0000000000231166

AUTHOR

Z. Roja

Work posture load evaluation in medium size metal processing enterprise in Latvia

Article The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of individual workers to ergonomic risk factors associated with upper, lower extremities and trunk WRMSDs and to assess entire body posture for risk of WRMSDs. The company that produces finished metal products (ironing boards) was chosen for the research. Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) was used to assess the entire body posture for risk of WRMSDs. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method was used for ironing boards employees to evaluate exposure of the neck, trunk, arms and legs in relation to physical load. Our study proved that employees are subjected to WRMSDs due to the load on certain body parts during the work: shoulder …

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Elastic properties of UV irradiated polyethylene-octene copolymer composites with functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes

ABSTRACTPolyethylene-octene copolymer (E38) is melt compounded with carboxylated carbon nanotubes (CNT-COOH) in the presence of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PEgMA). The effects of CNT-COOH in the amount of 1–10 wt. % on the mechanical properties of E38 based composite are investigated. It is revealed that addition of CNT-COOH considerably increases the stiffness and mechanical strength of the E38 based composites. The effect of UV irradiation on the structure as well as on the mechanical properties of E38/PEgMA/CNT-COOH composites is also investigated. Results of the investigation testify that UV resistance of the E38 based composites increases by increasing the content of CNT-COO…

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Properties of PP/MWCNT-COOH /PP composites made by melt mixing versus solution cast /melt mixing methods

An approach on improvement of the properties of polypropylene / carbon nanotube (PP/CNT) composites is reported. PP blend compositions with carboxylic acid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) at filler content 1.0 wt.% were researched. One part of the composites was manufactured by direct thermoplastic mixing PP with the filler, but the other one was made from solution casted masterbatch with the following thermoplastic mixing. An increase of mechanical properties (Young's modulus, storage modulus and tensile strength), compared to an increase of glass transition temperature indicated a reinforcement effect of CNTs on PP matrix, determined from the tensile tests and di…

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Impact of non-functionalized and ionic liquid modified carbon nanotubes on mechanical and thermal properties of ethylene- octene copolymer nanocomposites

In this article the development and characterization of composites made from metallocene based ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) with 38% octene content, non-modified or modified multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), covalently functionalised with long chain hexadecyl moiety imidazolium ionic liquid (IL-f-MWCNTs), is presented. The procedure of MWCNTs functionalization is discussed. In order to obtain a good dispersion of the filler, composites with MWCNTs and IL-f-MWCNTs in the concentration range of 0.5-12 wt.% were made by ultrasonication / thermoplastic mixing method. The results indicated improvement in mechanical properties with increase of the filler content. The methodology of the d…

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