ABSTRACT Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) is synthesised from lactic acid by ring-opening polymerisation (ROP). Calcium phosphate (CaP) and magnesium phosphate (MgP) nanoparticles were incorporated into the PLA matrix to study its mechanical and rheological properties. PLA nanocomposites were prepared by the melt compounding assisted with ultrasonic vibration, and the samples were cast inside the

ABSTRACT The aim of this investigation is to enhance the thermal and viscoelastic performance of flax strengthened epoxy with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). GNP was incorporated at various weight percentages with epoxy resin. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies revealed a uniform and well-dispersed GNP with a few agglomerations and voids. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric

ABSTRACT In this study, graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) fillers were first mixed with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution under ultrasonication, and then glycerol was added as a plasticiser to enhance the thermal processability of the PVA/GNP mixture. The interactions among glycerol, GNP and PVA, rheological behaviour, crystallisation behaviour, electrical properties, and mechanical properties of

ABSTRACT The nanofiller improve the properties of the pristine polymer resins to the great extent. In present findings, the preparation of nanocomposites (epoxy/PNCC/LDHs) was done by the ‘Slurry-compounding method’. Precipitated nano-calcium carbonate (PNCC) were mixed with Layer double hydroxides (LDHs) in varying ratio and added to epoxy resin with constant stirring at room temperature. The degree

ABSTRACT This study investigated the influence of the surface treatment of curaua fibres (Ananas erectifolius) on the morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of polyester composites when the treated fibres (10 wt-%) were added. The following treatment agents were assessed: 10% Ba(OH)2, 14% Ca(OH)2, 5% NaOH, 10% KOH and 5% silane. The treatments removed amorphous components, thereby increasing

ABSTRACT In this study, the microwave-absorption characteristics of multi-layered radar-absorbing structures (RASs) were investigated. Electrical-grade glass (e-glass)/epoxy composites containing modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated. The poly aniline (PANI) coated MWCNTs was obtained by in-situ polymerisation of aniline in the presence of MWCNTs. The PANI-coated MWCNTs (PCNTs)

ABSTRACT In this work, first, VO-acetylacetonate coordination system with 2-(pyridin-4-ylmethylene) hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (VO(acac)2L) was synthesised via sonochemical routes. Then POAP/VO(acac)2L films were fabricated through electropolymerization of poly ortho aminophenol (POAP) in the presence of VO(acac)2L and used as the active electrode of an electrochemical supercapacitor (SC) with a significant

ABSTRACT In this work, the non-metals recycled from waste printed circuit boards (NPCBs) are used as the reinforcing filler for polypropylene (PP) composites. The effects of particle size, surface modification, compatibiliser and NPCB content are evaluated by the detailed investigation of mechanical, morphology, crystallisation and melting behaviour. Mechanical test results showed that NPCBs could

ABSTRACT The composition and microstructure of graphene aerogels (GAs) play crucial roles in the electromagnetic shielding performance of their polymer composites. In this paper, the microwave-reduced graphene aerogel was prepared by the rapid microwave irradiation of GA. And then, the MRGA/Polyetherketone cardo (PEK-C) composites were fabricated via a vacuum-assisted impregnating method. The study

ABSTRACT To reduce the lead time and costs for developing short run production injection moulding tools the potential of additive manufactured mould inserts is investigated. These hybrid moulds are compared to conventional steel-based moulds, considering mechanical and thermal differences. For part production and insert material, respectively polypropylene and polyamide12 manufactured by Multi Jet

ABSTRACT To extend the diversity of commercial materials relevant for fused filament fabrication (FFF), the relation of nozzle temperature and layer thickness with respect to final product mechanical performance is examined for the less studied group of (co)polyesters, considering tensile and impact strength and microscopic imaging. It is demonstrated that with limited polymer degradation, one can

ABSTRACT Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites filled with glass fibre (GF) and graphite were prepared by internal mixer and moulded using compression mould to produce test samples. A high-speed mixer was selected to simulate uneven mixing and excessive mixing conditions by controlling different mixing time. The work studied the mixing process's influence on the mechanical and tribological properties

