Commercial fire-retarded PET formulations - Relationship between thermal degradation behaviour and fire-retardant action

Many types of fire retardants are used in poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, formulations, and two commercial fire retardants, Ukanol^® and Phosgard^®, have been shown to improve significantly PET flame-retardancy when used as comonomers. Phosgard incorporates a phosphorus atom within the main chain whereas Ukanol incorporates a phosphorus atom as a pendent substituent. Despite their acknowledged effectiveness, the mode of action of these fire retardants remains unclear, and in this paper we present a comparison of the overall thermal degradation behaviour of PET and Ukanol and Phosgard fire-retarded formulations. DSC and particularly TGA data show that both Ukanol and Phosgard have some stabilising influence on PET degradation, especially under oxidative conditions. TGA and pyrolysis experiments both clearly indicate that neither of the additives acts as a char promoter. Only the Phosgard formulation shows any release of volatile phosphorus species which could act in the gas phase. On the other hand, the most striking feature of the pyrolysis experiments is the macroscopic structure of the chars produced by the fire-retarded formulations, which hints at their fire-retardancy action - an open-cell charred foam was obtained upon charring at 400 °C or 600 °C. This foaming layer between the degrading melt and the flame would lower the amount of fuel available for combustion, and would also limit the feedback of heat to the condensed phase.     

Beyond labels: A review of the application of quantum dots as integrated components of assays, bioprobes, and biosensors utilizing optical transduction

A comprehensive review of the development of assays, bioprobes, and biosensors using quantum dots (QDs) as integrated components is presented. In contrast to a QD that is selectively introduced as a label, an integrated QD is one that is present in a system throughout a bioanalysis, and simultaneously has a role in transduction and as a scaffold for biorecognition. Through a diverse array of coatings and bioconjugation strategies, it is possible to use QDs as a scaffold for biorecognition events. The modulation of QD luminescence provides the opportunity for the transduction of these events via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), charge transfer quenching, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL). An overview of the basic concepts and principles underlying the use of QDs with each of these transduction methods is provided, along with many examples of their application in biological sensing. The latter include: the detection of small molecules using enzyme-linked methods, or using aptamers as affinity probes; the detection of proteins via immunoassays or aptamers; nucleic acid hybridization assays; and assays for protease or nuclease activity. Strategies for multiplexed detection are highlighted among these examples. Although the majority of developments to date have been in vitro, QD-based methods for ex vivo biological sensing are emerging. Some special attention is given to the development of solid-phase assays, which offer certain advantages over their solution-phase counterparts.     

Thermal stability and flame-retardancy mechanism of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/boehmite nanocomposites

The thermal stability and flame-retardancy properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/nano-boehmite composites (PET/AlOOH) were investigated using composites prepared in situ. Combustion behaviour and flammability were assessed using the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and cone calorimetry. The incorporation of nano-boehmite increased the LOI of PET from 18 to greater than 25. Cone calorimetry showed that the heat release rates and total smoke production values of PET/AlOOH composites were significantly less than those of pure PET. It also showed that PET/AlOOH combustion produced greater quantities of char residues than did PET combustion. These results showed that nano-boehmite is an effective flame-retardant for PET. Combustion residues were examined using scanning electron microscopy, indicating that nano-boehmite addition produced consistent, thick char crusts. Thermal stability and pyrolysis were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, showing that thermal stability of PET/AlOOH was superior to that of pure PET, fewer cracking products were produced in nanocomposite combustion than in pure PET combustion, and pyrolysis of the flame-retardant polyester was incomplete. We propose a condensed phase mechanism for the PET/AlOOH flame-retardancy effect.     

废旧聚酯（PET）的化学循环利用

废旧PET 聚酯可通过化学解聚来实现其循环利用。本文总结了废旧PET 聚酯化学循环利用领域的研究现状, 介绍了目前国内外开发的主要化学解聚工艺方法, 包括水解法、甲醇解聚法、乙二醇解聚法等, 同时对各种工艺过程的优缺点进行了综合比较。     

Metal foams: A survey

The current state-of-the-art in the development of cellular metal foams is reviewed, with focus on their fabrication, mechanical/thermal/acoustic properties, and potential applications as lightweight panels, energy absorbers, heat exchangers, and acoustic liners. Foam property charts with scaling relations are presented, allowing scoping and selection through the use of material indices.     

Molecularly engineered graphene surfaces for sensing applications: A review

Graphene is scientifically and commercially important because of its unique molecular structure which is monoatomic in thickness, rigorously two-dimensional and highly conjugated. Consequently, graphene exhibits exceptional electrical, optical, thermal and mechanical properties. Herein, we critically discuss the surface modification of graphene, the specific advantages that graphene-based materials can provide over other materials in sensor research and their related chemical and electrochemical properties. Furthermore, we describe the latest developments in the use of these materials for sensing technology, including chemical sensors and biosensors and their applications in security, environmental safety and diseases detection and diagnosis.     

