Ekologisen kuorilevyn valmistaminen puunjalostusteollisuuden sivutuotteista

Puunjalostusteollisuudessa syntyy huomattavia määriä sivutuotteita, joiden hyödyntäminen on vielä vajavaista. Sahajauhon ja puukuoren pääasiallinen käyttö rajoittuu energiantuotantoon eli polttamiseen voimalaitoksissa. Selostettavassa tutkimustyössä, joka on tehty Lappeenrannan teknillisen yliopiston puunjalostustekniikan levylaboratoriossa, on pyritty selvittämään kotimaisten kuusi-, mänty- ja koivukuorten käyttömahdollisuuksia raaka-aineina lastulevyn tapaan ns. ekologisen kuorilevyn valmistamisessa, mutta ilman liimaa. Tutkimusmateriaalina käytettiin puunjalostusteollisuudesta hankittua tuoretta kuusen ja männyn rumpukuorintajätettä sekä koivun roottorikuorintajätettä, joista kukin raaka-aine pienennettiin kahteen eri partikkelikokoon käyttäen oksasilppuria ja vasaramyllyä. Raaka-ainemäärät mitattiin ja kaadettiin viiran päällä olevaan puusta valmistettuun muottiin ja muotin poisnostamisen jälkeen levyaihio puristettiin 1-välikuumapuristimessa sykleittäin. Valmistetut kuorilevyt olivat 1 -kerroksisia. Koelevyistä tutkittiin kosteuspitoisuus, tilavuuspaino, taivutuslujuus ja Brinell -kovuus.Saadut tulokset osoittavat, että kuusen, männyn ja koivun kuoresta voidaan valmistaa kuorilevyä ilman liima-ainetta, sillä puukuoren sisältämät omat liimaavuutta parantavat uuteaineet antavat riittävän vaikutuksen kuorilevyn rakenteen stabiloimiseksi. Tällaisen kuorilevyn taivutuslujuus on kuitenkin huomattavasti heikompi kuin puulastulevyllä. Kaikki jauhetusta raaka-aineesta sekä pelkästään silputusta koivuraaka-aineesta valmistetut kuorilevyt täyttävät taivutuslujuuden osalta kuitenkin huokoiselle, A-lujuusluokan standardi-kuitulevylle asetetut vaatimukset. Tarkasteltaessa eri raaka-aineista valmistettujen levyjen ominaisuuksia, voidaan todeta, että tilavuuspainoltaan suurinta sekä kovuudeltaan ja taivutuslujuudeltaan parasta levyä saadaan valmistettua jauhetusta koivukuoresta. Jokaisen valmistetun kuorilevyn kovuusarvo ylittää Suomen johtavan lastulevyn valmistajan lastulevyn kovuusarvon lukuun ottamatta pelkästään silputuista kuusi- ja mäntykuorista valmistettuja levyjä.Vaikka tulokset ovat suuntaa-antavia, osoittavat ne selvästi millaisia mahdollisuuksia tarjoaa puun kuoren tai sahajauhon käyttäminen lastulevyn tapaan valmistettavien levyjen raaka-aineena. Koko tutkimuskenttä on tässä käsiteltävänä olevalla alueella varsin laaja, ja tässä tutkimuksessa selvitetyt asiat ovat siitä vain pieni osa antaen kuitenkin suunnan useille tärkeille jatkossa selvitettäville asioille. Näistä mainittakoon mm. ekologisen levyn jatkojalostus ja tuotesuunnittelu, levyn valmistuksen taloudellisuus ja tuotteiden markkinointi, kuorilevyn valmistusprosessin kehittäminen sekä eri raaka-aineyhdistelmien kokeilu kuorilevyn raaka-aineena.

