Heterogeneity and anisotropy of injection‐molded discs of polypropylene and polypropylene composites

The anisotropy and heterogeneity of injection‐molded discs of polypropylene, talc‐filled polypropylene composites, and silane‐treated talc‐filled polypropylene composites are studied by means of dynamic mechanical analysis and thermomechanical analysis. The aims of this work are to discover the relationships between the structure of the composites, their anisotropic properties, and the heterogeneity of the molded discs. The experimental results show that although the discs are almost homogeneous, they present a high degree of anisotropy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1275–1283, 2000     

Application of an electronic tongue to study the effect of the use of pieces of wood and micro-oxygenation in the aging of red wine

The ageing of red wines matured in oak barrels and wines treated soaking pieces of wood of different sizes (chips or staves) in micro-oxygenated stainless steel tanks has been monitored periodically using an electronic tongue, chemical analysis and a panel of experts. The use of micro-oxygenation in stainless steel tanks, lets get wines with characteristics similar to wines aged in oak barrels. However, differences in the phenolic content and in particular in the anthocyanin levels are observed during the first steps of ageing and in the final product.In the early stages of ageing, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) calculated from the electronic tongue outputs have permitted the discrimination between wines aged with traditional and alternative methods due to the faster rate of ageing caused by chips or staves. After 5 months of ageing, the use of alternative ageing methods cannot be longer detected. However, when the ageing continues in a reducing atmosphere (bottled wines), the electronic tongue has demonstrated a good capability to discriminate and classify bottled wines previously aged in oak barrels from those previously treated with oak chips and oak staves. The effect of the size of the pieces and of the type of wood can also be detected by the e-tongue. Using Partial Least Squares (PLS-1) good correlations have been found between the electrochemical signals provided by the array of sensors and the polyphenolic content parameters. Good correlations have also been established with the scores given by the panel of experts, in particular with the astringency.     

Tailoring the structural properties of PVDF and P(VDF‐TrFE) by using natural polymers as additives

The poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and its copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene), P(VDF‐TrFE), are of great scientific and technological interest due to their ferro, pyro, and piezelectrical properties besides chemical and thermal stability. Recently, their biocompatibility has been shown as well. Therefore, considering all this potentiality, self‐standing films of PVDF and P(VDF‐TrFE) containing corn starch and latex of natural rubber as additives were produced by compressing/annealing forming blends. This process allows one to discard the necessity of using solvents to dissolve either PVDF or P(VDF‐TrFE), which are toxic to human. The films were structurally characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction, density, melt flow index, hardness, and thermal conductivity. The results showed that the polymers do not interact chemically with the additives leading to the formation of blends as physical mixtures where the additives are well dispersed within the blends at micrometer level. However, it was observed that the adhesion of the starch is better in the case of blends with P(VDF‐TrFE). Besides, the crystalline structures of the α‐PVDF and ferroelectric P(VDF‐TrFE) are kept in the blends. The density, hardness, melt flow index, and thermal conductivity values of the blends followed what should be expected from physical mixtures. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Microstructure and physical properties of open‐cell polyolefin foams

The cellular structure, physical properties, and structure–property relationships of novel open‐cell polyolefin foams produced by compression molding and based on blends of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer and a low‐density polyethylene have been studied and compared with those of closed‐cell polyolefin foams of similar chemical compositions and densities and with those of open‐cell polyurethane foams. Properties such as the elastic modulus, collapse stress, energy absorbed in mechanical tests, thermal expansion, dynamic mechanical response, and acoustic absorption have been measured. The experimental results show that the cellular structure of the analyzed materials has interconnected cells due to the presence of large and small holes in the cell walls, and this structure is clearly different from the typical structure of open‐cell polyurethane foams. The open‐cell polyolefin foams under study, in comparison with closed‐cell foams of similar densities and chemical compositions, are good acoustic absorbers; they have a significant loss factor and lower compressive strength and thermal stability. The physical reasons for this macroscopic behavior are analyzed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Monitoring of evolution during red wine aging in oak barrels and alternative method by means of an electronic panel test

A combination of the data obtained by means of an e-nose (based on resistive MOX sensors), an e-tongue (based on voltammetric sensors) and an e-eye (based on CIE Lab coordinates) has been used to monitor the aging of a red wine. The changes in the chemical composition of wines that occur during maturing have permitted the system to discriminate among wine samples collected after one, three, six and ten months of aging. The discrimination capability of the electronic panel test obtained by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) is even higher than the discrimination achieved by means of traditional chemical analysis.After ten months of aging it has been possible to discriminate between the wine aged in a French oak barrel and the same wine soaked with oak chips of the same origin and toasting level and treated with microoxygenation.     

Voltammetric sensor array based on conducting polymer-modified electrodes for the discrimination of liquids

In this work, a novel type of voltammetric electrodes based on conducting polymers has been developed and used as sensing units of a sensory system. Polymeric sensors have been obtained by electrodeposition of the corresponding monomers (3-methylthiophene, aniline and pyrrole) onto platinum disks using a range of doping agents. The electrochemical response of polypyrrole electrodes is particularly rich and stable. Moreover, their electrochemical characteristics can be improved by using large anions or redox anions as dopants.A multichannel liquid sensor has been constructed using those sensors showing the best performances in terms of stability and variety of responses. The array of sensors has been exposed to solutions with distinct taste properties (sweet, bitter, acid, salty and astringent). Each sensor shows a characteristic electrochemical response when exposed to the studied solutions, providing a high degree of cross-selectivity. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the obtained signals has allowed the discrimination of the solutions tested.     

Density gradients in aluminium foams: characterisation by computed tomography and measurements of the effective thermal conductivity

The density gradients present in several aluminium foams, produced by the powder metallurgical route, have been analysed by using computed tomography and by measuring the effective thermal conductivity (λ). The method used to measure λ, Transient Plane Source (TPS) technique, allows obtaining values of the local thermal conductivity, i.e. conductivity of a localised zone within the sample. These values have been related to the density of the measured zone, which was obtained from the computed tomography experiments. A power law relationship between local effective thermal conductivity and local density has been obtained.     

Structure–property relationships of medium‐density polypropylene foams

This paper is focused on the production and characterization of a collection of polypropylene (PP) foams with relative densities ranging from 0.3 to 0.6. Samples were foamed using the improved compression moulding method. The process allows controlling density and cellular structure independently as well as obtaining PP foams without fillers, crosslinking or using special PP grades. The influence of blowing agent content, density, cellular structure and foaming conditions on the mechanical response measured in compression, tensile, bending and Charpy impact tests was determined. Results show that density, open cell content and blowing agent concentration have a significant influence on the mechanical performance of medium‐density PP foams. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Improvement of the foaming process for 4045 and 6061 aluminium foams by using the Taguchi methodology

Taguchi methodology has been applied to the production process of aluminium foams to investigate the variability detected in several properties (including bulk density, outward appearance and density homogeneity along foaming direction), for foaming tests carried out under identical conditions. The analysis of the process has been performed separately for two different alloys, the 4045 and 6061. The results have allowed finding the main factors that influence those properties. In addition, it has been possible to establish those foaming conditions able to minimize the variability in density, to improve the outward appearance and to obtain a higher homogeneity in density, all at the same time. Different final factors have been found for the two alloys; such differences have been explained in terms of the different viscosity of the aluminium melts as well as the different content of foaming agent.