Composite Samples (composite + sample)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Polymers and Materials Science


Selected Abstracts


Fate of microbial residues in sandy soils of the South African Highveld as influenced by prolonged arable cropping

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002
W. Amelung
Summary Long-term cultivation of former grassland soils results in a significant decline of both living and dead microbial biomass. We evaluated the effect of duration of cropping on the preservation of fungal and bacterial residues in the coarse-textured soils of the South African Highveld. Composite samples were taken from the top 20 cm of soils (Plinthustalfs) that have been cropped for periods varying from 0 to 98 years in each of three different agro-ecosystems in the Free State Province. Amino sugars were determined as markers for the microbial residues in bulk soil and its particle-size fractions. Long-term cultivation reduced N in the soil by 55% and the contents of amino sugars by 60%. Loss rates of amino sugars followed bi-exponential functions, suggesting that they comprised both labile and stable fractions. With increased duration of cropping the amino sugars attached to silt dissipated faster than those associated with the clay. This dissipation was in part because silt was preferentially lost through erosion, while clay particles (and their associated microbial residues) remained. Erosion was not solely responsible for the reduction in amino sugar concentrations, however. Bacterial amino sugars were lost in preference to fungal ones as a result of cultivation, and this effect was evident in both silt- and clay-sized separates. This shift from fungal to bacterial residues was most pronounced within the first 20 years after converting the native grassland to arable cropland, but continued after 98 years of cultivation. [source]


Thermally Stimulated Currents of SiO2/Low-density Polyethylene Micro- and Nanocomposites

IEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2010
Yi Yin Non-member
Abstract Composite samples of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)/nano-SiO2 and LDPE/micro-SiO2 were prepared with the method of double-solution mixture. Depolarization currents of all samples were investigated with thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC). It was found that the currents of both composites increased with the loading level of nano-SiO2 and/or micro-SiO2, and that the peak width of each composite is greater than that of pure LDPE. In addition, the peak position of the nanocomposite shifts as the loading level increases, while that of the microcomposite does not shift significantly. In order to understand activation energy of both composites and pure LDPE, the initial-rise method was used to analyze the depolarization current. It was found that LDPE has the greatest activation energy among all samples and the activation energy of both composites decreases with increasing loading levels. Moreover, the activation energy of the nanocomposite is less than that of the microcomposite at each of the same loading level. As the nano-SiO2 loading level reaches 5.0%wt, the composite has the lowest activation energy of 0.25 eV. In addition, dielectric spectra of all samples were investigated in the range of 10,4 to 107 Hz, and it was found that the peak position of loss tangent varied consistently with the TSDC curves as the loading levels of nano-SiO2 and/or micro-SiO2 were increased. Copyright © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source]


Effect of chemical modifications on the thermal stability and degradation of banana fiber and banana fiber-reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008
Seena Joseph
Abstract Banana fiber has been modified by treatments with sodium hydroxide, silanes, cyanoethylation, heat treatment, and latex treatment and the thermal degradation behavior of the fiber was analyzed by thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry analysis. Both treated and untreated fibers showed two-stage decomposition. All the treatments were found to increase the thermal stability of the fiber due to the physical and chemical changes induced by the treatments. The thermal degradation of treated and untreated banana fiber-reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites has also been analyzed. It was found that the thermal stability of the composites was much higher than that of fibers but they are less stable compared to neat PF resin matrix. Composite samples were found to have four-stage degradation. The NaOH treated fiber-reinforced composites have very good fiber/matrix adhesion and hence improvement in thermal stability is observed. Though both silane treatments increased the thermal stability of the composite the vinyl silane is found to be more effective. Heat treatment improves the crystallinity of the fiber and decreases the moisture content, hence an improved thermal stability. The latex treatment and cyanoethylation make the fiber surface hydrophobic, here also the composite is thermally more stable than untreated one. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008 [source]


Drinking patterns, drinking contexts and alcohol-related aggression among late adolescent and young adult drinkers

ADDICTION, Issue 7 2005
Samantha Wells
ABSTRACT Aims The main objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the relative roles of heavy episodic drinking (HED), drinking frequency and drinking volume in explaining alcohol-related aggression and (2) whether drinking context variables (i.e. usual drinking locations, typical drinking companions and extent of peer drinking) confound or modify the relationship between HED and alcohol-related aggression or whether they predict alcohol-related aggression independently. Design A secondary analysis of the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth was conducted. Alcohol-related aggression (denoted fights after drinking) was measured based on self-reports of arguments or fights that occurred during or after drinking in the previous 12 months. Participants A composite sample of drinkers, ages 17,21, from the 1994, 1996 and 1998 Young Adult surveys (n = 738) was used. Findings Frequency of drinking and drinking volume largely confounded the association between HED and fights after drinking. Usually drinking in public locations away from home versus private locations was found to be significantly associated with a greater likelihood of fights after drinking among females. Among males, usual drinking location modified the relationship between drinking frequency and alcohol-related aggression, with the greatest risk of aggression for males who drank frequently and usually drank in public locations away from home. Conclusions Programs designed to reduce drinking frequency in this population and to increase the safety of drinking locations in public places away from home may prove to be beneficial in reducing alcohol-related aggression. [source]


Transcriptional activity of paddy soil bacterial communities

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Pravin Malla Shrestha
Summary Bulk mRNA was used to explore the transcriptional activity of bacterial communities in oxic versus anoxic paddy soil. Two microbial cDNA libraries were constructed from composite samples using semi-randomly primed RT-PCR. cDNAs averaged 500,600 bp in length and were treated as expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Clustering analysis of 805 random cDNAs resulted in 179 and 155 different ESTs for the oxic and anoxic zones respectively. Using an E -value threshold of e,10, a total of 218 different ESTs could be assigned by blastx, while 116 ESTs were predicted novel. Both the proportion and significance of the EST assignments increased with cDNA length. Taxonomic assignment was more powerful in discriminating between the aerobic and anaerobic bacterial communities than functional inference, as most ESTs in both oxygen zones were putative indicators of similar housekeeping functions, in particular ABC-type transporters. A few ESTs were putative indicators for community function in a biogeochemical context, such as ,-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids specifically in the oxic zone. Expressed sequence tags assigned to Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria were predominantly found in the oxic zone, while those affiliated with Deltaproteobacteria were more frequently detected in the anoxic zone. At the genus level, multiple assignments to Bradyrhizobium and Geobacter were unique to the oxic and anoxic zones respectively. The phylum-level affiliations of 93 16S rRNA sequences corresponded well with two taxonomically distinct EST patterns. Expressed sequence tags affiliated with Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were frequently detected in both oxygen zones. In summary, the soil metatranscriptome is accessible for global analysis and such studies have great potential in elucidating the taxonomic and functional status of soil bacterial communities, but study significance depends on the number and length of cDNAs being randomly analysed. [source]


The effects of chronic nitrogen fertilization on alpine tundra soil microbial communities: implications for carbon and nitrogen cycling

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008
Diana R. Nemergut
Summary Many studies have shown that changes in nitrogen (N) availability affect primary productivity in a variety of terrestrial systems, but less is known about the effects of the changing N cycle on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. We used a variety of techniques to examine the effects of chronic N amendments on SOM chemistry and microbial community structure and function in an alpine tundra soil. We collected surface soil (0,5 cm) samples from five control and five long-term N-amended plots established and maintained at the Niwot Ridge Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) site. Samples were bulked by treatment and all analyses were conducted on composite samples. The fungal community shifted in response to N amendments, with a decrease in the relative abundance of basidiomycetes. Bacterial community composition also shifted in the fertilized soil, with increases in the relative abundance of sequences related to the Bacteroidetes and Gemmatimonadetes, and decreases in the relative abundance of the Verrucomicrobia. We did not uncover any bacterial sequences that were closely related to known nitrifiers in either soil, but sequences related to archaeal nitrifiers were found in control soils. The ratio of fungi to bacteria did not change in the N-amended soils, but the ratio of archaea to bacteria dropped from 20% to less than 1% in the N-amended plots. Comparisons of aliphatic and aromatic carbon compounds, two broad categories of soil carbon compounds, revealed no between treatment differences. However, G-lignins were found in higher relative abundance in the fertilized soils, while proteins were detected in lower relative abundance. Finally, the activities of two soil enzymes involved in N cycling changed in response to chronic N amendments. These results suggest that chronic N fertilization induces significant shifts in soil carbon dynamics that correspond to shifts in microbial community structure and function. [source]


Occurrence and fate of micropollutants in the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2010
Part II: Micropollutant removal between wastewater, raw drinking water
Abstract The occurrence and removal of 58 pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, corrosion inhibitors, biocides, and pesticides, were assessed in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, as well as in the effluent-receiving water body, the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva. An analytical screening method to simultaneously measure all of the 58 micropollutants was developed based on ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). The selection of pharmaceuticals was primarily based on a prioritization study, which designated them as environmentally relevant for the Lake Geneva region. Except for the endocrine disruptor 17,-ethinylestradiol, all substances were detected in 24-h composite samples of wastewater entering the WWTP or in the treated effluent. Of these compounds, 40% were also detected in raw drinking water, pumped from the lake 3,km downstream of the WWTP. The contributions of dilution and degradation to micropollutant elimination between the WWTP outlet and the raw drinking water intake were established in different model scenarios using hypothetical residence times of the wastewater in Vidy Bay of 1, 4, or 90 d. Concentration decrease due to processes other than dilution was observed for diclofenac, beta-blockers, several antibiotics, corrosion inhibitors, and pesticides. Measured environmental concentrations (MECs) of pharmaceuticals were compared to the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) determined in the prioritization study and agreed within one order of magnitude, but MECs were typically greater than the corresponding PECs. Predicted no-effect concentrations of the analgesic paracetamol, and the two antibiotics ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, were exceeded in raw drinking water samples and therefore present a potential risk to the ecosystem. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010; 29:1658,1668. © 2010 SETAC [source]


Corrosion Behavior of PM Processed Ti,Ca,P Bioceramic Composites in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution Using Potentiodynamic Studies

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Malobika Karanjai
Ti,Ca,P bioceramic composites for load bearing implants developed by a new powder metallurgy processing technique were studied for their electrochemical corrosion properties. For determining corrosion behavior of such composites having in situ formed bioactive Ca,P phases, potentiodynamic and studies were conducted in simulated body fluid namely Hank's balanced salt solution. Potentiodynamic polarization tests showed no evidence of pitting corrosion. Corrosion potentials (,0.27 to ,0.53 V) and corrosion rates (0.17,4.46 mills per year) of Ti,Ca,P bioceramic composite samples were superior to earlier reported results for coated Ti implants due to the formation of passive layer of bone-like calcium phosphate on the sample surface. [source]


Structure and properties of phase change materials based on HDPE, soft Fischer-Tropsch paraffin wax, and wood flour

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010
M. E. Mngomezulu
Abstract Phase-change materials based on high density polyethylene (HDPE), soft Fischer-Tropsch paraffin wax (M3), and alkali-treated wood flour (WF) were investigated. The blend and composite samples were prepared by melt mixing using a Brabender Plastograph, followed by melt pressing. They were characterized in terms of their morphology, as well as thermal, mechanical, thermo-mechanical, and water absorption properties. Although SEM micrographs showed some evidence of intimate contact between the WF particles and the HDPE matrix as a result of alkali treatment, poor filler dispersion, and interfacial adhesion were also observed. Partial immiscibility of the HDPE and the M3 wax was noticed, with the WF particles covered by wax. There was plasticization of the HDPE matrix by the wax, as well as partial cocrystallization, inhomogeneity and uneven wax dispersion in the polymer matrix. The HDPE/WF/M3 wax composites were more homogeneous than the blends. The presence of wax reduced the thermal stability of the blends and composites. Both the presence of M3 wax and WF influenced the viscoelastic behavior of HDPE. The HDPE/M3 wax blends showed an increase in the interfacial amorphous content as the wax content increases, which resulted in the appearance of a ,-relaxation peak. The presence of M3 wax in HDPE reduced the mechanical properties of the blends. For the composites these properties varied with WF content. An increase in wax content resulted to a decrease in water uptake by the composites, probably because the wax covered the WF particles and penetrated the pores in these particles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]


