Fabrication and characterization of polyetherimide/polyvinyl acetate polymer blend membranes for CO2/CH4 separation

This article presents fabrication, characterization, and performance evaluation of polyetherimide (PEI)/polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) blend membranes. Polymer blend membranes with various blend ratios of PEI/PVAc were prepared by solution casting and evaporation technique. Morphology and miscibility of polymer blend membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The interaction between blend polymers was analyzed by FTIR analysis. Gas separation performance was evaluated in terms of permeability and selectivity. FESEM results revealed that pure polymer and blend membranes were homogeneous and dense in structure. A single glass transition temperature of polymer blend membranes was found in DSC analysis which indicated the miscibility of PEI/PVAc blend. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of molecular interaction between blend polymers. The permeation results showed that the presence of PVAc (3 wt%) in blend membranes has improved CO₂ permeability up to 95% compared to pure PEI membrane. In addition, CO₂/CH₄ selectivity was found to be 40% higher than pure PEI membrane. This study shows that blending a small fraction of PVAc can improve the gas separation performance of PEI/PVAc blend membranes. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E293–E301, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Can interactive visualization tools engage and support pre-university students in exploring non-trivial mathematical concepts?

Many students find it difficult to engage with mathematical concepts. As a relatively new class of learning tools, visualization tools may be able to promote higher levels of engagement with mathematical concepts. Often, development of new tools may outpace empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of these tools, especially in educational contexts. This seems to be the case with educational visualization tools. Much evidence about the effectiveness of these tools appears to be more suggestive than based on empirical evaluations. In this paper, we attempt to fill this gap and provide empirical evidence for the use of visualization tools in supporting exploratory and other learning-related activities. In particular, we aim to investigate whether visualization tools can be used to engage pre-university students in exploring non-trivial mathematical concepts. We focus particularly on this age group and content domain because of the difficulty these students may encounter when trying to investigate more challenging mathematical concepts. Also, it is during their formative years before university that students’ predisposition and likeness towards mathematical ideas are formed. We report in this paper a study assessing whether a visualization tool, whose design was informed explicitly by research from information visualization and human–computer interaction, could engage pre-university students in their exploration and learning of more advanced mathematical concepts. Students who participated in this study came from multiple grade levels and have diverse cognitive and language skills as well as preferences towards mathematics. The results of this study indicate that visualization tools can effectively engage these students and support their exploration of non-trivial mathematical concepts, only if the tool is designed such that it can cater the diverse needs of these students.     

On robust stability of linear time invariant fractional-order systems with real parametric uncertainties

In this paper, the robust bounded-input bounded-output stability of a large class of linear time invariant fractional order families of systems with real parametric uncertainties is analyzed. The transfer functions contain polynomials in fractional powers of the Laplace variable s, possibly in combination with exponentials of fractional powers of s. Using the concept of the value set and a generalization of the zero exclusion condition theorem, a theorem to check the robust bounded-input bounded-output stability of these families of systems is presented. An upper cutoff frequency for drawing the value sets is provided as well. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate results obtained by the lemma and theorems presented in the paper.     

Compensation effect in styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer as explored by thermally stimulated depolarization measurements

Thermally stimulated depolarization currents of styrene-acrylonitrile and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers have been investigated in the high-temperature range. A peak associated with the glass transition temperature was observed which has the characteristic of a dipolar relaxation process. Parameters such as activation energy and relaxation time associated with the dipolar relaxation process have been calculated. The compensation effect is observed to be valid and the value of the compensation temperature differs slightly from one compound to other. The linear relationship between the activation energy and the logarithm of the preexponential factor of the relaxation time is discussed in terms of the compensation temperature and the chain environment.     

单翼迷宫式滴灌带抗热氧老化性能的影响研究

单翼迷宫式滴灌带产品新国家标准中增加了氧化诱导时间（OIT）,这对产品的抗热氧老化性能提出了要求。本文从滴灌带配方出发,讨论了产品原料与其OIT的料效关系,结果表明,防老化母料的加入比例对滴灌带的OIT影响最大,增加其比例可增大滴灌带的OIT;高密度聚乙烯（PE?HD）的加入比例对滴灌带的OIT影响大于线性低密度聚乙烯（PE?LLD）和低密度聚乙烯（PE?LD）的加入比例,增加PE?HD比例、减小PE?LLD和PE?LD比例可增大滴灌带的OIT;PE?LD的加入比例对滴灌带OIT的影响最小,在配方设计时应综合使用比例合理的PE?HD、PE?LLD、PE?LD以满足滴灌带良好的加工和其他性能要求;防老化母料中稳定剂比例不应随成本而减少,稳定剂比例增大时,滴灌带的OIT增大;通过对滴灌带的熔体质量流动速率（MFR）、炭黑含量及OIT指标测试,得出滴灌带MFR和炭黑含量与其OIT无明显的相互变化关系。     

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.

     

Improving through-thickness conductivity of carbon fiber reinforced polymer using carbon nanotube/polyethylenimine at the interlaminar region

The through-thickness conductivity of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite was increased by incorporating multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the interlaminar region. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were dispersed in a polyethylenimine (PEI) binder, which was then coated onto the carbon fiber fabric. Standard vacuum-assisted resin infusion process was applied to fabricate the composite laminates. This modification technique aims to enhance the electrical conductivity in through-thickness direction for the purpose of nondestructive testing, damage detection, and electromagnetic interference shielding. CNT concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.75 wt% were used and compared to pristine CFRP samples (reference). The through-thickness conductivity of the CFRP exhibited an improvement of up to 781% by adopting this technique. However, the dispersion of CNT in PEI led to a viscosity increase and poor wetting properties which resulted in the formation of voids/defects, poor adhesion (as shown in scanning electron micrographs) and the deterioration of the mechanical properties as manifested by interlaminar shear strength and dynamic mechanical analysis measurements.     

Estimating the Aquifer’s Renewable Water to Mitigate the Challenges of Upcoming Megadrought Events

Water Resources Management - In arid and semi-arid regions of the world, the occurrence of prolonged drought events (megadroughts) associated with climate change can seriously affect the balance...