a releasable fastener such as a strip of Velcro.

Highly catalytic carbon nanotube counter electrode on plastic for dye solar cells utilizing cobalt-based redox mediator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aitola, Kerttu; Halme, Janne; Feldt, Sandra; Lohse, Peter; Borghei, Maryam; Kaskela, Antti; Nasibulin, Albert G.; Kauppinen, Esko I.; Lund, Peter D.; Boschloo, Gerrit; Hagfeldt, Anders

2013-01-01

A flexible, slightly transparent and metal-free random network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on plain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic substrate outperformed platinum on conductive glass and on plastic as the counter electrode (CE) of a dye solar cell employing a Co(II/III)tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) complex redox mediator in 3-methoxypropionitrile solvent. The CE charge-transfer resistance of the SWCNT film was 0.60 Ω cm 2 , 4.0 Ω cm 2 for sputtered platinum on indium tin oxide-PET substrate and 1.7 Ω cm 2 for thermally deposited Pt on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, respectively. The solar cell efficiencies were in the same range, thus proving that an entirely carbon-based SWCNT film on plastic is as good CE candidate for the Co electrolyte

Ultra-low temperature process by ion shower doping technique for poly-Si TFTs on plastics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong-Man; Lim, Huck; Kim, Do-Young; Jung, Ji-Sim; Kwon, Jang-Yeon; Hong, Wan-Shick; Noguchi, Takashi

2006-01-01

An ion doping process was performed by using a basic ion shower system. After ion doping and subsequent activation of the dopants in the Si film by excimer laser annealing (ELA), we studied the crystallinity of the Si surface using UV-reflectance spectroscopy and the sheet resistance by using 4-point probe measurements. To prevent excessive temperature increase on the plastic substrate during ion shower doping, the plasma shower was applied in a series of short pulses. As a result, dopant ions were efficiently incorporated and were activated into the a-Si film on plastic substrate after ELA. The sheet resistance decreased with increase of actual doping time, which corresponds to the incorporated dose. Also, we confirmed a distinct relationship between the crystallinity and the sheet resistance. This work shows that pulsed ion shower doping is a promising technique for ultra-low-temperature poly-Si TFTs on plastic substrates.

Plastic substrates for active matrix liquid crystal display incapable of withstanding processing temperature of over 200.degree. C and method of fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carey, Paul G. (Mountain View, CA); Smith, Patrick M. (San Ramon, CA); Havens, John (San Diego, CA); Jones, Phil (Marlborough, GB)

1999-01-01

Bright-polarizer-free, active-matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) are formed on plastic substrates. The primary components of the display are a pixel circuit fabricated on one plastic substrate, an intervening liquid-crystal material, and a counter electrode on a second plastic substrate. The-pixel circuit contains one or more thin-film transistors (TFTs) and either a transparent or reflective pixel electrode manufactured at sufficiently low temperatures to avoid damage to the plastic substrate. Fabrication of the TFTs can be carried out at temperatures less than 100.degree. C. The liquid crystal material is a commercially made nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) film. The counter electrode is comprised of a plastic substrate coated with a transparent conductor, such as indium-doped tin oxide (ITO). By coupling the active matrix with NCAP, a high-information content can be provided in a bright, fully plastic package. Applications include any low cost portable electronics containing flat displays where ruggedization of the display is desired.

Thermal Molding of Organic Thin-Film Transistor Arrays on Curved Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Masatoshi; Watanabe, Kento; Ishimine, Hiroto; Okada, Yugo; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Sadamitsu, Yuichi; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2017-12-01

In this work, a thermal molding technique is proposed for the fabrication of plastic electronics on curved surfaces, enabling the preparation of plastic films with freely designed shapes. The induced strain distribution observed in poly(ethylene naphthalate) films when planar sheets were deformed into hemispherical surfaces clearly indicated that natural thermal contraction played an important role in the formation of the curved surface. A fingertip-shaped organic thin-film transistor array molded from a real human finger was fabricated, and slight deformation induced by touching an object was detected from the drain current response. This type of device will lead to the development of robot fingers equipped with a sensitive tactile sense for precision work such as palpation or surgery.

Ftir study of gamma irradiation LDPE film in air; Estudo por FTIR de filme de polietileno de baixa densidade submetido a radiacao gama na presenca de oxigenio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moura, Esperidiana A.B.; Silva, Andre L.A.; Gouvea, Paulo H.D.; Silva, Leonardo G. Andrade e [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Tecnologia das Radiacoes]. E-mail: eabmoura@ipen.br, andrebarra@mackenzie.com.br, paulohdg@hotmail.com, lgasilva@ipen.br; Ortiz, Angel V. [Unipac Embalagens Ltda., Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: angelv@unipac-pack.com.br; Gouvea, Douglas; Castro, Ricardo H.R.; Wiebeck, Helio [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Escola Politecnica. Dept. de Engenharia Metalurgica e de Materiais]. E-mails: dgouvea@usp.br; rhrcastro@hotmail.com; hwiebeck@usp.br; Rossini, Edvaldo L. [Universidade Metodista de Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: didirossini@yahoo.com.br; Kawano, Yoshio [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

2003-07-01

The use of the ionizing radiation for application in plastic packaging, to improve some of properties and for radiation sterilization, has been gaining popularity in the packaging industry. As a consequence of the irradiation, plastic packaging materials can undergo some chemical and physical alterations in their basic function, mainly concerning the protection characteristics. Since changes in physical properties of irradiated packaging films reflect radiation-induced chemical changes in molecular structure, in this work, an investigation was performed by Ftir analysis of LDPE film before and after radiation. Film samples were irradiated with doses between 0 Gy and 100 kGy, at room temperature and in the presence of air. The results showed alterations in the molecular structure, according to the absorbed radiation dose. (author)

Nanostructured thin film coatings with different strengthening effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panfilov Yury

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A number of articles on strengthening thin film coatings were analyzed and a lot of unusual strengthening effects, such as super high hardness and plasticity simultaneously, ultra low friction coefficient, high wear-resistance, curve rigidity increasing of drills with small diameter, associated with process formation of nanostructured coatings by the different thin film deposition methods were detected. Vacuum coater with RF magnetron sputtering system and ion-beam source and arc evaporator for nanostructured thin film coating manufacture are represented. Diamond Like Carbon and MoS2 thin film coatings, Ti, Al, Nb, Cr, nitride, carbide, and carbo-nitride thin film materials are described as strengthening coatings.

Film festival as a factor of art cinema social institutionalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Ye. Konovalov

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The increasing recently interest towards the art house cinema stipulates the relevance in the field of sociological investigations of the cinema proper as a social institution and directly the art cinema, as this area most brightly covers those pressing problems and cardinal social changes that occur nowadays. The article deals with the analysis of the film festival as a structural element when researching the art house cinema as a social institution. At the same time, carrying out the function of the mass media and social institution, the art house cinema represents a great interest for studying in the field of sociology. Acting as mass media, art cinema can originally influence its audience, forming specific models of behavior, social aims, and sometimes political views of its audience. A new judgment of factors of social institutionalization of art cinema is offered for consideration, one of which is the film festival. Basic research on the basis of modern scientific works of foreign researches of the cinema is conducted. This subject offers judgment of processes concerning social interaction in the framework of film festival acting as establishment for performing the function of mass media and a social institution on behalf of the art house cinema.

Biodegradation of weathered polystyrene films in seawater microcosms.

