Thermal and mechanical properties of microwave‐ and heat‐cured poly(methyl methacrylate) used as dental base material

The thermal and mechanical properties of dental base materials cured by microwave and conventional heat methods were studied. The commercial dental base poly(methyl metacrylate) (PMMA) powder and liquid were mixed in a 3/1 ratio. They were polymerized by a peroxy catalyst at 65°C, then cured with a boiling water temperature and microwave radiation for periods of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 min for heat curing and 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 min for microwave radiation. The microwave radiation outputs used were 500 and 700 W. The products of 5‐min heat curing and 1‐, 2‐, and 7‐min microwave curing were soluble in chloroform. All the others were partially soluble. The viscosity‐average molecular weights of the soluble samples were about 1 × 10⁶. The thermal properties of the polymer samples were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). For the samples that were not cured completely, broad exothermic peaks at around 125°C were obtained in the DSC thermograms. The glass‐transition temperatures for completely cured samples were 110–120°C. The mechanical properties of the samples were determined from tensile and three‐point bending tests. The elastic modulus was highest for samples obtained by the conventional method with a 30‐min curing period. However, the bending modulus was highest for 7‐min cured samples in a 700‐W microwave. The mechanical strengths of the 700‐W output were higher than those at 500 W. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 251–256, 2003     

Mechanical and microstructural evolutions of fly ash/slag-based geopolymer at high temperatures: Effect of curing conditions

Designing a building material with excellent heat resistance is crucial for protection against catastrophic fires. Geopolymer materials have been investigated as they offer better heat resistance than traditional cement owing to their ceramic-like properties. Curing temperature and conditions are crucial factors that determine the properties of geopolymers, but their impacts on the heat resistance of geopolymers remain unclear. This study produced geopolymers from fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag by using sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions as alkaline solutions. To examine the effect of curing conditions on the high-temperature performance of geopolymer, four different curing conditions, namely, heat curing (70 °C for 24 h), ambient curing (20 °C), water curing, and the combination of heat and water curing (70 °C for 24 h followed by water curing), were applied. At 28 d, the specimens were subjected to high temperatures (500 °C, 750 °C, and 950 °C), and their mechanical and microstructural evolutions were studied. The results revealed that the curing condition significantly affects the properties of the unexposed geopolymer; the effect on its high-temperature performance is insignificant. Furthermore, all the specimens could maintain adequate compressive strength after exposure to the maximum temperature of 950 °C, promising the use of geopolymer for structural applications.     

An infrared spectroscopic investigation of the curing reactions of the EPON 828/meta-phenylenediamine system

Mid- and near-infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been used to study the curing of a bisphenol-A based epoxy resin (EPON-828) with a tetrafunctional curing agent, viz., meta-phenylenediamine (MPDA). Three different cure cycles were used in the study. Primary amine functionality was observed to react relatively rapidly; none remained after curing for 2 h at 75°C. Secondary amine functionality was exhausted in epoxy rich samples subjected to the standard cure cycle (2 h at 75°C followed by 2 h at 125°C). In samples with stoichiometric amount or higher MPDA, complete reaction of secondary amine or epoxy groups was not observed. In amine-rich samples subjected to post curing (6 h at 175°C), evidence was seen for the reaction of hydroxyl and epoxy groups, resulting in a considerable increase in the crosslink density of these samples.     

The effect of the lowering of initial curing temperature on the strength of steam cured mortar

Studies were made of the compressive strength and bending strength of mortars of standard composition. The period of initial curing was 1, 3 or 6 hours and the temperature of steam curing was 65°C and 80°C. The initial curing temperature was 5° or 20° or lowered from 20° to 5°C. The strength of mortar cooled in the course of initial curing showed larger strength than the specimens cured at 20°C and 5°C. The strength increase is related with the ill-crystallized hydrates and the homogenous distribution of pore size in cement paste.     

