On‐line opto‐viscoelastic analysis of polypropylene fibres using multiple‐beam Fizeau fringes in transmission and a modified creep device

A creep device attached to an automated multiple‐beam Fizeau system in transmission was modified with a designed digital ruler. This device allows on‐line measurements of fibre length during creep experiments in terms of an analogue voltage value. The influence of sustained stress values on creep deformation and optical properties (n^||, n^? and Δn) for polypropylene (PP) fibres was studied interferometrically. The opto‐viscoelastic properties of PP fibres were determined for three different values of constant applied stress of 11.536, 18.717 and 25.905 MPa, at room temperature. Also, the variations of the cross‐sectional area and Poisson's ratio were studied during creep extensions. The compliance curves were obtained as a function of both time and applied stresses. Empirical formulae are suggested to describe the creep compliance curves for PP fibres, and the constants of these formulae were determined and described at each applied stress. A Kelvin chain was used to model the mechanical behaviour of the PP fibres under study. The effect of strain on the mean refractive indices, orientation function density and crystallinity was investigated as a result of the recorded data. Microinterferograms are given for illustration. The modified creep device with the designed digital ruler enables one to obtain instantaneous automatic accurate recording of fibre length values during creep experiments. Calculation of refractive indices, orientation function and crystallinity shows a difference in material behaviour at small stresses from that at higher stresses which may be attributed to different strain rates caused by different stresses. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Anisotropic in vitro vessel model using poly(vinyl alcohol) hydro gel and mesh material

In the present study, the authors fabricated straight multilayer hybrid tubular in vitro vessel models (inner diameter D_in = 10 mm; thickness T = 4 mm) composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel (PVA‐H) and anisotropic mesh materials. The authors performed tensile, stress‐relaxation and cyclic‐tensile tests using axial and circumferential test pieces as well as pressure‐diameter (P‐D) tests using tubular test piece. In the tensile and stress‐relaxation tests, the anisotropic and nonlinear mechanical properties and hysteresis characteristic of the in vitro models were confirmed. The in vitro models also showed behavior qualitatively similar to that of native arteries in cycle‐tensile and P‐D tests. These results demonstrate that the mechanical properties of native vessels can be duplicated in an in vitro model by controlling the components of the mesh material, the orientation of elastic fibers in the mesh material, and the concentration and thickness of PVA‐H layers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Peel Test Using Nonstationary Peel Method

The cohesive peel spectra of pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes have been measured using a non-stationary peel tester. The experimental evidence and a viscoelastic analysis based on a peel model indicate that there are no significant effects of acceleration in the normal rate region. The nonstationary peel tester can be regarded as a useful tool for testing and evaluating PSA tapes.     

Rheological behaviour of concentrated mandarin juice at low temperatures

Several rheological properties of concentrated mandarin juice were investigated, quantifying thixotropic behaviour and fitting experimental data to the Hahn, Weltman, and Figoni–Shoemaker equations. The latter one proved best for modelling the time dependency response. Pseudoplastic behaviour fitted well with the Herschel–Bulkley model in the interval between ?12 and 6 °C, in which yield stress and the flow behaviour index scarcely changed with temperature. The consistency coefficient and apparent viscosity both decreased as temperature increased. Fitting these consistency data to the Arrhenius‐type equation, a value of 33 kJ mol^?1 for activation energy was obtained. Concentrated mandarin juice displayed viscoelastic properties in the temperature range between ?12 and 6 °C, with the elastic character (determined by the juice’s pectin content) predominating over the viscous nature at low frequency values, but with this behaviour being inverted for high values. Furthermore, as the temperature became higher, the elastic character became more important than the viscous nature.     

Adherence of elastomers: Fracture mechanics aspects

Application of fracture mechanics concepts to adherence of elastic and viscoelastic solids is examined. It is shown that the Dugdale-Barenblatt model could be applied both for explaining the transition from Johnson-Kendall-Roberts to Deryagin-Muller-Toporov solution in adherence of spheres, and for liquid bridges. The problem of the threshold energy release rate G₀ for elastomers is considered. It is proposed to add to the viscoelastic losses a supplementary friction term when polymeric chains strongly held at the interface by primary bonds are pulled out.     

A Comparison of Linear with Nonlinear Viscoelastic Solutions for Shear Stress Concentration in Double Lap Joints

The correspondence principle based on the Maxwell model and a nonlinear viscoelastic solution involving an iterative scheme are used to describe the time dependent variation of the adhesive maximum shear stress in adhesively bonded double lap joints. The results indicate that if the correspondence principle is applied, the use of Maxwell chain is necessary to approximate the continuous change in the relaxation time and to coincide with the results calculated using the nonlinear viscoelastic theory.     

Viscoelastic behavior of poly(butyl methacrylate) densely grafted on silica nanoparticles

A series of poly(butyl methacrylate)s (PBMAs) with various molar masses (33 000–270 000 g mol^?1), which were densely grafted on fumed silica nanoparticles (PBMA–SiO₂), were synthesized by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. The dynamic viscoelastic behavior of PBMA–SiO₂ was systematically investigated in the solid and molten states with oscillatory strains, and compared to that of a conventional nanocomposite (PBMA/SiO₂). The storage moduli of PBMA–SiO₂ and PBMA/SiO₂ are equivalent in the solid state, whereas the storage modulus of PBMA–SiO₂ is lower than that of PBMA/SiO₂ in the molten state, especially at high silica loading. This is because the formation of a network structure composed of the silica nanoparticles in PBMA–SiO₂ is strongly suppressed by the polymer brushes on the particles. In contrast, even at low silica loading, the PBMA–SiO₂ system exhibits a gel‐like behavior resulting from a steric repulsion between the composite particles, because all of the tethered polymers behave as bound polymers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of the matrix resin structure on the mechanical properties and braking performance of organic brake pads

Two chemically modified phenolic resins (PFs) designed and developed for the matrix resins of organic friction materials were characterized. The braking performance of organic brake pads based on the two modified resins and reinforced with hybrid fibers was investigated on a full‐scale test bench. The results indicate that the modified PF with more internal friction units possessed much higher impact and compression strengths, greater toughness, and better braking stability. We concluded that the matrix resin with more adjustable structural units allowed for an adjustable Young's modulus and dynamic mechanical properties and, hence, could indirectly allow an adjustable friction coefficient for organic brake pads during braking process and, furthermore, enable the optimization of braking stability of the friction couples. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2012     

Metal Forming of Vibration‐Damping Composite Sheets

Composite materials with vibrations damping qualities can be made of two steel sheets enclosing a viscoelastic plasticcorelayer. These sandwich sheets often need to be formed. Material parameters are determined to describe the forming process. Based on these parameters, pilot studies are carried out in order to develop recommendations for forming this class of material.