Blog List

Tuesday 29 November 2016

Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC): Potential Material for Microtechnology Devices

Published Date
Date: 
Author
  • Suhaila M. Yusuf 
  • Abbas A. Dehghani-Sanij
  • Robert C. Richardson

  • Abstract

    Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) is one of the electroactive materials that is being actively investigated. This is due to its potential to become actuators from micro to macro technology. It can be used to develop small actuators such as microgripper or robotic’s fingers for manipulating biology cell as it only requires small voltages to generate significant displacement and will not cause any damage to the object being manipulated. This paper presents the characterization of small-scale IPMC using a vision system and force measurement using a load cell. Six small-scale IPMC samples have been used in the experimental works with voltage excitation of 1–3 V and fixed frequency of 0.5 Hz. Results show that the range of displacement and force generated by the IPMC depends on several parameters such as physical dimensions and voltage magnitude.

    References 

    1. 1.
      Bar-Cohen, Y. (Ed.). (2004). Electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators as artificial muscles: reality, potential and challenges (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering.
    2. 2.
      Kim, K. J., & Shahinpoor, M. (2003). Ionic polymer–metal composites: II. Manufacturing techniques. Smart Materials and Structures, 12, 65–79.CrossRef
    3. 3.
      Shahinpoor, M., & Kim, K. J. (2001). Ionic polymer-metal composites: I. Fundamentals. Smart Materials and Structures, 10, 819–833.CrossRef
    4. 4.
      Deole, U., & Lumia, R. (2006). Measuring the load-carrying capability of IPMC microgripper fingers. In Proceedings of 32nd annual conference on IEEE industrial electronics (IECON) (pp. 2933–2938).
    5. 5.
      Yamakita, M., et al. (2006). Integrated design of IPMCActuator/Sensor. In Proceedings of 2006 IEEE international conference on robotics and automation (pp. 1834–1839).
    6. 6.
      Yusuf, S., Dehghani-Sanij, A. A., & Richardson, R. C. (2010). A vision system for IPMC characterization to be used for feedback control. In Characterization, Proceedings of the 12th Mechatronics forum biennial international conference (Mechatronics 2010), Zurich, Switzerland.

    For further details log on website :
    http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-981-287-077-3_57


    Effects of Different Resin Content and Densities on Some Properties of Hybrid Wood Sawdust-Acacia mangium Composites

    Published Date
    Date: 
    Author
  • Siti Noorbaini Sarmin 
  • Norhafizah Rosman
  • Jamaludin Kasim
  • Shaikh Abdul Karim Yamani Zakaria

  • Abstract

    Utilisation of sawdust-like hybrid composite is one innovative way to reduce the usage of wood-based material and at same time reduce the abundance of wood waste. Effects of different resin content and densities on the properties of hybrid wood sawdust-Acacia mangiumcomposites were investigated in this study. Three-layered hybrid composites from sawdust and Acacia mangiumwere fabricated with different resin content and densities within the face/back (sawdust) and core (Acacia mangiumparticles). Two different resin contents, 8:10:8 and 12:10:12, were used with 500, 600 and 700 kg/m3 board densities. Urea formaldehyde (UF) was used as a binder with addition of wax. The properties of bending strength (MOR and MOE), internal bonding strength (IB), thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA) were evaluated based on Japanese Industrial Standard, JIS A 5908:2003 Particleboard (2003). The results showed that there were significant interactions between resin content and densities on hybrid wood sawdust-Acacia mangiumcomposites. The result obtained indicated that bending and internal bonding strengths of the panel bonded using 12:10:12 resin content with 700 kg/m3 density were better compared to 8:10:8 resin content. Thickness swelling and water absorption rate were reduced for the panel bonded with 12:10:12 resin content compared to 8:10:8 resin content. When the density increased, the physical properties and thickness swelling were decreased. It is expected that hybrid composite from sawdust can be commercialised into a value-added product in wood-based industry.

