Fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites with structural gradient from sheath-core type bicomponent fibers

Sheath-core type bicomponent fibers of polypropylene (PP) as a sheath component and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) as a core component were prepared by the highspeed melt spinning process. Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites, in which TLCP acts as a reinforcing fiber and PP as a matrix polymer, were fabricated by the compression molding of these fibers. In the melt spinning, the attainable highest take-up velocity of TLCP was improved by co-processing with PP. Tensile modulus and strength of the TLCP component in the PP/TLCP bicomponent fibers increased with an increase in the take-up velocity. Comparison of wide-angle X-ray diffraction patterns of starting bicomponent fibers and fabricated composites indicated that the orientation relaxation of TLCP did not occur in the compression molding process. Accordingly, the tensile modulus and strength of the PP/TLCP composites were similar to those of the bicomponent fibers. Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites with various types of fiber content distributions were fabricated from the bicomponent fibers in which sheath-core composition was changed gradually in the spinning process. In the three-point bending test, the composites with two different types of symmetric structural gradients, one with higher TLCP fiber content near the surfaces than in the center and the other with higher TLCP content in the center than near the surfaces, exhibited different flexural moduli even though the overall TLCP contents were comparable. In the three-point bending test of a composite with asymmetric structural gradient, the yielding behavior and maximum flexural load varied depending on the direction of load application although the initial flexural moduli were similar.     

Bicomponent Cocatalyst Decoration on Flux-assisted CaTaO2N Single Crystals for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction under Visible Light

Cubic-like CaTaO₂N photocatalysts with high crystallinity and uniform particle size were successfully prepared by the flux-assisted nitridation method. The growth of CaTaO₂N single crystals under different synthesis conditions was systematically investigated to understand the effects of the crystallinity and optical property on photocatalytic performance of CO₂ reduction. Moreover, the modification of CaTaO₂N single crystals with core-shell Ni−Ag bicomponent cocatalyst by two-step decoration process gave a 2.4 times higher amount of CO evolution than the deposition of sole Ag cocatalyst, because of the synergistic effects of bicomponent cocatalyst on the interfacial electron transfer and surface catalytic process. This study provides a valuable way to construct high-crystalline photocatalysts with effective bicomponent cocatalyst for visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction with H₂O.     

PET/PTT双组分弹性长丝的结晶取向结构和卷曲性能

为研制军官礼服用PET/PTT双组分弹性长丝,在纺丝加工工艺研究的基础上,通过声速法、WAXD、DSC、Instron5566对典型工艺下的弹性长丝进行了结晶和取向结构及卷曲性能的测试分析.在可纺的前提下,PET/PTT两组分复合纺丝中,PET组分优先结晶,具有高于其单组分纤维的拉伸诱导取向和结晶;而PTT组分只有形变,其结晶度和晶区取向均低于其对应的单组分纤维.在实验条件范围内,两组分粘度差异越大,纤维的卷曲伸长率和收缩率越大、声速取向因子增加、各单组分结晶度增加;两组分质量比为50/50时,纤维有最大的卷曲伸长率和收缩率,且各单组分结晶度随该两组分含量差异的增加而减少,而声速取向变化相反;随牵伸比的增加,纤维的整体取向、各组分结晶度均有所增加,卷曲伸长和收缩率也增加.牵伸温度和定型温度对双组分纤维的结构和卷曲性能影响较小.     

Novel polyisobutylene/poly(dimethylsiloxane) bicomponent networks. I. Synthesis and characterization

The synthesis of novel polyisobutylene (PIB)/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) bicomponent networks is described. The synthesis strategy (see Figure 1) was to prepare well-defined and -characterized allyl-tritelechelic polyisobutylenes [ϕ(PIB—C—C=C)₃] and SiH-ditelechelic poly(dimethylsiloxanes) (HSi–PDMS–SiH) and then crosslink these moieties by hydrosilation. The ϕ(PIB—C—C=C)₃ was prepared by living isobutylene polymerization followed by end-quenching with allyltrimethylsilane, whereas the HSi–PDMS–SiH was obtained by equilibrium polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and tetramethyldisiloxane. The detailed structures of the starting polymers were characterized by GPC and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. A series of PIB/PDMS bicomponent networks of varying compositions and average molecular weights between crosslinks (M _c) of ∼ 20,000 g/mol were assembled. Optimum crosslinking conditions were defined in terms of H₂PtCl₆ catalyst concentration, nature of solvent, time, temperature, and stoichiometry of ∼ CH₂CH=CH₂/∼SiH groups, allowing for the convenient synthesis of well-defined model bicomponent networks. Swelling studies and elemental analysis confirm the correctness of the synthetic strategy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1891–1899, 1998     

Geometric shapes of the interface surface of bicomponent flows between two concentric rotating cylinders

In this paper, the shape problem of interface of bicomponent flows between two concentric rotating cylinders is investigated. With tensor analysis, the problem is reduced to an energy functional isoperimetric problem when neglecting the effects of the dissipative energy caused by viscosity. We derive the associated Euler-Lagrangian equation, which is a nonlinear elliptic boundary value problem of the second order. Moreover, by considering the effects of the dissipative energy, we propose another total energy functional to characterize the geometric shape of the interface, and obtain the corresponding Euler-Lagrangian equation, which is also a nonlinear elliptic boundary value problem of the second order. Thus, the problem of the geometric shape is converted into a nonlinear boundary value problem of the second order in both cases.     

