Influence of drying method on morphology and properties of asymmetric cellulose hollow fiber membrane

Using a dry/wet spinning process, asymmetric cellulose hollow fiber membranes (CHFM) were prepared from a dope composed of cellulose/N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide/water. The formation mechanism for the finger-like macrovoids at the inner portion of as-spun fibers was explained. Naturally drying and three solvent exchange drying methods were tried to investigate their influence on morphology and properties of CHFM. It was found that the ethanol-hexane exchange drying was an appropriate method to minimize morphology change of the as-spun CHFM, whereas the naturally drying caused the greatest shrinkage of the fibers that made the porous membrane become dense. The result, CHFM from ethanol-hexane exchange drying performed the highest gas permeation rate but gas permeation of the naturally dried membrane could not be detectable. The resultant CHFM from the ethanol-hexane exchange drying also showed acceptable, mechanical properties, thus it was proposed to be an appropriate method for gas separation purpose. The experimental results supported the proposed drying mechanism of CHFM. The free water would evaporate or be replaced by a solvent that subsequently would evaporate but the bonded water would remain in the membrane. What dominated the changes of membrane morphology during drying should be. the molecular affinities of cellulose-water, water-solvent and solvent-solvent. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light-emitting-diode-induced fluorescence detector for capillary electrophoresis using optical fiber with spherical end

A simple fluorescence detector for capillary electrophoresis (CE) using a blue light-emitting-diode (LED) as excitation source is constructed and evaluated. An optical fiber was used to collect the fluorescence, and a flat end of the fiber was modified to spherical end, resulting in 50% increase of efficiency over the flat end. A simple device for optical alignment of the fibers and capillary column was designed. The concentration and mass detection limits for fluorescein were 1.8 x 10(-7) Mol l(-1) and 4.3 femol, respectively. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Selective hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene in mono- and bimetallic catalytic hollow-fiber reactors

The mono- and bimetallic catalytic polymeric hollow-fiber reactors were established with catalytic polymeric cellulose acetate (CA) hollow fibers prepared by supporting the polymer-anchored mono- or bimetallic catalyst in/on the inner wall of the hollow fibers. The selective hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene to cyclopentene was efficiently carried out in the above catalytic polymeric hollow-fiber reactors, especially in the NaBH4 reduced bimetallic PVP-Pd-0.5Co/CA hollow-fiber reactor under mild conditions of 40 degrees C and 0.1 MPa. It was found that there was a remarkable synergic effect of palladium and cobalt reduced by NaBH4 in the bimetallic PVP-Pd-0.5Co/CA hollow-fiber reactor, which results in a 97.5% conversion of cyclopentadiene and a 98.4% selectivity for cyclopentene. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

High PL-efficiency ZnO nanocrystallites/PPV composite nanofibers

In this paper, we report for the first time on the synthesis of ZnO nanocrystallites in conjugated polymer (PPV) nanofibers by the coupling of the in situ/blend methods and electrospinning. These composite nanofibers were characterized by fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).

Study on structure and molecular dynamics of starch/poly(sodium acrylate)grafted superabsorbent by C-13 solid state NMR

The domain-structure of samples containing a series of starch/poly(sodium acrylate)-grafted superabsorbents, pure starch, pure poly(sodium acrylate), and blend of starch/poly(sodium acrylate) has been studied by high-resolution solid-state C-13 NMR spectroscopy at room temperature. The result shows that the crystallinity of starch decreases greatly in the grafted and blended samples.

Influence of Inter-Fiber Spacing and Interfacial Adhesion on Failure of Multi-Fiber Model Composites: Experiment and Numerical Analysis

The uniaxial tension experiments on glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composites reveal that the fragmentations of fibers display vertically aligned fracture, clustered fracture, coordinated fracture, and random fracture with the increase of inter-fiber spacing. The finite element analysis indicates that the fragmentations of fibers displaying different phenomena are due to the stress concentration as well as the inherent randomness of fiber defects, which is the dominant factor. The experimental results show that matrices adjacent to the fiber breakpoints all exhibit birefringent-whitening patterns for the composites with different interfacial adhesion strengths. The larger the extent of the interfacial debonding, the less the domain of the birefringent-whitening patterns. The numerical analysis indicates that the orientation of the matrix adjacent to a fiber breakpoint is caused by the interfacial shear stress, resulting in the birefringent-whitening patterns. The area of shear stress concentrations decides on the domain of the birefringent-whitening patterns.

Fabrication and characterization of CdTe nanoparticles attached to poly(4-vinylpyridine) nanofibers

The major objective of this work was to characterize the status of CdTe nanoparticles attached to the surface of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) nanofibers. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images indicated that the attachment of CdTe nanoparticles enlarged the diameter of P4VP nanofibers. Moreover, the results of the energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum and the electron diffraction pattern revealed that the deposition on the surface of P4VP nanofibers was CdTe in a cubic lattice

WETTABILITY OF EPOXY RESIN ON CARBON FIBER

The micrographs of epoxy resin on single carbon fiber at room temperature and the temperature dependent contact angle on single carbon fiber were investigated using field environmental scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The results showed that the contact angle decreases significantly with increasing temperature. The advantage of this experimental approach was that can directly reflected the wettability of epoxy resin to fiber. But the experimental process was complicated, and there were many influence factors. The reason is that the wettability of epoxy resin on parallel sheet can be improved at higher temperatures. The spreading procedures for the epoxy resin droplet on carbon fiber cluster were observed by means of drop shape analysis system ( DSA) in parallel and perpendicular directions of the aligned fibers.

