Experimental investigation into the effect of adhesion properties of PEEK modified by atmospheric pressure plasma and low pressure plasma

High performance polymer, Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) (service temperature ?250°C to +300°C, tensile strength: 120 MPa) is gaining significant interest in aerospace and automotive industries. In this investigation, attention is given to understand adhesion properties of PEEK, when surface of the PEEK is modified by two different plasma processes (i) atmospheric pressure plasma and (ii) low pressure plasma under DC Glow Discharge. The PEEK sheets are fabricated by ultra high temperature resistant epoxy adhesive (DURALCO 4703, service temperature ?260°C to +350°C). The surface of the PEEK is modified through atmospheric pressure plasma with 30 and 60 s of exposure and low pressure plasma with 30, 60, 120, 240, and 480 s of exposure. It is observed that polar component of surface energy leading to total surface energy of the polymer increases significantly when exposed to atmospheric pressure plasma. In the case of low pressure plasma, polar component of surface energy leading to total surface energy of the polymer increases with time of exposure up to 120 s and thereafter, it deteriorates with increasing time of exposure. The fractured surface of the adhesively bonded PEEK is examined under SEM. It is observed that unmodified PEEK fails essentially from the adhesive to PEEK interface resulting in low adhesive bond strength. In the case of surface modified PEEK under atmospheric pressure plasma, the failure is entirely from the PEEK and essentially tensile failure at the end of the overlap resulting in significant increase in adhesive bond strength. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

PVA,PVA Blends,and Their Nanocomposites for Biodegradable Packaging Application

This review exclusively addresses material systems primarily based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), one of the most popular water-soluble biopolymers, for their use in packaging applications with the primary objective of reducing petrobased plastic waste. In addition, some typical PVA blends and nanocomposites are discussed as comparative studies for material packaging. Structural characteristics, mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties, in addition to biodegradation of these multiple material systems are summarized in a systematic manner. Finally, associated fabrication processing methods together with the most popular theoretical models used for the permeability of PVA nanocomposites are also reviewed in detail.     

Histopathological patterns of ovarian lesions: A study of 161 cases

Ovarian lesions are commonly encountered pathologies that cannot be categorized clinicoradiologically.Definite diagnosis is of great importance for therapeutic and prognostic purposes. Histopathology gives accuratediagnosis in most cases. Few cases need supportive tests like immunohistochemistry. Objective: to study thehistomorphological diversity of ovarian lesions, their age and location in North of Iraq (Mosul and Duhok). Patientsand methods: In the period extended from January 2008 to December 2011, 161 cases of ovarian lesions werecollected from pathology departments in Azadi General Hospital “Duhok” and Al-Jamhori Teaching Hospital “Mosul”.Automated tissue processor was used for histologic study and Streptavidin-biotin method on paraffin sections wasapplied for immunohistochemistry. Result: There was a wide age range, most being in the third decade. The rightovaries were more common involved than the left. Histologically, 58 (36%) cases were non-neoplastic and 103 wereneoplastic including 90 (55.9%) benign and 9 (5.6%) malignant tumors. The remaining 4 (2.4%) cases comprisedborderline serous cystadenoma. Conclusion: Most ovarian lesions were functional non-neoplastic followed by benignneoplastic. Apart from few cases, diagnosis was merely histological without any ancillary test.     

Application of photovoltaic systems for increasing villagers’ income

The progress of rural electrification in Indonesia faces specific problems because of the fragmented geography of Indonesia. The major electricity grid and a number of isolated local grids cannot economically reach many rural areas [1].A photovoltaic system is one suitable solution because of its flexibility, low environmental impact and freedom from fuel requirements. The Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology has been carrying out technology assessments and applications in an effort to introduce photovoltaic applications in Indonesia.Recently the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology and the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport and Technology have established a pilot project of photovoltaic systems in the District of Lamongan, East Java Province.This pilot project is an integrated activity, which includes several agriculture activities such as: a fishing pond, chicken farming, a banana plantation which is grown on the little dike of the pond, a chicken incubator and solar boat systems.This paper will explain, elaborate and discuss the technical specification and results of implementation of the systems.     