Komposiittirakenteiden soveltamismahdollisuudet pesureissa

Teräksen raaka-ainekustannusten jyrkkä nousu pakottaa prosessiteollisuuden etsimään vaihtoehtoisia rakennemateriaaleja, joiden ominaisuudet ovat vähintään terästä vastaavia. Prosessiteollisuudessa joudutaan käyttämään runsaasti kemikaaleja kestäviä laitteita, jolloin rakennemateriaaliksi sopiva on haponkestävä teräs. Laitteiden kokojen kasvusta seuraa niiden kokonaispainojen kasvu aiheuttaen haasteita niitä kantaville perustuksille. Komposiitti on yksi varteenotettava vaihtoehto haponkestävän teräksen korvaajaksi, sillä komposiitin ominaisuus/painosuhde on terästä parempi. Diplomityön tavoitteena on ollut selvittää Washers & Filters – tuoteperheeseen kuuluvien laitteiden, DD-pesurin (Drum Displacer) ja GF- suotimen (GasFree Filter), rakenteista löytyvien osien mahdollisuutta korvata komposiitilla. Työn pohjaksi on käsitelty komposiittien ominaisuuksia, tyyppejä ja valmistusmenetelmiä sekä perehdytty sellupesureiden toimintaprosessiin. Tältä pohjalta löytyi valintakriteerien avulla rakenteita, joita olisi mahdollista korvata komposiitilla.

Enhancing performance of paper coatings by tailor-made plastic pigments

The paper industry is constantly looking for new ideas for improving paper products while competition and raw material prices are increasing. Many paper products are pigment coated. Coating layer is the top layer of paper, thus by modifying coating pigment also the paper itself can be altered and value added to the final product. In this thesis, synthesis of new plastic and hybrid pigments and their performance in paper and paperboard coating is reported. Two types of plastic pigments were studied: core-shell latexes and solid beads of maleimide copolymers. Core-shell latexes with partially crosslinked hydrophilic polymer core of poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-methacrylic acid) and a hard hydrophobic polystyrene shell were prepared to improve the optical properties of coated paper. In addition, the effect of different crosslinkers was analyzed and the best overall performance was achieved by the use of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). Furthermore, the possibility to modify core-shell latex was investigated by introducing a new polymerizable optical brightening agent, 1-[(4-vinylphenoxy)methyl]-4-(2-henylethylenyl)benzene which gave promising results. The prepared core-shell latex pigments performed smoothly also in pilot coating and printing trials. The results demonstrated that by optimizing polymer composition, the optical and surface properties of coated paper can be significantly enhanced. The optimal reaction conditions were established for thermal imidization of poly(styrene-co-maleimide) (SMI) and poly(octadecene-co-maleimide) (OMI) from respective maleic anhydride copolymer precursors and ammonia in a solvent free process. The obtained aqueous dispersions of nanoparticle copolymers exhibited glass transition temperatures (Tg) between 140-170ºC and particle sizes from 50-230 nm. Furthermore, the maleimide copolymers were evaluated in paperboard coating as additional pigments. The maleimide copolymer nanoparticles were partly imbedded into the porous coating structure and therefore the full potential of optical property enhancement for paperboard was not achieved by this method. The possibility to modify maleimide copolymers was also studied. Modifications were carried out via N-substitution by replacing part of the ammonia in the imidization reaction with amines, such as triacetonediamine (TAD), aspartic acid (ASP) and fluorinated amines (2,2,2- trifluoroethylamine, TFEA and 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobuthylamine, HFBA). The obtained functional nanoparticles varied in size between 50-217 nm and their Tg from 150-180ºC. During the coating process the produced plastic pigments exhibited good runnability. No significant improvements were achieved in light stability with TAD modified copolymers whereas nanoparticles modified with aspartic acid and those containing fluorinated groups showed the desired changes in surface properties of the coated paperboard. Finally, reports on preliminary studies with organic-inorganic hybrids are presented. The hybrids prepared by an in situ polymerization reaction consisted of 30 wt% poly(styrene- co-maleimide) (SMI) and high levels of 70 wt% inorganic components of kaolin and/or alumina trihydrate. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images and characterization by Fourier Transform Infrared Spcetroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed that the hybrids had conventional composite structure and inorganic components were covered with precipitated SMI nanoparticles attached to the surface via hydrogen bonding. In paper coating, the hybrids had a beneficial effect on increasing gloss levels.

