Resin Emulsion Research Articles

Pickering Emulsion-Templated Nanocomposite Membranes for Excellent Demulsification and Oil-Water Separation.

A worldwide steady increase in oily wastewater, due to oil spillage and various industrial discharges, requires immediate efforts toward development of an effective strategy and materials to preserve the natural water bodies. Designing a superwettable fibrous membrane of robust structure and anti-fouling property for efficient separation of oil-water mixtures and emulsions is therefore highly demanding. The electrospun fibrous membrane, which possesses porosity and flexibility and properties including superwettability and tunable functionality, can be considered as apposite materials for this cause. In this approach, we combined two strategies, viz., Pickering emulsion and near gel resin (nGR) emulsion electrospinning together to produce a fibrous nanocomposite membrane for efficient oil-water separation and demulsification. nGR Pickering emulsions were stabilized using hydrophilic SiO2 nanoparticles and successfully optimized for fabricating the crosslinked core sheath-structured fibrous membrane. The prepared membrane provided twofold functionality due to the core sheath structure of the fibers. The crosslinked polystyrene core offered high oil adsorption capacity, whereas SiO2-functionalized crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol sheath provided a rough, superhydrophilic surface with underwater oleophobic behavior to the membrane. The optimized SiO2-Pickering emulsion-templated nanocomposite membrane demonstrated excellent underwater anti-oil adhesion behavior (UWOCA ∼148°) with efficient oil-water separation capacity of more than 99% and separation flux up to 3346 ± 91 L m-2 h-1. The membrane was evaluated against various oil-water emulsions and found to have a superior separation efficiency. Moreover, excellent anti-oil adhesion property provided the intact membrane, where consistent separation performance was achieved up to 10 separation cycles without any loss. The membrane was used for separation of hot oil-water emulsions and showed no structural disintegration or loss in separation performance when exposed to elevated temperatures. The developed nanocomposite membranes could efficiently be used for separation and demulsification, and their applications can be explored in various other fields including selective sorption, catalysis, and storage in future.

Dielectric properties of microcrystalline cellulose/multi-wall carbon nanotubes multi-scale reinforced EVA/VeoVa terpolymer

Dielectric analyses were investigated on vinyl resin emulsion based on ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl ester of versatic acid terpolymer (EVA/VeoVa) and its composites reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose and multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Dielectric spectra were measured in the frequency range from 10-1 Hz to 107 Hz and the temperature interval from -35°C to 130°C. Three dielectric relaxations were identified for the matrix. The first one, appearing at lower temperatures and higher frequencies, was associated with secondary β relaxation. The second one appearing above the glass transition temperature was attributed to the α relaxation due to the main glass transition of the terpolymer. The third dielectric relaxation appearing at higher temperatures and lower frequencies was attributed to α’ relaxation originating from the motion of more repeat units compared to the α one. The addition of the reinforcements into the matrix gave rise to three additional dielectric phenomena originating either from microcrystalline cellulose or matrix/reinforcement interfaces. Analyses of secondary dielectric relaxations at low temperatures by using the Havriliak-Negami model and those at high temperatures according to an adequate equivalent circuit model allowed probing reinforcement/matrix interactions. This dielectric study was complemented by the thermal, structural and morphological analyses based on differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively

Synthesis and Characterization if Large Particle Size Self-Matting Core-shell Acrylic Resin

Acrylic resin plays an important role in leather-making, such as finishing agent, filler and tanning agent. Acrylic resin can be easily fabricated via conventional emulsion polymerization, but how to prepare large particle size with self-matting effect has always been a challenge. In this paper, a continuous three-stage polymerization method: seed-polymerization coupled core-polymerization and shell polymerization was employed to prepare large particle size self-matting acrylic resin emulsion. Simultaneously, the effect of feeding methods on particles size and the effects of latex particle size, shell structure and cross-linking degree on the morphology and gloss of coating were investigated. The Z-average size of PBA seed latex particles was 213.4 nm for semi-continuous feeding method but 82.3nm for batch feeding method. After three-time continuous growth, the seed emulsion turned into core emulsion, and the particle size of core latex reached about 700nm. In third stages ofshell polymerization, the core emulsion was changed into core-shell emulsion, and the latex particle size increased further to 804nm. The latex particle size, core-shell structure and cross-linking degree of shell layer were found to influence the gloss of the coating. Large latex particle size imparted the film spherical micro-rough surface, soft-core combined with hard-shell structure led to deformation resistant during film formation and cross-linking of shell layer increased the densification of shell layer, all contributed to the coating rough surface, as a result, increasing the matting effect of the coating. Finally, the leather gloss was reduced from 5.8° to 1.2°.

Effect of Sizing Agent on the Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Performance of Basalt Fiber/Epoxy Composites.

Basalt fiber and its resin composites have gradually supplanted traditional steel and glass fiber composites due to their superior strength, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance. However, basalt fiber still has significant flaws that restrict the functionality and use of its composites, such as less active functional groups and poor resin adherence. This study examines the effects of sizing agent on the characteristics of basalt fiber/epoxy resin composites. Epoxy resin emulsion and acrylate emulsion are employed as the primary auxiliary film-forming agents in this study. Polyurethane emulsion with various content levels is also used. The findings indicate that a 1% wt. of polyurethane emulsion concentration produces the greatest results, increasing the composite’s flexural strength, flexural modulus, tensile strength, and interlaminar shear strength by 122%, 34.0%, 102%, and 10.2%, respectively. At the same time, the storage modulus and Tg of the material will decrease. In addition, the breakdown strength can be raised by 112%, and insulation parameters such as leakage current and dielectric loss factor can be decreased by 26.4% and 15.6%, respectively. The effect of sizing agent B is the best.

Effect of organosilicon resin containing disulfide bonds on elastic properties of cotton fabric

Cotton fabrics are popular for their excellent properties, but their property of creasing easily largely limits the wide application of cotton fabrics. In this paper, an organosilicon resin emulsion containing disulfide bonds was prepared with epoxy-terminated silicone oil and 4,4-diaminodiphenyl disulfide (AFD) as raw materials, and it was used as a finishing agent for the elastic finishing of cotton fabrics. The effects of raw material ratio on the elastic properties of organosilicon polymer film and the effects of emulsifier dosage and emulsification time of emulsion polymerization on the properties of organosilicon resin emulsion were studied. In addition, the effects of organosilicon finishing agent dosage, curing temperature, and curing time on the elastic properties of cotton fabric were also studied. The research results show that the average particle size of the prepared organosilicon resin emulsion is about 250 nm, the particle size distribution is concentrated and the emulsion is stable. The delayed elastic recovery angle of the cotton fabric treated with an organosilicon finishing agent can reach 185°, showing excellent high delayed elasticity. At the same time, it was found that the finished cotton fabric exhibited an excellent and special temperature-responsive shape memory function based on the existence of disulfide bonds in the organosilicon polymer network structure.

Investigation on tensile strength characterisation of untreated and surface treated coir geotextiles

The present study investigates the effects of chemical treatment in characterising the physicomechanical properties of coir geotextiles. Two woven and two non woven coir geotextiles were used in this study. All four types of coir geotextiles were chemically treated with unsaturated polyester resin and bitumen emulsion. The results reveal that the tensile strength of untreated and treated woven and nonwoven coir geotextiles was higher in the warp/machine direction as compared to the weft/cross-machine direction respectively. The chemical treatment increased the tensile strength and decreased the tensile elongation of both woven and non woven coir geotextiles respectively. The chemical treatment modifies the surface morphology of both the woven and nonwoven coir geotextiles.

Polyphenols induced in situ organic-inorganic crosslinking/mineralization strategy for constructing eco-friendly soy adhesive with high waterproof bonding strength

The utility of inorganic filler hybrid soy protein (SP) adhesives is restricted by the difficulty in the control of dispersion and mineralization during the production and usage. Herein, inspired by the biomineralization from marine mollusks, a novel SP adhesive containing a macrocrosslinker system was developed, which showed high water-resistant bonding strength. This mineralization system was constructed by the in-situ crystallization of tannin acid (TA) regulated calcium carbonate (CaCO3), providing a reasonable pathway for controlling mineralization to fit different demands. Carboxyl-containing waterborne epoxy resin emulsion (WEU), a multifunctional crosslinking agent, was introduced into the adhesion system, which improved the crosslinking density and served as in situ mineralized sites for CaCO3 crystallization via –COOH groups as the mineral foothold. Benefiting from carboxyl catching, TA-regulation and epoxy ring-opening reaction, the mineralization of CaCO3 was controllable and uniformly dispersed, meanwhile, the obtained SP adhesive exhibited a great water-resistant bonding adhesion, reaching its maximum wet and boiling shear strength at 1.73 and 1.51 MPa, far higher than the standard of 0.7 MPa for type II plywood (GB/T 9846-2015) in Chinese standard. The strategy of constructing biomineralization system in SP adhesive mimics the feasible crystallization regulation, as well as represents a novel route to design high-performance plant protein adhesives for wood-based panel industries.

Effect of tri(methoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate silane modified nanosilica on some properties of acrylic coating

Acrylic emulsion resin is one of popular matrixes for both outside and inside coatings. It has low cost, high UV and weather resistance, good aesthetics and environmentally friendly. The introduction of inorganic additives in nanosize such as SiO2, TiO2, etc. into acrylic emulsion resin could improve the mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer matrix. The surface modification of nanoparticles can enhance the dispersibility of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. This paper presents the characteristics of nanosilica modified with different contents of tri(methoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate silane (MPTS) as a coupling agent and the effect of modified nanosilica on the abrasion resistance and thermal properties of acrylic emulsion resin. The infrared (IR) spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to evaluate the presence of MPTS on the surface of modified nanosilica. Grafting yield of MPTS on the surface of nanosilica was calculated from TGA diagrams. The obtained results showed that nanosilica was surface modified successfully by MPTS with a grafting yield of 47 % when using 3 wt.% of MPTS. After modification, the modified nanosilica became more hydrophobic and can disperse well in acrylic emulsion resin. The modified nanosilica improved significantly the abrasion resistance of acrylic coating as compared to neat acrylic resin and acrylic/unmodified silica nanocoating. The MPTS modified nanosilica has the potential to be applied as a reinforcing additive to acrylic emulsion resins to improve its abrasion resistance.

Prediction of the removal of aqueous phase during boiling of highly stable water-hydrocarbon emulsions

The removal of water from highly stable natural and technogenic water-hydrocarbon emulsions is studied. For various crudes (oil waste blends, pyrolysis resin emulsion, lake oil sludge, intermediate oil layer) dehydration end temperatures, leading to complete stabilized evaporation of water without foaming, are defined (water content is less than 1% wt.). The end dehydration temperature varies within a wide range (109-150 °C). The parameters of hydrocarbon phase, which indirectly reflect the stability to removal of water by evaporation during thermomechanical dehydration and help to predict final dehydration temperature, such as, density, coking capacity, pour point and viscosity, are suggested.

Environmentally Friendly, Durably Waterproof, and Highly Breathable Fibrous Fabrics Prepared by One-Step Fluorine-Free Waterborne Coating.

Waterproof and breathable membranes (WBMs) have drawn broad attention due to their widespread applications in various scientific and industry fields. However, creating WBMs with environment-friendliness and high performance is still a critical and challenging task. Herein, an environmentally friendly fluorine-free WBM with high performance was prepared through electrospinning and one-step dip-coating technology. The fluorine-free waterborne hydroxyl acrylic resin (HAR) emulsion containing long hydrocarbon chains endowed the electrospun polyacrylonitrile/blocked isocyanate prepolymer (PAN/BIP) fibrous membranes with superior hydrophobicity; meanwhile, crosslinking agent BIP ensured strong chemical binding between hydrocarbon segments and fiber substrate. The as-prepared PAN/BIP@HAR fibrous membranes achieve ideal properties with waterproofness of 112.5 kPa and moisture permeability of 12.7 kg m-2 d-1, which are comparable to the existing high-performance fluorinated WBMs. Besides, the PAN/BIP@HAR membranes also display impressive tensile strength and durability. Significantly, the proposed technology was also applicable to other hydrophilic fiber substrates, such as cellulose acetate and polyamide 6. The successful synthesis of environmentally friendly, durably waterproof, and highly breathable PAN/BIP@HAR membranes not only opens a new avenue to materials design, but also provides promising candidates with tremendous potential in various areas.

Study on the effect of WER and EVA on the performance and microstructure of cement mortars for a prefabricated residential floor

In this study, cement mortars were modified with ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA) powder and water-based epoxy resin (WER) emulsion. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the content of the two polymers on the mechanical properties, abrasion resistance, and toughness of the mortar and to relate these properties to the microstructure of the mortar. We combined IPP(a combination of Stereo Light Microscopy and Image-Pro Plus image processing software) and the mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) to analyze the microscopic pore structure of polymer modified mortars. The microstructure of polymer modified mortars was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the use of alternating wet and dry curing regimes helps to improve the toughness of the modified mortar. Under this curing regime, the maximum flexural strength of the polymer modified mortar was 14.32 MPa and the maximum compressive strength was 90.52 MPa. The addition of polymer significantly improved the abrasion and impact resistance of the cement mortar, with a 28% reduction in abrasion volume from 116 mm3 to 83 mm3 and a 36% increase in impact strength from 13.92 J/cm2 to 18.97 J/cm2. Both polymers have the effect of filling capillary pores in the mortar, but there is a difference in the effect on large-size pores at high dosing levels. This work contributes to an in-depth understanding of the role of polymers in improving the performance of cement mortars, which enables rational development of polymer modified cementitious materials for prefabricated residential floors.

Synthesis of waterborne epoxy resin with diethanolamine-assisted succinimide for improving the strand integrity of polyimide filament

A water-soluble epoxy resin emulsion was synthesized by diethanolamine-assisted succinimide modified epoxy resin (DSEP) and used to reinforce the strand integrity of polyimide filament (PI). FTIR, XPS, and 1H NMR provide an evidence for the succinimide (SI) and diethanolamine (DEA) bonded onto the epoxy resin (EP) structure in the form of C-N-C. The DSEP emulsion shows high storage and dilution stability, with its particle size distribution and PDI of 118∼232 nm and 0.106∼0.638, respectively. Compared with DEA modified EP, DSEP exhibits better strand integrity for PI filament. The breaking strength of PI filament infiltrated by DSEP can reach 2.59 GPa, which is increased by 47.04% than that of PI filament, and is close to that of commercially available water-soluble polyimide resin (2.63 GPa). In addition, the fracture microstructure of PI filament further confirms that DSEP significantly reinforces the aggregation of PI filament. Importantly, there is no wire splitting phenomenon of DSEP reinforced PI filament after more than 200 times of friction. These benefit from the similar material groups of imide ring and benzene ring between DSEP and PI filament structure, as well as the strong hydrogen bonding interaction between them, as further confirmed by FTIR and SEM analysis.

Research on heat reflective coating technology of asphalt pavement

ABSTRACT A new asphalt pavement heat reflective coating was prepared with epoxy resin emulsion as the coating subs-trate, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, diatomite and hollow glass bead as the functional fillers, added fumed silica and other materials as the additives after surface modification. The color and optimum brushing quan-tity of the coating was determined by comparative experiments, and the actual cooling effect and road perf-ormance of the coating were analyzed systematically. The result shows that the surface modification of func-tional fillers can inhibit the agglomeration between particles effectively, and the recommended dosage is 30%. The light grey coating, made of 2% iron oxide black as the pigment, can best balance the cooling ability and visual comfort. The laboratory cooling test showed that the optimal brushing quantity of coating is 0.8kg /m2, when the surface temperature of the uncoated part is 62.8°C, it can be decreased by approximately 10.4°C. According to the field cooling test, when the atmospheric temperature is 37°C and the asphalt pavement surface temperature is 51.2°C, the temperature of the coating is 46.0°C. The coatings pavement performance meets the requirements of the specification after adding anti-skid particles.

