”Investigations on The Finite Size Effects of Some Inverse Spinels and Studies on Their Composites Based on Nitrile Rubber”

In the present study, nano particles of NiFe3O4, I_.l()5Feg5O4 and CoFegO4 are prepared by sol gel method. By appropriate heat treatments, particles of different grain sizes are obtained. The structural, magnetic and electrical measurements are evaluated as a function of grain size and temperature. NiFe3O4 prepared in the ultrafine regime are then incorporated in nitrile rubber matrix. The incorporation was carried out according to a specific recipe and for various loadings of magnetic fillers. The cure characteristics, magnetic properties, electrical properties and mechanical properties of these elastomer blends are carried out. The electrical permittivity of all the rubber samples in the X — band are also conducted

Influence Of Additives On The Drain Down Characteristics Of Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixtures

In Kerala highways, where traditional dense graded mixtures are used for the surface courses, major distress is due to moisture induced damages. Development of stabilized Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) mixtures for improved pavement performance has been the focus of research all over the world for the past few decades. Many successful attempts are made to stabilize SMA mixtures with synthetic fibres and polymers. India, being an agricultural economy produces fairly huge quantity of natural fibres such as coconut, sisal, banana, sugar cane, jute etc.. Now- a -days the disposal of waste plastics is a major concern for an eco- friendly sustainable environment. This paper focuses on the influence of additives like coir, sisal, banana fibres (natural fibres), waste plastics (waste material) and polypropylene (polymer) on the drain down characteristics of SMA mixtures. A preliminary investigation is conducted to characterize the materials used in this study. Drain down sensitivity tests are conducted to study the bleeding phenomena and drain down of SMA mixtures. Based on the drain down characteristics of the various stabilized mixtures it is inferred that the optimum fibre content is 0.3% by weight of mixture for all fibre mixtures irrespective of the type of fibre. For waste plastics and polypropylene stabilized SMA mixtures, the optimum additive contents are respectively 7% and 5% by weight of mixture. Due to the absorptive nature of fibres, fibre stabilizers are found to be more effective in reducing the drain down of the SMA mixture. The drain values for the waste plastics mix is within the required specification range. The coir fibre additive is the best among the fibres investigated. Sisal and banana fibre mixtures showed almost the same characteristics on stabilization.

Magnetic and processability studies on rubber ferrite composites based on natural rubber and mixed ferrite

Polycrystalline single phasic mixed ferrites belonging to the series Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 for various values of x have been prepared by conventional ceramic techniques. Pre-characterized nickel zinc ferrites were then incorporated into a natural rubber matrix according to a specific recipe for various loadings. The processability and cure parameters were then determined. The magnetic properties of the ceramic filler as well as the ferrite loaded rubber ferrite composites (RFC) were evaluated and compared. A general equation for predicting the magnetic properties was also formulated. The validity of these equations were then checked and correlated with the experimental data. The coercivity of the RFCs almost resemble that of the ceramic component in the RFC. Percolation threshold is not reached for a maximum loading of 120 phr (parts per hundred rubber by weight) of the filler. These studies indicate that flexible magnets can be made with appropriate magnetic properties namely saturation magnetisation (Ms) and magnetic field strength (Hc) by a judicious choice of x and a corresponding loading. These studies also suggest that there is no possible interaction between the filler and the matrix at least at the macroscopic level. The formulated equation will aid in synthesizing RFCs with predetermined magnetic

Structural and electrical studies on tetrameric cobalt phthalocyanine and polyaniline composites

