Development of an autoclave curing system for fibre reinforced polymer composites

An autoclave curing system has been developed and fabricated which is capable of curing both flat and contoured fibre reinforced polymer composite components. The system can operate at up to 20 bar pressure whilst achieving a 0·1-bar vacuum within the lay-up film bagging. Cure temperatures of up to 180°C were achieved using a stepwise temperature controlling system, which enabled the dwell temperature to be maintained within a ±1 °C tolerance.     

Polymer crystallinity and its effect on the non-linear bending creep rate for a polyphenylene sulphide thermoplastic composite

Recent developments have led to the introduction of advanced thermoplastic composites such as Polyphenylene Sulphide (PPS), which can be used structurally at higher temperatures. Because of its thermoplastic nature, it can also be hot worked by bringing the working temperature considerably above the glass transition temperature. However, such annealing processes also affect its degree of crystallinity, which in turn affect the properties of the material. This paper reports on the effect of matrix crystallinity on the rate of creep deformation in three point bending of some reinforced PPS composites. This work was based on a non-linear approach based on a Power law creep model creep deformation analysis. The effect of annealing on the non-linear creep deformation of the PPS composite specimens has been analysed using a Power Law creep model. Results indicate that the creep deformation for both 20 and 40% reinforced samples were relatively similar despite the difference in the amount of fibre reinforcement. In contrast, the value of the creep component decreased exponentially with the % crystallinity. for both 20 and 40%, reinforced samples.     

On periodic solutions of nonlinear integral equations modelling infectious disease on measure chain

The modelling of the spread of infectious disease is carried out for time t on a measure chain T. Our approach unifies the continuous case and the discrete case . The model is described by the integral equation

where x(t) represents the proportion of the population infected at time t, f(t,x(t)) denotes the proportion of the population newly infected per unit time, and τ is the length of time an individual remains infectious. Using the measure chain calculus, we shall develop criteria for the existence of a nontrivial and nonnegative periodic solution for the modelling equation. The criteria can be implemented numerically, for this we shall give an algorithm as well as illustrative examples.     

Hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-flame ionization detection for the profiling of fatty acids in vegetable oils

The development of a two phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction technique, followed by gas-chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) for the profiling of the fatty acids (FAs) (lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, palmitoleic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidic) in vegetable oils is described. Heptadecanoic acid methyl ester was used as the internal standard. The FAs were transesterified to their corresponding methyl esters prior to the extraction. Extraction parameters such as type of extracting solvent, temperature, extraction time, stirring speed and salt addition were studied and optimized. Recommended conditions were extraction solvent, n-tridecane; extraction time, 35 min; extraction temperature, ambient; without addition of salt. Enrichment factors varying from 37 to 115 were achieved. Calibration curves for the nine FAs were well correlated (r(2)>0.994) within the range of 10-5000 μg L(-1). The limit of detection (signal:noise, 3) was 4.73-13.21 ng L(-1). The method was successfully applied to the profiling of the FAs in palm oils (crude, olein, kernel, and carotino cooking oil) and other vegetable oils (soybean, olive, coconut, rice bran and pumpkin). The encouraging enrichments achieved offer an interesting option for the profiling of the minor and major FAs in palm and other vegetable oils.     

Mechanistic discussion of cationic crosslinking copolymerizations of 1,2‐epoxycyclohexane with diepoxide crosslinkers accompanied by intramolecular and intermolecular chain transfer reactions

Our previous mechanistic discussion of the free‐radical crosslinking monoallyl/diallyl copolymerizations was extended to the cationic crosslinking monoepoxide/diepoxide copolymerizations, typically including 1,2‐epoxycyclohexane (ECH) as a monoepoxide and bis[3,4‐epoxycyclohexylmethyl] adipate (BECHMA) as a diepoxide crosslinker. In the cationic polymerization, oligomer is usually obtained because of the occurrence of characteristic chain‐forming reactions. Therefore, cationic crosslinking monoepoxide/diepoxide copolymerizations could be in the category of the network formation through free‐radical crosslinking monoallyl/diallyl copolymerizations. Thus, the gelation behavior was discussed by comparing the actual gel points with the theoretical ones; the greatly delayed gelation from theory was observed. Then, the resulting network polymer precursors (NPPs) were characterized by SEC‐MALLS‐viscometry to clarify the cationic crosslinking ECH/BECHMA copolymerization mechanism. Notably, the correlation lines of molecular weight versus elution volume were specific for the NPPs obtained at a high conversion close to the gel point as compared with those obtained by the free‐radical crosslinking monoallyl/diallyl copolymerization. This may be ascribed to the occurrence of intramolecular and intermolecular chain transfer reactions characteristic of cationic polymerization; the chain transfer reactions involve the intramolecular and intermolecular nucleophilic attack of ether oxygen or terminal hydroxyl oxygen in the NPPs to a terminal growing cation that leads to the formation of not only the loop‐ but also the crosslink‐structures containing NPPs, providing fragile ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight NPP in the SEC columns. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

SnO2 nanosheets grown on graphene sheets with enhanced lithium storage properties

We demonstrate a new hydrothermal method to directly grow SnO(2) nanosheets on a graphene oxide support that is subsequently reduced to graphene. This unique SnO(2)/graphene hybrid structure exhibits enhanced lithium storage properties with high reversible capacities and good cycling performance.     

Single-layer graphene oxide sheet: a novel substrate for dip-pen nanolithography

Graphene oxide (GO) sheet is used as a novel substrate for dip-pen nanolithography (DPN). After GO is transferred onto SiO(2) using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, CoCl(2) is patterned on both GO and exposed SiO(2) substrates simultaneously by DPN, which is used for growth of different structured carbon nanotubes.     

Electrospinning of polyvinylidene difluoride with carbon nanotubes: synergistic effects of extensional force and interfacial interaction on crystalline structures

Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) solutions containing a very low concentration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) of similar surface chemistry, respectively, were electrospun, and the nanofibers formed were collected using a modified rotating disk collector. The polymorphic behavior and crystal orientation of the nanofibers were studied using wide-angle X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy, while the nanotube alignment and interfacial interactions in the nanofibers were probed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that the interfacial interaction between the SWCNTs and PVDF and the extensional force experienced by the nanofibers in the electrospinning and collection processes can work synergistically to induce highly oriented beta-form crystallites extensively. In contrast, the MWCNTs could not be well aligned along the nanofiber axis, which leads to a lower degree of crystal orientation.