Tuulivoimalan staattoripakan puristusrakenteen kehittäminen

Diplomityössä tutkittiin voidaanko tuulivoimalan generaattorin staattoripakan puristamisessa hyödyntää komposiittista rakenneratkaisua. Tyypillisesti generaattorissa staattorin teräslevyt puristetaan erilaisilla teräsrakenteilla toisiaan vasten. Tavoitteena oli selvittää, voidaanko puristavan komposiittirakenteen osana hyödyntää liimaliitosta tai laminoitua liitosta. Tarkoitus oli etsiä rakenteeseen soveltuva liima ja liimaliitoksen arvot tai laminoitu rakenne ja sille soveltuvat materiaalit ja suoritustapa. Työssä on perehdytty erilaisiin tuulivoimalatyyppeihin, sekä niissä käytettäviin kesto- ja vierasmagnetoituihin generaattorityyppeihin. Tämän lisäksi on tarkasteltu niissä käytettävien staattorien valmistusvaihtoehtoja ja syitä miksi niissä olevat teräslevyt on puristettava toisiaan vasten. Samalla on luotu katsaus nykyisin käytössä oleviin rakenteisiin, joilla puristus voidaan toteuttaa. Liimauksesta on käsitelty perusteoriaa, sekä seikkoja jotka vaikuttavat liimaliitoksen kestoon. Työssä tutkittavaan liitokseen soveltuvien liimojen ominaisuuksia on käsitelty. Myös laminoituun liitokseen jo aiemmin kovettuneeseen komposiittiin on perehdytty. Tutkittavaan rakenteeseen soveltuvia hartsi- ja lasikuitutyyppejä on esitelty. Komposiittien mekaaniseen liittämiseen on lyhyesti perehdytty. Työssä suoritettiin useita vetokokeita, joilla selvitettiin puristusrakenteen tutkimista varten valmistettujen koekappaleiden suurin vetokuormankesto. Vetokokeiden perusteella voitiin valita soveltuvin rakenne staattorin puristamiseksi.

Using passive techniques for vibration damping in mechanical systems

This paper examines two passive techniques for vibration reduction in mechanical systems: the first one is based on dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) and the second uses resonant circuit shunted (RCS) piezoceramics. Genetic algorithms are used to determine the optimal design parameters with respect to performance indexes, which are associated with the dynamical behavior of the system over selected frequency bands. The calculation of the frequency response functions (FRFs) of the composite structure (primary system + DVAs) is performed through a substructure coupling technique. A modal technique is used to determine the frequency response function of the structure containing shunted piezoceramics which are bonded to the primary structure. The use of both techniques simultaneously on the same structure is investigated. The methodology developed is illustrated by numerical applications in which the primary structure is represented by simple Euler-Bernoulli beams. However, the design aspects of vibration control devices presented in this paper can be extended to more complex structures.

Tailoring Magnetic Properties of Co-Fe Thin Films by Topographical Modifications Using Thermal Annealing and Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation and Fabrication of Magnetoelectric Multilayers for Device Applications

