Blending System Research Articles

Supercapacitance properties of porous carbon from chemical blending of phenolic resin and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids

Abstract

Preparation and Metal Removal from Chitosan/PEG Blend

Recently the removal of trace element using biodegradable polymers is important. This paper involves the preparation and evaluation of chitosan/ polyethylene glycol blend served as a heavy metal removal system. The author has prepared the various blending system with different composition ratios and different crosslinking density. Experimental results indicate that the swelling degree and thermal property of the blend film are correlated with blend ratio and crosslink density. The blend film is then investigated its metal-binding performance. Copper sorption capacity is one of major potential applications in a field of wastewater treatment.

Lithium Battery Using High Conducting Emifsi-Doped Solid Polymer Electrolytes Process Under the Electric Field

Lithium-ion battery holds great promises for future energy storage purpose. However, traditional Lithium-ion battery uses liquid organic electrolytes which is flammable and leads to safety problems. In this work, we present a highly ion conducting membrane which is discovered by doping a nonvolatile conducting medium, ionic liquids (ILs) in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) prepared under external electric field(EF) poling. The poling created aligned morphology in PVDF-HFP and PMMA blending system yield the long-range ordered but nearly totally amorphous domains where nonflammable ionic liquids is inter-dispersed to display unusually high Li+ transport with room temperature conductivity reaching over 10-3S/cm. The highest conductivity of 7.53x10-3 S/cm is observed for polymer electrolyte containing PMMA/PVDF-HFP (50/50 wt%, eV8E2L). The alignment by the external electric field not only altered the interaction between polymer components which suppressed PVDF-HPF crystallinity in the SPEs, it also improves mechanical strength of the membrane .The coin cell (R2032) using eV8E2L as the SPEs and LiFePO4 cathode shows fair half-cell performance and durable cycle stability. Under 0.1C-rate the half-cell displayed consistent discharge capacity of 140 mAh/g , without apparent capacity decay. Figure 1

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline epoxy and co-polymerisation with a non-mesomorphic epoxy resin

ABSTRACTA novel liquid crystalline epoxy resin based on the imine group was synthesised and structurally characterised by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The mesogenic behaviour of the monomer was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarised optical microscopy (POM), and presented various textures in the extensive temperature range. Methyl nadic anhydride (MNA) was employed to cure the liquid crystalline epoxy resin and the curing process was investigated using POM and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Information about distribution of liquid crystalline epoxy resin in the blending system resulted from the FT-IR Imaging System, indicating that molecules of liquid crystalline epoxy resin can agglomerate to form anisotropic domains. The improvement in mechanical properties of diglycidyl ether of biphenol A (DGEBA) modified with liquid crystalline epoxy was achieved. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) showed that an extremely rough and highly deformed fracture surface can be obtained. DGEBA modified with liquid crystalline epoxy resin was characterised by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) for its thermal properties. The results indicate that the presence of the liquid crystal phase influences glass transition temperature (Tg).

Effect of mixed hole transporting host on the mobility, Gaussian density of states and efficiencies of a heterojunction phosphorescent organic light emitting diode

We present an in-depth study of the hole transport in poly(vinylcarbazole) PVK films blended with small molecule tris(4-carbazoyl-9-ylphenyl)amine (TcTa). Doping TcTa in PVK introduces shallow hole traps when the doping concentration is lower than 20 wt%. It becomes percolative at higher concentrations. The energetic disorder σ of the blended system reduces from ~72 meV at 0 wt% TcTa to ~41 meV at 50 wt% TcTa. A correlation between σ and the film morphologies suggests that the blending of TcTa molecules in the film does not only change the film homogeneity and roughness but also the energetic disorder. In addition to the mobility study, we fabricated a red phosphorescent organic light emitting diode with the same blending system. By doping merely 5 wt% of TcTa into PVK as mixed hole-transporting hosts, the efficiency of the deep red heterojunction phosphorescent organic light emitting diode increased from 2 cd A−1 to 4 cd A−1, suggesting that TcTa molecules assist in hole injection.

Utilizing biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) to synergistically toughen polymer blends without sacrificing stiffness

Biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) toughens polymer blend without sacrificing stiffness.

