Thermal Analysis, Mechanical and Rheological Behaviour of Melt Manufactured Polyethylene/Liquid Crystal Polymer Blends

Modification of properties of conventional thermoplastics with thermotropic liquid crystal polymers, from one hand, allows decrease their viscosities, substantially facilitating processing conditions, and, from another hand, allows increase their exploitation properties. Orientation of the labile structure of liquid crystal polymer in extrusion or injection moulding causes specific reinforcement (so-called self-reinforcement) to occur in the blends containing liquid crystal polymer. Up to now the effect of self-reinforcement is mostly investigated in the blends, containing considerable amount of liquid crystal polymer. In this research the effect of minor amounts of liquid crystalline co-po…

Research of the physical-chemical properties of adhesive radiation-modified thermosetting materials based on polyolefins and their composites

The present paper surveys the investigation results of the adhesive behavior with steel of different polyethylenes (LDPE, HDPE) irradiated with γ-radiation in vacuum, oxygen, and air, using rheological, optical, thermomechanical and other methods. To study the adhesive contact, the technological parameters applicable to thermosetting polymer material were taken into consideration. The results show the suitable methods in order to obtain thermosetting polymer materials with improved adhesive and thermomechanical properties.

Manufacturing, structure and properties of recycled polyethylene terephthalate /liquid crystal polymer/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/liquid crystal polymer (LCP)/monthmorillonite clay (MMT) compositions were obtained by melt mixing. Their mechanical, structural, rheological and thermal properties were investigated.

Thermomechanical Properties of Radiation-Modified Polyethylene/Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Copolymer/Liquid-Crystalline Copolyester Blends

Radiation-modified blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) with ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM; 10-65 wt.%) and thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP; 10 wt.%) were investigated. The LCP was a liquid-crystalline copolyester of 40% poly(ethylene terephthalate) with 60% 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The constituents were blended using a circular extruder, the specimens were prepared by compression molding and irradiated by 60Co γ-radiation up to 200 kGy. Mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties in wide temperature range were investigated for the irradiated and non-irradiated specimens. The effects of irradiation on the thermomechanical behaviour of the PE matrix are discus…

The effects of a medical hypnotherapy on clothing industry employees suffering from chronic pain.

Abstract Background Problems associated with pain in several body regions due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs), repetitive movement and negative stress at work are quite common in many manufacturing industries of Latvia, int.al. clothing industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficiency of the psychotherapeutic intervention using medical hypnotherapy (MH) program for mind-body relaxation with pain-blocking imagery, cognitive restructuring of unpleasant physical and emotional experience. Methods 300 sewers and 50 cutters with chronic pain were involved in the study. Self-rated WRMDs symptoms, pain intensity and interference were assessed using the extended version o…

New Thermoshrinkable Materials of Radiation Modified Polypropylene-Elastomer Composites with Cross-Linking Agents

In this work, electron beam modified heterogeneous composites of isotactic polypropylene (PP) with chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) have been investigated. The PP/CPE blend composites with an excess of elastomer (30/70 wt%) have been modified with trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate (BPDMA) cross-linking agents and have been irradiated with accelerated electrons up to ionizing radiation doses from 25 to 150 kGy. The internal stresses characterizing the thermoshrinkage properties (TMP) thermorelaxation stresses formed in thermal heating and the residual stresses resulting in the process of full setting and cooling of materials have been investigated for radiat…

Properties of radiation-modified blends of polyethylene with elastomers and liquid crystalline copolyester

The results are given on the effect of γ-irradiation on properties of blends of high and low-density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE) with elastomers -ethylene/propylene/diene rubber (EPDM) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP). The morphological, thermal, mechanical properties (including thermosetting properties) and adhesion properties of blended composites were investigated. A special attention was paid to the applicability of the blends as thermosetting materials (TSM). The LCP used was a copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with p-(hydroxybenzoic acid) in the ratio 40: 60. It was found that addition of LCP essentially influenced the therm…

Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Unvulcanized Polypropylene Blends with Different Elastomers: Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Terpolymer, Nitrile-Butadiene Copolymer and Chlorinated Polyethylene

In this work, composites of isotactic polypropylene (PP) with three unvulcanized elastomers – terpolymer of ethylene-propylene-dicyclopentadiene (EPDM), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and copolymer of acrylonitrile-butadiene (NBR) – have been investigated. The purpose of the investigation was to create PP/elastomer blend composites of significantly different compositions (with an excess of PP, intermediate ones, and with an excess of elastomer) and to study the dependence of tensile behaviour and elastic properties on the blends with different component ratio. Tensile properties have been recognized from the stress-strain curves. The changes of elastic modulus have been characterized with r…

Heat shrinkable behavior, physico-mechanical and structure properties of electron beam cross-linked blends of high-density polyethylene with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber

Abstract In this study, heat-shrinkable composites of electron beam irradiated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) were investigated. HDPE/NBR blends at a ratio of components 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 50/50 and 20/80 wt% were prepared using a two-roll mill. The compression molded films were irradiated high-energy (5 MeV) accelerated electrons up to irradiation absorbed doses of 100–300 kGy. The effect of electron beam induced cross-linking was evaluated by the changes of mechanical properties, gel content and by the differences of thermal properties, detected by differential scanning calorimetry. The thermo-shrinkage forces were determined as the…

Liquid Crystalline Copolyester Made from Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate and p-Acetoxybenzoic Acid: Synthesis, Characterization and Blending with Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate

Polyethylene wastes (low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene and their binary blends) were subjected to high-energy radiation, using a 60Co gamma radiation source. The crosslinked materials thus obtained were processed to heatshrinkable films. Tensile strength could be sharply improved by increasing the dose up to 20 Mrad, simultaneously increasing the elongation at break of the most degraded PE waste. An increase of the degree of compatibility of LDPE and HDPE waste was also observed. All samples examined exhibit a “memory effect” after drawing at 130°C and cooling under tension followed by further heating under relaxed conditions. The value of shrinkage depended on the degree …

Ergonomic Risks in the Printing Company and Workers’ Wellbeing

The aim of the study was to analyze the ergonomic risks in the printing company and to study the impact of ergonomics risks on employees’ wellbeing. The study involved 67 company workers aged 18 to 67 years. In the study, physical load evaluation methods and questionnaire on welfare and psychoemotional risks at work, adopted by Swedish Environmental Research Institute, were used. It was proved that production workers were subjected to increased physical workload. At work they are exposed to physical pressure on hands, shoulders and back. The workload is more affected by the increase in work tension due to limited time of order execution. It was concluded that ergonomic risks partly affect e…

Thermomechanical properties of radiation-modified blends of polyethylene with liquid crystalline copolyester

The results of investigation of gamma irradiated blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) with thermotropic polymer liquid crystal (PLC) are presented. The PLC used was a copolyester of 40% poly(ethylene terephthalate) with 60% p-(hydroxy-benzoic acid). The PLC content in the blends was 0, 5, and 10 wt%. The constituents were blended with the use of a single screw extruder. The specimens were prepared by compression molding. The irradiation of the samples was performed by a Co 60 γ-radiation source in inert atmosphere (argon) up to absorbed relatively low doses (up to 200 kGy: 1 Mrad = 10 kGy). The morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties were investigated for irradiated and unirra…

Mechanical, structural and magnetic properties of polypropylene/iron ferrite magnetic nanocomposites

In this research, composites of polypropylene (PP) and a relatively small concentrations of iron ferrite (Fe3O4) nanopowder equal to 2, 5 and 10 wt.% have been made. An methacrylate monomer 2,2'-bis-(4-(2-methylprop-2-enoyloxy)phenyl)- propane (BAD) was added at a small amount (3 wt.%) to part of the composites during the thermoplastic mixing. The BAD has been used as a compatibilizing agent on the phase interaction between the filler and the matrix of polypropylene. It has been found that composites have adjustable mechanical, structural and magnetic properties dependent on the content of magnetic filler. Increase of concentration of ferrite particles affects a notable increase of elastic …

Mechanical and thermomechanical properties of radiation modified poly(ethylene-octene)/Ni-Zn ferrite nanocomposites

Poly(ethylene-1-octene) copolymer (POE) composites filled with nickel-zinc ferrite nanoparticles have been modified by exposure to an electron beam at doses up to 500 kGy. The influence of radiation dose and ferrite content on mechanical properties has been investigated. Thermomechanical properties – thermorelaxation stresses formed in thermal heating and thermo residual stresses resulting in the process of full setting and cooling of materials have been investigated for radiation cross-linked oriented (extended up to 100%) composite samples. Increase of concentration of ferrite particles and increase of radiation dose affects a notable increase of elastic modulus and reduces the deformabil…

Recycled Polycarbonate Blend as Matrix for Development of Polymer Nanocomposite

Summary: Secondary polycarbonate (SPC) is modified with various amounts (5, 10, 30 wt%) of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAc) in order to reduce its brittleness. It is observed that at optimal EVAc weight content maximum tensile strength σM and impact strength AI increse by 14% (ωEVAc = 5 wt%) and 450% (ωEVAc = 10 wt%) in comparison to neat SPC, respectively. Addition of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) allowed further increase of elastic modulus E, strength and creep resistance of the investigated SPC blend with 10 wt% of EVAc.

Assessment of skeletal muscle fatigue of road maintenance workers based on heart rate monitoring and myotonometry

Abstract Objective This research work is dedicated to occupational health problems caused by ergonomic risks. The research object was road building industry, where workers have to work very intensively, have long work hours, are working in forced/constrained work postures and overstrain during the work specific parts of their bodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the work heaviness degree and to estimate the muscle fatigue of workers after one week work cycle. The study group consisted of 10 road construction and maintenance workers and 10 pavers aged between 20 and 60 years. Methods Physical load were analyzed by measuring heart rate (HR), work postures (OWAS) and perceived exertio…