Fiber Structure,Tensile Behavior and Antibacterial Activity of Polylactide/Poly(butylene terephthalate) Bicomponent Fibers Produced by High-Speed Melt-Spinning

Abstract

Various types of bicomponent fibers composed of polylactide (PLA) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) with different molecular weights, arranging the polymers separately in the skin or core, were produced by high-speed melt-spinning. The bicomponent spinning, arranging the PLA with high molecular weight (melt flow rate =1.9?g/10?min, L-lactide content = 98.7%) in the skin and the PBT with low molecular weight (IV = 0.835–0.865 dL/g) in the core, resulted in orientation-induced crystallization in the PLA component at the spinning speed of 2?km/min. This crystallization effect was ascribed to a chain-extending treatment applied to the original PLA (MFR = 4.0?g/10?min) to increase its molecular weight. By the treatment the PLA could crystallize when spun even at 1?km/min in its single-component spinning. On the other hand, the bicomponent spinning system interfered with the orientation-induced crystallization of PBT in the core. As a result, the critical spinning speed needed to generate the orientation-induced crystallization in the core PBT was elevated to 4?km/min. The inferior tensile behavior of the bicomponent fibers, as compared to the single-component PLA or PBT fibers, suggested poor compatibility between PLA and PBT. Transesterification reactions rarely occurred at the interface of the two polymers. The bicomponent fibers prepared from high molecular weight PLA and low molecular weight PBT, however, showed sufficient antibacterial activity and physical properties to be suitable for designing medical clothing materials.     

Fiber spinning behavior of a 3-hydroxybutyrate/3-hydroxyhexanoate copolymer

The fiber spinning behavior of a poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) copolymer resin containing 11.3 mol% hexanoate copolymer (H11) was studied to determine its usefulness in fiber based applications, such as nonwovens. Monocomponent fibers were spun initially, but it was found they would not solidify in the spinline. Bicomponent (sheath/core) fibers were melt spun using a H11 core and a polylactic acid (PLA), as well as a polyethylene succinate (PES) sheath. The spinning results showed that H11 levels up to 30wt% could be incorporated with stable spinning. The incorporation of H11 was found to be limited due to the slow crystallization kinetics of the H11 in the spinline. The neat and bicomoponent fibers were found to have tensile strengths similar to polypropylene. The PES based fiber compositions were found to have elongation-at-break values similar to PP. Neat H11 copolymer fibers were found to be readily biodegradable at 25°C under aerobic conditions.     

A Compact Pulsed HF Laser Based on an Auto-Wave Photon-Branched Chain Reaction

Huge energy gain is detected theoretically in a pulsed chemical laser-amplifier based on a photon-branched chain reaction initiating in a gaseous disperse medium composed of H₂–F₂–O₂–He and Al particles by focused external infrared radiation. It is shown that this effect is observed due to the other optical effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of the input radiation on a certain type of bicomponent optical system coupled structurally with the input mirror of an unstable telescopic laser cavity. Such a relatively simple bicomponent diffraction system, consisting of two plane screens with circular apertures on a given optical axis, enables one to focus the input beam without using classical refraction elements such as lenses and prisms. The focusing of the input signal ensures the minimization of the initially excited volume of the laser active medium and the appropriate sharp lowering of the necessary energy of the input pulse up to 10^-6 J. This enables the laser system to reach a high value of the energy gain of 10⁹. The huge laser energy gain allows us to use a master oscillator in the form of a small microjoule laser powered by an accumulator, and consequently makes it possible to construct a completely self-contained compact pulsed chemical HF-laser.     

Diffractive Focusing of a Gaussian Beam

The problem of diffraction of a spherical wave with Gaussian amplitude distribution on two infinitesimally thin and ideally reflecting screens with apertures on an optical axis is solved within the framework of the quasi-optical approximation. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that when a Gaussian beam illuminates such a type of bicomponent diffraction system with small Fresnel numbers in a near zone of the second screen, the effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of radiation is observed. In this case, the diffraction picture from the second screen in the focal planes represents the circular nonlocal bands of the Fresnel zones with a bright narrow peak at the center, whose intensity can exceed by six times the value of the incident wave intensity. The energy efficiency of diffractive focusing of Gaussian beams by the bicomponent diffraction system can be as high as 70%. The diffractive method proposed allows the focusing of wide-aperture beams without using classical refraction elements such as lenses and prisms, and it is applicable to both low-intensity and high-power radiation.     

Stimuli-responsive,thixotropic bicomponent hydrogel of melamine–Zn(II)-orotate complex

Zinc(II)-orotate complex (ZnOA) has been synthesised, and it is used to produce supramolecular complex with melamine (M) at 1:1 molar ratio. During sonication for 5–6 min, the supramolecular complex is transformed into a bi-component hydrogel (S-gel). The spectroscopic tools such as FTIR and UV–vis spectra suggest that the H-bonding interaction between M and ZnOA produces a supramolecular complex which further forms J-aggregates during gelation. The circular dichroism spectra indicate the change in ellipticity with temperature that arises from the molecular dissymmetry during stacking of the ZnOAM complexes. The microscopic images indicate that the hydrogel network is formed with short helical nano-fibres. The energy-minimised structure of ZnOAM complex exhibits a well-defined d value of 11.3 Å obtained from X-ray scattering of the xerogel. The frequency-dependent rheological experiment (storage modulus (G′) is greater than loss modulus (G″)) characterises it as a gel. The gel shows thixotropic and stimuli-responsive behaviour.