ABSTRACT The effects of Eggshell (ES) on the properties of plasticised PLA and an intumescent flame retardant (IFR) containing plasticised PLA have been investigated. APP and PERwere added into the matrix as an IFR. The characterisation of samples was performed by DSC, TGA, tensile test, LOI, UL-94 and SEM. While APP loading was decreased, the ES was increased in the IFR to obtain a low-price flame

ABSTRACT This work addresses the usability of novel and sustainable basalt fibre reinforced composites (BFRP) with special emphasis to their structural integrity and fracture toughness G I c , compared to state-of-the-art ECR glass fibre composites (GFRP). Toughness was determined via Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests and evaluated both the Area Method (AM) and Corrected Beam Theory (CBT) yielding

ABSTRACT Response :In this investigation, an experimental study has been carried to determine the effects of post-curing temperature (Tc) on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of SiO2/epoxy nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were prepared through ultrasonic mixing with a dispersion of 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt.% SiO2 nanoparticles and post cured at 75, 100, 125, and 150 °‌‌C. The viscoelastic properties

ABSTRACT Various thermal protective ablative materials (TPAM) have been extensively studied. However, there are few reports on the thermal stability, the ablation properties and ceramisation of vitreous silica fabric reinforced boron phenolic resin composites with an incorporation of MoSi2 (VMBPR) and their bending strength after ablation. At this work, the above performances of the composites were

ABSTRACT Electrostatic discharge-sensitive devices (ESDS) consist of electronic systems that are easily damaged by electrostatic fields or discharges. To safely stow and transit the ESDS, Bosch Car Multimedia S.A. resorts to thermoformed trays with a specific design for each product configuration. Although efficient, the solutions’ specificity arose logistic issues that created the need for an alternative

ABSTRACT Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were carboxylated by nitric acid oxidation/plasma pretreatment, and melamine phosphate (MP) was grafted onto the surface of MWCNTs to obtain functionalised MWCNTs-MP. The modified MWCNTs were characterised by FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, 1H-NMR, TEM, SEM and TGA. The results proved the successful preparation of MWCNTs-MP. The acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene

ABSTRACT Polymer nanocomposites of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) with either unmodified nanosized titanium dioxide (nTiO2) or polystyrene (PS)-encapsulated MPTMS-modified nTiO2 (PS-MPTMS-nTiO2) were prepared. The PS-MPTMS-nTiO2 was synthesised via in situ differential microemulsion polymerization. The PS-MPTMS-nTiO2 exhibited a core–shell morphology with diameter of 45.3 nm. The addition of unmodified

ABSTRACT Microwave absorbers present a wide range of applications in radar and telecommunications. To improve the microwave absorption characteristics of radar-absorbing structures (RASs), magnetic and dielectric materials are blended in different proportions because the impedance mismatch of dielectric materials, resulting from poor permeability, can be eliminated by a combination with magnetic loss

ABSTRACT We report a novel chemical method for the development of advanced lead free, multi-constituent-based composite materials for shielding against diagnostic X-rays by exploring the multi-elemental, multi-componential phases inherently present in red mud and brine sludge. The chemical treatment of red mud with citric acid and further using brine sludge leads to formation of two types of powders

ABSTRACT Presence of GO in PU muffles discharge of heat, smoke and CO and CO2 into atmosphere. The maximum improvement in mechanical properties achieved by including 2.0 wt-% of GO in PU framework, indicating an increase in tensile stress and elongation at break of 155.1% and 27.7% compared to PU. Primary temperature of thermal degradation of PU/GO nanocomposite increased by 36.5°C with 3.0 wt-% of

ABSTRACT The present study reports the synthesis of amine functionalised Graphene Oxide by two different methods, one by a modified Bucherer reaction and the other by using dodecyl amine. The synthesised amine functionalised Graphene oxide by modified Bucherer reaction (AGO) and by using dodecyl amine (DGO) was characterised by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis

ABSTRACT The Molecular Stress Function (MSF) constitutive model with convective constraint release (CCR) mechanism has been shown to accurately fit a large range of viscometric data, and also shown to give strong vortex growth in flows of LDPE through planar and axisymmetric contractions. This work compares simulation and experimental results for 3-D flows of Lupolen 1840H LDPE through a contraction

This study show influence of alkaline treatment on sisal fiber (SF) in different composites of starch matrices (SM) and cellulose acetate matrices (CAM). SF were modified with an aqueous 0.5M NaOH solution. Composites were prepared in proportion of 3% fiber/matrix (m/m) using casting method. The samples were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT This study show influence of alkaline treatment on sisal fiber (SF) in different composites of starch matrices (SM) and cellulose acetate matrices (CAM). SF were modified with an aqueous 0.5M NaOH solution. Composites were prepared in proportion of 3% fiber/matrix (m/m) using casting method. The samples were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT In this paper, two-step cross-linking method was used to prepare a composite hydrogel. Explore the effects of the mass ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to sodium alginate, the concentration of cross-linking agent and the times of freeze-thaw cycle on the strength and self-healing properties of hydrogels. The hydrogel were characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Environmental

The reinforcement of recycled polypropylene (rPP) with mineral fillers, to obtain modulus values of 3000–4000 MPa has proven challenging for recyclers, whereas this is common practice for virgin PP. The main difference between recycled and virgin PP is the contaminating presence of other polymers. In this study, the composition of rPP sourced from electrical and electronic waste was analytically estimated

ABSTRACT Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), extracted from distiller’s grains by nitric acid-ethanol hydrolysis, was prepared for PLA composite films by solution casting. MCC based on the optimum comparison was characterised by particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the ultrasound combined sulphonation treatment was remarkable for the surface structure of MCC

Acrylic adhesives offer design flexibility with its viscoelasticity. However, its use with composite parts has not been studied. In this regard, the aim of this work is to characterise the mode I delamination of acrylic adhesive bonded composite joints subjected to various displacement rates. This study used carbon/epoxy composite as the adherent and 3M adhesive film (VHB 4930F) as the adhesive. Double

ABSTRACT A method for predicting the optimal conditions for polymer extrusion, which relies only on gramscale laboratory experiments for two commercial polystyrene samples with two molecular weights is demonstrated by oscillatory rheology. These enable a shear viscosity map vs. temperature and shear rate to be constructed, together with the positions for the major molecular timescales. Alternative

The development of new radar-absorbing structures (RASs) with strong microwave absorption, fine thickness and adequate structural performance is imperative. Herein, nanocrystalline Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 was synthesised by a facile and effective sol–gel autocombustion technique. The structural and magnetic properties of ferrite were determined by various characterisation techniques, and E-glass/epoxy-based

ABSTRACT The development of new radar-absorbing structures (RASs) with strong microwave absorption, fine thickness and adequate structural performance is imperative. Herein, nanocrystalline Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 was synthesised by a facile and effective sol–gel autocombustion technique. The structural and magnetic properties of ferrite were determined by various characterisation techniques, and E-glass/epoxy-based

ABSTRACT A novel flame-retardant, polysilazane containing phosphorus (PPVSZ), was synthesised and used as flame-retardant to prepare glass fibre reinforced flame-retardant modified epoxy composites (GFRP-M). With the incorporation of PPVSZ, GFRP-M exhibited excellent thermal stability and the limited oxygen index values of GFRP-M/2.5 (GFRP-M with 2.5 wt-% of PPVSZ) and GFRP-M/5.0 (GFRP-M with 5.0 wt-%

ABSTRACT Historical constructions are exposed to weathering conditions and atmospheric pollution for many years which demolish the historical material as well as dramatically influence their visual aspects. Nowadays, the development of conservative coatings with weather-resistant, self-cleaning, and hydrophobic properties is a promising challenge for carbonate stones. In this study, a simple synthesis

