Influence of gelling conditions on mechanical properties of simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks from epoxy and bismaleimide resins

Simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SINs) were prepared from nadic methyl anhydride-cured epoxy resin and bismaleimide (BMI) of which the composition ratios were, respectively, comprised of 3/1 (EM-25 series) and 1/1 (EM-50 series), under different gelling conditions for both resins. Dynamic mechanical and tensile properties were measured for these SINs. Turbidity was also measured to obtain some information regarding morphology. Although the rubbery modulus was constant irrespective of a gel-time ratio (Gt) of the epoxide resin to that of BMI for the EM-25 series, it increased with increasing Gt for the EM-50 series. The glass transition temperature (T_g) was nearly constant at Gt < 1 and then decreased with increasing Gt at Gt > 1 for the EM-25 series. On the other hand, T_g was nearly constant irrespective of Gt for the EM-50 series, though the values of T_g at Gt < 1 were somewhat higher than those at Gt > 1. There was an appropriate value of Gt that gave better tensile strength (σ_b) or toughness evaluated by the area under a stress-strain curve. The T_g and σ_b were found to be correlated to the turbidity of the SINs. The above mechanical behavior can be explained in terms of the molecular mixing and morphology that vary with a change in the relative polymerization rate of both the resins. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effects of Granule Size and Size Distribution on Rheological Behavior of Chemically Modified Potato Starch

The effects of granule size and size distribution on rheological behavior of hydroxypropylated and phosphate cross‐linked potato starch (HPS) were studied by steady and dynamic viscoelasticity measurements. The rheological behavior of starch dispersions was strongly influenced by granule size and granule‐to‐granule interaction. Average granule size of HPS dispersion at high concentration was smaller than that at low concentration. Time dependence of viscosity was quite different depending on shear rate; thixotropy at low shear rates and antithixotropy at high shear rates. At higher concentrations, HPS dispersion showed a non‐Newtonian behavior, and it tended to a Newtonian behavior when concentration was lowered. Yield stress and creep recovery of HPS dispersion at higher concentrations was more pronounced than those at lower concentrations.     

New Magnesium Composite with Mg17Al12 Intermetallic Particles

Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics - Although magnesium is one of the materials with the lowest density, its application is limited amongst other commercial materials due to insufficient...     

Elution of sodium caseinate from agar-based gel matrixes in simulated gastric fluids

Elution of sodium caseinate from agar/psyllium composite gels was investigated in simulated gastric fluids to determine predominant mechanical parameters of gels for the elution kinetics and to predict the kinetics using the parameters. When the concentration of agar was fixed at 0.5% in the composite gels, elastic moduli determined by creep tests decreased with increasing concentration of psyllium, while viscosities increased. Compression load upon syringing through an enteral tube increased with increasing concentration of psyllium, whereas the surface-volume diameter d_3,2 of gel particles after syringing decreased. The elution kinetics of sodium caseinate from cylindrical gels was described using two different diffusion coefficients; D₁ and D₂ (D₁ > D₂) and the diameter of gels. Both diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing concentration of psyllium, resulting in 1.9 × 10⁻⁶ (for D₁) and 6.7 × 10⁻⁸ (for D₂) cm²/min by 1.5% addition, which corresponded to approx. 30% and 45% of the control (i.e., 0% psyllium), respectively. The fraction ratio of sodium caseinate having D₁ was not sensitive to psyllium concentration; approx. 80%–85% in the concentration range tested. D₁ was inversely proportional to viscosities determined by creep tests, particularly one from the Voigt body η₁ in the 4-element mechanical model. When cube gels were divided into smaller ones without changing the total volume, elution rates were inversely proportional to the cube length, where the diffusion coefficients did not change. The elution kinetics of sodium caseinate from the gel matrixes was anticipated using η₁ of gels before syringing and d_3,2 of gel particles after syringing when the usage of gels for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is assumed.     

High-temperature properties of extruded titanium composites fabricated from carbon nanotubes coated titanium powder by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion

Pure titanium matrix composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was prepared by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion via powder metallurgy process. Titanium (Ti) powders were coated with CNTs via a wet process using a zwitterionic surfactant solution containing 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 wt.% of CNTs. In situ TiC formation via reaction of CNTs with titanium occurred during sintering, and TiC particles were uniformly dispersed in the matrix. As-extruded Ti/TiCs composite rods were annealed at 473 K for 3.6 ks to reduce the residual stress during processing. After annealing process, the tensile properties of the composites were evaluated at room temperature, 473, 573 and 673 K, respectively. Hardness test was also performed at room temperature up to 573 K with a step of 50 K. The mechanical properties of extruded Ti/CNTs composites at elevated temperature were remarkably improved by adding a small amount of CNTs, compared to extruded Ti matrix. These were due to the TiC dispersoids originated from CNTs effectively stabilized the microstructure of extruded Ti composites by their pinning effect. Moreover, the coarsening and growth of Ti grain never occurred even though they were annealed at 573, 673 K for 36 ks and 673 K for 360 ks, respectively.     

Retardation of Crystallization of Diacylglycerol Oils Using Polyglycerol Fatty Acid Esters

Liquid oil containing high concentrations of diacylglycerols (DAG > 80 %, hereafter referred to as DAG-rich oil) is generally more likely to cause precipitation at chilled temperatures (clouding phenomena) than triacylglycerol-based oil. The clouding phenomena that occur during long-term storage of DAG-rich oil are unwanted in consumer products and therefore, must be prevented. In the present study, we attempted to retard precipitation by adding food emulsifiers, polyglycerol fatty acid esters (PGFE) containing different fatty acid moieties. DSC, polarized optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the addition of 0.2 % PGFE containing palmitic and oleic acid moieties very effectively retarded precipitation in the DAG-rich oil. To confirm these observations, we prepared a model DAG oil to mimic DAG-rich oil and examined the retardation behavior of high-melting DAG fractions using PGFE. The results are discussed in terms of the effects of PGFE additives on the pre-nucleation processes of high-melting fractions in DAG-rich oil.     

Effect of the temperature dependence of fluid properties on the migration of an interface in double-diffusive natural convection

Experimental observation has shown that a slightly tilted sharp interface between two convection layers in double-diffusive natural convection migrates perpetually upward gradually with time. This movement of an interface cannot be explained by a simple mathematical model of constant physical properties. The present paper studies the numerical analyses of two-layer convection with the temperature dependence of the properties of the fluid. The perpetual upward migration of an interface was found to be promoted mainly by the temperature dependence of the volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion and also by that of the kinematic viscosity. However, the diffusion coefficient was independent of the migration. The upward migration of an interface appears to be caused by the difference between the intensity of etching due to the flow along the hot wall in the lower layer and that along the cold wall in the upper layer.