Polymer Solution Route Research Articles

Fabrication of Nanosized Alumina Powders by a Simple Polymer Solution Route

Nanosized alumina (Al2O3) powders had been successfully fabricated by a simple polymer solution route employing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as an organic carrier. The fabricated alumina powders had an average particle size of 6.1 nm with a high specific surface area of 99.5 m2/g. As well, the alumina powders were fully crystallized to alpha phase at a relatively low temperature of 1000 degrees C. The PVA polymer contributed to a soft and porous microstructure of the calcined alumina powders, and ball-milling process with the porous powders was effective in making nanosized alumina powders. In addition, the content and degree of polymerization of the PVA affected the development of crystallization and powder properties. In this study, the simple polymer technique and milling process for the fabrication of nanosized alumina powders are introduced, and the effects of PVA on the property of the synthesized alumina powders are observed. For the study, the characterizations of the synthesized powders are conducted by using XRD, TEM, particle size analyzer, and nitrogen gas adsorption.

Fabrication of Nanosized Alumina Powders by a Simple Polymer Solution Route

The development of a free form bulk Nickel reinforced Alumina matrix nano composites using Air Plasma Spray and laser processing has been presented. The process consumes less time and requires further minimal machining and therefore is cost effective. The relative differences in using APS over laser processing in development of bulk metal-ceramic nanocomposites have been discussed. The process intricacies involved during processing such as material specific mandrel selection, plasma-particle interaction are highlighted. Electroless coating has been used to uniformly disperse Nickel in alumina matrix as a source material. The electroless Ni coated alumina particles are subjected to both laser processing and Air Plasma Spraying with optimized parameters. Consolidation by laser processing could not be achieved as the laser beam was reflective to Nickel. On the other hand, APS Ni-alumina nanocomposite with a cylindrical shape of 1.2" OD x 1" ID x 1.5" length has been fabricated with minimum or no surface defects. HRTEM pictures revealed the nanostructure retention thereby corroborating the fact that bulk nanostructures can be made using Air Plasma Spray. XRD analysis confirmed the phase transformation from alpha alumina to gamma alumina and oxidation of Ni to NiO. Subsequent reduction of NiO to metallic nickel using hydrogen atmosphere has also been demonstrated. Mechanical properties such as, hardness (1025 HV) and fracture toughness (5 MPa m1/2) for the nanocomposite are presented herein.

Synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of new amide‐modified poly(1,4‐cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate)

AbstractNew series of cycloaliphatic poly(ester‐amide)s, poly(1,4‐cyclohexanedimethyleneterephthalate‐co‐1,3‐cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalamide), were synthesized through solution polymerization route. The compositions of ester/amide units in the copolymers were varied from 0 to 100% by varying the amount of 1,4‐cyclohexanedimethanol and 1,3‐cyclohexanebis(methylamine) in the feed. The structures of the polymers were confirmed by NMR and FTIR, and the molecular weights were determined by inherent viscosity. The composition analysis by NMR reveals that the reactivity of the diamine toward the acid chlorides is lowered than that of diol, which results in the formation of more ester content in the poly (ester‐amides). The thermal analysis indicate that the new poly(ester‐amide)s having less than 10 mol % of amide linkages are thermotropic liquid crystalline from 200 to 250 °C and a thread like nematic phases are observed under the polarizing microscope. WXRD studies suggest that the liquid crystalline domains promote the nucleation process in the polyester chains and increases the percent crystallinity of the poly(ester‐amide)s. The glass transition temperature of the copolymers initially increases with increase in amide units because of the presence of nematic phases and subsequently follows the Flory–Fox behavior. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 42–52, 2006

Processing of Cordierite and Hexacelsian Precursor Powders through Solution-Polymerization Route

Amorphous-type cordierite (2MgO⋅2Al2O3⋅5SiO2) and hexacelsian (BaO⋅Al2O3⋅2SiO2) precursor powders were prepared by a solution-polymerization route employing a Pechini resin or a PVA solution as a polymeric carrier. After calcination at 800°C for 1h under atmospheric conditions, the bulky precursors changed into very soft and porous powders. In case of the cordierite precursor prepared using PVA solution, the densification proceeded at lower temperature than in the case of the Pechini resin process. The densification was inhibited by the crystallization of amorphous silica in both cases and it was the reason for the coarse microstructure of the sintered cordierite. Sintered cordierite was closer to pure cordierite with low amount of amorphous-type cordierite phases as was observed in the case of the solution-polymerization route employing PVA solution. Hexacelsian precursor powder, which was prepared by the PVA solution process, was faster crystallized to hexacelsian and showed more sluggish reconstructive transformation behavior than the powder derived from the Pechini resin process.