Sol-gel matrix modified microstructured optical fibre towards a fluoride sensitive optical probe

In this article, we report an optical fluoride probe based on microstructured polymer optical fibers (MPOFs) which is modified with morin-Al complex doped silica gel film. This probe is fabricated by sol-gel fluxion coating process. Sol solution doped with morin-Al is directly inhaled into array holes of MPOF and then forms morin-Al-gel matrix film in them. The sensing probe shows different fluorescence intensity to different fluoride ion concentrations in the aqueous solution. The range of response is 550 mmol/L, under the condition of pH 4.6. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical bistability and negative differential resistance in diodes based on silver nanoparticle-poly(N-vinylcarbazole) composites

An electrically bistable device has been fabricated using nanocomposite films consisting of silver nanoparticles and a semiconducting polymer by a simple spin-coating method. The current-voltage characteristics of the as-fabricated devices exhibit an obvious electrical bistability and negative differential resistance effect. The current ratio between the high-conducting state and low-conducting state can reach more than 103 at room temperature. The electrical bistability of the device is attributed to the electric-filed-induced charge transfer between the silver nanoparticles and the polymer, and the negative differential resistance behavior is related to the charge trapping in the silver nanoparticles. The results open up a simple approach to fabricate high quality electrically bistable devices by doping metal nanoparticles into polymer.

An eigenfunction expansion-variational method in prediction of the transverse thermal conductivity of fiber reinforced composites considering interfacial characteristics

An eigenfunction expansion-variational method based on a unit cell is developed to deal with the steady-state heat conduction problem of doubly-periodic fiber reinforced composites with interfacial thermal contact resistance or coating. The numerical results show a rapid convergence of the present method. The present solution provides a unified first-order approximation formula of the effective thermal conductivity for different interfacial characteristics and fiber distributions. A comparison with the present high-order results, available experimental data and micromechanical estimations demonstrates that the first-order approximation formula is a good engineering closed-form formula. An engineering equivalent parameter reflecting the overall influence of the thermal conductivities of the matrix and fibers and the interfacial characteristic on the effective thermal conductivity, is found. The equivalent parameter can greatly simplify the complicated relation of the effective thermal conductivity to the internal structure of a composite. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A four-phase confocal elliptical cylinder model for predicting the effective thermal conductivity of coated fibre composites

A four-phase confocal elliptical cylinder model is proposed from which a generalised self-consistent method is developed for predicting the thermal conductivity of coated fibre reinforced composites. The method can account for the influence of the fibre section shape ratio on conductivity, and the physical reasonableness of the model is demonstrated by using the fibre distribution function. An exact solution is obtained for thermal conductivity by applying conformal mapping and Laurent series expansion techniques of the analytic function. The solution to the three-phase confocal elliptical model, which simulates composites with idealised fibre-matrix interfaces, is arrived at as the degenerated case. A comparison with other available micromechanics methods, Hashin and Shtrikman's bounds and experimental data shows that the present method provides convergent and reasonable results for a full range of variations in fibre section shapes and for a complete spectrum of the fibre volume fraction. Numerical results show the dependence of the effective conductivities of composites on the aspect ratio of coated fibres and demonstrate that a coating is effective in enhancing the thermal transport property of a composite. The present solutions are helpful to analysis and design of composites.

Estimation of Transverse Thermal Conductivity of Doubly-periodic Fiber Reinforced Composites

For steady-state heat conduction a new variational functional for a unit cell of composites with periodic microstructures is constructed by considering the quasi-periodicity of the temperature field and in the periodicity of the heat flux fields. Then by combining with the eigenfunction expansion of complex potential which satisfies the fiber-matrix interface conditions, an eigenfunction expansion-variational method (EEVM) based on a unit cell is developed. The effective transverse thermal conductivities of doubly-periodic fiber reinforced composites are calculated, and the first-order approximation formula for the square and hexagonal arrays is presented,which is convenient for engineering application. The numerical results show a good convergency of the presented method, even through the fiber volume fraction is relatively high. Comparisons with the existing analytical and experimental results are made to demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the first-order approximation formula for the hexagonal array.