    References 

    1. 1.
      Zaini, S. (2011). Municipal solid waste management in Malaysia: Solution for sustainable waste management. Journal of Applied Sciences in Environmental Sanitation, 6(1), 29–38.
    2. 2.
      Wan Ariffin, W. T., Wan Samsi, H., & Elham, P. (1999). Management of wood waste from the wood processing industry. FRIM technical information handbook no. 22.
    3. 3.
      Youngquist, J. A. (1999). Wood-based composites and panel products in wood handbook: Wood as an engineering material (General technical report FPL-GRT-113; pp. 1–31). Madison: USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory.
    4. 4.
      Manisara, P., Puriphat, S., Suradet, C., Ruangdet, S., Nikorn, P., Leartprakit, V., Apichate, T., & Pitt, S. (2008). Isotactic poly(propylene)/wood sawdust composite: Effects of natural weathering, water immersion, and gamma-ray irradiation on mechanical properties. Weinheim: Wiley-Vch Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
    5. 5.
      Suarez, J. C. M., Coutihno, F. M. B., & Sydentricker, T. H. (2003). SEM studies of tensile fracture surfaces of polypropylene-sawdust composites. Journal of Polymer Testing, Brazil, 22, 819–824.CrossRef
    6. 6.
      Tsoumis, G. (1991). Science and technology of wood: Structure, properties and utilization. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, TA419.T77.

    For further details log on website :
    http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-981-287-077-3_57

    Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of Dendrocalamus asper Backer specimens with and without nodes

    Published Date
    Volume 74, Issue 6pp 893–899

    Original
    DOI: 10.1007/s00107-016-1048-8

    Cite this article as: 
    Srivaro, S. & Jakranod, W. Eur. J. Wood Prod. (2016) 74: 893. doi:10.1007/s00107-016-1048-8

    Author
    Abstract

    This study investigated the effects of nodes on some of the physical and mechanical properties of Dendrocalamus asper Backer (D. asper Backer). Two types of D. asper Backer specimens, with and without nodes, were prepared from the bottom and top parts of the bamboo culms for testing of their physical (density, water uptake, shrinkage and swelling) and mechanical (shear strength parallel to the grain, tensile strength parallel to the grain, modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity) properties. The results obtained for the two types of specimens were then compared. The results showed that the radial swelling and shrinkage properties, the tensile strength parallel to the grain and the modulus of rupture values of specimens with nodes were significantly lower than those of specimens without nodes at both culm height positions examined. The other properties along the culm’s height were not significantly different for the two specimen types. The results indicate that node effects should be considered as part of the practical design of D. asper Backer bamboo products, especially when bamboo with nodes is used.

    References 

    1. ASTM D143-09 (2009) Standard Test Methods for Small Clear Specimens of Timber. ASTM Annaul Book of Standards. ASTM International, West Conshohocken
    2. Amada S, Munekata T, Nagase Y, Ichikawa Y, Kirigai A, Zhifei Y (1996) The mechanical structures of bamboos in viewpoint of functionally gradient and composite materials. J Compos Mater 30(7):800–819CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    3. De Vos V (2010) Bamboo for Exterior Joinery. BSc Thesis, International Timbertrade, Larenstein University, The Netherlands
    4. Dixon PG, Gibson LJ (2014) The structure and mechanics of Moso bamboo material. J R Soc Interface 11:20140321. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.0321CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
    5. Dixon PG, Ahvenainen P, Aijazi AN, Chen SH, Lin S, Augusciak PK, Borrega M, Svedstrom K, Gibson LJ (2015) Comparison of the structure and flexural properties of Moso, Guadua and Tre Gai bamboo. Constr Build Mater 90:11–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    6. Grosser D, Liese W (1971) On the anatomy of asian bamboos, with special reference to their vascular bundles. Wood Sci Technol 5:290–312CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    7. Hamdan H, Anwar UMK, Zaidon A, Tamizi MM (2009) Mechanical properties and failure behaviour of Gigantochloa scortechinii. J Trop For Sci 21(4):336–344Google Scholar
    8. Huang XY, Xie JL, Qi JQ, Hao JF, Zhou N (2014) Effect of accelerated aging on selected physical and mechanical properties of Bambusa rigida bamboo. Eur J Wood Prod 72:547–549CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    9. Kamthai S, Puthson P (2005) The physical properties, fiber morphology and chemical compositions of sweet bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper Backer). Kasetsart J (Nat Sci) 39:581–587Google Scholar
    10. Lee AWC, Bai X, Peralta PN (1994) Selected physical and mechanical properties of giant timber grown in South Carolina. Forest Prod J 44(9):40–46Google Scholar
    11. Malanit P (2009) The Suitability of Dendrocalamus asper Backer for Oriented Strand Lumber. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Hamburg, Germany
    12. Shao ZP, Zhou L, Liu YM, Wu ZM, Arnaud C (2010) Differences in structure and strength between internode and node sections of moso bamboo. J Trop For Sci 22(2):133–138Google Scholar
    13. Sutnaun S, Srisuwan S, Jindasai P, Cherdchim B, Matan N, Kyokong B (2005) Macroscopic and microscopic gradient structures of bamboo culms. Walailak J Sci Technol 2(1):81–97Google Scholar
    14. Taylor D, Kinane B, Sweeney C, Sweetnam D, O’Reilly P, Duan K (2015) The biomechanics of bamboo: investigating the role of the nodes. Wood Sci Technol 49:345–357CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    15. Tomak ED, Topaloglu E, Ay N, Yildiz UC (2012) Effect of accelerated aging on some physical and mechanical properties of bamboo. Wood Sci Technol 46:905–918CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    16. Wang F, Shao Z, Wu Y, Wu D (2014) The toughness contribution of bamboo node to the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of bamboo. Wood Sci Technol 48:1257–1268CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    17. Zhang YM, Yu YL, Yu WJ (2013) Effect of thermal treatment on the physical and mechanical properties of Phyllostachys pubescens bamboo. Eur J Wood Prod 71:61–67CrossRefGoogle Scholar

