Electrospun polyimide nanofibers and their applications

Aromatic polyimides (PIs) are high-performance polymers with rigid heterocyclic imide rings and aromatic benzene rings in their macromolecular backbones. Owing to excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability, as well as readily adjustable molecular structures, PIs have been widely adopted for many applications related to electronics, aerospace, automobile, and other industries. In recent years, PI fibers prepared by electrospinning of polyamic acid (PAA) precursor nanofibers followed by imidization (commonly known as electrospun PI nanofibers) have attracted growing interests. Herein, the preparation, evaluation, and application of electrospun PI nanofibers are reviewed. PI polymers and the electrospinning technique are introduced first followed by the preparation of electrospun nanofibers of homo-PI, co-PI, blend-PI, and PI composite. Subsequently, the mechanical and thermal properties of electrospun PI nanofibers are presented; in particular, the mechanical properties of individual electrospun PI nanofibers are highlighted. Thereafter, various applications of electrospun PI nanofibers are outlined, including reinforcement of composites, Li-ion battery separators, fuel cell proton exchange membranes, sensors, microelectronics, high-temperature filtration media, super-hydrophobic PI nanofibers, and PI-based carbon nanofibers. In the final section of conclusions and perspectives, future research endeavors and high-value applications of electrospun PI nanofibers are discussed.     

白炭黑/炭黑复合填充对NR性能的影响

在白炭黑和炭黑填料总量一定的情况下,研究了不同白炭黑/炭黑配比对NR性能的影响。结果表明,白炭黑用量增加,NR硫化速率下降,体系中炭黑填料网络被破坏且白炭黑-橡胶间较弱的相互作用也会对NR硫化胶力学性能产生一系列影响。DMA结果表明,加入20~25份白炭黑对提高硫化胶的抗湿滑性和降低滚动阻力最为有效。     

Fuel properties of biodiesel produced from selected plant kernel oils indigenous to Botswana: A comparative analysis

Fuel characteristics of biodiesel derived from kernel oils of Sclerocarya birrea, Tylosema esculentum, Schiziophyton rautanenii and Jatropha curcas plants were investigated in comparison with petroleum diesel. The fuel properties under review include flash point, cloud point, kinematic viscosity, density, calorific value, acid value, and free fatty acids. These were determined and discussed in light of major biodiesel standards such as ASTM D 6751 (American Society for Testing and Materials) and EN 14214 (European standards). The best biofuel in terms of cold flow properties was S. rautanenii, with a cloud point of 0 °C and a pour point of −5 °C. The good cold flow properties demonstrate operational viability during the cold season. The heating values of S. birrea and S. rautanenii biodiesel fuels were found to be 9.2% and 10.3% lower than that of petroleum diesel while those of T. esculentum and J. curcas were both 9.7% lower. Other fuel properties analysed demonstrate that biodiesel fuels produced from kernel oils of S. birrea, T. esculentum, S. rautanenii and J. curcas plants have properties that are comparable to, and in some cases better than, those of petroleum diesel. The results of this study indicate the feasibility of producing quality biodiesel fuel from indigenous seed oils found in Botswana. A balanced allocation of resources however needs to be established to ensure that the cultivation of these oil-bearing plants does not compete with the cultivation of food crops.     

铸造工艺对钛合金Ti5Al2.5Sn ELI铸态组织及性能的影响

Ti5Al2.5Sn ELI钛合金是航空航天等领域重要的结构材料。本工作采用3种铸型同炉浇注的方法研究了铸造工艺对该合金铸态组织和室温拉伸性能的影响。结果表明,该合金石墨型铸造试样表面粗糙,陶瓷型和金属型的则较光滑;石墨型试样宏观组织为大量等轴晶和少量柱状晶,金属型的为少量等轴晶和大量柱状晶,陶瓷型的为粗大柱状晶和等轴晶;不同工艺下显微组织均由不规则边界α集束组成,其内部为片状α相,石墨型的α片宽度最小,金属型的次之,陶瓷型的最大;该合金铸态抗拉强度715~731 MPa、伸长率8%~15%,石墨型的伸长率最高,金属型的次之,陶瓷型的最低,铸造工艺对该合金塑性影响强烈,但对强度的影响较小;铸型表面形貌、导热系数、α集束大小及α片厚度的不同是上述现象产生的主要原因。     

New Hearts for Two Gulf Cities

Doha in Qatar and Sharjah in the UAE are both currently looking to their own heritage for inspiration in the redevelopment of their urban cores or hearts. Varkki Pallathucheril , an expert in urban planning and Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), considers the impact challenges of this type of development.     