Science.gov (United States)

Syranidou, Evdokia; Karkanorachaki, Katerina; Amorotti, Filippo; Franchini, Martina; Repouskou, Eftychia; Kaliva, Maria; Vamvakaki, Maria; Kolvenbach, Boris; Fava, Fabio; Corvini, Philippe F-X; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

2017-12-21

A microcosm experiment was conducted at two phases in order to investigate the ability of indigenous consortia alone or bioaugmented to degrade weathered polystyrene (PS) films under simulated marine conditions. Viable populations were developed on PS surfaces in a time dependent way towards convergent biofilm communities, enriched with hydrocarbon and xenobiotics degradation genes. Members of Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were highly enriched in the acclimated plastic associated assemblages while the abundance of plastic associated genera was significantly increased in the acclimated indigenous communities. Both tailored consortia efficiently reduced the weight of PS films. Concerning the molecular weight distribution, a decrease in the number-average molecular weight of films subjected to microbial treatment was observed. Moreover, alteration in the intensity of functional groups was noticed with Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) along with signs of bio-erosion on the PS surface. The results suggest that acclimated marine populations are capable of degrading weathered PS pieces.

XRay Study of Transfer Printed Pentacene Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Y.; Solin, S. A.; Hines, D. R.; Williams, E. D.

2007-01-01

We investigated the structural properties and transfer properties of pentacene thin films fabricated by thermal deposition and transfer printing onto SiO2 and plastic substrates, respectively. The dependence of the crystallite size on the printing time, temperature and pressure were measured. The increases of crystalline size were observed when pentacene thin films were printed under specific conditions, e.g. 120 deg. C and 600 psi and can be correlated with the improvement of the field effect mobility of pentacene thin-film transistors

The effect of natural weathering on irradiated polyethylene films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoylou, F.; Hassan Pour, S.

2002-01-01

Polyethylene is one of the extensive used plastics in outdoor uses. Outdoor durability of PE in modem agriculture is very important because of large scale food production. UV radiations contained in solar spectrum are the main cause of degradation in outdoor uses of plastics. So, light stabilization of PE has made considerable progress since the early years of its outdoor use. Radiation crosslinking of PE films for improving UV stability is one of the new research fields. In this work,the effect of UV stabilizers on the chemical and mechanical stability of PE have been compared with UV stabilizers and radiation crosslinking together. For this reason two low density polyethylene films were prepared.One film contained 3% of photostabilizers and antioxidant,and the other film was free of additives. The films were irradiated by EB at doses of 30-300 kGy, these crosslinked PE films were exposed to the outdoor condition for 2 years. Determination of the gel content shows that significant crosslinking yields are obtained at high doses. Effect of crosslinking and outdoor exposure on the degradation of stabilized and unstabilized PE films have been studied by FTIR. Data of FTIR show that outdoor degradation of unstabilized PE promote rapidly after irradiation and cause to distortion of samples after 4 months. While, stabilized PE samples show low changes during 2 years outdoor exposure. Mechanical properties of stabilized and unstabilized crosslinked PE films are also presented in this paper. (Author)

Diamondlike carbon deposition on plastic films by plasma source ion implantation

CERN Document Server

Tanaka, T; Shinohara, M; Takagi, T

2002-01-01

Application of pulsed high negative voltage (approx 10 mu s pulse width, 300-900 pulses per second) to a substrate is found to induce discharge, thereby increasing ion current with an inductively coupled plasma source. This plasma source ion beam implantation (PSII) technique is investigated for the pretreatment and deposition of diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin layer on polyethylene terepthalate (PET) film. Pretreatment of PET with N sub 2 and Ar plasma is expected to provide added barrier effects when coupled with DLC deposition, with possible application to fabrication of PET beverage bottles. PSII treatment using N sub 2 and Ar in separate stages is found to change the color of the PET film, effectively increasing near-ultraviolet absorption. The effects of this pretreatment on the chemical bonding of C, H, and O are examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). DLC thin film was successfully deposited on the PET film. The surface of the DLC thin layer is observed to be smooth by scanning electron mic...

Antibacterial hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose edible films containing nanoemulsions of Thymus daenensis essential oil for food packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Moghimi, Roya; Aliahmadi, Atousa; Rafati, Hasan

2017-11-01

Edible films containing essential oils (EO) as natural antibacterial agents are promising systems for food preservation. In this work, nanoemulsions of Thymus daenensis EO (wild; F1 and cultivated; F2) were loaded in hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) films and the effect of different parameters (polymer, plasticizer, and EO concentration) on the film properties were analyzed and optimized. Prepared HPMC films were characterized in terms of EO loading, morphology, mechanical properties, and the antibacterial activity. The results of SEM showed uniform incorporation of nanoemulsions into the edible film. Investigation of the mechanical properties of two edible films revealed a plasticizing effect of T. daenensis EO on the films. Also, edible films had noticeable antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms, i.e. 47.0±2.5mm and 22.6±0.5mm zone of inhibition against S. aureus for films containing F1 and F2, respectively. Incorporation of nanoemulsions into the HPMC films can be used for active food preservation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of plastic elongation in nanocrystalline and amorphous Ni–W dual phase alloys by brushing technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, S.; Adachi, H.; Yamasaki, T.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel agitation technique called the brushing technique is proposed. • A homogeneous material can be obtained with the brushing technique. • The brushed material exhibits large plastic elongation with work hardening. - Abstract: A novel agitation technique, referred to as the “brushing technique” is proposed to treat the surface of a Ni–W alloy film during electrodeposition. This technique was developed to directly remove hydrogen bubbles on the film surface and to apply Ni ions to the interfacial layer with the substrate. The intrinsic mechanical properties of the Ni–W electrodeposits are then evaluated with respect to application. High resolution transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that both treated and untreated films have nanocrystallites of approximately 5 nm in diameter and an amorphous phase. There was a compositional difference of about. 1.4 at% W between the face side and the reverse side of the film that was not subjected to the brushing technique, whereas this difference was absent in the film subjected to the brushing technique. In addition, the brushing technique reduced the surface roughness of the film and decreased the number of defects. As a result, a large plastic strain of about. 2.9% was observed with work hardening under tensile testing

Caracterização elétrica de filmes ultrafinos de PANI/PVS: material potencial para detecção de amônia em galpões de criação avícola Preparation and characterization of ultrathin PANI/PVS: films for control the ammonia level in poultry Houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirela de C. Santos

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Nesse trabalho filmes ultrafinos de PANI/PVS foram caracterizados óptica, elétrica e morfologicamente para estudo da viabilidade desses sistemas como elemento ativo de sensores de amônia. Os filmes automontados foram depositados entre microeletrodos metálicos formados por uma fina camada de NiCr recoberto com Au. Medidas de absorção na região do UV-VIS mostraram o crescimento linear dos filmes, enquanto a análise das imagens de microscopia de força atômica mostrou o aumento da rugosidade, do tamanho de grão e do tamanho da partícula com a espessura dos filmes. A caracterização elétrica dc evidenciou uma significativa mudança na resistência elétrica do sistema quando a espessura do filme tornou-se equivalente à espessura do eletrodo de NiCr. Esse efeito foi atribuído à alta resistência elétrica da interface NiCr-filme. A impedância complexa obtida foi típica de materiais sólidos desordenados, com influência da interface NiCr-filme em baixas frequências. Por fim, os filmes mostraram ainda aumento de resistência elétrica em cerca de três vezes quando expostos às condições ambientais de galpões de criação avícola ([NH3] In this work we investigated the optical, electrical and morphological properties of ultrathin PANI/PVS films as active material of ammonia sensor for a poultry house. The layer-by-layer polymer films were deposited onto NiCr interdigitated microelectrode recovered with Au (NiCr/Au line arrays. The buildup of the multilayers was monitored at each deposition step by UV-VIS spectroscopy while the atomic force microscopy (AFM was employed to monitor the change in the roughness, in the grain and particle sizes. We observed a significant change in the dc conductivity when the thickness of the films was close to that of the NiCr layer. This effect is attributed to the higher interfacial electrical resistance between NiCr and the polymer film, compared to the resistance of the Au-film interface and

Standardized Environmental Enrichment Supports Enhanced Brain Plasticity in Healthy Rats and Prevents Cognitive Impairment in Epileptic Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Kouchi, Hayet Y.; Bodennec, Jacques; Morales, Anne; Georges, Béatrice; Bonnet, Chantal; Bouvard, Sandrine; Sloviter, Robert S.; Bezin, Laurent