Polyaniline and oligomeric cobalt phthalocyanine are blended in different proportions by chemical methods. These blends are characterised by spectroscopic methods and dielectric measurements. Dielectric studies on the conducting polymer blends are carried out in the frequency range of 100 kHz to 5MHz from room temperature (300 K) to 373 K. Dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss of these blends are explained on the basis of interfacial polarisation. From the dielectric permittivity studies, ac conductivity of the samples were calculated and the results are correlated. In order to understand the exact conduction mechanism of the samples, dc electrical conductivity of the blends is carried out in the temperature range of 70–300 K. By applying Mott’s theory, it is found that the conducting polymer composites obey a 3D variable range hopping mechanism. The values of Mott’s temperature (T0), density of states at the Fermi energy (N(EF)), range of hopping (R) and hopping energy (W) for the composites are calculated and presented

Processability, hardness, andmagnetic properties of rubber ferrite composites containingmanganese zinc ferrites

Rubber ferrite composites have the unique advantage of mouldability, which is not easily obtainable using ceramic magnetic materials. The incorporation of mixed ferrites in appropriate weight ratios into the rubber matrix not only modi es the dielectric properties of the composite but also imparts magnetic properties to it. Mixed ferrites belonging to the series of Mn(1 – x )Znx Fe2O4 have been synthesised with diVerent values of x in steps of 0·2, using conventional ceramic processing techniques. Rubber ferrite composites were prepared by the incorporation of these pre-characterised polycrystallineMn(1 – x )Znx Fe2O4 ceramics into a natural rubber matrix at diVerent loadings according to a speci c recipe. The processability of these elastomers was determined by investigating their cure characteristics. The magnetic properties of the ceramic llers as well as of the rubber ferrite composites were evaluated and the results were correlated. Studies of the magnetic properties of these rubber ferrite composites indicate that the magnetisation increases with loading of the ller without changing the coercive eld. The hardness of these composites shows a steady increase with the loading of the magnetic llers. The evaluation of hardness andmagnetic characteristics indicates that composites with optimummagnetisation and almost minimum stiVness can be achieved with a maximum loading of 120 phr of the ller at x=0·4. From the data on the magnetisation of the composites, a simple relationship connecting the magnetisation of the rubber ferrite composite and the ller was formulated. This can be used to synthesise rubber ferrite composites with predetermined magnetic properties

Template-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Passivated Nickel Nanoparticles

Potential applications of nickel nanoparticles demand the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles by different synthesis techniques. A novel and simple technique for the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles is realized by the inter-matrix synthesis of nickel nanoparticles by cation exchange reduction in two types of resins. Two different polymer templates namely strongly acidic cation exchange resins and weakly acidic cation exchange resins provided with cation exchange sites which can anchor metal cations by the ion exchange process are used. The nickel ions which are held at the cation exchange sites by ion fixation can be subsequently reduced to metal nanoparticles by using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. The composites are cycled repeating the loading reduction cycle involved in the synthesis procedure. X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrum, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Analysis are effectively utilized to investigate the different structural characteristics of the nanocomposites. The hysteresis loop parameters namely saturation magnetization and coercivity are measured using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The thermomagnetization study is also conducted to evaluate the Curie temperature values of the composites. The effect of cycling on the structural and magnetic characteristics of the two composites are dealt in detail. A comparison between the different characteristics of the two nanocomposites is also provided

Dielectric andmechanical properties of rubber ferrite composites

Rubber ferrite composites (RFCs) containing powdered nickel zinc ferrite (Ni1 – xZnxFe2O4 ) in a natural rubber matrix have been prepared and their mechanical and dielectric properties have been evaluated. Variations in the relative permittivity of both the ferrite ceramics and RFCs have been studied over a range of frequencies, ceramic compositions, ceramic ller loadings, and temperatures, and the results have been correlated. Appropriate mixture equations have been formulated to calculate the dielectric permittivity of the composite from the dielectric permittivity of its constituents. Values calculated using these equations have been compared with experimental data on relative permittivity, and the two have been found to be in good agreement. In the present investigationit was also observed that for x=0·4 and for the maximum ferrite loading, the composite sample exhibits maximum magnetisation and optimum exibility

Effect of nickel nanofillers on the dielectric and magnetic properties of composites based on rubber in the X-band

