Simple Blending Method Research Articles

Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) based on PVA/MMT composite polymer membranes

A novel composite polymer electrolyte membrane composed of a PVA polymer host and montmorillonite (MMT) ceramic fillers (2–20 wt.%), was prepared by a solution casting method. The characteristic properties of the PVA/MMT composite polymer membrane were investigated using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy, and the AC impedance method. The PVA/MMT composite polymer membrane showed good thermal and mechanical properties and high ionic conductivity. The highest ionic conductivity of the PVA/10 wt.%MMT composite polymer membrane was 0.0368 S cm −1 at 30 °C. The methanol permeability ( P) values were 3–4 × 10 −6 cm 2 s −1, which was lower than that of Nafion 117 membrane of 5.8 × 10 −6 cm 2 s −1. It was revealed that the addition of MMT fillers into the PVA matrix could markedly improve the electrochemical properties of the PVA/MMT composite membranes; which can be accomplished by a simple blend method. The maximum peak power density of the DMFC with the PtRu anode based on Ti-mesh in a 2 M H 2SO 4 + 2 M CH 3OH solution was 6.77 mW cm −2 at ambient pressure and temperature. As a result, the PVA/MMT composite polymer appears to be a good candidate for the DMFC applications.

Update of the clinicals trials for the elderly (Europe)

Graphene has been considered to be a promising nanofiller material for building polymeric nanocomposites because it has large specific surface area and unique mechanical property. In the study, BC/graphene composites were prepared by a simple blending method. The resulting structure and thermal stability of the composites were investigated by several techniques including TEM, SEM, XRD, TG and Raman spectrum. These results indicate graphene nanosheets were successfully impregnated and uniformly dispersed in the BC matrix. Water contact angles result showed that the addition of graphene decreased hydrophilic property since water contact angle of BC increased from 51.2° to 84.3° with 4 wt% graphene added. The mechanical performances of BC/graphene composites were highly evaluated. When compared to pristine BC, the incorporation of 4 wt% graphene improved the tensile strength from 96 MPa to 155 MPa and Young's modulus from 369 MPa to 530 MPa, respectively.

Universal parametrization in constructing smoothly-connected B-spline surfaces

In this paper, we explore the feasibility of universal parametrization in generating B-spline surfaces, which was proposed recently in the literature (Lim, 1999). We present an interesting property of the new parametrization that it guarantees G 0 continuity on B-spline surfaces when several independently constructed patches are put together without imposing any constraints. Also, a simple blending method of patchwork is proposed to construct C n−1 surfaces, where overlapping control nets are utilized. It takes into account the semi-localness property of universal parametrization. It effectively helps us construct very natural looking B-spline surfaces while keeping the deviation from given data points very low. Experimental results are shown with several sets of surface data points.

Parametric G n blending of curves and surfaces

We introduce a simple blending method for parametric curves and surfaces that produces families of parametrically defined, G n –continuous blending curves and surfaces. The method depends essentially on the parameterizations of the curves/surfaces to be blended. Hence, the flexibility of the method relies on the existence of suitable parameter transformations of the given curves/surfaces. The feasibility of the blending method is shown by several examples. The shape of the blend curve/surface can be changed in a predictable way with the aid of two design parameters (thumb weight and balance).