Search results for "visual_art"

Influence of the modification, induced by zirconia nanoparticles, on the structure and properties of polycarbonate

2013

Melt compounding was used to prepare polycarbonate (PC)–zirconia nanocomposites with different amounts of zirconia. The effect of the zirconia loading, in the range of 1–5 wt.%, on the structure, mechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics was investigated. The zirconia nanoparticle aggregates were well dispersed in the PC matrix and induced the appearance of a local lamellar order in the polycarbonate as inferred by SAXS findings. This order could be a consequence of the intermolecular interactions between zirconia and the polymer, in particular with the quaternary carbon bonded to the methyl groups and the methyl carbon as inferred from the NMR results. The presence of zirconia…

Strain rate effect in the single-fiber-fragmentation test

2001

The single fiber fragmentation test (SFFT) has been widely used to characterize the interface in fiber-reinforced polymers. The purpose of the work reported here was to determine the effect of strain rate on the fiber fragment lengths obtained in the SFFT. Three materials systems were used to make single-fiber-composite specimens: E-glass fiber/polycarbonate matrix, AS4-carbon fiber/polycarbonate matrix, and AU4-carbon fiber/polycarbonate matrix. The fiber-matrix adhesion in all three systems is based on physisorption rather than chemisorption. Each system was tested at strain rates ranging over four orders of magnitude. Results are reported in terms of fragment length, the dependent variab…

Dependence of Coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion (CVTE) of glass fiber reinforced (GFR) polymers on the glass fiber content

2007

In a Glass Fiber Reinforced (GFR) polymer, the coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion CVTE (determined as a sum of the coefficients of linear thermal expansion CLTE’s for the three principal directions) is sometimes much smaller than the value predictable on the basis of well acquainted models, such as Chow model, taking into account fibers anisotropy and aspect ratio.

Nanoscale mechanical characterization of polymers by AFM nanoindentations: Critical approach to the elastic characterization

2006

AFM nanoindentations show a dependence of penetration, i.e., the relative motion between the sample and the tip (indenter), on material elastic properties when using the same load. This elationship becomes visible by using of samples being homogeneous down to the scale of nanoindentation. They were prepared from materials covering a broad range of mechanical behavior: from rubbery networks to glassy and semicrystalline polymers. The elastic modulus can be obtained applying Sneddon’s elastic contact mechanics approach. To do this, some calibrations and instrumental features have to be measured accurately. All the polymers tested show that the contact between the tip and the sample is dominat…

Dielectric properties of a filled epoxy resin: Effect of thermal treatments

1982

Dielectric measurements have been performed at several frequencies on samples of a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin filled with aluminum hydroxide. The samples were thermally treated at three different temperatures for times up to 2,000 hours. At low aging temperatures and times an improvement of the characteristics is observed due perhaps to an assessment of the bulk of the polymer and more precisely to a change in the free volume. At high temperatures and times a thermo-oxidation involving layers deeper and deeper becomes the predominant mechanism responsible of the decrease in the properties with respect to the virgin material.

Metal-Oxide-Free Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite-Based Solar Cells: the Influence of Organic Charge Transport Layers

2014

Metal-oxide-free methylammonium lead iodide perovskite-based solar cells are prepared using a dual-source thermal evaporation method. This method leads to high quality reproducible films with large crystal domain sizes allowing for an in depth study of the effect of perovskite film thickness and the nature of the electron and hole blocking layers on the device performance. The power conversion efficiency increases from 4.7% for a device with only an organic electron blocking layer to almost 15% when an organic hole blocking layer is also employed. In addition to the in depth study on small area cells, larger area cells (approx. 1 cm(-2)) are prepared and exhibit efficiencies in excess of 10…

2019

Abstract The preparation method of a polymer composite and the filler loading are amongst the factors that influence the properties of the final composites. This article studies the effect of these factors on the thermal stability and thermal degradation kinetics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/mesoporous silica (MCM-41) composites filled with small amounts of MCM-41. The PMMA/MCM-41 composites were prepared through in situ polymerisation and melt mixing methods, with MCM-41 loadings of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.%. The presence of MCM-41 increased the thermal stability of PMMA/MCM-41 composites prepared by melt mixing, but in the case of the in situ polymerised samples, the MCM-41 accelerate…

Epoxy resins as a matrix material in advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites

2013

Abstract: This chapter discusses the epoxy resins which, thanks to their good and versatile properties, can be considered nowadays the most important class of thermosetting polymers. In particular the chapter first reviews both the epoxy resins commonly available on the market, including a new class of bio-derived epoxy resins, and the most-used curing agents. it then describes the principal characteristics of the epoxy resins and how it is possible to enhance them by adding several fillers to the epoxy system. Finally, the chapter analyzes the main engineering fields in which epoxy resins find application today and their possible future utilization.

Distribution of molecularly imprinted polymer layers on macroporous silica gel particles by STEM and EDX

2005

Abstract Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in parallel and scanning mode (STEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) the distribution of molecularly imprinted polymer layers covalently grafted on the inner and outer surface of macroporous silica gel particles was observed. The grafting was achieved using a special initiator system ( iniferter ) and applied on a well known model system producing molecularly imprinted layers with l -phenyl alanine analide ( l -PA) as template. By staining the sample with RuO 4 before its embedment in epoxy resin and cutting ultra thin slices it was possible to identify the stained grafted polymer on the silica matrix by EDX. Bas…

Nanowear on Polymer Films of Different Architecture

2007

In this paper, we describe atomic force microscope (AFM) friction experiments on different polymers. The aim was to analyze the influence of the physical architecture of the polymer on the degree and mode of wear and on the wear mode. Experiments were carried out with (1) linear polystyrene (PS) and cycloolefinic copolymers of ethylene and norbornene, which are stabilized by entanglements, (2) mechanically stretched PS, (3) polyisoprene-b-polystyrene diblock copolymers, with varying composition, (4) brush polymers consisting of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) backbone and PS side chains, (5) PMMA and PS brushes grafted from a silicon wafer, (6) plasma-polymerized PS, and (7) chemically c…