Nickel–rubber nanocomposites were synthesized by incorporating ferromagnetic nickel nanoparticles in a natural rubber as well as neoprene rubber matrix. Complex dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability of these composites were evaluated in the X-band microwave frequencies at room temperature using cavity perturbation technique. The dielectric loss in natural rubber is smaller compared to neoprene rubber. A steady increase in the dielectric permittivity is observed with increase in the content of nickel in both the composites. The magnetic permeability exhibits a steady decrease with increase in frequency and magnetic loss shows a relaxation at 8 GHz. The suitability of these composites as microwave absorbers is modeled based on the reflection loss which is dependant on the real and imaginary components of the complex dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability.

Cure Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Rubber Ferrite Composites Based on Nano-Nickel Ferrites

Ultra fine nickel ferrite have been synthesized by the sol-gel method. By heat treating different portions of the prepared powder separately at different temperatures, nano-sized particles of nickel ferrite with varying particle sizes were obtained. These powders were characterised by the X-ray diffraction and then incorporated in the nitrile rubber matrix according to a specific recipe for various loadings. The cure characteristics and the mechanical properties of these rubber ferrite composites (RFCs) were evaluated. The effect of loading and the grain size of the filler on the cure characteristics and tensile properties were also evaluated. It is found that the grain size and porosity of the filler plays a vital role in determining the mechanical properties of the RFCs

Cure Kinetics and Sorption Characteristics of Neoprene-Based Rubber Ferrite Composites

Rubber ferrite composites were prepared by incorporating nickel ferrite in a neoprene rubber matrix. Kinetics of the cure reaction were determined from the rheometric torque values and found to follow first-order kinetics. Analysis of the swelling behavior of the rubber ferrite composites in toluene elucidates the mechanism of solvent penetration and sorption characteristics, and reveals the extent of the physical interaction of the ferrite particles with the neoprene rubber matrix. Mechanical properties of rubber ferrite composites were determined, which support the reinforcing nature of nickel ferrite to the neoprene rubber matrix. These results show that magnetic composites with the required processing safety can be prepared economically by incorporating higher amounts of nickel ferrite in the neoprene rubber matrix

Radiopacity and Chemical resistance of Elastomer-Barium sulphate nanocomposites with special reference to Natural Rubber, Ethylene Propylene Rubber and Isobutylene Isoprene Rubber

The Human race of our century is in gluttonous search for novel engineering products which led to a skyrocketed progress in research and fabrication of filled polymers. Recently, a big window has been opened up for speciality polymers especially elastomers with promising properties. Among the many reasons why rubbers are widely used in the process industries, three are considered as important. Firstly, rubbers operate in a variety of environments and possess usable ranges of deformity and durability and can be exploited through suitable and more or less conventional equipment design principles. Secondly, rubber is an eminently suitable construction material for protection against corrosion in the chemical plant and equipment against various corrosive chemicals as, acids and alkalies and if property tailored, can shield ionising radiations as X-rays and gamma rays in medical industry, with minimum maintenance lower down time, negligible corrosion and a preferred choice for aggressive corroding and ionising environment. Thirdly, rubber can readily and hastily, and at a relatively lower cost, be converted into serviceable products, having intricate shapes and dimensions. In a century’s gap, large employment of flexible polymer materials in the different segments of industry has stimulated the development of new materials with special properties, which paved its way to the synthesis of various nanoscale materials. At nano scale, one makes an entry into a world where multidisciplinary sciences meet and utilises the previously unapproached infinitesimal length scale, having dimension which measure upto one billionth of a meter, to create novel properties. The nano fillers augment the elastomers properties in an astonishing fashion due to their multifunctional nature and unprecedented properties have been exhibited by these polymer-nanocomposites just to beat the shortcomings of traditional micro composites. The current research aims to investigate the possibility of using synthesised nano barium sulphate for fabricating elastomer-based nanocomposites and thereby imparting several properties to the rubber. In this thesis, nano materials, their synthesis, structure, properties and applications are studied. The properties of barium sulphate like chemical resistance and radiopacity have been utilized in the present study and is imparted to the elastomers by preparing composites

Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Hybrid Nanocomposites of TiO2 With Conducting Polymers

A nanocomposite is a multiphase solid material where one of the phases has one, two or three dimensions of less than 100 nanometers (nm), or structures having nano-scale repeat distances between the different phases that make up the material. In the broadest sense this definition can include porous media, colloids, gels and copolymers, but is more usually taken to mean the solid combination of a bulk matrix and nano-dimensional phase(s) differing in properties due to dissimilarities in structure and chemistry. The mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical, electrochemical, catalytic properties of the nanocomposite will differ markedly from that of the component materials. Size limits for these effects have been proposed, <5 nm for catalytic activity, <20 nm for making a hard magnetic material soft, <50 nm for refractive index changes, and <100 nm for achieving superparamagnetism, mechanical strengthening or restricting matrix dislocation movement. Conducting polymers have attracted much attention due to high electrical conductivity, ease of preparation, good environmental stability and wide variety of applications in light-emitting, biosensor chemical sensor, separation membrane and electronic devices. The most widely studied conducting polymers are polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene etc. Conducting polymers provide tremendous scope for tuning of their electrical conductivity from semiconducting to metallic region by way of doping and are organic electro chromic materials with chemically active surface. But they are chemically very sensitive and have poor mechanical properties and thus possessing a processibility problem. Nanomaterial shows the presence of more sites for surface reactivity, they possess good mechanical properties and good dispersant too. Thus nanocomposites formed by combining conducting polymers and inorganic oxide nanoparticles possess the good properties of both the constituents and thus enhanced their utility. The properties of such type of nanocomposite are strongly depending on concentration of nanomaterials to be added. Conducting polymer composites is some suitable composition of a conducting polymer with one or more inorganic nanoparticles so that their desirable properties are combined successfully. The composites of core shell metal oxide particles-conducting polymer combine the electrical properties of the polymer shell and the magnetic, optical, electrical or catalytic characteristics of the metal oxide core, which could greatly widen their applicability in the fields of catalysis, electronics and optics. Moreover nanocomposite material composed of conducting polymers & oxides have open more field of application such as drug delivery, conductive paints, rechargeable batteries, toners in photocopying, smart windows, etc.The present work is mainly focussed on the synthesis, characterization and various application studies of conducting polymer modified TiO2 nanocomposites. The conclusions of the present work are outlined below, Mesoporous TiO2 was prepared by the cationic surfactant P123 assisted hydrothermal synthesis route and conducting polymer modified TiO2 nanocomposites were also prepared via the same technique. All the prepared systems show XRD pattern corresponding to anatase phase of TiO2, which means that there is no phase change occurring even after conducting polymer modification. Raman spectroscopy gives supporting evidence for the XRD results. It also confirms the incorporation of the polymer. The mesoporous nature and surface area of the prepared samples were analysed by N2 adsorption desorption studies and the mesoporous ordering can be confirmed by low angle XRD measurementThe morphology of the prepared samples was obtained from both SEM & TEM. The elemental analysis of the samples was performed by EDX analysisThe hybrid composite formation is confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopyAll the prepared samples have been used for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes, antibiotic, endocrine disruptors and some other organic pollutants. Photocatalytic antibacterial activity studies were also performed using the prepared systemsAll the prepared samples have been used for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes, antibiotic, endocrine disruptors and some other organic pollutants. Photocatalytic antibacterial activity studies were also performed using the prepared systems Polyaniline modified TiO2 nanocomposite systems were found to have good antibacterial activity. Thermal diffusivity studies of the polyaniline modified systems were carried out using thermal lens technique. It is observed that as the amount of polyaniline in the composite increases the thermal diffusivity also increases. The prepared systems can be used as an excellent coolant in various industrial purposes. Nonlinear optical properties (3rd order nonlinearity) of the polyaniline modified systems were studied using Z scan technique. The prepared materials can be used for optical limiting Applications. Lasing studies of polyaniline modified TiO2 systems were carried out and the studies reveal that TiO2 - Polyaniline composite is a potential dye laser gain medium.