2013-01-01

Environmental enrichment of laboratory animals influences brain plasticity, stimulates neurogenesis, increases neurotrophic factor expression, and protects against the effects of brain insult. However, these positive effects are not constantly observed, probably because standardized procedures of environmental enrichment are lacking. Therefore, we engineered an enriched cage (the Marlau™ cage), which offers: (1) minimally stressful social interactions; (2) increased voluntary exercise; (3) multiple entertaining activities; (4) cognitive stimulation (maze exploration), and (5) novelty (maze configuration changed three times a week). The maze, which separates food pellet and water bottle compartments, guarantees cognitive stimulation for all animals. Compared to rats raised in groups in conventional cages, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited increased cortical thickness, hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal levels of transcripts encoding various genes involved in tissue plasticity and remodeling. In addition, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited better performances in learning and memory, decreased anxiety-associated behaviors, and better recovery of basal plasma corticosterone level after acute restraint stress. Marlau™ cages also insure inter-experiment reproducibility in spatial learning and brain gene expression assays. Finally, housing rats in Marlau™ cages after severe status epilepticus at weaning prevents the cognitive impairment observed in rats subjected to the same insult and then housed in conventional cages. By providing a standardized enriched environment for rodents during housing, the Marlau™ cage should facilitate the uniformity of environmental enrichment across laboratories. PMID:23342033

Standardized environmental enrichment supports enhanced brain plasticity in healthy rats and prevents cognitive impairment in epileptic rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raafat P Fares

Full Text Available Environmental enrichment of laboratory animals influences brain plasticity, stimulates neurogenesis, increases neurotrophic factor expression, and protects against the effects of brain insult. However, these positive effects are not constantly observed, probably because standardized procedures of environmental enrichment are lacking. Therefore, we engineered an enriched cage (the Marlau™ cage, which offers: (1 minimally stressful social interactions; (2 increased voluntary exercise; (3 multiple entertaining activities; (4 cognitive stimulation (maze exploration, and (5 novelty (maze configuration changed three times a week. The maze, which separates food pellet and water bottle compartments, guarantees cognitive stimulation for all animals. Compared to rats raised in groups in conventional cages, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited increased cortical thickness, hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal levels of transcripts encoding various genes involved in tissue plasticity and remodeling. In addition, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited better performances in learning and memory, decreased anxiety-associated behaviors, and better recovery of basal plasma corticosterone level after acute restraint stress. Marlau™ cages also insure inter-experiment reproducibility in spatial learning and brain gene expression assays. Finally, housing rats in Marlau™ cages after severe status epilepticus at weaning prevents the cognitive impairment observed in rats subjected to the same insult and then housed in conventional cages. By providing a standardized enriched environment for rodents during housing, the Marlau™ cage should facilitate the uniformity of environmental enrichment across laboratories.

Black plastics: Linear and circular economies, hazardous additives and marine pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Andrew

2018-05-17

Black products constitute about 15% of the domestic plastic waste stream, of which the majority is single-use packaging and trays for food. This material is not, however, readily recycled owing to the low sensitivity of black pigments to near infrared radiation used in conventional plastic sorting facilities. Accordingly, there is mounting evidence that the demand for black plastics in consumer products is partly met by sourcing material from the plastic housings of end-of-life waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). Inefficiently sorted WEEE plastic has the potential to introduce restricted and hazardous substances into the recyclate, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs), Sb, a flame retardant synergist, and the heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb. The current paper examines the life cycles of single-use black food packaging and black plastic WEEE in the context of current international regulations and directives and best practices for sorting, disposal and recycling. The discussion is supported by published and unpublished measurements of restricted substances (including Br as a proxy for BFRs) in food packaging, EEE plastic goods and non-EEE plastic products. Specifically, measurements confirm the linear economy of plastic food packaging and demonstrate a complex quasi-circular economy for WEEE plastic that results in significant and widespread contamination of black consumer goods ranging from thermos cups and cutlery to tool handles and grips, and from toys and games to spectacle frames and jewellery. The environmental impacts and human exposure routes arising from WEEE plastic recycling and contamination of consumer goods are described, including those associated with marine pollution. Regarding the latter, a compilation of elemental data on black plastic litter collected from beaches of southwest England reveals a similar chemical signature to that of contaminated consumer goods and blended plastic WEEE recyclate, exemplifying the pervasiveness

Plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong Gi Hyeon

1987-04-01

This book deals with plastic, which includes introduction for plastic, chemistry of high polymers, polymerization, speciality and structure of a high molecule property of plastic, molding, thermosetting plastic, such as polyethylene, polyether, polyamide and polyvinyl acetyl, thermal plastic like phenolic resins, xylene resins, melamine resin, epoxy resin, alkyd resin and poly urethan resin, new plastic like ionomer and PPS resin, synthetic laminated tape and synthetic wood, mixed materials in plastic, reprocessing of waste plastic, polymer blend, test method for plastic materials and auxiliary materials of plastic.

Field evaluation of spatial repellency of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips against Anopheles gambiae complex in Bagamoyo, coastal Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawada, Hitoshi; Temu, Emmanuel A; Minjas, Japhet N; Matsumoto, Osamu; Iwasaki, Tomonori; Takagi, Masahiro

2008-09-01

Metofluthrin is a newly synthesized pyrethroid possessing high knockdown and lethal activity against mosquitoes. Studies of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips have been performed with dengue vectors. This study reports the efficacy of the new prototypes of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips against malaria vectors, Anopheles gambiae complex, in the Kongo villages of Bagamoyo district in coastal Tanzania. The study, using 20 houses, half intervention, half control, was conducted for a 124-day period. Pyrethrum spray sheets and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light traps were used to sample mosquito population indices. The mosquito density indices of the intervention houses were observed to be significantly lower than those of the control houses when pyrethrum spray sheet collection was used (F = 4.61, 1 df, P = 0.038; 98.7% reduction of total mosquito collection compared with that for the controls). These low indices were observed despite the large openings found in Bagamoyo houses, which were predicted to have a considerable negative effect on the spatial repellency of metofluthrin. Based on the present results, the pyrethrum spray sheet collection was the better of the 2 collection methods.

Diamond film growth with modification properties of adhesion between substrate and diamond film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Setasuwon P.

2004-03-01

Full Text Available Diamond film growth was studied using chemical vapor deposition (CVD. A special equipment was build in-house, employing a welding torch, and substrate holder with a water-cooling system. Acetylene and oxygen were used as combustion gases and the substrate was tungsten carbide cobalt. It was found that surface treatments, such as diamond powder scratching or acid etching, increase the adhesion and prevent the film peel-off. Diamond powder scratching and combined diamond powder scratching with acid etching gave the similar diamond film structure with small grain and slightly rough surface. The diamond film obtained with both treatments has high adhesion and can withstand internal stress better than ones obtained by untreated surface or acid etching alone. It was also found that higher substrate temperature produced smoother surface and more uniform diamond grain.

Characterization of Citrus pectin edible films containing transglutaminase-modified phaseolin.