Effects of TMPTMA and silane on the compressive strength of low‐temperature cured acrylic polymer concrete

This study addresses the effects of additives on the compressive strength of low‐temperature cured acrylic polymer concrete (PC). Three curing temperatures (0°C, ?10°C, and ?20°C) and five ages (6, 12, 24, 72, and 168 h) with two different types of additives [trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) and silane] were investigated. As a result, the compressive strength tended to decrease as the curing temperature decreased. The compressive strengths at 24 h were approximately 90% of those at 168 h at both curing temperatures of 0°C and ?20°C, indicating that the rate of early age strength development was quite high even at a very low curing temperature range. The results of two‐way variance analysis revealed that silane had a greater impact on the compressive strength than TMPTMA. About 13%–23% strength improvements with a 168‐h compressive strength of over 80 MPa could be obtained at ?20°C by adding silane. Furthermore, this study proposed optimum mixture proportions of acrylic PC that generate a working life of 50–70 minutes with a compressive strength of 80 MPa at subzero temperatures. The findings of this study are expected to be effectively used in field applications of acrylic PC, especially in the cold regions during winter season. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40939.     

Cementitious mixtures containing industrial process wastes suitable for the manufacture of preformed building elements

Mixtures made from materials containing reactive oxides of calcium, aluminium, sulphur and silicon which are able, upon hydration, to generate calcium trisulphoaluminate and silicate hydrates, have been studied with a view to possible applications in the field of preformed building elements. The materials employed were natural gypsum, phosphogypsum, fly ash, blast furnace slag, Portland cement and hydrated lime. The samples were cured at 55, 70 and 85°C and 100% RH for 24 h, followed by further curing at ordinary temperatures and humidities (21°C, 67% RH) for up to 28 days. The cured samples were tested for compressive strength and shrinkage. It has been found that the most important effect on the strength is due to the pre-curing temperature, while the post-curing time has much less effect. In general, the optimum pre-curing temperature is 70°C. Satisfactory strength results were obtained even with systems containing up to 80% waste materials.     

Effect of phase composition on the binding characteristics of unfired stable dolomite refractories

Three batches of stable dolomite cements with different mineral compositions and fineness were prepared. The hydraulic properties of each sample were measured after curing at 100% relative humidity for 1, 3, 7 and 28 days. The results were interpreted in the light of the phase composition, fineness and curing time. The cement with the highest hydraulic properties was used as a binder for the preparation of unfired stable dolomite bodies. The changes in properties of the prepared bodies at temperatures up to 1550°C were correlated with the phase compositions.     

Low temperature tensile lap-shear testing of adhesively bonded polyethylene pipe

This work studies the lap-shear strength performance of polyethylene pipeline bonded with acrylic adhesive in the temperature range -10 to +20 °C. Single lap shear test samples were firstly prepared at 20 °C under various clamping pressures and curing times to determine suitable conditions under which to prepare and test further samples at temperatures of -10, -5, 0, +5 and +20 °C. It was found that a decrease in curing/testing temperature to zero degrees resulted in a steady reduction in the lap-shear strength performance of the bonded joints from a mean value of 2.72 MPa at +20 °C to 1.15 MPa at 0 °C. Below zero degrees the strength of the bonded substrates was significantly reduced; no samples bonded at -5 °C had sufficient strength to test and only one sample bonded -10 °C was tested, which had very low strength of 0.105 MPa.     

Effects of composition of hardener on the curing and aging for an epoxy resin system

Different mixture ratios of Shell Epon 828 (based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA) and Shell EPI‐CURE 3046 (based on triethylenetetramine, TETA) were evaluated under different environments of isothermal curing at 80°C in DSC, room temperature curing in air, and aging in water at 45°C. The curing reactions were monitored using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and infrared spectroscopy (IR). It was shown that the initial curing rate increased with the amount of hardener. However, the epoxy groups in samples with excess hardener were prone to reaction with primary amines located at the ends of TETA molecules, resulting in a less dense epoxy network. During aging in water at 45°C, significant effects of water on the postcure and the increased water absorption with an increase of hardener amount were observed. The DMA results show that the samples with hardener around stoichiometric composition have the greatest storage modulus while curing in air environment. However, the samples with hardener much less than stoichiometric composition have greater storage modulus under aging in water at 45°C. in water at 45°C. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 580–588, 2006     

