scholarly journals The effect of graphene–poly(methyl methacrylate) fibres on microbial growth

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 20170058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupy Kaur Matharu ◽  
Harshit Porwal ◽  
Lena Ciric ◽  
Mohan Edirisinghe

A novel class of ultra-thin fibres, which affect microbial growth, were explored. The microbial properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) fibres containing 2, 4 and 8 wt% of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were studied. GNPs were dispersed in a polymeric solution and processed using pressurized gyration. Electron microscopy was used to characterize GNP and fibre morphology. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of beaded porous fibres. GNP concentration was found to dictate fibre morphology. As the GNP concentration increased, the average fibre diameter increased from 0.75 to 2.71 µm, while fibre porosity decreased. Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to investigate the properties of 2, 4 and 8 wt% GNP-loaded fibres. GNP-loaded fibres (0 wt%) were used as the negative control. The fibres were incubated for 24 h with the bacteria; bacterial colony-forming units were enumerated by adopting the colony-counting method. The presence of 2 and 4 wt% GNP-loaded fibres promoted microbial growth, while 8 wt% GNP-loaded fibres showed antimicrobial activity. These results indicate that the minimum inhibitory concentration of GNPs required within a fibre is 8 wt%.

1974 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Ghoneim ◽  
N. T. Kazzal ◽  
R. Kh. Abdallah

SUMMARYOne hundred and sixty-eight wool samples were collected from commercial flocks of Karadi sheep raised in the five provinces of northern Iraq. The wool characteristics dealt with were staple and fibre length, crimps, fibre diameter, medullation, fibre strength and elongation.The results showed that the Karadi wool is a long type of carpet fleece with average staple and fibre lengths of 19·3 and 23·5 cm, respectively. It had an average fibre diameter of 48·1 μ and contained 19·45 % medullated fibres. The number of crimps per 2 cm was 2·4. Average fibre strength and elongation were 24·8 g/5 cm and 31·8 % respectively. Phenotypic correlations between wool traits were studied.


1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
RP Lewer ◽  
RR Woolaston ◽  
RR Howe

A 6 year study is reported of Merino studs and strains (Peppin, Collinsville and Bungaree) in Western Australia. Wool and body traits of males and females were measured, with additional subjective traits assessed on females. The effects of strain, stud (within strain), birth year, dam age, birth rearing rank, weaning age and their interactions were estimated using least squares procedures. When tested against studs, strain differences were significant for fibre diameter (both sexes), clean wool yield and about half of the subjective traits (females) but for none of the liveweights. Stud and year effects were significant for all traits, as was their interaction for most traits. Some studs were more stable between years than others in both clean fleece weight and average fibre diameter. Of the remaining effects, birth rearing rank influenced the greatest number of traits, while dam age only affected yield in ewes and some early liveweights. Peppins produced wool 2.0-2.3 microns finer than Bungarees, but not significantly different from Collinsvilles. Peppins also had the best subjective wool scores, but had the highest wrinkle scores and scored poorly on other subjective body traits. Twin-born hoggets produced 0.05-0.15 kg less clean wool than their single-born contemporaries, and their fleeces were about 0.4 microns coarser with poorer subjective qualities. Twins were also lighter from birth (by 23%) up to 17 months (by 5%) in females. Late-born lambs had higher birth weights, but lower subsequent weights, persisting until 12 months in females.


2009 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 107-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.M. Cano ◽  
S. Debenedetti ◽  
M. Abad ◽  
D. Allain ◽  
H.R. Taddeo ◽  
...  