Science.gov (United States)

Giosafatto, C Valeria L; Di Pierro, Prospero; Gunning, Patrick; Mackie, Alan; Porta, Raffaele; Mariniello, Loredana

2014-06-15

The growing social and economic consequences of pollution derived from plastics are focusing attention on the need to produce novel bioprocesses for enhancing food shelf-life. As a consequence, in recent years the use of edible films for food packaging is generating a huge scientific interest. In this work we report the production of an edible hydrocolloid film made by using Citrus pectin and the protein phaseolin crosslinked by microbial transglutaminase, an enzyme able to covalently modify proteins by formation of isopeptide bonds between glutamine and lysine residues. The films were characterized and their morphology was evaluated by both atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties and barrier properties to CO2, O2 and water vapor have demonstrated that these films possess technological features comparable to those possessed by commercial plastics. It is worth noting that these characteristics are maintained even following storage of the films at 4°C or -20°C, suggesting that our bioplastics can be tailored to protect food at low temperature. Moreover, gastric and duodenal digestion studies conducted under the same conditions found in the human digestion system have demonstrated that transglutaminase-containing films are regularly digested encouraging an application of the proposed materials as food coatings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combating oil spill problem using plastic waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saleem, Junaid, E-mail: junaidupm@gmail.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Karachi (Pakistan); Ning, Chao; Barford, John [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); McKay, Gordon [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha (Qatar)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Up-cycling one type of pollution i.e. plastic waste and successfully using it to combat the other type of pollution i.e. oil spill. • Synthesized oil sorbent that has extremely high oil uptake of 90 g/g after prolonged dripping of 1 h. • Synthesized porous oil sorbent film which not only facilitates in oil sorption but also increases the affinity between sorbent and oil by means of adhesion. - Abstract: Thermoplastic polymers (such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE)) constitute 5–15% of municipal solid waste produced across the world. A huge quantity of plastic waste is disposed of each year and is mostly either discarded in landfills or incinerated. On the other hand, the usage of synthetic polymers as oil sorbents, in particular, polyolefins, including polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) are the most commonly used oil sorbent materials mainly due to their low cost. However, they possess relatively low oil absorption capacities. In this work, we provide an innovative way to produce a value-added product such as oil-sorbent film with high practical oil uptake values in terms of g/g from waste HDPE bottles for rapid oil spill remedy.

Combating oil spill problem using plastic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleem, Junaid; Ning, Chao; Barford, John; McKay, Gordon

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Up-cycling one type of pollution i.e. plastic waste and successfully using it to combat the other type of pollution i.e. oil spill. • Synthesized oil sorbent that has extremely high oil uptake of 90 g/g after prolonged dripping of 1 h. • Synthesized porous oil sorbent film which not only facilitates in oil sorption but also increases the affinity between sorbent and oil by means of adhesion. - Abstract: Thermoplastic polymers (such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE)) constitute 5–15% of municipal solid waste produced across the world. A huge quantity of plastic waste is disposed of each year and is mostly either discarded in landfills or incinerated. On the other hand, the usage of synthetic polymers as oil sorbents, in particular, polyolefins, including polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) are the most commonly used oil sorbent materials mainly due to their low cost. However, they possess relatively low oil absorption capacities. In this work, we provide an innovative way to produce a value-added product such as oil-sorbent film with high practical oil uptake values in terms of g/g from waste HDPE bottles for rapid oil spill remedy

Analysis of Adipate Ester Contents in PVC Plastics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berg, Rolf W.

2006-01-01

Plasticizers are needed in flexible PVC (PolyVinylChloride) products. There is serious concern that commonly used phthalate esters may harm life reproduction systems. To avoid the problems, instead adipate di-esters (AEs) of C8 to C10 alcohols are used as higher prized alternatives; e.g. di-2......-ethylhexyl adipate or DEHA [103-23-1], also known as Adimoll® or di-octyl adipate, DOA, see Fig. 1. A widely used plasticizer in food (cling) films is DEHA, often in combination with polymers, epoxidized soya-bean oil, etcetera. DEHA also occurs in children toys. We have previously shown that the presence...... of phthalate esters in PVC can be rapidly analyzed by Fourier transform (FT-) Raman spectroscopy excited with a 1064 nm laser. Here in this project we report a similar study. The aim was to find out whether FT-Raman spectroscopy can be used to determine the presence of adipate esters (AEs) as plasticizers...

Biodegradability standards for carrier bags and plastic films in aquatic environments: a critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Jesse P; Boardman, Carl; O'Callaghan, Kenneth; Delort, Anne-Marie; Song, Jim

2018-05-01

Plastic litter is encountered in aquatic ecosystems across the globe, including polar environments and the deep sea. To mitigate the adverse societal and ecological impacts of this waste, there has been debate on whether 'biodegradable' materials should be granted exemptions from plastic bag bans and levies. However, great care must be exercised when attempting to define this term, due to the broad and complex range of physical and chemical conditions encountered within natural ecosystems. Here, we review existing international industry standards and regional test methods for evaluating the biodegradability of plastics within aquatic environments (wastewater, unmanaged freshwater and marine habitats). We argue that current standards and test methods are insufficient in their ability to realistically predict the biodegradability of carrier bags in these environments, due to several shortcomings in experimental procedures and a paucity of information in the scientific literature. Moreover, existing biodegradability standards and test methods for aquatic environments do not involve toxicity testing or account for the potentially adverse ecological impacts of carrier bags, plastic additives, polymer degradation products or small (microscopic) plastic particles that can arise via fragmentation. Successfully addressing these knowledge gaps is a key requirement for developing new biodegradability standard(s) for lightweight carrier bags.

Recyclability assessment of nano-reinforced plastic packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, C; Hortal, M; Aliaga, C; Devis, A; Cloquell-Ballester, V A

2014-12-01

Packaging is expected to become the leading application for nano-composites by 2020 due to the great advantages on mechanical and active properties achieved with these substances. As novel materials, and although there are some current applications in the market, there is still unknown areas under development. One key issue to be addressed is to know more about the implications of the nano-composite packaging materials once they become waste. The present study evaluates the extrusion process of four nanomaterials (Layered silicate modified nanoclay (Nanoclay1), Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), Silver (Ag) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) as part of different virgin polymer matrices of polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethyleneterephtalate (PET). Thus, the following film plastic materials: (PE-Nanoclay1, PE-CaCO3, PP-Ag, PET-ZnO, PET-Ag, PET-Nanoclay1) have been processed considering different recycling scenarios. Results on recyclability show that for PE and PP, in general terms and except for some minor variations in yellowness index, tensile modulus, tensile strength and tear strength (PE with Nanoclay1, PP with Ag), the introduction of nanomaterial in the recycling streams for plastic films does not affect the final recycled plastic material in terms of mechanical properties and material quality compared to conventional recycled plastic. Regarding PET, results show that the increasing addition of nanomaterial into the recycled PET matrix (especially PET-Ag) could influence important properties of the recycled material, due to a slight degradation of the polymer, such as increasing pinholes, degradation fumes and elongation at break. Moreover, it should be noted that colour deviations were visible in most of the samples (PE, PP and PET) in levels higher than 0.3 units (limit perceivable by the human eye). The acceptance of these changes in the properties of recycled PE, PP and PET will depend on the specific applications considered (e.g. packaging applications are more

GREEN PLASTIC: A NEW PLASTIC FOR PACKAGING

OpenAIRE

Mr. Pankaj Kumar*, Sonia

2016-01-01

This paper gives a brief idea about a new type of plastic called as bio-plastic or green plastic. Plastic is used as a packaging material for various products, but this plastic is made up of non renewable raw materials. There are various disadvantages of using conventional plastic like littering, CO2 production, non-degradable in nature etc. To overcome these problems a new type of plastic is discovered called bio-plastic or green plastic. Bio-plastic is made from renewable resources and also...

Developmental adjustments of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings to diet composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Brzek, Paweł; Kohl, Kevin; Caviedes-Vidal, Enrique; Karasov, William H

2009-05-01

House sparrow nestlings are fed primarily on insects during the first 3 days of their life, and seeds become gradually more important afterwards. We tested whether developmental changes in size and functional capacity of the digestive tract in young house sparrows are genetically hard-wired and independent of diet, or can be modified by food type. Under laboratory conditions, we hand-fed young house sparrows with either a starch-free insect-like diet, based mainly on protein and fat, or a starch-containing diet with a mix of substrates similar to that offered to older nestlings in natural nests when they are gradually weaned from an insect to a seed diet. Patterns of overall development in body size and thermoregulatory ability, and in alimentary organ size increase, were relatively similar in house sparrow nestlings developing on both diets. However, total intestinal maltase activity, important in carbohydrate breakdown, was at least twice as high in house sparrow nestlings fed the starch-containing diet (PFuture studies must test whether the diet-dependent increase in maltase activity during development is irreversible or reversible, reflecting, respectively, a developmental plasticity or a phenotypic flexibility.