Cementing properties of oil shale ash: II. Moist curing of cast and compacted samples

This second paper in the series describes the results of an investigation with bed and cyclone oil shale ash samples prepared in a pilot plant fluidized bed at 650° and 760°C. Cast pastes and mortars have hydraulic properties and can attain strength values in the range of 50 to 150 kg/cm² after 28 days moist curing. The fact that this strength is lower than that of portland cement pastes and mortars, is mainly the result of the high water requirement of the ash, due to its high inherent fineness of about 15,000 cm²/gm. Relatively high strength values are obtained in compacted samples, by controlling their water content. 28 days values of about 300 and 400 kg/cm² of specimens compacted at pressure at 200 and 1500 kg/cm², respectively were achieved.     

Residual compressive strength of fire‐damaged mortar after post‐fire‐air‐curing

The effects of cooling regimes and post‐fire‐air‐curing on compressive strength of mortar were investigated. Mortars were made with CEN reference sand, CEM I 42.5 R cement and natural spring water. The sand–cement and water–cement materials' ratios were chosen as 3.0 and 0.50 for all mixtures, respectively. At 28 days, the specimens were heated to maximum temperatures of 400, 600, 800 and 1000°C. Specimens were then allowed to cool in the air, furnace and water. After cooling, the specimens were air‐recured. Compressive strength test was carried out before air‐recuring and after 7 days of air‐recuring. The highest reduction in compressive strength was observed at 1000°C regardless of cooling regime. Gradual cooling regime in air and furnace without post curing showed almost no difference in terms of compressive strength reduction for four elevated temperatures. Shock cooling in water caused significant reduction in compressive strength compared with both gradual cooling regimes without post curing. After air and furnace cooling regimes, 7 days air‐recured specimens showed further reduction in compressive strength for four elevated temperatures. Specimens cooled in water and subjected to 7 days air‐recuring showed significant strength gain approximately 39, 100 and 130% for 400, 600 and 800°C elevated temperature, respectively. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

One-component epoxy adhesive for repair of cell phone board

The development of a one-component epoxy adhesive for cell phone board repair was described. The most important goal of this study is to obtain long storage stability in conjunction with the curing reaction process at a relatively low temperature of 95 °C. Bisphenol-A type, bisphenol-F type, and NBR-based epoxy resins were used as the basic resins. Dicyandiamide (DICY) was used as a curing agent, and 2-methylimidazole (2MI) was used as an accelerator. 2MI was encapsulated using a copolymer of methacrylic acid and dodecyl methacrylate to achieve latent curing performance. After mixing the epoxy resin with DICY and encapsulated 2MI, this curing system showed excellent storage stability with almost no viscosity increase for 2 months at 20 °C, and full curing was achieved at 95 °C for 50 min. We determined the optimum formulation of the epoxy adhesive for adhesion of a cell phone board after the measurement of physical properties.     

Retardation of Crystallization through the Addition of Dairy Phospholipids

The objective of this work was to identify the effects that milk phospholipids (PL) have on crystallization of anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Three mixtures were prepared by adding 0%, 0.01%, and 0.1% PL to AMF. Each mixture was crystallized for 90 min at 24, 26, and 28 °C. The solid fat content was measured as a function of time and fitted to the Avrami equation. Melting point, thermal behavior, viscoelastic properties, and crystal morphology were all measured at 90 min. All assays were repeated, as well as hardness, after being stored at 5 °C for 48 hours. Samples containing PL showed slower crystallization as concentration increased especially at higher temperatures (26 and 28 °C). The addition of PL caused a difference in crystal morphology resulting in visibly larger crystals at 90 min. The elasticity and hardness at 90 min were influenced by the addition of PL at 24 °C with lower values obtained in samples with PL compared to the AMF alone. No differences in hardness nor in elasticity was observed for samples crystallized at 26 and 28 °C. A decrease in melting enthalpy was observed in samples with PL indicating a reduction in crystallization at all temperatures, which was supported by crystal morphology.     

