Search results for " mechanical propertie"
showing 10 items of 79 documents
Tailoring Electrospinning Fabrication for Scaffolds for Heart Valve Tissue Engineering
2010
Previous work in controlling mechanical properties of electrospun scaffolds has largely been limited to altering the orientation of the fibrous network by either large rotational velocity or by altering the electric field during fabrication. Our lab has previously developed a technique to analyze the complete microstructural topology of electrospun scaffolds and extract key descriptors. In this project, we translated the target mandrel at varying speeds along its rotational axis in order to modify the microarchitecture without altering the fiber orientation angle. Using the algorithm mentioned above, we determined that increasing the translation speed resulted in a decrease in fiber interse…
Noise driven translocation of short polymers in crowded solutions
2008
In this work we study the noise induced effects on the dynamics of short polymers crossing a potential barrier, in the presence of a metastable state. An improved version of the Rouse model for a flexible polymer has been adopted to mimic the molecular dynamics by taking into account both the interactions between adjacent monomers and introducing a Lennard-Jones potential between all beads. A bending recoil torque has also been included in our model. The polymer dynamics is simulated in a two-dimensional domain by numerically solving the Langevin equations of motion with a Gaussian uncorrelated noise. We find a nonmonotonic behaviour of the mean first passage time and the most probable tran…
A new eco-friendly chemical treatment of natural fibres: Effect of sodium bicarbonate on properties of sisal fibre and its epoxy composites
2016
Abstract Several researchers have shown how sisal fibres possess remarkable tensile properties that yield them good candidates as reinforcement in biocomposite materials. This work aims to evaluate the effect of an eco-friendly and cost effective surface treatment method based on the use of commercial sodium bicarbonate (i.e. baking soda) on properties of sisal fibre and its epoxy composites. In particular, raw sisal fibres were treated with a 10%w/w of sodium bicarbonate solution for different periods (24, 120 and 240 h), at room temperature. Changes occurring in sisal fibres were characterized through scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric…
Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L.) fibres as potential reinforcement of composite structures
2011
Abstract The aim of this paper is to examine the use of artichoke fibres as potential reinforcement in polymer composites. The fibres are extracted from the stem of artichoke plant, which grows in Southern Sicily. In order to use these lignocellulosic fibres as potential reinforcement in polymer composites, it is fundamental to investigate their microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties. Therefore, the morphology of artichoke fibres was investigated through electron microscopy, the thermal behaviour through thermogravimetric analysis and the real density through a helium pycnometer. The chemical composition of the natural fibres in terms of cellulose, lignin, and ash co…
Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications
2021
In this work, bionanocomposites based on different biodegradable polymers and two types of nanofillers, namely a nanosized calcium carbonate and an organomodified nanoclay, were produced through melt extrusion, with the aim to evaluate the possible applications of these materials as a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived polyolefins, for the production of irrigation pipes. The rheological behavior of the formulated systems was thoroughly evaluated by exploiting different flow regimes, and the obtained results indicated a remarkable effect of the introduced nanofillers on the low-frequency rheological response, especially in nanoclay-based bionanocomposites. Conversely, t…
On tool stirring action in friction stir welding of work hardenable aluminium alloys
2013
In the paper solid state bonding conditions obtained in friction stir welding (FSW) of AA5754-H111 butt joints are analysed, considering the so called zigzag line in the transverse section of the joints. A wide experimental campaign was carried out varying both tool advancing speed and tool rotational one. The effects of the process on the mechanical properties of the joint were highlighted and micro- and macro-observations were used in order to explain the reasons of the enhanced mechanical properties found for the welded material. Numerical results derived from a FEM model previously developed by the authors were utilised to point out the different mechanical and metallurgical behavior of…
Hydrothermal Ageing Effect on Reinforcement Efficiency of Nanofibrillated Cellulose/Biobased Poly(butylene succinate) Composites
2022
Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) is a sustainable functional nanomaterial known for its high strength, stiffness, and biocompatibility. It has become a key building block for the next-generation of lightweight, advanced materials for applications such as consumer products, biomedical, energy storage, coatings, construction, and automotive. Tunable and predictable durability under environmental impact is required for high performance applications. Bio-based poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) composites containing up to 50% NFC content were designed and aged in distilled water or at high relative humidity (RH98%). PBS/NFC composites are characterized by up to 10-fold increased water absorption ca…
Performance evaluation of a bio-based composite building material made of natural resin mixed with hay
2016
Recent years have seen an increasing public interest in issues related to energy saving and environmental pollution reduction in the building sector. As a result, many directives have been issued, the most important being the Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD Recast) on the energy performance of buildings, which requires that “Member States shall ensure that by 31 December 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings”. This goal can be obtained not only by reducing energy demand for heating and cooling, but also, for example, by improving building envelope performances. In this work, a first analysis of the thermal and structural behaviour of a biocomposite material, constituted by a na…
Green Composites Based on Hedysarum coronarium with Outstanding FDM Printability and Mechanical Performance
2022
The addition of natural scraps to biodegradable polymers has gained particular interest in recent years, allowing reducing environmental pollution related to traditional plastic. In this work, new composites were fabricated by adding 10% or 20% of Hedysarum coronarium (HC) flour to Poly (lactic acid) (PLA). The two formulations were first produced by twin screw extrusion and the obtained filaments were then employed for the fabrication of composites, either for compression molding (CM) or by fused deposition modeling (FDM), and characterized from a morphological and mechanical point of view. Through FDM it was possible to achieve dense structures with good wettability of the filler that, on…
Effect of stress and temperature on the thermomechanical degradation of a PE-LD/OMMT nanocomposites
2014
Thermomechanical degradation of nanocomposites is a topical issue that has not been fully investigated as demonstrated by the low number of papers available in the literature regarding this spe- cific aspect. In particular, with regards to low density polyethylene/clay nanocomposites, the degrada- tion behavior is very complex since it involves the degradation paths of both the polymer matrix and the organomodified nanoclay. In the present work, the effects of mechanical stress and temperature on the thermomechanical behavior of PE-LD/organomodified clay nanocomposites and the degradation paths were investigated by rheological, FT-IR and mechanical methods. The results have shown that the t…