Fragrant starch-based films with limonene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian K. Antosik

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Novel fragrant starch-based films with limonene were successfully prepared. Biodegradable materials of natural origin were used and the process was relatively simple and inexpensive. The effect of limonene on physicochemical properties of starch-based films (moisture absorption, solubility in water, wettability, mechanical properties were compared to glycerol plasticized system. Taking into consideration that the obtained materials could also exhibit bactericidal and fungicidal properties, the studies with Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger were performed. Such a material could potentially find application in food packaging (e.g. masking unpleasant odors, hydrophilic starch film would prevent food drying, or in agriculture (e.g. for seed encapsulated tapes.

Effects of flexible substrate thickness on Al-induced crystallization of amorphous Ge thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oya, Naoki [Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 (Japan); Toko, Kaoru, E-mail: toko@bk.tsukuba.ac.jp [Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 (Japan); Saitoh, Noriyuki; Yoshizawa, Noriko [Electron Microscope Facility, TIA, AIST, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8569 (Japan); Suemasu, Takashi [Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 (Japan)

2015-05-29

Amorphous germanium (a-Ge) thin films were directly crystallized on flexible plastic substrates at 325 °C using Al-induced crystallization. The thickness of the plastic substrate strongly influenced the crystal quality of the resulting polycrystalline Ge layers. Using a thicker substrate lowered the stress on the a-Ge layer during annealing, which increased the grain size and fraction of (111)-oriented grains within the Ge layer. Employing a 125-μm-thick substrate led to 95% (111)-oriented Ge with grains having an average size of 100 μm. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the Ge grains had a low-defect density. Production of high-quality Ge films on plastic substrates allows for the possibility for developing Ge-based electronic and optical devices on inexpensive flexible substrates. - Highlights: • Polycrystalline Ge thin films are directly formed on flexible plastic substrates. • Al-induced crystallization allows the low-temperature growth (325 °C) of amorphous Ge. • The substrate bending during annealing strongly influences the crystal quality of poly-Ge. • A thick substrate (125 μm) leads to 95% (111)-oriented Ge with grains 100 μm in size.

The Size Spectrum as Tool for Analyzing Marine Plastic Pollution

KAUST Repository

Martí, E.

2016-12-02

Marine plastic debris spans over six orders of magnitude in lineal size, from microns to meters. The broad range of plastic sizes mainly arises from the continuous photodegradation and fragmentation affecting the plastic objects. Interestingly, this time-dependent process links, to some degree, the size to the age of the debris. The variety of plastic sizes gives the possibility to marine biota to interact and possible take up microplastics through numerous pathways. Physical processes such as sinking and wind-induced transport or the chemical adsorption of contaminants are also closely related to the size and shape of the plastic items. Likewise, available sampling techniques should be considered as partial views of the marine plastic size range. This being so and given that the size is one of the most easily measurable plastic traits, the size spectrum appears as an ideal frame to arrange, integrate, and analyze plastic data of diverse nature. In this work, we examined tens of thousands of plastic items sampled from across the world with the aim of (1) developing and standardizing the size-spectrum tool to study marine plastics, and (2) assembling a global plastic size spectrum (GPSS) database, relating individual size measurements to abundance, color (129 tons), polymer type, and category (rigid fragments, films, threads, foam, pellets, and microbeads). Using GPSS database, we show for instance the dependence of plastic composition on the item size, with high diversity of categories for items larger than 1 cm and a clear dominance (~90%) of hard fragments below, except for the size interval corresponding to microbeads (around 0.5 mm). GPSS database depicts a comprehensive size-based framework for analyzing the marine plastic pollution, enabling the comparison of size-related studies or the testing of hypothesis.

Low-cost solar collectors using thin-film plastics absorbers and glazings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilhelm, W.G.

1980-01-01

The design, fabrication, performance, cost, and marketing of flat plate solar collectors using plastic absorbers and glazings are described. Manufacturing cost breakdowns are given for single-glazed and double-glazed collectors. (WHK)

The White House saga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daković Nevena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Frank Capra expressed his gratitude to the immigrant dream come true by creating a brilliant cinematic myth about the American political system, presenting it as an 'inherently good' when in the hands of honest and good people. His 'morality fairytales', 'fantasies of good will' imbued with belief in restoration of old-new principles, offer complex reflections on an idealised Americanism of the 1930s which have become the foundation of representations of the American political system. The Capraesque narrative - 'a blend of optimism, humor, patriotism, and, to those who really understand his work, (and darkness, despair, and the need to fight for things you care about...' (Bassinger 1982: 48 - as a combination of all-American values, ordinary people and historical figures, a democracy myth - has been extended by an endless network of intertextual echoes in film and TV production. Following the developmental lines - through political melodrama, melodramatic politics and political soap opera - one will be led from Capra to the series The West Wing (1996 - 2006, House of Cards (2013 - 2015 and Madame Secretary (2014 - ; from the comprehensive Washington Postcard (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939 to the focal points at the White House; from Capra's comedy to the saga of the fight against terrorism led by the president and both ordinary and trained American citizens (White House Down, 2013, Roland Emmerich.

Dose distributions in electron irradiated plastic tubing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, A.; Pederson, W.B.

1981-01-01

Plastic tubes have been crosslinked by irradiation at a 10 MeV linear electron accelerator and at a 400 keV DC electron accelerator at different irradiation geometries. The diameter of the different tubes was 20, 33 and 110 millimeters. Dose distributions have been measured with thin radiochromic dye films, indicating that in all cases irradiation from two sides is a necessary and sufficient condition for obtaining a satisfactory dose distribution. (author)

Quality by Design approach for studying the impact of formulation and process variables on product quality of oral disintegrating films.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazumder, Sonal; Pavurala, Naresh; Manda, Prashanth; Xu, Xiaoming; Cruz, Celia N; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R

2017-07-15

The present investigation was carried out to understand the impact of formulation and process variables on the quality of oral disintegrating films (ODF) using Quality by Design (QbD) approach. Lamotrigine (LMT) was used as a model drug. Formulation variable was plasticizer to film former ratio and process variables were drying temperature, air flow rate in the drying chamber, drying time and wet coat thickness of the film. A Definitive Screening Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to identify and classify the critical formulation and process variables impacting critical quality attributes (CQA). A total of 14 laboratory-scale DoE formulations were prepared and evaluated for mechanical properties (%elongation at break, yield stress, Young's modulus, folding endurance) and other CQA (dry thickness, disintegration time, dissolution rate, moisture content, moisture uptake, drug assay and drug content uniformity). The main factors affecting mechanical properties were plasticizer to film former ratio and drying temperature. Dissolution rate was found to be sensitive to air flow rate during drying and plasticizer to film former ratio. Data were analyzed for elucidating interactions between different variables, rank ordering the critical materials attributes (CMA) and critical process parameters (CPP), and for providing a predictive model for the process. Results suggested that plasticizer to film former ratio and process controls on drying are critical to manufacture LMT ODF with the desired CQA. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Development of radiophotometric dosemeters of high sensitivity using plastic scintillators as light intensifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesquita, C.H. de; Hamada, M.M.

1987-01-01

The use of rectangular plates of plastic scintillators as film holders in conventional photographic dosemeters is reported. The efficiency of their use as light converters for increase the sensitivity of these dosemeters are studied. (M.A.C.) [pt

Plastic debris in 29 Great Lakes tributaries: Relations to watershed attributes and hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Austin K.; Corsi, Steven; Mason, Sherri A.

