Basic Characteristics of an Appropriate Waste Fillers for Solvent Free and Water-Borne Industrial Polymer Floors and Their Utilization

Recently the manufacture of epoxy coating and flooring materials begun to be under strong pressure to use more environmentally friendly raw materials in its composition.First tendency to reduce of solvents and diluents contained in the materials appeared at the end of 90´s.This situation was supported by the Council of Europe in 2004 to reduce VOC emissions to zero till 2020.Solvent materials were thus largely replaced by solvent free materials from which the volatile substances are not released into the air.But pressure continued to increase,and over the past decade began to take centre stage water-based epoxy.On the Czech market solvent based material is still occasionally used,but predominant are solvent free materials.There are no commonly used materials containing wastes as fillers in new water-borne and solvent-free epoxy materials.Characteristics identification of the waste material as a potential filler is a set of properties that determine the limits of secondary raw materials or waste as a filler.This paper describes the basic characteristics which must be selected to meet the requirements,to affect negatively the workability,sedimentation,properties and behavior of the final floor system.Some materials must comply with special requirements,such as resistance to chemicals,etc.Next part of paper talks about utilization of polymer floors and their mechanical properties.

The Critical Role of Fillers in Composite Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery

With excellent energy densities and highly safe performance,solidstate lithium batteries(SSLBs)have been hailed as promising energy storage devices.Solid-state electrolyte is the core component of SSLBs and plays an essential role in the safety and electrochemical performance of the cells.Composite polymer electrolytes(CPEs)are considered as one of the most promising candidates among all solid-state electrolytes due to their excellent comprehensive performance.In this review,we briefly introduce the components of CPEs,such as the polymer matrix and the species of fillers,as well as the integration of fillers in the polymers.In particular,we focus on the two major obstacles that affect the development of CPEs:the low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and high interfacial impedance.We provide insight into the factors influencing ionic conductivity,in terms of macroscopic and microscopic aspects,including the aggregated structure of the polymer,ion migration rate and carrier concentration.In addition,we also discuss the electrode-electrolyte interface and summarize methods for improving this interface.It is expected that this review will provide feasible solutions for modifying CPEs through further understanding of the ion conduction mechanism in CPEs and for improving the compatibility of the electrode-electrolyte interface.

Structure and Properties of PLA Composite Enhanced with Biomass Fillers from Herbaceous Plants

PLA composites containing biomass fillers from the three herbaceous plants such as reed,wheat stalk,and coco-nut fiber with length and diameter at the scale of several millimeters were prepared without using additives.The reinforcement effect on the properties of PLA/biomass filler composites is investigated.The research results show that the PLA/biomass filler composites exhibit good stiffness,flexural strength,and impact toughness.Among the three kinds of biomass fillers,reed reinforced PLA composites show optimal mechanical properties.When filled with 40%–50%reed,the flexural moduli of the composites are over 7000 MPa.Flexural strength retains at the same level of pure PLA.The notch impact strength reaches to 4.50±0.73 kJ/m^(2),which is 2.06 times higher than that of pure PLA.Furthermore,the introduction of biomass fillers increases the crystallization ability of PLA and does not increase the water absorption of the composites.This research demonstrated that PLA composites prepared with biomass fillers from the herbaceous plants(namely herb plastic composites,HPCs)is a material with good comprehensive mechanical properties while retaining the intrinsic particularity of biological sources.

Effects of carbonaceous conductive fillers on electrical and thermal properties of asphalt-matrix conductive composites

The relationship between thermal/electrical conductivity enhancement in asphalt-matrix mixtures and the properties of filling conductive particles is studied. The thermal properties with filling the carbon fiber, graphite conductive particles in asphalt-matrix mixtures are investigated. Based on the generalized effective medium theory （ EMT ）, the effective thermal and electrical conductivity of carbon fiber/asphalt and graphite/asphalt composites are theoretically elucidated. The theoretical results are found to be in reasonably well agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the theoretical and experimental results show that the large-aspect-ratio shape of particles can help to achieve a large enhancement of effective conductivity, and the use of disk-like high conductivity particles can limit the additive contents for preserving the volumetric properties and mechanical properties of asphalt composites. The generalized effective medium theory model can be used for predicting the thermal and electrical properties of asphaltmatrix composites, which is still available for most of the thermal/electrical modifications in two-phase composites.

