Effects of NCO/OH Ratio and Reactive Diluent Type on the Adhesion Strength of Polyurethane Methacrylates for Cord/Rubber Composites

A series of dual curable polyurethane methacrylate-based oligomers were synthesized by changing the NCO:OH ratio and then were included in adhesive formulations using trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate and tricyclodecane dimethanol diacrylate (TCDDA) as reactive diluents. The effects of NCO:OH ratio and reactive diluent type on the structural properties of UV-cured free films and adhesion properties between polyester cord/rubber surfaces were studied. The highest adhesion strength of the 103?N?cm^?1 was obtained when the NCO:OH ratio was set as 4 and the TCDDA was used as a reactive diluent.     

Linear approximation of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Functions

Various empirical and theoretical models of the surface reflectance have been introduced so far. Most of these models are based on functions with non-linear parameters and therefore faces some computational difficulties involved in non-linear optimization processes. In this paper, we introduce a new approach for approximating Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Functions (BRDF) by employing response surface methodology. The proposed model employs principal component transformations of the explanatory variables which are essentially functions of incoming and outgoing light directions. The resulting model is linear and can be used to represent both isotropic and anisotropic reflectance for diffuse and glossy materials. Considering some widely used reflection models including the Ward model, the Ashikhmin–Shirley model and the Lafortune model, we demonstrate empirically that satisfactory approximations can be made by means of the proposed general, simple and computationally efficient linear model.     

Synthesis and characterization of flame resistant poly(arylene ether)s

Hydrolytically stable phosphorus-containing monomers, such as 4,4′-bis(fluorophenyl)methylphosphine oxide (BFPMPO), 4,4′-bis(hydroxyphenyl)methylphosphine oxide (BOHPMPO), and 4,4-bis(hydroxyphenyl)phenylphosphine oxide (BOHPPO), were synthesized and used in nucleophilic aromatic substitution poly-condensation to prepare poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide) engineering thermoplastics. The synthesis and characterization of these novel polymers are described. It was determined that by incorporating the phosphine oxide moiety into the polymer backbone, certain properties of the resulting poly(arylene ether) were substantially improved, such as an increase in T_g, thermal stability in air, modulus, and char yield compared with control poly(arylene ether sulfone)s. The high char yields obtained for these polymers in air along with observed intumescence indicates that these materials have improved fire resistance. Preliminary cone calorimetry measurements support this conclusion.     

Morphologies of electrospun fibers of lignin in poly(ethylene oxide)/N,N‐dimethylformamide

The effects of polyethylene oxide (PEO) molecular weight (Mv), and volume fraction ( ) on the morphology of electrospun sulfur free softwood lignin nanofibers were investigated. Small amounts of PEO were used during preparations of the solutions to aid the electrospinning process. It was found that tripling the PEO volume fraction resulted in a transition from semi‐dilute un‐entangled to semi‐dilute entangled solutions. Conversely, the solution remained in the semi‐dilute un‐entangled regime as the molecular weight was increased by five times. The effects of molecular weight and volume fraction of PEO both on entanglement density and fiber morphology were unified by scaling PEO viscosities as a function of . We investigated and discussed conditions that would produce smooth fibers and conditions that would produce fibers with beads. In the case of beads‐on‐a‐string formation, bead widths remained constant regardless of the molecular weight and concentration of PEO, but the bead length changed. Additionally, we observed a decrease in the diameter of the fibers and the dimension of beads (length and width of beads) with an increase in the electric field used for electrospinning. The aspect ratio of beads increased with increases to both the electric field and the PEO molecular weight or concentration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44172.     

Highly Stable,Near‐Unity Efficiency Atomically Flat Semiconductor Nanocrystals of CdSe/ZnS Hetero‐Nanoplatelets Enabled by ZnS‐Shell Hot‐Injection Growth

Colloidal semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs) offer important benefits in nanocrystal optoelectronics with their unique excitonic properties. For NPLs, colloidal atomic layer deposition (c‐ALD) provides the ability to produce their core/shell heterostructures. However, as c‐ALD takes place at room temperature, this technique allows for only limited stability and low quantum yield. Here, highly stable, near‐unity efficiency CdSe/ZnS NPLs are shown using hot‐injection (HI) shell growth performed at 573 K, enabling routinely reproducible quantum yields up to 98%. These CdSe/ZnS HI‐shell hetero‐NPLs fully recover their initial photoluminescence (PL) intensity in solution after a heating cycle from 300 to 525 K under inert gas atmosphere, and their solid films exhibit 100% recovery of their initial PL intensity after a heating cycle up to 400 K under ambient atmosphere, by far outperforming the control group of c‐ALD shell‐coated CdSe/ZnS NPLs, which can sustain only 20% of their PL. In optical gain measurements, these core/HI‐shell NPLs exhibit ultralow gain thresholds reaching ≈7 µJ cm^?2. Despite being annealed at 500 K, these ZnS‐HI‐shell NPLs possess low gain thresholds as small as 25 µJ cm^?2. These findings indicate that the proposed 573 K HI‐shell‐grown CdSe/ZnS NPLs hold great promise for extraordinarily high performance in nanocrystal optoelectronics.     

