Mechanical,Thermal and Electrical Resisitivity Properties of Thermoplastic Composites Filled with Carbon Fibers and Carbon Particles

Composites consisting of carbon fibers (CF) and carbon particles (CP) in polypropylene (PP) matrix were melt-compounded. Composites were analyzed for their mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Results indicate that the addition of these fillers improved the mechanical properties of the composites. Thermal conductivity was enhanced as the concentration of fillers was increased. Carbon fibers render the composites electrically conductive so we observed a percolation threshold near 10 wt.% of CF for PP/CF (PP and CF composite) and near 25 wt.% of CP for PP/CP (PP and carbon particle composite). All the results indicated that carbon fibers are more effective in improving the properties as compare to the carbon particles.     

Micromechanical Investigation of the Fatigue Crack Propagation and Damage Development in Al/Al2O3/SiC Hybrid Metal Matrix Composite

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - In this study, the micro-mechanisms involved in fatigue crack propagation are investigated qualitatively in a Al/Al2O3/SiC hybrid metal matrix composite...     

Characterization of Ba4.5Re9Ti18O54 (Re = La,Nd) microwave dielectric ceramics

Ba_4.5Re₉Ti₁₈O₅₄ (Re = La, Nd) ceramics were prepared via a solid state mixed oxide route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the formation of the major Ba_4.5Re₉Ti₁₈O₅₄ phase along with rutile (TiO₂) as a secondary phase. Rietveld structure refinement of the recorded XRD data confirmed that the crystal structure of Ba_4.5Nd₉Ti₁₈O₅₄ (BNT) was orthorhombic (Pnma) with unit cell parameters a = 22.3412 Å, b = 7.6824 Å and c = 12.1952 Å. Ba_4.5La₉Ti₁₈O₅₄ (BLT) exhibited high relative permittivity (95.6), low quality factor (2,102 GHz) and a high temperature coefficient of resonance frequency (+352 ppm/°C). The substitution of Nd for La caused a decrease in both the relatively permittivity and temperature coefficient of resonance frequency to 84.2 and 167 ppm/°C respectively and an increase in quality factor to 8,007 GHz. Raman spectroscopic analysis revealed that lattice defects may be responsible for the observed decrease in quality factor of BLT ceramics in comparison to BNT. The Raman shifts at 533.5 and 613.6 cm^?1, related to Ti–O bond stretching, decreased for BNT ceramics, which may be a possible reason for the observed decrease in relative permittivity.     

Performance of microwave synthesized dual solvent dope solution and lithium bromide additives on poly(ethersulfone) membranes

BACKGROUND: Generally the fabrication of polymeric membranes is a complicated and expensive process since it involves several steps. The preliminary preparation steps involve polymer drying and dissolution and is very time consuming and expensive. Currently, conventional electrothermal heating (CEH) is used to dissolve polyethersulfone in an aprotic solvent for membrane fabrication. Usually CEH requires 6 to 8 h at temperatures of 80 to 95 °C. This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of polyethersulfone (PES) asymmetric ultrafiltration membrane made from microwave (MW) synthesis casting solution consisting of various compositions of double solvents and lithium bromide (LiBr) additive. RESULTS: Homogeneous dual solvent dope solutions prepared via microware irradiation took only 1 h instead of the 7 h when prepared using CEH. The results also revealed that the membrane permeation and rejection rates, pore size and porosity were dependent on the ratio of LiBr to acetone. Membranes with LiBr kept at 2 and 3 wt% exhibited both high rejection and permeation rates with minimum pore sizes of 1.067 and 1.214 nm respectively. The presence of LiBr and the occurrence of chain scission were elucidated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy while its hydrophilic property was confirmed by water absorption and contact angle measurements. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the microwave technique is capable of producing 1 L membrane solutions in less than 1 h. The membranes prepared from the microwave solutions show good rejection and permeation rates. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structural and thermoelectric properties of hydrothermal-processed Ag-doped Fe2O3

Fe_2-xAg_xO₃ (0?≤?x?≤?0.04) nanopowders with various Ag contents were synthesized at different hydrothermal reaction temperatures (150?°C and 180?°C). Their structural properties were fully investigated through an X-ray diffraction, a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The hydrothermal reaction temperature, time, and Ag content remarkably affected the morphological characteristics and crystal structure of the synthesized powders. The Fe_2-xAg_xO₃ (0?≤?x?≤?0.04) powders synthesized at 150?°C for 6?h and the Fe_2-xAg_xO₃ (0.02?≤?x?≤?0.04) powders synthesized at 180?°C for 12?h formed the orthorhombic α-FeOOH phase with a rod-like morphology, whereas the Fe_2-xAg_xO₃ (0?≤?x?≤?0.01) powders synthesized at 180?°C for 12?h formed the rhombohedral α-Fe₂O₃ phase with a spherical-like morphology. The Fe_1.98Ag_0.02O₃ fabricated by utilizing Fe_1.98Ag_0.02O₃ powders synthesized at 180?°C showed the largest power factor (0.64?×10^?5 Wm^?1 K^?2) and dimensionless figure-of-merit (0.0036) at 800?°C.     

Current-mode active-only universal filter

A novel current-mode active-only universal filter based on and employing three DO-CCCIIs and two OAs is introduced. The circuit is fully integrable and programmable, and implements all the five generic filtering functions. The three basic filtering responses LP, BP and HP are implemented simultaneously by the circuit, while AP and notch signals can be realized simply by connecting appropriate node currents. The currents are available at high output impedances, so the synthesized filter can be cascaded without additional buffers to realize higher order filters. The filter performance factors ω ₀ and Q are electronically tunable in an orthogonal manner through separate bias currents of the CCCII. The PSPICE simulation was carried out to realize the proposed circuit.     

Vibrations of functionally graded cylindrical shells based on elastic foundations

In this paper, a study on the vibrations of functionally graded cylindrical shells based on the Winkler and Pasternak foundations is presented. The shell equations are amended by inducting the moduli of the Winkler and Pasternak foundations. The wave propagation method is employed to solve the shell dynamical equations. The method is based on the approximate eigenvalues of characteristic beam functions. The validity and accuracy of the present approach are verified by a number of comparisons.     

Controlled-release naproxen using micronized ethyl cellulose by wet-granulation and solid-dispersion method

This study has been undertaken to develop a controlled-release tablet dosage form of naproxen using ethocel (ethyl cellulose) as the rate-controlling polymer. The formulations were made by employing the conventional wet-granulation method and the solid-dispersion method. Tablets made by both methods were compared for their controlled-release dissolution profiles. Both methods were useful in developing the controlled-release formulations of naproxen with desirable properties. However, the amount of polymer required to make a formulation with the desired release profile was 33% less via solid dispersion than via wet granulation. A cumulative 88% of naproxen was released from the solid-dispersion formulation, compared with 84% from the wet-granulation formulation.     

Synthesis of porphyrin-PPV copolymers for application in LEDs

A new series of soluble porphyrin-containing copolymers have been synthesized via the Gilch methodology [1], for use in light-emitting devices (LEDs). These materials consist of random copolymers of 2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene (MEH-PPV) and a porphyrin-substituted phenylene vinylene. Low concentrations of porphyrin monomers were used in order to improve solubility, and help prevent aggregation (and consequent fluorescence quenching) of the porphyrin units. Emission is red-shifted from that expected in dialkoxy-PPVs such as MEH-PPV owing to an efficient exciton transfer to the fluorescent porphyrin unit.