The effects of irradiation cross-linking on the thermal degradation and flame-retardant properties of the HDPE/EVA/magnesium hydroxide composites

High-density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl-acetate copolymer/magnesium hydroxide composites were crosslinked via high-energy electron beam irradiation in the presence of triallylisocyanurate. The structure of the cross-linking network was determined with the help of rheological measurements through advanced rheological extended systems (ARES). The thermal and flame-retardant properties of the irradiated composites were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cone calorimetry. Results showed that the cross-linking network structure could enhance the thermal stability of composites, and did favor to smoke suppression. However, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) increased and the time to PHRR shortened, inferring that the composites after irradiation cross-linking were easier to combust. The char microstructure after cone calorimetry test was observed and used to give explanation of the above results.     

Surface treated cellulose fibres in flame retarded PP composites

Polypropylene-based composites were prepared containing non-treated and various treated cotton fibre and wood flakes. A correlation was observed among the fibre treatment and compounding parameters, mechanical and discoloration properties. The structural changes in fibres were demonstrated by Raman spectroscopic and DSC measurements. The possibility for forming cellulose fibre containing flame retardant composites was also investigated. The efficiency of various treatments on compounding, discoloration and mechanical properties enhance in the following order: no treatment < non ionic surfactant < reactive silicone segment containing non ionic surfactant < special silylation treatment. The best results obtained with the special silylation treatment were explained with the more organophilic character and by the thermal stability of the treated fibres. Cellulose fibre as a polyol-charring component and ammonium-polyphosphate together constitute a high performance intumescent flame retardant system in the PP matrix.     

IR and29Si NMR investigation of the influence of alkaline modification on the structure of hydrothermally dealuminated Y zeolites

The change in the structure of NH₄NaY zeolite (53 % NH₄ ⁺, Si/Al = 2.37) after hydrothermal treatment at 873 K followed by modification with aqueous KOH solution at 353 K was studied by IR and²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy. It has been shown that hydrolytic cleavage of the Al-O bond of the deammoniated zeolite sites by hydrothermal treatment predominates in the framework groups Si(OAl) _n (OSi)_4–n ,n=2, 3. Molecular water adsorbed on such a sample exists as hydrogen-bonded associates with hydrogen bonds of various strengths reaching that in ice-like structures (the band at 2468 cm^–1). Treatment with an alkali results in partial regeneration of the normal bridge bonds. The exchange of the protons of the terminal silanol groups with the alkaline cation prevents those groups from participating in the regeneration process.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 387–391, March, 1994.     

Applying diamond like carbon layer on carbon/carbon composites and its effect on the deposition of hydroxyapatite coating

The biomedical application of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites is limited by lacking bioactivity and releasing carbon debris. Hydroxyapatite (HA) coating has been used to improve the bioactivity of C/C composites, but it cannot reduce the release of carbon debris effectively because of poor wear resistance property. In this work, a wear‐resistant layer of diamond like carbon (DLC) is applied on C/C composites, followed by an ultrasound‐assisted electrochemical deposition to prepare HA coatings. The microstructure, morphology and chemical composition of the DLC layer and the HA coating are characterised by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectrum. The bonding strength between the HA coating and the DLC layer modified C/C composites is examined by a tensile test. The results show that the DLC layer has a spherical morphology and provides a uniform surface for the deposition of the HA coating. The HA coating shows flaky morphology with a compact structure. The tensile strength of the HA coating on the DLC layer modified C/C composites is 6.24 ± 0.40 MPa, which is significantly higher than that of HA coating on unmodified C/C composites(3.04 ± 0.20 MPa). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of storage conditions on the polymorphic stability of zolpidem tartrate hydrate

The polymorphic stability of a drug substance is a very important topic in the pharmaceutical industry. Differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis with the support of X-ray powder diffraction and infrared spectroscopy were used as screening techniques for testing structural changes of zolpidem tartrate hydrate stored under different conditions. Obtained data suggested that first structural changes occurred at the temperature of 25°C after 2 months of storage. DSC analysis showed that there was a two-step process of water elimination and lack of a phase transition in the temperature range from 130 to 170°C in comparison with an initial sample.     

电化学方法在钛表面制备Co-YSZ/HAp纳米复合涂层

采用复合电沉积和电泳沉积两步法在钛基体上制备了Co-YSZ/HAp纳米复合涂层, 与只采用电泳沉积法在钛基体上制备纳米HAp单一涂层进行了比较研究.采用场发射扫描电镜、X 射线衍射和能量散射谱对复合涂层的微观形貌, 纳米HAp外层表面形貌, 晶相, 复合涂层的断面形貌及元素组成分布进行分析研究. 通过粘结-拉伸实验测定了涂层与基体的结合强度, 结果表明, Co-YSZ/HAp 纳米复合涂层与钛基体的结合强度明显高于纳米HAp 单一涂层与钛基体的结合强度, 说明复合涂层具有更好的力学性能.     