SummaryThis study reports the results obtained in the search of chromosomal regions affecting fleece traits in a population of Angora goats in the Argentinean Patagonia. Six hundred thirty-four offspring from 14 parental half-sib families were used. Nine phenotypic fleece traits were recorded at 4 and 11 months of age. A genome examination using 85 informative molecular markers was conducted. A linkage analysis was performed using a regression interval analysis. Our study identified 10 genomic regions affecting the average fibre diameter, coefficient of variation of the average fibre diameter, percentage of fibres with diameters over 30 µm, greasy fleece weight, staple length, average curvature of fibres, percentage of continuous medullated fibres and percentage of kemp fibres located on five goat chromosomes (1, 2, 5, 13 and 19). These results show that the average size of the quantitative trait loci effect was 1.6 phenotypic standard deviations for different traits and families. The aims of quantitative trait loci detection is the potential use of these molecular markers to increase accuracy in predicting the genetic merit of breeding and its implementation in animal breeding schemes through marker-assisted selection.


2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 611 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Lee ◽  
K. J. Thornberry ◽  
A. J. Williams

An experiment was conducted to determine whether thyroxine injections would control the increases in fibre diameter when the wool growth of Merino wethers is stimulated by an increased supply of feed. Fifty-seven sheep were allocated to 1 of 5 levels of daily intake, ranging from 0.75 maintenance to ad libitum, and injected every third day with 3 mg of L-thyroxine or a saline solution (control). Sheep treated with thyroxine had elevated plasma tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels, which were highest in sheep fed the least (P<0.01). Ad libitum intakes of sheep treated with thyroxine tended to be higher than that of control sheep, particularly in the fifth to seventh weeks of the experiment, and liveweight gain over the initial 4 weeks was significantly (P<0.001) less. Wool growth was increased by thyroxine treatment, although the difference was small in the second half of the experiment at the highest intake levels. Fibre diameter of sheep treated with thyroxine was greater at low intakes, although the difference diminished as intake increased. Fibre length in the second half of the experiment was positively related to intake, but there were no effects of thyroxine. Although the relationships of fibre diameter and length with wool growth did not differ between the treatment groups, length accounted for more of the variation in wool growth in the second half of the experiment in treated wethers than in control wethers (0.376 v. 0.182 of the variation, respectively). Thyroxine did not appreciably reduce the extent of the increase in fibre diameter associated with an increase in the availability and intake of feed.


1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Woolliams ◽  
G. Wiener

ABSTRACTBreed and crossbreeding significantly affected variation in 10 fleece, follicle density and fibre diameter traits in 12-week-old lambs. The breeds involved were the Scottish Blackface, South Country Cheviot, Welsh Mountain, Lincoln Longwool, Southdown and Tasmanian Merino, but the last only by rams.The Southdown came closest to the Merino in affecting density and diameter traits although the Merino crosses remained clearly distinguishable by their high follicle density. The Lincoln and Blackface crosses were notable for their long fibres and the Blackface crosses also had the least dense follicle and coarsest primary fibres. The coarsest secondary fibres were from Lincoln and Cheviot crosses. Heterosis estimates were obtained for crosses involving the Blackface, Cheviot, Welsh and Lincoln breeds. Significant heterosis was present in a wide range of traits but was not apparent in all crosses. Maternal differences were evident for many of the traits but with density these differences were apparently related to maternal effects on live weight of the lamb. The sex of the lamb, its birth type and rearing and its 12-week live weight significantly affected many of the traits.Among breeds and crosses a strong relationship was found between fibre density and average fibre diameter. The relationship suggested that breed variation in total fibre area per unit area of skin was small compared with the breed variation in its components. Fleece weight per unit area was most closely related to mean fibre length.