Spark plasma sintered ZrC-Mo cermets: Influence of temperature and compaction pressure

The microstructure analysis and mechanical characterisation were performed on a ZrC-20 wt%Mo cermet that was spark plasma sintered at various temperatures ranging between 1600 and 2100 °C under either 50 or 100 MPa of compaction pressure. The composite reached ~98% relative density for all experiments with an average grain size between 1 and 3.5 µm after densification. The nature of SPS technology caused a faster densification rate when higher compaction pressures were applied. The difference in compaction pressures produced different behaviors in densification and grain structure: 1900 °C, 100 MPa produced excessive grain growth in ZrC; 1600 °C, 50 MPa revealed a very clear ZrC grain structure and Mo diffusion between carbide grains; and 2100 °C, 50 MPa exhibited the highest overall mechanical properties due to small clusters of Mo phases across the microstructure. In fact, this particular sintering regime gave the most optimal mechanical values: 2231 HV10 and 5.4 MPa*m^1/2, and 396 GPa Young's modulus. The compaction pressure of SPS played a pivotal role in the composites’ properties. A moderate 50 MPa pressure caused all three mechanical properties to increase with increasing sintering temperature. Conversely, a higher 100 MPa pressure caused fracture toughness and Young modulus to decrease with increasing sintering temperature.     

5083Al/1060Al/TA1/Ni/SUS304五层爆炸复合板退火组织演化及力学性能

为改善5083Al和304不锈钢爆炸焊接质量,提升隔热效果,本研究采用1060Al、TA1和Ni作夹层材料,制备了具有热传导梯度的五层爆炸复合板。为消除爆炸焊接后的残余应力,减少绝热剪切带和微裂纹等缺陷,采用550℃×60min退火工艺对五层爆炸复合板进行退火处理,并通过SEM、EBSD和万能试验机等手段,分析研究退火对其组织演化及力学性能的影响。结果表明：五层爆炸复合板的4个焊接界面均呈波形,且在界面处存在微裂纹、孔洞、绝热剪切带和漩涡区等缺陷。经退火处理,4个焊接界面均发生不同程度的再结晶,微裂纹、绝热剪切带等缺陷得到有效改善;5083Al/1060Al/TA1界面的β相和Al-Ti金属间化合物增多,TA1/Ni界面在原TiNi₃熔化层的基础上新增TiNi熔化层和Ti₂Ni熔化层。界面抗拉剪强度均有所降低,但均仍远高于相应国标使用要求;拉脱试样在5083Al/1060Al界面断裂分离。     

Bioengineering of river earth embankment using natural fibre-based composite-structured geotextiles

A Jute-HDPE composite structured geotextile was developed to improve the performance of earthen structure of river embankment. The optimized geotextiles (430 g/m²) containing 86% natural component (on weight) having better physical, mechanical (tensile strength, 10 kN/m (machine direction) and 18 kN/m (cross direction), index puncture (163 kN) and CBR (1.5 kN)), hydraulic (AOS 178 μ) and endurance properties than 100% HDPE geotextiles. A coconut fibre geotextile net was placed over jute-polyolefin geotextiles to resist washing-off of loose cover soil until the establishment of vegetation. Placing of continuous seamless geotextile tube (weight 196.2 kg/m) filled with moist river sand at the anchor trench-cum-toe guard assisted in safeguarding from eddies. It was observed that initially closed structure of the geotextile assisted in efficient filtration leading to soil stabilization through compactness of soil layer (14 cm thick). The uniqueness of work lies in conversion of closed structure of geotextiles to open-mesh of HDPE slit film on degradation of jute, remained beneath the cover-soil, through which grass root penetrated the geotextiles sheet and riveted both the layers of soil, the cover and the compacted back layers. The remnant synthetic part thus acts as durable reinforcing element and its increased porosity provides breathability for growth of soil flora and fauna. Bermuda grass turf provided very high nailing strength (658.8 kN/m²) with the soil through intertwining of grass roots with durable synthetic network.     

增强体形貌对高熵合金增强铸铝合金组织及性能的影响

本文采用机械合金化工艺制备了两种不同形貌特征的高熵合金（Al0.25Cu0.75FeCoNi）颗粒,一种为椭球状颗粒（平均粒径为53μm,无过程控制剂）;另一种为片状颗粒（平均粒径15μm,有过程控制剂）。采用挤压铸造工艺制备了低体积分数（颗粒含量为5 vol.%）的高熵合金颗粒增强铸造铝合金材料,重点分析了不同增强相形貌对复合材料的组织和力学性能的影响规律。结果表明：在复合材料预制块制备过程中,椭球状高熵合金粉体与铝粉容易混合均匀,而片状高熵合金粉体之间易发生团聚。椭球状颗粒与片状颗粒增强的复合材料的抗拉强度分别达到162MPa和174MPa,比铸铝合金实验基体分别提升了12.5%和 20.8%,但伸长率较铸铝合金基体却发生了明显下降。断口分析表明,椭球状颗粒增强复合材料的断裂以基体的撕裂为主;而片状颗粒增强复合材料则以团聚颗粒的破裂为主。     

渗硼工艺对汽车用45CrNiMoV热锻模具钢性能的影响

研究了850～950℃3～6 h渗硼处理的汽车发动机曲轴锻造用模具钢的显微硬度、冲击韧性、耐磨性能以及物相组成和微观结构。研究结果表明,925℃渗硼4 h后的样品性能较优,模具钢渗硼层最大HV显微硬度值1712,渗层厚度58.6μm,400℃和24℃冲击韧性值分别为39 J·cm^-2和27 J·cm^-2,90 min摩擦试验后的磨损量6.7 mg。物相组成显示渗硼层主相为Fe₂B,显微结构中可以明显看见渗硼后的渗硼层、过渡层以及基体。