Magnetism and magnetic materials have been playing a lead role in improving the quality of life. They are increasingly being used in a wide variety of applications ranging from compasses to modern technological devices. Metallic glasses occupy an important position among magnetic materials. They assume importance both from a scientific and an application point of view since they represent an amorphous form of condensed matter with significant deviation from thermodynamic equilibrium. Metallic glasses having good soft magnetic properties are widely used in tape recorder heads, cores of high-power transformers and metallic shields. Superconducting metallic glasses are being used to produce high magnetic fields and magnetic levitation effect. Upon heat treatment, they undergo structural relaxation leading to subtle rearrangements of constituent atoms. This leads to densification of amorphous phase and subsequent nanocrystallisation. The short-range structural relaxation phenomenon gives rise to significant variations in physical, mechanical and magnetic properties. Magnetic amorphous alloys of Co-Fe exhibit excellent soft magnetic properties which make them promising candidates for applications as transformer cores, sensors, and actuators. With the advent of microminiaturization and nanotechnology, thin film forms of these alloys are sought after for soft under layers for perpendicular recording media. The thin film forms of these alloys can also be used for fabrication of magnetic micro electro mechanical systems (magnetic MEMS). In bulk, they are drawn in the form of ribbons, often by melt spinning. The main constituents of these alloys are Co, Fe, Ni, Si, Mo and B. Mo acts as the grain growth inhibitor and Si and B facilitate the amorphous nature in the alloy structure. The ferromagnetic phases such as Co-Fe and Fe-Ni in the alloy composition determine the soft magnetic properties. The grain correlation length, a measure of the grain size, often determines the soft magnetic properties of these alloys. Amorphous alloys could be restructured in to their nanocrystalline counterparts by different techniques. The structure of nanocrystalline material consists of nanosized ferromagnetic crystallites embedded in an amorphous matrix. When the amorphous phase is ferromagnetic, they facilitate exchange coupling between nanocrystallites. This exchange coupling results in the vanishing of magnetocrystalline anisotropy which improves the soft magnetic properties. From a fundamental perspective, exchange correlation length and grain size are the deciding factors that determine the magnetic properties of these nanocrystalline materials. In thin films, surfaces and interfaces predominantly decides the bulk property and hence tailoring the surface roughness and morphology of the film could result in modified magnetic properties. Surface modifications can be achieved by thermal annealing at various temperatures. Ion irradiation is an alternative tool to modify the surface/structural properties. The surface evolution of a thin film under swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is an outcome of different competing mechanism. It could be sputtering induced by SHI followed by surface roughening process and the material transport induced smoothening process. The impingement of ions with different fluence on the alloy is bound to produce systematic microstructural changes and this could effectively be used for tailoring magnetic parameters namely coercivity, saturation magnetization, magnetic permeability and remanence of these materials. Swift heavy ion irradiation is a novel and an ingenious tool for surface modification which eventually will lead to changes in the bulk as well as surface magnetic property. SHI has been widely used as a method for the creation of latent tracks in thin films. The bombardment of SHI modifies the surfaces or interfaces or creates defects, which induces strain in the film. These changes will have profound influence on the magnetic anisotropy and the magnetisation of the specimen. Thus inducing structural and morphological changes by thermal annealing and swift heavy ion irradiation, which in turn induce changes in the magnetic properties of these alloys, is one of the motivation of this study. Multiferroic and magneto-electrics is a class of functional materials with wide application potential and are of great interest to material scientists and engineers. Magnetoelectric materials combine both magnetic as well as ferroelectric properties in a single specimen. The dielectric properties of such materials can be controlled by the application of an external magnetic field and the magnetic properties by an electric field. Composites with magnetic and piezo/ferroelectric individual phases are found to have strong magnetoelectric (ME) response at room temperature and hence are preferred to single phasic multiferroic materials. Currently research in this class of materials is towards optimization of the ME coupling by tailoring the piezoelectric and magnetostrictive properties of the two individual components of ME composites. The magnetoelectric coupling constant (MECC) (_ ME) is the parameter that decides the extent of interdependence of magnetic and electric response of the composite structure. Extensive investigates have been carried out in bulk composites possessing on giant ME coupling. These materials are fabricated by either gluing the individual components to each other or mixing the magnetic material to a piezoelectric matrix. The most extensively investigated material combinations are Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) or Lead Magnesium Niobate-Lead Titanate (PMNPT) as the piezoelectric, and Terfenol-D as the magnetostrictive phase and the coupling is measured in different configurations like transverse, longitudinal and inplane longitudinal. Fabrication of a lead free multiferroic composite with a strong ME response is the need of the hour from a device application point of view. The multilayer structure is expected to be far superior to bulk composites in terms of ME coupling since the piezoelectric (PE) layer can easily be poled electrically to enhance the piezoelectricity and hence the ME effect. The giant magnetostriction reported in the Co-Fe thin films makes it an ideal candidate for the ferromagnetic component and BaTiO3 which is a well known ferroelectric material with improved piezoelectric properties as the ferroelectric component. The multilayer structure of BaTiO3- CoFe- BaTiO3 is an ideal system to understand the underlying fundamental physics behind the ME coupling mechanism. Giant magnetoelectric coupling coefficient is anticipated for these multilayer structures of BaTiO3-CoFe-BaTiO3. This makes it an ideal candidate for cantilever applications in magnetic MEMS/NEMS devices. SrTiO3 is an incipient ferroelectric material which is paraelectric up to 0K in its pure unstressed form. Recently few studies showed that ferroelectricity can be induced by application of stress or by chemical / isotopic substitution. The search for room temperature magnetoelectric coupling in SrTiO3-CoFe-SrTiO3 multilayer structures is of fundamental interest. Yet another motivation of the present work is to fabricate multilayer structures consisting of CoFe/ BaTiO3 and CoFe/ SrTiO3 for possible giant ME coupling coefficient (MECC) values. These are lead free and hence promising candidates for MEMS applications. The elucidation of mechanism for the giant MECC also will be the part of the objective of this investigation.

Impact of climate change on stratospheric sudden warmings as simulated by the Canadian middle atmosphere model

The dynamics of Northern Hemisphere major midwinter stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs) are examined using transient climate change simulations from the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM). The simulated SSWs show good overall agreement with reanalysis data in terms of composite structure, statistics, and frequency. Using observed or model sea surface temperatures (SSTs) is found to make no significant difference to the SSWs, indicating that the use of model SSTs in the simulations extending into the future is not an issue. When SSWs are defined by the standard (wind based) definition, an absolute criterion, their frequency is found to increase by;60% by the end of this century, in conjunction with a;25% decrease in their temperature amplitude. However, when a relative criterion based on the northern annular mode index is used to define the SSWs, no future increase in frequency is found. The latter is consistent with the fact that the variance of 100-hPa daily heat flux anomalies is unaffected by climate change. The future increase in frequency of SSWs using the standard method is a result of the weakened climatological mean winds resulting from climate change, which make it easier for the SSW criterion to be met. A comparison of winters with and without SSWs reveals that the weakening of the climatological westerlies is not a result of SSWs. The Brewer–Dobson circulation is found to be stronger by ;10% during winters with SSWs, which is a value that does not change significantly in the future.

Fabricação de malha de trama utilizada como pré-formas na indústria de compósitos e avaliação das propriedades mecânicas

In the manufacture of composite, textile materials are being used as reinforcement. Generally, the combination of the matrix with the textile material in the form of fibres or yarns is used depending on their distribution in the web. In the present work, in place of fibres or yarns, a knitted structure in the form of the final product which is defined as preform. The preform is weft knit manufactured with polyester filaments. In the manufacture of composite, polyester resin was used as matrix. The physical and mechanical properties as well as the formability of the weft knit were analysed. The physical and mechanical properties as well as the formability of the knitted structure were analysed. The results obtained on the analysis show that the courses and wales of the weft knit structure and the tensile properties help the formability of the structure and the impregnation of the resin. It could be clearly observed that composite structure in the direction of the courses support more tension than in the direction of the wales. In relation to the three points flexural tests it was possible to note that there was more flexion in the direction of wales, what was expected. It was also possible to note that there are other advantages such as reduction in the loss of materials used, homogeneity in the distribution of the knitted structure in the mould, reduction in the preparation time and also in the reduction in the cost of manufacture

Avaliação da estrutura de tecidos técnicos como elemento reforçante em compósitos poliméricos sistema poliéster isoftálico

Materials known as technical textiles can be defined as structures designed and developed to meet specific functional requirements of various industry sectors, which is the case in automotive and aerospace industries, and other specific applications. Therefore, the purpose of this work presents the development and manufacture of polymer composite with isophthalic polyester resin. The reinforcement of the composite structure is a technical textile fabric made from high performance fibers, aramid (Kevlar 49) and glass fiber E. The fabrics are manufactured by the same method, with the aim of improving the tensile strength of the resulting polymer composite material. The fabrics, we developed some low grammage technical textile structures in laboratory scale and differentiated-composition type aramid (100%), hybrid 1 aramid fiber / glass (65/35%) and hybrid 2 aramid fiber / glass (85/15% ) for use as a reinforcing element in composite materials with unsaturated isophthalic polyester matrix. The polymer composites produced were tested in uniaxial tensile fracture surface and it´s evaluated by SEM. The purpose of this work characterize the performance of polymer composites prepared, identifying changes and based on resistance to strain corresponding to the mechanical behavior. The objectives are to verify the capability of using this reinforcement structure, along with the use of high performance fibers and resin in terms of workability and mechanical strength; verify the adherence of the fiber to the matrix and the fracture surface by electron microscopy scanning and determination of tensile strength by tensile test. The results indicate that, in a comparative study to the response of uniaxial tensile test for tensile strength of the composites and the efficiency of the low percentage of reinforcement element, being a technical textile fabric structure that features characteristic of lightness and low weight added in polymer composites

