scholarly journals The natural bitumen additive Selenizza® SLN: A promising alternative for producing high-performance asphalt mixes

Author(s):  
Tartari Edith

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the benefits of using natural bitumen in the context of global environmental change and increasing transportation demands in terms of traffic volume and loads. Despite the advantages of using these additives as binder modifiers to implement high modulus asphalt mixes characterized by high stiffness, high durability, superior resistance to permanent deformation, and good fatigue resistance, they remain still largely unknown and far from being effectively exploited. The paper displays for the first time a collection of scientific data based on previously published research works, enriched by new laboratory testing, whose results are not published yet. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of various aspects of the natural bitumen Selenizza® (extracted from the deposit located in southeast Albania) and the role that this natural additive plays in achieving the desired asphalt pavement performance. The dynamic rheological and Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC) analysis proved that natural bitumens are fully compatible with straight-run bitumen and contribute to increasing the consistency, viscosity, and stability of natural bitumen-modified binders. The Rolling Thin-Film Oven Test (RTFOT), followed by Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) aging analysis of road bitumen modified with Selenizza®, revealed that the resulting binders are resistant to aging and relatively efficient at low temperatures. A Life Cycle Assessment study compared the environmental impact of the Albanian natural bitumen production process with that of conventional crude oil bitumen, leading to the conclusion that the CO2 emission released during the production of Selenizza® is reduced by approximately 44 % compared to that of crude oil bitumen. The various research works described in this paper provide evidence that the natural bitumen-based asphalt mixes feature enhanced quality in terms of mechanical and rheological properties compared to reference asphalt mixes produced with equivalent traditional paving grade bitumen.

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (16) ◽  
pp. 2944
Author(s):  
Karolina Kilińska ◽  
Judyta Cielecka-Piontek ◽  
Robert Skibiński ◽  
Daria Szymanowska ◽  
Andrzej Miklaszewski ◽  
...  

For the first time, the influence of ionising radiation on the physicochemical properties of ertapenem in solid state was studied. During our studies, we evaluated the possibility of applying radiosterilization to obtain sterile ertapenem. Spectroscopic (Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR)), thermal (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), chromatography (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and HPLC-MS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) studies shown that irradiation of ertapenem with the 25 kGy, the dose required to achieve sterility, does not change the physicochemical properties of the studied compound. The antimicrobial activity of ertapenem irradiated with the dose of 25 kGy was only reduced for one species. Based on the received results, we can conclude that radiostelization is a promising alternative method of obtaining sterile ertapenem. In our studies, ertapenem was also exposed to e-beam radiation with a dose of 400 kGy. It was determined that two novel degradation products that are structurally differently to degradants formed during hydrolysis and thermolysis.


Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Alawi ◽  
Pothiraj Chitra ◽  
Abdullah Al-Mamun ◽  
Insaaf Al-Marhubi ◽  
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman

Abstract Seaweed contained health functional polysaccharides and polyphenols. Five extracts were prepared from red seaweed Melanothamnus somalensis; two of these were aqueous at 20°C (F1) and 70°C (F2), followed by acid (F3), alkali (F4) and acid-washed (F5) treatments. Molecular characteristics of extracts were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses. Health functionality was determined by sulfate and polyphenol contents, and thermal characteristics were determined by modulated differential scanning calorimetry. Extract F3 contained the highest levels of sulfate followed by F2, F1, F4 and F5, respectively. Similarly, F3 contained the highest polyphenol followed by F4, F2, F1 and F5, respectively. Molecular weight distribution of F1 showed wider distribution of sizes (MW: 1.0 × 103 – 3.0 × 107), and F5 showed a sharp peak (MW: 3.1 × 103); whereas F2, F3 and F4 indicated bimodal distribution. FTIR indicated that all fractions contained agar except F5 and sulfate ester group was attached to carbon 6 of the saccharide.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 676-684
Author(s):  
Niping Dai ◽  
Junkun Tang ◽  
Manping Ma ◽  
Xiaotian Liu ◽  
Chuan Li ◽  
...  