Development and Performance Evaluation of a High-Permeability and High-Bonding Fog-Sealing Adhesive Material

Herein, the effects of the contents of emulsified asphalt, waterborne epoxy resin emulsion, and curing agent on the permeability, bond shear strength, water stability, and aging resistance of epoxy-emulsified asphalt were studied. A formulation of epoxy-emulsified asphalt as a fog-sealing adhesive material was recommended, and a comparison between the fabricated adhesive material and a traditional Chinese fog-sealing adhesive material was conducted to verify the technical performance of the new material. In addition, the strength formation mechanism of the epoxy-emulsified asphalt was revealed via microcosmic analysis. Results show that the curing agent content mainly affects the permeability of epoxy-emulsified asphalt, and the emulsified asphalt content significantly affects the bond shear strength, water stability, and aging resistance. Moreover, the ratio of waterborne epoxy resin emulsion to the curing agent (epoxy ratio) has a certain effect on the bond shear strength. In the recommended formulation (a high-permeability and high-bonding fog-sealing adhesive material, which can be referred to simply as HPBFA), emulsified asphalt accounts for 80% of the total mass of the mixture, and the epoxy ratio is 2:1–3:1. It can improve air permeability, bond shear strength, water stability and aging resistance. The HPBFA-cured material exhibits a continuous three-dimensional network structure, hydrophobic surface, and large contact angle. Furthermore, the initial thermal weight loss temperature of the HPBFA-cured material is significantly higher than the environmental aging temperature. Additionally, the maximum temperature decomposition range is 0–160 °C, indicating improved strength, wear resistance, permeability, and aging resistance of the material.

Assessment of Some Characteristics and Properties of Zirconium Dioxide Nanoparticles Modified with 3-(Trimethoxysilyl) Propyl Methacrylate Silane Coupling Agent

This study presents the results of surface modification of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles by 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate silane coupling agent by assessing some characteristics and properties of modified ZrO2 nanoparticles by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, size distribution, zeta potential, and field emission scanning electron microscopy methods. The modified and unmodified ZrO2 nanoparticles have been used as nanoadditives for organic coatings based on acrylic emulsion resin. The abrasion resistance of acrylic coating was evaluated according to ASTM E968-15. The obtained results show that ZrO2 nanoparticles were functionalized successfully with 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate silane. The modified ZrO2 nanoparticles exhibit a positive effectiveness in the enhancement of the abrasion resistance of acrylic resin coating compared to unmodified ZrO2 nanoparticles.

Optimal preparation and degradation characterization of repair mortar containing waterborne epoxy resin emulsions

An orthogonal experimental investigation was conducted to optimize preparation parameters of repair mortar containing waterborne epoxy resin and the degradation performances under three types of ageing were evaluated: (Ⅰ) water immersion, (Ⅱ) thermal ageing, and (III) hydro-thermal ageing. Raman spectroscopy was adopted to characterize phase changes and chemistry evolution during ageing tests. The results indicated that water-cement ratio had a significant influence on compressive and flexural strength. Meanwhile, polymer-cement ratio distinctly influenced bonding strength and flexural strength. When the dosage of coalescing agent was chosen at 5%, crest points were observed for all the properties. The optimal combination was obtained by a comprehensive comparison and the corresponding flexural strength, compressive strength and bonding strength had the balanced values of 10.9 MPa, 55.2 MPa, and 7.3 MPa, respectively. Reversible decreases of residual coefficients were found under water immersion condition while the changes under thermal ageing were almost irreversible. The residual coefficients under coupled effects of humidity and thermal (hydro-thermal ageing) exhibited more complication than that of single factor. The Raman peak related to AFm/AFt along with the broad oxidation or hydrolysis bands was observed, which could provide an explanation for irreversible decline in mechanical strength in the ageing tests.

