The influence of wood flour particle size and content on the rheological,physical, mechanical and morphological properties of EVA/wood cellular composites

Cellular composites reinforced with vegetal fibers are an emerging class of materials combining good mechanical properties with reduced density and superior impact energy absorption, as well as thermal and acoustic isolation compared to other composites. This research aims to investigate the effects of different particle sizes and contents of wood flour (WF) on the properties of cellular poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA)/WF composites. The cellular composites were foamed in a heat press using azodicarbonamide as blowing agent. The results indicate that decreasing the particle size of WF increases the viscosity of the composite, which restricts the expandability of the composite. The presence of WF in the cellular composite increases the nucleation of cells, providing a larger number of smaller cells with increased filler content. Optimal homogeneity was observed with WF B (100–150 mesh), but the highest mechanical properties of tear strength were observed with WF C (150–270 mesh).     

Surface stress and strain fields on compressed panels of corrugated board boxes. An experimental analysis by using Digital Image Stereocorrelation

The complex behaviour of corrugated board packages under compression loading is investigated in this work. Original experimental data are obtained by using a Digital Image Stereocorrelation technique for measuring the displacement and strain fields of the panels’ outer liner of the tested boxes. The stress field is also estimated by accounting for the anisotropic mechanical behaviour of the outer liner, its residual stress state induced by the processing of the corrugated board and the effects of box manufacturing operations and compression. Results show that these fields are extremely heterogeneous on the panels’ surface. Most stressed areas are located along the panels’ edges. The elastic limit of the outer liner is reached quite soon during compression. Box geometry and panel flaps are of primary importance on the observed phenomena. This approach delivers useful information to improve kinematic and constitutive assumptions for buckling and post-buckling models of boxes or thin-walled sandwich structures.     

Full-field measurement technique and its application to the analysis of materials behaviour under plane strain mode

The purpose of the paper is to provide a comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis of one of the encountered and critical state modes in sheet metal forming processes. The study is carried out with the help of the full-field measurement techniques. In order to confer some generality to the proposed work, several materials and different specimen shapes are considered that exhibit more or less homogeneous strain field. The proposed experimental study of the plane strain test is completed by a preliminary identification of the material parameters for non-linear behaviour at finite strains, using heterogeneous strain field.     

An experimental and numerical study of the effects of length scale and strain state on the necking and fracture behaviours in sheet metals

Within sheet metal forming, crashworthiness analysis in the automotive industry and ship research on collision and grounding, modelling of the material failure/fracture, including the behaviour at large plastic deformations, is critical for accurate failure predictions. In order to validate existing failure models used in finite element (FE) simulations in terms of dependence on length scale and strain state, tests recorded with the optical strain measuring system ARAMIS have been conducted. With this system, the stress–strain behaviour of uniaxial tensile tests was examined locally, and from this information true stress–strain relations were calculated on different length scales across the necking region. Forming limit tests were conducted to study the multiaxial failure behaviour of the material in terms of necking and fracture. The failure criteria that were verified against the tests were chosen among those available in the FE software Abaqus and the Bressan–Williams–Hill (BWH) criterion proposed by Alsos et al, 2008. The experimental and numerical results from the tensile tests confirmed that Barba's relation is valid for handling stress–strain dependence on the length scale used for strain evaluation after necking. Also, the evolution of damage in the FE simulations was related to the processes ultimately leading to initiation and propagation of a macroscopic crack in the final phase of the tensile tests. Furthermore, numerical simulations using the BWH criterion for prediction of instability at the necking point showed good agreement with the forming limit test results. The effect of pre-straining in the forming limit tests and the FE simulations of them is discussed.     

The impact of the nature of nanofillers on the performance of wood polymer nanocomposites

Wood polymer nanocomposites have been prepared from aspen wood using melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) and montmorillonite nanoclay. The nanoparticles were ground with a ball-mill and mixed with the prepolymer to form suspensions that were subsequently impregnated into the wood and in situ polymerized. The influence of the nature of nanofillers and interphase interactions between nanoparticles and MUF on the physical/mechanical properties of the resulting wood polymer nanocomposites was investigated, using SEM, TEM and Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA) methods. Significant improvements in wood properties, including surface hardness, modulus of elasticity, dimensional stability and water repellence, were obtained with the addition of hydrophobic nanoparticles into the wood. The improved properties could be ascribed to inherent properties as well as better interphase between MUF and nanoparticles, and their co-reinforcement on the wood. Ball-mill treatment favored the dispersion of the nanoparticles into the wood, but broke down functional groups on the hydrophobic nanoclay surface, which was detrimental for the bonding between the nanoparticles and the MUF matrix.     

