An Earth-based equivalent low stretch apparatus for material flammability assessment in microgravity and extraterrestrial environments

The standard oxygen consumption (cone) calorimeter (described in ASTM E 1354 and NASA STD 6001 Test 2) is modified to provide a bench-scale test environment that simulates the low velocity buoyant or ventilation flow generated by or around a burning surface in a spacecraft or extraterrestrial gravity level. The equivalent low stretch apparatus (ELSA) uses an inverted cone geometry with the sample burning in a ceiling fire (stagnation flow) configuration. For a fixed radiant flux, ignition delay times for characterization material PMMA are shown to decrease by a factor of 3 at low stretch, demonstrating that ignition delay times determined from normal cone tests significantly underestimate the risk in microgravity. The critical heat flux for ignition is found to be lowered at low stretch as the convective cooling is reduced. At the limit of no stretch, any heat flux that exceeds the surface radiative loss at the surface ignition temperature is sufficient for ignition. Regression rates for PMMA increase with heat flux and stretch rate, but regression rates are much more sensitive to heat flux at the low stretch rates, where a modest increase in heat flux of 25 kW/m² increases the burning rates by an order of magnitude. The global equivalence ratio of these flames is very fuel rich, and the quantity of CO produced in this configuration is significantly higher than standard cone tests. These results demonstrate that the ELSA apparatus allows us to conduct normal gravity experiments that accurately and quantifiably evaluate a material’s flammability characteristics in the real-use environment of spacecraft or extraterrestrial gravitational acceleration. These results also demonstrate that current NASA STD 6001 Test 2 (standard cone) is not conservative since it evaluates a material’s flammability with a much higher inherent buoyant convective flow.     

The influence of implanted xenon on the sputtering yield of silicon

Following implantation labeling with either 200 or 270 keV Xe⁺ the sputtering yield of silicon bombarded with 20 keV Xe⁺ has been determined in situ by means of the backscattering technique (Y = 3.0 ± 0.3 (atoms/ion)). Yield enhancement by up to 60% was observed in cases where the implantation-induced xenon concentrations exceeded the saturation concentration during sputtering. The effect is attributed to (i) an increase in energy deposition at the surface introduced by pronounced xenon loading of the target and (ii) lowering of the surface binding energy. As a consequence the energy dependence of the xenon sputtering yield of silicon is expected to be strongly affected by the energy dependence of the xenon saturation concentration in silicon. Available experimental data support this idea.     

Miscibility Determination in Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Poly(Vinyl Formal) Blend by Equilibrium Melting Temperature and Spherulite Morphology

Miscibility of poly(ε-caprolactone), (PCL), containing 1, 5, and 10 wt.% poly(vinyl formal) (PVF) blends was investigated by polarized optical microscopy (POM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for spherulitic morphology and equilibrium melting temperature (T°_m, via Hoffman-Weeks plot). The T°_m of PCL in the blends was similar to that of pure PCL, indicating immiscibility. Isothermally, melt crystallized virgin PCL between 30°C and 50°C showed spherulitic morphology with negative birefringence, Maltese cross, and without extinction rings. The nucleation and growth rates of PCL spherulites were found to be dramatically reduced with the addition of PVF. Extinction rings and a change in the sign of the birefringence of the PCL spherulites were observed and were found to be dependent on blend composition and crystallization temperature. The presence of a ring pattern in spherulites was an indication of miscibility between the two polymers that had failed to be detected by thermal methods. The formation of a ring pattern is discussed in terms of lamella twisting originating from a change in the crystallization mechanism.     

The Mechanical Properties,Compatibility, and Thermal Stabilities of POE-Graft-Methyl Methacrylate and Acrylonitrile(POE-g-MAN)/ Styrene-Acrylonitrile Copolymer (SAN Resin) Blends

POE-graft-methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile (POE-g-MAN) was prepared by graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (AN) onto polyethylene-octene copolymers (POE) with suspension polymerization. POE-g-MAN/SAN resin blends (AOMS) were prepared by blending POE-g-MAN with styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN resin). The mechanical properties, compatibility, and thermal stabilities of AOMS were studied. The notched impact strength of the blends reached 54.0 kJ/m² when the AN/(MMA + AN) ratio (f_AN) of POE-g-MAN, benzoyl peroxide dosage, and POE content in AOMS were 15 wt%, 1.0 wt%, and 25 wt%, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the highest toughness occurred when the size of POE-g-MAN particles and the surface-to-surface inter-particle distance were proper. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the AOMS fracture surface had plastic flow visible, which looked like a fibril morphology when the AN/(MMA + AN) ratio (f_AN) of POE-g-MAN was 15 wt%. The toughening mechanism of AOMS was shear yielding of the matrix, which endowed AOMS with remarkable toughness. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis showed that the compatibility of the POE phase and SAN phase improved after graft copolymerization of MMA and AN onto POE. When the grafting chain polarity was appropriate, the miscibility between POE-g-MAN and SAN resin was the best. Thermogravimetry analysis showed that thermal stability of AOMS increased with increasing AN units in POE-g-MAN.     