Gel Composition and Strength Properties of Alkali‐Activated Oyster Shell‐Volcanic Ash: Effect of Synthesis Conditions

The gel composition and mechanical properties of alkali‐activated oyster shell‐volcanic ash were investigated at different NaOH concentrations (8, 12, and 15M) and curing temperatures (60°C and 80°C) in wet and dry conditions. XRD, FTIR, SEM‐EDS, and TGA‐DSC were used for microstructural characterization of the binder. The gel composition of the system was found to be influenced by NaOH concentration and was not affected when curing temperature was varied from 60°C to 80°C. The main phase was N,C–A–S–H for all alkali‐activated oyster shell‐volcanic ash, with C–S–H as secondary phase for some samples and contains high percentage of iron. The splitting at υ₃ = 1400–1494 cm^?1 on FTIR spectra corresponded to the elimination of the degeneracy due to the distortion of CO₃^2? group. The high degree of splitting indicated that this carbonate group is linked to Ca²⁺. The compressive strength was influenced by curing temperature and the formation of a secondary phase. The compressive strength in dry condition increased roughly between 28 and 180 d for some samples, while in wet condition, the partial dissolution of Si–O–Si bonds of some silicate phases resulted in a reduction of strength.     

Mechanical and microstructural analysis of geopolymer composites based on metakaolin and recycled silica

This paper evaluated mechanical and thermal stability of alkali-activated materials obtained from metakaolin and alternative silica sources, such as rice husk ash (RHA) and silica fume (SF), and were reinforced with recycled ceramic particles (RP) obtained by grinding bricks. Specimens were produced, and after 7 days of curing, they were exposed to temperatures between 300 and 1200°C to determine the influence that different percentages of RP had on the mechanical behavior and microstructure of the produced composites. The results showed a reduction in the linear contraction by 10.22% with 20 wt% RP and that the reinforcing materials improved the mechanical performance of the geopolymers after exposure to high temperatures; the compressive strengths reached 137.7 (±11.4)  MPa after being exposed to 1200°C for the matrix based on RHA and 180.6 (±19.15) MPa after being reinforced with 20 wt% RP. The improvement was mainly due to densification and the formation of crystalline products such as leucite, kalsilite, and mullite.     

Early hydration properties and microstructure evolutions of MgO-activated slag materials at different curing temperatures

This study reports on the early hydration properties and microstructure evolutions of MgO-activated slag at five curing temperatures (20 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C) and three MgO types (S-MgO, M ? MgO, and R-MgO). The results indicated that high-temperature curing substantially increased the compressive strength of the specimens. Particularly, the highest strength was obtained at 40 °C and 60 °C for the S-MgO and M-MgO-activated slag specimens, respectively, and the high curing temperature for the R-MgO-activated slag specimen was 40 °C. We focused on the relationship between the mechanical properties, pore structure characteristics, and hydration products. The combination of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel and Al increased under high-temperature curing conditions. XRD, FT-IR, TG-DTG, and ²⁷Al MAS-NMR results showed a high Al content in the formation of calcium silicate hydrate with Al in its structure (C-A-S-H gel) for the R-MgO-activated slag pastes under high-temperature curing; however, the microstructure was loose owing to the formation of excessive brucite. For the S-MgO-activated slag specimen, the Ca/Si ratio was high, with more Mg²⁺ penetrating the C-S-H gel interlayer, forming more hydrotalcite-like phases and increasing the chain length of the C-S-H gel. The microstructure showed good compatibility of the hydration products interweaving to form dense microstructures.     