ABSTRACT Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into polyamide 6 in an attempt to enhance notched impact resistance and damping performance. The morphology, mechanical, thermal and viscoelastic properties of different samples were studied. Scanning electron microscopy study indicated a uniform distribution of fine TPU droplets in PA6/TPU blend. Furthermore, well-dispersed

ABSTRACT An organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite material was fabricated by blending epoxy resin with hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-based quaternary ammonium salt (HTPB-QAS) intercalated montmorillonite (MMT). The influence of HTPB-QAS-MMT content on the tribology and thermomechanical properties of the resulting epoxy-matrix nanocomposite was studied. The results show that suitable addition of

ABSTRACT A finite element (FE) approach was used to predict the barrier performance of nanocomposites with respect to fluids permeation. This could be, for example, a polymer with nanoreinforcements like graphene, and used as a coating or a liner. The model was verified with analytical and experimental measurements, and the influence on barrier performance of different flake characteristics – aspect

ABSTRACT The effect of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) treatment of short bamboo fibres on mechanical properties and water absorption character of polyester composite is investigated. Treatment time and Na2CO3 concentration were optimised to 6 h and 5 wt-% respectively. Microscopy of the treated fibres showed a significant change in surface texture whereas; FTIR suggested the removal of amorphous compounds

The effects of mixing sequence of the polyether polyol and curing agent (triethylenetetramine) on mechanical and thermal properties and morphology of epoxy/polyether polyol/organoclay ternary nanocomposites are investigated in this study. The polyether polyol domain size data are relatively unchanged with mixing order both in epoxy/polyether polyol blends and in ternary nanocomposites. Generally, impact

Cultured marble is a blend of unsaturated polyester and calcium carbonate that is combined with pigments and additives to produce a wide range of colours and realistic, natural-looking patterns. This study aims to investigate process conditions (catalyst, temperature, cured time, etc …) of cultured marble at high temperatures. The optimized process conditions are obtained by thermal analysis from DSC

Epoxy resin (EP)-based composites have been widely used as a new type of insulating material in ultra-high voltage direct current transmission network. In this work, we prepare a series of TiO2-loaded EP composites and discuss the effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on mechanical properties, and electrical properties. The results indicate that TiO2 nanoparticles can improve electrical characteristics of

Today, the production of polymeric nanocomposite materials is one of the most important research fields. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of organoclay particles on recycled polyester (rPET) fibre properties. In the literature, the studies mostly concerned with the engineering plastic applications, and hence the investigations were done on pellet and injection-moulded rPET/organoclay

This work is aimed to improve the dispersion of silica without compromise on the Mechanical and Dynamic properties, by the addition of Hydroxyl terminated poly dimethyl siloxane (PDMS-OH). PDMS-OH is expected to interact with silica through hydrogen bonding which is reversible, reduces filler–filler interaction and hence improve the silica dispersion. Dissociation of hydrogen bonds which is reversible

With the idea of improving the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) for potential industrial application, hybrid nanofillers prepared by hybridizing graphene oxide (GO) with halloysite nanotubes (HNT), were incorporated through mechanical blending to reinforce NBR. Graphene oxide/halloysite nanotubes (GH) hybrid filler demonstrates significant synergetic reinforcement effect

Epoxidised natural rubber (ENR)/polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/silica (SiO2) membranes at a mass ratio of ENR and PVC 60:40 (%w/w) have been prepared by adding different silica amounts. The morphology, mechanical properties, water absorption capacity and water permeability of the membrane were investigated. The membranes were applied for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment, while treated and untreated

The production of silica masterbatches with reduced mixing energy consumption and enhanced mechanical properties has been developed. The unit operations in the process are the preparation of silica slurry in the presence of a suitable surfactant (in this case are ammonium laurate and diethylene glycol), the addition of the slurry to the fresh natural rubber latex (NRL) under stirring, coagulation of

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a branch of additive manufacturing based on powders. The research was carried out to demonstrate the sintering feasibility of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and the evaluation of the parts of the mechanical property prepared by SLS at various laser powers was also conducted. Meanwhile, the morphology of the parts was examined through scanning electron

