Effect of the comonomer content on the solid‐state mechanical and viscoelastic properties of poly(propylene‐co‐1‐butene) films

In this study, we quantified the thermal and solid‐state mechanical and viscoelastic properties of isotactic polypropylene (i‐PP) homopolymer and poly(propylene‐1‐butene) copolymer films having a 1‐butene ratio of 8, 12, and 14 wt %, depending on the comonomer content. The uniaxial tensile creep and stress‐relaxation behaviors of the samples were studied in a dynamic mechanical analyzer at different temperatures. The creep behaviors of the samples were modeled with the four‐element Burger equation, and the long‐term creep strains were predicted with the time–temperature superposition method. The short‐term mechanical properties of the samples were also determined with tensile and impact testing at room temperature. We found that the Young's modulus and ultimate strength values of the samples decreased with increasing amount of 1‐butene in the copolymer structure. On the other hand, the strain at break and impact strength values of the samples improved with increasing amount of 1‐butene. Creep analysis showed that i‐PP exhibited a relatively lower creep strain than the poly(propylene‐co‐1‐butene)s at 30 °C. However, interestingly, we discovered that the temperature increase resulted in different effects on the creep behaviors. We also found that short‐chain branching improved the creep resistance of polypropylene at relatively high temperatures. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46350.     

Quantifying Structural and Solid‐State Viscoelastic Properties of Poly(propylene) (PP)/Poly(oxymethylene) (POM) Blend Films

In this study, isotactic poly(propylene) (PP)/poly(oxymethylene) (POM) blend films, including of POM as minor phase in the range of 10–30 wt%, are prepared in a twin screw extruder equipped with a slit‐die and cast film haul‐off unit. It is found that the blend films show characteristic immiscible matrix‐droplet morphology. Short‐term uniaxial tensile creep behaviors of films imply that the introducing of POM significantly improves the elastic modulus and decreases the total creep strain of PP/POM blends. Creep tests are also performed at various temperatures and long‐term deformations of samples are predicted by applying of time‐temperature superposition principle and the Findley model. It is found that the presence of POM domains into PP matrix enhances the creep resistance of PP especially at high temperatures. It is concluded that the PP‐rich PP/POM blend films show much lower short and long‐term creep strains compared to PP.

     

Functionalization of halloysite nanotubes with polyethyleneimine and various ionic liquid forms with antimicrobial activity

Halloysite nanotube (HNT), a natural clay, was modified with branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) to form PEI-HNT using epichlorohydrin (ECH) as coupling agent, then protonated with HCl to obtain H-PEI-HNTs providing [NH₃]⁺[Cl]⁻ functionality for potential antimicrobial properties. Upon PEI modification, zeta potential value of HNTs was increased to +37.3 mV from −34.5 mV and to +41.1 mV for H-PEI-HNTs. Only 1.87 wt % H-element in HNT was increased to 3.03 wt % upon PEI modification along with newly generated elements of N and C at 2.99 and 9.93 wt %, respectively. Moreover, ionic liquid (IL) forms of HNTs with [NH₃]⁺[N(CN)₂]⁻, [NH₃]⁺[PF₆]⁻ and [NH₃]⁺[BF₄]⁻ functionality were generated via anion exchange of H-PEI-HNTs with sodium dicyanamide (SDC), ammonium hexafluorophosphate (AHFP), and sodium tetrafluoroborate (STFB). The antimicrobial properties of the modified, protonated, and IL forms of HNTs were determined via macro dilution, diffusion and agar screening tests against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 strains, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 strains. It was found that H-PEI-HNTs possesses potent antimicrobial effect compared with the other forms of HNTs with 2–4 mg mL⁻¹ MIC and 8–16 mg mL⁻¹ MBC values via the macro dilution method. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48352.     

Energy–exergy–ANN analyses of solar-assisted fluidized bed dryer

In this study, a temperature-controlled solar air collector was designed and tested for drying. Solar drying systems have two disadvantages. First one is the lack of ability to store energy and the second one is the lack of temperature control. This study presents the experimental analysis of an air collector that is able to keep the drying air temperature at 40°C even in cases where the level of solar radiation received by the collectors changes. Most of the tests were performed at a solar radiation level ranging from 500 to 900?W/m² and at an air flow of 3 to 5?m/s. The system tested for drying three different crops separately performed 21?h of a total of 27-h drying period at or above the temperature set of 40°C. The thermodynamic analysis of the relationship between solar radiation, air temperature, flow, and the produced energy was performed. The relationship between productivity, energy produced, and set temperature was analyzed using distribution charts. Moreover, an artificial neural network model was used to estimate outlet air temperature from the solar collectors based on air flow, solar radiation, and outside air temperature.     