2016-01-01

Plastic debris is a growing contaminant of concern in freshwater environments, yet sources, transport, and fate remain unclear. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of floating micro- and macroplastics in 29 Great Lakes tributaries in six states under different land covers, wastewater effluent contributions, population densities, and hydrologic conditions. Tributaries were sampled three or four times each using a 333 μm mesh neuston net. Plastic particles were sorted by size, counted, and categorized as fibers/lines, pellets/beads, foams, films, and fragments. Plastics were found in all 107 samples, with a maximum concentration of 32 particles/m3 and a median of 1.9 particles/m3. Ninety-eight percent of sampled plastic particles were less than 4.75 mm in diameter and therefore considered microplastics. Fragments, films, foams, and pellets/beads were positively correlated with urban-related watershed attributes and were found at greater concentrations during runoff-event conditions. Fibers, the most frequently detected particle type, were not associated with urban-related watershed attributes, wastewater effluent contribution, or hydrologic condition. Results from this study add to the body of information currently available on microplastics in different environmental compartments, including unique contributions to quantify their occurrence and variability in rivers with a wide variety of different land-use characteristics while highlighting differences between surface samples from rivers compared with lakes.

Plastic Debris in 29 Great Lakes Tributaries: Relations to Watershed Attributes and Hydrology.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Austin K; Corsi, Steven R; Mason, Sherri A

2016-10-04

Plastic debris is a growing contaminant of concern in freshwater environments, yet sources, transport, and fate remain unclear. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of floating micro- and macroplastics in 29 Great Lakes tributaries in six states under different land covers, wastewater effluent contributions, population densities, and hydrologic conditions. Tributaries were sampled three or four times each using a 333 μm mesh neuston net. Plastic particles were sorted by size, counted, and categorized as fibers/lines, pellets/beads, foams, films, and fragments. Plastics were found in all 107 samples, with a maximum concentration of 32 particles/m 3 and a median of 1.9 particles/m 3 . Ninety-eight percent of sampled plastic particles were less than 4.75 mm in diameter and therefore considered microplastics. Fragments, films, foams, and pellets/beads were positively correlated with urban-related watershed attributes and were found at greater concentrations during runoff-event conditions. Fibers, the most frequently detected particle type, were not associated with urban-related watershed attributes, wastewater effluent contribution, or hydrologic condition. Results from this study add to the body of information currently available on microplastics in different environmental compartments, including unique contributions to quantify their occurrence and variability in rivers with a wide variety of different land-use characteristics while highlighting differences between surface samples from rivers compared with lakes.

Field evaluation of spatial repellency of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips against Anopheles gambiae complex in Bagamoyo, coastal Tanzania.

OpenAIRE

Kawada, Hitoshi; Temu, Emmanuel A.; Minjas, Japhet N.; Matsumoto, Osamu; Iwasaki, Tomonori; Takagi, Masahiro

2008-01-01

Metofluthrin is a newly synthesized pyrethroid possessing high knockdown and lethal activity against mosquitoes. Studies of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips have been performed with dengue vectors. This study reports the efficacy of the new prototypes of metofluthrin-impregnated plastic strips against malaria vectors, Anopheles gambiae complex, in the Kongo villages of Bagamoyo district in coastal Tanzania. The study, using 20 houses, half intervention, half control, was conducted for ...

Optimization of injection molding process parameters for a plastic cell phone housing component

Science.gov (United States)

Rajalingam, Sokkalingam; Vasant, Pandian; Khe, Cheng Seong; Merican, Zulkifli; Oo, Zeya

2016-11-01

To produce thin-walled plastic items, injection molding process is one of the most widely used application tools. However, to set optimal process parameters is difficult as it may cause to produce faulty items on injected mold like shrinkage. This study aims at to determine such an optimum injection molding process parameters which can reduce the fault of shrinkage on a plastic cell phone cover items. Currently used setting of machines process produced shrinkage and mis-specified length and with dimensions below the limit. Thus, for identification of optimum process parameters, maintaining closer targeted length and width setting magnitudes with minimal variations, more experiments are needed. The mold temperature, injection pressure and screw rotation speed are used as process parameters in this research. For optimal molding process parameters the Response Surface Methods (RSM) is applied. The major contributing factors influencing the responses were identified from analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique. Through verification runs it was found that the shrinkage defect can be minimized with the optimal setting found by RSM.

The Impressionist Effect in Jean Epstein’s Film Discourse: ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Gómez Alonso

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article aims to demonstrate how there is a parallelism between the figurative qualities of pictorial impressionism and the avant-garde aesthetics that Jean Epstein sets in his film The Fall of the House of Usher. In turn, it is a question of studying the process of adaptation of the literary universe of Edgar Allan Poe protected in the style of Gothic romanticism, with special emphasis on visual references. For this, it is a question of investigating how descriptive appreciations are conceived that concern an avant-garde visual representation. The methodology used for the analysis is based on using the aesthetic variables that allow to support how a model of different visual representation is created. Through the analysis of the images it is possible to study the traits that characterize the ascription to the Impressionist movement and the style that defines the author brand. To this end, it is intended to describe how a suitable targeting is recreated in the staging, in which different types of environments are recreated.

Vibration Propagation of Gear Dynamics in a Gear-Bearing-Housing System Using Mathematical Modeling and Finite Element Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Robert G.; Guo, Yi; Eritenel, Tugan; Ericson, Tristan M.

2012-01-01

Vibration and noise caused by gear dynamics at the meshing teeth propagate through power transmission components to the surrounding environment. This study is devoted to developing computational tools to investigate the vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics through a gearbox using different bearings. Detailed finite element/contact mechanics and boundary element models of the gear/bearing/housing system are established to compute the system vibration and noise propagation. Both vibration and acoustic models are validated by experiments including the vibration modal testing and sound field measurements. The effectiveness of each bearing type to disrupt vibration propagation is speed-dependent. Housing plays an important role in noise radiation .It, however, has limited effects on gear dynamics. Bearings are critical components in drivetrains. Accurate modeling of rolling element bearings is essential to assess vibration and noise of drivetrain systems. This study also seeks to fully describe the vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics through a power-transmission system using rolling element and fluid film wave bearings. Fluid film wave bearings, which have higher damping than rolling element bearings, could offer an energy dissipation mechanism that reduces the gearbox noise. The effectiveness of each bearing type to disrupt vibration propagation in explored using multi-body computational models. These models include gears, shafts, rolling element and fluid film wave bearings, and the housing. Radiated noise is mapped from the gearbox surface to surrounding environment. The effectiveness of rolling element and fluid film wave bearings in breaking the vibro-acoustic propagation path from the gear to the housing is investigated.

Mechanical and thermal properties of physically-blended-plastic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu Issa, M. S.

1983-10-01

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) blend were produced in film form and were characterized by a number of techniques such as wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and instron tensile testing. Results of WAXD and DTA showed conclusively that the two components in the blend are incompatible. SEM micrographs indicated that the 60/40 and 40/60 PP/PE blends show approximately fine homogeneous dispersion of the minor component into the matrix of the major component. The mechanical properties of the blend films improved with respect to the PE homo polymer. The improvement was more remarkable with the increase of the PP component in the blend. Results obtained in this work were explained in terms of crystallinity and the crystallite orientation. 28 refs., 29 figs., 5 tabs. (A.M.H.)

Effect of high-pressure food processing on the physical properties of synthetic and biopolymer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Galotto, M J; Ulloa, P A; Guarda, A; Gavara, R; Miltz, J

2009-08-01

The effect of high-pressure processing on 2 plastic food packaging films, a biopolymer (PLASiOx/PLA) and a synthetic polymer (PET-AlOx), was studied. Samples in direct contact with olive oil, as a fatty food simulant, and distilled water, as an aqueous simulant, were subjected to a pressure of 500MPa for 15 min at 50 degrees C. The mechanical, thermal, and gas barrier properties of both films were evaluated after the high-pressure processing (HPP) and compared to control samples that have not undergone this treatment. Significant changes in all properties were observed in both films after the HPP treatment and in contact with the food simulants. In both films an induced crystallization was noticed. In the PLASiOx/PLA film the changes were larger when in contact with water that probably acted as a plasticizer. In the PET-AlOx film the changes in properties were attributed to the formation of pinholes and cracks during the HPP treatment. In this film, most of the properties changed more in the presence of oil as the food simulant.

