Fire retardant poly(ethylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate/triphenyl phosphite blends

Flame retardant recycled PET blends containing PC and triphenyl phosphite (TPP) have been designed using the following sequential processing strategy: PET and PC are first melt blended with a transesterification catalyst, allowing the compatibilisation of the blend, before adding TPP. The presence of this last component was shown to stop the transesterification reaction between PET and PC, avoiding chain breaking. In addition, TPP acts as a chain extender of PET, allowing the average chain length to be increased. The optimized blends obtained present “V-0” UL94 rating due to a better thermal stability leading to low flammability and to the development of an important, stable and covering char layer, resulting in self-extinguishability and very low Heat Release Rates during combustion.     

Determination of the Migration of Bisphenol A from Polycarbonate by Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Combined with High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A novel method for the determination of the migration of bisphenol A (BPA) from polycarbonate water bottles has been developed by using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by high performance liquid chromatography for compliance with the regulatory specific migration limit. Experimental parameters, including the type and volume of extractants and dispersers, the sample solution pH, addition of salt, extraction time, and temperature, were examined and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, average recovery rates for the real samples varied from 82% to 98%, with relative standard deviation values less than 3.6%. The method offered excellent linearity over a range of 0.8–600 µg L^?1 with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.9999. Intra-day and inter-day repeatability values expressed as relative standard deviation were 3.9% and 6.9%, respectively. The method quantitation limit and detection limit were 0.7 and 0.2 µg L^?1, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of the migration of bisphenol A from 26 polycarbonate water bottles collected locally. The findings indicated the migration from the used bottles was significantly higher than the new ones, and the migration amounts from one sample was very close to the regulatory specific migration limit, and the amounts from seven samples exceeded the daily intake limit for infants.     

近红外吸收PC滤光片的制备与性能研究

使用染料-高聚物混合(dye-in-polymer)的方法将近红外吸收染料作为功能添加剂分散在聚碳酸酯(PC)中,采用注塑成型的方法制备了用于夜视兼容照明的近红外吸收滤光片.研究了近红外吸收剂在PC材料中的吸收行为,确定了近红外吸收剂的添加量,最终制备的近红外吸收滤光片在660～930 nm波长范围内有良好的吸收能力,在此波段范围内的光线透过率为0.15%,同时在450～630 nm波长范围内保持了较好的可见光透过性.按照标准测试手段对样品的耐热老化性能,耐光老化性能和力学性能进行了测试.结果表明,制备的近红外吸收滤光片性能稳定,强度大,具有良好的应用性能.     

A free-volume hole-filling model for the solubility of liquid molecules in glassy polymers 2: Experimental validation

A model developed in a preceding paper for the solubility of liquids into glassy polymers has been validated with experimental results for a range of liquids in polycarbonate. The model gave good predictions for an average free-volume hole size of 65 cm³/mol and a free volume of 9%, which are consistent with measurements from other techniques. The fit was good apart from with water and small alcohols, and this is believed to be due to these molecules pairing or clustering within the free-volume holes. Infra-red spectroscopy confirmed the evidence of pairing and once this was included in the model, better predictions resulted. In all cases, the model was within an order of magnitude of the experimental value, which is considered very good as all parameters used are fundamental and quite accessible. The hole-size distribution previously used to fit gas sorption was found to give poor predictions, and reasons for this are discussed. The Flory-Huggins and Flory-Rehner theories produced predictions that are far too low as these only really apply to rubbery polymers.     

Assessment of the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Polycarbonate (PC)/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Blends Reinforced with Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

A series of polycarbonate (PC)/acrilonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites were prepared via melt compounding in an internal mixer. The effect of the MWCNT content on the morphology and the thermal and mechanical properties of the prepared nanocomposites were studied. The morphologies of the samples were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the thermal properties by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The tensile mechanical results of the nanocomposites showed a decrease in elongation at break with an increase of only 2?wt% of MWCNT content in the PC/NBR blends, and an increasing value in elastic modulus and tensile strength of the nanocomposites. The FESEM images showed that the MWCNTs had good affinity with the polymers and no compatibilizer was needed for making the nanocomposites. The DSC and TGA results showed an increase in thermal stability with addition of MWCNTs because of the more thermally stable carbon nanotubes particles which was uniformly dispersed within the nanocomposites.     

Effects of closed immersion filtered water flow velocity on the ablation threshold of bisphenol A polycarbonate during excimer laser machining

A closed flowing thick film filtered water immersion technique ensures a controlled geometry for both the optical interfaces of the flowing liquid film and allows repeatable control of flow-rate during machining. This has the action of preventing splashing, ensures repeatable machining conditions and allows control of liquid flow velocity. To investigate the impact of this technique on ablation threshold, bisphenol A polycarbonate samples have been machined using KrF excimer laser radiation passing through a medium of filtered water flowing at a number of flow velocities, that are controllable by modifying the liquid flow-rates. An average decrease in ablation threshold of 7.5% when using turbulent flow velocity regime closed thick film filtered water immersed ablation, compared to ablation using a similar beam in ambient air; however, the use of laminar flow velocities resulted in negligible differences between closed flowing thick film filtered water immersion and ambient air. Plotting the recorded threshold fluence achieved with varying flow velocity showed that an optimum flow velocity of 3.00 m/s existed which yielded a minimum ablation threshold of 112 mJ/cm². This is attributed to the distortion of the ablation plume effected by the flowing immersion fluid changing the ablation mechanism: at laminar flow velocities Bremsstrahlung attenuation decreases etch rate, at excessive flow velocities the plume is completely destroyed, removing the effect of plume etching. Laminar flow velocity regime ablation is limited by slow removal of debris causing a non-linear etch rate over ‘n’ pulses which is a result of debris produced by one pulse remaining suspended over the feature for the next pulse. The impact of closed thick film filtered water immersed ablation is dependant upon beam fluence: high fluence beams achieved greater etch efficiency at high flow velocities as the effect of Bremsstrahlung attenuation is removed by the action of the fluid on the plume; low fluences loose efficiency as the beam makes proportionally large fluence losses at it passes through the chamber window and immersion medium.     

