Plastic packaging technologies for low-cost optical modules

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used polymers in the world, mainly due to its versatility, good properties, and low cost. However, since it is not easily degraded in the natural environment, several research projects have been developed to increase its biodegradability. The use of pro-degrading additives has been explored, as they promote the process of polymer degradation. Nevertheless, few studies have evaluated the degradation of these materials in natural aqueous environments such as rivers and lakes, which contain large amounts of PP waste. The goal of this study was to evaluate the degradation of polypropylene, as well as the biodegradation of PP through the incorporation of two additives of different natures, organic and enzymatic. For this purpose, PP blends were produced with 4% additive, which has the purpose of conferring biodegradability to the material, since polypropylene has high resistance to degradation. In order to verify the behavior of the materials against degradation tests with 2 different media (saline and fresh water) for a period of 6 months, the samples were characterized by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy and Field emission scanning electron microscopy. The characterizations were carried out in order to verify the changes in the structural characteristics and in the morphology of the materials caused by the incorporation of the additive and by the exposure to the degradation media. From the results obtained, it was observed that the additives influenced the degradation of PP. In addition, the enzyme additive and the saline media caused more significant changes in the properties analyzed, indicating greater influence on the degradation process. It was concluded that the incorporation of commercial additives gives biodegradable properties to PP. Therefore, this study has an important role in the research and development of biodegradable materials in order to minimize the effects caused by plastic waste in the environment. Thus, the studied materials are an alternative in the field of plastic packaging, reducing the effects caused by plastic waste in the environment.

Download Full-text

Effective electromagnetic shielding of plastic packaging in low-cost optical transceiver modules

Journal of Lightwave Technology ◽

10.1109/jlt.2003.810087 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 1536-1543 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Tzong-Lin Wu ◽

Wern-Shiarng Jou ◽

S.G. Dai ◽

Wood-Hi Cheng

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Electromagnetic Shielding ◽

Plastic Packaging

Download Full-text

Decomposition of the metastable beta titanium alloy Ti-15-3

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100075117 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 264-265

Author(s):

Y. L. Chen ◽

S. Fujlshiro

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

High Strength ◽

Alpha Phase ◽

Thick Sheet ◽

Omega Phase ◽

Beta Titanium Alloy ◽

Beta Titanium ◽

Beta Matrix ◽

Metastable Beta ◽

Very High

Metastable beta titanium alloys have been known to have numerous advantages such as cold formability, high strength, good fracture resistance, deep hardenability, and cost effectiveness. Very high strength is obtainable by precipitation of the hexagonal alpha phase in a bcc beta matrix in these alloys. Precipitation hardening in the metastable beta alloys may also result from the formation of transition phases such as omega phase. Ti-15-3 (Ti-15V- 3Cr-3Al-3Sn) has been developed recently by TIMET and USAF for low cost sheet metal applications. The purpose of the present study was to examine the aging characteristics in this alloy.The composition of the as-received material is: 14.7 V, 3.14 Cr, 3.05 Al, 2.26 Sn, and 0.145 Fe. The beta transus temperature as determined by optical metallographic method was about 770°C. Specimen coupons were prepared from a mill-annealed 1.2 mm thick sheet, and solution treated at 827°C for 2 hr in argon, then water quenched. Aging was also done in argon at temperatures ranging from 316 to 616°C for various times.

Download Full-text

Chromic Acid Etching of Polyethylene

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100070801 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 72-73

Author(s):

J. D. Muzzy ◽

R. D. Hester ◽

J. L. Hubbard

Keyword(s):

Chromic Acid ◽

Low Cost ◽

Acid Etching ◽

Crystalline Morphology ◽

Bulk Specimen ◽

Morphological Studies ◽

Perfect Form ◽

Molecular Length ◽

Lamellar Texture ◽

Cost Studies

Polyethylene is one of the most important plastics produced today because of its good physical properties, ease of fabrication and low cost. Studies to improve the properties of polyethylene are leading to an understanding of its crystalline morphology. Polyethylene crystallized by evaporation from dilute solutions consists of thin crystals called lamellae. The polyethylene molecules are parallel to the thickness of the lamellae and are folded since the thickness of the lamellae is much less than the molecular length. This lamellar texture persists in less perfect form in polyethylene crystallized from the melt.Morphological studies of melt crystallized polyethylene have been limited due to the difficulty of isolating the microstructure from the bulk specimen without destroying or deforming it.

