Temperature and humidity aging of poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fibers: Chemical and physical characterization

In recent years, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers have become prominent in high strength applications such as body armor, ropes and cables, and recreational equipment. The objectives of this study were to expose woven PBO body armor panels to elevated temperature and moisture, and to analyze the chemical, morphological and mechanical changes in PBO yarns extracted from the panels. A 30% decrease in yarn tensile strength, which was correlated to changes in the infrared peak absorbance of key functional groups in the PBO structure, was observed during the 26 week elevated temperature/elevated moisture aging period. Substantial changes in chemical structure were observed via infrared spectroscopy, as well as changes in polymer morphology using microscopy and neutron scattering. When the panels were removed to an ultra-dry environment for storage for 47 weeks, no further decreases in tensile strength degradation were observed. In a follow-on study, fibers were sealed in argon-filled glass tubes and exposed to elevated temperature; less than a 4% decrease in tensile strength was observed after 30 weeks, demonstrating that moisture is a key factor in the degradation of these fibers.     

Molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of hardwood and softwood pulps

The molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of fibers present in hardwood and softwood pulps, together with the effects of different bleaching processes on these properties, have been investigated in this study. In order to separate the hemicelluloses located in these two layers, fibers were subjected to mechanical peeling and then separated by filtration into surface (filtrate) and inner layer materials. The materials thus obtained were characterized with respect to their polysaccharide compositions and uronic acid contents. The molar mass parameters of the hemicelluloses (extracted by alkali) were determined by employing size-exclusion chromatography in combination with off-line MALDI mass spectrometry. For all of the pulps examined, the relative content of xylan was found to be greater in the surface layer of the fiber than in the corresponding inner layer. The xylan polymers of the surface layer exhibited higher molar masses and lower frequencies of uronic acid side groups than did the xylans in the inner fiber layer. In connection with ozone treatment, hexenuronic acid residues in the surface layer xylan were removed to a greater extent than in the case of the inner layers, indicating a gradient for the reaction with ozone across the fiber wall. The xylan polymer remaining on the surface of the softwood pulps after completion of the chlorine dioxide bleaching process was predominantly uncharged.     

STRUCTURE EVOLUTION OF POLYMER CHAINS FOR NECKING FORMATION IN HIGH-SPEED FIBER SPINNING PROCESS

Finite element method is used to simulate the high-speed melt spinning process,based on the equation system proposed by Doufas et al.Calculation predicts a neck-like deformation,as well as the related profiles of velocity,diameter, temperature,chain orientation,and crystallinity in the fiber spinning process.Considering combined effects on the process such as flow-induced crystallization,viscoelasticity,filament cooling,air drag,inertia,surface tension and gravity,the simulated material flow behaviors are consistent with those observed for semi-crystalline polymers under various spinning conditions.The structure change of polymer coils in the necking region described by the evolution of conformation tensor is also investigated.Based on the relaxation mechanism of macromolecules in flow field different types of morphology change of polymer chains before and in the neck are proposed,giving a complete prospect of structure evolution and crystallization of semi-crystalline polymer in the high speed fiber spinning process.     

晶须概念的泛化与学术影响

最初只称单晶短纤维为晶须,稍后结晶较好的多晶纤维也被称为"晶须",现在无定形纤维也归进了晶须专著,通过对晶须概念泛化过程的反思,希能澄清学术著作中10多年来相沿的一个模糊认知。     

光纤松耦合型传感器特性研究

本文介绍一种实用的光纤传感器,它由二根光纤或多根光纤紧靠一起,并在同一位置除去局部包层,成为松耦合状态,在这种状态下,研究了它的特性和应用。 当耦合间隙中充满某种液体介质时,耦合效率明显增大,因此可以方便地判别该介质是否存在。并且实验证明了一种光纤只能有一种相近于光纤芯子折射率的介质具有最大的灵敏度。当间隙内的介质不变时,耦合功率的大小决定于耦合距离d和耦合长度l,l一旦决定以后,d的调节精度为0.1mm量级,易于在机械结构上实现线性检测。     

Synchrotron X-ray structures of cellulose I<Subscript>β</Subscript> and regenerated cellulose II at ambient temperature and 100 K

Synchrotron X-ray data have been collected to 1.4 Å resolution at the NE-CAT beam-line at the Advanced Photon Source from fibers of cellulose I_β and regenerated cellulose II (Fortisan) at ambient temperature and at 100 K in order to understand the effects of low temperature on cellulose more thoroughly. Crystal structures have been determined at each temperature. The unit cell of regenerated cellulose II contracted, with decreasing temperature, by 0.25%, 0.22% and 0.1% along the a, b, and c axes, respectively, whereas that of cellulose I_β contracted only in the direction of the a axis, by 0.9%. The value of 4.6×10^?5 K^?1 for the thermal expansion coefficient of cellulose I_β in the a axis direction can be explained by simple harmonic molecular oscillations and the lack of hydrogen-bonding in this direction. The molecular conformations of each allomorph are essential unchanged by cooling to 100 K. The room temperature crystal structure of regenerated cellulose II is essentially identical to the crystal structure of mercerized cellulose II.     

Designing a plano-convex aspheric lens for fiber optics collimator

A plano-convex aspheric lens is designed to collimate the emitted light of the fiber optics. In this paper even orders of general aspheres are used to describe the aspheric surfaces sag. To determine the aspheric coefficient, the even asphere polynomial are fitted on the computed sag data. The surface sag data is determined using genetic algorithm method. The surface sag was analyzed by the commercial optical software package ZEMAX. For typical fiber optics, the numerical aperture (NA) of 0.22 was assumed. With this specification, the expected output spot diagram of 20 mm and the maximum aperture of 25.4 mm have been obtained. A comparison between here presented lens and the similar type of conventional lens has been carried out; the proposed aspheric lens corrected the spherical aberration, which led to increase in the collimated distance.     

The research on temperature measurement based on polarization dependent loss

This paper analyzes the properties of reflected polarization dependent loss of apodized fiber Bragg gratings with temperature effective. We simulates reflected spectrum and polarization dependent loss of the apodized fiber Bragg gratings. The reflected spectrum and polarization dependent loss are measured under different temperatures. The analysis results show that reflected polarization dependent loss presents two peaks which shift an equal proportion to long wavelength with temperature increasing and have very good stability so we propose an idea that use polarization dependent loss as temperature sensor measurement parameters. The results show that the accuracy of measurement can be increased almost by one order of magnitude.     

Thermal Degradation of Polysiloxane Coatings on E-Glass Fiber. A FTIR Study

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermal Analysis have been used to study the thermal and termooxidative degradation of polysiloxane coatings obtained by treating E-glass fiber with aqueous solutions of 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane. Initial weight losses were due to polymerization of the coatings. Severe oxidative degradations were observed at temperatures above 180°C. At 550°C the residue of the coating was found to be silica with free silanol groups.     

Reagentless Bioluminescent Sensor for NADH

Abstract

A reagentless fiber optic biosensor specific for NADH, associated with flow injection analysis and based on bacterial bioluminescence is described. Only a buffer solution as flowing stream is required for the probe which works without supply of its coreactants (FMN and N-decyl-aldehyde). These are coentrapped in a poly(vinyl)alcohol (PVA) matrix which allows their internal release in the vicinity of the immobilized enzymes. Two PVA matrices differing by the reticulation process have been tested : first, by polymerization with glutaraldehyde and secondly, by a cyclic freezing-thawing process. The self-containment working time was estimated at 1 and 1.5 h of continuous measurements, respectively. NADH was determined using flow injection analysis. The sensor gave excellent reproducibility (RSD ≤ 3%) in the linear dynamic range 5 — 500 pmol with an average cycle-time of 2.5 min.