Enhanced Thermal Performance and Impact Strength of UHMWPE/Recycled-PA6 Blends Synthesized via a Melting Extrusion Route

The blends of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and recycled-polyamide 6 (R-PA6) were prepared via a melting extrusion route using high-density polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (HDPE-g-MAH) as the compatibilizer. The morphologies and distributions of the chemical components of the blends were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and synchrotron Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. The effects of R-PA6 content on the Vicat softening temperature (VST), heat distortion temperature (HDT), and impact strength of the blends were studied. Remarkably, in comparison with those of UHMWPE, the VST and HDT of UHMWPE/R-PA6 blends with 44 wt% R-PA6 were increased to 165.1 and 98.4°C, respectively, and the Charpy impact strength and Izod impact strength of the blends were enhanced to 33.9 and 16.2 kJ/m2, respectively. In addition, it was found that the blending system containing 44 wt% R-PA6 and 48 wt% UHMWPE exhibited the best compatibility when it was prepared using 8 wt% HDPE-g-MAH. The distribution of the phases of UHMWPE and R-PA6 was uniform, and no obvious phase separation was observed in the blends.

Enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of (Poly[vinyl alcohol])‐Dialdehyde starch composites via the incorporation of montmorillonite nanofillers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of nano‐size montmorillonite (MMT) in poly(vinyl alcohol)‐(dialdehyde starch) (PVOH‐DAS) blending system. DAS was initially synthesized through periodate oxidation method, followed by a solution casting procedure to prepare a PVOH‐DAS‐MMT blend hybrid. Increasing the amount of MMT significantly increased the thermal decomposition temperatures of PVOH‐DAS blends. This is because the intercalated MMT particles in the PVOH‐DAS matrix could restrict the diffusion of oxygen and volatile gases throughout the PVOH‐DAS matrix by delaying the decomposition temperature. The incorporation of MMT particles into the PVOH‐DAS matrix has significantly increased the d‐spacing and interchain separation of peaks (001) and (002). The effective intercalation of PVOH‐DAS matrix into interlayer galleries of MMT particles could increase the interlayer galleries gap distance. Increasing the amounts of MMT has significantly increased the mechanical properties of all PVOH‐DAS blends. The intercalation effect of MMT particles in the PVOH‐DAS matrix could improve the compatibility between PVOH and DAS phases in the PVOH‐DAS matrix by effectively transferring applied stress throughout the polymer matrix. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 23:E128–E141, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

Ultrafiltration performance and fouling resistance of PVB/SPES blend membranes with different degree of sulfonation

Abstract

Validation of volume delivery with the use of heliox in mechanical ventilation

Using a mixture of helium and oxygen (heliox) while mechanically ventilating patients to relieve lower airway obstruction is commonly practiced in intensive care units. The use of heliox with commercially available mechanical ventilators is usually accomplished by connecting the heliox mixture to the air inlet of the ventilator. Since most ventilators do not compensate for the difference in gas densities, particular attention to the delivered tidal volume (V T ) is required. We utilized a commercially available mechanical ventilator with an internal blending system that is capable of delivering heliox instead of medical air. It identifies and compensates for the gas mixture, theoretically enhancing stability in delivered and monitored parameters. Intubated, sedated male domestic pigs (n = 7) were ventilated with a mechanical ventilator equipped with an internal heliox blending system utilizing pressure assist control, pressure regulated volume control, and pressure support ventilation modes. Accuracy of volume delivery was assessed by comparing delivered V T measured at the patient wye using the variable orifice flow sensor connected to the ventilator and a heated 0-35 L/min pneumotachograph that was calibrated for flow, pressure, and volume, with a 0.80/0.20 heliox mix and 0.50 oxygen. A paired t-test was utilized with a P < 0.05. Pigs mean weight 9.0 ± 0.9 kg. Mean exhaled tidal volume for all modes and was 66 ± 16 mL. When comparing all modes for the 0.50 oxygen to the heliox mix, we found that exhaled tidal volume % difference increased when using heliox ( P ≤ 0.037). This study confirms that clinicians should be vigilant in monitoring delivered V T using a commercially available ventilator equipped with an internal heliox blending system. Accuracy of delivered V T can vary greatly with the use of heliox in this system, as well as other configurations.

