Utilizing Extracted Fungal Pigments for Wood Spalting: A Comparison of Induced Fungal Pigmentation to Fungal Dyeing

The lengthy time periods required by current spalting methods prohibit the economically viable commercialization of spalted wood on a large scale. This work aimed to compare the effects of induced spalting in 16 Pacific Northwest woods using three common spalting fungi, Chlorociboria aeruginosa, Scytalidium cuboideum, and Scytalidium ganodermophthorum, with the significantly less time-consuming treatment of these woods using dichloromethane-extracted green, red, and yellow pigments from the same fungi. For pigment extracts, the dosage required for a pigment to internally color various wood species to 30% internal coverage was investigated. With few exceptions, treatment with pigment extracts outperformed induced spalting in terms of percent internal color coverage. Cottonwood consistently performed best with all three pigment solutions, although chinkapin performed as well as cottonwood with the red pigment, and Port Orford cedar performed as well with the yellow pigment. While no wood species showed 30% internal color coverage with the green pigment solution, a number of additional species, including pacific silver fir, madrone, dogwood, and mountain hemlock showed internal color coverage on the order of 20–30% for red and/or yellow. Cottonwood was determined to be the best suited wood species for this type of spalting application.

Effects of Hard Surface Grinding and Activation on Electroless-Nickel Plating on Cast Aluminium Alloy Substrates

This work examined effects of hard surface polishing grits and activation on electroless-nickel (EN) plating on cast aluminium alloy substrates in sodium hypophosphite baths. As-received aluminium alloy sample sourced from automobile hydraulic brake master cylinder piston was melted in electric furnace and sand cast into rod. The cast samples were polished using different grits (60 μm–1200 μm) before plating. The effects on adhesion, appearance, and quantity of EN deposits on substrates were studied. Observation shows that the quantity of EN deposit is partly dependent on the alloy type and roughness of the surface of the substrates, whereas the adhesion and brightness are not solely controlled by the degree of surface polishing. The best yield in terms of adhesion and appearance was obtained from the activation in zincate and palladium chloride solutions. Higher plating rates (g/mm2/min) of 3.01E-05, 2.41E-05, and 2.90E-05 were obtained from chromate, zincate, and chloride than 8.49E-06, 8.86E-06, and 1.69E-05 as obtained from HCl etched, NaOH, and H2O activated surfaces, respectively.

Influence of the Temperature as an Environmental Factor on the Electrophysical Behavior of Flexible Polymeric Luminescent Devices

The effect of operational temperature on the electrophysical properties of polymer based electroluminescent structures is examined. For this purpose thin film of light-emitting semiconductor polyphenylenevinylene derivative is deposited between two indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. DC current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the fabricated devices ITO/polyphenylenevinylene derivative PPV-D/ITO are measured at varying ambient temperatures, ranging from room temperature (25°C) to 70°C. Several important electrical parameters like a trap factor, traps activation energy distribution, free carriers’ density, trapped carriers density, and effective mobility are estimated from measured temperature dependent I-V curves. Such analysis of the charge transport process in polymer devices may give information needed for optimization of the existing structures.

Simultaneous Bacillus anthracis Spores Detection via Aminated-Poly(vinyl chloride) Coated Piezoelectric Crystal Immunosensor

Bacillus anthracis spores are a potential threat to countries in the context of biodefense. We have already seen the destructiveness of the anthrax attacks in the recent past. This study presents an aminated-poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-NH2) coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) immunosensor for simultaneous rapid detection of B. anthracis spores. PVC-NH2, synthesized in the laboratory, was used as an adhesive layer for monoclonal antibody immobilization on gold quartz crystal. The prepared QCM sensor was tested using a pathogen field strain of B. anthracis (GenBank number: GQ375871.1) under static addition and flow through procedures with different spore concentrations. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to characterize the surface of the sensor during the modification. Furthermore, a series of SEM micrographs were taken in order to investigate surface morphology and show the presence of the B. anthracis spores on the surface. It is concluded that B. anthracis spores can be accomplished by using amine functionalized polymer coated QCM sensors without requiring complicated immobilization procedures or expensive preliminary preparations.

Studies on the Codeposition of SiC Nanopowder with Nickel, Cobalt, and Co-Ni Alloys

Electrodeposition of SiC nanopowder (approximately 120 nm) with nickel, cobalt, and Co-Ni alloy matrix was studied. It was found that particles suspended in the bath affect slightly the reduction of metallic ions. Incorporation of the ceramic particles was governed mainly by the morphology of the matrix surface, while no strict correlation between the amount of cobalt ions adsorbed on the powder and the SiC content in the composites was found. Microhardness of nickel deposits was 585±5 HV, while for cobalt-rich coatings (84–95 wt.% Co) the values were in the range of 260–290 HV, independently of the SiC content in the coatings. Fine-grained nickel deposits were characterized by good corrosion resistance, while cobalt and Co-Ni alloys showed high corrosion current densities.