Computational and Biochemical Design of a Nanopore Cleavable by a Cancer‐Secreted Enzyme

Many proteinaceous macromolecules selectively transport substrates across lipid bilayers and effectively serve as gated nanopores. Here, we engineered cleavage‐site motifs for human matrix metalloprotease 7 (MMP‐7) into the extracellular and pore‐constricting loops of OprD, a bacterial substrate‐specific transmembrane channel. Concurrent removal of two extracellular loops allowed MMP‐7 to access and hydrolyze a cleavage‐site motif engineered within the pore's major constricting loop, in both membrane‐incorporated and detergent‐solubilized OprDs. Import of antibiotics by the engineered OprDs into living bacteria pointed to their proper folding and integration in biological membranes. Purified engineered OprDs were also found to be properly folded in detergent. Hence, this study demonstrates the design of nanopores with a constriction cleavable by tumor‐secreted enzymes (like MMP‐7) for their potential incorporation in lipid‐based nanoparticles to accelerate drug release at the tumor site.     

Effects of ceramic-based CrN,TiN, and AlCrN interlayers on wear and friction behaviors of AlTiSiN+TiSiN PVD coatings

In this study, the wear and friction behavior of cathodic arc physical vapor deposited AlTiSiN+TiSiN coatings on H13 tool steels were investigated by using CrN, TiN and AlCrN interlayers with tribometer tests both under unlubricated and boundary lubricated conditions. 6 mm alumina balls were used as counter surfaces to test ceramic hard coatings. Surface coatings were characterized through nanoindentation, scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM/EDXS), optical profilometry, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The results showed that especially AlTiSiN+TiSiN coating with TiN interlayer resulted in a much more enhanced tribological performance of the tool steels at both unlubricated and the boundary lubricated conditions even at elevated contact pressures.     

Flexible polyurethane foams reinforced with organic and inorganic nanofillers

The effect of three different types of cellulose nanofillers on the morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties of flexible polyurethane foam was studied. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), and cellulose filaments (CelFil) were used as fillers at 0.1–0.8 wt% loading levels. The comparison of the results showed that smaller loading levels resulted in foams with better performance in almost all cases. In the next step, the properties of foams containing CNC, CNF, or CelFil at 0.025%–0.1% loading levels were compared with those made with inorganic nanofillers including nanosilica (nSi), reduced graphene oxide, and halloysite nanotubes (HNT). Among all the properties evaluated, the tensile modulus of the foams was improved up to 40% by adding HNT at 0.05 wt% loading level whereas the addition of CNF resulted in a 44% increase in the compressive modulus of the foams at 0.1 wt% loading level.     

Preparation and characterization of superhydrophobic surfaces based on hexamethyldisilazane-modified nanoporous alumina

Superhydrophobic nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (alumina) surfaces were prepared using treatment with vapor-phase hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). Nanoporous alumina substrates were first made using a two-step anodization process. Subsequently, a repeated modification procedure was employed for efficient incorporation of the terminal methyl groups of HMDS to the alumina surface. Morphology of the surfaces was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, showing hexagonally ordered circular nanopores with approximately 250 nm in diameter and 300 nm of interpore distances. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance analysis showed the presence of chemically bound methyl groups on the HMDS-modified nanoporous alumina surfaces. Wetting properties of these surfaces were characterized by measurements of the water contact angle which was found to reach 153.2 ± 2°. The contact angle values on HMDS-modified nanoporous alumina surfaces were found to be significantly larger than the average water contact angle of 82.9 ± 3° on smooth thin film alumina surfaces that underwent the same HMDS modification steps. The difference between the two cases was explained by the Cassie-Baxter theory of rough surface wetting.     

Silica‐Supported Dendrimer‐Palladium Complex‐Catalyzed Selective Hydrogenation of Dienes to Monoolefins

The selective hydrogenation of cyclic and acyclic dienes to monoolefins occurs under very mild conditions, in the presence of silica‐supported PAMAM‐Pd complexes. The activity and selectivity of this reaction is sensitive to the dendrimer structure. These dendritic complexes display excellent recycle properties, retaining activity for up to eight recycles.