Download Full-text

Glass Knife Geometry as Seen by the SEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100066322 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 454-455

Author(s):

J. Temple Black

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Amorphous Material ◽

Stress Concentrations ◽

Basic Tool ◽

Tool Materials ◽

Optical Inspection ◽

Surface Flaws ◽

Slip Planes ◽

Glass Knife ◽

Diamond Knife

In ultramicrotomy, the two basic tool materials are glass and diamond. Glass because of its low cost and ease of manufacture of the knife itself is still widely used despite the superiority of diamond knives in many applications. Both kinds of knives produce plastic deformation in the microtomed section due to the nature of the cutting process and microscopic chips in the edge of the knife. Because glass has no well defined slip planes in its structure (it's an amorphous material), it is very strong and essentially never fails in compression. However, surface flaws produce stress concentrations which reduce the strength of glass to 10,000 to 20,000 psi from its theoretical or flaw free values of 1 to 2 million psi. While the microchips in the edge of the glass or diamond knife are generally too small to be observed in the SEM, the second common type of defect can be identified. This is the striations (also termed the check marks or feathers) which are always present over the entire edge of a glass knife regardless of whether or not they are visable under optical inspection. These steps in the cutting edge can be observed in the SEM by proper preparation of carefully broken knives and orientation of the knife, with respect to the scanning beam.

Download Full-text

Spectraplot: A PC-based spectrum translation and display program

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010010665x ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 918-919

Author(s):

H. O. Colijn

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Transfer Program ◽

File Transfer ◽

Transfer Data ◽

Error Checking ◽

Data Files ◽

The University

Many labs today wish to transfer data between their EDS systems and their existing PCs and minicomputers. Our lab has implemented SpectraPlot, a low- cost PC-based system to allow offline examination and plotting of spectra. We adopted this system in order to make more efficient use of our microscopes and EDS consoles, to provide hardcopy output for an older EDS system, and to allow students to access their data after leaving the university.As shown in Fig. 1, we have three EDS systems (one of which is located in another building) which can store data on 8 inch RT-11 floppy disks. We transfer data from these systems to a DEC MINC computer using “SneakerNet”, which consists of putting on a pair of sneakers and running down the hall. We then use the Hermit file transfer program to download the data files with error checking from the MINC to the PC.

Download Full-text

Transmission Electron Microscopy of oriented Co84Cr14Ta2 thin films for longitudinal magnetic recording

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100088099 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 756-757

Author(s):

T. P. Nolan

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Electron Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽

Low Cost ◽

Low Noise ◽

Information Storage ◽

High Coercivity ◽

Magnetic Alloy ◽

Magnetic Media ◽

Transmission Electron

Thin film magnetic media are being used as low cost, high density forms of information storage. The development of this technology requires the study, at the sub-micron level, of morphological, crystallographic, and magnetic properties, throughout the depth of the deposited films. As the microstructure becomes increasingly fine, widi grain sizes approaching 100Å, the unique characterization capabilities of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have become indispensable to the analysis of such thin film magnetic media.Films were deposited at 225°C, on two NiP plated Al substrates, one polished, and one circumferentially textured with a mean roughness of 55Å. Three layers, a 750Å chromium underlayer, a 600Å layer of magnetic alloy of composition Co84Cr14Ta2, and a 300Å amorphous carbon overcoat were then sputter deposited using a dc magnetron system at a power of 1kW, in a chamber evacuated below 10-6 torr and filled to 12μm Ar pressure. The textured medium is presently used in industry owing to its high coercivity, Hc, and relatively low noise. One important feature is that the coercivity in the circumferential read/write direction is significandy higher than that in the radial direction.

Download Full-text