Biobased flexible polyurethane foams manufactured from lactide-based polyester-ether polyols for automotive applications

In this study, biobased polyester-ether polyols derived from meso-lactide and dimer acids were evaluated for flexible polyurethane foams (PUF) applications. Initially, the catalyst concentration was optimized for the biobased PUF containing 30% of biobased polyol (70% petroleum-based polyol). Then, the same formulation was used for biobased PUF synthesis containing 10%–40% of biobased polyols. The performance of biobased PUF was compared with the performance of the control foam made with 100% petroleum-based polyol. The characteristic times (cream, top of the cup, string gel, rise, tack-free) of biobased PUF were determined. The biobased PUF were evaluated for the mechanical (tensile and compressive) and morphological properties. As the wet compression set is important for automotive applications, it was measured for all biobased PUF. The thermal degradation behavior of biobased PUF was also evaluated and compared with the control foam. The effect of different hydroxyl and acid values of polyols on the mechanical properties of biobased PUF is also discussed. The miscibility of all components of PUF formulations is crucial in order to produce a foam with uniform properties. Thus, the miscibility of biobased polyols with commercial petroleum-based polyol was studied.     

VBTC: GPU‐Friendly Variable Block Size Texture Encoding

Recent advances in computer graphics have relied on high‐quality textures in order to generate photorealistic real‐time images. Texture compression standards meet these growing demands for data, but current texture compression schemes use fixed‐rate methods where statically sized blocks of pixels are represented using the same numbers of bits irrespective of their data content. In order to account for the natural variation in detail, we present an alternative format that allows variable bit‐rate texture compression with minimal changes to texturing hardware. Our proposed scheme uses one additional level of indirection to allow the variation of the block size across the same texture. This single change is exploited to both vary the amount of bits allocated to certain parts of the texture and to duplicate redundant texture information across multiple pixels. To minimize hardware changes, the method picks combinations of block sizes and compression methods from existing fixed‐rate standards. With this approach, our method is able to demonstrate energy savings of up to 50%, as well as higher quality compressed textures over current state of the art techniques.     

Towards locally and globally shape-aware reverse 3D modeling

The process of re-creating CAD models from actual physical parts, formally known as digital shape reconstruction (DSR) is an integral part of product development, especially in re-design. While, the majority of current methods used in DSR are surface-based, our overarching goal is to obtain direct parameterization of 3D meshes, by avoiding the actual segmentation of the mesh into different surfaces. As a first step towards reverse modeling physical parts, we extract (1) locally prominent cross-sections (PCS) from triangular meshes, and (2) organize and cluster them into sweep components, which form the basic building blocks of the re-created CAD model. In this paper, we introduce two new algorithms derived from Locally Linear Embedding (LLE) (Roweis and Sauk, 2000 [3]) and Affinity Propagation (AP) (Frey and Dueck, 2007 [4]) for organizing and clustering PCS. The LLE algorithm analyzes the cross-sections (PCS) using their geometric properties to build a global manifold in an embedded space. The AP algorithm, then clusters the local cross sections by propagating affinities among them in the embedded space to form different sweep components. We demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the algorithms through many examples including actual laser-scanned (point cloud) mechanical parts.     

Hydrolysis and Condensation of Hydrophilic Alkoxysilanes Under Acidic Conditions

A hydrophilic silane was obtained from the reaction of ethylene carbonate and 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethylsilane. This silane undergoes rearrangement to yield an AB₂-type hyperbranched polymer under anhydrous conditions but hydrolyzes and condenses to produce linear siloxanes under acid hydrolysis. The hydrolysis and condensation reactions as a function of time, HCl concentration and water content were studied by ²⁹Si NMR. The compositions of the silanol containing hydrolysis intermediates and the siloxanes condensation products were identified under different conditions. The instantaneous composition was found to depend on the specific combination of the acid and the water. Under certain conditions the intermediate silane-diols were stable and did not condense even under mild acidic conditions.     

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.     

Rauhut–Currier‐Initiated Organocascade Reaction: Synthesis of Substituted Dispirocyclohexanes through a [2+2+2] Strategy Between 2‐Arylideneindan‐1,3‐diones and Activated Alkenes

For the synthesis of multisubstituted dispirocyclohexane derivatives, a Rauhut–Currier‐initiated organocascade reaction between 2‐arylideneindan‐1,3‐diones and activated alkenes in the presence of diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) was demonstrated. The functionalized dispirocyclohexanes with a wide range of substituents were obtained in satisfactory to excellent chemical yields (58–99%) with high chemo‐ and diastereoselectivities (>95:5 dr). This organocatalytic reaction proceeded smoothly through Michael/Michael cyclization, which involves the formation of three new carbon‐carbon bonds with simultaneous construction of two all‐carbon spiro quaternary centers.

     

An electrostatic powder spray process for manufacturing thermoplastic composites

Manufacture of thermoplastic composites is expensive because of the difficulty of impregnating the resin into the fibers. Powder processing shows great promise as an impregnation technique for cost-effective manufacturing. This paper discusses an electrostatic powder spray impregnation technique that uses glass fibers. A geodesic fiber spreader is used to spread the fibers locally in the region of maximum powder deposition. A negative corona electrostatic spray gun is employed to charge and direct the powder for coating both sides of the spread fiber tow. The process has been used to impregnate glass fibers with poly(aryl ether ketone ketone) powder. The effect of the powder mass flow, corona voltage, and fiber tow velocity on powder deposition has been investigated. Particle image velocimetry is utilized to determine particle velocities. Compression molded panels have been produced and tested in three point bending.     

Recent Advances in Reactive Extrusion Processing of Biodegradable Polymer‐Based Compositions

This review reports on recent advances in the design of biodegradable polymers built from petroleum and renewable resources using reactive extrusion processing. Reactive extrusion represents a unique tool to manufacture biodegradable polymers upon different types of reactive modification in a cost‐effective way. Partially based on our ongoing research, ring‐opening polymerization of biodegradable polyesters will be approached as well as the chemical modification of biodegradable polymers, particularly natural polymers. The development of environmentally friendly polymer blends as well as (nano)composites from natural polymers, including natural fibers and nanoclays, through reactive extrusion, as an efficient way to improve the interfacial adhesion between these components, will be also discussed.

     

Melt‐stable poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) (co)polymers by ring‐opening polymerization via continuous reactive extrusion

Bulk polymerization of ?‐caprolactone (CL), 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one (PDX), and mixtures of PDX and CL was carried out by initiation with Al(O^secBu)₃ in a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder through a fast single‐step process. Both homopolymerizations and copolymerization of PDX and CL proceed very rapidly and reach almost complete (co)‐ monomer(s) conversion as soon as 8 mol% of CL are added in the feed. Even though poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) (PPDX) is known to thermally degrade mainly through unzipping depolymerization promoted from the hydroxyl end‐groups and yielding PDX monomer, it turns out that the thermal stability of PPDX chains is substantially improved by the copolymerization of PDX with limited amounts of CL. Interestingly, DSC analysis of the so‐obtained P(PDX‐co‐CL) copolymers has demonstrated that a CL molar fraction as high as 11 mol% does not prevent the crystallization of the resulting copolymer, which retains a melting temperature close to 95°C. This last observation has been explained by the formation of a blocky‐like copolymer structure, in which short PPDX and PCL sequences are randomly distributed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:622–629, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers.