bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanical relaxations in heat‐aged polycarbonate. Part I: Comparison between two molecular weights
Authors: Lee‐Sullivan Pearl , Dykeman Donna , Shao Qing 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAs part of a wider research program related to polycarbonate embrittlement, the effects of heat‐aging on mechanical relaxation behavior have been studied by examining the relationship between secondary transitions and stress relaxation behavior. In this Part I, the differences in response between two molecular weight polycarbonates (PC) are compared for injection molded samples. Dynamic mechanical spectra showed that the presence of an intermediate β transition (∼ 80°C) is strongly dependent on molecular weight and heat‐aging. However, the β1 (35°C) and the γ (‐100°C) peaks are generally insensitive to either effect. The study also attempted to interpret the similarities and differences in relaxation response using free volume and conformational change arguments, which have been subject to much scrutiny. Using the KWW stretched exponential to characterize stress relaxation, it appeared that bulk free volume recovery concepts could explain differences in stress relaxation response but not the corresponding losses in toughness. Hence, it is proposed that changes in relaxation response are most likely due to an interplay of relatively large scale molecular volume and molecular conformation processes that affect intermolecular cooperativity. These high‐activation processes are related to the broad β region (β1 < T < Tg).
Mechanical relaxations in heat‐aged polycarbonate. Part II: Statistical analysis of low‐molecular weight data
Authors: Dykeman Donna , Lee‐Sullivan Pearl 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe significance of heat‐aging effects on low‐molecular‐weight polycarbonate has been studied by performing a two‐factor Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Although this work was primarily motivated by the large experimental scatter observed in stress relaxation results for LMW 2608 (part I), the effect of heat‐aging on the characteristics of secondary transitions (γ and β1) generated by dynamic testing was also investigated. Both types of tests were performed using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. The statistical analysis verified an earlier suggestion that both the secondary transitions were insensitive to heat‐aging. In the quasi‐static stress relaxation tests, the curve‐fitted KWW parameters (τ, Eo′ β′) were evaluated using ANOVA for increasing heat‐aging time and test temperature. Two other statistical techniques were also applied to test repeatability—the power of each aging time/test temperature combination and the number of observations needed to achieve 90% repeatability. In conclusion, both τ and β′ could describe the self‐retarding nature of volume recovery although the repeatability of β′ was substantially higher. However, the unrelaxed modulus, Eo, was found to be an unreliable indicator of whether heat‐treatment had caused changes in the intrinsic structure. Overall, the study showed that the repeatability of the stress relaxation test results is generally very poor for the confidence levels tested.
Environmental stress cracking (ESC) of plastics caused by non‐ionic surfactants
Authors: Kawaguchi Takafumi , Nishimura Hiroyuki , Kasahara Keiichi , Kuriyama Takashi , Narisawa Ikuo 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe susceptibility of various plastics to environmental stress cracking (ESC) was studied using a variety of agents in common use. It was found that styrenic polymers are susceptible to ESC by many kinds of agents, including detergents, that have non‐ionic surfactants as their components. The ESC of acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) copolymer caused by non‐ionic surfactants was studied intensively, and the dependence of crack propagation behavior on temperature and on the kind of non‐ionic surfactants was investigated by edge crack tension (ECT) tests. The morphology at the crack tip of ECT specimens was investigated by a transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was found that crack propagation behavior was closely related to the morphology at the crack tip and the morphology was affected by temperature and type of surfactants. The change in morphology at different experimental conditions was attributable to the difference in the solubility and diffusivity of surfactants at the crack tips.
Binary and ternary blends of recycled high‐density polyethylene containing polypropylenes
Authors: Kukaleva N. , Simon G. P. , Kosior E. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractBinary and ternary blends of the high viscosity recycled high‐density polyethylene (reHDPE) from milk bottles, containing either homopolymer polypropylene (PP) or copolymer polypropylene (coPP), were developed in an effort to reduce viscosity and encourage ease of processing by injection molding, without a significant loss in mechanical properties. A grade of PP and a grade of coPP that had crystallization temperatures close to and slightly lower than that of reHDPE were chosen for blending in order to obtain simultaneous crystallization of the reHDPE and (co)PP phases. The resulting reHDPE/(co)PP blends (reHDPE wt% = 77) generally showed very good mechanical properties and, in particular, sufficiently high impact strength while engendering considerably lower viscosity than reHDPE. The PP was more useful at very high and low shear rates whereas the coPP was the most efficient in the mid‐range of shear rates (102 – 103 sec−1). Good impact resistance shown by the reHDPE/(co)PP blends was attributed in part to the fine dispersion of (co)PP phase, possible involvement of a portion of the polymers in a co‐continuous structure and simultaneous crystallization of the components. Ternary blends of reHDPE (reHDPE wt% = 77), PP and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) showed good mechanical performance, although they were more viscous than (co)PP blends. In the ternary blends, co‐crystallization of reHDPE and LDPE phases was preserved (1).
