Graphene oxide-containing isocyanate-based polyimide foams: Enhanced thermal stability and flame retardancy

Isocyanate-based graphene oxide-containing polyimide foams were synthesized by a semi-prepolymer method. In this method, while the first solution containing pre-polymer was derived from pyromellitic dianhydride and excess polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate (PM200), the second solution contains dianhydride derivatives, water, catalysts, surfactants, and graphene oxide. PIFs were prepared with 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1% graphene oxide by weight, respectively. PIFs exhibited a minimum side reaction and urea generation was not seen for all PIFs instead of imide bonding. The addition of graphene oxide (GO) leads to a more close-packed structure. Therefore, crosslinking density and thermal stability of graphene oxide-containing polyimide foams increased. Upon the addition of 1% GO, almost seven times higher compression strength was obtained compared to neat PIFs. Also, LOI values supported the theory that thermally stable and flame retardant PIFs can be synthesized via the isocyanate-based process with GO.     

Improvement of Interfacial Adhesion of Glass Fiber/Epoxy Composite by Using Plasma Polymerized Glass Fibers

This study intends to produce plasma polymer thin films of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-GPS) on glass fibers in order to improve interfacial adhesion of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. A low frequency (LF) plasma generator was used for the plasma polymerization of γ-GPS on the surface of glass fibers at different plasma powers and exposure times. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and SEM analyses of plasma polymerized glass fibers were conducted to obtain some information about surface properties of glass fibers. Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) values and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of composites reinforced with plasma polymerized glass fiber were evaluated. The ILSS and IFSS values of non-plasma polymerized glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composite were increased 110 and 53%, respectively, after plasma polymerization of γ-GPS at a plasma power of 60 W for 30 min. The improvement of interfacial adhesion was also confirmed by SEM observations of fractured surface of the composites.     

Effect of ceramic surface treatments on the bond strength of different composite resins

This study was aimed to observe the relationship between the different surface treatments and the bond strength of both composite based adhesive cement and zirconia ceramic. Thirty-two zirconia ceramic discs were fabricated by following the instructions of manufacturer (5 × 5 × 1.5 mm). Four subgroups were obtained from the specimens according to the specified surface treatments respectively: (a) C: control groups: no treatment; (b) SB: sandblasting with 125 μm aluminum oxide particles for 10 s; (c) SC: silica coating for 10 s; (d) Nd :YAG laser . The composite resin specimens Panavia F and Clearfil SA were introduced and polymerized to the treated bonding areas. Afterwards the specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 °C during 24 h, and the shear test was applied. The data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan tests. The bond strength was stated significantly higher in silica coating/Panavia F group (23.35 MPa). The lowest bond strength was stated in control groups cemented with Clearfil SA (12.25 MPa). As a result it was determined that the bond strength has affected the both surface treatments and cement types (p < 0.001). The silica coating –treated zirconia ceramic recorded a significant increase in mean bond strength values.     

Vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa,Turkey

Background  

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health nutrition problem in the developing world. Even subclinical Vitamin A deficiency is associated with increased childhood mortality. Severe maternal vitamin A deficiency may cause increased mortality in the first months of life. There have been a limited number of studies regarding vitamin A status in Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa, Turkey.     

Novel Amide-Based Cationic Surfactants as Efficient Corrosion Inhibitors for Carbon Steel in HCl and H2SO4 media

A variety of surface active compounds were synthesized by the quaternization of some straight chain amide derivatives with triethylamine or pyridine. Their structure FT-IR and ¹H-NMR spectra were recorded. In addition their physical properties and corrosion prevention efficiencies were investigated. All compounds were tested with steel coupons in acidic media by the gravimetric method. As acidic media 1.5 M HCl and 1.5 M H₂SO₄ were used and the corrosion inhibition tests fulfilled at room temperature for 24 h. Almost all prepared cationic surfactants showed efficient inhibition around their critical micelle concentrations. The effects of HCl concentration on corrosion inhibition of some synthesized compounds were also investigated. The corrosion tests were supported by contact angle measurements.     

Degradation kinetics of PVC plasticized with different plasticizers under isothermal conditions

The aim of the present work is to elucidate the degradation kinetics of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plasticized with some phthalate and nonphthalate plasticizers. A PVC thermomat instrument was utilized to maintain the isothermal degradation conditions at 140 and 160°C, and to suppress the oxidative degradation by means of nitrogen flow. The conductivity measurements were performed to follow hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas which is released upon PVC degradation and trapped in water. Dehydrochlorination of plasticized PVC films occurred with activation energies of about 23–160 and 26–117 kJ mol^?1 and the isokinetic temperatures, at which the dehydrochlorination rate constants of all p‐PVC films would have the same value, were found to be 171 and 128°C for initial and linear regions of dehydrochlorination curve, respectively. Plasticizer incorporation contributes to the stability of the films particularly after the consumption of stabilizer due to the dehydrochlorination. Influence of temperature rise by 20°C on the degradation rate constant is the lowest for DINCH having p‐PVC films as 0.36 and 0.42% increment at the initial region and linear region, respectively. On the other hand, DOTP reveals greater stability than the others do since the compensation ratio of the PVC film having DOTP is greater than the other films. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41579.     

Synthesis of nanocrystalline samarium-doped CeO2 (SDC) powders as a solid electrolyte by using a simple solvothermal route

Samarium-doped CeO₂ is a leading electrolyte for applications in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which requires a typical sintering temperature of 1400–1600 °C. In this work, fully dense CeO₂ ceramics doped with 10–20 at.% samarium have been fabricated by a simple polyol process. The XRD and SEM results show that a complete solid solution between CeO₂ and samarium was obtained at the sintering temperature of 1300 °C. And also the densification temperature is significantly lower than those (1400–1600 °C) reported for the SDC powders processed by modified sol–gel process and hydrothermal treatment. The resultant ceramics show the sizes of ultrafine grain are lower than 1 μm.     

Separation of gas and organic/water mixtures by MFI type zeolite membranes synthesized in a flow system

MFI type zeolite membranes were synthesized in a recirculating flow system at 95 °C where the synthesis solution was flown over the tubular α-alumina supports. The performance of the membranes for the separation of binary gas mixtures and alcohol/water liquid mixtures was investigated. A membrane synthesized by two consecutive synthesis steps had a separation selectivity of 15 and 11 for equimolar mixtures of n-C₄H₁₀/CH₄ and n-C₄H₁₀/N₂ at 200 °C, respectively. The membrane selectively permeated large n-C₄H₁₀ over small CH₄ and N₂, suggesting that the separation is essentially adsorption-based and the membrane has few nonselective intercrystalline pores. The selectivities in the pervaporation separation of 5% ethanol/95% water mixture were 43 and 23 with permeate fluxes of 0.2 and 1.9 kg/m² h at 25 and 85 °C, respectively. The separation performance of membranes showed that MFI type membranes prepared in a recirculating flow system can be used both in the separation of gas and liquid mixtures.     

The ratio of crystallinity and thermodynamical interactions of polycaprolactone with some aliphatic esters and aromatic solvents by inverse gas chromatography

Summary The retention diagrams of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, chloro benzene, n-propyl benzene, isopropyl benzene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, n-butyl acetate and isoamyl acetate on the polycaprolactone were plotted at temperatures between 70 and 140^oC by inverse gas chromatography technique. Percent crystallinity of polycaprolactone were obtained at temperatures below melting point from the retention diagrams of benzene, toluene and ethyl benzene. It was concluded that the data obtained by inverse gas chromatography were comparable those of obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Specific retention volume, V_g^o, Flory-Huggins polymer-solvent interaction parameters, ₁₂, the weight fraction activity coefficients of the solvents at infinite dilution, ₁, effective exchange energy parameters, X_eff were determined. Later, the partial molar heat of sorption, H_1,sorp and the partial molar heat of mixing, H₁ were obtained from the slope of the logarithm of specific retention volume, Ln V_g^o versus 1/T plot and from the slope of the logarithm of the weight fraction activity coefficients, ₁versus 1/T plot, respectively.