Investigation of flame retardancy and physical,mechanical properties of zinc borate/boric acid polyester composites

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010
Miyaser Demirel
Abstract The glass fiber reinforced polyester composite materials were prepared with varying contents of boric acid, zinc borate, and magnesium hydroxide as flame retardants to improve the flame retardancy of the composites. Experimental results showed that boric acid exhibited a good flame retardant effect on the polyester composite. When boric acid content is used as 15 wt %, the Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) value of the composite reached upto 25.3. The increase in boric acid content from 15 to 30 wt %, the LOI values of composite were enhanced from 25.3 to 34.5 by 9.2 units. The LOI values of the composite samples increased with increasing boric acid content. The smoke density results showed that the addition of glass fiber and flame retardants decreased the smoke density of the unreinforced polyester resin. The mechanical properties of the composites have decreased by the addition of flame retardants. The scanning electron micrographs taken from fracture surfaces were examined. The flame retardants, such as boric acid, were well dispersed in the glass fiber reinforced polyester composites and obviously improved the interfacial interaction between glass fibers and polyester composites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]


Dielectric properties of thermosetting material nanocomposites

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007
Newton Luiz Dias Filho
Abstract The dieletric relaxation properties of thermosetting material nanocomposites based on spherosilicate nanoplatforms were studied from room temperature to 170°C, varying the frequency from 10 to 1000 KHz. Permittivity (,,), dielectric loss (,,), and activation energy (Ea) were calculated. The results of dielectric relaxation were confirmed by those of the final properties. The dielectric loss amplitude decreases with increasing ODPG content until about 70,73 wt % and slightly increases at higher ODPG content. This means that the increasing of the ODPG content in the composite samples decreases the number of pendants groups and/or increases crosslink density, causing decreased motion of organic tethers, and subsequently decreasing of the dipolar mobility. The results of apparent activation energy, fracture toughness and tensile modulus mechanical properties show the same profile with respect to ODPG content, in the sense that they exhibit maxima around 70 wt % ODPG. For the ODPG/MDA composites, this formulation of 70 wt % ODPG containing excess of amine is not composition where the highest crosslinked density is reached. This implies that the best mechanical properties and Ea are provided by some degree of chain flexibility. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007 [source]


Growth of Cement Hydration Products on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 6 2009
Jonathan M. Makar
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were distributed on the surface of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) grains. The OPC/SWCNT composite was then hydrated at a 0.5 w/c ratio. The effects of the SWCNT on the early hydration process were studied using isothermal conduction calorimetry, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The observed behavior of the composite samples was compared with both OPC sonicated without SWCNT and previously published data on as-delivered OPC. The SWCNT were found to accelerate the hydration reaction of the C3S in the OPC. The morphology of both the initial C3A and the C3S hydration products were found to be affected by the presence of the SWCNT. In particular, the nanotubes appeared to act as nucleating sites for the C3S hydration products, with the nanotubes becoming rapidly coated with C,S,H. The resulting structures remained on the surface of the cement grains while those in the sonicated and as-delivered OPC samples grew out from the grain surfaces to form typical C,S,H clusters. Classical evidence of reinforcing behavior, in the form of fiber pullout of the SWCNT bundles, was observed by 24 h of hydration. [source]


Preparation of Clay/PMMA Nanocomposites with Intercalated or Exfoliated Structure for Bone Cement Synthesis

MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2006
Jyh-Horng Wang
Abstract Summary: Clay/PMMA nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending of an organically modified MMT with PMMA under various process conditions. The MMT clay was initially cation exchanged with octadecylammonium to enhance its hydrophobicity and to expand the interlamellar space of the silicate plates. PMMA was then inserted into the inter-lamellar space of the modified clay by melt blending at an elevated temperature. The effects of blending temperature, blending time, and clay/PMMA compositions on the level of expansion and homogenization were investigated. Composites with intercalated and/or exfoliated clay structure were obtained depending upon the process conditions, as confirmed by XRD diffractometry. The thermal decomposition temperature (Td) and glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composites were determined, respectively, by TGA and DSC analyses. Marked improvements, up to 35,°C, of the thermal stability (Td) with respect to pure PMMA were achieved for many of the composite samples. The Tg of the composites, however, does not increase accordingly. Furthermore, a novel type of bone cement was synthesized by applying the clay/PMMA nanocomposites as a substitute for PMMA in a typical formulation. These bone cements demonstrated much higher impact strength and better cell compatibility than the surgical Simplex P cement. Therefore, the bone cements with clay/PMMA nanocomposites meet the requirement for the architectural design of orthopedic surgery. TEM images of an OA-clay/PMMA composite. [source]


Use of Turkish huntite/hydromagnesite mineral in plastic materials as a flame retardant

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 10 2010
Hüsnügül Y, lmaz Atay
In this study, the flame retardancy properties of huntite/hydromagnesite mineral in plastic compounds were investigated for potential electrical applications. Before the production of composite materials, huntite/hydromagnesite minerals were ground to particle sizes of 10, 1, and 0.1 ,m. Phase and microstructural analysis of huntite/hydromagnesite mineral powders were undertaken using XRD and SEM-EDS preceding the fabrication of the composite materials. The ground minerals with different particle size and content levels were subsequently added to ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer to produce composite materials. After fabrication of huntite/hydromagnesite reinforced plastic composite samples, they were characterized using DTA-TG, FTIR, and SEM-EDS. Flame retardancy tests were undertaken as a main objective of this research. The size distribution and the mineral content effects are measured regarding the flame retardancy of the polymer composites It was concluded that the flame retardant properties of plastic composites were improved as the mineral content increased and the size was reduced. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1692,1700, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source]


Effects of tool-embedded dielectric sensors on heat transfer phenomena during composite cure

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 2 2007
A.A. Skordos
The present study examines the effects that placement of tool-mounted dielectric sensors in the composite cure assembly has on the local thermal and degree-of-cure fields. A nonlinear heat transfer model, incorporating appropriate thermoset cure and thermal property submodels, is used to simulate the cure of carbon and glass composites of various thicknesses. The model is validated against experimental data obtained during the cure of composite samples in a resin-transfer molding tool. The results of the simulations show that embedding a sensor can have a significant effect on the thermal field, because of the thermal conductivity mismatch between the metal tool and the sensor substrate material. In the heating-up stage of the cure profile, sensors embedded in the heated tool side intensify thermal gradients, which causes a corresponding lag in the progress of the reaction in the area adjacent to the sensor. Exothermic effects are also intensified by the sensor presence, especially in the case of thick composite curing. These results suggest that control strategies based on the utilization of embedded sensors should take these effects into account. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:139,152, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source]


Production of leather-like composites using short leather fibers.

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 6 2002

Leather-like composites were prepared by addition of chemically modified short leather fibers (SLF) into a plasticized polyvinyl chloride (pPVC) matrix. The fibers were subjected to chemical modification by emulsion polymerization to achieve good interfacial adhesion between SLF and the pPVC matrix. The SLF with chemical modification were obtained from three different reaction conditions where these SLF have different percentages of grafted and deposited PMMA polymer onto the fiber surface. The incorporation of the SLF into the thermoplastic matrix was carried out using a torque-rheometer and the composites obtained were molded by compression. Tensile and tear mechanical tests were performed on composite samples, and the morphology of the fractured surfaces was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the incorporation by grafting of polymethyl metacrylate (PMMA) onto the fibers produced a significant improvement of their interfacial adhesion to pPVC, promoting the compatibilization between the fiber surface and matrix. The findings are discussed and interpreted in terms of enhanced adhesion at phase boundaries. Overall, the results confirm that it is possible to produce modified leather composites based on a pPVC matrix, which exhibit relatively high tensile strength, tear resistance and flexibility. These composites are very suitable candidate materials for applications in the footwear industry. [source]


