Effect of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were used to prepare natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites. Our first efforts to achieve nanostructures in MWNTs/NR nanocomposites were formed by incorporating carbon nanotubes in a polymer solution and subsequently evaporating the solvent. Using this technique, nanotubes can be dispersed homogeneously in the NR matrix in an attempt to increase the mechanical properties of these nanocomposites. The properties of the nanocomposites such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break and hardness were studied. Mechanical test results show an increase in the initial modulus for up to 12 times in relation to pure NR. In addition to mechanical testing, the dispersion state of the MWNTs into NR studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) in order to understand the morphology of the resulting system     

Studies on pore blocking mechanism and technical feasibility of a hybrid PAC-MF process for reclamation of irrigation water from biotreated POME

An integrated low-cost adsorption (with powdered activated carbon, PAC) and cross-flow membrane filtration (with microfiltration membranes of 0.1 and 0.2 μm pore sizes) process was employed for the treatment of biotreated palm oil mill effluent (POME) to produce irrigation water that is fully benchmarked with water-quality standards. The permeate quality was within the recommended standard for irrigation water, as the concentrations of all critical constituents were well below their recommended values. Sustainability of the process integration was further confirmed with the domination of cake filtration over other blocking mechanisms with higher R² values at all trans-membrane pressures. Suitable extended usage of permeate was found for toilet/urinal flushing.     

Fabrication of CdSe‐Nanofibers with Potential for Biomedical Applications

The design and synthesis of nanostructured functional hybrid biomaterials are essential for the next generation of advanced diagnostics and the treatment of disease. A simple route to fabricate semiconductor nanofibers by self‐assembled, elastin‐like polymer (ELP)‐templated semiconductor nanoparticles is reported. Core–shell nanostructures of CdSe nanoparticles with a shell of ELPs are used as building blocks to fabricate functional one‐dimensional (1D) nanostructures. The CdSe particles are generated in situ within the ELP matrix at room temperature. The ELP controls the size and the size‐distribution of the CdSe nanoparticles in an aqueous medium and simultaneously directs the self‐assembly of core–shell building blocks into fibril architectures. It was found that the self‐assembly of core–shell building blocks into nanofibers is strongly dependent on the pH value of the medium. Results of cytotoxicity and antiproliferation of the CdSe‐ELP nanofibers demonstrate that the CdSe‐ELP does not exhibit any toxicity towards B14 cells. Moreover, these are found to be markedly capable of crossing the cell membrane of B14. In contrast, unmodified CdSe nanoparticles with ELPs cause a strong toxic response and reduction in the cell proliferation. This concept is valid for the fabrication of a variety of metallic and semiconductor 1D‐architectures. Therefore, it is believed that these could be used not only for biomedical purposes but for application in a wide range of advanced miniaturized devices.     

Linear viscoelastic behavior of poly(ethylene terephtalate) above Tg amorphous viscoelastic properties Vs crystallinity: Experimental and micromechanical modeling

Linear viscoelastic behavior of amorphous and semicrystalline poly(ethylene terephtalate), (PET), was experimentally investigated. PET’s samples with different crystallinities (Xc) were prepared and viscoelastically characterized. Based on our experimental results (properties of the amorphous PET and semicrystalline polymers), micromechanical model was used to, first predict the viscoelastic properties of the semicrystalline polymers and second predict the changes on the viscoelastic properties of the amorphous phase when the crystallinity increases. For the micromechanical modeling of semicrystalline material’s viscoelastic properties, difficulties lie on the used numerical methods (Laplace-Carson transformation) and also on the actual physical and mechanical properties of the amorphous phase. In this paper we tried to simplify the Laplace-Carson-based method by using a pseudo-elastic one that avoids the numerical difficulties encountered before. The time-dependant problem is so replaced by a frequency-dependant set of elastic equations. Good agreement with low crystallinity fraction was found however large discrepancies appear for medium and high crystallinity. The poor agreement raises the issue of which amorphous mechanical properties should be taken as input in the micromechanical model? According to the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) experimental data, multiple amorphous phases with different glass transition temperatures were observed for each tested semicrystalline sample. For each sample, new glass transition temperature related to an equivalent amorphous phase was determined. DMA tests done at 1 Hz help estimating the mechanical properties of the new amorphous phase based on its new glass transition temperature. Using the new micromechanical approach developed in this paper, the changes occurring on the viscoelastic behavior of the amorphous phase upon crystallization were estimated. Good agreement was found after comparing the micromechanically estimated amorphous behavior with the experimentally estimated one leading to believe that the physical and mechanical properties of the amorphous phase change upon crystallization and taking on account this phenomenon is a key to a good prediction of the semicrystalline behavior using micromechanical models.     