Characterization on Surface and Interfacial Properties of Nitramine Crystal Fillers and Polymeric Bonding Agents

The surface and interfacial properties of polymeric bonding agents and nitramine crystal fillers were studied. The surface free energy and adhesion work of polymeric bonding agents and nitramine fillers were calculated by using Kaeble′s equations. It was observed that the hydroxyl values of neutral polymeric bonding agents (NPBA) correlate well with the polar components of surface free energies. On the basis of the measurements of swelling ratio and initial modulus, the interfacial bonding through highly crosslinked polymeric shell formation around the nitramine particles and generating interfacial reinforcement were rationalized. The application of Tapping Mode AFM (atomic force micro scope) to observing the surface morphology of NPBA reveals that methyl acrylate monomer appears to play a role for aiding the formation of network like structure when nanometer scale images of NPBA are created.

Effect of different fillers on oxidation behavior of low-temperature chromizing coating

Three different chromizing coatings were produced on Ni substrate using a conventional pack-cementation method with Al2O3,Al2O3＋CeO2 and CeO2 acting as filler,respectively,at a greatly decreased temperature（700 ℃）.Effects of different fillers on the isothermal and cyclic oxidation resistance of chromizing coating in air at 850 ℃ were comparably investigated.Microstructure results show that the addition of CeO2 into the filler significantly retards the grain growth of the chromizing coating.Oxidation results indicate that the chromizing coating using CeO2 as filler exhibits somewhat increased oxidation resistance than the normal chromizmg coating,while the chromizing coating using Al2O3＋CeO2 as filler exhibits much better oxidation resistance.The effects of different fillers on the oxidation behaviors were discussed in detail.

PVDF-Based Micro Inorganic Fillers-Containing Polymer Electrolyte Membranes

Polymer electrolyte membranes based on poly （vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene） （PVDFHFP） with and without different types of micro inorganic fillers were prepared by phase-inversion process. Morphologies, porosities and electrochemical properties ＇of the as-prepared membranes were investigated by means of scanning electronic microscopy （SEM）, PC （propylene carbonate） uptake and alternating current （AC） impedance technique. Compared with other membranes, the membrane with micro SiO2 filler shows a dense morphology so that its PC uptake is the highest, namely, 339 %. The membrane filled with micro TiO2 exhibits good electrochemical performances： the ion conductivity is as high as 1.1 × 10^-3 S/cm at 18 ℃, which can meet the demand of lithium ion batteries. Moreover, its initial charge-discharge efficiency exceeds 89 %. The composite membranes with micro SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 are more suitable for the utilization in lithium ion batteries due to better cycle.ability, whereas the battery assembled with the blank membrane containing no inorganic fillers encounters a short circuit after the 5th cycle.

Evaluation and Selection of Sealants and Fillers Using Principal Component Analysis for Cracks in Asphalt Concrete Pavements

The objective of this paper was to develop a comprehensive evaluation method and index to evaluate the performance of sealants and fillers for cracks in asphalt concrete pavements using the method of principal component analysis. The performance experiments including cone penetration, softening point, flow, resilience and tension at low temperature respectively were conducted by reference of ASTM D5329 for eight sealants and fillers often used in China. There by a principal component model was developed and weight of every index was calculated. The experimental results show that there are significantly different performances for sealants and fillers often used in China. Principal component analysis is an objective method that evaluates and selects the performance of sealants and fillers for cracks in asphalt concrete pavements.