Extrusion conditions and properties of vapor grown carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 5 2001
Rex J. Kuriger
Vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) is a new and inexpensive carbon fiber produced by vapor deposition of hydrocarbons on metal catalysts. The ability to fabricate VGCF reinforced thermoplastic composites by extrusion provides the potential to exploit VGCF into new commercial markets. This study investigates the extrusion conditions and properties of VGCF reinforced polypropylene. Extrusion was carried out using a Leistritz twin-screw extruder. Polypropylene reinforced with 0% to 12.5% volume fraction VGCF was extruded successfully at temperatures ranging from 215°C to 250°C. The extrusion pressure increased and the flow rate decreased as the percentage of fiber was increased. Increases in tensile strength and modulus were observed by the addition of VGCF. However, the void content of the composite samples increased with fiber content. [source]


Lead in soil by field-portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry,an examination of paired In Situ and laboratory ICP-AES results

REMEDIATION, Issue 3 2008
David A. Binstock
A major aspect of lead hazard control is the evaluation of soil lead hazards around housing coated with lead-based paint. The use of field-portable X-ray fluorescence (FPXRF) to do detailed surveying, with limited laboratory confirmation, can provide lead measurements in soil (especially for planning abatement activities) in a far more cost-efficient and timely manner than laboratory analysis. To date, one obstacle to the acceptance of FPXRF as an approved method of measuring lead in soil has been a lack of correspondence between field and laboratory results. In order to minimize the differences between field and laboratory results, RTI International (RTI) has developed a new protocol for field drying and sieving soil samples for field measurement by FPXRF. To evaluate this new protocol, composite samples were collected in the field following both U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and ASTM International (ASTM) protocols, measured after drying by FPXRF, and returned to the laboratory for confirmatory inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis. Evaluation of study data from several diverse sites revealed no statistical difference between paired FPXRF and ICP-AES measurements using the new method. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


Thermal Sensor to Monitor Mechanical Properties in Polymer/Fiber Composite Molding

THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2002
David Rouison
Abstract Multi-layered samples of 1) continuous fiber axially aligned and 2) random oriented mat glass fiber composites were manually prepared for a fiber content ranging from zero to 20% (vol.). The uniaxially aligned samples displayed linear relations between both normalized elastic modulus and normalized thermal conductivity, and fiber content, for axially applied load and heat flux. For the random mat composite samples, similar results were obtained, with symmetry displayed in the plane of the mat. In both cases, measured axial thermal conductivity permits an evaluation of the axial elastic modulus. The Mathis surface probe used (US patent #5,795,064) is demonstrated as a non-intrusive indirect method of obtaining thermal conductivity for heat flux parallel (i.e. axial or transverse) to the plane of a sample. The method shows potential for use as an in-line monitoring device for the mechanical properties of molded composites. Des échantillons multicouches de composites (1) de fibres continues alignées dans le sens axial et (2) de fibres de verre en natte orientées aléatoirement, ont été préparés manuellement pour une teneur en fibre comprise entre 0 et 20 % (vol.). Pour les échantillons alignés dans le sens uniaxial, on montre l'existence de relations linéaires entre la teneur en fibre et le module élastique normalisé et entre la teneur en fibre et la conductivité thermique normalisée, pour une charge et un flux de chaleur appliqués dans le sens axial. Pour les échantillons de composite en natte aléatoire, des résultats similaires ont été obtenus, avec une symétrie observée dans le plan de la natte. Dans les deux cas, la conductivité thermique axiale mesurée permet une évaluation du module élastique axiale. On démontre que la sonde de surface Mathis utilisée (brevet US # 5,795,064) constitue une méthode indirecte non intrusive pour obtenir la conductivité thermique pour un flux de chaleur parallèle (c.-à-d. axial ou transversal) au plan de la surface de l'échantillon. La méthode montre du potentiel en tant que dispositif de surveillance en ligne pour les propriétés mécaniques des composites moulés. [source]