Confinement effect of stiffened and unstiffened concrete-filled stainless steel tubular stub columns

This paper presents a comparative study between stiffened and unstiffened concrete-filled stainless steel hollow tubular stub columns using the austenitic stainless steel grade EN 1.4301 (304). Finite element analysis of concrete-filled stainless steel unstiffened tubular stub columns is constructed herein based on the confined concrete model recently available in the literature. It is then compared with the experimental results of concrete-filled stainless steel stiffened tubular stub columns. The stiffened stainless steel tubular sections were fabricated by welding four lipped angles or two lipped channels at the lips. The longitudinal stiffener of the column plate was formed to avoid shrinkage of the concrete and to act as a continuous connector between the concrete core and the stainless steel tube. The behavior of the columns was investigated using two different nominal concrete cubic strengths of 30 and 60 MPa. The overall depth-to-width ratios (aspect ratio) varied from 1.0 to 1.8. The depth-to-plate thickness ratio of the tube sections varied from 60 to 90. The stiffened and unstiffened concrete-filled stainless steel tube specimens were subjected to uniform axial compression over the concrete and stainless steel tube to force the entire section to undergo the same deformations by blocking action. The ABAQUS 6.6 program, as a finite element package, is used in the current work. The results of the comparative study showed that the stainless steel tubes in stiffened concrete-filled columns offered a high average of increase in the confinement of the concrete core than that of the unstiffened concrete-filled columns.     

Multi-Objective Surface Water Resource Management Considering Conflict Resolution and Utility Function Optimization

In the present research, a multi-objective model is developed for surface water resource management in the river basin area which is connected to the lake. This model considers different components of sustainable water resource management including economic, social and environmental aspects, and simultaneously tries to resolve conflicts between different stakeholders by means of non-symmetric Nash bargaining, which is linked to the multi-objective optimization method. This study proposes a new methodology to improve Nash Conflict Resolution through finding the optimum degree of the utility function. The proposed model is examined in the Zarrineh River basin in Iran. The results show that the amount of available resources or volume of reservoirs play a significant role in determining the optimal degree of the utility function and efficiency of the proposed method in such a way that the higher amount of resources or the larger reservoirs will result in the higher optimal degree of the utility function. In the proposed multi-objective model, two different amounts of surface water inflow are considered. The first assumed amount is the long-term average flow rate and the second one is equal to 80% of the first mode, which is reduced based on the estimated impacts of climate changes. This multi-objective allocation model could supply 100 and 97.5% of the environmental demand of Lake Urmia in the first and second situations, respectively.     

Polyamide 66 microspheres metallised with in situ synthesised gold nanoparticles for a catalytic application

A simple concept is proposed to metallise polyamide 66 (PA66) spherulite structures with in situ synthesised gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using a wet chemical method. This cost-effective approach, applied to produce a PA66/Au NP hybrid material, offers the advantages of controlling the nanoparticle size, the size distribution and the organic-inorganic interactions. These are the key factors that have to be controlled to construct consistent Au nanostructures which are essential for producing the catalytic activities of interest. The hybrid materials obtained are characterised by means of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction spectrometry. The results show that PA66 microspheres obtained via the crystallisation process are coated with Au NPs of 13 nm in size. It was found that controlling the metal coordination is the key parameter to template the Au NPs on the spherulite surfaces. The preparation processes and the key factors leading to the formation of PA66 spherulites coated with Au NPs are discussed. Moreover, the efficiency of the coated spherulites as a potential catalyst is proved by demonstrating the reduction of methylene blue via UV-visible spectrometry.     

Individual variation in immunosuppressive activity of bovine seminal plasma on concanavalin A-stimulated bovine T lymphocytes in vitro

Individual dialyzed seminal plasma samples from 21 bulls in routine artificial breeding service were tested for their immunosuppressive activity on in vitro induced blastogenesis of bovine lymphocytes from 3 nonpregnant cows. Concanavalin A was used to induce blastogenesis and thymidine uptake was monitored. Dialyzed seminal plasma from 15 of 21 bulls inhibited deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis response to concanavalin with cow A lymphocytes, and 21 of 21 were immunosuppressive to lymphocytes from cows B and C. Degree of immunosuppression varied according to bull and cow, ranging from 0 to 100%. The lower the percentage response of the lymphocytes to concanavalin stimulation, the less their inhibition by dialyzed seminal plasma. The degree of immunosuppression produced by a bull's dialyzed seminal plasma was not highly related either to amount of protein in the seminal plasma or to the bull's 60 to 90-d nonreturn rate.