Electrical and shear behaviour of electrically conductive glass fibre/epoxy composites is studied under interlaminar shear loading. A well-connected network is developed by dispersing carbon nanotubes in the matrix and reinforcing micro carbon fibres between the glass laminates. The effect of carbon fibre length and their densities on the electrical and shear behaviour of the composite is investigated

New polymer composite, composed of artemisia argyi charcoal (AAC) and polypropylene (PP), was produced by extrusion and injection moulding process. ACC acted as filler for PP, and different content (5, 15, 35 and 50 wt-%) of ACC was added. AAC-PP composites (AACPC) were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, water absorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical test and thermogravimetric

The phosphorous acid (H3PO2) was used as reducing agent to prepare phosphorus modified graphene oxide (P-FGO) was added into the EP/APP. The thermal stability, flame resistance, morphology of the residue char layer and impact fracture, and mechanical properties of the composites materials were investigated with TGA LOI, UL-94, SEM, TEM, impact and tensile test. The results show that the filling of

In this study, binary (CB/MnO2) and ternary nanocomposites (CB/MnO2/PPy) include carbon black (CB) and manganese (IV) oxide (MnO2) and polypyrrole (PPy) were chemically synthesized and were characterized by many techniques such as : FTIR-ATR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, TGA-DTA analysis, XRD, TEM and BET surface analysis. Electroactive materials were used as a symmetric supercapacitor device system

In this study, a green and efficient method was demonstrated to produce few-layer graphene (FLG) with high quality and yield via liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite in sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate aqueous solution by sonication. The final concentration of the as-prepared graphene was 0.96 mg mL−1 with a lateral size of about 2 μm after 2 h of sonication exfoliation. In addition, the polyamide

Chopped aramid fibre-reinforced rubber composite (AFRC) is widely used in industry owing to its excellent characteristics. Rubber’s mechanical properties vary with the addition of aramid fibres. Although hyperelastic constitutive models exist for unfilled and filled rubber with carbon black, constitutive models for AFRCs have not been investigated yet. Here, we present experimental results demonstrating

In this study, a novel flexible piezoresistive strain sensor was prepared by using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to encapsulate carbonised waste polybenzoxazine (cPBa). Benefiting from the porous conductive framework of cPBa, the infused PDMS endowed the cPBa/PDMS strain sensor with excellent mechanical properties. It was observed that this sensor exhibited both negative and positive piezoresistive effects

In this study, the hyperbranched polyester (HBP) was grafted onto the surface of graphene oxide (GO) to prepare functionalised GO (fGO). Results of X-ray photoelectron spectra, Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy confirmed the success of grafting. Moreover, the anti-corrosion performance and barrier properties of the bare steel, and

The aim of the work was the investigation of the effect of dicumyl peroxide and different types of co-agents on cross-linking and physical–mechanical properties of vulcanisates based on acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber. First, dicumyl peroxide was applied for cross-linking at different curing temperatures. Based on the achieved results, the optimum temperature and peroxide concentration was chosen for

Despite the vast applications of fibre-reinforced polymer composites in multiple domains, conventional fabrication is laden with many difficulties, thus bringing focus on Additive manufacturing technologies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of infill percentage, layer thickness and carbon fibre layer position on the mechanical tensile performance of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) printed

In this study, the calcification and platelet adhesion resistance property of plasma-treated polyurethane/heparinised carbon nano tube (PU/HCNT) nanocomposite thin films as a candidate polymer for polymeric heart valve was investigated. The PU and HCNTs nanocomposite films (PU/HCNT) were prepared using the solvent casting technique. CNTs were heparinised to surpass the dispersal and calcification resistance

In order to enhance properties of polylactic acid (PLA), its blend with polycarbonate (PC) and silica nanofiller were prepared and their properties were compared with neat PLA and PLA/PC alloy. To have a better exchange reaction between PLA and PC and also an enhanced dispersion of nanosilica throughout the organic polymeric matrix, tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (TEH) and poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate)