Percentage Composition Research Articles

Mechanical, machinability and water absorption properties of novel kenaf fiber, glass fiber and graphene composites reinforced with epoxy

This paper aims to fabricate a novel kenaf fiber, glass fiber, graphene composite reinforced with epoxy, and to study its water absorption, mechanical and machining properties. Natural fiber composites seek numerous applications nowadays due to its high strength is to weight ratio, high impact resistance, thermal stability, and recyclability. The literature study on natural fiber composites indicates lack of research on Kenaf fibers reinforced with E-glass fibers in conjunction with 0.5% and 1.0% of graphene. Hence, this research focuses on Kenaf fiber with percentage composition of graphene was varied as 0.5%, and 1.0%, by weight of the holding matrix and with/without incorporation of glass fiber. Suitable surface modifications were done by treating natural fibres by 0.5% NaOH for better adhesion of fibre and epoxy resin. Sonication and Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) treatments were also done to realize the fine scattering of graphene in the epoxy matrix in order to achieve better mechanical behaviour. Moulds were prepared as per D-638 ASTM standards. The treated fibres were then arranged in the mould by the conventional hand layup technique. The main objectives of this study are to conduct tensile, flexural, Impact, water absorption, machinability, and FTIR test. Result shows that the incorporation of graphene in natural fiber composites showed an increase in tensile strength, flexural strength, and water absorption properties by 27.7%, 53%, and 15% on average, respectively. The composites used in this research find their use in potential applications such as defence, biomedical aids, automobiles, packaging, actuators, etc. These often generate great interest, whenever there is a demand for fabricating lightweight and high strength material.

Lung Microbiome in Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review

To date, the percentage composition of the lung microbiome in bronchopulmonary cancer has not been summarized. Existing studies on identifying the lung microbiome in bronchopulmonary cancer through 16S rRNA sequencing have shown variable results regarding the abundance of bacterial taxa. Objective: To identify the predominant bacterial taxa at the phylum and genus levels in bronchopulmonary cancer using samples collected through bronchoalveolar lavage and to determine a potential proportional pattern that could contribute to the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary cancer. Data Sources: A systematic review of English articles using MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. Search terms included lung microbiome, lung cancer, and bronchoalveolar lavage. Study Selection: Studies that investigated the lung microbiome in bronchopulmonary cancer with samples collected via bronchoalveolar lavage. Data Extraction: Independent extraction of articles using predefined data fields, including study quality indicators. Data Synthesis: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, focusing on those that utilized a percentage expression of the microbiome at the phylum or genus level. There was noted heterogeneity between studies, both in terms of phylum and genus, with a relatively constant percentage of the Firmicutes phylum and the genera Streptococcus and Veillonella being mentioned. Significant differences were also observed regarding the inclusion criteria for study participants, the method of sample collection, and data processing. Conclusions: To date, there is no consistent percentage pattern at the phylum or genus level in bronchopulmonary cancer, with the predominance of a phylum or genus varying across different patient cohorts, resulting in non-overlapping outcomes.

A Review of Methionine and Cysteine: Their Roles as Sinks for Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species, Including Bioinformatic Analysis of Their Percent Compositions in Metabolic Proteins

A Review of Methionine and Cysteine: Their Roles as Sinks for Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species, Including Bioinformatic Analysis of Their Percent Compositions in Metabolic Proteins

Comparative Effect of Feeding Maiwa and Pearl Millet as Dietary Energy Source for Broiler Chicken

This study compared the effects of feeding broiler chickens, maiwa and pearl millet as dietary energy sources. The effectiveness, performance, and carcass features of broiler chickens given varying amounts of maiwa and pearl millet as dietary energy sources were evaluated in a feeding trial/experiment. The experiment used 200 day-old broiler chickens. The experiment was divided into two phases: starter and finisher. Five experimental meals containing 20 and 23% crude proteins were created for each phase. For T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, five experimental diets were developed with different inclusion levels of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% respectively. In a randomized completely block design (RCBD), each treatment was duplicated four times, with ten birds each replication. Feed and water were provided ad libitum from 2nd to the 9th week of age. The result of the experiment on percentage composition of the experimental diets indicated that crude protein and metabolizable energy are within the range adequate for raising broiler chickens. The daily feed intake values (53.80-57.05g; 120.30-124.35g; 82.79-85.35g) and the daily weight gain values (29.95-33.82g; 41.77-44.66g; 34.22-35.88g) obtained from the performance of broiler chickens revealed non-significant differences among the treatments in the three (3) phases. The dietary treatments had no effect on the carcass and visceral organ parameters of broiler chickens, with the exception of caecal weight and small intestine length, which differed significantly (P≤0.01), with values ranging from 0.41%-0.72% and 160.85-191.33cm, respectively. Thus, the study comes to the conclusion that broiler chickens can safely be fed maiwa and pearl millet along with other items as nutritional energy sources.