Thermophysical properties of polypropylene/aluminum composites

This article is dedicated to the study of the thermal parameters of composite materials. A nonlinear least‐squares criterion is used on experimental transfer functions to identify the thermal conductivity and the diffusivity of aluminum‐polymer composite materials. The density measurements were achieved to deduce the specific heat and thereafter they were compared to values given by differential scanning calorimetry measurement. The thermal parameters of the composite material polypropylene/aluminum were investigated for the two different types of aluminum filler sizes. The experimental data were compared with several theoretical thermal conductivity prediction models. It was found that both the Agari and Bruggeman models provide a good estimation for thermal conductivity. The experimental values of both thermal conductivity and diffusivity have shown a better heat transport for the composite filled with large particles. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 722–732, 2004     

羟基磷灰石／胶原／植物多酚复合材料的研究

以原花色素、茶多酚等植物多酚为交联剂,采用低温原位合成法制备羟基磷灰石/胶原/植物多酚(HA/COL/PP)复合材料。对材料的形貌、热稳定性、溶胀性质进行了表征。结果表明,植物多酚的加入使复合材料中各成分结合更紧密,增加了复合材料的热稳定性,降低了复合材料的溶胀度。比较研究表明,添加原花色素对上述性能的改善更有效。为了考察加入植物多酚后复合材料的生物活性,分别对羟基磷灰石/胶原/原花色素(HA/COL/PA)、羟基磷灰石/胶原/茶多酚(HA/COL/TP)复合材料进行了体外矿化能力研究,观察到两种材料的表面都形成了新的矿化沉积层,说明加入了植物多酚不影响复合材料的体外矿化能力。因而,羟基磷灰石/胶原/植物多酚复合材料是一种有潜力的骨替代材料。     

Acyclovir release from its composites with silica as a function of the silica matrix modification and the drug loading

Acyclovir release from its composites with unmodified silica at pH 1.6 and 7.4 follows zero order kinetics for two days. Modification of the silica matrix with phenyl groups leads to dramatic decrease in the drug release level at pH 7.4 compared with pH 1.6 as well as to heterogeneous phase state of acyclovir in the phenyl modified composite with high loading of the drug.     

Poly(ethylene oxide) induced cross-linking modification of Matrimid membranes for selective separation of CO2

The novel cross-linker, poly(propylene glycol) block poly(ethylene glycol) block poly(propylene glycol) diamine (PPG/PEG/PPGDA), was employed to chemically cross-link Matrimid 5218 at room temperature. The cross-linking reaction process was monitored by FTIR. The XRD was used to indicate the changing of the polymer structure by cross-linking reaction. The effects of the cross-linking reaction on mechanical performance, gel content and H₂, CO₂, N₂ and CH₄ gas transport properties of the cross-linked Matrimid membranes were investigated. The cross-linked Matrimid membranes display excellent CO₂ permeability and CO₂/light gas selectivity compared with the uncross-linked Matrimid membrane. Finally, the potential application of the cross-linked Matrimid membranes for CO₂/light gas separation was explored.     

Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of in situ nylon 6/graphene composites by differential scanning calorimetry

The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry for the nylon 6/graphene composites prepared by in situ polymerization. The Avrami theory modified by Jeziorny, Ozawa equation, and Mo equation was used to describe the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics. The analysis based on the Avrami theory modified by Jeziorny shows that, at lower cooling rates (at 5, 10, and 20 K/min), the nylon 6/graphene composites have lower crystallization rate than pure nylon 6. However, at higher cooling rates (at 40 K/min), the nylon 6/graphene composites have higher crystallization rate than pure nylon 6. The values of Avrami exponent m and the cooling crystallization function F(T) from Ozawa plots indicate that the mode of the nucleation and growth at initial stage of the nonisothermal crystallization may be as follows: two‐dimensional (2D), then one‐dimensional (1D) for all samples at 5–10 °C/min; three‐dimensional (3D) or complicated than 3D, then 2D and 1D at 10–20 and 20–40 °C/min. The good linearity of the Mo plots indicated that the combined approach could successfully describe the crystallization processes of the nylon 6 and nylon 6/graphene composites. The activation energies (ΔE) of the nylon 6/graphene composites, determined by Kissinger method, were lower than those of pure nylon 6. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1381–1388, 2011     

The effect of water on the microstructure of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/TX-100/benzene ionic liquid microemulsions

The ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]) forms nonaqueous microemulsions with benzene with the aid of nonionic surfactant TX-100. The phase diagram of the ternary system was prepared, and the microstructures of the microemulsion were recognized. On the basis of the phase diagram, a series of ionic liquid-in-oil (IL/O) microemulsions were chosen and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), which shows a similar swelling behavior to typical water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions. The existence of IL pools in the IL/O microemulsion was confirmed by UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis with CoCl2 and methylene blue (MB) as the absorption probes. A constant polarity of the IL pool is observed, even if small amounts of water are added to the microemulsion, thus suggesting that the water molecules are solubilized in the polar outer shell of the microemulsion, as confirmed by FTIR spectra. 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis shows that these water molecules interact with the electronegative oxygen atoms of the oxyethylene (OE) units of TX-100 through hydrogen-bonding interactions, and the electronegative oxygen atoms of the water molecules attract the electropositive imidazolium rings of [bmim][BF4]. Hence, the water molecules are like a glue that stick the IL and OE units more tightly together and thus make the microemulsion system more stable. Considering the unique solubilization behavior of added water molecules, the IL/O microemulsion system may be used as a medium to prepare porous or hollow nanomaterials by hydrolysis reactions.     

