The physicochemical and fire extinguishing performance of aqueous film-forming foams based on a class of short-chain fluorinated surfactants

Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are an important for fire extinguishing, and their key ingredient is fluorinated surfactant. In recent years, traditional long-chain fluorinated surfactants have been banned by most countries because of their persistence, bio-accumulation and toxicity. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the research and development of short-chain fluorinated surfactants. As is well known, the introduction of hydrophilic or hydrophobic groups in a surfactant affects its surface activity, and therefore, the fire extinguishing performance of AFFFs. In this work, a series of short-chain fluorosurfactant-based AFFFs with different hydrophobic chain lengths were prepared. The physicochemical performance of mixed systems (fluorinated surfactant plus sodium hexanesulfonate), including surface activity, spreading ability, foam expansion, drainage time, and the fire extinguishing and burn-back performance of AFFFs were studied. The results show that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface tension (γ_CMC) at the CMC of mixed systems at 25°C are lower than 7.68 mmol/L and 16.51 mN/m, respectively. For mixed systems, the average spreading rate is more than 1.09 cm/s, the foam expansion is over 7.1, and the drainage time is greater than 3.28 min. The fire extinguishing time of AFFFs on fuels is less than 51 s while the burn-back time is more than 15.18 min. The results imply a potential application prospect of the short-chain fluorinated surfactants in AFFFs.     

Anisotropy Effects in the Shape-Memory Performance of Polymer Foams

Isotropic and anisotropic shape-memory polymer foams are prepared by supercritical carbon dioxide foaming from a multiblock copolymer (PDLCL) consisting of poly(ω-pentadecalactone) and poly(ε-caprolactone) segments. Analysis by micro-computed tomography reveals for the anisotropic PDLCL foam cells a high shape anisotropy ratio of R = 1.72 ± 0.62 with a corresponding Young's compression moduli ratio between longitudinal and transversal direction of 4.3. The experimental compression data in the linear elastic range can be well described by the anisotropic open foam model of Gibson and Ashby. A micro-morphological analysis for single pores using scanning electron microscopy images permits the correlation between the macroscopic stress-compression behavior and microscale structural changes.     

Interfacial interactions and properties of cellular structured polyurethane nanocomposite based on carbonaceous nano-fillers

In this article, we have studied the effect of carbonaceous nanofillers viz. fullerenol (0D), carboxylated multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT, 1D), hydroxylated graphene (2D) and combination of carboxylated CNT and hydroxylated graphene as 3D in thermoplastic polyurethane on the tensile properties of the fabricated cellular structures. The concentration of nano-fillers was varied as 0.1, 1, and 5 wt%. Tensile properties of the nanocomposite cellular structures were measured as per ASTM D882 at 20°C (below glass transition temperature, T_g) and 40°C (above T_g). The results have shown that the tensile strength was found to increase by 200%–300% and the tensile modulus was found to increase by 150%–300% for 2D and 3D nano-fillers while significantly poor results were observed for 0D. However, the test data tensile strength and modulus showed marginal increase at 20°C and marginally low at 40°C for 1D filler. The interfacial adhesion was calculated by using experimental tensile data and the predictive models. The interfacial adhesion parameter (B_σ) calculated using Pukanszky equation was found significantly higher value for 2D (B_σ20 = 195.8) and 3D (B_σ20 = 192.0) fillers while poor adhesion was observed for 0D (B_σ20 = −81.6) fillers. The developed cellular structured materials were also evaluated by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform IR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope.     

Foam-based cleaning of surfaces contaminated with mixtures of oil and soot

Liquid foams of intermediate stability have been shown to be very efficient in the cleaning of sensitive surfaces because of the synergy between imbibition and foam decay. While we quantified these mechanisms for contaminations with liquid oils in our previous work, we show here their extension to oils containing soot particles in an effort to simulate increasingly realistic contaminations. Using foams with a wide range of liquid fractions and with different stabilities, we show that the main cleaning mechanisms remain very similar, with the oil entraining the soot particles. However, we find much less efficient soot removal when the liquid channels of the foams are small enough to hinder efficient transport of the soot particles.     