Structural evolution of tensile deformed high-density polyethylene at elevated temperatures: Scanning synchrotron small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering studies

The structural evolution of an ice-quenched high-density polyethylene (HDPE) subjected to uniaxial tensile deformation at elevated temperatures was examined as a function of the imposed strains by means of combined synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) techniques. The data show that when stretching an isotropic sample with the spherulitic structure, intralamellar slipping of crystalline blocks was activated at small deformations, followed by a stress-induced fragmentation and recrystallization process yielding lamellar crystallites with their normal parallel to the stretching direction. Stretching of an isothermally crystallized HDPE sample at 120 degrees C exhibited changes of the SAXS diagram with strain similar to that observed for quenched HDPE elongated at room temperature, implying that the thermal stability of the crystal blocks composing the lamellae is only dependent on the crystallization temperature.

One-Dimensional Ce3+- and/or Tb3+-Doped X-1-Y2SiO5 Nanofibers and Microbelts: Electrospinning Preparation and Luminescent Properties

One-dimensional X-1-Y2SiO5:Ce3+ and -Tb3+ nanofibers and quasi-one-dimensional X-1-Y2SiO5:Ce3+ and -Tb3+ microbelts have been prepared by a simple and cost-effective electrospinning process. X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence spectra were used to characterize the samples. SEM results indicate that the as-prepared fibers and belts are smooth and uniform with a length of several tens to hundreds of micrometers, whose diameters decrease after being annealed at 1000 degrees C for 3 h. Under ultraviolet excitation and low-voltage electron beam excitation, the doped rare earth ions show their characteristic emission, that is, Ce3+ 5d-4f and Tb3+ D-5(4)-F-7(J) (J = 6, 5 4, 3) transitions, respectively.

Fabrication and Luminescence Properties of One-Dimensional CaMoO4: Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu, Tb, Dy) Nanofibers via Electrospinning Process

One-dimensional CaMoo(4):Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu, Tb, Dy) nanofibers have been prepared by a combination method of sol-gel and electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL), and low voltage cathodoluminescence (CL) as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the resulting samples. SEM and TEM analyses indicate that the obtained precursor fibers have a uniform size, and the as-formed CaMoO4:Ln(3+) nanofibers consist of nanoparticles. Under ultraviolet excitation, the CaMoO4 samples exhibit a blue-green emission band with a maximum at 500 nm originating from the MoO42- groups. Due to an efficient energy transfer from molybdate groups to dopants, CaMoO4:Ln(3+) phosphors show their strong characteristic emission under ultraviolet excitation and low-voltage electron beam excitation.

Preparation and Luminescence Properties of Gd2MoO6:Eu3+ Nanofibers and Nanobelts by Electrospinning

Gd2MoO6:Eu3+ nanofibers and nanobelts have been prepared by a combination method of the sol-gel process and electrospinning. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, and low voltage cathodoluminescence as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the resulting samples. The results of XRD and FTIR indicate that the Gd2MoO6:Eu3+ samples have crystallized at 600 degrees C with the monoclinic (alpha) structure. The SEM and TEM results indicate that the as-formed precursor fibers and belts are uniform and that the as-prepared nanofibers and nanobelts consist of nanoparticles. Gd2MoO6:Eu3+ phosphors show their strong characteristic emission under UV excitation (353 nm) and low voltage electron-beam excitation (3 kV), making the materials have potential applications in fluorescent lamps and field-emission displays.

Preparation and luminescence properties of Ce3+ and/or Tb3+ doped LaPO4 nanofibers and microbelts by electrospinning

Ce3+ and/or Tb3+ doped LaPO4 nanofibers and microbelts have been prepared by a combination method of sol-gel process and electrospinning. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL), low voltage cathodoluminescence (CL) and time-resolved emission spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the resulting samples. SEM and TEM results indicate the as-formed precursor fibers and belts are smooth. and the as-prepared nanofibers and microbelts consist of nanoparticles. The doped rare-earth ions show their characteristic emission under ultraviolet excitation, i.e. Ce3+ 5d-4f and Tb3+ D-5(4)-F-7(j) (J = 6-3) transitions, respectively. The energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Tb3+ in LaPO4:Ce3+, Tb3+ nanofibers was further studied by the time-resolved emission spectra.

Preparation and luminescence properties of Mn2+-doped ZnGa2O4 nanofibers via electrospinning process

One-dimensional Mn2+-doped ZnGa2O4 nanofibers were prepared by a simple and cost-effective electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. SEM results indicated that the as-formed precursor fibers and those annealed at 700 degrees C are uniform with length of several tens to hundred micrometers, and the diameters of the fibers decrease greatly after being heated at 700 degrees C. Under ultraviolet excitation (246 nm) and low-voltage electron beams (1-3 kV) excitation, the ZnGa2O4:Mn2+ nanofibers presents the blue emission band of the ZnGa2O4 host lattice and the strong green emission with a peak at 505 nm corresponding to the T-4(1)-(6)A(1) transition of Mn2+ ion.

Electrospinning Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of One-Dimensional Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ Microtibers and Microbelts

One-dimensional Mn2+-doped Zn2SiO4 rnicrobelts and microfibers were prepared by a simple and cost-effective electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. The XRD and DTA results show that the Zn2SiO4 phase begins to crystallize at 800 degrees C and crystallizes completely around 1000 degrees C. SEM results indicate that the as-prepared microbelts/fibers are smooth, whose diameters decrease with increasing the annealing temperature. The average diameter of the Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ microfibers annealed at 1000 degrees C is 0.32 mu m, and their lengths reach up to several millimeters. The average width and thickness of the Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ microbelts fired at 1000 degrees C are around 0.48 and 0.24 mu m, respectively.