模压条件对聚乙烯/碳黑PTC复合材料电阻特性的影响

聚合物基PIE(Positive Temperature Coefficient)复合材料的主要组成为聚合物基体及导电填料,具有室温电阻率低、质软、易加工成形、价格低廉等优点,在医疗、计算机、程控电话交换机、手机电池、汽车配件、家电产品、工业仪表、运载火箭、火灾报警等领域得到了广泛的应用。我们     

Studies of modification of HDPE and interfacial interaction of its composites with sericite

Ultraviolet irradiation, which is environment friendly and without any chemical pollution, was used to functionalize high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and to improve the interfacial interaction of its composites with sericite in this study. The oxygen‐containing groups of C?O, C‐O, and C(?O)O were quickly introduced onto molecular chains of HDPE by ultraviolet irradiation in ozone atmosphere and the contents of the introduced oxygen‐containing groups increased with increasing the modification time. It is important to note that the irradiation time greatly decreased compared to that in air or oxygen atmosphere. After modification, the molecular weight of the irradiated HDPE decreased and its distribution became wider. The irradiated HDPE in ozone was not crosslinked, which is an advantage over the same reaction in air or oxygen atmosphere. With increasing the irradiation time, the melting temperature of the irradiated HDPE lightly decreased, while its crystallinity, hydrophilicity, and fluidity increased. The composites of HDPE/sericite were prepared. The results showed that the dispersion of sericite in the matrix and the interfacial interaction of sericite with the matrix were markedly improved for the irradiated HDPE/sericite composites. As a result, the irradiated HDPE/sericite composites showed significantly increased tensile yield strength and notched impact strength. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diffuse reflectance fourier transform infrared studies of the reinforcement/coupling agent interface of composites

Diffuse-reflectance FTIR spectroscopy is a powerful technique to study the surfaces of solids by nondestructive sample preparation. Its potential is here demonstrated with reference to the characterization of glass powder coated with increasing amounts of a silane coupling agent.     

Succinyl fluorescein grafted atactic polypropylene as an interface modifier in polypropylene/talc composites: a thermal study under dynamic conditions

The subject of this work is the thermal behaviour of polypropylene/talc composites whose interface has been modified by atactic polypropylenes containing different numbers of succinyl fluorescein grafted groups. The interface modifiers used here were previously obtained in our laboratories by a two-step chemical modification of the melt of a by-product (atactic polypropylene) of industrial polymerisation reactors. The variations in interface activity caused by replacing a small amount of the polypropylene matrix in the composite by succinyl fluorescein grafted atactic polypropylene were clearly detected by differential scanning calorimetry as thermal responses. These studies show that interface agents are preferably located in the amorphous phase of the system. A correlation between the crystalline content of the polymer component and the degree of grafting of the interface agent is also established. Further, a relationship between the thermal behaviour and the mechanical properties of the system seems to emerge.     

Study on insulating thermal conductive BN/HDPE composites

Thermal conductivity of boron nitride (BN) reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites was investigated under a special dispersion state of BN particles in HDPE, i.e., BN particles surrounding HDPE matrix particles. The results indicated that the special dispersion of BN in matrix gives the composites high thermal conductivity at low filler content; moreover, the smaller BN particles can more easily form conductive chains of filler compared to the larger filler particles. Examining the dependence of electrical insulation and mechanical properties of the composites on BN content demonstrated that the reinforced composites containing 30% by volume of filler has good electrical insulation and mechanical properties.     

A thermal and mechanical study under dynamical conditions of polypropylene/mica composites containing atactic polypropylene with succinil‐fluoresceine grafted groups as interfacial modifier from the matrix side

The dynamic thermal and mechanical behavior of Polypropylene/Mica composites—with improved properties induced by the presence of succinil‐fluoresceine groups onto atactic polypropylene with different grafting levels—is the subject of this article. A further correlation of these with the macroscopic mechanical performance of the composite materials is also discovered. The atactic polypropylenes containing succinil‐fluoresceine grafted groups were previously obtained in our laboratories by chemical modification of a byproduct of industrial polymerization reactors. The interfacial modifications induced by replacing a little amount of polymer matrix in the composite material by the grafted atactic polypropylene is clearly concluded either from a microscopic or a macroscopic point of view. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1564–1574, 2000     

The influence of the surface on conformational equilibrium in thin layers of nematic liquid crystal

Changes in the conformational equilibrium in thin layers of the nematic liquid crystal 5CB between fluorite plates were studied by IR spectroscopy. A decrease in the thickness of the liquid crystalline layer symmetrically confined by poorly wettable fluorite surfaces is accompanied by the shift of conformational equilibrium toward rotamers characterized by a higher energy and the spatial structure preventing dense packing of molecules in the interlayer.