Volume 36, Issue 1

Polyurethane is a widely used polymer that has good abrasion resistance and low-temperature resistance. However, polyurethane composite materials are highly inflammable and thus require the use of flame retardants. This study selected green and environment-friendly flame retardants such as expanded graphite, aluminum hydroxide, and kaolin to be used as individual or paired retardants to produce polyurethane composites. By analyzing the potential and mechanical properties of the polyurethane composites, it was found that the composite material with the flame retardant composed of graphite and modified kaolin had better flame retardancy, smoke suppression performance, and high thermal stability.

The residual stresses play a significant role in the mechanical properties and strengthening capability of nanocomposites. The present research aims to numerically investigate the residual stress relaxation in nanotube-reinforced polymers in response to mechanical tensile loading. The systems under study consist of the armchair and zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) embedded in a polymer matrix. The nanotubes and polymer matrix are assumed to be bonded by van der Waals interactions based on the Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential at the interface. The interactions between carbon atoms in the nanotube and nodes in the polymer matrix are modelled by equivalent springs. In order to evaluate the analysis of elastic-perfectly plastic using finite element (FE) modelling, first, relaxation of the plastic residual stresses on steel hemisphere in contact with a rigid flat surface was examined in a loading-unloading cycle and verified with available data. Afterwards, the residual stress relaxation in nanotubes with different space-frame structures was computed due to displacement-controlled loading. Finally, the stress state and the plastic residual stresses in the nanocomposite for different carbon nanotube content were analyzed and discussed during loading and unloading. Regarding the effect of tensile stress, it was revealed that nanotube structures have significant effects on the residual stresses created in the nanocomposite.

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are developed by blending and cross-linking polymers which include crystalline domains and cross-linked networks. In this paper, we describe the morphology, thermal and shape memory behavior of methyl vinyl silicone rubber (MVMQ)/olefin block copolymer (OBC) blends prepared by a melt-blending and chemical cross-linking method. MVMQ without crystalline domains could not hold its temporary shape. After introducing the OBC, the obtained blends exhibited excellent dual shape memory properties. The cross-linking networks of MVMQ acted as reversible domains, while crystalline regions of OBC worked as fixed domains. When the blending ratio of MVMQ/OBC was 50/ 50, the blend had both a high shape fixity ratio and shape recovery ratio.

Thermoforming of thermoplastic composites attracts increasing attention in the community due to the mechanical performance of these materials and their recyclability. Yet there are still difficulties concerning the uniformity of the heating and overheating of parts prior to forming. The need for higher energy efficiencies opens new opportunities for research in this field. This is why this study presents a novel experimental method to classify the efficiency of infrared heaters in combination with different thermoplastic composite materials. In order to evaluate this, different organic sheets are heated in a laboratory scale heating station until a steady state condition is reached. This station mimics the heating stage of an industrial composite thermoforming device and allows sheets to slide on top of the pre-heated radiator at a known distance. By applying thermodynamic balances, the efficiency of chosen parameters and setups is tested. The tests show that long heating times are required and the efficiency of the heating is low. Furthermore, the efficiency is strongly dependent on the distance of the heater to the sheet, the heater temperature and also the number of heating elements. Yet, using a full reflector system proves to have a huge effect and the heating time can be decreased by almost 50%.

Scratch resistant surface of polypropylene (PP) is of critical importance for automobile, household appliances and other industries. In this paper, the mechanical and scratch properties of PP were studied by incorporation of three types of inorganic particles, including graphene (GP), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) and zeolite powder (ZP), respectively. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene was used as compatibilizer. The effects of inorganic particle content on crystallization, mechanical properties and scratch resistance of PP composites were studied. Results showed that adding inorganic fillers led to enhanced crystallinity of PP, thus improving the scratch resistance of PP materials. Compared with PP/SiO 2 and PP/ ZP, PP/GP exhibited the best scratch resistance and low sensitivity to scratch deformation at 2 wt% filler. We believe that the scratch resistance of PP was determined by material characteristics and crystallinity. This will be a reference for the research on the scratch resistance of other polymer materials.

The mechanical, interfacial and thermal properties of a flax/ epoxy composite incorporated with a silica aerogel (SA) at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt.% were examined in this work. A set of maximum enhancements of 8.7%, 9.0% and 24.0% in the impact, inter-laminar shear strength (ILSS) and compressive strengths were achieved by adding 0.5 wt.% SA into the flax/epoxy composites. Also, the results obtained from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated that the damping characteristics, peak tan delta and peak loss modulus improved at all filler concentrations, while the glass transition temperature (T g ) decreased slightly. Features of SA such as biodegradability, ability to improve the mechanical properties as observed in this work and enhanced damping characteristics make them suitable for application in machine parts requiring impact resistance and vibration damping characteristics.