Studies on the cure kinetics of chitosan‐glutamic acid using glutaraldehyde as crosslinker through differential scanning calorimeter

The curing of chitosan‐glutamic acid with glutaraldehyde as curing agent in the presence of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) is carried out with the help of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The effect of concentration of chitosan and percentage of crosslinker on the curing of chitosan‐glutamic acid is studied at a heating rate of 5°C/min. Cure kinetics are measured by the DSC using scans from 25 to 220°C at four different heating rates (3, 5, 7, and 10°C/min) and it is observed that the crosslinking of chitosan‐glutamic acid is an exothermic process which results in a positive peak in the DSC thermograms. The activation energy (E_α) is determined by Flynn, Wall, and Ozawa method for curing of the samples. An increase in activation energy (E_α) is observed with the extent of conversion. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Capabilities of different cooking oils in prevention of cholesterol oxidation during heating

The potential of various cooking oils to prevent cholesterol degradation and/or oxidation, as measured by the production of 7-ketocholesterol during heating at different temperatures, was studied using a cholesterol model system. In the control group (without cooking oil), cholesterol was relatively stable, and 73% of its initial concentration was present after 30 min of heating at 125°C. Less than 30 and 10% of cholesterol remained at 150 and 175°C after 30 min, respectively, and 10% at 200°C after 10 min. In the treatment group, cholesterol mixed with corn, canola, soybean, or olive oil had significantly improved thermal stability. More than 60 and 40% of cholesterol remained at 150 and 175°C after 30 min, respectively. In the control group, 7-ketocholesterol was produced when samples were heated above 150°C, and levels increased consistently during 30 min of heating. At 175 or 200°C, the level of 7-ketocholesterol did not increase further after reaching the highest level after 10 min of heating. 7-Ketocholesterol is not stable above 175°C, and its degradation rate could be much faster than its production at 200°C. 7-Ketocholesterol was not found in samples of cholesterol mixed with corn oil or laboratory-prepared soybean and rice bran oils until the heating temperature was raised to 175°C for 20 min. The levels of 7-ketocholesterol in those treatment groups were greater than that in the control group at 175°C for 30 min. These oils may increase the thermal stability of 7-ketocholesterol and retard its degradation rate.     

PMMA composite bone cement containing bioactive and ferrimagnetic glass-ceramic particles: Effect of temperature and of the additional phase on some physical and mechanical properties

In this work, PMMA-based composite bone cements, embedding bioactive and ferrimagnetic glass-ceramic particles, have been prepared and characterized. Bioactivity, wettability, density, curing parameters, viscoelastic behaviour, bending strengths and creep have been investigated at 37 °C. The growth of a layer of HA on the samples surface after immersion in SBF has been confirmed. The presence of glass-ceramic particles improved the wetting behaviour of the composite cements. Shorter curing times and lower maximum temperatures for the three composite cements, in comparison to the plain one, have been detected. Almost unaffected mechanical properties of the composite bone cements have been found in comparison to those of the plain commercial cement both at room and at 37 °C. A little increase of the viscous flow has been evidenced in the composite samples at 37 °C. Radiographic imaging confirmed the intrinsic radiopacity of the composite cements.     

Polyethylene film as concrete curing material in a tropical climate

Concrete specimens were cast at and exposed to three different climatic regions in Ethiopia. The specimens were cured for different length of time, either covered with transparent polyethylene film, or by intermittent watering. At the end of the curing periods the specimens were stored at 20°C and 65% relative humidity until tested for compressive strength. Reference specimens were cast at 20°C and water cured, after 24 hours, for the next 6 days and finally stored at 20°C and 65% relative humidity. After 24 hours, the compressive strength of specimens exposed to the different climatic regions ranged from a high of 322% to a low of 77% of reference specimens, depending on the environmental conditions and type of curing media used. At higher ages, no deficiencies were observed from specimens cast at and exposed covered with polyethylene film. Others showed pronounced deficiencies.