1977 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Fahmy ◽  
J. A. Vasely

SUMMARYGreasy fleece weight (12 months growth) and wool samples from hip and shoulder regions were taken on 15 Dorset, 20 Leicester, 20 Suffolk and 17 DLS ewes (a cross of ½ Dorset, ¼ Leicester, ¼ Suffolk obtained by mating DL rams to DS ewes and DS rams to DL ewes). The purpose of the study was to compare wool production and characteristics of the first generation of DLS with that of the three breeds of origin. Wool production of DLS was 3·58 kg, 8·8 and 14% higher than that of Suffolk and Dorset, but 11% lower than that of Leicester (P< 0·01). The percentage of clean wool was highest in Leicester (78·3%), followed by DLS, Dorset and Suffolk (76·1, 74·3 and 70·5%, respectively). The average fibre diameter of the DLS and Leicester was 38 /m, 4 /m thicker than that for Suffolk and Dorset (P < 0·01). Average fibre length was 15 cm in DLS and Dorset, 6 cm shorter than in Leicester, and 3 cm longer than in Suffolk (P < 0·01). The variability in fibre diameter and length was highest in Leicester, followed closely by DLS.


1993 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
WRL Kloren ◽  
BW Norton ◽  
MJ Waters

Australian cashmere goats were studied from January to July to assess the effects of increasing feeding level (maintenance, M: 42 g D M / W0.75/day, 1.4 M, 1.8 M and 2.3 M (ad libitum)) and age (Young, 6 months; Old 18 months) on fleece growth, and plasma concentrations of prolactin (Prl) and thyroxine (T4). Comparisons of fleece composition (weight, cashmere fibre diameter, proportion of cashmere) were made from fleece shorn monthly (left side) and at the end of the experiment (right side). There was no significant (P > 0.05) effect of feeding level or age on cashmere weight (39.8 g), cashmere diameter (15.3 8m) or hair weight (224.7 g) at shearing in July. Similar results were observed with monthly fleece composition studies, although cumulative cashmere weight for Young goats (27.1 g) was significantly (P <0.05) less than that of Old goats (48.5 g), and average fibre diameter of cashmere of Young goats (13.6 8m) was less than that of Old goats (15.6 8m). Serum Prl concentration in groups on higher feeding levels (1.8 M, 2.3 M) increased significantly (P < 0.05) over the duration of the study (45 to 70 ng/mL and 15 to 70 ng/mL for 1.8 M and 2.3 M respectively), whilst that of the groups on lower feeding levels (M, 1.4 M) remained low (15 ng/mL). The results are discussed in relation to the seasonal change in fleece composition and hormone secretion for the different feeding levels and age groups, and a possible antagonism between Prl secretion and fleece growth.


2011 ◽  
Vol 335-336 ◽  
pp. 49-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Lei ◽  
Jian Hui Qiu ◽  
Xue Li Wu ◽  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Eiichi Sakai

Graphene-poly(methyl methacrylate) (GNS-PMMA) composites were prepared by two methods. Graphite oxide nanosheet-poly(methyl methacrylate) (GO-PMMA) composites were prepared of methyl methacrylate monomer and the presence of graphite oxide (GO). Then the GO-PMMA composites were reduced to graphene nanosheet-poly(methyl methacrylate) by using hydrazine hydrate. The obtained composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The composite exhibited conductivities in the 1.58×10-9-4.21 S/cm range, depending on the amounts of graphite oxide and PMMA.


2010 ◽  
Vol 150-151 ◽  
pp. 703-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Jie Hu ◽  
Guang Hui Min ◽  
Xue Yang

Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) nanopowders were synthesized at 1200 for 2 hours in the vacuum hot resistor furnace with lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4). As-prepared nanopowders were surface modified first by silane coupling agent and then were used as fillers for PMMA to fabricate poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA)/LaB6 nanocomposites via melt extrusion using a twin-screw extruder. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated a pure cubic phase with the average size of 70 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) proved silane coupling agent was grafted onto nanoparticles. The comparision of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of unmodified and modified nanoparticles showed that surface modification prevented agglomeration of nanoparticles, making more evenly-distributed inorganic nanoparticles within organic matrix as LaB6 mass fraction equaled 0.010%. In addition, LaB6 nanoparticles played a vital role in the absorption range from ultraviolet (UV) to NIR and the composite with a higher content of LaB6 was beneficial for rejecting heat.


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