Highly efficient separation of dsDNA fragments on glass chips by using an ultralow viscosity sieving matrix

A novel protocol has been established to separate dsDNA fragments with high efficiency on glass chips by using an ultralow viscosity sieving matrix with added glucose. Low-molecular-weight hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), with a viscosity nearly equivalent to that of water, was used to electrophoretically separate fluorescent inter-calator-labeled double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments on microfluidic glass chips. In comparison with conventional sieving protocols, low-molecular-weight HPMC as sieving matrix could result in reduced running cost and analysis time, in addition to a comparable separation efficiency of dsDNA fragments. In this paper, the addition of glucose was investigated to enhance the separation of DNA in the lowest viscosity polymer evaluated. The effect of staining dye and field strength were also evaluated. At an applied electric field strength of 200 V/cm, satisfactory resolution of the PBR322/HaeIII DNA marker could be achieved within 4 min by using 2% HPMC-5 with 6% glucose added. Coelectrophoresing PCR product along with phiX174/HaeIII DNA sizing marker was also demonstrated by using the ultralow viscosity HPMC-5 solution on a glass chip.

Epitaxy-Assisted Creation of PCBM Nanocrystals and Its Application in Constructing Optimized Morphology for Bulk-Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

PCBM (a C-60 derivative) is so far the most successful electron acceptor for bulk-heterojunction polymer photovoltaic (PV) cells. Here we present a novel method epitaxy-assisted creation of PCBM nanocrystals and their homogeneous distribution in the matrix using freshly cleaved mica sheet as the substrate. The highly matched epitaxy relationship between the unit cell of PCBM crystal and crystallographic (001) surface of mica induces abundant PCBM nuclei, which subsequently develop into nanoscale crystals with homogeneous dispersion in the composite film.

Surface modification of bioactive glass nanoparticles and the mechanical and biological properties of poly(L-lactide) composites

Novel bioactive glass (13G) nanoparticles/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) composites were prepared as promising bone-repairing materials. The BG nanoparticles (Si:P:Ca = 29:13:58 weight ratio) of about 40 run diameter were prepared via the sol-gel method. In order to improve the phase compatibility between the polymer and the inorganic phase, PLLA (M-n = 9700 Da) was linked to the surface of the BG particles by diisocyanate. The grafting ratio of PLLA was in the vicinity of 20 wt.%. The grafting modification could improve the tensile strength, tensile modulus and impact energy of the composites by increasing the phase compatibility.

Carbon nanotube/gold nanoparticles/polyethylenimine-functionalized ionic liquid thin film composites for glucose biosensing

A novel glucose biosensor based on immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) in thin films of polyethylenimine-functionalized ionic liquid (PFIL), containing a mixture of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and deposited on glassy carbon electrodes, was developed. Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase in the film was observed, with linear glucose response up to 12 mM. The PFIL-stabilized gold nanoparticles had a diameter of 2.4 +/- 0.8 nm and exhibited favorable stability (stored even over one month with invisible change in UV-vis spectroscopic measurements).

Mechanism on flame retardancy of polystyrene/clay composites-The effect of surfactants and aggregate state of organoclay

Effects of organically modified montmorillonites (OMMTs) with different type and amount of modifiers on flame retardancy of polystyrene (PS) have been studied. The results from morphology analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and cone calorimeter have showed different mechanisms for the flame retardancy of PS/OMMTs composites, depending on surface property of OMNTrs. One is the catalysis of acid sites formed on the surface of octadecylammonium modified MMT (c-MMT) via Hoffman decomposition on the carbonization of degradation products, which promotes the formation of clay-enriched char barrier.