    For further details log on website :
    http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00107-016-1042-1

    Flammability and thermal degradation behavior of flame retardant treated wood flour containing intumescent LDPE composites

    Published Date
    Volume 74, Issue 6pp 851–856

    Original
    DOI: 10.1007/s00107-016-1042-1

    Cite this article as: 
    Altun, Y., Doğan, M. & Bayramlı, E. Eur. J. Wood Prod. (2016) 74: 851. doi:10.1007/s00107-016-1042-1

    Author
    • Yasemin Altun
    • Mehmet DoÄŸan
    • Erdal Bayramlı
    Abstract

    In the current study, the flame retardant wood-plastic composites (WPC) were produced by reducing the flammability of both the wood flour (WF) and the matrix material. Accordingly, WF was treated either with bis[tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium] sulfate (THPS) or with dicyandiamide-formaldehyde-phosphoric acid flame retardants (DFP). The synergistic mixture of ammonium polyphosphate (m-APP) was used to improve the flame retardancy of matrix material based on low density polyethylene (LDPE). The flame retardant properties of LDPE based composites were investigated using limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 standard, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and cone calorimeter. The addition of 30 wt% m-APP increased the LOI value from 17.5 to 24.2 and still burned to a clamp (BC) in UL-94 test. The THPS and DFP treatments of WF did not have any remarkable effects on the flammability properties (LOI and UL-94 ratings) with respect to LDPE/WF/APP composite. According to cone calorimeter test results, the treatments of WF with THPS and DFP improved the fire performance with approximately 25 % reduction in total heat evolved (THE) with respect to LDPE/WF/APP. The high reduction in THE value demonstrated that there was an increase in the fire performance of the LDPE based composites when THPS or DFP treated WF was used with m-APP due to the increase in the amount of foamed char providing barrier effect.