Effect of application of ozone at low-pressure on the technological properties, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of common beans during storage

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of low-pressure ozone treatment on the technological quality, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) during storage. Samples of 5.0 kg of dry beans were exposed to ozone in a hypobaric chamber with an internal volume of 70 L. Ozone was injected until the internal chamber pressure reached 100000 Pa, with an inlet concentration of 61.37 mg L−1 and flow rate of 1.0 L min−1. Ten cycles of ozone injection were adopted. Oxygen was used in control treatment. The effect of the treatments on the grain quality was assessed over storage for 180 days. Ozone did not affect the percentage composition of the dry beans, which exhibited 18.76% of protein, 11.66% of moisture content, 3.44% of minerals, 1.32% of lipids, and 64.51% of carbohydrates. A significant difference (p < 0.05) between the treatments and the control was noticed in total titratable acidity. The luminosity (L∗) and hue (h∗) of the grains were not altered by ozonation. Ozone had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the phenolic content of the dry beans but no significant effect (p > 0.05) on their antioxidant capacity. The phenolic compounds content and antioxidant capacity decreased over storage in all treatments. Ozone application at low pressures proved a promising technology for controlling insect pests and promoting fungal decontamination without altering dry bean quality throughout storage.

Optical Characterization of Fluorescent Chitosan-Based Carbon Dots Embedded in Aqueous Natural Dye

(1) Background: This work evaluated the optical characterization of aqueous fluorescent chitosan-based carbon dots (or carbon nanoparticles CNPs) embedded in natural dye for potential functional packaging applications. Chitosan-based materials are nontoxic, biodegradable, biocompatible, bactericidal, and produced from renewable polymer sources. Anthocyanins are pigments of different colors with a large range of potential applications, such as in bioindicators and biomonitoring; (2) Methods: The CNPs were synthetized in aqueous solutions using chitosan as a carbon source. The natural dye was extracted from the leaves of Tradescantia pallida Purpurea in aqueous solutions. The fluorescence quantum efficiency (η) and fluorescence lifetime (τ) were determined using the mode-mismatched pump–probe thermal lens (TL) technique and time-resolved fluorescence lifetimes (TRFL) measurements, respectively; (3) Results: The η and τ were measured for CNPs embedded in natural dye solution at different concentrations (5.2, 12.09, and 21.57 mass percentage composition). The η and τ photophysical parameters obtained for CNPs embedded in natural dye were compared with those of other CNPs synthesized using different carbon sources, such as leaves, seeds, and protein; (4) Conclusions: Fluorescence spectra and time-resolved fluorescence measurements corroborate the TL results, and relatively high values of η were obtained for the CNP synthesized and embedded in natural dye.

Studying the biochemical composition of peanut accessions from the VIR collection

Background. Peanut is one of the most important oil crops for food purposes. Natural peanut butter contains two unsaturated fatty acids, oleic and linoleic, which make up to 80% of the total fatty acid content in peanut oil. The quality of oil depends on the ratio between these two acids. Analyzing the diversity of oil content and fatty acid composition in peanut accessions preserved at VIR and assessing the effect of soil, climate, and other factors on these characters is vital for the development of new peanut cultivars rich in oil. Materials and methods. Peanut germplasm accessions were studied for their biochemical composition of fatty acids and the content of oil and protein. The accessions were reproduced for three years (2019–2021) at two ecogeographic locations: in Krasnodar Territory, and Astrakhan Province. Cv. ‘Otradokubansky’ was used as a reference. ANOVA was applied for statistical data processing. Results and discussion. The percentage composition of 18 fatty acids was calculated in peanut oil, with oleic and linoleic acids dominating. The content of oleic acid depended on the genotype for 42–53%, and that of linoleic acid, for 50–71%. The latter was also influenced by the place and year of cultivation. The ranges of variation over the three years of studies in Krasnodar Territory were 35.4–57.6% for oleic acid, and 18.3–38.1% for linoleic acid, whereas in Astrakhan Province they were 33.4–51.2%, and 30.9–42.7%, respectively. Under unfavorable conditions, the content of oleic acid in peanut prevailed. The oil content depended on the genotype for 81%, and its percentage was 32.0–44.4%.

Geological Investigation of Clay Minerals (Swelling) Pt. Upb Antam Pongkor Bogor, West Java, Indoneisa

Rocks containing clay minerals can experience rock deformation when interacting with water, this can also caused by the argillic zone, in the underground tunnel at the Unfoloader 600 and Xc 600 loop 2 ciurug. The argillic process that causes actual material swelling that occurs in field causes rock mass around the mining development area to become weak. The location from tunnel cross cut of Unfoloader 600 and Xc 600 loop 2 contain active clay minerals which high percentage composition of swelling mineral material. The Unfoloader 600 location has a mineral swelling composition of 102.94% with 24 hours, justifying potential very high swelling. The minerals present based on XRD testing 70.8% illite, 25.4% kaolinite, 25.4% kaolinite and 3.8% montmorillonite. Location Xc 600 loop 2 has a mineral swelling composition of 131.25% with 24 hours, justifying potential for very high swelling. The minerals present based on XRD testing illite 49.7%, kaolinite 28.7%, quartz 20.3%, and montmorillonite 1.2%. The values obtained based on laboratory form free swelling tests and XRD that the location experienced of rock deformation, it’s swelling in the mining development area.

Characterization of Some Local Clay Minerals and Fabrication into Ceramic Floor-Tiles

Clay minerals deposits, which include, kaolin, ball-clay, fireclay and zircon, were investigated and used in fabrication of ceramic floor tiles. X-ray diffractometer (XRD-6100, Japan), was used to examine the various compositions and structures of the clay samples. 2000 grams of 0.005 mm grain size of each sample were homogeneously mixed into dough, compressed in metallic mould of 12 mm × 36 mm dimension, and allowed to dry for about 5 hours. Kiln draught oven, at 1200°C was set for glazing and firing of the moulded tiles, to ensure glossy appearance, smoothness and improved strength. XRD test showed higher content of alumina (Al&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;O&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;) and Silicon (iv) oxide (SiO&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;) in all the clay samples. The percentage composition of Critobalite, Diphosphorus trioxide (P&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;O&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;), Potassium Oxide (K&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;O) and Sodium Oxide (Na&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;O), were reasons for their excellent workability, improved mechanical and rheological properties of ceramics floor-tiles. Water absorption, chemical resistance, shrinkage properties of the different ceramic tiles were compare to some commercial products. This investigation had shown that locally available clay minerals could be fully integrated into ceramic industries to reduce cost of ceramic importation and create job opportunities for youths.

Development of Composite Adsorptive Biosorbent from \(H_3PO_4-NaOH-BaCl_2\) Modified Almond Shell: Experimental and Statistical Approach

This study aimed to use an experimental and statistical approach to develop a cost-effective composite adsorptive biosorbent from acid, base and salt-modified biomass. Almond Shell samples were washed, milled to uniform particle sizes (425 µm) and then modified with H3PO4, NaOH, and BaCl2 separately. The three active samples were combined to form a tricomposite biosorbent based on the Simple Lattice Design (SLD) under the Mixture Methodology of the Design Expert Software (11.0.1), within the ranges of 20-60%. The adsorptive capacity of each within tricomposite consisting of different percentage compositions of the modified Almond shell samples was investigated based on the Methylene Blue Number (MBN) Test. The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The maximum adsorption capacity (MBN) of 896.12 mg/g was obtained from the tricomposite almond shell comprising mixture ratio of 20% (H3PO4), 20% (NaOH) and 60% BaCl2. The combination is well fitted to Linear Model () with Std. Dev. of 13.25, R² of 0.6452, Adjusted R² of 0.5565, Predicted R² of 0.4566 and Adeq Precision of 8.472 (&gt;4). The numerical optimization of the experimental data was obtained at 0.980 desirability. The experimental values obtained were in good agreement with the predicted values from the models, with relatively small errors (0.13%) between the predicted and the actual values. This shows that the optimisation process via the SLD was very fit and reliable.

Kinetic analysis of mud insulation's impact on fixed dome biogas digester performance

Kinetic analysis of performance of mud insulated fixed dome biodigester was done. The performance evaluation of the digesters was done with different feedstocks. Mud insulated digesters with cow abdominal waste (CAW), poultry droppings (PD) and 1:1 CAW & PD were labelled as 1, 2 and 3 respectively while uninsulated digesters with CAW, PD and 1:1 CAW & PD were labelled as 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The methane yield(mlCH4/gCOD) were 20123.25, 17688.36, 13688.61, 8690.42, 17239.66, and 14277.06 for digesters 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 respectively. The percentage compositions of methane component according to the GC results were 77.37%, 72.84%, 61.43%, 61.79%, 57.74% and 59.24% respectively for digesters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively, indicating that the methane components of mud insulated fixed dome biogas digester were generally higher than that of the uninsulated fixed dome digesters. The Gompertz model gave the best fit to experimental data with R2=0.995.

Method Development and Validation of Metformin and Gliclazide in Tablet dosage form by Micellar Liquid Chromatography

Micellar Liquid Chromatography (MLC) has emerged as a promising technique for the analysis of Pharmaceutical compounds due to its versatility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. In this experimental research paper, we explore the application of MLC in the simultaneous analysis of two commonly prescribed antidiabetic drugs, Metformin and gliclazide. A combination of these medicines is widely used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, so accurate quantification of them is essential for efficient therapeutic management. To separate the drug formulation, reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was employed using surfactant solutions above Critical Miceller concentration (CMC). The mobile phase included 0.10M SDS and 10% Propanol-1, with a pH of 3.50 maintained by o-Phosphoric Acid and analysis was done using Deoxyprobe C18 column (4.6 x 150 mm, 5 µm). The separation was carried out at room temperature with a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, and detection was performed at 228 nm. Gliclazide has a retention time of 4.46 minutes, compared to 5.57 minutes for metformin. The percentage composition of the sample under analysis ranged from 90 to 110 percent in accordance with schedule V of the Drug and Cosmetic Act. The suggested practice met ICH requirements. The method was also low-cost, easy to use, secure, and ecologically benign. It can be used to conduct standard quantitative analyses on pills that include metformin and gliclazide.

Evaluation of calcium carbonate production and cementitious characteristics of enzymatically induced carbonate precipitation during environmental adjustment

Enzymatically induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is an emerging and eco-friendly technology, which is considered a green alternative to traditional cement in soil stabilization. When stabilizing soil use one-phase grouting method, the activity of urease is often adjusted, leads to changes in the composition and cementitious characteristics of CaCO3. Previous studies primarily focused on the mechanical properties of solidified soil samples, while the production and cementitious characteristics of CaCO3 influenced by the control of urease activity is rarely discussed. This study investigated production and cementitious characteristics of CaCO3 under different reaction environment (pH adjustment, temperature adjustment, and addition of inhibitors), during which the urease activity tests, pH tests, CaCO3 production tests and ultrasonic oscillation tests are conducted. Meanwhile, the morphological characteristics and mineral composition of CaCO3 are revealed through Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS) tests and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) test. The results demonstrate that all three one-phase grouting methods can delay the production of CaCO3 at early-stage of EICP, while the pH should be maintained above 4 to prevent significant urease deactivation. The CaCO3 generated in EICP mainly consists of calcite and vaterite, and the size of CaCO3 increases with the urease activity increased. The cementitious characteristics of CaCO3 is mainly determined by the percentage composition of calcite and vaterite, where higher vaterite content results in weaker cementitious characteristics. This study provides insights for evaluating the cementitious characteristics of CaCO3, which is beneficial for guiding the promotion and application of one-phase grouting method.

Status of planktonic community in the Kanewal Community reservoir in central Gujarat, India

A two-years study (March 2021 to February 2023) was carried out at the Kanewal Community Reservoir, an important water storage reservoir in central Gujarat, to assess the diversity and seasonal variation of the planktonic community. During the study period, a total of 60 phytoplankton species were recorded, belonging to 9 classes, 25 orders and 39 families. Class-wise percentage composition of phytoplankton showed a diverse array during the study period. The species gradient of phytoplankton was as follows: Bacillariophyceae (20) &amp;gt; Zygnematophyceae (14) &amp;gt; Cyanophyceae (10) &amp;gt; Chlorophyceae (9) &amp;gt; Euglenophyceae (2) &amp;gt; Trebouxiophyceae (2) &amp;gt; Dinophyceae (1) &amp;gt; Klebsormidiophyceae (1) &amp;gt; Ulvophyceae (1). Thirty (30) different zooplankton species were recorded during this study, belonging to 11 classes, 14 orders and 19 families. The number of abundant species remained constant throughout the study period. The recorded number of common zooplanktonic species also remained steady (14). However, the number of rare species slightly increased to two (2), which indicates a slight increase in the occurrence of less prevalent species. The highest density of zooplankton was observed during the summer, and the lowest in the monsoon season. Overall, it was found that KCR (Kanewal Community Reservoir) contains a higher number of phytoplankton species (60) compared to zooplankton (30), which could be a consequence of the voluminous hydrological regime with abundant occurrence of macrophyte elements.

Refrachor (F) – seventy-year-old tool and a contemporary observation: estimation of equilibrium compositions of 1H- and 2H-tautomers of tetrazole and 1,2,3-triazole and imine–amine composition of acetaldimine–vinylamine tautomerism

Abstract Refrachor with a symbol F a new physical constant proposed for the first time in 1951 by Joshi and Tuli defined by the equation F = –P log( n D 20 ${n}_{\mathrm{D}}^{20}$ –1) where P is the parachor and n D 20 ${n}_{\mathrm{D}}^{20}$ is the refractive index, is now used in our present work to calculate the percentage composition of 1H- and 2H-tautomers of tetrazole, 1,2,3-triazole, and imine-enamine tautomerism of acetaldimine in their equilibrium mixtures.

The effect of three different preservatives on the numbers and types of bacteria, Brix percentage, pH and nutritional composition of bovine colostrum sourced from New Zealand dairy farms

ABSTRACT Aims To investigate the effect of preservation by addition of yoghurt starter, potassium sorbate and citric acid on counts of aerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus thermophilus and coliforms, Brix percentage, pH, protein, fat and anhydrous lactose concentrations at 0, 7 and 14 days after collection for colostrum stored at ambient temperature. Method Approximately 2 L of first milking colostrum was collected from 10 farms in the Waikato region. Following mixing, it was split into five 400-mL sub-samples and allocated randomly to a control (two sub-samples), or treatment with yoghurt, potassium sorbate, or citric acid preservative. Throughout the trial samples remained in the laboratory at ambient temperature with the lids slightly ajar, and were stirred daily for 15–30 seconds using a sterile spatula. Sub-samples were tested on Days 0, 7 and 14. On Days 0 and 14 aerobic bacteria (by aerobic plate count (APC)), Lactobacillus spp., coliforms and Streptococcus thermophilus counts, pH, Brix percentage, protein, fat and anhydrous lactose were measured. On Day 7 only bacterial counts were completed. The data were analysed using non-parametric clustered bootstrap sampling to estimate the effect of treatment, time, and their interaction on the outcome variables. Results Compared to control samples, on Day 7 the APC for potassium sorbate (1.0 (90% CI = 0.6–1.6) × 108 cfu/mL) was approximately seven-fold lower than for yoghurt (7.3 (90% CI = 4.1–11) × 108 cfu/mL), and approximately three-fold lower than citric acid (3.2 (90% CI = 0.2–4.3) × 108 cfu/mL) remaining low to Day 14. All preservatives reduced coliform growth compared to control samples at Day 7 but growth was lower for potassium sorbate than the other preservatives. For Lactobacillus spp., at Day 7, samples with yoghurt preservative had greater counts than the other two preservatives. Potassium sorbate reduced growth of S. thermophilus compared to the other treatments, especially at Day 7, with 7–10 times fewer S. thermophilus per mL compared to the other three groups. All groups showed an obvious acidification over time, with very little variation within days and treatment groups. There was no evidence for change in fat or protein percentage over time regardless of treatment. Conclusion and clinical relevance Aerobic and coliform bacteria proliferate extensively in unpreserved colostrum. All preservatives decreased coliform counts compared to un-preserved colostrum, but potassium sorbate was more effective at decreasing both coliforms and aerobic bacteria than either yoghurt or citric acid.

Synthesis and Property Evaluations of a Bio‐Based Anticorrosive Urethane Composites Containing Bisphenol a as Extender

AbstractThis article reports the synthesis of an eco‐friendly polyurethane composite system, which was successfully prepared in a one‐pot synthetic pathway by combining castor seed oil (CSO), bisphenol A (BPA), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and functional hybrid nanoparticles (prepared by modifying the peripheral surface of silica with 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The urethane composites were cast as thin films on tin foils and mild steel and cured under atmospheric moisture. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterise the cured composite films, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), corrosion resistance, antimicrobial analysis, salt spray test, and water contact angle measurements. Our evaluations showed improved thermal and hydrophobic properties of the composite coatings. Also, the electrochemical and antimicrobial analyses clearly show resistance to corrosion and test organisms as the percentage composition of APTMS‐SiO2 increases in the urethane system.

Effects of process parameters on biogas production from food waste using aspen plus simulator

This study explores the potential of converting food waste (FW) in South Africa to biogas via anaerobic digestion (AD) using the Aspen Plus Simulator version 11. The simulation modeled the AD process, focusing on hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis stages, with unconverted substrate recycling at the acetogenesis stage, employing a Non-Random Two-Liquid (NRTL) model for the polar mixture components. The FW used contained 49.86 % volatile solids (VS) of carbohydrates, 39.31 % VS of proteins, and 10.83 % VS of lipids. The results revealed that biogas yield at mesophilic temperature (37 °C) was 50 % higher than at thermophilic temperature (55 °C) with a residence time of 35 days, and methane composition was 45.98 % higher. Methane and carbon dioxide percentage compositions increased with hydraulic retention time (HRT), varying between 37.5–45.5 % and 34.3–39.9 % at mesophilic conditions. Economic analysis indicated a profitable outlook, with a payout period of 3 years, 5 months, and a 15-year positive revenue forecast. The project exhibited an internal rate of return (IRR) of 59.6629 %, suggesting strong economic viability and potential for investment. This study underscores the potential for optimized AD processes to enhance biogas production from FW in South Africa, presenting a viable, eco-friendly waste management solution.

Mechanical and absorption properties of carbon-basalt and glass fiber reinforced composites: A comprehensive study with implications for advanced manufacturing technology

In this research, a combination of hybrid and non-hybrid composite materials were tested for their mechanical properties and water absorption rates. The study focused on composites produced through hand-layup techniques, examining their void percentage, morphology, and elemental composition. Specifically, three different stacking sequences of hybrid composites were compared with three non-hybrid composites of equal thickness. Combining carbon and glass allows the composites to balance flexural (367 MPa, 23 GPa) and tensile (440 MPa, 5.7 GPa) strength and modulus, all while remaining cost-effective and easily accessible. The glass fiber-based composites exhibited exceptional impact (27 J/cm2) strength due to their interfacial solid bonding. Additionally, the study found that basalt and carbon-basalt composites had varying degrees of water absorption when exposed to seawater and river water. SEM and EDS Mapping analyses were conducted to understand better fibrous and granular composites' mechanical properties and water absorption behaviors. These analyses provided valuable insights and a comprehensive knowledge of composite properties. Ultimately, the study recommends using hybrid composite materials for specific applications based on desired flexural tensile strength, impact strength, or water absorption characteristics.

Shape memory and mechanical properties of ESO modified epoxy/polyurethane semi-interpenetrating polymer networks for smart plaster

While numerous studies have explored the potential of shape memory materials in medical applications, the current research output is not enough for significant productivity in industrial products. In this research, a type of shape memory orthopedic plaster was fabricated by using epoxy/polyurethane interpenetrating networks modified with epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and then compared with some commercial plasters. Polymer networks that were produced could be tailored to have glass transition temperatures (Tgs) within the range of 70–90 °C by changing the percentage composition of polyurethane and soybean oil. Shape recovery and fixity ratios in all samples were above 95 and 97 %. DMA results showed that IPNs with variable amount of soybean oil had lower glass transition temperature (Tg) and cross-link densities compared to IPNs without soybean oil. Based on the tensile test results, most samples exhibited an elastic modulus in the range of 280–400MPa, a level deemed somewhat acceptable when compared to commercial samples. Light microscope images had shown that the increase of polyurethane led to the phase separation of polymers, which was improved by the addition of soybean oil.