Comparison of low-velocity impact damage in thermoplastic and thermoset composites by non-destructive three-dimensional X-ray microscope

This paper presents a method for the non-destructive inspection and quantitative comparison of low-velocity impact damage in thermoplastic and thermoset composites. X-ray microscope (XRM) computed tomography is used to analyse the three-dimensional internal damage in carbon fibre/poly-ether-ether-ketone (AS4/PEEK) and carbon fibre/epoxy (CCF300/Epoxy) laminates. With the materials and testing conditions used, it was shown that thermoplastic composites have better interlaminar and intralaminar properties, and the following quantitative conclusions were drawn. Under the same impact energy, the maximum contact force of AS4/PEEK laminate was approximately twice that of CCF300/Epoxy laminate. Dissection of the reconstructed XRM volume along a characteristic slicing surface showed that AS4/PEEK had less internal damage than CCF300/epoxy. When the impact energy was 15 J, the XRM results showed that the sum of delamination areas between each ply in AS4/PEEK was only 9% of that in CCF300/Epoxy, whereas the ultrasonic C-scan results showed that the total delamination area of AS4/PEEK was 54.78% of that of CCF300/Epoxy.     

Effect of working temperature on the interfacial behavior of overmolded hybrid fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

In the present study, the interfacial behavior of overmolded hybrid fiber reinforced polypropylene composites (hybrid composites) in the working temperature range from 23 °C to 90 °C was studied by experimental and constitutive methods. Monotonic and cycle loading-unloading single-lap-shear tests were employed to determine the interfacial properties of hybrid composites. The experimental results show that both interfacial shear strength and shear stiffness decrease with increasing working temperature. A regression function was adopted to evaluate the decaying degree of interfacial properties with increasing working temperature. The shear stress-displacement relationship under monotonic loading exhibits nonlinear behavior after an initial elastic region. The envelope lines of shear stress-displacement of hybrid composites under cyclic loading indicate that the nonlinearity in the curve is caused by the plastic deformation of polypropylene in the interphase region. A constitutive model was built to describe the nonlinear shear stress-displacement relation of hybrid composites at different working temperatures. A full suite of temperature-dependent plastic parameters in the model was obtained from cyclic loading-unloading tensile tests. The predicted shear stress–displacement curves agreed well with experimental results from different working temperatures. In addition, the failure mode of hybrid composites varied with working temperature.     

Heterojunction of BiPO4/BiOBr photocatalysts for Rhodamine B dye degradation under visible LED light irradiation

BiOBr synthesized by alcoholysis precipitation is used in the preparation of BiPO₄/BiOBr composites by adding H₃PO₄. Pristine BiOBr and a series of BiPO₄/BiOBr composites have been successfully synthesized using an entirely room-temperature production process. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy were used to investigated the bulk structure, surface morphology, element composition and optical properties of the samples. The degradation effect of different proportions of BiPO₄/BiOBr composites, BiOBr and BiPO₄ on Rhodamine B (RhB) was evaluated under visible LED light irradiation. Compared to pure BiOBr and BiPO₄, the as-synthesized BiPO₄/BiOBr composites showed enhanced performance, with 30% BiPO₄/BiOBr composite showing the best performance, as it could degrade 95.66% of RhB (100 ml, 15 mg/L) within 120 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of BiPO₄/BiOBr was attributed to the heterojunction formation between BiOBr and BiPO₄ and efficient charge separation.     

A novel model for quantification of the moisture absorption of polymeric laminated composites

In the present study, a new model was developed that considers the amount of the environmental fluid absorption by different constituents of polymeric laminated composites including fibers, resin, fiber-matrix interphase region, ply interface region, and voids. By knowing the fluid absorption behavior of the composite constituents, the present model can predict the amount of fluid absorption of different constituents of polymeric laminated composites with an arbitrary resin volume fraction and stacking sequence. Test specimens were fabricated by glass fibers and vinyl ester resin. The environmental fluids, examined in this study, were distilled and saline water under different temperatures and salt concentrations. To investigate the absorption behavior of different constituents of polymeric composite, various tests were conducted on fibers, pure cured resin, unidirectional composite specimens, and laminated composites. Based on the results of the tests, a new theoretical model was developed to quantify and predict the amount of fluid absorption of different constituents of laminated polymeric composites. The thickness of the interphase region between the fiber and matrix was also measured using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and nano-indentation tests. The consistency of experimental results with the outcomes of the theoretical model indicates the accuracy of the model.     