Influence of vanadium on electrical and microstructural properties of CaCu3Ti4O12/CaTiO3

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Carbon nanotube-reinforced siloxane-PMMA hybrid coatings with high corrosion resistance

Siloxane-polymethyl methacrylate hybrid films containing functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were deposited by dip-coating on carbon steel substrates from a sol prepared by radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate and 3-methacryloxy propyl-trimethoxysilane, followed by hydrolytic co-polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane. The correlation between the structural properties and corrosion protection efficiency was studied as a function of the molar ratio of nanotubes carbon to silicon, varied in the range between 0.1% and 5%. 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance and thermogravimetric measurements have shown that hybrids containing carbon nanotubes have a similar degree of polycondensation and thermal stability as the undoped matrix and exhibit and excellent adhesion to the substrate. Microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed a very good dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the hybrid matrix and the presence of carboxylic groups allowing covalent bonding with the end-siloxane nodes. Potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results demonstrate that CNTs containing coatings maintain the excellent corrosion protection efficiency of the hybrids, showing even a superior performance in acidic solution. The nanocomposite structure acts as efficient corrosion barrier, increasing the total impedance by 4 orders of magnitude and reducing the current densities by more than 3 orders of magnitude, compared to the bare steel electrode. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Desenvolvimento de sistemas multifuncionais baseados em híbridos orgânico-inorgânicos dopados

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Tratamento de modificação de eutético da liga AA356

Alloy Al-7%Si-0,3Mg (AA356), having an excellent combination of properties such as low solidification shrinkage and good fluidity, good weldability, high wear resistance, high strength to weight particularly in the automotive and aerospace engineering. The refinement of the structure aluminum silicon eutectic alloy is a fairly common practice in the casting, through the treatment knows as modification. You can get the modification for the addition of chemicals and rare earths, these have the ability to modify the structure of the eutectic, but only sodium and strontium produce a strong action modifier when used in low concentrations. The modifying effect of silicon grain turns into a fibrous form branched and enveloped by the metal matrix in the form of a composite structure that has the highest limit of tensile strength, ductility and machinability. This work will be obtained AA356 alloy ingots using two different types of molds: metal mold and sand mold. Macrographs will be made in ingots obtained for observation of the macrostructures obtained in both types of ingots. Will be sampled at strategic locations of the ingots to correlate microstructure and cooling rate. The results showed that the material of the ingot has a strong influence on the resulting micro-andmacrostructure

Estudo do efeito do modificador Al-Sr no tratamento de modificação do eutético da liga AA356

The AA356 alloy is an alloy widely used in the automotive industry and aerospace due to its excellent mechanical properties. Refining the structure of eutectic silicon aluminum alloys is a fairly common practice in the foundry through treatment known as modification. This can be achieved by modifying agent adding chemicals such as contained in groups I and IIa of the periodic table and rare earths (europium, céreioi, praseodymium, neodymium, etc.). Has the ability to modify the structure of the eutectic, but only sodium and strontium produce an action modifier strong when used in low concentrations. The modifying effect of the shafts turn silicon into a fibrous form and branched surrounded by metallic matrix in the form of a composite structure that has the highest limit of tensile strength, ductility and machinability. In this work will be obtained ingots with and without the modifier type Al-10% Sr, made in sand molds and are generated and analyzed cooling curves and also the study of the macrostructure and microstructure of the solidified material. It was found that by adding the Al-Sr made shorten the solidification time and lower the grain size

Aplicação da análise de séries temporais para detecção e prognóstico de danos em estruturas inteligentes

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEIS