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Degradation Process (degradation + process)
Selected AbstractsHydrolytic degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2007Seyed Saeid Hosseini Abstract Molecular weight is an important factor in the processing of polymer materials, and it should be well controlled to obtain desired physical properties in final products for end-use applications. Degradation processes of all kinds, including hydrolytic, thermal, and oxidative degradations, cause chain scission in macromolecules and a reduction in molecular weight. The main purpose of this research is to illustrate the importance of degradation in the drying of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) before processing and the loss of weight and mechanical properties in textile materials during washing. Several techniques were used to investigate the hydrolytic degradation of PET and its effect on changes in molecular weight. Hydrolytic conditions were used to expose fiber-grade PET chips in water at 85°C for different periods of time. Solution viscometry and end-group analysis were used as the main methods for determining the extent of degradation. The experimental results show that PET is susceptible to hydrolysis. Also, we that as the time of retention in hydrolytic condition increased, the molecular weight decreases, but the rate of chain cleavage decreased to some extent, at which point there was no more sensible degradation. The obtained moisture content data confirmed the end-group analysis and viscometry results. Predictive analytical relationships for the estimation of the extent of degradation based on solution viscosity and end-group analysis are presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2304,2309, 2007 [source] Degradation processes in Al/SiCp/MgAl2O4 composites prepared from recycled aluminum with fly ash and rice hull ashMATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 11 2007M. I. Pech-Canul The degradation characteristics of Al/SiCp/spinel composites prepared with fly ash (FA) and rice hull ash (RHA) under environmental conditions were investigated. Composite specimens were prepared with recycled aluminum via reactive infiltration in the temperature range 1050,1150,°C for 50,70 min and, in argon atmosphere at a pressure slightly above that of the atmospheric pressure. Results reveal that although both FA and RHA help in preventing SiCp dissolution and the subsequent chemical degradation of the composites, due to the interaction of native carbon in FA with liquid aluminum, FA-composites are susceptible to corrosion via Al4C3. Moreover, this phase accelerates the degradation process and increases the damage severity. The primary corrosion mechanism in both types of composites is attributed to microgalvanic coupling between the intermetallic Mg2Si and the matrix. Accordingly, an appropriate control of the Si/(Si,+,Mg) molar ratio in the aluminum alloy hinders the Mg2Si corrosion mechanism in both types of composites and a proper FA calcination prevents chemical degradation in FA composites. [source] Bioremediation of 6 % [w/w] Diesel-Contaminated Mainland Soil in Singapore: Comparison of Different Biostimulation and Bioaugmentation TreatmentsENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2006M. Mathew Abstract The efficacy of indigenous microorganisms to degrade diesel oil in contaminated mainland sites in Singapore was investigated. A semi-scale trial was made by spiking topsoil with 6,% [w/w] of diesel oil. The results indicated that in the presence of NPK commercial (Rosasol®) fertilizer a 53,% reduction in contaminant concentration was recorded after 60,days compared to untreated controls while the addition of a mixture of urea and K2HPO4 effected a 48,% reduction in the Total Recoverable Petroleum Hydrocarbons. A commercial culture and an enriched/isolated microbial association proved to be the least effective with 25 and 9,% reductions, respectively. The results confirmed the bioremediation potential of indigenous microorganisms for diesel-oil contaminated mainland soil. Identification of the persistent compounds was done and perceived as a tool in decision-making on strategies for speeding up of the degradation process to achieve clean-up standards in shorter remediation periods. [source] Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in the presence of titanium dioxide under UV and solar light: Effect of operational parametersENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 3 2005Feryal Akbal The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange have been studied in the presence of titanium dioxide powder illuminated with a 300-W UV lamp. The effect of hydrogen peroxide on the degradation process was also determined. It was found that the color removal efficiency was affected by the concentration of dye, amount of TiO2 added, and the pH of the solution. The degradation of dyes obeys first-order kinetics, with the apparent first-order rate constant increasing with decreasing dye concentration. The rate constants were evaluated as a function of the concentration of dye, amount of TiO2, and pH. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2005 [source] Soil metaproteomics: a review of an emerging environmental science.EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2009Significance, methodology, perspectives Summary Soil is a dynamic system in which microorganisms perform important tasks in organic matter transformations and nutrient cycles. Recently, some studies have started to focus on soil metaproteomics as a tool for understanding the function and the role of members of the microbial community. The aim of our work was to provide a review of soil proteomics by looking at the methodologies used in order to illustrate the challenges and gaps in this field, and to provide a broad perspective about the use and meaning of soil metaproteomics. The development of soil metaproteomics is influenced strongly by the extraction methods. Several methods are available but only a few provide an identification of soil proteins, while others extract proteins and are able to separate them by electrophoresis but do not provide an identification. The extraction of humic compounds together with proteins interferes with the latter's separation and identification, although some methods can avoid these chemical interferences. Nevertheless, the major problems regarding protein identification reside in the fact that soil is a poor source of proteins and that there is not enough sequence-database information for the identification of proteins by mass spectrometric analysis. Once these pitfalls have been solved, the identification of soil proteins may provide information about the biogeochemical potential of soils and pollutant degradation and act as an indicator of soil quality, identifying which proteins and microorganisms are affected by a degradation process. The development of soil metaproteomics opens the way to proteomic studies in other complex substrates, such as organic wastes. These studies can be a source of knowledge about the possibility of driven soil restoration in polluted and degraded areas with low organic matter content and even for the identification of enzymes and proteins with a potential biotechnological value. [source] Fretting fatigue crack nucleation in Ti,6Al,4VFATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 3 2003J. M. WALLACE ABSTRACT Fretting fatigue crack nucleation in Ti,6Al,4V when fretted against itself is investigated to determine the influence of contact pressure, stress amplitude, stress ratio, and contact geometry on the degradation process. For the test parameters considered in this investigation, a partial slip condition generally prevails. The resulting fatigue modifying factors are 0.53 or less. Cycles to crack nucleation, frictional force evolution, crack orientations and their relationship to the microstructure are reported. The crack nucleation process volume is of the same order as the microstructural length scales with several non-dominant cracks penetrating 50 ,m or less. The effective coefficient of friction increases during early part of fretting. Observations suggest that cyclic plastic deformation is extensive in the surface layers and that cyclic ratchetting of plastic strain may play a key role in nucleation of the fretting cracks. A Kitagawa,Takahashi diagram is used to relate the depth of fretting damage to the modifying factor on fatigue life. [source] Interaction of a phosphorus-based FR, a nanoclay and PA6,Part 1: Interaction of FR and nanoclayFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 6 2009Alwar Ramani Abstract The thermal decomposition of organophosphorus fire-retardant (OP1311) and/ or organonanoclay (Cloisite 30B) is hereby investigated employing thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), to give an insight into their intrinsic behaviour and interaction in polymer nanocomposites for fire safety applications, because the addition of OP1311 and Cloisite 30B in Polyamide 6 (PA6) seems to have a synergistic effect on the thermal decomposition of PA6 (part 2 of the paper). An important objective of this research was to determine to what extent phosphorus components escape in the gaseous phase, which will affect the heat of combustion of the fire-retarded polymer. The decomposition products arising from pyrolysis and combustion are investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Under pyrolytic conditions, the inclusion of Cloisite 30B into OP1311 (FR) shows a synergistic effect on the initial mass loss at low temperature of ,280,420°C and leads to the acceleration of the thermal degradation process. While the DTG curve of Cloisite 30B shows two distinct degradation peaks (steps) that of OP1311 and OP1311 plus Cloisite 30B show four degradation steps. TGA measurements of OP1311 in nitrogen show more mass loss than in air, whereas Cloisite 30B gives similar amounts of mass loss in air and nitrogen. In nitrogen, the major evolved gaseous species from Cloisite 30B alone are hydrocarbons, 2-(diethylamino)ethanol and water, whereas the evolved gases from that of OP1311 at ,320°C are mainly water, at ,420°C, carbon dioxide, water and ammonia and at 480,570°C diethylphosphinic acid. Under thermo-oxidative conditions, the gases evolved are mainly carbon dioxide and water from both Cloisite 30B and OP1311. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Structural basis of target recognition by Atg8/LC3 during selective autophagyGENES TO CELLS, Issue 12 2008Nobuo N. Noda Autophagy is a non-selective bulk degradation process in which isolation membranes enclose a portion of cytoplasm to form double-membrane vesicles, called autophagosomes, and deliver their inner constituents to the lytic compartments. Recent studies have also shed light on another mode of autophagy that selectively degrades various targets. Yeast Atg8 and its mammalian homologue LC3 are ubiquitin-like modifiers that are localized on isolation membranes and play crucial roles in the formation of autophagosomes. These proteins are also involved in selective incorporation of specific cargo molecules into autophagosomes, in which Atg8 and LC3 interact with Atg19 and p62, receptor proteins for vacuolar enzymes and disease-related protein aggregates, respectively. Using X-ray crystallography and NMR, we herein report the structural basis for Atg8,Atg19 and LC3,p62 interactions. Remarkably, Atg8 and LC3 were shown to interact with Atg19 and p62, respectively, in a quite similar manner: they recognized the side-chains of Trp and Leu in a four-amino acid motif, WXXL, in Atg19 and p62 using hydrophobic pockets conserved among Atg8 homologues. Together with mutational analyses, our results show the fundamental mechanism that allows Atg8 homologues, in association with WXXL-containing proteins, to capture specific cargo molecules, thereby endowing isolation membranes and/or their assembly machineries with target selectivity. [source] The Implications of Polymer Selection in Regenerative Medicine: A Comparison of Amorphous and Semi-Crystalline Polymer for Tissue RegenerationADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 9 2009Michelle D. Kofron Abstract Biodegradable polymeric scaffolds are being investigated as scaffolding materials for use in regenerative medicine. While the in vivo evaluation of various three-dimensional (3D), porous, biodegradable polymeric scaffolds has been reported, most studies are ,3 months in duration, which is typically prior to bulk polymer degradation, a critical event that may initiate an inflammatory response and inhibit tissue formation. Here, a 6,month in vitro degradation and corresponding in vivo studies that characterized scaffold changes during complete degradation of an amorphous, 3D poly(lactide- co -glycolide)(3D-PLAGA) scaffold and near-complete degradation of a semi-crystalline3D-PLAGA scaffold are reported. Using sintered microsphere matrix technology, constructs were fabricated in a tubular shape, with the longitudinal axis void and a median pore size that mimicked the architecture of native bone. Long-term quantitative measurements of molecular weight, mechanical properties, and porosity provided a basis for theorization of the scaffold degradation process. Following implantation in a critical size ulnar defect model, histological analysis and quantitative microCT indicated early solubilization of the semi-crystalline polymer created an acidic microenvironment that inhibited mineralized tissue formation. Thus, the use of amorphous over semi-crystalline PLAGA materials is advocated for applications in regenerative medicine. [source] Identification of the effective distribution function for determination of the distributed activation energy models using the maximum likelihood method: Isothermal thermogravimetric dataINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 1 2009Bojan Jankovi The new procedure for identification of the effective distribution function for determination of the distributed activation energy models, which is based on use the maximum likelihood method (MLM), was established. The five different continuous probability functions (exponential, logistic, normal, gamma, and Weibull probability functions (the extended set of distributions)) were used for searching the best reactivity model for two heterogeneous processes: (a) the isothermal reduction process of nickel oxide under hydrogen atmosphere and (b) the isothermal degradation process of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (Lexan) under nitrogen atmosphere. The MLM showed that for both processes, the most suitable reactivity model represents the Weibull distribution model. It was concluded that the values of Arrhenius parameters (ln A and Ea), evaluated from the Weibull distribution model, represent the effective kinetic values for both considered processes. This procedure enables identification the suitable distribution model for considered process only from the experimental data (based on the shapes of obtained integral kinetic curves), and this fact represents the advantage of established analysis. The established mathematical procedure, which is based on the MLM, can be applied as the preliminary analysis for evaluating the distribution of activation energies for complex heterogeneous processes. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 27,44, 2009 [source] Estimating thermal stress in BIPV modulesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 15 2006Petri Konttinen Abstract The thermal stress on building-integrated photovoltaic modules (BIPV) in Espoo, Finland, was studied with field-testing of amorphous silicon modules. Based on these results, the thermal stress at two other European locations (Paris and Lisbon) was estimated. The estimation procedure entailed thermal modelling of heat transfer in the façade with meteorological data as input. The results indicate that the thermal stress on BIPV modules in Lisbon is, in this case, approximately 50% higher that in Espoo and between 80 and 200% higher than in Paris, depending on the activation energy of the degradation process. The difference in stress between a BIPV module and a free-standing module in Espoo was 50,200%. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Electrical and thermal properties of nylon 6/calcium carbonate compositesADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2009M. A. Moussa Abstract Several polymer composites formed from nylon 6/CaCO3 with different ratios and particle sizes were prepared using modified and unmodified CaCO3 as inorganic filler. The modification of CaCO3 surfaces was carried out by adsorption of oleic acid from toluene. TGA and DSC measurements show that the glass transition temperatures reduced by the presence of inorganic filler, whereas the melting temperature did not influenced. In all prepared polymer composites, the presence of filler accelerates the degradation process of the polymer. Dielectric properties of the investigated samples were studied in the frequency range from 45 Hz to 1 MHz and at temperatures ranging between 50 and 200°C. The presence of CaCO3 led to a remarkable decrease in the conductivity of nylon 6. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 28:257,266, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20165 [source] Degradation of transgenic Cry1Ab DNA and protein in Bt-176 maize during the ensiling processJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3-4 2006B. Lutz Summary Maize silage is commonly used as feed for farm animals. The aim of this study was to monitor the time-dependent degradation of non-recombinant chloroplast DNA (exemplified by the rubisco gene) in comparison with the recombinant cry1Ab gene in the course of the ensiling process. In parallel, the Cry1Ab protein content and fragment sizes were determined. Fragments of the rubisco (173, 896, 1197, 1753 and 2521 bp) and of the cry1Ab gene (211, 420, 727 and 1423 bp) were selected to investigate the DNA degradation process. The detection of the Cry1Ab protein was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting. Rubisco gene fragments of 173 bp were still detectable after 61 days, while fragments of 1197 and 2521 bp were detectable up to 30 days and on the first day only respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses revealed that fragments of the cry1Ab gene with sizes of 211 and 420 bp were detectable up to 61 days, fragments with sizes of 727 and 1423 bp, 30 and 6 days respectively. The ELISA showed a decrease of the Cry1Ab protein in maize silage during the ensiling process. No marked degradation was observed during the first 43 h. Thereafter, a sharp decrease was measured. After 61 days, 23.6 ± 0.9% of the initial Cry1Ab protein was still detectable. Immunoblotting confirmed the results of the ELISA showing a positive signal of approximately 60 kDa size for 8 days of ensiling; no further immunoactive fragments were detectable by immunoblotting. In conclusion, the ensiling process markedly decreases the presence of long functional cry1Ab gene fragments and full size Cry1Ab protein. [source] Structural and photooxidation studies of poly(styrene oxide) prepared with Maghnite-H+ as cationic catalystJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008Aïcha Hachemaoui Abstract The nature of irregularities and end-groups in poly(styrene oxide) samples prepared using Maghnite-H+ as a cationic catalyst were studied by 1H- and 13C-NMR at 200 MHz. Head-to-head (H-H) and tail-to-tail (T-T) irregularities are detected in all the samples studied. Secondary hydroxyl terminal groups are identified in polymers prepared with Maghnite-H+. Poly(styrene oxide) was found to undergo chain scission by aging at 25°C. It was confirmed that oxidation of this type of polymers results from the important sensitivity of the polyether soft segment to oxidative degradation. For this reason, the scissions due to the oxidation of the material lead to notable quantities of low molecular weight photoproducts. Among the various structures produced by the oxidative degradation process, benzoate and secondary hydroxyl groups are identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Thermal degradation behavior of poly(vinyl chloride) in the presence of poly(glycidyl methacrylate)JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008Magdy W. Sabaa Abstract The thermal degradation behavior of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in presence of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) has been studied using continuous potentiometric determination of the evolved HCl gas from the degradation process from one hand and by evaluating the extent of discoloration of the degraded samples from the other. The efficiency of blending PGMA with dibasic lead carbonate (DBLC) conventional thermal stabilizer has also been investigated. A probable radical mechanism for the effect of PGMA on the thermal stabilization of PVC has been suggested based on data reported by FTIR and elemental analyses. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Assessment of naphthalene biodegradation efficiency of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia strains tested in soil model systems,JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Andrei E Filonov Abstract The kinetic parameters of the naphthalene degradation process performed by indigenous and introduced microorganisms were studied in soil model systems. The introduction of active naphthalene-degrading strains Pseudomonas putida BS3701 and G7 in soil model systems accelerated the naphthalene destruction process by a factor of three to four. Moreover, the addition of salicylate (0.1 mg g,1 dry soil) to the systems containing the introduced microbial strains again doubled the rate of the naphthalene degradation process. To provide a quantitative assessment of the naphthalene biodegradation process, a mathematical model describing the bacterial growth, the consumption of the naphthalene, the production and subsequent consumption of naphthalene cleavage products, and the consumption of organic soil substances in soil model systems was developed. An approach for assessment of the degradation efficiency of low solubility polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon provided by bacteria of genera Pseudomonas and Burkholderia in soil was suggested. The approach will enable comparison and selection of the most active degraders, which have the potential for application in biotechnologies for cleaning of soils contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Evaluation of the Photodegradation of Crystal Violet upon Light Exposure by Mass Spectrometric and Spectroscopic MethodsJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 2 2009Céline Weyermann Dr. rer. nat. Abstract:, Crystal violet is a very common dye in ballpoint ink. Recent research suggests that the degradation of triarylmethane dyes gives an indication of the age of a ballpoint pen entry on a document. The main problem for the quantitative evaluation of the degradation is that it is highly dependent on the exposure to light. Moreover additional factors, such as additives and substrate play an important role in this process. The aim of this work is to compare the degradation pathways of the pure dye in water and ethanol upon exposure to xenon light by UV/VIS spectrophotometry and laser desorption ionization. Significant differences have been observed in the products and the kinetics of the degradation. N-demethylation, an expected decomposition process, was found to take place only in aqueous solution and kinetics calculations showed that the degradation occurred 2.5 times faster in ethanol compared to water. The degradation of crystal violet in inks from four ballpoint pens on paper was also studied for entries made over 2,3 years. It was observed that degradation reactions were quenched by the presence of another dye due to competitive absorption. It was also observed that the thickness of a stroke (concentration of ink) influenced the degradation process. In the absence of light only one ballpoint pen showed slight degradation. A better understanding of the influence of the paper, ink composition, and storage conditions is necessary to interpret correctly the age of an ink based on the degradation of dyes. [source] Multiscale approach to investigate the radiochemical degradation of epoxy resins under high-energy electron-beam irradiationJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 2 2006N. Longiéras Abstract A multiscale investigation of the degradation mechanism of two epoxy systems exposed to electron-beam irradiation under a helium atmosphere was carried out with a variety of analytical methods, including high-resolution solution- and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, NMR relaxometry, infrared spectroscopy, sterical exclusion chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. As a first step, we studied a linear phenoxy polymer, poly(2-hydroxyether of bisphenol A), which provided a basis for the investigation of the degradation of a more complex, insoluble epoxy,amine network, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/triethylene tetramine. Among different structural modifications, the main degradation process was shown to produce in both cases a chain scission. For the phenoxy resin, the hydroxypropylidene moiety was identified as the fragile site leading to the formation of two phenolic chain ends and acetone and isopropyl alcohol as low-molecular-weight products. All methods, ranging from molecular to supramolecular scales, were shown to correlate both qualitatively and quantitatively. Experimental results obtained with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/triethylene tetramine evidenced a different degradation scheme occurring at the ethylene amine part and producing a dangling vinyl amine as the major degradation product. A selective increase in the molecular mobility at this site was confirmed by a two-dimensional, local-field wide-line separation experiment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 865,887, 2006 [source] Room-Temperature Degradation of t -Zr(Pr)O2 in an Aqueous Suspension Revealed by Perturbed Angular CorrelationsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 7 2008María C. Caracoche This paper deals with the phase stability of an aqueous suspension of tetragonal Zr0.9Pr0.1O2 (20 wt%/vol%) at room temperature as a function of the aging time. The suspension is investigated in situ using the highly localized Perturbed Angular Correlations technique. The results indicate that an almost fully reversible degradation process toward monoclinic zirconia takes place through a first-order reaction of rate constant k=0.7 day,1. Two successive diffusion mechanisms are observed that are interpreted as OH, ions' migration in the grain surface and then, as proton defects' diffusion into the bulk. [source] Volatile components of raw and smoked black bream (Brama raii) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) studied by means of solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometryJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2002María D Guillén Abstract Solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of raw and smoked black bream and rainbow trout was carried out. The volatile components of the raw fish belong to a limited number of groups of compounds. Raw black bream has a higher presence of acids than raw trout, while the latter contains more alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters and phenol derivatives; both contain similar concentrations of saturated aldehydes. The volatiles of the smoked fish basically comprise the compounds also detected in the raw fish together with others produced during the processing. Smoke components detected in both smoked fish species were mainly phenol, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, ketones, acetic acid and some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Smoked black bream contained a higher number and higher concentrations of smoke components than smoked rainbow trout. Large variations in concentrations of smoke components in the smoked fish samples indicated that the smoking process had not been totally homogeneous. The presence of autoxidatively derived compounds, such as unsaturated aldehydes, was mainly detected in some smoked bream samples, showing that this degradation process is not occurring homogeneously. The usefulness of the applied techniques for the study of volatile components of raw and smoked fish is shown. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] A Customizable Instrument for Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Thin Biomedical MembranesMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 10 2005Gracián Triviño Abstract Summary: A customized instrument has been developed as part of multidisciplinary research work relating to the development of a biodegradable vascular scaffold. This instrument aims to measure the mechanical properties of elastic and viscoelastic thin membranes with tissue engineering applications. Uniform and omni-directional pressure is applied on the whole membrane which is uniformly clamped and submerged into a liquid medium. The mechanical testing described in this study is focused on the stress-strain curves of polycaprolactone (PCL) films after different treatments. The influence of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's culture medium, L929 fibroblast culture, NaOH treatment and film thickness on the mechanical properties of PCL films was evaluated after different times. These studies show that the PCL degradation process is influenced by immersion in the culture medium, inducing an increment in the slope of the pressure-dilation curve which is indicative of an increase in the polymer stiffness. On the other hand, long NaOH treatments make PCL films have more flexible behavior. A computerized version of the instrument: (1) Electrical compressor; (2) Filter; (3) Voltage-pressure converter; (5) Pressure sensor; (6) Differential pressure sensor; (7,8) Main and auxiliary pipettes; (9) Printed circuit board; (10) Personal computer. [source] A Kinetic Study on the Thermal Degradation of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes-Reinforced Poly(propylene) CompositesMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2004Min-Kang Seo Abstract Summary: The influence of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) content on the thermal degradation behavior of MWNTs-reinforced poly(propylene) (PP) composites was investigated by using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Kinetic parameters of degradation were evaluated by using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa iso-conversional method and the pseudo first-order method. As a result, compared with pristine PP, MWNTs-PP nanocomposites have lower peak temperatures of degradation, narrower degradation temperature ranges and a higher amount of residual weight at the end of the degradation, which is likely to be a result of specific interactions between complimentary functional groups. The values of the reaction order of MWNTs-PP nanocomposites determined by the Kissinger method are close to 1 in the non-isothermal degradation process. There is a good correlation between the Ea in region II and the peak temperature of degradation for the composites. Activation energies for degradation of different contents of MWNTs-filled PP nanocomposites as a function of conversion. [source] Degradation processes in Al/SiCp/MgAl2O4 composites prepared from recycled aluminum with fly ash and rice hull ashMATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 11 2007M. I. Pech-Canul The degradation characteristics of Al/SiCp/spinel composites prepared with fly ash (FA) and rice hull ash (RHA) under environmental conditions were investigated. Composite specimens were prepared with recycled aluminum via reactive infiltration in the temperature range 1050,1150,°C for 50,70 min and, in argon atmosphere at a pressure slightly above that of the atmospheric pressure. Results reveal that although both FA and RHA help in preventing SiCp dissolution and the subsequent chemical degradation of the composites, due to the interaction of native carbon in FA with liquid aluminum, FA-composites are susceptible to corrosion via Al4C3. Moreover, this phase accelerates the degradation process and increases the damage severity. The primary corrosion mechanism in both types of composites is attributed to microgalvanic coupling between the intermetallic Mg2Si and the matrix. Accordingly, an appropriate control of the Si/(Si,+,Mg) molar ratio in the aluminum alloy hinders the Mg2Si corrosion mechanism in both types of composites and a proper FA calcination prevents chemical degradation in FA composites. [source] RNase R affects gene expression in stationary phase: regulation of ompAMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006José Marques Andrade Summary In nature, bacteria remain mostly in the stationary phase of the life cycle. Although mRNA is a major determinant of gene expression, little is known about mRNA decay in the stationary phase. The results presented herein demonstrate that RNase R is induced in stationary phase and is involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of ompA mRNA. This work is the first report of RNase R activity on a full length mRNA. In the absence of RNase R in a single rnr mutant, higher levels of ompA mRNA are found as a consequence of the stabilization of ompA full transcript. This effect is growth-phase-specific and not a growth-rate-dependent event. These higher levels of ompA mRNA were correlated with increases in the amounts of OmpA protein. We have also analysed the role of other factors that could affect ompA mRNA stability in stationary phase. RNase E was found to have the most important role, followed by polyadenylation. PNPase also affected the decay of the ompA transcript but RNase II did not seem to contribute much to this degradation process. The participation of RNase R in poly(A)-dependent pathways of decay in stationary phase of growth is discussed. The results show that RNase R can be a modulator of gene expression in stationary phase cells. [source] Acceptor compensation by dislocations related defects in boron doped homoepitaxial diamond films from cathodoluminescence and Schottky diodes current voltage characteristicsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 12 2006P. Muret Abstract This document shows that new electrically active defects can develop in the homoepitaxial layer grown on Ib diamond substrates, related to the increase of the dislocation density. Deep centres, which are able to compensate the boron acceptors, specially when the growth process allows boron incorporation below 1015 cm,3 like achieved in the samples, are identified after heating in an inert gas ambient both from photo-induced current transient spectroscopy (PICTS) and changes in Schottky diode current,voltage characteristics. Cathodoluminescence spectra are used to monitor the bands and excitonic lines, some of them being specific of dislocations. A correlation is demonstrated between the onset of properties characteristic of a compensated semiconductor and the increase of signals associated to dislocations in cathodoluminescence spectra. These modifications are thermally driven only when the samples are laid on a heating holder immerged in an inert gas, suggesting that a temperature gradient induced an additional stress which finally led to plastic relaxation of the tensile strain in the homoepitaxial layer by an increase of the dislocation density. New deep centres being simultaneously created in this degradation process, the problem of overcoming the onset of these defects for implementing high voltage devices is discussed. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Modelling the light induced metastable effects in amorphous siliconPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 2 2008G. Munyeme Abstract We present results of computer simulations of the light induced degradation of amorphous silicon solar cells. It is now well established that when amorphous silicon is illuminated the density of dangling bond states increases. Dangling bond states produce amphoteric electronic mid-gap states which act as efficient charge trapping and recombination centres. The increase in dangling bond states causes a decrease in the performance of amorphous silicon solar cells. To show this effect, a modelling approach has been developed which uses the density of localised states with exponentially increasing band-tails and dangling bond defect states distribution chosen according to the defect pool model. The calculation of the evolution of dangling bond state density during illumination has been achieved through a dynamic scaling relation derived from a defect creation model. The approach considers the amphoteric nature of the dangling bond state and thus accounts for the contributions of the different charge states of the dangling bond during the degradation process. This paper attempts to describe the simulation approach which calculates the defect density as a function of energy, position in the solar cell and illumination time. In excellent agreement with other workers, our simulation results show that the increase in the density of neutral dangling bond states during illumination is higher than of the charged states. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Impact damage detection and degradation monitoring of wet GFRP composites using noncontact ultrasonicsPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 8 2009K. Berketis Two different non-crimp glass fabrics with a polyester resin were used to produce laminated plates that were subjected to low velocity impact testing using three impact energy levels. The plates were immersed in water at 65°C for up to 24 months. The effectiveness of a traditional water coupled and an air-coupled ultrasonic C-Scan system was assessed in terms of damage size evaluation at various time intervals. The conditioned impacted plates were retested statically in compression to determine the residual strength for evaluation of damage tolerance. Weight change measurements revealed an initial increase due to water diffusion, followed by an extended decrease due to matrix dissolution at long-term immersion times. The use of water coupled pulse-echo ultrasonics proved ineffective after long-term water immersion as damaged areas became ultrasound-invisible. The contrast between impact damaged areas and water diffused areas was restored with the air-coupled C-scan. The macroscopic damage size was not affected by the long-term water immersion and the overall weight change while the residual compression strength was seemed to be dependent on the time of immersion and the size of the pre-existing impact damage. Calibrating the air-coupled system to a dry condition specimen, a good qualitative and quantitative indication of the degraded state of water immersed plates was obtained. This monitoring system for the degradation process seems to be very promising. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Thermal stability of some self-assembling hydrogen-bonded polymers and related model complexes,POLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 11 2002Gordon Armstrong Abstract The thermal stability of polymers is of fundamental importance both in processing and in many applications, eg, injection moulding, hot melts. As part of an investigation to determine the suitability of supramolecular polymers for novel applications in materials science, the thermal behaviour of two model compounds representing the principal classes of supramolecular polymer has been studied in some detail. p -Methoxybenzoic acid was complexed with 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylene in 2:1 ratio as a model compound representing liquid,crystal association chain supramolecular polymers. It is proposed that the model compound degrades as a single species obeying first-order kinetics; the activation energy (Eact) of the degradation process was calculated to be 127,kJ,mol,1. A model ureidopyrimidinone dimer degraded in two steps, also following first order kinetics, with Eact,=,71.5,kJ,mol,1. The dimer was unaffected by annealing, suggesting that related polymers may be used at elevated temperatures. Polymer analogues of both model compounds were synthesized and their thermal behaviour was found to parallel that of the models. In light of these results, the implications for processing both supramolecular polymers are also considered. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Thermally crosslinked polymer blends of polyurethane and chlorobutyl elastomers (sulfur cure)POLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2001B Khatua Abstract Blends of polyurethane with chlorobutyl elastomer prepared by three different blending techniques have been studied in the entire composition range. The properties of the blends showed that the blending technique plays an important role in determining the blend properties. IR spectral analysis revealed that interchain crosslinking is possible in this blend system upon heat treatment. Thermal stability of blends prepared by preheating the preblend was increased and the degradation process was retarded. Extractability of the single phase, by solvent, was also limited significantly in the case of the preheated preblended sample, probably due to phase adhesion. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The effect of crystalline morphology on the degradation of polycaprolactone in a solution of phosphate buffer and lipasePOLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 12 2008M. J. Jenkins Abstract The degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL) in a solution of lipase and phosphate buffer has been characterized using a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron microscopy. The molecular weight of the polymer initially appeared to determine the degradation rate while the degree of crystallinity was found to increase with time. Samples of PCL were also conditioned using DSC to specify a known degree of crystallinity. This approach enabled the effects of molecular weight and degree of crystallinity on the degradation to be separated. It was observed that an increase in either molecular weight or degree of crystallinity reduced the rate of degradation. The work presented in this paper addresses a significant limitation associated with the characterization of "as received" samples and provides a more detailed understanding of the effect of polymer morphology on the degradation process. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] |