机械化学法制备金属-有机骨架及其复合物研究进展

金属-有机骨架(MOFs)是由金属离子/簇和多齿状有机配体通过配位键桥联而形成的多孔晶态材料。MOFs材料具有孔隙率高、比表面积大、尺寸可调、结构易修饰、功能多样化等特点,使其在气体吸附、分离和催化等方面都具有潜在应用价值。到目前为止,在MOFs合成的几种常见方法中,机械化学法(即在无溶剂或极少量溶剂的情况下研磨固体反应物进行的反应)作为一种清洁、绿色、高效的合成手段逐渐引起人们的关注。本综述总结了近年来机械化学合成MOFs及其复合物的典型进展,目的是为机械化学法合成MOFs及其复合材料提供一个通用而易于理解的概述。目前的研究进展表明,机械化学法是一种实用且环境友好的合成方法,为低成本、宏量生产MOFs及其复合物提供了可能。     

Multiobjective Optimization of Fabrication Parameters of Jute Fiber/Polyester Composites with Egg Shell Powder and Nanoclay Filler

In the present study, a model is presented to optimize the fabrication parameters of natural fiber reinforced polyester matrix composites with dual fillers. In particular, jute fiber mat was chosen as reinforcement and eggshell powder (ESP) and montmorillonite nanoclay (NC) were selected as fillers. The weight per square meter (GSM) of the fiber, the weight percentage of ESP and NC have been chosen as independent variables and the influence of these variables on tensile, flexural and impact strength of the composite has been inspected. The permutations of the different combinations of factors are intended to accomplish higher interfacial strength with the lowest possible number of tested specimens. The experiments were designed by the Taguchi strategy and a novel multi-objective optimization technique named COPRAS (COmplex PRoportional ASsessment of alternatives) was used to determine the optimal parameter combinations. Affirmation tests were performed with the optimal parameter settings and the mechanical properties were evaluated and compared. Experimental results show that fiber GSM and eggshell powder content are significant variables that improve mechanical strength, while the nanoclay appears less important.     

Aromatic polyamides containing keto-benzocyclobutene pendants

A series of novel benzocyclobutene (BCB)-pendanted polyamides (inherent viscosities: 0.20–0.69 dL/g) was synthesized from 3,5-diaminophenyl-4-benzocyclobutenyl ketone, and terephthaloyl, isophthaloyl, 4,4′-oxydibenzoyl chlorides, as well as 4,4′-(o-phenylenedioxy)dibenzoyl chloride. The DSC studies demonstrated that the BCB crosslinking exothermic transition occurred at nearly the same temperature (max. ∼︁ 275°C) for all the four polyamides, and they were thermally stable up to 380°C in helium, where the weight loss started to occur. TGA and DSC studies in air indicated that the polymers, in contrast to the model compound, showed evidence of oxidation just prior to or occurring simultaneously with the BCB crosslinking reaction. This could be attributed to the oxidation of the reactive diene generated from the ring-opening of the BCB competing with the process of two BCB pendant units approaching each other for crosslinking reaction. Preliminary examination of the BCB-pendanted polyamide regenerated from a methanesulfonic acid solution indicates that the BCB ring is quite stable (DSC evidence) in the strong acid medium. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A literature review on the in situ generation of reinforcing fibers

Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) are a relatively new class of materials. These polymers usually consist of rigid rodlike molecular chains and they are capable of forming highly oriented structures even in the as-made product, with strength/modulus significantly higher than those of the conventional flexible chain polymers. Blending of LCPs with conventional polymers produces composite-like structures with LCPs serving as the reinforcing component. The properties of the blends are affected by the size, shape and distribution of the LCPs in the matrix polymer, which in turn are related to the processing conditions such as the blend composition, the extrusion and drawing conditions, the viscosity ratio of the component polymers and the type and grade of the LCPs and the matrix polymers. Improved processability of the blend due to the reduction in viscosity and the improved interfacial adhesion between reinforcing fibers and the matrix polymer are among the advantages of these materials over the conventional short fiber reinforced composites. This paper gives a brief review of the work currently available in the literature on rheology, fabrication, blend morphology and mechanical/thermal properties of the in situ composites from blends of LCPs and conventional polymers.