    References 

    1. ASTM D2863-13 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Minimum Oxygen Concentration to Support Candle-Like Combustion of Plastics (Oxygen Index), ASTM International, 2013, West Conshohocken
    2. ASTM D3801-10 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Comparative Burning Characteristics of Solid Plastics in a Vertical Position. ASTM International, 2010, West Conshohocken
    3. Bagga SL, Jain RK, Gur IS, Bhatnagar HL (1990) Thermal and spectroscopic studies on flame-retardant cotton cellulose modified with THPC-urea-ADP and its transition metal complexes. Br Polym J 22:107–120CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    4. Blasi CM, Branca C, Galgano A (2008) Thermal and catalytic decomposition of wood impregnated with sulfur and phosphorus-containing ammonium salts. Polym Degrad Stabil 93:335–346CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    5. Bodirlâu R, Teacâ CA, Spiridon I (2007) Thermal investigation upon various composites materials. Rev Roum Chim 52(1–2):152–158Google Scholar
    6. Camino G, Costa L, Trossarelli L (1984a) Study of the mechanism of intumescence in fire retardant polymers: part I- thermal degradation of ammonium polyphosphate- pentaerythritol mixtures. Polym Degrad Stabil 6:243–252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    7. Camino G, Costa L, Trossarelli L (1984b) Study of the mechanism of intumescence in fire retardant polymers: part II- mechanism of action in polypropylene- ammonium polyphosphate- pentaerythritol mixtures. Polym Degrad Stabil 7:25–31CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    8. Chapple S, Anandjiwala R (2010) Flammability of natural fiber-reinforced composites and strategies for fire retardancy: a review. J Thermo Comp Mater 23:871–891CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    9. Chen D, Li J, Ren J (2011) Combustion properties and transference behavior of ultrafine microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate in ramie fabric-reinforced poly(l-lactic acid) biocomposites. Polym Int 60:599–606CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    10. Gao M, Sun CY, Zhu K (2004a) Thermal degradation of wood treated with guanidine compounds in air. J Therm Anal Calorim 75:221–232CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    11. Gao M, Zhu K, Sun YJ, Sun C (2004b) Thermal degradation of wood treated with amino resins and amino resins modified with phosphate in nitrogen. J Fire Sci 22:505–515CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    12. George J, Sreekala MS, Thomas SA (2001) A review on interface modification and characterization of natural fiber reinforced plastic composites. Polym Eng Sci 41:1471–1485CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    13. Hashim R, Sulaiman O, Kumar RN, Tamyez PF, Murphy RJ, Alic Z (2009) Physical and mechanical properties of flame retardant urea formaldehyde medium density fiber board. J Mater Process Technol 209:635–640CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    14. Horrocks AR, Anand SC, Sanderson D (1996) Polymer Complex char formation in flame-retarded fibre-intumescent combinations:1. scanning electron microscopic studies. Polymer 37:3197–3206CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    15. Jain RK, Lal K, Bhatnagar HL (1985) Thermal degradation of cellulose and its phosphorylated products in air and nitrogen. J Appl Polym Sci 30:897CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    16. Jawaid M, Abdul Khalil HPS (2011) Cellulosic synthetic fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites: a review. Carbohyd Polym 86:1–18CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    17. Joseph P, Ebdon J R (2010) Fire retardancy of polymeric materials, Boca Raton, Taylor &Francis
    18. Kandola BK, Horrocks AR, Price D, Coleman GV (1996) Flame retardant treatments of cellulose and their influence on the mechanism of cellulose pyrolysis. J Macromol Sci Rev Macromol Chem Phys C36(4):721–794CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    19. Kozlowski R, Wladyka-Przybylak MW (2008) Flammability and fire resistance of composites reinforced by natural fibres. Polym for Adv Techol 19:446–453CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    20. Le Bras M, Bourbigot S, Delporte C, Siat C, Le Tallec Y (1996) New intumescent formulations of fire retardant polypropylene-discussion of the free radical mechanism of the formation of carbonaceous protective material during the thermo oxidative treatment of the additives. Fire Mater 20:191–203CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    21. Mohanty AK, Misra M, Drzal LT (2005) Natural fibers, biopolymers and biocomposites. Taylor & Francis, Boca RatonCrossRefGoogle Scholar
    22. Niel S, Hu Y, Song L, He Q, Yang D, Chen H (2008) Synergistic effect between a char forming agent (CFA) and microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate on the thermal and flame retardant properties of polypropylene. Polym Adv Technol 19:1077–1083CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    23. Pan X, Sun CY, Gao M (2003) Study on the thermal degradation of wood treated with amino resin and amino resin modified with phosphoric acid. J Fire Sci 21:189–201CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    24. Sain M, Park SH, Suhara F, Law S (2004) Flame retardant and mechanical properties of natural fibre–PP composites containing magnesium hydroxide. Polym Degrad Stabil 83:363–367CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    25. Schartel B, Braun U, Schwarz U, Reinemann S (2003) Fire retardancy of polypropylene/flax blends. Polymer 44:6241–6250CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    26. Seefeldt H, Braun UA (2012) New flame retardant for wood materials tested in wood-plastic composites. Macromol Mater Eng 297:814–820CrossRefGoogle Scholar
    27. Shumao L, Jie R, Hua Y, Tao Y, Weizhong Y (2010) Influence of ammonium polyphoshate on the flame retardancy and mechanical properties of ramie fiber reinforced poly(lactic acid) biocomposites. Polym Int 59:242–248Google Scholar
    28. Suardana NPG, Ku MS, Lim JK (2011) Effects of diammonium phosphate on the flammability and mechanical properties of bio-composites. Mater Des 32:1990–1999CrossRefGoogle Scholar

    For further details log on website :
    http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00107-016-1119-x

    Advantages and Disadvantages of Fasting for Runners

    Author BY   ANDREA CESPEDES  Food is fuel, especially for serious runners who need a lot of energy. It may seem counterintuiti...