Effect of Methyltrimethoxy Silane Modification on Yellowing of Epoxy Coating on UV (B) Exposure

The exterior durability of epoxies is severely affected due to its poor weathering resistance. Epoxies exhibit chalking and discoloration under UV exposure caused as a result of photodegradation. The present work aims at studying the extent to which the color change and yellowing caused due to weathering under accelerated weathering conditions, of DGEBA epoxy, could be lowered by in situ modification of the epoxy polymer backbone with a silane, namely, MTMS. The epoxy resin and silane-modified epoxy resin were formulated into a TiO2-based white coating, applied on mild steel panels, and exposed in a UV (B) weatherometer. The color change (dE) and yellowness index (YI) values of weathered panels were evaluated using a spectrophotometer. The weathered samples were also characterized using FTIR-imaging technique to study the effect of weathering on the structural backbone of the formulated coatings. The silane-modified epoxy coatings showed lowered yellowing by 45% on UV exposure and the enhanced resistance to yellowing of the modified coatings was indicated by lowered dE and YI values. The enhanced resistance to yellowing by the silane-modified epoxy was attributed to the strengthening of the epoxy backbone by introduction of Si–O–C linkage onto the epoxy polymeric chain.

Dependence of Adhesion Property of Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR 25)/Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Rubber Blend Adhesives Crosslinked by Benzoyl Peroxide

The loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength of crosslinked epoxidized natural rubber (ENR 25)/ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) blend adhesives were investigated. Coumarone-indene resin, toluene, and benzoyl peroxide were used as the tackifier, solvent, and crosslinking agent, respectively, throughout the experiment. The adhesive was coated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using a SHEEN hand coater at 60 μm and 120 μm coating thickness. It was cured at 80°C for 30 minutes before testing on a Lloyd adhesion tester operating at testing rates from 10 to 60 cm min−1. Results show that loop tack and peel strength of the ENR 25/EPDM adhesive pass through a maximum value at 2 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr) of benzoyl peroxide content. This observation is attributed to the increase in crosslinking which enhances the cohesive strength of the adhesive. Further addition of the crosslinking agent decreases the tack and peel strength due to the decrease in wettability of the over-crosslinked adhesive. Shear strength, however, increases steadily with benzoyl peroxide content, an observation which is associated with the steady increase in the cohesive strength. The adhesion properties increase with increasing coating thickness and testing rate.

Adhesion Properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber/Standard Malaysian Rubber Blend Based Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive

Viscosity and adhesion properties of NBR/SMR L blend based pressure-sensitive adhesive were investigated using coumarone-indene resin, toluene, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as tackifier, solvent, and coating substrate, respectively. Coumarone-indene resin content was fixed at 40 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr) in the adhesive formulation. The ratio of NBR/SMR L blend used was 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of NBR content. Four different thicknesses, that is, 30, 60, 90, and 120 µm, were used to coat the PET film. The viscosity of adhesive was determined by a Brookfield viscometer, whereas loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength were measured using a Lloyd Adhesion Tester operating at 30 cm/min. Result indicates that the viscosity, loop tack, and shear strength of blend adhesives increase with % NBR. However, for peel strength, it indicates a maximum at 40% NBR blend ratio for the three modes of peel tests. In all cases, 120 µm coated sample consistently exhibits the highest adhesion values compared to the other coating thicknesses, an observation which is associated with the higher volume of adhesive in the former system.

Development of Epoxy Based Surface Tolerant Coating Improvised with Zn Dust and MIO on Steel Surfaces

Couple of high strength and flexible surface tolerant coatings were designed for oil contaminated, rusty, and minimally prepared steel surfaces. These coatings are to have strong interfacial adhesion due to low surface tension and sustain more than 5 MPa pull out force consistently. The effect of optimized concentration of zinc dust and micaceous iron oxide (MIO) as pigments is evaluated for these surface tolerant coating systems. It has been noticed that the presence of these two ingredients has enhanced corrosion resistance more than several times as compared to commercially available coating systems. The corrosion simulation test in 3.5 wt.% NaCl has evident for significant improvement in terms of delaying blistering and delamination. The high pore resistance (Rp) indicates the slow migration of ions and water into the substrate and coating interface, which could be the reason of the improvement in corrosion process.

Structure and Friction Behavior of CrNx/a-C:H Nanocomposite Films

CrN and CrNx/a-C:H nanocomposite films were deposited on Si substrates by the magnetron sputtering technique. The structure, chemical state, and friction behavior of the CrNx/a-C:H films prepared at various CH4 content were studied systematically. The CrN film shows strong (111) and (220) orientation, while the CrNx/a-C:H films consist of the nanocrystalline CrNx or Cr particles embedded in an amorphous hydrocarbon (a-C:H) matrix and show weak diffraction peaks, which is in accordance with the XPS analysis results. The typical Raman D and G peaks are observed, indicating that the separated amorphous carbon or CNx phase appears in the CrNx/a-C:H films. However, no chromium carbide was observed in all the as-deposited samples. From the SEM graphs, all the deposited films depicted a dense and compact microstructure with well-attached interface with the substrate. The average friction coefficient of the CrNx/a-C:H films largely decreased with increasing CH4 content.