Experimental study of heterogeneities in strain and temperature fields at the microstructural level of polycrystalline metals through fully-coupled full-field measurements by Digital Image Correlation and Infrared Thermography

In this paper, we investigate and quantify the thermal effects induced by plastic deformation at the level of the microstructure of a polycrystalline metallic sample. For the first time, this investigation is conducted on a specimen containing hundred of grains. We use a unique experimental setup to access—simultaneously in-situ and in real time—strain and temperature fields of an austenitic stainless steel under tensile loading. We show that strain fields are directly linked to the expression of plasticity at the grain scale. We show, on the other hand, that thermal fields at the last increment of deformation are linked to the microstructural expression of plasticity on a larger lengthscale corresponding, instead, to grain clusters. Hence strain fields exhibit stronger localization features than the temperature fields in terms of both values and space. For a mean temperature rise of 0.75 °C and a global deformation of 2.4% in the fastest quasi-static regime investigated in this paper, the maximum local temperature rise is measured to be 0.88 °C even though local strain in grains can reach up to 6.7%. These fully-coupled measurements also provide the first experimental evidence that an instantaneous coupling takes place within grains between strain gradients and thermal dissipation. Finally, an estimation of a grain-scale field of the fraction of plastic work converted into heat is conducted and shown to be not only heterogeneous but also to be related to the microstructural features of deformation at the surface of the material, namely to the absence or presence of slip bands. The results obtained support the relevance of establishing energy balances and acquiring stored energy data at the microstructural scale where damage localization takes place.     

An analytical model to study the effective stiffness of the composites with periodically distributed sphere particles

In order to analytically study the overall elastic stiffness of the composite containing periodically dispersed sphere particles, a new micro-mechanics model is developed in this paper. Three kinds of typical particle packing arrangements in the form of simple cubic lattice, body-centered cubic lattice and face-centered cubic lattice are considered and compared. The special characteristics of regular distribution are fully considered by incorporating the necessary geometrical symmetry conditions into strain Green’s function. It is found that particle arrangement obviously affects the macroscopic elastic response of such the kind of composite. Moreover, most of the predictions by the present model are in good agreement with the FEM computations. The effective Young’s modulus of BCC composite the effective shear modulus of SC composite are not in the range of the Hashin–Shtrikman bounds. The present model is also useful to verify some other numerical results mainly obtained by the unit-cell model, for instance, damage variables, matrix plasticity, etc.     

Effect of thermal residual stresses on the matrix failure under transverse compression at micromechanical level - A numerical and experimental study

The influence at micromechanical scale of thermal residual stresses, originating in the cooling down associated to the curing process of fibrous composites, on inter-fibre failure under transverse compression is studied. In particular, the effect of these stresses on the appearance of the first debonds is discussed analytically; later steps of the damage mechanism are analysed by means of a single fibre model, making use of the Boundary Element Method. The results are evaluated applying Interfacial Fracture Mechanics concepts. The conclusions obtained show, at least in the case of dilute fibre packing, the effect of thermal residual stresses on the appearance and initiation of growth to be negligible, and the morphology of the damage not to be significantly affected in comparison with the case in which these stresses are not considered. Experimental tests are carried out, the results agreeing with the conclusions derived from the numerical analysis.     

One-step synthesis of unique silica particles for the fabrication of bionic and stably superhydrophobic coatings on wood surface

The silica particles with unique morphology and hydrophobicity have been synthesized via a drop-coating method. After this one-step sol–gel process, silica particles as well as polystyrene were employed in the bionic and stably superhydrophobic coatings on wood surface (with water contact angle of 153 ± 1° and sliding angle less than 5 ± 0.5°). Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies revealed that the composite coatings possess two dimensional hierarchical structures comprising of micron scale papilla and submicron scale granules. The synergistic effect of micron/submicron binary structure and low surface energy layer was responsible for the superhydrophobicity of wood surface. Moreover, the chemical and mechanical stabilities of treated wood have been investigated as well, and the results show that the product possesses superhydrophobic property in a wide extent, such as pure water, corrosive water under both acidic and basic conditions, and some common organic solvents. More importantly, it will offer an opportunity to extend the range of practical applications for wood resources.     

Effect of TiO2 and nanoclay on the properties of wood polymer nanocomposite

High density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with Phragmiteskarka wood flour (WF) and polyethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate (PE-co-GMA) was used to develop wood polymer composite (WPC) by solution blending method. The effect of addition of nanoclay and TiO₂ on the properties of the composite was examined. The exfoliation of silicate layers and dispersion of TiO₂ nanopowder was studied by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The improvement in miscibility among polymers due to addition of compatibilizer was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). WPC treated with 3 phr each of clay and TiO₂ showed an improvement in thermal stability. Mechanical, UV resistance and flame retarding properties were also enhanced after the incorporation of clay/TiO₂ nanopowder to the composites. Both water and water vapor absorption were found to decrease due to inclusion of nanoclay and TiO₂ in WPC.     

Effects of chitosan as biopolymer coupling agent on the thermal and rheological properties of polyvinyl chloride/wood flour composites

Chitosan (CS) was opted as a novel biopolymer coupling agent for wood flour polyvinyl chloride composites (WF/PVC) to improve interfacial adhesion. This study mainly aimed at investigating the effects after adding CS of different addition amounts and particle sizes on the thermal and rheological properties of WF/PVC composites by the analyses of vicat softening temperature test (VST), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA) and torque rheometry. The results indicated that an optimum addition amount (30 phr) with the particle size (180–220 mesh) could elevate heat resistance capacity, glass transition temperature of composites as well as thermal stability at the early stage of degradation more effectively. In the aspect of rheological characteristics, longer fusion time, lower fusion torque and higher fusion temperature were showed as the CS addition amount increased and the particle size declined. In order to obtain sufficient compaction and ensure proper blending to compounds during extrusion, the higher pressure needed to be supplied when the addition amount of CS exceeded 20 phr.     