Electrochemical and chemical methods of metallizing plastic films

OpenAIRE

Chapples, J.

1991-01-01

This thesis describes two novel techniques for the metallization of non-electroactive polymer films and thicker sectioned polyethylene and nylon substrates. In the first approach, non-electroactive polymer substrates were impregnated with surface layers of polypyrrole and polyaniline, using electrochemical and chemical methods of polymerization. The relative merits of both these approaches are discussed and compared with other methods in the literature. The resultant composi...

Bio-based biodegradable film to replace the standard polyethylene cover for silage conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Borreani, Giorgio; Tabacco, Ernesto

2015-01-01

The research was aimed at studying whether the polyethylene (PE) film currently used to cover maize silage could be replaced with bio-based biodegradable films, and at determining the effects on the fermentative and microbiological quality of the resulting silages in laboratory silo conditions. Biodegradable plastic film made in 2 different formulations, MB1 and MB2, was compared with a conventional 120-μm-thick PE film. A whole maize crop was chopped; ensiled in MB1, MB2, and PE plastic bags, 12.5kg of fresh weight per bag; and opened after 170d of conservation. At silo opening, the microbial and fermentative quality of the silage was analyzed in the uppermost layer (0 to 50mm from the surface) and in the whole mass of the silo. All the silages were well fermented with little differences in fermentative quality between the treatments, although differences in the mold count and aerobic stability were observed in trial 1 for the MB1 silage. These results have shown the possibility of successfully developing a biodegradable cover for silage for up to 6mo after ensiling. The MB2 film allowed a good silage quality to be obtained even in the uppermost part of the silage close to the plastic film up to 170d of conservation, with similar results to those obtained with the PE film. The promising results of this experiment indicate that the development of new degradable materials to cover silage till 6mo after ensiling could be possible. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical, structural and thermal properties of Ag-Cu and ZnO reinforced polylactide nanocomposite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Jasim; Arfat, Yasir Ali; Castro-Aguirre, Edgar; Auras, Rafael

2016-05-01

Plasticized polylactic acid (PLA) based nanocomposite films were prepared by incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and two selected nanoparticles (NPs) [silver-copper (Ag-Cu) alloy (film matrix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Nanocellulose Reinforced Chitosan Films, Cross-Linked by Adipic Acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Falamarzpour, Pouria; Behzad, Tayebeh; Zamani, Akram

2017-02-13

Adipic acid, an abundant and nontoxic compound, was used to dissolve and cross-link chitosan. After the preparation of chitosan films through casting technique, the in situ amidation reaction was performed at 80-100 °C as verified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The reaction was accompanied by the release of water which was employed to investigate the reaction kinetics. Accordingly, the reaction rate followed the first-order model and Arrhenius equation, and the activation energy was calculated to be 18 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the chitosan films were comprehensively studied. First, optimal curing conditions (84 °C, 93 min) were introduced through a central composite design. In order to evaluate the effects of adipic acid, the mechanical properties of physically cross-linked (uncured), chemically cross-linked (cured), and uncross-linked (prepared by acetic acid) films were compared. The use of adipic acid improved the tensile strength of uncured and chemically cross-linked films more than 60% and 113%, respectively. Finally, the effect of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) on the mechanical performance of cured films, in the presence of glycerol as a plasticizer, was investigated. The plasticized chitosan films reinforced by 5 wt % CNFs showed superior properties as a promising material for the development of chitosan-based biomaterials.

Opportunities for cellulose nanomaterials in packaging films: a review and future trends

Science.gov (United States)

Nicole M. Stark

2016-01-01

Performance requirements for packaging films may include barrier properties, transparency, flexibility, and tensile strength. Conventional packaging materials such as plastic films and laminates, are typically made from petroleum-based polymers. Currently, there is a drive to develop sustainable packaging materials. These alternative materials must be able to be...

Low-cost rapid prototyping of flexible plastic paper based microfluidic devices

KAUST Repository

Fan, Yiqiang

2013-04-01

This research presents a novel rapid prototyping method for paper-based flexible microfluidic devices. The microchannels were fabricated using laser ablation on a piece of plastic paper (permanent paper), the dimensions of the microchannels was carefully studied for various laser powers and scanning speeds. After laser ablation of the microchannels on the plastic paper, a transparent poly (methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) film was thermally bonded to the plastic paper to enclose the channels. After connection of tubing, the device was ready to use. An example microfluidic device (droplet generator) was also fabricated using this technique. Due to the flexibility of the fabricated device, this technique can be used to fabricate 3D microfluidic devices. The fabrication process was simple and rapid without any requirement of cleanroom facilities. © 2013 IEEE.

There is no place like home – the house as confinement, character and idealized space in the movie Pride and Prejudice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina Gomes Barbosa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes three ways in which the figure of the house is represented in the 2005's film version of  the book Pride and Prejudice: as a space of confinement, as a character and as idealized space of affection. To serve as a support for the analysis of this adaptation of one of Jane Austen's books, we use the theories of film and mass culture and feminist theories. To look on the cinematic language of the audiovisual work allows us to show how, far from being an idealized and pacified space as the film tries to present, the figure of the house is usurped of all other meanings in the narrative and especially in the story of the female characters, to offer a fictional strengthening of the patriarchal view of the house as the only space allowed to heroin, which is allowed to move in very different spaces from those covered by the male hero.

Active Chicken Meat Packaging Based on Polylactide Films and Bimetallic Ag-Cu Nanoparticles and Essential Oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Jasim; Arfat, Yasir Ali; Bher, Anibal; Mulla, Mehrajfatema; Jacob, Harsha; Auras, Rafael

2018-04-16

Plasticized polylactide (PLA) composite films with multifunctional properties were created by loading bimetallic silver-copper (Ag-Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) and cinnamon essential oil (CEO) into polymer matrix via compression molding technique. Rheological, structural, thermal, barrier, and antimicrobial properties of the produced films, and its utilization in the packaging of chicken meat were investigated. PLA/PEG/Ag-Cu/CEO composites showed a very complex rheological system where both plasticizing and antiplasticizing effects were evident. Thermal properties of plasticized PLA film with polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhanced considerably with the reinforcement of NPs whereas loading of CEO decreased glass transition, melting, and crystallization temperature. The barrier properties of the composite films were reduced with the increase of CEO loading (P films were visualized by FTIR spectra. Rough and porous surfaces of the films were evident by scanning electron microscopy. The effectiveness of composite films was tested against Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter jejuni and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated in chicken samples, and it was found that the films loaded with Ag-Cu NPs and 50% CEO showed maximum antibacterial action during 21 days at the refrigerated condition. The produced PLA/Ag-Cu/CEO composite films can be applied to active food packaging. The nanoparticles and essential oil loaded PLA composite films are capable of exhibiting antimicrobial effects against Gram (+) and (-) bacteria, and extend the shelf-life of chicken meat. The bionanocomposite films showed the potential to be manufactured commercially because of the thermal stability of the active components during the hot-press compression molding process. The developed bionanocomposites could have practical importance and open a new direction for the active food packaging to control the spoilage and the pathogenic bacteria associated with the fresh chicken meat. © 2018 Institute of Food

Determination of gel content and SEM morphology for sago-PVA blends film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarada Idris; Zulkafli Ghazali; Kamarudin Hashim

2006-01-01

Blends of polyvinyl alcohol and sago starch have been prepared to evaluate the potential of producing biodegradable products. Glycerol was introduced in the blends to improve the flexibility of the films as plasticizer in order more flexible film. These blends have been subjected to electron beam irradiation to evaluate and characterized radiation effect on the blends. Subsequently films were produced from this blend. The gel content of un-irradiated and irradiated films as evidence of cross linking was measured and discussed. This paper also discuss the films morphology from Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) observation. (Author)

Understanding the extremely low fracture toughness of freestanding gold thin films by in-situ bulge testing in an AFM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Preiß, Eva I., E-mail: eva.preiss@fau.de; Merle, Benoit; Göken, Mathias

2017-04-13

The fracture toughness of freestanding gold films with thicknesses between 60 nm and 320 nm was determined by bulge testing to be around 2 MPa m{sup 1/2}. This surprisingly low value confirms the trend also observed for other metals that thin films exhibit only a fraction of the bulk fracture toughness. In order to understand this behavior, the fracture process of freestanding gold films with a crack introduced by focused ion beam (FIB) milling was observed in-situ in an atomic force microscope (AFM). AFM scans of the crack tip region show stable crack growth mainly along grain boundaries. Plastic deformation is localized in a narrow corridor in front of the crack tip. A large plastic zone, as one would typically expect under plane stress, is not observed. Instead, strong local necking is evidenced. We conclude that the spatial confinement of the plastic deformation is the primary reason for the low fracture toughness of metallic thin films.