基于相对即时密度的泡沫铝材料力学性能研究

通过对圆柱形泡沫铝试件进行静态压缩和冲击实验，考察了泡沫铝的初始密度、孔径和尺寸等因素对材料应力应变关系的影响，研究了基于相对即时密度的泡沫铝材料的塑性行为。实验所用泡沫铝试件包含四种尺寸，三种孔径及多种初始密度。实验结果表明，初始密度对泡沫铝的应力应变关系有着显著的影响，而其他因素，如孔径、试件尺寸等的影响较小。基于实验结果，提出了一种新的泡沫铝材料力学性能的描述方法，即用材料的相对即时密度与应力的关系来描述泡沫铝材料的塑性行为。该关系适用于静态和动态加载情况，只是两种情况下的参数不同。基于该方法，发现泡沫铝的塑性行为可以用单一的应力一相对即时密度关系描述，这一关系甚至不依赖于材料的初始密度，这将使泡沫铝材料塑性行为的描述大大简化。     

The Cradle-to-Cradle Life Cycle Assessment of Polyethylene terephthalate: Environmental Perspective

Over the last several years, the number of concepts and technologies enabling the production of environmentally friendly products (including materials, consumables, and services) has expanded. One of these ways is cradle-to-cradle (C2C) certified^TM. Life cycle assessment (LCA) technique is used to highlight the advantages of C2C and recycling as a method for reducing plastic pollution and fossil depletion by indicating the research limitations and gaps from an environmental perspective. Also, it estimates the resources requirements and focuses on sound products and processes. The C2C life cycle measurements for petroleum-based poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles, with an emphasis on different end-of-life options for recycling, were taken for mainland China, in brief. It is considered that the product is manufactured through the extraction of crude oil into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The CML analysis method was used in the LCIA for the selected midpoint impact categories. LCA of the product has shown a drastic aftermath in terms of environmental impacts and energy use. But the estimation of these consequences is always dependent on the system and boundary conditions that were evaluated throughout the study. The impacts that burden the environment are with the extraction of raw material, resin, and final product production. Minor influences occurred due to the waste recycling process. This suggests that waste degradation is the key process to reduce the environmental impacts of the production systems. Lowering a product’s environmental impact can be accomplished in a number of ways, including reducing the amount of materials used or choosing materials with a minimal environmental impact during manufacture processes.     

Optimisation of mould surface temperature and bottle residence time in mould for the carbonated soft drink PET containers

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, which are usually produced by injection stretch blow moulding (ISBM) are widely used for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) storage and transportation. Stretch rod movement, blow pressure, preform temperature profile, mould surface temperature and material properties are among the most important factors affecting the final product's quality in terms of the thickness distribution, burst pressure and top-load resistance of the bottles. However, the residence time of the blown bottle inside the mould is also an important factor affecting its final properties. Especially in PET bottle production for hot fillings, the residence time is a very important factor because the longer the residence time the better the crystalline structure of the PET. In this production, the lid section is desired to have a fully crystalline form so that it can withstand hot fluids. In this study, the aim was to optimise the mould surface temperature and the blown bottle's residence time inside the mould for 1 L soft drink PET bottle production based on the final properties using the ECHIP 7 design of experiment (DOE) program. The method employed through this program was a quadratic one. Optimum process parameters were determined by the response surface method (RSM) and the process settings ensuring maximum top-load, burst pressure, Tg and degree of crystallinity were regarded to be optimum. It was found that the optimum mould surface temperature and blown bottle residence time inside the mould were 10 °C and 20 s, respectively.     

Plasma Treatment of Polymers

Abstract

Plasma treatment of polymers encompasses a variety of plasma technologies and polymeric materials for a wide range of applications and dates back to at least the 1960s. In this article we provide a brief review of the United States patent literature on plasma surface modification technologies and a brief review of the scientific literature on investigations of the effects of plasma treatment, the nature of the plasma environment, and the mechanisms that drive the plasma–surface interaction. We then discuss low‐radio‐frequency capacitively coupled nitrogen plasmas and their characteristics, suggesting that they provide significant plasma densities and populations of reactive species for effective plasma treatments on a variety of materials, particularly when placing the sample surface in the cathode sheath region. We further discuss surface chemical characterization of treated polymers, including some results on polyesters treated in capacitively coupled nitrogen plasmas driven at 40 kHz. Finally, we connect plasma characterization with surface chemical analysis by applying a surface sites model to nitrogen uptake of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN) treated in a 40 kHz nitrogen plasma. This example serves to suggest an interesting practical approach to comparisons of plasma treatments. In addition, it suggests an approach to defining the investigations required to conclusively identify the underlying treatment mechanisms.