3D printing 18F radioactive phantoms for PET imaging

PurposePhantoms are routinely used in molecular imaging to assess scanner performance. However, traditional phantoms with fillable shapes do not replicate human anatomy. 3D-printed phantoms have overcome this by creating phantoms which replicate human anatomy which can be filled with radioactive material. The problem with these is that small objects suffer to a greater extent than larger objects from the effects of inactive walls, and therefore, phantoms without these are desirable. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of creating resin-based 3D-printed phantoms using 18F.MethodsRadioactive resin was created using an emulsion of printer resin and 18F-FDG. A series of test objects were printed including twenty identical cylinders, ten spheres with increasing diameters (2 to 20 mm), and a double helix. Radioactive concentration uniformity, printing accuracy and the amount of leaching were assessed.ResultsCreating radioactive resin was simple and effective. The radioactive concentration was uniform among identical objects; the CoV of the signal was 0.7% using a gamma counter. The printed cylinders and spheres were found to be within 4% of the model dimensions. A double helix was successfully printed as a test for the printer and appeared as expected on the PET scanner. The amount of radioactivity leached into the water was measurable (0.72%) but not visible above background on the imaging.ConclusionsCreating an 18F radioactive resin emulsion is a simple and effective way to create accurate and complex phantoms without inactive walls. This technique could be used to print clinically realistic phantoms. However, they are single use and cannot be made hollow without an exit hole. Also, there is a small amount of leaching of the radioactivity to take into consideration.

Melamine-formaldehyde rigid foams – Manufacturing and their thermal insulation properties

The manufacturing of novel melamine-formaldehyde rigid foam material, by blowing the melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin emulsion with pentane and further catalytic and thermal curing, is presented in this work. The process of foaming is described in terms of particular process parameters, which are; the proportions of blowing, curing, emulsifying agents. The examination of the foam, by SEM images, shows that the foam pore sizes are in the range from 150 to 250 µm. The thermal characterization of the obtained foams, is described in terms of thermal conductivity contributions of solid, gas and radiation conduction to total thermal conductivity at atmospheric and vacuum condition. The foam with densities from 50 to 80 kg/m3achieve thermal conductivity at an atmospheric pressure of 33–34 mW/(m × K), while in a vacuum of 6–7 mW/(m × K). Compared to other organic polymer foams, MF foams have superior fire resistance and chemical stability. The innovation of MF rigid foams presented here, compared to other well-known MF flexible foam, is in their rigid structure, combined with low density and thermal conductivity, which makes this particular foam potentially useful in the manufacture of vacuum insulation panels (VIP).

Study on High Performance Polymer-Modified Cement Grouts

Engineers worldwide use various additives or chemical admixtures, such as polymer latexes, to improve the properties of cementitious materials for many construction projects. In this paper, the influence of acrylic or epoxy resin emulsions, along with a polycarboxylate superplasticiser on some basic properties (rheological behaviour, setting time, bleeding, strength) of thick cement grouts is presented. The experimental approach included the use of different polymer dosages mixed with grouts made of low water to cement ratios. The laboratory tests revealed that the incorporation of acrylic resin in grouts marginally affected the viscosity, whereas a significant increase in viscosity was obtained when an epoxy resin was added. Regardless of the prolonged setting times, both polymers improved the development of early or final strength. An acrylic resin dosage ranging from 0.25% to 0.75% and an epoxy resin dosage from 5% to 7.5% displayed the highest strength values, at all water to cement ratios. Additionally, all the polymer-modified grouts exhibited a higher bleed capacity, a fact that is significantly important where the bleeding of the grouts is crucial.

Tire-track resistance performance of acrylic resin emulsion coatings for colored asphalt pavements

In this work, the tire-track resistance performance of thermosetting acrylic resin polymers was studied thoroughly for the purpose of removing tire tracks and improving the colour durability of coloured asphalt pavement. The Wilhelmy plate method and sessile drop technique were applied to measure the surface energy of three types of acrylic resin emulsions as well as rubber tires. On the other hand, both physical and chemical methods were implemented to study the resistance of tire tracks and the degree of difficulty in removing the track on coloured asphalt pavement with different coatings. Through the experiments, it was found that the smaller the adhesion work between the resin emulsion and the tire residue was, the easier it was to clean the surface tire track. Furthermore, the smaller the adhesion work between the resin emulsion and the tire residue was, the less likely it was for tire marks to remain. Although spraying resin emulsion will reduce the friction resistance of the coloured asphalt pavement to a certain extent, it can still achieve the requirements of the specification. Therefore, through these analyses, the use of L4600-type resin emulsion as a coating layer is suggested to increase the colour durability of asphalt pavements as well as prevent the occurrence of ‘early failure’.