Epoxidized natural rubber–alumina nanoparticle composites: Optimization of mixer parameters via response surface methodology

Epoxidized natural rubber–alumina nanoparticle composites were prepared by melt compounding with an internal mixer for a constant filler loading of 10 phr. Mixer parameters such as the mixing temperature, mixing time, and rotor speed were screened and optimized with response surface methodology to maximize the impact strength. The parameters were selected as three independent variables and the impact strength (J/m) was selected as the response in a screening factor study. The mixing temperature and its interaction terms were identified as insignificant factors with a P value greater than 0.0500. The optimum calculated values of the tested variables (rotor speed and mixing time) for the maximum impact strength were found to be a rotor speed of 60 rpm and a mixing time of 6 min with a predicted impact strength of 208.88 J/m. These predicted optimum parameters were tested in real experiments. The final impact strength was found to be close to the predicted value of 215.84 J/m, with only a 3.33% deviation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Improving surface hardness of austenitic stainless steel using waterjet peening process

The present study addresses the effect of multiple jet passes and other parameters namely feedrate and pressure in waterjet peening (WJP) of austenitic stainless steel 304. An analysis of surface integrity was used to evaluate the performance of different parameters in the WJP process. An increase in the number of jet passes as well as pressure leads to a higher roughness and more erosion of the surface. However, the feedrate shows a reverse effect on the surface roughness and erosion. The surface microstructures also show the mechanism of material removal process involving initial and evolved damages. The subsurface hardness shows that treating the surface with a higher number of passes and pressure produces a higher increase of hardness and also a deeper hardening layer. But, a reverse effect on the subsurface hardness was found for the feedrate. Furthermore, cross-sectional microstructures show a higher density of slip bands in the deformed grains of the specimen treated with a higher number of jet passes and pressure. However, the amount of slip bands in the deformed grains is lower with increasing feedrate.     

A thermal comparison performance of CPC with modified (duel-cavity) and non-modified absorber

The main objective of this work is the design and development of non-imaging solar collector systems for heating purposes. The aim is to increase the efficiency of the Compound Parabolic Concentrator CPC, by proposing a novel modification to the absorber. A modifications have been undertaken in the absorber design by introducing two cavities in the most appropriate location. The new design has been tested and compared with conventional designs to prove that the novel design of CPC with a dual cavities is ameliorate, as it was able to increase the efficiency considerably and at the same time reduces the heat losses. In this paper a comparative experimental results for CPC with two different absorber. The experiment was done under a real condition of sun. The comparative results was for the efficiency of each collector.     

Three-dimensional mapping of acute ischemic regions usingartificial neural networks and tagged MRI

Many methods for mapping ischemic myocardial regions by functional analysis have been suggested. However, the complicated relationship between myocardial function and perfusion, and the inherent limitations of the imaging techniques used, have led to a generally low mapping accuracy. The authors show herein, that highly accurate mapping can be obtained by combining tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), three-dimensional (3-D) analysis, and artificial neural networks. Nine canine hearts with acute ischemia were studied using multiplanar tagged MRI. Twenty-four myocardial cuboids were tagged in each heart and reconstructed in 3-D at end diastole (ED) and end systole (ES). The cuboids were arranged in three slices approximately 1 cm thick and covered most of the left ventricle (LV). Transmural thickening and endocardial area strain were calculated for each cuboid. Applying a post-mortem (PM) analysis, the percent ischemia in each cuboid was estimated using monastral blue dye; the PM analysis served as a “gold standard”. An artificial neural network (ANN), designed to estimate the percent ischemia in each cuboid from the functional indexes, was then created. The ANN “learned” the function-ischemia relationship in 192 cuboids taken from eight of the hearts and was asked to estimate the percent ischemia in the 24 cuboids of the ninth heart. The process was repeated nine times, each time using a different heart as test case. The average accuracy of mapping, i.e., the accuracy with which the ANN has mapped the normal and ischemic cuboids using the functional parameters, was 87.5%±7.8 (s.d.). This accuracy was superior to the accuracy obtained by optimal thresholding of the same thickening (80.1%) and endocardial strain (76.9%) data     

On the use of bubble functions in the local buckling analysis of plate structures by the spline finite strip method

This paper augments bubble functions to the ordinary spline finite strip method in order to calculate the elastic local buckling coefficients of plates and plate structures. The results show that the use of bubble functions improves significantly the convergence of the spline finite strip method in terms of the strip subdivision, and therefore leads to smaller storage requirements for the global stiffness and stability matrices, and faster eigenvalue extraction. Benchmark numerical investigations are presented, including the study of plates with different boundary conditions under uniaxial and biaxial stresses, plates with different aspect ratios under shear, and a stiffened panel under combined shear and compression that has been studied elsewhere. These studies demonstrate that by implementation of the bubble functions, rapid convergence of the solution is obtained. The formulation is ideal for analysing local buckling under a variety of boundary and loading conditions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of electron‐beam irradiation on poly(vinyl chloride)/epoxidized natural rubber blend: dynamic mechanical analysis

The irradiation‐induced crosslinking in 50/50 poly(vinyl chloride)/epoxidized natural rubber (PVC/ENR) blend was investigated by means of dynamic mechanical analysis. The influence of trimethylolpropane triacrylate on the irradiation‐induced crosslinking of PVC/ENR blends was also studied. The enhancement in storage modulus and T_g with irradiation dose indicated the formation of irradiation‐induced crosslinks. This is further supported by the decrease in tan δ_max and loss modulus peak. The compatibility of the blend was found to be improved upon irradiation. The Fox model was used to provide a further insight into the irradiation‐induced compatibility in the blend. Scanning electron microscopy studies on the cryofracture surface morphology of the blends as well as the homopolymer have been undertaken in order to gain more evidence on the irradiation‐induced crosslinking. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cement-based sensors with carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes for piezoresistive sensing

Electrically conductive cementitious composites carrying carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes were developed and their ability to sense an applied compressive load through a measureable change in resistivity was investigated. Two types of cement-based sensors, one with carbon fibers alone and the other carrying a hybrid of both fibers and nanotubes, were considered. Direct comparisons were also made with traditional strain gauges mounted on the sensor specimens.Sensing experiments indicate that under cyclic loading, the changes in resistivity mimic both the changes in the applied load and the measured material strain with high fidelity for both sensor types. The response, however, is nonlinear and rate dependent. At an arbitrary loading rate, the hybrid sensor, containing a combination carbon fibers and nanotubes, produced the best results with better repeatability.     

Inelastic local buckling of curved plates with or without thickness-tapered sections using finite strip method

This paper addresses the inelastic local buckling of the curved plates using finite strip method in which buckling modes and displacements of the curved plate are calculated using sinusoidal shape functions in the longitudinal direction and polynomial functions in the transverse direction. A virtual work formulation is employed to establish the stiffness and stability matrices of the curved plate whilst the governing equations are then solved using a matrix eigenvalue problem. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed finite strip model is verified with finite element model using ABAQUS as well as the results reported elsewhere while a good agreement is achieved. In order to illustrate the proposed model, a comprehensive parametric study is performed on the steel and aluminium curved plates in which the effects of curvature, the length of the curved plate as well as circumferential boundary conditions on the critical buckling stress are investigated. The developed finite strip method is also used to determine the buckling loads of the curved plates with thickness-tapered sections as well as critical stresses of the aluminium cylindrical sectors that are subjected to uniform longitudinal stresses.     

The Effect of Ethylene Diamine Dilaurate and Silane Coupling Agent on Cure Characteristics,Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Silica-Filled Natural Rubber Composites

The influence of a new coupling agent, ethylene diamine dilaurate (EDD) and a commercial silane coupling agent, (Si-69) on the cure characteristics, mechanical and morphological properties of silica-filled natural rubber (NR) composites was studied. The results show that scorch time and cure time decreased with an increase in both coupling agents' content, but maximum and minimum torques exhibit the opposite trend. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength and tensile modulus, M100 and M300, increased with increasing both coupling agents' content but at a similar coupling agent content, silica-filled natural rubber composites with Si-69 exhibit better tensile strength (more than 2 phr) and tensile modulus than does EDD. Elongation at break (Eb) of silica-filled natural rubber increased with increasing EDD content but Si-69 exhibits the opposite trend. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of tensile fracture surfaces shows the better tensile strength of silica-filled natural rubber composites with Si-69 and EDD over control composites (without EDD or Si-69). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate that silica-filled NR composites with EDD have higher thermal stability than Si-69. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) provided an evidence of interaction between EDD and Si-69 with silica in NR composites.