Fabrication, Optical Analysis and Photonic Applications of Certain Metallic Nanostructure-Integrated Dye Doped Polymer Optical Fibers” submitted by Ms. Suneetha Sebastian

Polymer Optical Fibers have occupied historically a place for large core flexible fibers operating in short distances. In addition to their practical passive application in short-haul communication they constitute a potential research field as active devices with organic dopants. Organic dyes are preferred as dopants over organic semiconductors due to their higher optical cross section. Thus organic dyes as gain media in a polymer fiber is used to develop efficient and narrow laser sources with a tunability throughout the visible region or optical amplifier with high gain. Dyes incorporated in fiber form has added advantage over other solid state forms such as films since the pump power required to excite the molecules in the core of the fiber is less thereby utilising the pump power effectively. In 1987, Muto et.al investigated a dye doped step index polymer fiber laser. Afterwards, numerous researches have been carried out in this area demonstrating laser emission from step index, graded index and hollow optical fibers incorporating various dyes. Among various dyes, Rhodamine6G is the most widely and commonly used laser dye for the last four decades. Rhodamine6G has many desirable optical properties which make it preferable over other organic dyes such as Coumarin, Nile Blue, Curcumin etc. The research focus on the implementation of efficient fiber lasers and amplifiers for short fiber distances. Developing efficient plastic lasers with electrical pumping can be a new proposal in this field which demands lowest possible threshold pump energy of the gain medium in the cavity as an important parameter. One way of improving the efficiency of the lasers, through low threshold pump energy, is by modifying the gain of the amplifiers in the resonator/cavity. Success in the field of Radiative Decay Engineering can pave way to this problem. Laser gain media consisting of dye-nanoparticle composites can improve the efficiency by lowering the lasing threshold and enhancing the photostability. The electric field confined near the surface of metal nanoparticles due to Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance can be very effective for the excitation of active centers to impart high optical gain for lasing. Since the Surface Plasmon Resonance of nanoparticles of gold and silver lies in the visible range, it can affect the spectral emission characteristics of organic dyes such as Rhodamine6G through plasmon field generated by the particles. The change in emission of the dye placed near metal nanoparticles depend on plasmon field strength which in turn depends on the type of metal, size of nanoparticle, surface modification of the particle and the wavelength of incident light. Progress in fabrication of different types of nanostructures lead to the advent of nanospheres, nanoalloys, core-shell and nanowires to name a few. The thesis deals with the fabrication and characterisation of polymer optical fibers with various metallic and bimetallic nanostructures incorporated in the gain media for efficient fiber lasers with low threshold and improved photostability.

Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of Conductive Elastomeric Composites Based on Polypyrrole and Short Nylon-6 Fiber

The search for new materials especially those possessing special properties continues at a great pace because of ever growing demands of the modern life. The focus on the use of intrinsically conductive polymers in organic electronic devices has led to the development of a totally new class of smart materials. Polypyrrole (PPy) is one of the most stable known conducting polymers and also one of the easiest to synthesize. In addition, its high conductivity, good redox reversibility and excellent microwave absorbing characteristics have led to the existence of wide and diversified applications for PPy. However, as any conjugated conducting polymer, PPy lacks processability, flexibility and strength which are essential for industrial requirements. Among various approaches to making tractable materials based on PPy, incorporating PPy within an electrically insulating polymer appears to be a promising method, and this has triggered the development of blends or composites. Conductive elastomeric composites of polypyrrole are important in that they are composite materials suitable for devices where flexibility is an important parameter. Moreover these composites can be moulded into complex shapes.