AbstractStar-shaped arylacetylene resins, tris(3-ethynyl-phenylethynyl)methylsilane, tris(3-ethynyl-phenylethynyl) phenylsilane, and tris (3-ethynyl-phenylethynyl) silane (TEPHS), were synthesized through Grignard reaction between 1,3-diethynylbenzene and three types of trichlorinated silanes. The chemical structures and properties of the resins were characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Haake torque rheomoter, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, mechanical test, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that the melt viscosity at 120 °C is lower than 150 mPa⋅s, and the processing windows are as wide as 60 °C for the resins. The resins cure at the temperature as low as 150 °C. The good processabilities make the resins to be suitable for resin transfer molding. The cured resins exhibit high flexural modulus and excellent heat-resistance. The flexural modulus of the cured TEPHS at room temperature arrives at as high as 10.9 GPa. Its temperature of 5% weight loss (Td5) is up to 697 °C in nitrogen. The resins show the potential for application in fiber-reinforced composites as high-performance resin in the field of aviation and aerospace.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 700
Author(s):  
Muhamad Hasfanizam Mat Yazik ◽  
Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan ◽  
Mohammad Jawaid ◽  
Abd Rahim Abu Talib ◽  
Norkhairunnisa Mazlan ◽  
...  

The aim of the present study has been to evaluate the effect of hybridization of montmorillonite (MMT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the thermal and viscoelastic properties of shape memory epoxy polymer (SMEP) nanocomposites. In this study, ultra-sonication was utilized to disperse 1%, 3%, and 5% MMT in combination with 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% MWCNT into the epoxy system. The fabricated SMEP hybrid nanocomposites were characterized via differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The storage modulus (E’), loss modulus (E”), tan δ, decomposition temperature, and decomposition rate, varied upon the addition of the fillers. Tan δ indicated a reduction of glass transition temperature (Tg) for all the hybrid SMEP nanocomposites. 3% MMT/1% MWCNT displayed best overall performance compared to other hybrid filler concentrations and indicated a better mechanical property compared to neat SMEP. These findings open a way to develop novel high-performance composites for various potential applications, such as morphing structures and actuators, as well as biomedical devices.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1686
Author(s):  
Andrey Galukhin ◽  
Roman Nosov ◽  
Ilya Nikolaev ◽  
Elena Melnikova ◽  
Daut Islamov ◽  
...  

A new rigid tricyanate ester consisting of seven conjugated aromatic units is synthesized, and its structure is confirmed by X-ray analysis. This ester undergoes thermally stimulated polymerization in a liquid state. Conventional and temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry techniques are employed to study the polymerization kinetics. A transition of polymerization from a kinetic- to a diffusion-controlled regime is detected. Kinetic analysis is performed by combining isoconversional and model-based computations. It demonstrates that polymerization in the kinetically controlled regime of the present monomer can be described as a quasi-single-step, auto-catalytic, process. The diffusion contribution is parameterized by the Fournier model. Kinetic analysis is complemented by characterization of thermal properties of the corresponding polymerization product by means of thermogravimetric and thermomechanical analyses. Overall, the obtained experimental results are consistent with our hypothesis about the relation between the rigidity and functionality of the cyanate ester monomer, on the one hand, and its reactivity and glass transition temperature of the corresponding polymer, on the other hand.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2682
Author(s):  
Nazim Nassar ◽  
Felicity Whitehead ◽  
Taghrid Istivan ◽  
Robert Shanks ◽  
Stefan Kasapis

Crosslinking of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and acrylic acid (AAc) was carried out at various compositions to develop a high-solid matrix with variable glass transition properties. The matrix was synthesized by the copolymerisation of two monomers, AAc and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and their grafting onto HMPC. Potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) was used to initiate the free radical polymerization reaction and tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) to accelerate radical polymerisation. Structural properties of the network were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), small-deformation dynamic oscillation in-shear, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show the formation of a cohesive macromolecular entity that is highly amorphous. There is a considerable manipulation of the rheological and calorimetric glass transition temperatures as a function of the amount of added acrylic acid, which is followed upon heating by an extensive rubbery plateau. Complementary TGA work demonstrates that the initial composition of all the HPMC-AAc networks is maintained up to 200 °C, an outcome that bodes well for applications of targeted bioactive compound delivery.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4238
Author(s):  
Piotr Pokorski ◽  
Piotr Radziszewski ◽  
Michał Sarnowski