Influence of the dispersion of Nanoclays on the cellular structure of foams based on polystyrene

In the present work blends of polystyrene (PS) with sepiolites have been produced using a melt extrusion process. The dispersion degree of the sepiolites in the PS has been analyzed by dynamic shear rheology and X-ray micro-computed tomography. Sepiolites treated with quaternary ammonium salts (O-QASEP) are better dispersed in the PS matrix than natural sepiolites (N-SEP) or sepiolites organo-modified with silane groups (O-SGSEP). A percolated network is obtained when using 6.0 wt% of O-QASEP, 8.0 wt% of N-SEP and 10.0 wt% of O-SGSEP. It has been shown that multiple extrusion processes have a negative effect on the polymer architecture. They produce a reduction in the length of the polymeric chains, and they do not lead to a better dispersion of the particles in the polymer matrix. Foams have been produced using a gas dissolution foaming process, where a strong effect of the dispersion degree on the cellular structure of the different foams was found. The effects on the cellular structure obtained by using different types of sepiolites, different contents of sepiolites and different extrusion conditions have been analyzed. The foams produced with the formulations containing O-QASEP present the lowest cell size and the most homogeneous cellular structures.     

Extraction equilibrium conditions of beryllium and aluminium from a beryl ore for optimal industrial beryllium compound production

This study examines the extraction of beryllium and aluminium from a Nigerian beryl ore using Cyanex®272 in kerosene from an aqueous sulphate pregnant solution. Parameters such as extractant concentration and equilibrium pH that dictates the extraction yield were studied. Under the following conditions: temperature 27?±?2°C, phase ratio 1?1, about 45.50 and 46.76% of beryllium and aluminium were extracted by 0.15?mol?L^?1 Cyanex®272 concentration within 30?min. However, the extraction yield of beryllium and aluminium was increased to 91.68% and 97.89% at equilibrium pH of 3 and 4, respectively, for beryllium and aluminium at 27?±?2°C. A 0.05?mol?L^?1 H₂SO₄ solution was found to be adequate for the stripping of about 99.00% Be and 95.40% Al from the loaded organic phase. The pure solutions containing metal ions were accordingly beneficiated to obtain beryllium and aluminium compounds of industrial values.     

镀铝板用耐高温型无铬钝化结合机理及性能

传统的有机类无铬钝化产品在400 ℃的高温条件下黄变较重,在保持优异的耐高温前提下,同时具有优异的耐蚀性和加工性能,设计了镀铝板使用的无机类加少量有机类的无铬钝化产品。利用电化学工作站、X射线光电子能谱、X射线荧光谱、红外光谱等方法,对该无铬钝化药剂在热镀铝板表面的成膜机理进行了研究,并结合成膜动力学分析,完成了皮膜与铝硅镀层的界面结合机理分析。对膜重、固化温度对镀铝板工艺性能影响进行研究,得出综合性能优异的膜重控制范围为0.8～1.2 g/m2,对应的PMT温度大于80 ℃。所生产的无铬钝化热镀铝板产品耐高温、耐腐蚀和冲压性能优异,400 ℃烘烤2 h后表面色差ΔE＜3,72 h中性盐雾试验未出现锈蚀。     

微量Zr对不对称轧制Al-0.8Mg-0.9Si合金板织构及性能的影响

本文研究了微量Zr对不对称轧制Al-0.8Mg-0.9Si合金板及其相继固溶处理后的微观结构及性能的影响。结果表明：微量Zr在Al-0.8Mg-0.9Si合金中形成Al3Zr相弥散分布在基体中,在不对称轧制过程中,该化合物相对Copper{112}<111>、Brass{011}<211>、S{123}<634>、E{111}<110>和F{111}<112>等形变织构无明显影响；在随后的固溶处理过程中,轧制板材发生的再结晶使得Copper、Brass、S等形变织构的取向密度降低,但不溶的细小Al3Zr相在一定程度上抑制了不连续再结晶行为,反而使轧制过程中形成的E、F剪切织构的取向密度增加。添加微量Zr所形成的上述结构使该合金板材在固溶后获得较好的综合性能,其抗拉强度、屈强比和延伸率分别可达230MPa、0.49和9.5%以上；塑性应变比r值从0.7提高至0.84,杯突值IE由8.94提高至9.84,各向异性度|Δr|由0.15降低至0.04。