A Brief Review on Biomedical Applications of Hydroxyapatite Use as Fillers in Polymer

Preparation of hydroxyapatite(HA)through natural sources,such as fish scales or synthetic HA produced from the chemical reaction has been widely used as biomedical materials because HA is bioactive,non-toxic and osteoconductive with a crystallographic structure almost similar to that of the bone mineral.In addition,HAwith particle size<10 microns is classified as common inorganic filler used to improve the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of polymer composites.The purpose of this review is to collect information related to HA,and to provide readers with information about synthesis methods,advantages of hydroxyapatite as biomaterial,biomedical applications of polymer/HA composites.

Preparation of Fish Scales Hydroxyapatite (FsHAp) for Potential Use as Fillers in Polymer

The aims of this study were to prepare natural hydroxyapatite from fish scales(FsHAp)for potential use as a filler in polymer.The FsHAp was prepared from Tilapia fish scales using thermal method.The FsHAp was milled for 48 h and dried by spray method.The morphology was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM)which showed irregular shape of FsHAp particles with particle size around 7μm.The analysis of FsHAp was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)and X-ray diffraction(XRD)to confirm chemical structure of FsHAp.

A General Strategy for Efficiently Constructing Multifunctional Cluster Fillers Using a Three-Fluid Nozzle Spray Drying Technique for Dental Restoration

Multifunctional fillers are greatly required for dental resin composites(DRCs).In this work,a spray dryer with a three-fluid nozzle was applied for the first time to construct high-performance complex nanoparticle clusters(CNCs)consisting of different functional nanofillers for dental restoration.The application of a three-fluid nozzle can effectively avoid the aggregation of different nanoparticles with opposite zeta potentials before the spray drying process in order to construct regularly shaped CNCs.For a SiO_(2)–ZrO_(2) binary system,the SiO_(2)–ZrO_(2) CNCs constructed using a three-fluid nozzle maintained their excellent mechanical properties((133.3±4.7)MPa,(8.8±0.5)GPa,(371.1±13.3)MPa,and(64.5±0.7)HV for flexural strength,flexural modulus,compressive strength,and hardness of DRCs,respectively),despite the introduction of ZrO_(2) nanoparticles,whereas their counterparts constructed using a two-fluid nozzle showed significantly decreased mechanical properties.Furthermore,heat treatment of the SiO_(2)-ZrO_(2) CNCs significantly improved the mechanical properties and radiopacity of the DRCs.The DRCs containing over 10%mass fraction ZrO_(2) nanoparticles can meet the requirement for radiopaque fillers.More importantly,this method can be expanded to ternary or quaternary systems.DRCs filled with SiO_(2)-ZrO_(2)-ZnO CNCs with a ratio of 56:10:4 displayed high antibacterial activity(antibacterial ratio>99%)in addition to excellent mechanical properties and radiopacity.Thus,the three-fluid nozzle spray drying technique holds great potential for the efficient construction of multifunctional cluster fillers for DRCs.

A Comparative Study of the Phase Distribution in Carbon-Silica Hybrid Fillers for Rubber Obtained by Different Methods

Different types of carbon-silica fillers were prepared via pyrolysis-cum-water vapor of waste green tires tread and impregnation method. Dual phase fillers have been characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) or STEM-EDX. Phase distribution in hybrid fillers for rubber was investigated. The results achieved show that the conditions of obtaining influence the distribution and the location of the phases in the carbon-silica hybrid fillers as well as their most essential characteristics including specific area, oil absorption number, iodine adsorption number, ash content and others.

Battle against Aging and Folds: Benefit and Risks of the Semi-Permanent Fillers Polylactic Acid and Calcium Hydroxylapatite

Background: Semi-permanent fillers are among the most favorable fillers on the market. Through their unique mode of action and its associated lasting aesthetic effect, they take an exceptional position. Objective: To compare the two semi-permanent fillers Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) in reference to the aesthetic result, patient satisfaction and side effects. Methods: Studies on side effects, patient satisfaction and aesthetic results after augmentation with semi-permanent fillers were analyzed. Results: Semi-permanent fillers seem excellently suited for the augmentation of very deep wrinkles particularly in the lower half of the face. In general, high patient satisfaction can be determined with both fillers. Here, the effect from the polylactic acid can be verified for up to two years while no effect could be verified already after one year in a majority of the patients augmented with CaHA. Short-term side effects such as bleedings or erythema in the region of the augmented area have been observed in both fillers during augmentation. The incidence of nodules and granulomas seems significantly higher in augmentations with PLLA compared to CaHA. Rare side effects such as an embolization of a blood vessel caused by the implant have been described for both fillers in case reports. Conclusion: Semi-permanent fillers are superbly suited for wrinkle augmentation. Which filler is the preferred one in what case depends strongly on the individual needs of the patient and the therapist’s experience.