海藻酸钠/大豆蛋白共混凝胶微球的结构

利用钙离子交联海藻酸钠／大豆分离蛋白共混溶液，制得海藻酸钠／大豆分离蛋共混凝胶微球．结果表明，海藻酸钠和大豆分离蛋白质量配比的不同以及各组分间相互作用的变化，微球呈现不同的微观结构．将微球干燥后置于水中溶胀，微球的尺寸无法回复到干燥前的尺寸，这是由于真空干燥处理使水分子挥发，促进微球内组分间形成了强的氢键作用所致．此外，用碱处理该共混微球，发现由于大豆分离蛋白溶解以及部分钙离子被置换析出，微球塌陷且内部形成了大孔．     

表面喷砂对有机玻璃沿面闪络性能影响

绝缘子表面粗糙处理是提升其沿面闪络性能的重要途径,表面粗糙化处理方式不当,极易带来表面结构不均匀,难以获得稳定耐压性能的绝缘材料。为提升绝缘子表面粗糙处理的均匀性,本文利用表面喷砂技术对圆柱形有机玻璃（PMMA）绝缘子进行了粗糙化处理研究,以球形二氧化硅（SiO₂）颗粒为工作介质,研究了不同喷砂粒径、氢氟酸后处理等因素对绝缘材料表面形貌和组分的影响,并利用短脉冲高压测试平台对喷砂处理前后有机玻璃绝缘子样品进行了真空沿面闪络性能测试。研究结果表明,喷砂处理在有机玻璃表面形成了较为均匀的凹坑,HF酸能够有效去除表面残留的SiO₂颗粒,具有表面喷砂粗糙结构的绝缘子沿面闪络电压得到了稳定提升,相较于未处理的绝缘子闪络电压提升了约80%。     

Sonochemical approach for synthesis of zinc oxide-poly methyl methacrylate hybrid nanoparticles and its application in corrosion inhibition

Hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) with zinc oxide and polymethyl metha acrylate (inorganic/ polymer) were synthesized through the exploitation of ultrasound approach. The synthesized HNPs were further characterized employing transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. ZnO-PMMA based HNPs exhibit excellent protection properties to mild steel from corrosion when gets exposed to acidic condition. Electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was accomplished to evaluate the corrosion inhibition performance of MS panel coated with 2 wt% or 4 wt% of HNPs and its comparison with bare panel and that of loaded with only standard epoxy coating., Tafel plot and Nyquist plot analysis depicted that the corrosion current density (I_corr) decreases from 16.7 A/m² for bare material to 0.103 A/m² for 4% coating of HNPs. Applied potential (E_corr) values shifted from negative to positive side. These results were further supported by qualitative analysis. The images taken over a period of time indicated the increase in lifetime of MS panel from 2 to 3 days for bare panel to 10 days for HNPs coated panel, showing that ZnO-PMMA HNPs have potential application in metal protection from corrosion by forming a passive layer.     

本体聚合反应过程中聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯增长自由基的ESR研究

采用TM₁₁₀谐振腔和φ2mm样品管,在17℃室温条件下成功地记录了MMA本体聚合反应过程中增长自由基的ESR谱。当把DMA加入到MMA和BPO中后,立即抽取0.17ml混合液到φ2mm样品管并记谱。以后每隔2分钟记谱一次,波谱从13(5+8)条线逐渐变成9(5+4)条线。我们用阻碍振荡模型和构象重叠模型作了模拟。从全部谱图看,前者似更合理些。ESR实验表明:在聚合过程前期,自由基浓度基本保持不变,但从聚合中期的某一时刻开始,浓度剧增,它正好同步地与本体聚合反应的自加速效应相对应,而且其变化规律和单体转化率相平行。最后,我们用微波功率饱和方法观测到9线谱的协同自旋跳跃所产生的卫线,证明了主导的电子自旋晶格弛豫机理来自电子一核自旋间的偶极偶合角调制。     

国产航空有机玻璃在冲击载荷下的热粘弹性力学响应

本文以鸟撞高速飞机风档问题为背景,对国产航空有机玻璃3~#PMMA在从准静载荷的应变率(10~(-4)S~(-1))直到冲击载荷的高应变率(10~3S~(-1))范围,和环境温度从-60℃到+100℃范围内的力学性能进行了系统的实验研究,并建立了相应的非线性热粘弹性本构方程。理论预示与实验结果符合。另外还对3~#PMMA低温及高应变率冲击脆化现象进行了讨论,发现与这一现象相一致,3~#PMMA在高应变率冲击条件下的玻璃化温度有明显的提高。     

Atomic force microscopy investigation of surface roughness generated between SiO2 micro-pits in CHF3/Ar plasma

The present paper investigates the surface roughness generated by reactive ion etching (RIE) on the location between silicon dioxide (SiO₂) micro-pits structures. The micro-pit pattern on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) mask was created by an electron beam lithography tool. By using PMMA as a polymer resist mask layer for pattern transfer in RIE process, the carbon (C) content in etching process is increased, which leads to decrease of F/C ratio and causes domination of polymerization reactions. This leads to high surface roughness via self-organized nanostructure features generated on SiO₂ surface which was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. The etching chemistry of CHF₃ plasma on PMMA masking layer and SiO₂ is analyzed to explain the polymerization. The surface root-mean-square (RMS) roughness below 1 nm was achieved by decreasing the RF power to 150 W and process pressure lower than 10 mTorr.