The effect of carbon nanotubes on the rheology and electrical resistivity of polyamide 12/high density polyethylene blends

Different melt mixing sequences were applied to incorporate multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into blends prepared from high density polyethylene (PE) and polyamide 12 (PA). Electron microscopy, rheology and electrical resistivity were used to characterize the morphology and microstructure. At a composition of 75PA/25PE, presence of CNT at the interface promoted by premixing the CNTs in the PE phase, resulted in finer phase morphology and a decrease in the resistivity of up to five decades relative to other mixing procedures used. At a composition of 25PA/75PE, premixing the CNT in the PA phase resulted in their segregation inside and around the PA domains and a four decade lower resistivity. Interestingly, compounds that yielded the lowest resistivity were also characterized by increased low frequency melt storage modulus (G′) which indicates the existence of a correlation between the two properties.     

Phage‐mediated transfer of virulence genes

Bacteriophages as accessory genetic elements play a crucial role in the dissemination of genes and the promotion of genetic diversity within bacterial populations. Such horizontal transfer of DNA is critical in the emergence of new pathogenic organisms, through the dissemination of genes encoding virulence factors such as toxins, adhesins and agressins. Phages can transfer genes that are not necessary for bacteriophage persistence and are generally recognised by their ability to convert their host bacteria to new phenotypes. This phenomenon is known as phage conversion. If such converting genes encode for virulence factors, the consequences of phage infection may include increased virulence of the host bacteria, and the conversion of a non‐pathogenic strain to a potentially dangerous pathogen. A number of virulence factors in bacteria causing diseases in plants, animals and humans are encoded by converting phages, the vast majority of which are temperate as opposed to lytic in nature. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

芳纶橡胶输送带的接头强度研究

针对芳纶橡胶输送带接头强度保持率低的问题,本研究以国内外芳纶橡胶输送带接头方案为基础,采用指型插接方案,系统性地探究了指型长径比、贴胶厚度、织物增强层结构等因素对接头强度的影响。实验证明接头强度随长径比的增大而升高;贴胶厚度在1mm时接头强度达到最大,此后接头强度随贴胶厚度的增加而降低;织物增强层沿经向放置的接头强度提高87%,接头强度保持率达到带体强度的60%。     

A simple intrinsic measure for rapid crack propagation in bimodal polyethylene pipe grades validated by elastic–plastic fracture mechanics analysis of data from instrumented Charpy impact test

Conventional test procedures, such as the S4 test to analyze the resistance against rapid crack propagation (RCP) of plastic pipe materials are characterized by usage of a lot of material, are far from saving of time and they are‐in need of special experimental set‐ups. Therefore, in the last decade, small‐scale accelerated reliable tests (SMART) are developed ‐ worldwide to overcome the disadvantage of such conventional tests. In this article, fracture mechanics based analysis of instrumented Charpy impact test data for a set of bimodal high‐density polyethylene pipe grades are compared with data of the conventional Charpy impact test. From this comparison the Charpy impact strength at ?30°C comes forth as a robust reproducible measure of the resistance to RCP and it is therefore proposed as a SMART method to rank materials with respect to RCP resistance. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:13–21, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Tannic acid coating and in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles to improve the antifouling properties of an ultrafiltration membrane

The construction of antifouling membranes has been a desirable approach for addressing membrane-fouling issues in the ultrafiltration (UF) process. Antifouling means antiadhesive and antimicrobial; however, few researchers have achieved both properties in a facile and effective manner. In this article, we report a direct tannic acid (TA) coating method combined with the in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs); this was used to improve the antifouling properties of a positively charged polymeric UF membrane. The results show that the TA–Ag NP modified membranes showed improved protein resistance (flux recovery rate = 71.2% after modification vs 17.8% before modification) and less attachment of bacteria (Escherichia coli K1) on the membrane surface and reduced cell viability in the resulting bacterial suspension (reduced by ≥90%) because of the combined antimicrobial properties of both the TA and Ag NPs. This indicated that our modification method was promising for UF membrane antifouling applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47314.     

节能型活性染料的发展状况

综述了开发节能型活性染料的重要性.重点介绍了适用于冷轧堆染色、小浴比染色和涤/棉一浴法染色用活性染料以及高固色率活性染料的发展状况;通过提高染料的耐碱性、溶解度、染深性以及固着率等方面来达到节能减排的目的.     

