Property improvement of thermoplastic mung bean starch using cotton fiber and low‐density polyethylene

Due to high water uptake and low mechanical properties of biodegradable thermoplastic starch, thermoplastic starch prepared from mung bean starch (TPMBS) was modified by the incorporation of cotton fiber and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE). The effect of different ratios of cotton fiber/LDPE, i.e., 10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, and 0:10, on water uptake, mechanical, thermal, and biodegradable properties of TPMBS was examined. Different TPMBS samples were prepared using internal mixer for compounding and compression molding machine for shaping samples. It was found that the TPMBS incorporated with 10:0, 7:3, and 3:7 cotton fiber/LDPE showed an increase in the stress at maximum load and Young's modulus. Moreover, the water absorption of all of the modified TPMBS samples tended to decrease as compared to the pure TPMBS. Morphological, thermal, and biodegradable properties of different TPMBS samples were also investigated.     

微量油膜水滴切削加工不锈钢的效果试验研究

主要应用微量油膜水滴切削液,在C620-1普通机床上,通过改变切削速度、进给量以及调整喷嘴的喷射角度,对奥氏体1Cr18Ni9Ti不锈钢材料进行切削加工的效果试验研究。试验结果表明,与干切削、乳化液切削相比,微量油膜水滴切削不仅能够有效地降低切削力和加工表面粗糙度,而且其刀具寿命分别是干切削、乳化液切削的2.28倍和1.6倍。在喷射方向效果研究中,微量油膜水滴在对刀具后刀面和侧面进行喷射的切削加工效果更佳。试验研究表明,微量油膜水滴切削液具有一定的冷却效果和良好的润滑效果。     

N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)formamide as a new plasticizer for thermoplastic starch

N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)formamide (HF) was synthesized efficiently and used as a new plasticizer for corn starch to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS). The hydrogen bond interaction between HF and starch was proved by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that starch granules were completely disrupted and a continuous phase was obtained. The crystallinity of corn starch and HF-plasticized TPS (HTPS) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The glass transitions of glycerol-plasticized TPS (GTPS) and HTPS were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The water resistance of GTPS was better than that of HTPS. In addition, the flexibility of HTPS was better than that of GTPS at low relative humidity.     

Porous microspheres of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(?-caprolactone-co-d,l-lactide) prepared by a melt dispersion method

Surfactant-free biodegradable porous microspheres of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(?-caprolactone-co-d,l-lactide) (MPEG-b-PCLDLL) diblock copolymers were prepared by a simple melt dispersion method in water at 80 °C with magnetic stirring. Any organic solvents and surfactants can be neglected for this method. Different CL/DLL ratios in the MPEG-b-PCLDLL were investigated for preparation of the porous microspheres. It was found that microsphere sizes decreased and surface pore sizes increased as the increasing DLL ratio. The pores were well interconnected throughout the microsphere matrices for all MPEG-b-PCLDLLs. The larger pore sizes can be obtained when the PEG was blended with diblock copolymer before preparation of porous blended microspheres. Possible mechanisms for formation of the porous microspheres with and without PEG blending were also proposed.     

Thermo-sensitive sol-gel transition of poly(depsipeptide-co-lactide)-g-PEG copolymers in aqueous solution

A series of biodegradable graft copolymers composed of poly(ethylene glycol) side-chains and a poly(depsipeptide-co-dl-lactide) backbone (PDG-dl-LA-g-PEG) were prepared as a novel thermo-gelling system. An aqueous solution of PDG-dl-LA-g-PEG (20 wt%) with a certain PEG length and composition showed instantaneous temperature-sensitive gelation at 33 °C. The sol-gel transition temperature (T_gel) could be controlled from 33 to 51 °C by varying the PEG length and compositions without a decrease in mechanical strength of the hydrogels. The 20 wt% hydrogel was eroded gradually in PBS at 37 °C for 60 days. This research provides a molecular design approach to create biodegradable thermo-gelling polymers with controllable T_gel and mechanical toughness.     

植物纤维与生物降解塑料界面相容性研究进展

分析了植物纤维/生物降解塑料界面的相容性及影响因素,从植物纤维表面改性处理和生物降解塑料改性处理两方面介绍了改善植物纤维与生物降解塑料界面相容性的方法,并展望了生物降解塑料的发展趋势。     

生物降解塑料的研究现状及发展前景

介绍了国内外生物降解塑料的发展现状及可完全生物降解塑料的种类,阐述了我国可完全生物降解塑料领域的研究现状及成果,指出了在生物降解塑料行业存在的问题及发展方向。     

Antioxidant effect of Majorana syriaca extract in bulk corn oil and o/w emulsion after applying high hydrostatic pressure

Bulk oils and oil-in-water emulsions were subjected to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (200, 650 MPa) treatment so as to estimate the effect of applied pressures on lipid oxidation. HHP-treated and non-treated samples were left to autoxidise under accelerated conditions (2 weeks, 70 °C) and their oxidative status was periodically estimated by measurement of conjugated dienes and peroxide value. Total changes of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were recorded as additional oxidative markers for emulsions. Results showed an increase in oxidation as pressure was increased especially at 650 MPa. Lipid oxidation rates that were more pronounced for HHP-treated samples can be correlated to measured dissolved oxygen that was also higher. HHP did not seem to have an effect on emulsion droplet size. The addition of Majorana syriaca (200 ppm) ethyl acetate extract led to protection against lipid oxidation under HHP and atmospheric conditions, 20.9–38.7% and 28.9–43.2%, respectively. It was observed that the antioxidant effect of M. syriaca extract under HHP was weaker.     

Polylactic acid as a biodegradable material for all-solution-processed organic electronic devices

In this paper we report on the fabrication of spin-coated biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) thin films to be used as substrates for the realisation of all-solution-processed organic electronic devices. The full mechanical and electrical characterisation of these substrates shows that they exhibit good mechanical and dielectric properties and are therefore suitable for the fabrication of disposable electronics. To demonstrate practically the functionality of such PLA thin films, organic electronic devices were realised on the top of them, exclusively by means of solution-process fabrication techniques and in particular inkjet-printing. Also, a photonic curing procedure is here presented as a means for sintering the conductive inks without heating up the PLA substrates. Two types of organic transistors were fabricated on the top of PLA: organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), where the PLA film was used not only as a substrate but also as the gate dielectric, and all-inkjet-printed organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). The second typology of transistors exhibited one of the highest transconductance reported so far in the literature (up to 2.75 mS). This study opens an avenue for the fabrication of disposable, low-cost organic electronic devices.     

Drag Reduction by Wormlike Micelles of a Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Surfactants

This study describes the effects of wormlike micelles formed by the commercial surfactants tallowalkylamidopropyl dimethylamine oxide (Aromox APA-TW) and oleyl methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium chloride (Ethoquad O/12) as drag reducers. Ethoquad O/12 is immune to degradation by heat and microorganisms. Conversely, Aromox APA-TW is biodegradable in the environment, and its susceptibility to heat-induced degradation was previously assessed. This work considers the effects of temperature, salt, and time on the drag-reduction capacity (in different Reynolds number) of wormlike micelles of these two surfactants. Wormlike micelles formed by Aromox APA-TW are able to reduce drag at higher temperatures compared to wormlike micelles formed by Ethoquad O/12. However, Aromox APA-TW can degrade after being heated to 80 °C and also after storage of the wormlike micelle solutions. Ethoquad O/12 does not undergo degradation after being heated or stored. These surfactants have the potential to be used as additives in industrial operations, as the wormlike micelles formed are able to reduce drag in systems with long pumping distances or recirculation, even in solutions with high salt concentrations (brine) and high temperatures.