Combination of Carbon Nanotubes with Ni2O3 for Simultaneously Improving the Flame Retardancy and Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene

Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Ni2O3 on the flame retardancy of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) have been studied. A combination of MWCNTs and Ni2O3 showed a synergistic effect in improving the flame retardancy of LLDPE compared with LLDPE composites containing MWCNTs or Ni2O3 alone. As a result, the peak value of heat release rate measured by cone calorimeter was obviously decreased in the LLDPE/MWCNTs/Ni2O3 Composites. According to the results from rheological tests, carbonization experiments, and structural characterization of residual char, the improved flame retardancy was partially attributed to the formation of a networklike structure due to the good dispersion of MWCNTs in LLDPE matrix, and partially to the carbonization of degradation products of LLDPE catalyzed by Ni catalyst originated from Ni2O3, More importantly, both viscoelastic characteristics and catalytic carbonization behavior of LLDPE/MWCNTs/Ni2O3 composites acted in concert to result in a synergistic effect in improving the flame retardancy.

Blends based on sulfonated poly[bis(benzimidazobenzisoquinolinones)] and poly(vinylidene fluoride) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

A new blend system consisting of an amorphous sulfonated poly[bis(benzimidazobenzisoquinolinones)] (SPBIBI) and the semi-crystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was prepared for proton exchange membranes. The miscibility behavior of a series of blends of SPBIBI with PVDF at various weight ratios was studied by WXRD, DSC and FTIR. The properties of the blend membranes were investigated, and it was found that the introduction of PVDF in the SPBIBI matrix altered the morphological structure of the blend membranes, which led to the formation of improved connectivity channels. For instance, the conductivity of the blend membrane containing 10 wt% PVDF displayed the highest proton conductivity (i.e., 0.086 S cm(-1)) at room temperature, a value almost twofold that of the pristine SPBIBI membranes (i.e., 0.054S cm(-1)) under identical conditions.

Implantation of Nafion (R) ionomer into polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan composites to form novel proton-conducting membranes for direct methanol fuel cells

A series of cost-effective, proton-conducting composite membranes, comprising of Nafion (R) ionomer, chitosan (CS). and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), is successfully prepared. By taking advantage of the strong electrostatic interactions between Nafion (R) ionomer and CS component, Nafion ionomer is effectively implanted into the PVA/CS composite membranes, and improves proton conductivity of the PVA/CS composite membranes. Furthermore, this effect dramatically depends on the composition ratio of PVA/CS, and the optimum conductivity is obtained at the PVA/CS ratio of 1:1. The developed composite membranes exhibit much lower methanol permeability compared with the widely used Nafion (R) membrane, indicating that these novel membranes have great potential for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs).

Pore-filling membrane for direct methanol fuel cells based on sulfonated poly(styrene-ran-ethylene) and porous polyimide matrix

We have synthesized a porous co-polyimide film by coagulating a polyimide precursor in the non-solvent and thermal imidization. Factors affecting the morphology, pore size, porosity, and mechanical strength of the film were discussed. The porous polyimide matrix consists of a porous top layer and a spongy sub-structure with micropores. It is used as a porous matrix to construct sulfonated poly(styrene-ran-ethylene) (SPSE) infiltrated composite membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application. Due to the complete inertness to methanol and the very high mechanical strength of the polyimide matrix, the swelling of the composite membrane is greatly suppressed and the methanol crossover is also significantly reduced, while high proton conductivity is still maintained. Because of its higher proton conductivity and less methanol permeability, single fuel cell performance test demonstrated that this composite membrane outperformed Nafion membrane.

Thermomechanical and Optical Properties of Biodegradable Poly(L-lactide)/Silica Nanocomposites by Melt Compounding

Poly(L-lactide) (PLA)/silica (SiO2) nanocomposites containing 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 Wt % SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by melt compounding in a Haake mixer. The phase morphology, thermomechanical properties, and optical transparency were investigated and compared to those of neat PLA. Scanning electron microscopy results show that the SiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the PLA matrix for filler contents below 5 wt %, whereas some aggregates were detected with further increasing filler concentration. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis revealed that the addition Of SiO2 nanoparticles not only remarkably accelerated the crystallization speed but also largely improved the crystallinity of PLA. An initial increase followed by a decrease with higher filler loadings for the storage modulus and glass-transition temperature were observed according to dynamic mechanical analysis results. Hydrogen bonding interaction involving C=O of PLA with Si-OH Of SiO2 was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared analysis for the first time.