Comparison of the mechanical properties and interfacial interactions between talc,kaolin, and calcium carbonate filled polypropylene composites

Three types of mineral fillers—talc, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), and kaolin (10–40 wt % filler loadings)—were compounded with polypropylene (PP) with a twin‐screw extruder. The composites were injection‐molded, and the effects of the filler loading on the mechanical, flow, and thermal properties for the three different types of filled composites were investigated. The aim was to compare their properties and to deduce prospective filler combinations that would yield hybrid PP composites in following studies. The results showed that in most cases, the strength and stiffness of the talc‐filled PP composites was significantly higher than those of the CaCO₃‐ and kaolin‐filled PP composites. However, CaCO₃, being a nonreactive filler, increased the toughness of PP. The kaolin‐filled PP composites also showed some improvement in terms of strength and stiffness, although the increases in these properties were not as significant as those of the talc‐filled PP composites. The effects of interfacial interactions between the fillers and PP on the mechanical properties were also evaluated with semiempirical equations. The nucleating ability of all three fillers was studied with differential scanning calorimetry, and the strongest nucleating agent of the three was talc, followed by CaCO₃ and kaolin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 3315–3326, 2004     

Polymer electrolyte membrane modification in direct ethanol fuel cells: An update

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) offer a high degree of design flexibility, ranging from a single cell to a massive multi-cell that can be used in various applications, including portable devices, transportation, and stationary applications. Unfortunately, the most significant barrier to the commercialization of DEFCs is getting low-cost and ethanol permeability, high conductivity performance, and extended durability of polymer electrolyte membranes, as key components that highly influence the overall performance. In this paper, the recent progress in developing the polymer electrolyte membrane for the application of DEFCs has been comprehensively reviewed. Focusing on an updated modification of polymeric materials in the last 5 years, including Nafion-based membrane, polyvinyl alcohol-based membrane, polybenzimidazoles-based membrane, chitosan-based membrane, and sodium alginate-based membrane, as well as factors and challenges that affected the performance of polymer electrolyte membranes have been discussed, including the main characterization, catalyst selection, cell design, and work in membrane and cell performance of DEFCs. All discussion addresses the strategy to improve the performance of polymer electrolyte membranes in DEFCs in order to penetrate the commercialization stages.     

Highly transparent antibacterial hydrogel-polymeric contact lenses doped with silver nanoparticles

Biocompatible polymers such as poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) are used to prepare hydrogels for biomedical applications, including optical applications such as the manufacture of sensing devices, cosmetic and smart, and medical contact lenses, among others. In this study, three contact lenses were prepared by doping PVP-PVA supportive hydrogel with 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt% of laboratory-manufactured Ag NPs. The work demonstrates the evaluation of vision correction through each lens and the effect of changing the concentration of silver on its refractive index. The simulation involved the design and simulation of an aberrated human eye based on the Liou and Brennan model (LBM), and the insertion of the contact lenses for vision correction using the ZEMAX optical design program. This work also included a study of the antimicrobial properties of the resulting hydrogel contact lenses doped with Ag NPs. The resulting refractive index of one PVP-PVA-Ag lens was relatively high at 532 nm = 1.604, which made the lens provide the highest image contrast (the lowest MTF curve degradation) of 0.883 ± 0.027 at 20 cycles/mm and an RMS nearly the Airy disc diameter of 3.983 μm. PVA was used in combination with PVP for stabilizing Ag NPs to give the contact lenses an antibacterial property. Finally, the optimum contact lens with a 1 wt% Ag NPs concentration showed the highest inhibition activity.     

Characterization and Properties of Recycled Polypropylene/Coconut Shell Powder Composites: Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Modification

This research work focuses on the utilization of coconut shell powder (CSP) as filler in recycled polypropylene (rPP). Sodium Dedecyl Sulfate (SDS) was used as coupling agent in these composites. The effect of filler content and SDS on tensile properties, thermal properties, water absorption and morphology of rPP/CSP composites were investigated. In this study, modified rPP/CSP composites with SDS show significant increased tensile propertied, thermal stability, crystallinity and low water absorption compared unmodified rPP/CSP composites. Those improvements were contributed by the coupling effect of SDS.     

Effect on Mechanical Performance of UHMWPE/HDPE-Blend Reinforced with Kenaf,Basalt and Hybrid Kenaf/Basalt Fiber

The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of UHMWPE/HDPE-reinforced kenaf, basalt and hybrid kenaf/basalt composites. Mechanical testing of these samples was carried out such as tensile, flexural (three-point bending) and an impact test (Charpy). Pure resin (UHMWPE/HDPE) samples were tested and compare with reinforced 10% weight fraction of kenaf, basalt and hybrid kenaf/basalt samples to identifying their contribution and potential in this new composite material. UHMWPE/ HDPE sample was produced in constant ratio 60:40 respectively via extrusion process. Basalt reinforced UHMWPE/HDPE generates the highest elastic modulus result compared to kenaf and hybrid kenaf/basalt as a reinforcement material. The tensile results of kenaf reinforcement UHMWPE/HDPE samples are significantly higher (20%) than pure blend resin, which is an indication for good performance of kenaf, basalt and hybrid kenaf/basalt to be used in UHMWPE/HDPE-blend polymers. The flexural and Charpy strengths show the drawback results, where performance of polymer is reduced 5% with the absence of kenaf. It can be concluded that kenaf, basalt and hybrid kenaf/basalt fiber successfully increase the UHMWPE/HDPE blends performance especially under tensile loading.     

Properties of Ferrite-Filled Natural Rubber Composites

Nickel zinc ferrite (Ni-ZnFe₂O₄)-filled natural rubber (NR) composite was prepared at various loading of ferrite. The tensile properties included in this study were tensile strength, tensile modulus and elongation at break. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the composites increased up to 40 parts per hundred rubber (phr) of ferrite and then decreased at higher loading whereas the tensile modulus was increased gradually with increasing of ferrite loading. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the wettability of filler in rubber matrix. From the observation, the increase of filler loading reduced the wettability of the filler. Thermal stability of the composites was conducted by using a thermogravimetry analyser (TGA). The incorporation of ferrite in NR composites enhanced the thermal stability of NR composites. The swelling test results indicate that the swelling percentage of the composites decreased by increasing of ferrite loading. The initial permeability, μ_i and quality factor, Q of magnetic properties of NR composites achieved maximum value at 60 phr of ferrite loading for frequency range between 5000–40,000 kHz. The maximum impedance, Z _max of the NR composites was at the highest value at 80 phr ferrite loading for frequency range between 200–800 MHz.     

a-Si:H/SiNW shell/core for SiNW solar cell applications

Vertically aligned silicon nanowires have been synthesized by the chemical etching of silicon wafers. The influence of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layer (shell) on top of a silicon nanowire (SiNW) solar cell has been investigated. The optical properties of a-Si:H/SiNWs and SiNWs are examined in terms of optical reflection and absorption properties. In the presence of the a-Si:H shell, 5.2% reflection ratio in the spectral range (250 to 1,000 nm) is achieved with a superior absorption property with an average over 87% of the incident light. In addition, the characteristics of the solar cell have been significantly improved, which exhibits higher open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and efficiency by more than 15%, 12%, and 37%, respectively, compared with planar SiNW solar cells. Based on the current–voltage measurements and morphology results, we show that the a-Si:H shell can passivate the defects generated by wet etching processes.     

Studies on the formation of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) through stoichiometry modification prepared by conventional solid-state method

Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ (YIG) prepared by conventional solid-state method can rarely be of high purity. However, this study suggests that high purity YIG can be produced via conventional solid-state methods, through stoichiometry modification. This is achieved by adding various amounts of excess Fe₂O₃ to control the YIG stoichiometric ratios. In this work, ferrite and yttria were calcined at 1100 °C (for 8 h) and sintered at 1420 °C (6 h). In most samples, the formation of YIG, with YFeO₃ (YIP) and/or Fe₂O₃ as associated phases were detected. Uniform microstructures of YIG are also observed. YIP phase in YIG is found to be inversely related to the addition of excess Fe₂O₃, up to 8 wt%. At above 8 wt% Fe₂O₃ addition, YIP disappears, leaving unreacted excess Fe₂O₃ as a new associated phase. From the investigation, it is safe to conclude that the purity of YIG can be increased with the addition of excess Fe₂O₃.     

Optimization of process parameters using D-optimal design for synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via sol–gel technique

The experimental conditions for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles to produce minimal size were optimized using the D-optimal design. The influence of process parameters involves molar ratio of the starting materials, pH and the calcination temperature on the particle size were evaluated using the polynomial regression. The optimum conditions revealed by the model for obtaining a minimum particle size of ZnO were predicted to have a molar ratio of 1.76, pH of 1.50 and calcination at 402.2 °C. The obtainable particle size upon applying the model is 22.9 nm in compare to experimental result of 18 ± 2 nm was obtained.