The paper presents the issue of resistance to permanent deformations of bridge pavements placed upon concrete bridge decks. In Europe, bridge asphalt pavement usually consists of a wearing course and a protective layer, which are placed over the insulation (waterproofing). Protective layers of bridge pavement are commonly constructed using low air void content asphalt mixes as this provides the suitable tightness of such layers. Due to increased binder content, asphalt mixes for bridge pavement may have reduced resistance to permanent deformations. The article presents test results of resistance to permanent deformations of asphalt mixes for the protective layers. In order to determine the composition of mixtures with low air void content and resistance to permanent deformation, an experimental design was applied using a new concept of asphalt mix composition. Twenty-seven different asphalt mixture compositions were analyzed. The mixtures varied in terms of binder content, sand content and grit ratio. Resistance to permanent deformation was tested using the laboratory uniaxial cyclic compression method (dynamic load creep). On the basis of experimental results and statistical analysis, the functions of asphalt mixture permanent deformation resistance were established. This enabled a determination of suitable mixture compositions for protective layers for concrete bridge decks.


2021 ◽  
pp. 095400832110130
Author(s):  
Hailong Li ◽  
Sipei Zhao ◽  
Li Pei ◽  
Zihe Qiao ◽  
Ding Han ◽  
...  

Polybenzoxazines are emerging as a class of high-performance thermoset polymers that can find their applications in various fields. However, its practical application is limited by its low toughness. The cyclic β-cyclodextrin and a newly synthesized derivative (β-cyclodextrin-MAH) were separately blended with benzoxazine to improve the toughness of polybenzoxazine. The results revealed that the maximum impact strength of the blend was 12.24 kJ·m−2 and 14.29 kJ·m−2 when 1 wt.% of β-Cyclodextrin and β-Cyclodextrin-MAH, respectively, were used. The strengths were 53% and 86% higher than that of pure polybenzoxazine. The curing reaction, possible chemical structures, and fractured surface were examined using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques to understand the mechanism of generation of toughness. The results revealed that the sea-island structure and the presence of hydrogen bonds between polybenzoxazine and β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin-MAH resulted in the generation of toughness. Furthermore, the curves generated during thermogravimetric analysis did not significantly change, revealing the good thermal properties of the system. The phase-separated structure and the hydrogen bonds present in the system can be exploited to prepare synergistically tough polybenzoxazine exhibiting excellent thermal properties. This can be a potential way of modifying the thermoset resins.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qilei Yang ◽  
Chang Zu ◽  
Wengang Li ◽  
Weiwei Wu ◽  
Yunlong Ge ◽  
...  

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a poor water-soluble antineoplastic drug with significant antitumor activity. However, its low bioavailability is a major obstacle for its biomedical applications. Thus, this experiment is designed to prepare PTX crystal powders through an antisolvent precipitation process using 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (HMImBr) as solvent and water as an antisolvent. The factors influencing saturation solubility of PTX crystal powders in water in water were optimized using a single-factor design. The optimum conditions for the antisolvent precipitation process were as follows: 50 mg/mL concentration of the PTX solution, 25 °C temperature, and 1:7 solvent-to-antisolvent ratio. The PTX crystal powders were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and dissolution and oral bioavailability studies. Results showed that the chemical structure of PTX crystal powders were unchanged; however, precipitation of the crystalline structure changed. The dissolution test showed that the dissolution rate and solubility of PTX crystal powders were nearly 3.21-folds higher compared to raw PTX in water, and 1.27 times higher in artificial gastric juice. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of PTX crystal increased 10.88 times than raw PTX. These results suggested that PTX crystal powders might have potential value to become a new oral PTX formulation with high bioavailability.


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