Recovery of deuterium from hydrogen–deuterium mixture using palladium

The applicability of palladium for the separation of hydrogen isotopes (hydrogen and deuterium) is evaluated systematically by generating isotherm data and conducting column experiments in a laboratory set-up. Effect of various parameters such as concentration of the isotopic mixture, particle size, eluent flow rate, etc. is studied experimentally. A fixed-bed chromatographic model is developed and validated using the experimental data. The model is further used to predict the performance of a multi-column configuration for large-scale separation. Chromatographic separation is thus found to be a promising technique to achieve the required purity and hence it may be clubbed with the existing systems (e.g. cryogenic distillation) to obtain enhanced performance.     

Modeling of single-lap composite adhesive joints under mechanical and thermal loads

Two-dimensional (plane-stress and plane-strain) theoretical models are presented for stress analysis of adhesively bonded single-lap composite joints subjected to either thermal or mechanical loading or a combination thereof. The joints consist of similar/dissimilar orthotropic or isotropic adherends and an isotropic adhesive interlayer. The governing differential equation of the problem is obtained using a variational method which minimizes the complementary strain energy in the bonded assembly. In this formulation, through-thickness variation of shear and peel stresses in the interlayer is considered. Both shear and normal traction-free boundary conditions are exactly satisfied. Peel and shear stresses obtained from plane-strain analytical models considering a homogeneous adhesive interlayer are in close agreement with those of the finite element predictions. A systematic parametric study is also conducted to identify an ideal set of geometric and material parameters for the optimal design of single-lap composite joints.     

Quaternized poly(phenylene oxide) anion exchange membrane for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells in KOH‐free media

A series of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolytes with quaternary ammonium moiety are fabricated from poly (phenylene oxide) for its application in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells (ADMFCs). In the first step, poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) is successfully chloromethylated by substituting chloromethyl groups in the aryl position of polymer. In the second step, the chloromethylated PPO (CPPO) is further homogeneously quaternized and ion‐exchanged to form an AEM. From the second step, series of AEMs are prepared by changing the mole ratio of amine in relation to CPPO. The presence of quaternary ammonium group in the membrane was confirmed by elemental analysis. The fabricated membranes are subjected to cell polarization studies in ADMFCs, wherein quaternized poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) (CPPO:amine of 1:8) membrane exhibits higher peak power density of 3.5 mW cm^?2 when compared with the other ratios of CPPO:amine in the absence of KOH solution. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43693.     

Polyacrylonitrile solution homogeneity study by dynamic shear rheology and the effect on the carbon fiber tensile strength

Poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐methacrylic acid) (PAN‐co‐MAA)/N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solutions were prepared and dynamic shear rheology of these solutions were investigated. With increasing stirring time up to 72 h at 70°C, the polymer solution became less elastic (more liquid‐like) with a ～60% reduction in the zero‐shear viscosity. Relaxation spectra of the PAN‐co‐MAA/DMF solutions yield a decrease in relaxation time (disentanglement time, τ_d), corresponding to an about 8% decrease in viscosity average molecular weight. The log‐log plot of G′ (storage modulus) versus G″ (loss modulus) exhibited an increase in slope as a function of stirring time, suggesting that the molecular level solution homogeneity increased. In order to study the effect of solution homogeneity on the resulting carbon fiber tensile strength, multiple PAN‐co‐MAA/DMF solutions were prepared, and the precursor fibers were processed using gel‐spinning, followed by continuous stabilization and carbonization. The rheological properties of each solution were also measured and correlated with the tensile strength values of the carbon fibers. It was observed that with increasing the slope of the G′ versus G″ log‐log plot from 1.471 to 1.552, and reducing interfilament fiber friction during precursor fiber drawing through the addition of a fiber washing step prior to fiber drawing, the carbon fiber strength was improved (from 3.7 to 5.8 GPa). This suggests that along with precursor fiber manufacturing and carbonization, the solution homogeneity is also very important to obtain high strength carbon fiber. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:361–370, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Electrical behavior of dual‐morphology polyaniline

An attempt was taken to synthesize two types of polyaniline (PANI) with and without solvent followed by drying in air and vacuum oven conditions resulting different morphologies. The PANIs were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization and studied with respect to their morphological features. Scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy techniques were used for the characterization studies. The PANI synthesized with a solvent had a mixed morphology (fibrillar and granular), whereas PANI synthesized without a solvent had only a granular morphology. The direct‐current electrical conductivities of the samples were evaluated with an electrometer. We observed that the PANIs with mixed morphology (with solvent) were more electrically conducting than those with a single morphology (without solvent). On drying in vacuo, the conductivity of PANI decreased from 3.3 × 10^?2 to 0.3 × 10^?2 S/cm with solvent treatment, whereas it decreased from 0.1 × 10^?2 to 0.3 × 10^?3 S/cm without solvent treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44091.     

Dielectric and conducting behavior of pyrene functionalized PANI/P(VDF‐co‐HFP) blend

Herein, we present the dielectric and electrical conductivity properties of the partially miscible polymer blend prepared using pyrene functionalized polyaniline (pf‐PANI) and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF‐co‐HFP). The blend mostly retains the fluorescent nature of pf‐PANI as well as can be moldable and possesses good damping property. The dielectric properties have been investigated as a function of temperature at three different frequencies and the plausible origin of polarization responsible for dielectric behavior in this blend has been identified. The experimental results of dielectric measurements are compared with theoretical models and discussed. The surface morphology of the samples has been examined with a scanning electron microscope. The electrical conductivity has also been studied as a function of temperature and explained in terms of hopping of charge carriers/interconnected networks. The combined dielectric and conductivity results together with scanning electron microscope micrographs, reveal that there is hindrance to achieve percolation threshold even after pf‐PANI addition of 57 vol % and subsequent thermal treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44077.     

Aqueous Slip Casting of Transparent Aluminum Oxynitride

Highly transparent Aluminum oxynitride (AlON) body has been produced using aqueous slip casting technique. High‐purity alumina and AlN were used as raw materials for the synthesis of single‐phase AlON powder. As‐synthesized AlON powder was surface modified to enable the AlON powders resistant to hydrolysis in water during aqueous slip casting. High solid loaded aqueous AlON slip was prepared for casting followed by drying and sintering to produce transparent AlON. Phase formation and stability was characterized by XRD, pH, and viscosity measurements. AlON powders before and after surface treatments were characterized. Sintered transparent AlON samples were characterized for their mechanical, microstructural, and optical properties. Sintered and polished AlON produced in this study has shown inline transparency up to 80% between 0.22 and 6 μm wavelength region.