The use of nano composites in elastomer blends gives outstanding mechanical properties compared to the use of micro and macro composites, even with very low nano filler content. In this paper, we studied the influence of varying proportions of natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) reinforced with nano silica on the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the rubber. Mechanical characterizations were carried out with hardness, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, modulus and toughness. For thermal analyses, we used differential scanning calorimetry ( DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). In most cases, the increase in the percentage of NBR with the presence of nano silica enhances hardness, modulus and toughness, however, it reduces tensile strength, tear strength and elongation at break. It was found that nano silica has a catalytic effect on the mixture, and NBR has a catalytic effect on the decomposition of NR.

A combined flow, thermal and structural analysis is employed to simulate post-die extrudate distortion in different profile dies. All four factors which can cause extrudate distortion, namely, nonuniform exit velocity distribution, extrudate shrinkage, extrudate draw down, and deformed shape of the calibrator or sizer profile, are simulated. To analyze the effect of exit velocity variation on extrudate distortion, the parameterized geometry of a simple profile die is optimized using an extrusion die optimization software. The simulation results presented for a bi-layer profile die successfully demonstrate how gradually changing profile shape in successive calibrators/sizers can be used to simplify the die design for extrusion of complex profiles. The predicted extrudate shape and layer structure for the bi-layer die are found to accurately match with those in the extruded product.

With the increase in the diversity of applications, the effect of environmental conditions on the mechanical properties of polymeric composites have become more valuable due to the sensitivity of polymers to aging. In this study, an experimental investigation was carried out to study the seawater aging effect on the flexural and low-velocity impact behavior of glass/aramid/ epoxy hybrid composites. Four types of composite groups that are [G 6 ] S , [A 6 ] S , [G 3 A 3 ] S , [A 3 G 3 ] S manufactured by vacuum infusion method were immersed in seawater at 25 °C and 70°C for 1000 h. Mechanical tests were conducted under three different conditions, namely, dry, wet, re-dried. As temperature increases, the water gain ratio also increases for all composite groups. Flexural strength was significantly reduced with seawater absorption for the wet state tested groups at each temperature. The reductions in flexural strength of the re-dried test groups are less than in the wet state test samples. Charpy test results showed that as the composite groups were exposed to hydrothermal aging, the impact strength of the plain glass/ epoxy, GAG/epoxy, and AGA/epoxy hybrid composite decreased. SEM analysis showed that as temperature increases, delamination and fiber/matrix cracks also increases.

In this work, top surface lubrication during friction stir welding of polycarbonate sheets was applied. A homogenous layer of Paraffin wax has been placed on the top surface of the joint area with a width that ensures to cover the shoulder diameter. Then FSW was applied using conventional FSW tool with rotating pin and shoulder at different FSW parameters (Rotation speeds of 1 000, 1500, 2 000 min –1 and welding speeds of 25, 50, 75,100 mm/min). The main objective of using the wax is to act as a lubricant that reduces the friction between the shoulder and the polycarbonate surface. The joints produced were investigated in terms of surface quality, internal defects, and mechanical properties. During FSW the wax is melted and played as lubricant between the tool shoulder and the polycarbonate surface and resulted in defect-free surface with no thickness reduction of the original plate. The transverse cross-section showed defect-free joints for the majority of the FSW parameters investigated. Tensile testing results showed a reduction of the tensile strength after FSW, and an enhancement in the tensile strength with the increase of welding speed or rotation speed. The fracture occurs at the joint zone and the fracture surface investigation using SEM showed the existence of spherulitic structure in the weld joint.

In this work, solid triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) has been fabricated and used as the crosslinking sensitizer for linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) crosslinking application. First, 0 phr, 1.5 phr, 3.0 phr, 4.5 phr and 6.0 phr solid TAIC have been added into the LLDPE to study the radiation crosslinking results. The resulting samples are measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), etc. The results reveal that the crystallinity, melt point, elongation and volume resistivity decrease when the content of solid TAIC increases in LLDPE from 0 phr to 6.0 phr. However, adding a proper amount of solid TAIC (3.0 phr) can improve the crosslinking degree and tensile strength of LLDPE. Finally, the space charge distribution of the samples has been measured, and the possible mechanism of solid TAIC that affects the LLDPE electrical properties is proposed.