Lifetime prediction for ABS pipes subjected to combined pressure and deflection loading
Authors: Lu J. P. , Davis P. , Burn L. S. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAs part of an investigation into the performance of acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) systems for water transportation, this paper presents a method for predicting the service lifetimes of buried pipes under in‐service loading conditions. A linear fracture mechanics approach was used to analyze brittle failure initiating from adventitious flaws located at the bore surface of pipe. Failure criteria were determined using the time‐dependent, quasistatic, plane strain fracture toughness of the ABS material, combined with empirical parameters that describe slow, steady crack growth. The expected operating conditions of a buried pipe were then separated into static loading contributions from internal pressure, diametrical deflection and residual stress. Idealized stress intensity factors associated with mode‐I crack opening under each of these components were determined using a finite element analysis and superposed to describe the general case in service. The computed nett stress intensity factor was then combined with the previously determined fracture toughness and slow crack growth data in an algorithm to simulate incremental radial crack growth from the pipe bore. Predicted failure times compared well with an experimental model of expected operating conditions, which combined hydrostatic pressure and parallel‐plate deflection loading of an internally notched pipe. The prediction method was also used to identify the factors that control the lifetime of a pipe in service. The influence of material visco‐elasticity was investigated by simulating variations in fracture toughness and slow crack growth resistance. It was proposed that, in practice, these variations are governed by opposing changes in visco‐elasticity. The effect of changing diametrical deflection and residual stress distribution were also simulated, allowing recommendations on pipe manufacture and installation conditions to be made.
Synthesis and crystallization behavior of nylon 12 14. II: Chain‐folded lamellar crystals and crystalline transformation behavior of nylon 12 14
Authors: Zhang Guosheng , Li Yongjin , Yan Deyue 
Published: April 2004

AbstractChain‐folded lamellar crystals of nylon 12 14 have been grown from a dilute 1,4‐butanediol solution with the “self‐seeding” technique. The morphology and structure of nylon 12 14 lamellar crystals were studied by both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). Two kinds of electron diffraction patterns were detected when different areas were selected for diffraction, which indicates that the α crystal phase and the β crystal phase coexist for nylon 12 14 under the present crystallization conditions. The WAXD diffractograms of the crystal mats confirm the results obtained from electron diffraction (ED). In addition, the changes of the crystal structure as a function of temperature for melt‐crystallized and dilute solution‐crystallized nylon 12 14 were monitored by variable‐temperature WAXD and variable‐temperature infrared spectroscopy (IR). It was found that the melt‐crystallized sample undergoes a Brill transformation at 80°C–90°C, but no Brill temperature can be observed for the dilute solution‐crystallized nylon 12 14.
Effect of CO2 on crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Takada Mitsuko , Ohshima Masahiro 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe effect of CO2 on the isothermal crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, was investigated using a high‐pressure differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), which performed calorimetric measurements while keeping the polymer in contact with presurized CO2. It was found that the crystallization rate followed the Avrami equation with values of the crystallization kinetic constant dependent on the crystallization temperature and concentration of CO2 in PET. The presence of CO2 in the PET increased its overall crystallization rate. CO2 also decreased the glass transition temperature, Tg, and the melting temperature, Tm. As a result, the observed changes in crystallization rate caused by CO2 can be qualitatively predicted from the magnitude of Tg depression and that of the equilibrium melting temperature, Tm0.
Loss of surface and volume electrical conductivities in polymer compounds due to shear‐induced migration of conductive particles
Authors: Jana Sadhan C. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe loss of surface and volume electrical conductivities of conductive polymer compounds as a result of shear‐induced migration of conductive filler particles is elucidated with the help of model equations by considering flow of uniformly mixed conductive polymer compounds through two‐dimensional channels, as in injection molding or extrusion of sheets and films. Matrix polymers of shear‐thinning nature and non‐colloidal conductive particles of spherical shape are considered. The effect of particle migration is found to be most severe in the case of compositions around the percolation threshold—an otherwise uniformly mixed conductive compound turns into an insulator because of migration of conductive particles from the surface to the bulk. In addition, the extent of migration of particles and consequently the loss of conductivity are found to be the greatest for Newtonian polymer matrices, where the gradients of shear stress are the highest. The extent of migration gradually reduces as the polymer becomes more shear‐thinning.
Improvement of the mechanical properties of an HDPE/PS blend by compatibilization and incorporation of CaCO3
Authors: Sahnoune F. , Lopez Cuesta J. M. , Crespy A. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractGenerally, recycled polymer blends exhibit solid dispersion‐like morphology with poor mechanical properties. The aim of this work was to enhance the mechanical properties of a HDPE/PS (75/25) blend, in particular the stiffness and the impact strength. In order to improve the stiffness, CaCO3 filler was incorporated. It was shown that PS and CaCO3 were separately dispersed with poor adhesion to the HDPE matrix. The incorporation of CaCO3 significantly enhanced the stiffness but lowers the impact resistance. Elastomer copolymers were incorporated in order to compensate for the embrittlement caused by the CaCO3 filler. Depending on their chemical structure, either grafted with a reactive function or ungrafted, the elastomers acted differently at the interfaces of the HDPE/PS/CaCO3 system. SEBS acts exclusively at the HDPE‐PS interface whereas SEBSgMA acts at both the HDPE‐PS and the HDPE‐CaCO3 interface. The SEBSgMA elastomer lowered the stiffening effect caused by CaCO3 and provided an insufficient increase in impact properties. One the other hand, SEBS, which concentrates its action at the HDPE‐PS interface, retained much of the stiffening effect of CaCO3 and provided a greater improvement in impact properties than SEBSgMA. In the recycled HDPE/PS (75/25) blend, the incorporation of 20 vol% CaCO3 and 4 vol% SEBS led to an increase in both impact strength (from 39 to 70 kJ/m2) and in stiffness (from 1335 to 1560 MPa). So, encouraging results were obtained, enabling us to predict a promising future for this approach to the recycling of commingled plastics.
Synthesis and mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester based nanocomposites
Authors: Baran Inceoglu A. , Yilmazer Ulku 
Published: April 2004

AbstractTwo classes of nanocomposites were synthesized using an unsaturated polyester resin as the matrix and sodium montmorillonite as well as an organically modified montmorillonite as the reinforcing agents. X‐ray diffraction pattern of the composites showed that the interlayer spacing of the modified montmorillonite expanded from 1.25 nm to 4.5 nm, indicating intercalation. Glass transition values of these composites increased from 72°C, in the unfilled unsaturated polyester, to 86°C in the composite with 10% organically modified montmorillonite. From Scanning Electron Microscopy, it is seen that the degree of intercalation/exfoliation of the modified montmorillonite is higher than in the unmodified one. The mechanical properties also supported these findings, since in general, the tensile modulus, tensile strength, flexural modulus, flexural strength and impact strength of the composites with modified montmorillonite were higher than the corresponding properties of the composites with unmodified montmorillonite. The tensile modulus, tensile strength, flexural modulus and flexural strength values showed a maximum, whereas the impact strength exhibited a minimum at approximately 3–5 wt% modified montmorillonite content. These results imply that the level of exfoliation may also exhibit a maximum with respect to the modified montmorillonite content. The level of improvement in the mechanical properties was substantial. Adding only 3 wt% organically modified clay improved the flexural modulus of unsaturated polyester by 35%. The tensile modulus of unsaturated polyester was also improved by 17% at 5 wt% of organically modified clay loading.
Transport of aromatic solvents through nitrile rubber/epoxidized natural rubber blend membranes
Authors: Mathai Asha Elizabeth , Singh R. P. , Thomas Sabu 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe sorption and diffusion behavior of a series of aromatic solvents through blends of nitrile rubber (NBR) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) have been studied in the temperature range of 28–70°C. The effect of blend ratio, penetrant size and temperature on the transport properties was investigated. The relationship between the diffusion behavior and the morphology of the system was examined. Different transport parameters such as diffusion coefficient, permeability coefficient and swelling ratio have been calculated. Experimental permeability coefficients were compared with various theoretical models. The van't Hoff relation was used to compute the thermodynamic parameters.
Deformation behavior of an epoxy resin subject to multiaxial loadings. Part I: Experimental investigations
Authors: Hu Yafei , Xia Zihui , Ellyin Fernand 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe mechanical behavior of an epoxy resin (Epon 826) was studied by performing a series of tests on thin‐walled tubular specimens. These tests deal with different aspects of the mechanical behavior of this epoxy resin. The deformation behavior, such as viscoelastic behavior, hydrostatic stress effect, multiaxial behavior and loading path effect, was investigated. It was found that the Epon 826 epoxy resin is a highly nonlinear viscoelastic material. The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the deformation behavior of this epoxy is not significant. However, it shows different tensile and compressive deformation behavior. The loading path was found to have an observable effect on the deformation response of this epoxy, especially in the high stress/strain range.
The effect of sample preparation on the mechanical properties of nylon 66
Authors: Bates P. J. , Wang C. Y. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractCutting test specimens from molded plaques is commonly used in mechanical testing. The mechanical properties of these cut specimens may be affected by cutting process as it could introduce extrinsic flaws and thermal effects on cut edge surfaces. The objective of this experimental research is to determine how band saw cutting affects the flexural and impact strengths of 33% short glass fiber (GF) reinforced polyamide 66 (PA66) and unreinforced PA66. The specimens for the flexural and impact tests were obtained by cutting molded plaques using different blade types, blade speeds, feed rates, and levels of polishing. Results were compared with those from uncut specimens. Surface morphologies of the specimens' cut edges (photographs and roughness) were assessed using Scanning Electron Microscopy and PRK Perthometer, respectively. The results indicated that higher flexural and impact strengths of cut specimens of 33% GF reinforced PA66 were achieved with high blade speed, low work piece feed rate and using a high number of teeth per unit length. For unreinforced PA66, higher impact strengths were achieved at low blade speeds and work piece feed rates.
Recycling of roofing membrane rubber by ultrasonic devulcanization
Authors: Yun Jushik , Isayev A. I. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe recycling of vulcanizates based on EPDM roofing membrane rubber using a new ultrasonic devulcanization reactor with a grooved barrel was carried out. This reactor provided continuous devulcanization at an output as high as 2.52 g/s. Die pressure and ultrasonic power consumption were measured as a function of processing conditions. The mechanical properties of virgin vulcanized and revulcanized roofing membranes were measured. Tensile strength of the revulcanized rubber was found to be similar to that of the virgin vulcanizate. Gel fraction, crosslink density, and dynamic properties of the virgin vulcanizate, the ultrasonically devulcanized rubber, and the revulcanized rubber were determined. Also, dynamic properties and the cure behavior of the virgin compound and of the devulcanized roofing membrane were investigated. All these properties were found to be dependent on processing conditions during devulcanization. The thermal stability of the virgin compound, virgin vulcanizate, and devulcanized and revulcanized rubbers were studied by means of TGA. It was found that the thermal stability of all the vulcanizates in air and nitrogen environments remained practically intact, while that of devulcanized rubber in air environment was a function of processing conditions.
Flexible polymer composite electromagnetic crystals
Authors: Marrett Courtney , Moulart Alexandre , Colton Jonathan , Tcharkhtchi Abbas 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe dielectric properties of a ceramic powder (BaTiO3) filled thermoplastic elastomer (EPDM TPE) were investigated for use in a flexible electromagnetic crystal. Materials were produced that had a high dielectric constant (approximately 9) and low loss tangent (less than 0.01). Materials were extruded and injection molded so as to povide low‐cost processing. Mechanical and electromagnetic test results showed the effect of processing conditions on the final quality of the composite. The shear rate during processing and the number of mixing cycles were found to affect the final material characteristics significantly. An electromagnetic crystal woven from extruded rods showed good reflectivity in the 10–15 GHz region.
Layered silicate nanocomposites based on various high‐functionality epoxy resins: The influence of an organoclay on resin cure
Authors: Becker Ole , Simon George P. , Varley Russell J. , Halley Peter J. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe influence of an organically modified clay on the curing behavior of three epoxy systems widely used in the aerospace industry and of different structures and functionalities was studied. Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), triglycidyl p‐amino phenol (TGAP) and tetraglycidyl diamino diphenylmethane (TGDDM) were mixed with an octadecyl ammonium ion modified organoclay and cured with diethyltoluene diamine (DETDA). The techniques of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), chemorheology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied to investigate gelation and vitrification behavior, as well as catalytic effects of the clay on resin cure. While the formation of layered silicate nanocomposite based on the bifunctional DGEBA resin has been previously investigated to some extent, this paper represents the first detailed study of the cure behavior of different high performance, epoxy nanocomposite systems.
Erosion and breakup of polymer drops under simple shear in high viscosity ratio systems
Authors: Lin Bin , Sundararaj Uttandaraman , Mighri Frej , Huneault Michel A. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe deformation and breakup of a single polycarbonate (PC) drop in a polyethylene (PE) matrix were studied at high temperatures under simple shear flow using a specially designed transparent Couette device. Two main breakup modes were observed: (a) erosion from the surface of the drop in the form of thin ribbons and streams of droplets and (b) drop elogation and drop breakup along the axis perpendicular to the velocity direction. This is the first time drop breakup mechanism (a), “erosion,” has been visualized in polymer systems. The breakup occurs even when the viscosity ratio (ηr) is greater than 3.5. although it has been reported that breakup is impossible at these high viscosity ratios in Newtonian systems. The breakup of a polymer drop in a polymer matrix cannot be described by Capillary number and viscosity ratio only; it is also controlled by shear rate, temperature, elasticity and other polymer blending parameters. A pseudo first order decay model was used to describe the erosion phenomenon and it fits the experimental data well.