Thermo-compression molding of chitosan with a deep eutectic mixture for biofilms development

Supplementary information available at: http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/c5/gc/c5gc02231b/c5gc02231b1.pdf

Natural fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester composites - An approach on compression molding

This work has been performed at Tapetes Sao Carlos-Brazil with the cooperation of the DaimlerChrysler Research Center Team in Ulm - Germany. The objective of the present paper is to report the results obtained with natural fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester (UP) composites, concerning surface quality measurements. The fibers that have been chosen for this work were sisal and curaua. The samples were produced by compression molding technique and afterwards submitted to three different tests, namely: a) thermal aging; b) water absorption and c) artificial weathering. The surface parameters measured before and after the tests were gloss, haze, short and long-waviness. The results have shown that after the tests there is a high loss of gloss, a high increase in haze, and a high increase in short and long-waviness as well. Curaua reinforced composites had a slightly better behavior when compared with sisal reinforced composites. The effect of the presence of filler and the addition of thermoplastic polyester (TP) on the material behavior has not been evidently detected. This result shows that the conventional technology/methods applied to UP-Fiberglass systems cannot be transferred to natural fibers without any modification. The fiber-matrix interaction and its response to the presence of additives must be fully understood before a successful processing route can be developed for painted natural fibers reinforced UP. Copyright © 2001 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

Comparison of accuracy between compression- and injection-molded complete dentures

Statement of problem. A clinically significant incisal pin opening may occur after processing complete dentures if a compression molding technique is used. To recover the proper vertical dimension of occlusion, a time-consuming occlusal adjustment is necessary that often destroys the anatomy of the artificial teeth. A new injection molding process claims to produce dentures that require few, if any, occlusal adjustments in the laboratory after processing.Purpose. This laboratory study compared incisal pin opening, dimensional accuracy, and laboratory working time for dentures fabricated by this new injection system with dentures constructed by the conventional compression molding technique.Material and methods. Two groups of 6 maxillary and 6 mandibular dentures were evaluated as follows: group 1 (control), Lucitone 199, compression molded with a long cure cycle; and group 2, Lucitone 199, injection molded with a long cure. Incisal pin opening was measured with a micrometer immediately after deflasking. A computerized coordinate measuring machine was used to measure dimensional accuracy of 3-dimensional variations in selected positions of artificial teeth in 4 stages of denture fabrication. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t tests were performed to compare the groups.Results. A significant difference was found in pin opening between groups (t test). Horizontal dimensional changes evaluated with repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant differences between groups. However, analysis of vertical dimensional changes disclosed significant differences between the groups. There was no appreciable difference in laboratory working time for flasking and molding denture bases between the injection and compression molding techniques when polymethyl methacrylate resin was used.Conclusion. The injection molding method produced a significantly smaller incisal pin opening over the standard compression molding technique. The injection molding technique, using polymethyl methacrylate, was a more accurate method for processing dentures. There were no appreciable differences in laboratory working time between the injection and compression molding techniques.

Fused deposition modeling with polypropylene

This paper addresses the potential of polypropylene (PP) as a candidate for fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D printing technique. The entire filament production chain is evaluated, starting with the PP pellets, filament production by extrusion and test samples printing. This strategy enables a true comparison between parts printed with parts manufactured by compression molding, using the same grade of raw material. Printed samples were mechanically characterized and the influence of filament orientation, layer thickness, infill degree and material was assessed. Regarding the latter, two grades of PP were evaluated: a glass-fiber reinforced and a neat, non-reinforced, one. The results showed the potential of the FDM to compete with conventional techniques, especially for the production of small series of parts/components; also, it was showed that this technique allows the production of parts with adequate mechanical performance and, therefore, does not need to be restricted to the production of mockups and prototypes.

High-strength, healable, supramolecular polymer nanocomposites

A supramolecular polymer blend, formed via π-π interactions between a π-electron rich pyrenyl endcapped oligomer and a chain-folding oligomer containing pairs of π-electron poor naphthalene-diimide (NDI) units, has been reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to afford a healable nanocomposite material. Nanocomposites with varying weight percentage of CNCs (from 1.25 to 20.0 wt.%) within the healable supramolecular polymeric matrix have been prepared via solvent casting followed by compression molding, and their mechanical properties and healing behavior have been evaluated. It is found that homogeneously dispersed films can be formed with CNCs at less than 10 wt.%. Above 10 wt.% CNC heterogeneous nanocomposites were obtained. All the nanocomposites formed could be re-healed upon exposure to elevated temperatures although, for the homogeneous films, it was found that the healing rate was reduced with increasing CNC content. The best combination of healing efficiency and mechanical properties was obtained with the 7.5 wt.% CNC nanocomposite which exhibited a tensile modulus enhanced by as much as a factor of 20 over the matrix material alone and could be fully re-healed at 85 °C within 30 minutes. Thus it is demonstrated that supramolecular nanocomposites can afford greatly enhanced mechanical properties relative to the unreinforced polymer, while still allowing efficient thermal healing.