Influence of additives on the global mechanical behavior and the microscopic strain localization in wood reinforced polypropylene composites during tensile deformation investigated using digital image correlation

The structural integrity of polypropylene (PP) matrix composites reinforced by natural wood fibers is investigated by digital image correlation (DIC) coupled with tensile tests. The use of the material as an alternative construction material requires extensive understanding of its micromechanical properties, which primarily define its performance. Addition of several additives such as coupling agents is common practice for such materials. These ingredients improve the performance of these materials mainly by improvement of the chemical and physical interactions between the nonpolar matrix and the polar wood fibers. These interactions facilitate the transfer of the applied deformation particularly in the interphase region between the polymer matrix and the reinforcing fibers. Such localized changes can influence the performance of the material specially its micromechanical behavior. The DIC via photogrammetry was used to study the spatial distribution of the accumulated plastic surface strain, which is based on pattern recognition of the surface before and after straining. The heterogeneous strain distribution reveals a structural inhomogeneity of the material. The magnitude of local strain was much higher than the global strain, suggesting preferred regions for plastic deformation formed by the microstructure.     

平面波超声功率测量的互易法与辐射力法实验比较研究

本文分别用互易法[1]和辐射力法对两个不同的平面超声换能器声功率进行实验测量。实验数据对比研究 表明:在实验所用的激励电压范围内,两种方法测量结果具有很好的一致性,互易法综合不确定度为±4.4%,辐射 力法综合不确定度为±6.9%。由于互易法具有使用设备简单、信噪比高以及受气泡和测量环境的影响小等优点, 有利于提高测量精度,适合于小功率测量,是超声功率测量的一种简单有效的新途径。     

添加致孔剂制备树脂基活性炭及电容性能研究

以碱性条件下合成的热固性酚醛树脂(PF)为原料,聚乙烯醇缩丁醛(PVB)和聚乙烯二醇(PEG)为致孔剂,采用聚合物共混炭化活化法制备双电层电容器用活性炭材料.通过热重(TG)分析探讨了PF,PF与PVB、PEG的共混物在炭化过程中的热解行为.考察了活化温度和活化时间对所得活性炭的收率、BET比表面积、孔径分布和比电容的影响,并进一步探讨了以这种活性炭材料作电极的双电层电容器的电容性能.结果表明,随着活化温度的升高,活化温度对活性炭收率的影响更为显著,所得活性炭的收率下降.聚合物PEG较PVB更适合作为成孔剂来控制活性炭的中孔孔径分布.酚醛树脂基活性炭电极比电容在850℃活化1 h为79.2F/g,而聚乙烯二醇/酚醛、聚乙烯醇缩丁醛/酚醛混合树脂基活性炭电极比电容则分别高达130.5和145.6F/g.     

Synthesis of CuS and PbS nanocrystals on the basis of PE/NBR polymer/elastomeric composites for their applications

In this research work, we have presented a chemical method to elaborate the PbS, CuS nanocrystals embedded in a polymer composites matrix. We have used polyethylene and nitrile butadiene rubber PE/NBR as a support for synthesis of lead sulfide (PbS) and copper sulfide (CuS) nanocrystals. The size control and morphology of these (PbS and CuS) nanoparticles have been applied by the method of “layer by layer”. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to determine simple optical responses, getting the biggest transmittances of CuS and PbS nanoparticles. Measured size of CuS nanoparticles is approximately 5.5–90 nm in different dose. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed the formation of cubic phase of PbS nanocrystals into the composite matrix. The size of PbS was estimated ∼9 nm. The surface morphology and crystallite sizes were determined by Atomic Force Microscopy measurements.     

An exploratory study of the impact of information communication technology (ICT) or computer mediated communication (CMC) on the level of violence and access to service among intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in Canada

This paper presents exploratory research on the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) or computer mediated technologies (CMCs) (i.e., cell phones and the internet) among immigrant women who are intimate partner violence survivors (IPV) in Canada. The discussion begins with a presentation of initial data examining the impact of such technology on the level and extent of violence experienced by IPV survivors, and on their ability to access appropriate services. Furthermore, an assessment of whether this form of technology aided in the development of a prevention or safety plan, is explored. The data is based on non-random sample surveys of immigrant women IPV survivors with Canada. While the limited scholarship on ICT or CMC usage indicates that there is a digital divide and that various socio-demographic factors do play a role in utilizing the technology, our data does not display a black and white or any streamlined pattern with regards to the digital divide and sociodemographics factors. An examination of the participants' various sociodemographics indicates that the digital divide within this population is not influenced by access or knowledge to the technology but by other factors often not discussed in the intersectionality models. An intersectional model of race and immigration status along with the existing literature on intimate partner violence among immigrant women especially issues of isolation and social networking inform this paper.