Toughening of syndiotactic polypropylene with chalk

We hypothesized that polymer crystal anisotropy is advantageous for toughening of polymer composites involving easy slip network of oriented crystalline layers around filler particles. To this end, composites of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) with high concentration of submicrometer calcium carbonate particles were prepared and examined because usual sPP crystals exhibit high packing anisotropy. The specific orientation of sPP lamellae around chalk grains was found, which is supposed to facilitate the plastic deformation of polymer matrices. The compression molded bars of the composite exhibited markedly higher Izod impact strength than those of neat sPP. Toughening was even enhanced in the injection molded composite, for which 4.5‐fold increase in the impact strength was achieved. Injection‐induced orientation of the disordered form I sPP crystals was enhanced in the composite. The injection molded tensile specimens exhibited also a good drawability. Debonding at chalk–sPP interface occurred both during the impact and tensile tests facilitating the plastic deformation of sPP matrix. Chalk did not have any significant influence on the thermal properties of the composites but it affected the rheological behavior, increasing the loss and storage moduli, and the viscosity. Highly filled sPP composite exhibited solid‐like behavior in a molten state with the storage modulus exceeding the loss modulus in the entire frequency range. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43651.     

The influence of electron beam irradiation,plastic deformation,and re‐irradiation on crystallinity degree,mechanical and sclerometric properties of GUR 1050 used for arthroplasty

The article describes the influence of an electron beam irradiation (I), plastic deformation (D), and re‐irradiation (R) on the properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (GUR 1050). It was found that the modification through irradiation entailed a gradual increase in the degree of crystallinity (after irradiation–I). After plastic deformation and re‐irradiation (IDR) the degree of crystallinity decreases which had a direct influence on the mechanical properties. The polymer irradiation only (technique I) resulted in an increase in the maximum stress as compared with the material in the initial state. The application of deformation and re‐irradiation (technique IDR) allowed increasing the deformation resistance by more than 40%. Moreover, the irradiation with an electron beam resulted in the increase in hardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) proportionally to the applied irradiation dose and in the reduction of total indentation work (W_tot) and its components. After deformation and re‐irradiation the polyethylene hardness went down. The application of technique (I) caused an improvement to the material abrasion resistance (reduction of parameter PD–working scratch depth) with the increasing irradiation dose. The introduction of deformation and re‐irradiation did not have a material impact on parameter (PD) increasing at the same time elastic properties of UHMWPE (increase in parameter NPS–elastic recovery). Modification IDR has changed the wear mechanism (β) toward ploughing and has increased the abrasion‐resistance index (W_β) and also significantly reduced the coefficient of friction (μ) of GUR 1050. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43683.     

Traumatic Acid Reduces Oxidative Stress and Enhances Collagen Biosynthesis in Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts

Traumatic acid (TA) is a plant hormone (cytokinin) that in terms of chemical structure belongs to the group of fatty acids derivatives. It was isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris. TA activity and its influence on human cells and organism has not previously been the subject of research. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of TA on collagen content and basic oxidative stress parameters, such as antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced glutathione, thiol group content, and lipid peroxidation in physiological conditions. The results show a stimulatory effect of TA on tested parameters. TA caused a decrease in membrane phospholipid peroxidation and exhibited protective properties against ROS production. It also increases protein and collagen biosynthesis and its secretion into the culture medium. The present findings reveal that TA exhibits multiple and complex activity in fibroblast cells in vitro. TA, with its activity similar to unsaturated fatty acids, shows antioxidant and stimulatory effects on collagen biosynthesis. It is a potentially powerful agent with applications in the treatment of many skin diseases connected with oxidative stress and collagen biosynthesis disorders.     

Acrylic bone cements modified with poly(ethylene glycol)‐based biocompatible phase‐change materials

The high polymerization temperature of acrylic bone cements used in hip replacement implantation may cause thermal necrosis of surrounding tissues. In order to reduce the polymerization temperature, acrylic bone cement has been modified with a biocompatible polymeric phase‐change material (PCM) based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of different molecular weights and stabilized with potato starch. Structural and morphological studies were performed, and the thermal and mechanical properties were investigated. The incorporation of PEG‐based PCM led to a decrease in the polymerization temperature of bone cement from 70 °C for unmodified cement to 58 °C for modified cement. Modified cement materials were stable in incubation tests, although acoustic analysis data revealed a decrease in propagation speed after incubation, which indicates formation of material defects (pores, cracks, voids, etc.) due to water activity. However, in the regeneration process, these defects can be filled by freshly grown bone tissue leading to better incorporation of bone cement replacements into tissue. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43898.     

The improvement of ecological characteristics of coatings from cured epoxy resins by hot water extraction

Amine curing agents pose serious health hazards and controlling their release is crucially important. Extraction of unbounded amine from cured epoxy polymers can improve the ecological characteristics of such products. Even 1 min exposure of cured epoxy resins to hot water reduces three- to ten-fold the residual amount of amine present in the epoxy polymer. Different temperatures and extraction times were tested, enabling the selection of the most optimal extraction conditions, which correspond to 5 min of heating in 100°C. This additional cost-effective extraction step is very easy to perform and leads to a significant reduction of unbounded curing agent, making cured epoxy resins much more eco-friendly products. The documented positive and linear trends of logarithms of viscosity and the amount of released amine suggest the selection from such curing agents and such epoxy resins that are characterized by lowest possible viscosities, which guarantees that there is only a low amount of unbounded amine that needs to be released from the polymer.     

Synthesis,spectroscopic characterisation,and potential application of dyes containing a carbostyril skeleton as sensors for thiols

Several dyes based on a carbostyril skeleton were synthesised and characterised using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron ionisation mass spectrometry. Their basic spectroscopic properties, such as absorption and emission spectra, were also measured. The behaviour of the obtained dyes in the absence and presence of thiol amino acids and other compounds under various conditions were studied. These dyes contain various moieties in the structure, acting as Michael acceptors. Results show that the studied compounds have the potential to act as colorimetric sensors for thiols, but the benzothioazolium dyes are less effective than dicyanoethylene derivatives.     

Influence of furfuryl moulding sand on flake graphite formation in surface layer of ductile iron castings

The influence of the use of moulding sand with furan resin, prepared both with fresh sand and reclaimed matrix, on the formation of a flake graphite formation at the surface layer of ductile iron castings has been investigated. A series of experimental heats of ductile iron cast in moulds made of moulding sand characterised by different levels of surface active elements (sulphur, oxygen) were performed. The effect of the wall thickness and the initial temperature of the metal in the mould cavity on the formation of flake graphite in the surface layer of the casting is shown in the paper. Investigations carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) showed concentration of gradient profiles of surface active elements in the castings surface layer, which are responsible for their quality. Finally, it has been shown that there exists a significant effect of the quality of the sand on the formation of the flake graphite layer and the surface characteristics of ductile iron castings.     

Optimization of subtractive-transformative hybrid processes supported by the technological heredity concept

This paper presents the optimization procedure of a hybrid removal-forming type process based on the minimum energy consumption and demanded surface roughness which is supported by the analysis of transformation of the surface and sublayer properties termed as the technological heredity. The experimental investigation covers an alloy steel hardened to 35 HRC and 55 HRC which was initially turned using coated carbide and CBN tools and subsequently burnished to produce surfaces with Ra roughness parameter of about 0.15 μm. The modifications of the initial surface profiles, microstructure and microhardness of the sublayer were determined and relevant technological limits are selected.