Predicting axial pressure profile of a CFB

The numerical simulation of CFBs is an important tool in the prediction of its flow behavior. Predicting the axial pressure profile is one of the major difficulties in modeling a CFB. A model using a Particle Based Approach (PBA) is developed to accurately predict the axial pressure profile in CFBs. The simulation model accounts for the axial and radial distribution of voidage and velocity of the gas and solid phases, and for the solids volume fraction and particle size distribution of the solid phase. The model results are compared with and validated against atmospheric cold CFB experimental literature data. Ranges of experimental data used in comparisons are as follows: bed diameter from 0.05 to 0.305 m, bed height between 5 and 15.45 m, mean particle diameter from 76 to 812 μm, particle density from 189 to 2600 kg/m³, solid circulation fluxes from 10.03 to 489 kg/m² s and gas superficial velocities from 2.71 to 10.68 m/s. The computational results agreed reasonably well with the experimental data. Moreover, both experimental data and model predictions show that the pressure drop profile is affected by the solid circulation flux and superficial velocity values in the riser. The pressure drop increases along the acceleration region as solid circulation flux increases and superficial velocity decreases.     

Two-dimensional biomass combustion modeling of CFB

In this study, a 2D model for a CFB biomass combustor has been developed which integrates and simultaneously predicts the hydrodynamics, heat transfer and combustion aspects. Combustor hydrodynamic is modeled taking into account previous work. Simulation model calculates the axial and radial distribution of voidage, velocity, particle size distribution, pressure drop, gas emissions and temperature at each time interval for gas and solid phase both for bottom and upper zones. The model results are compared with and validated against experimental data both for small-size and industrial-size biomass combustors which uses different types of biomass fuels given in the literature. As a result of sensitivity analysis, it is observed that: major portion of the combustion will take place in the upper zone, the air staging could improve combustion, for industrial-size CFB biomass combustors and the decrease of NO_x adversely results in high CO emissions as air ratio decreases. Unexpected results concerning the emissions is caused by using data of different sized CFBs and is clearly an indicator of the necessity to compare the model results with various sized CFBs as far as possible.     

A study on the effects of operational parameters on bed-to-wall heat transfer

In this study the effects of operational parameters on bed-to-wall heat transfer in CFBs are investigated such as solids volume fraction, particle diameter, suspension density, solid circulation rate. Based on a previously developed 2D CFB model, a modified cluster renewal model is used in this investigation. The model uses the particle-based approach (PBA) and integrates the hydrodynamics and combustion aspects. The study is also validated with experimental data. As a result of this study, it is observed that the bed-to-wall heat transfer coefficients are strongly dependent on particle diameter and solids concentration at the riser wall. The smaller particles result in higher heat transfer coefficients than larger particles for the same solids volume fraction values. The heat transfer coefficient increases with suspension density. However, at a constant suspension density, the superficial velocity does not have a significant influence on the heat transfer coefficient. PBA is satisfactorily adapted to cluster renewal model so that to define the bed-to-wall heat transfer mechanisms for the upper zone.     

Structural evolution of mechanically alloyed Al-12Si/TiB2/h-BN composite powder coating by atmospheric plasma spraying

In the present study, mechanically alloyed Al-12Si/TiB₂/h-BN composite powder was deposited onto an aluminum substrate by atmospheric plasma spraying. The effect of mechanical alloying (MA) and plasma spray parameters on composite powder and coating structure were investigated. It has been observed that the MA process has a significant effect on the composite powder morphology and reactivity between the selective powders. Results also demonstrate that, at relatively high milling time h-BN decomposes into B and N and forms a solid solution. Also, it has been found that, the relative amount of the in-situ formed AlN through the reaction between h-BN and Al and/or the decomposition of Al-B-N solid solution is independent from the plasma parameters (arc current and secondary gas flow rate). However, spray parameters remarkably affects the coating hardness due to coarsening of Si during the solidification of the coating.     

In-situ plasma spraying: Alumina formation and in-flight particle diagnostic

In-situ plasma spraying (IPS) is a promising process to fabricate composite coatings with in-situ formed thermodynamically stable phases. In the present study, mechanically alloyed Al-12Si and SiO₂ powder was deposited onto an aluminum substrate by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) to obtain a composite coating consisting of in-situ formed alumina reinforced hypereutectic Al-18Si matrix alloy. The effects of spray parameters (arc current and spray distance) and in-flight particle characteristics (temperature and velocity) on in-situ reaction intensity (alumina and silicon) have been investigated. The results show that, in-situ alumina formation and silicon intensity strongly depend on in-flight particle characteristics, spray distance and substrate temperature.