Synergistic effects of small amounts of konjac glucomannan on functional properties of egg white protein

Food proteins and polysaccharides are two key structural entities in food materials. Understanding the interactions between protein- and polysaccharide-based elements may offer unique opportunities in developing food products with well-defined functional properties. In this study, the synergistic effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM) on functional properties of egg white protein (EWP) were investigated. The results showed that KGM could increase the hardness, chewiness and springiness of the gel samples at a certain concentration. The presence of KGM was observed to be detrimental to foaming capacity of EWP, while foam stability enhanced. What is more, the emulsifying activity and emulsion stability significantly improved with the increase of KGM concentration, reaching the maximum at 0.08 wt%. In addition, the thermal and rheological properties showed that KGM enhanced the thermal stability of the blending system, and had a significant influence on the sol–gel transition temperature of samples. The findings demonstrated that incorporating KGM into EWP provided an effective strategy to improve the functional properties of EWP and a possibility to obtain a self-structuring product with great commercial values.

Improvement of rainfall and flood forecasts by blending ensemble NWP rainfall with radar prediction considering orographic rainfall

Summary Many basins in Japan are characterized by steep mountainous regions, generating orographic rainfall events. Orographic rainfall may cause localized heavy rainfall to induce flash floods and sediment disasters. However, the accuracy of radar-based rainfall prediction was not enough because of the complex geographical pattern of the mountainous areas. In order to reduce damage due to localized heavy rainfall, characteristics of orographic rainfall must be identified into a short-term rainfall prediction procedure. The accuracy of radar-based rainfall prediction performs best for very short lead time, however the accuracy of radar prediction rapidly decreases with increasing lead times. At longer lead times, higher accuracy QPFs are produced by Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models, which solve the dynamics and physics of the atmosphere. This study proposes hybrid blending system of ensemble information from radar-based prediction and numerical weather prediction (NWP) to improve the accuracy of rainfall and flood forecasting. First, an improved radar image extrapolation method, which is comprised of the orographic rainfall identification and the error ensemble scheme, is introduced. Then, ensemble NWP outputs are updated based on mean bias of the error fields considering error structure. Finally, the improved radar-based prediction and updated NWP rainfall considering bias correction are blended dynamically with changing weight functions, which are computed from the expected skill of each radar prediction and updated NWP rainfall. The proposed method is verified temporally and spatially through a target event and is applied to the hybrid flood forecasting for updating with 1 h intervals. The newly proposed method shows sufficient reproducibility in peak discharge value, and could reduce the width of ensemble spread, which is expressed as the uncertainty, in the flood forecasting. Our study is carried out and verified using the largest flood event by typhoon ‘Talas’ of 2011 over the two catchments, which are Futatsuno (356.1 km2) and Nanairo (182.1 km2) dam catchments of Shingu river basin (2360 km2), which is located in the Kii peninsula, Japan.

Free radical competitions in polylactide/bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane/ free radical initiator ternary blends and their final properties

The reactive blending system of free radical initiator (L101), polylactide (PLLA) and bio-based polyurethane (Bio-TPU) elastomer containing double bonds was investigated. There existed a competition for free radicals between the PLLA and Bio-TPU, because free radicals could attack both the tertiary hydrogen in PLLA chains and the double bonds in Bio-TPU. The behavior of competition for free radicals between PLLA and toughening phase was pointed out and analyzed in this work for the first time. Observations from all kinds of characterization lead us to believe that the double bonds in Bio-TPU were more prone to react with free radicals. The competition for free radicals played an important role on the interfacial properties of the blending systems, and consequently, on the thermal and mechanical properties of the blends. In PLLA/Bio-TPU/L101 (90/10/0.1, 90/10/0.3) blends, excellent ductility and high tensile strength were found at the same time owing to largely improved compatibility and much higher crystallinity. The elongation at break of these two samples were improved 36 and 34 times compared to pure PLLA separately, accompanied with only 16% and 18% decrease of the tensile strength. This work may be helpful for better understanding of similar reactive blending systems and designing PLLA blends with comprehensive properties.

Manipulation of multiphase morphology in the reactive blending system OBC/PLA/EGMA

In recent years, biodegradable polymers derived from bioresources have received more and more attention.

Poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(ether sulfone)‐g‐poly(ether glycol) methyl ether methacrylate blend membranes with improved ultrafiltration performance and fouling resistance

ABSTRACTTo enhance the permeability, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membranes, in this study, poly(ether glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) was grafted onto poly(ether sulfone) (PES) to first synthesize PES‐g‐PEGMA. Then, PES‐g‐PEGMA was blended with PVC (with blend ratios of PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA that varied from 10 : 0 to 7 : 3) through the non‐solvent‐induced phase separation method to fabricate PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA blend membranes. Shear viscosity and Fourier transform infrared–attenuated total reflection experiments showed that PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA was a partially compatible system and that it was more compatible than a PVC/PES blending system. The contact angle, equilibrium water content, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements confirmed that the PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA blend membranes had a stronger hydrophilicity than the pure PVC membranes. Additionally, the results of this experiment also show that the PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA blend membranes exhibited a higher permeability and superior antifouling properties than the pure PVC membranes, and the optimum blend ratio of the PVC/PES‐g‐PEGMA blend membranes was 7 : 3. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41726.

Enhanced luminescence of MEH-PPV through the reduction of chain aggregations by blending 4-cyano-4′-N-heptylbiphenyl

In this study, we report the electroluminescence and photoluminescence of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and 4-cyano-4′-N-heptylbiphenyl (7CB) blends in the ratios of 0–90wt% by drop-coating processes. The corresponding characterization of polarized optical microscope, electroluminescence, photoluminescence and atomic force microscope of different blending ratios of MEH-PPV/7CB are systematically carried out in this study. The optimal composition of 6/4 ratio in MEH-PPV/7CB exhibit the highest luminescence, which is almost ten times than that of pure MEH-PPV due to the fact that 7CB could be a barrier to avoid the aggression of MEH-PPV. The novel blending system demonstrate a potential approach for synthesizing the MEH-PPV/7CB composite film for electroluminescent device applications.

The investigation of methyl phenyl silicone resin/epoxy resin using epoxy-polysiloxane as compatibilizer

A novel polysiloxane (HPS) with epoxy and phenyl groups was synthesized by controlled hydrolysis and condensation of γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH560) and diphenyl silanediol. Besides, HPS was used as the compatibilizer of the miscible diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/methyl phenyl silicone resin (Si603) blend. The structure and effect of HPS were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that HPS could significantly improve the compatibility between epoxy resin (EP) and Si603 resin. In addition, the glass transition temperature (T g) of the blend increases with increasing amount of Si603 from 129 to 151 °C. The thermal stability of blending system was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetric analysis and SEM. The results showed that the incorporation of Si603 into DGEBA resin not only obviously increased the thermal resistance, but also remarkably improved the flame retardancy. The high limiting oxygen index of the HPS/EP/Si603/DDM system at 31 is considered as excellent flame retardancy in the epoxy system.

Full color organic light emitting diodes with laser-patterned optical path-length compensation layer

In this paper, we describe a promising way to fabricate micro-cavity OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes) with the concept of “super top emission” with soluble optical path-length compensation layer (OPCL) formed by Laser Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) technology. OPCL is an additional layer for setting the cavity length corresponding to intrinsic wavelength of emitter. The resultant OLEDs gave a saturated three primary colors (RGB) after transmitting through common color filters by micro-cavity effect. By this approach, we could simplify the fabrication process of full color OLEDs by reducing conventional color patterning step, fine metal mask method. We also suggested the blending system of polymer and small molecule as transfer layer and this could improve the quality of laser patterning by controlling the surface energy adequately. Also, this system could be a solution to LITI problem of chronic contaminant because transferred materials could remain after cleaning process. Devices fabricated by soluble/LITI process showed comparable or even better performances and the device characteristics could enhance by further study of optimizing several parameters such as materials property and laser patterning condition. Also, we expect that this concept could lead to develop the fabrication process of large and high-resolution OLED displays.

Research on Energy Saving for Multi-Back after Blending Water from One Station System’s Parameters Optimization

The process of multi-back after blending water from one station is used in a block of Daqing oilfield, for saving energy, reducing consumption and easy to manage. For this block’s water blending system, research on its blending parameters optimization is carried on. According to the block’s characteristic of the process, the characteristic of energy cost minimum as objective function, setting up the multi-back after blending water from one station system’s parameter optimization mathematical model[1]. The model belongs to nonlinear programming problems with constraints, the mixed penalty function method and the improved conjugate direction method are used to solve the model, the optimum water blending temperature is determined by optimization calculating as 62.1°C and quantity of blending water a year is 1.13×105 t . By doing so, running costs saved 220,000 yuan per year to achieve the goal of saving energy and reducing consumption.

An Integrated Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Approach for Process Dynamics-Related Measurement Error Evaluation and Process Design Space Development of a Pharmaceutical Powder Blending Bed

In this work, a model pharmaceutical powder blending system consisting of ibuprofen (drug), MCC, and lactose anhydrous was monitored in real-time via inline near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for dua...