Study of current drain during electrochemical etching of polycarbonate detectors

Polycarbonate (PC) detector is one of the common detectors for neutron and radon gas detection. Using this detector it is possible to measure the dose in mSv, by counting tracks/cm² on an etched surface. In this paper, a special procedure has been suggested to determine the dose based on current drain during the etching process. In these experiments the effects of voltage, frequency, effective etched area, PC detector's thickness, etched area (one side or two sides), etching solution temperature and dose absorbed by the PC foil have been studied.The results obtained show the current drain variation for a voltage of 200–1600 V, a frequency of 2–10 kHz, effective area with a diameter of 2–12 cm, PC thickness of 125–250–375– and a temperature of etching solution of 25–.Lexan PC foils were exposed to doses of of neutrons. The unexposed foils were considered as the background (BG) foils. Most of the experiments were performed at a voltage of 800 V, a frequency of 2 and 8 kHz, foil thickness of , diameter of effective etched area of foils of 2, 6 and 12 cm, temperatures of 25 and and the etching process from 0 up to overload stage. Overload stage occurs when the foil becomes so thin due to growth of the tracks that it leads to sparking between phase and null that makes a hole in the foil.Current drain curves versus the function of the etching time are absolutely different for various doses from zero (BG) to 10 rad (BG up to ). This is true especially for the time interval from 3 h of etching up to overload stage. In this way, it is possible to obtain a calibration of PC detector net current drain based on its absorbed dose.In this experiment, the number and diameter of tracks and their relation with drain current and PC foil residual thickness at overload stage have been studied.The same experiment has been performed for various concentrations of radon gas (Bq/m3) as well.     

Characteristic studies for fast detection of a wide energy range of alpha particles in polycarbonate detectors

Parametric investigations were carried out on electrochemical etching (ECE) process of Lexan polycarbonate (PC) detector. Outstanding experimental results showing the enlargement of the registration energy range of α-particle tracks of the PC and decrease of ECE time are presented in this paper.In the experiment, major parameters such as etching solution and ECE conditions are focused. Ethylene diamine is applied as an additional chemical agent to increase the bulk etching rate (V_B) which is maintained below a critical value . By using mixture of KOH, CH₃OH (methanol), NH₂(CH₂)₂NH₂ (ethylene diamine) and H₂O and applying interval-based ECE process in total duration of 70 min, expanded α-registration range of 0.5–4.7 MeV have been achieved, as well alpha track diameters decrease with increasing of alpha particle energy. In this process the density of background tracks also decreases comparably. In this paper, electric current is introduced as an effective ECE parameter for improving detection efficiency of low α-particles energy in the PC.     

Development of new reference materials for the determination of cadmium,chromium, mercury and lead in polycarbonate

Reference materials for quantitative determination of Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb in polycarbonate were developed. Reference materials with two concentration level of elements were prepared by adding appropriate amounts of chemicals to a blank polycarbonate base material. It was shown that ten bottles with triplicate analysis are enough to demonstrate the homogeneity of these candidate reference materials. The statistical results also showed no significant trends in both short-term stability test for four weeks and long-term stability test for twelve months. The certification of the four elements was carried out by isotope-dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) with microwave-assisted digestion. Certification of candidate reference materials in a single laboratory was confirmed with interlaboratory comparison participated by a certain number of well-recognized testing laboratories in Korea. The certified values and expanded uncertainties (k = 2) for the candidate reference material with low level and the one with high level were (51.7 ± 2.1) mg kg⁻¹ Cd, (103.8 ± 2.9) mg kg⁻¹ Cd, (98.8 ± 4.5) mg kg⁻¹ Cr, (1004 ± 49.8) mg kg⁻¹ Cr, (107.4 ± 4.6) mg kg⁻¹ Hg, (1133 ± 50.7) mg kg⁻¹ Hg, (94.8 ± 3.7) mg kg⁻¹ Pb and (988.4 ± 53.6) mg kg⁻¹ Pb, respectively. The reference materials developed in this study demonstrated their suitability for the quality assurance in Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb analysis for the implementation of RoHS Directive.     

Structural characteristics of fused deposition modeling polycarbonate material

Rapid prototyping manufacturing techniques provide an avenue for quick and cost effective design assessments leading to shorter design cycles. In addition to providing first-of-a-kind and one-of-a-kind parts, rapid prototyped parts may be used as the actual part. In order for this to occur on a wide-spread basis, material properties of importance to design must be well understood. One pervasive rapid prototyping technique is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). A sampling of the basic structural properties of FDM polycarbonate parts as a function of orientation is presented. The results show that repeatable measurements can be made of the ultimate tensile strength and elastic modulus in FDM manufactured polycarbonate parts. The results also show a degradation in strength compared to bulk material properties (30%–53%, depending on orientation) and as manufactured properties as reported by the FDM vendor (36%–63%, depending on orientation).