Effect of Fillers on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Toughness of Glass Fabric Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Plain weave woven glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composite filled with two different types of fillers namely graphite, silicon carbide (each 5 and 10 wt%) was fabricated by hand lay-up method and compressed using hot press. These composites were investigated for their static mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural properties and impact strength as well as mode-I fracture toughness as per ASTM standards. Experimental results on mechanical properties indicate that the strength and the modulus in tensile and flexural mode for G-E composite increase with increasing filler loading. The unfilled G-E composite has the tensile strength of 305 MPa and increased to 404.2 MPa for 10 wt% silicon carbide. However, in three-point bend mode, addition of graphite in G-E showed the highest flexural strength as well as modulus. Mode-I fracture toughness test results indicated that the graphite filler loading improved the toughness of G-E composite. Selected failed samples under tensile, bending and mode-I fracture were examined using scanning electron microscope to identify the fracture features.

Evaluation of Rheometry Amplitude Sweep Cross-Over Point as an Index of Flexibility for HA Fillers

Background: The majority of studies published on rheology of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers have focused on results from frequency sweeps within the linear viscoelastic region (LVR), i.e. at nearly static conditions. To study the properties and behavior of HA fillers at more dynamic conditions, it is necessary to go outside the LVR. Objective: Evaluation of the G’/G’’ cross-over point from the amplitude sweep is suggested as a manner to estimate the flexibility of HA fillers. Materials and methods: Rheological properties of 7 HA fillers were measured in an amplitude sweep from 0.1% to 10000% strain at 1 Hz, using an Anton Paar MCR 301, a PP-25 measuring system with a gap of 1 mm at 25℃ and a 30-min relaxation time. The cross-over point was evaluated for stress, strain and G (G’ and G’’ identical), the values denoted xStrain, xStress and xG. Results: The xStrain values spanned from below 1000% to above 2000% for the products based on the Optimal Balance Technology (OBT)? (in the US, XpresHAn Technology?), compared to below 100% for the products based on the NASHA? technology. Conclusions: Measurement of the flexibility provides a more complete picture of the rheological properties of HA fillers as a complement to firmness measured as G’. The test results show that the Restylane family of products covers a large range in flexibility, and that the flexibility can be estimated using xStrain derived from the amplitude sweep.

Natural Rubber Based Composites Comprising Different Types of Carbon-Silica Hybrid Fillers. Comparative Study on Their Electric, Dielectric and Microwave Properties, and Possible Applications

The paper presents a comparative study on the electric, dielectric and microwave properties of natural rubber based composites comprising dual phase fillers prepared from furnace carbon black or conductive carbon black with a different amount of silica. It has been established that, the specifics of the carbon phase have a marked strong effect upon the properties mentioned above. The interpenetration of the two filler phases and the grade of isolation of the conductive carbon phase by the dielectric one depend on the ratio between them. On the other hand, that leads to a change in all properties of the studied composites, which allows tailoring those characteristics.

Effects of different pack aluminizing fillers on the aluminide coatings of Ti-6Al-4V alloy and their high-temperature oxidation behaviors

The aluminide coating process of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with different fillers(100wt.% Al_2O_3,50wt% Y_2O_3+50wt.% Al_2O_3 and 100wt.% Y_2O_3) for improvement of the oxidation resistance were investigated.The results show that the filler does not only participate in the aluminizing process,but also has much effect on the coating composition.The XRD analysis reveals that the aluminide coating with filler Al_2O_3 is predominant with TiAl_3 and TiAl phases;while the aluminide coatings with filler Y_2O_3+Al_2O_3 are predominant with Ti_3Al phase.The oxidation kinetics shows that different fillers affect greatly the oxidation resistance of aluminide coating,and the oxidation resistance of aluminized specimens with pack aluminizing filler Al_2O_3 are about 5-8 times than that of the aluminized specimens with other pack aluminizing fillers.

Machine Learning-Based Predictions on the Self-Heating Characteristics of Nanocomposites with Hybrid Fillers

A machine learning-based prediction of the self-heating characteristics and the negative temperature coefficient(NTC)effect detection of nanocomposites incorporating carbon nanotube(CNT)and carbon fiber(CF)is proposed.The CNT content was fixed at 4.0 wt.%,and CFs having three different lengths(0.1,3 and 6 mm)at dosage of 1.0 wt.%were added to fabricate the specimens.The self-heating properties of the specimens were evaluated via self-heating tests.Based on the experiment results,two types of artificial neural network(ANN)models were constructed to predict the surface temperature and electrical resistance,and to detect a severe NTC effect.The present predictions were compared with experimental values to verify the applicability of the proposed ANN models.The ANN model for data prediction was able to predict the surface temperature and electrical resistance closely,with corresponding R-squared value of 0.91 and 0.97,respectively.The ANN model for data detection could detect the severe NTC effect occurred in the nanocomposites under the self-heating condition,as evidenced by the accuracy and sensitivity values exceeding 0.7 in all criteria.

Complex Permittivity and Permeability Studies Viewing Antenna Applications of NBR-Based Composites Comprising Conductive Fillers

The work presents studies on the complex permittivity and permeability of composites based on acrylonitrile butadiene rubber containing combinations of conductive fillers which include carbon black and nickel powder. The properties of those composites, containing each of the fillers at the same amount were compared. The permittivity and permeability values of the composites are influenced remarkably by their morphology and structure as well as by the morphological and structural specifics of both fillers. As electron scanning microscopy studies confirm, those parameters are predetermined by the nature of the composites studied—particle size, particles arrangement in the matrix and their tendency to clustering. Last but not least matrix-filler interface phenomena also impact the characteristics in question. The possibilities for applications of the composites in antennae have been studied, in particular, as substrates and insulating layers in flexible antennae for body centric communications (BCCs). The research results allow the conclusion that these materials can find such applications indeed. Composites of higher conductivity can be used where surface waves are generated to provide on-body communications, while composites of lower conductivity may be used for antennae that will be on the body of a person and will transmit to and receive from other antennas that are not on the body of the same person (off-body communications). It is clear that one can engineer the properties of antennae substrates at microwave frequencies by adjusting the filler content and the type of filler and thus control and tailor the antenna performance specific for a particular application.

Thermal conductivity of natural rubber nanocomposites with hybrid fillers

Natural rubber nanocomposites filled with hybrid fillers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes(CNTs) and carbon black(CB) were prepared. CNTs were ultrasonically modified in mixture of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) and distilled water(H2O). The functional groups on the surface of CNTs, changes in nanotube structure and morphology were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), Raman Spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). It shows that hydroxyl(OH·) is successfully introduced. The surface defects of modified CNTs were obviously higher than those of original CNTs, and the degree of agglomeration was greatly reduced. Thermal conductivity of the composites was tested by protection heat flow meter method. Compared with unmodified CNTs/CB filling system, the thermal conductivity of hybrid composites is improved by an average of 5.8% with 1.5 phr(phr is parts per hundred rubber) of hydroxyl CNTs and 40 phr of CB filled. A three-dimensional heat conduction network composed of hydroxyl CNTs and CB, as observed by TEM, contributes to the good properties. Thermal conductivity of the hybrid composites increases as temperature rises. The mechanical properties of hybrid composites are also good with hydroxyl CNTs filled nanocomposites;the tensile strength, 100% and 300% tensile stress are improved by 10.1%, 22.4% and 26.2% respectively.