Biodegradable films and spray coatings as eco-friendly alternative to petro-chemical derived mulching films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Vox

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The use of plastic mulching films in horticulture causes the serious drawback of huge amount of wastes to be disposed of at the end of their lifetime. Several pre-competitive research products based on raw materials coming from renewable sources were recently developed to be used as biodegradable materials for soil mulching. Biodegradable materials are designed in order both to retain their mechanical and physical properties during their using time and to degrade at the end of their lifetime. These materials can be integrated directly in the soil in order to biodegrade because the bacterial flora transforms them in carbon dioxide or methane, water and biomass. The innovative materials can be obtained using natural polymers, such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, alginate and glucomannan. Biodegradable extruded mulching films were performed by means of thermo-plasticizing process. Spray mulch coatings were realized directly in field, by spraying water solutions based on natural polysaccharides, thus covering the cultivated soil with a protective thin geo-membrane. In this paper an overview on the formulation development, processing understanding, field performance, mechanical and radiometric properties of these innovative materials for soil mulching is presented. In field the biodegradable mulching films showed suitable mechanical properties if compared to the low density polyethylene films. The radiometric properties and their effect on the temperature condition and on weed control in the mulched soil were evaluated too. At the end of their lifetime the biodegradable materials were shattered and buried into the soil together with plants.

Measurements of indoor and outdoor natural radiation exposure rates in model houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Hideharu; Fukaya, Mitsuharu; Minato, Susumu

1990-01-01

Natural gamma-ray and cosmic-ray exposure rates were measured indoors and outdoors for 94 model houses of four housing centers in Nagoya to obtain basic data for estimation of the population dose. Influence of the structure of houses on indoor exposure rates and relationship between indoor and outdoor natural gamma-ray exposure rates were studied. Exposure rates were measured with a 1.5'' φ x 4'' NaI (Tl) scintillation counter and a 6''φ spherical plastic scintillation counter. The mean indoor natural gamma-ray exposure rate in ferro-concrete buildings was about 40% higher than that in fireproof wooden houses, about 60% higher than that in light-weight steel-framed buildings, in fireproof wooden houses, it was also about 10% higher than in light-weight steel-framed building. The ratio of indoor to outdoor natural gamma-ray exposure rate was found to be about 0.95±0.15, 0.77±0.10, and 0.72±0.13 for ferro-concrete buildings, fireproof wooden houses and light-weight steel-framed buildings, respectively. The mean indoor cosmic-ray exposure rate in ferro-concrete buildings was 2.8 μR/h, about 18% lower than the outdoors. The indoor cosmic-ray exposure rate in fireproof wooden houses and light-weight steel-framed buildings were 3.2 μR/h, about 6% lower than the outdoors. (author)

Shrink-Induced Superhydrophobic and Antibacterial Surfaces in Consumer Plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Freschauf, Lauren R.; McLane, Jolie; Sharma, Himanshu; Khine, Michelle

2012-01-01

Structurally modified superhydrophobic surfaces have become particularly desirable as stable antibacterial surfaces. Because their self-cleaning and water resistant properties prohibit bacteria growth, structurally modified superhydrophobic surfaces obviate bacterial resistance common with chemical agents, and therefore a robust and stable means to prevent bacteria growth is possible. In this study, we present a rapid fabrication method for creating such superhydrophobic surfaces in consumer hard plastic materials with resulting antibacterial effects. To replace complex fabrication materials and techniques, the initial mold is made with commodity shrink-wrap film and is compatible with large plastic roll-to-roll manufacturing and scale-up techniques. This method involves a purely structural modification free of chemical additives leading to its inherent consistency over time and successive recasting from the same molds. Finally, antibacterial properties are demonstrated in polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), and polyethylene (PE) by demonstrating the prevention of gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria growth on our structured plastic surfaces. PMID:22916100

Quantification of mammalian tumor cell state plasticity with digital holographic cytometry

Science.gov (United States)

Hejna, Miroslav; Jorapur, Aparna; Zhang, Yuntian; Song, Jun S.; Judson, Robert L.

2018-02-01

Individual cells within isogenic tumor populations can exhibit distinct cellular morphologies, behaviors, and molecular profiles. Cell state plasticity refers to the propensity of a cell to transition between these different morphologies and behaviors. Elevation of cell state plasticity is thought to contribute to critical stages in tumor evolution, including metastatic dissemination and acquisition of therapeutic resistance. However, methods for quantifying general plasticity in mammalian cells remain limited. Working with a HoloMonitor M4 digital holographic cytometry platform, we have established a machine learning-based pipeline for high accuracy and label-free classification of adherent cells. We use twenty-six morphological and optical density-derived features for label-free identification of cell state in heterogeneous cultures. The system is housed completely within a mammalian cell incubator, permitting the monitoring of changes in cell state over time. Here we present an application of our approach for studying cell state plasticity. Human melanoma cell lines of known metastatic potential were monitored in standard growth conditions. The rate of feature change was quantified for each individual cell in the populations. We observed that cells of higher metastatic potential exhibited more rapid fluctuation of cell state in homeostatic conditions. The approach we demonstrate will be advantageous for further investigations into the factors that influence cell state plasticity.

Quality changes of 'Sanguinello' oranges wrapped with different plastic films under simulated marketing conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Aquino, S; Malinconico, M; Avella, M; Di Lorenzo, M L; Mura; Palma, A

2013-01-01

Chemical and eating quality of citrus fruit changes slowly after harvest, and quality alteration is mainly due to shrinkage, loss of firmness, excessive weight loss and decay rather than a reduction of nutritional value and taste features. Film wrapping may be a suitable means to reduce transpiration and preserve market quality provided film permeability to gases does not lead to: 1) a reduction of in-package O2 partial pressure at a point that would induce anaerobic respiration; 2) an increase of CO2 concentration to toxic levels. This experiment was carried out to study quality changes of 'Sanguinello' oranges treated or not treated with 500 mg/L imazalil (IMZ) and wrapped with continuous, macro- or micro-perforated polyolefinic films. Wrapped and no-wrapped fruit were stored at 20 degrees C and 60% RH for 20 or 30 days. In-package gas composition of the macro-perforated film showed no significant difference compared to air composition, while in-package partial pressure of CO2 and O2 ranged between 4 (continuous film) and 9.8 kPa (micro-perforated films), and 14.8 (continuous film) and 5 kPa (micro-perforated films), respectively. After 30 days of storage weight loss in fruit wrapped with the macro-perforated film was (4.3%) slightly lowerthan un-packed fruit (5%), while in all other packages weight loss never exceeded 0.7%.Quality changes were quite stable over storage in all treatments, although slight but significantly lower levels of total soluble solids and ascorbic acid were detected in micro-perforated films with the lowest degree of perforation. However, the sensory analysis denoted a remarkable decrease of firmness in un-wrapped or wrapped fruit with macro-perforated film, while a moderate build-up of off-flavour, which reduced the eating quality, developed in micro-perforated films. Decay ranged between 6 and 12% in not treated fruit, with the lowest incidence detected in un-wrapped fruit, whereas differences among the different films were not