Elastomeric Composites Based on Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer Rubber and Conducting Polymer-Modified Carbon Black

Thermally stable elastomeric composites based on ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and conducting polymer-modified carbon black (CPMCB) additives were produced by casting and crosslinked by compression molding. CPMCB represent a novel thermally stable conductive compound made via ""in situ"" deposition of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICP) such as polyaniline or polypyrrole on carbon black particles. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the composites are thermally stable with no appreciable degradation at ca. 300 degrees C. Incorporating CPMCB has been found to be advantageous to the processing of composites, as the presence of ICP lead to a better distribution of the filler within the rubber matrix, as confirmed by morphological analysis. These materials have a percolation threshold range of 5-10 phr depending on the formulation and electrical dc conductivity values in the range of 1 x 10(-3) to 1 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) above the percolation threshold. A less pronounced reinforcing effect was observed in composites produced with ICP-modified additives in relation to those produced only with carbon black. The results obtained in this study show the feasibility of this method for producing stable, electrically conducting composites with elastomeric characteristics. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:897-906, 2009. (C) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

Estudo da flamabilidade e resistência à chama de compósito de poliéster insaturado e fibra da folha do abacaxizeiro (PALF)

In the present research work, composites were prepared using pine apple leaf fibres (PALF) as reinforcement with unsaturated polyester resin as matrix, incorporating with fire retardant at different compositions. The PALF was obtained from the decortication of pine apple leaves obtained from Ramada 4 from Ielmo Marinho in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. The unsaturated polyester resin and the catalyzer were bought from the local establishment. The fire retardant, aluminium tri-hydroxide - Al(OH)3 was donated by Alcoa Alumínio S.A and was used in the proportions of 20%, 40% and 60% w/w. Initially the fibres were treated with 2% NaOH for 1 hour, to remove any impurities present on the fibre surface, such as wax, fat, pectin and pectate, in order to have a better adsorption of the fibres with the matrix as well as the flame retardant. The fibre mat was prepared in a mat preparator by immersion, developed in the Textile Engineering Laboratory, at the UFRN. The composites (300x300x3 mm) were prepared by compression molding and the samples (150x25x3 mm) for analysis of the properties were cut randomly using a laser cutter. Some of the cut samples were used to measure the smoke emission and fire resistance using UL94 standard. Mechanical tension-extension and flexural properties were carried in CTGás RN and the Laboratório de Metais e Ensaios Mecânicos Engenharia de Materiais UFRN , as well as SEM studies were carried out at Núcleo de Estudos em Petróleo e Gás Natural - UFRN . From the observed results, it was noted that, there was no marked influence of the fire retardant on the mechanical properties. Also in the water absorption test, the quantity of water absorbed was less in the sample with higher concentration of fire retardant. It was also observed that the increase in the proportion of the fire retardant increased the time of burning, may be due to the compactness of the composite due to the presence of fire retardant as a filling material even though it was meant to reduce the rate of inflammability of the composite

Fabricação de eco-composito com a fibra de lã canina

The Sustainability has been evidence in the world today; organizations have sought to be more and more into this philosophy in their processes, whether products or attendance. In the present work were manufactured eco-composites with animal fiber (dog wool) that is currently discarded into the environment without any use. The fibers were characterized and made matting (non-woven). The phases of the project were consisted to develop methods and to convert these fibers (booster) blended with polyester resin (matrix) in different proportions (10%, 20% and 30%) at the composite. Were studied fiber characteristics, mechanical properties of the composites, water absorption and scanning electron microscopy. Initially, the fibers were treated with solution of sodium hydroxide of 0.05 mols, and then taken to matting preparing at the textile engineering laboratory - UFRN. The composites were made by compression molding, using an orthophthalic polyester resin as matrix and 1% MEK (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) as initiator (catalyst). To evaluate the mechanical tests (tensile and flexural) and water absorption were made twelve specimens with dimensions 150x25x3 mm were cut randomly. According to the standard method, tensile tests (ASTM 3039) bending tests (ASTM D790) were performed at the mechanical testing of metals at laboratory UFRN. The results of these tests showed that the composite reinforced with 30% had a better behavior when exposed to tension charge; while on the three points bending test showed that the composite reinforced with 10% had a better behavior. In the water absorption test it was possible to see that the highest absorption happened on the composite reinforced with 30%. In the micrographs, it was possible to see the regions of rupture and behavior of the composite (booster / matrix)

Avaliações térmica e reológica da matriz termoplástica PEKK utilizada em compósitos aeronáuticos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação do ciclo térmico de conformação por compressão de peças em poli(sulfeto de fenileno) reforçado com fibras contínuas de carbono

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mechanical behavior of natural fiber composites

The use of natural fibers as reinforcement in polymeric composites for technical applications has been a research subject of scientists during the last decade. There is a great interest in the application of sisal fiber as substitutes for glass fibers, motivated by potential advantages of weight saving, lower raw material price, and ecological advantages of using green resources which are renewable and biodegradable.Castor oil, a triglyceride vegetable that has hydroxyl groups, was reacted with 4,4' diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) to produce the polyurethane matrix. Woven sisal fibers were used untreated and thermal treated at 60 C for 72h, and the composites were processed by compression molding.The present work study tensile behavior at four composites: dry sisal/polyurethane, humid sisal/polyurethane, dry sisal/phenolic and humid sisal/phenolic resin. The moisture content influences of sisal fibers on the mechanical behaviors were analyzed.Experimental results showed a higher tensile strength for the sisal/phenolic composites followed by sisal/polyurethane, respectively. In this research, sisal composites were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of ICM11

Desenvolvimento e caracterização de suportes porosos de polietileno de ultra alto peso molecular (PEUAPM) para utilização como biomaterial para reposição e regeneração óssea

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Processing of high performance composites based on peek by aqueous suspension prepregging

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of preparation methods and thermal treatment in melt-solidified and cast films of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) copolymers

This paper is aimed at addressing the differences observed in film properties when poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) P(VDF-TrFE) films are fabricated using distinct methods. Samples were obtained either from casting a solution or by compression molding from a molten phase and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is shown that the main differences between melt-solidified and cast films arise from the thermal treatment inherent in the former samples.

Evaluation by Free Vibration Method of Moisture Absorption Effects in Polyamide/Carbon Fiber Laminates

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)