Growth and characterization of lead sulfide films deposited on glass substrates

Lead sulfide (PbS) films have been deposited by chemical deposition on a glass substrate. Microstructure characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy in order to determine the average crystallite size (15 nm) and study the surface morphologies of the as-deposited and heat-treated films. The PbS films obtained had p-type conductivity and low resisitivity (5 Ω cm). The carrier density, Hall mobility and mean free path of carriers in PbS films were in the range 2.5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, 5 cm²/V s and 0.642 μm, respectively.     

Nanoarchitectonics: Porous Hydrogel as Bio-sorbent for Effective Remediation of Hazardous Contaminants

The increasing use of heavy metals, dyes, and other metallic or chemical elements causes crucial environmental pollution. Sewage that contains these heavy metals and dyes is discharged into the atmosphere and goes directly into the food cycle, causing cancerous diseases and health deterioration in living organisms. The supreme concern of today’s research is to treat wastewater and effectively remove the hazardous dye molecules from aqueous media and other environmental matrices. Nowadays, technologies are applied to rectify organic and inorganic pollutants from sewage. Among them, adsorption is a fascinating way because it is environmentally friendly, feasible, and economical biomaterials. Chitosan (CS) as bio-sorbent is endowed with valuable characteristics, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, high reactivity, low-cost, and functional groups (–OH and NH₂) on its surface. CS is used for many applications, either as a single component or composite form. The use of CS as bio-adsorbents is beneficial over regular adsorbents. Chitosan-based hydrogel is one of the very important bio-adsorbents. All these bio-adsorbents are highly used to eradicate toxic dyes, digest harmful industrial sewage, and eliminate pesticides, climatic hazardous waste, and contaminated materials from the environment.

     

Global declarations on electric vehicles,carbon life cycle and Nash equilibrium

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - Universal environmental policies adopt strategies that enhance and encourage the production and usage of electric vehicles (EVs). Universal cooperation...     

Elaboration of enriched margarine with lentisk oil and honey: Formulation,characterization, and monitoring of oxidative stability

This study focused on the use of lentisk oil and honey as natural sources to formulate margarine with ameliorated quality and oxidative stability. For this, five margarines were formulated with honey and different concentrations of lentisk oil. Analyses were performed on oil and honey used, and then physicochemical characterization and several oxidative stability tests were applied to assess margarine quality. The results showed a significant richness of lentisk oil and honey in total phenolics and total flavonoids and expressed good antioxidant activities. As well as the evaluation of oxidative stability of enriched margarines during 3 months of storage demonstrated that margarine added with 2% lentisk oil (M1) had the best resistance properties and longer Rancimat induction time (22.26 h), better than the control and margarines added with 5% (M2), 10% (M3), and 15% (M4) lentisk oil. Globally, margarines prepared with high concentrations of lentisk oil (M2–M4) were not different from the control, whereas only M1 was permitted to ameliorate the stability of margarine with a slight influence on physicochemical parameters. The elaboration of margarine supplemented with 2% lentisk oil improves the properties of the product, which could then be applied to margarine manufacturing.     

Laser Annealing-Induced Phase Transformation Behaviors of High Entropy Metal Alloy,Oxide, and Nitride Nanoparticle Combinations

High entropy materials made up of dissimilar elements have enormous potentials in various fields and applications such as catalysis, energy generation and bioengineering. Developments of facile rapid synthesis routes toward functional multicomponent nanoparticles (NPs) of metals and ceramics with control of single/mixed crystalline structure configurations as well as understanding their transformative behaviors to enable unexpected properties, however, has remained challenging. Here a transient laser heating strategy to generate high entropy metal alloy, oxide, and nitride nanoparticles (HE-A/O/N NPs) is described. Laser irradiation of the identical metal salt mixture under different millisecond heating times provides direct control of cooling rates and thereby results in HEA NPs with tunable single- and multiphasic solid solution characteristics, atomic compositions, nanoparticle morphologies, and physicochemical properties. Extending the elemental selection to nitride-forming precursors enables laser-induced carbothermal reduction and nitridation of high entropy tetragonal rutile oxide nanoparticlesNPs to the cubic rock salt nitride phase. The combination of laser heating with spatially resolved X-ray diffraction facilitates combinatorial studies of phase transitions and reaction pathways of multicomponent nanoparticles. These findings provide a general strategy to design nonequilibrium multicomponent metal alloys and ceramic materials amalgamations for fundamental studies and practical applications such as carbon nanotube growth, water splitting, and antimicrobial applications.