High-efficiency, flexibility and lead-free X-ray shielding multilayered polymer composites: layered structure design and shielding mechanism

To overcome the severe toxicity and blind absorption zone of conventional lead-based shielding materials for X-rays in the 70–90 keV range, the lead-free multilayered polymer composites were designed and fabricated. The effects of the direction of incidence of the X-rays and number of layers as well as layer thickness ratio of the (tungsten/ethylene-octene copolymer)/(bismuth/ethylene-octene copolymer) layered composites on their shielding efficiency were studied systematically. Compared to the traditional polymer blending, the multilayered polymer composites exhibited the improved photon attenuation. The multilayered polymer composites (layer thickness ratio was 3:7) with 6 layers had the best X-ray shielding ability. Moreover, the X-ray shielding provided by the multi-layered interfaces and the multiple complementary effect of the absorption within the multilayered structure were firstly proposed based on computer simulations. The multilayered structural design effectively weakened the probability of the X-ray penetration. Therefore, the X-ray shielding capability can be effectively enhanced through increasing number of layers and the synergistic effect of multi-layered interfaces. The experimental results of this study can serve as guidelines for the fabrication of flexibility, lead-free, lightweight and high-efficiency X-ray shielding materials.

Microstrip Resonant Sensor for Differentiation of Components in Vapor Mixtures

A novel microstrip resonant vapor sensor made from a conductive multiwalled carbon nanotubes/ethylene-octene copolymer composite, of which its sensing properties were distinctively altered by vapor polarity, was developed for the detection of organic vapors. The alteration resulted from the modified composite electronic impedance due to the penetration of the vapors into the copolymer matrix, which subsequently swelled, increased the distances between the carbon nanotubes, and disrupted the conducting paths. This in turn modified the reflection coefficient frequency spectra. Since both the spectra and magnitudes of the reflection coefficients at the resonant frequencies of tested vapors were distinct, a combination of these parameters was used to identify the occurrence of a particular vapor or to differentiate components of vapor mixtures. Thus, one multivariate MWCNT/copolymer microstrip resonant sensor superseded an array of selective sensors.

High-Efficiency, Flexibility and Lead-Free X-ray Shielding Multilayered Polymer Composites

To overcome the severe toxicity and blind absorption zone of conventional lead-based shielding materials for X-rays in the 70-90 keV range, the lead-free multilayered polymer composites were designed and fabricated. The effects of the direction of incidence of the X-rays and number of layers as well as layer thickness ratio of the (tungsten/ethylene-octene copolymer)/(bismuth/ethylene-octene copolymer) layered composites on their shielding efficiency were studied systematically. Compared to the traditional polymer blending, the multilayered polymer composites exhibited the improved photon attenuation. The multilayered polymer composites (layer thickness ratio was 3:7) with 6 layers had the best X-ray shielding ability. Moreover, the X-ray shielding provided by the multi-layered interfaces and the multiple complementary effect of the absorption within the multilayered structure were firstly proposed based on computer simulations. The multilayered structural design effectively weakened the probability of the X-ray penetration. Therefore, the X-ray shielding capability can be effectively enhanced through increasing number of layers and the synergistic effect of multi-layered interfaces. The experimental results of this study can serve as guidelines for the fabrication of flexibility, lead-free, lightweight and high-efficiency X-ray shielding materials.

Optimizing the Process Efficiency of Reactive Extrusion in the Synthesis of Vinyltrimethoxysilane-Grafted Ethylene-Octene-Copolymer (EOC-g-VTMS) by Response Surface Methodology

Thermoplastic polymers like ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) may be grafted with silanes via reactive extrusion to enable subsequent crosslinking for advanced biomaterials manufacture. However, this reactive extrusion process is difficult to control and it is still challenging to reproducibly arrive at well-defined products. Moreover, high grafting degrees require a considerable excess of grafting reagent. A large proportion of the silane passes through the process without reacting and needs to be removed at great expense by subsequent purification. This results in unnecessarily high consumption of chemicals and a rather resource-inefficient process. It is thus desired to be able to define desired grafting degrees with optimum grafting efficiency by means of suitable process control. In this study, the continuous grafting of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) on ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) via reactive extrusion was investigated. Successful grafting was verified and quantified by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The effects of five process parameters and their synergistic interactions on grafting degree and grafting efficiency were determined using a face-centered experimental design (FCD). Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to derive a causal process model and define process windows yielding arbitrary grafting degrees between <2 and >5% at a minimum waste of grafting agent. It was found that the reactive extrusion process was strongly influenced by several second-order interaction effects making this process difficult to control. Grafting efficiencies between 75 and 80% can be realized as long as grafting degrees <2% are admitted.

Improvement of Poly(Lactic Acid) Properties by Ethylene-Octene Copolymer and Organoclay

The work studied the morphological, mechanical and thermal properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) blends before and after adding the montmorillonite clay surface modified with 25-30% of octadecylamine (clay-ODA). The PLA/EOC blends and composites were prepared by melt mixing in an internal mixer. The EOC contents were 5, 10, 20, 30 wt% and clay-ODA contents were 1 and 3 phr. The morphology analysis showed that the addition of clay-ODA could improve the miscibility of PLA and EOC phases due to the domain size of dispersed EOC phase decreased with increasing clay-ODA content. X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of intercalated/exfoliated structure in PLA/clay-ODA and PLA blend composites. The mechanical properties showed that the impact strength of PLA/EOC blends dramatically increased with increasing EOC content up to 10 wt%. The strain at break of PLA blends increased with increasing EOC content. Moreover, the incorporation of clay-ODA increased significantly Young’s modulus of PLA and PLA/EOC blends with increasing clay-ODA content. The thermal stability of PLA/EOC blends improved with the addition of a small amount of clay-ODA.

Effect of stretching speed on morphologies and properties of in situ microfibrillar POE/PLA composites

In situ microfibrillar ethylene–octene copolymer (POE)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites (MFCs) with different phase morphologies were prepared by controlling the stretching speed and maintaining the weight ratio of POE/PLA of 80/20. Four different stretching speeds were employed to study the effect of PLA microfibrillar morphology on tensile, crystalline, and rheological properties of MFCs. Scanning electron microscopic images revealed that the morphology of PLA phase was strongly influenced by stretching speed. MFCs with highest aspect ratio and smaller diameter of PLA microfibrils were obtained with a stretching speed of 60 rpm. The PLA microfibrils with high aspect ratio had the best reinforcement effect on MFCs. The dynamic rheological properties indicated that the MFCs achieved higher storage modulus and loss modulus at the stretching speed of 60 rpm.

Ethylene-Octene-Copolymer with Embedded Carbon and Organic Conductive Nanostructures for Thermoelectric Applications

Hybrid thermoelectric composites consisting of organic ethylene-octene-copolymer matrices (EOC) and embedded inorganic pristine and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers or organic polyaniline and polypyrrole particles were used to form conductive nanostructures with thermoelectric properties, which at the same time had sufficient strength, elasticity, and stability. Oxygen doping of carbon nanotubes increased the concentration of carboxyl and C–O functional groups on the nanotube surfaces and enhanced the thermoelectric power of the respective composites by up to 150%. A thermocouple assembled from EOC composites generated electric current by heat supplied with a mere short touch of the finger. A practical application of this thermocouple was provided by a self-powered vapor sensor, for operation of which an electric current in the range of microvolts sufficed, and was readily induced by (waste) heat. The heat-induced energy ensured the functioning of this novel sensor device, which converted chemical signals elicited by the presence of heptane vapors to the electrical domain through the resistance changes of the comprising EOC composites.