CY-61100车床尾座铸造过程仿真优化研究

对CY-61100车床尾座铸件充型及凝固过程进行了数值模拟及优化研究。根据模拟的结果及铸造缺陷预测,改进及优化了尾座浇注系统,在工厂实际浇铸生产应用中取得了良好效果。并由此建立了铸造过程CAE仿真优化技术与传统铸造工艺设计有效结合的先进铸造工艺设计模式。     

Low temperature post-harvest storage of New Zealand Taewa (Maori potato): Effects on starch physico-chemical and functional characteristics

Fresh tubers from four traditional Taewa (Maori potato) cultivars (Karuparera, Tutaekuri, Huakaroro and Moemoe) and one modern potato cultivar (Nadine) of New Zealand, were stored at 4 °C and 80–90% relative humidity for six months after harvest. Starch was isolated from tubers after every three month period, and its physico-chemical and functional properties measured. Considerable changes in these properties occurred during storage. The extent of changes varied significantly from cultivar to cultivar. Starch swelling power, solubility and light transmittance decreased during tuber storage while a slight increase was observed in starch amylose content. The starch granule size distribution shifted to smaller granule size during tuber storage. Scanning electron micrographs showed degradation/erosion and pitting on the surfaces of many of the starch granules isolated from stored tubers. Transition temperatures and enthalpies of gelatinization of the starches increased somewhat during tuber storage, suggesting that changes in the stability of starch crystalline structures had occurred. Pasting, viscoelastic and texture profile analysis (TPA) characteristics of starch gels were found to have been influenced by tuber storage time for all the cultivars, but to the greatest extent for Nadine and Huakaroro. Gels made from starches from the stored tubers had a reduced tendency towards retrogradation as evidenced by the decrease in syneresis (%) during gel storage at 4 °C.     

Extrusion cooking of barley flour and process parameter optimization by using response surface methodology

BACKGROUND: The nutritional profile of barley places it in a prime position for development of a new extruded–expanded snack food with health benefits. It was therefore the aim to investigate the effect of extrusion processing variables on system parameters (specific mechanical energy, die pressure and die melt temperature) and physical properties (expansion, bulk density, texture and color) of barley flour extrudates and to optimize processing conditions for production of extruded snack food from barley flour by response surface methodology. RESULTS: Barley flour with 219.7 g kg^?1 moisture content was extruded at different die temperatures (140–160 °C) and screw speeds (150–200 rpm) through a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder. The system parameters as well as product responses were mainly dependent on temperature, whereas the screw speed imparted a lesser effect. Extrudates produced under extrusion conditions of 160 °C, 150 and 200 rpm and at 164 °C and 150 rpm had higher preference levels of appearance, taste, texture and overall acceptability than that of other selected extrudates for sensory analysis. The optimal conditions for minimum bulk density and desired textural characteristics and color of extrudates correspond to a temperature of 156 °C and screw speed of 166 rpm. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that use of barley flour in extruded snack products offers a desirable variation in diet and can take advantage of the nutritional quality of barley. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessment of the Impact of Stormwater Characteristics on Clogging in Stormwater Filters

Hydraulic conductivity of granular filter media and its evolution over time is a key design parameter for stormwater filtration and infiltration systems that are now widely used in management of polluted urban runoff. In fact, clogging of filter media is recognised as the main limiting factor of these stormwater treatment systems. This paper focuses on the effect of stormwater characteristics on the clogging of stormwater filters. Effect of five different operational regimes has been tested in this study of sediment concentration; pollutant concentrations; stormwater sediment size; loading rate and stormwater loading/dosing regime and compared with the Base case. For each operational condition, five column replicates were tested. Results suggest that sediment concentration in stormwater is a significant parameter affecting hydraulic and treatment performance, eventually affecting longevity of these stormwater treatment systems. Further, the size of sediments (and their relation to the size of filter media grains) in stormwater was found to be an important parameter to be considered in design of coarse filters with high infiltration rates that are used for stormwater treatment. As expected, the addition of metals and nutrients had limited or no contribution to changes in hydraulic or sediment removal performance of the studied stormwater filters. Whilst loading rate was found to be an important parameter affecting the hydraulic and treatment performance of these systems, any variation in the stormwater loading regime had a limited effect on their performance. This study therefore develops an understanding of the effect of catchment characteristics on design of filters and hence their longevity and maintenance needs.