Novel synthesis blends between bacterial polyesters and acrylic rubber: A study on enzymatic biodegradation

The biodegradability of a multicomponent system based on biotechnological occurring polyester (poly(-hydroxybutyrate-co--hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)) with inclusion of acrylate elastomer (polybutylacrylate) (PBA) was investigated. A bacterium which produced extracellular enzymes that degrades PHBV even when blended with PBA was isolated and tentatively designated asAureobacterium saperdae. It was observed, by morphological investigation, that, while the bacterial degradation was permitted for PBA content of 20% by weight, it was inhibited for PBA content of 30%, owing to the occurrence of a rubbery layer that prevents to the bacteria an easy accessibility in the PHBV-rich regions. In fact, owing the bacterial growth, only PHBV was metabolized, whereas no degradation of PBA was detected for blend samples. It was confirmed that the degradation proceeded via surface erosion of PHBV also in the blends. Finally, mechanical tests on PHBV/PBA specimens as a function of degradation extent have shown different behavior of the blends at different the PBA content. Thermal analysis of blends and PHBV has been reported, too     

Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Biodegradable Films Made from Chitosan and Poly (Lactic Acid) Blends

Biodegradable film blends of chitosan with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared by solution mixing and film casting. The main goal of these blends is to improve the water vapor barrier of chitosan by blending it with a hydrophobic biodegradable polymer from renewable resources. Mechanical properties of obtained films were assessed by tensile test. Thermal properties, water barrier properties, and water sensitivity were studied by differential scanning calorimeter analysis, water vapor permeability measurements, and surface-angle contact tests, respectively. The incorporation of PLA to chitosan improved the water barrier properties and decreased the water sensitivity of chitosan film. However, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of chitosan decreased with the addition of PLA. Mechanical and thermal properties revealed that chitosan and PLA blends are incompatible, consistent with the results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis that showed the absence of specific interaction between chitosan and PLA.     

The effect of Na and Ca salts on MSWI bottom ash activation for reuse as a pozzolanic admixture

In this study the possibility of both chemical and combined chemical + thermal activation of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash was investigated. A number of chemical activators including Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O, NaOH, Na₂SO₄ and CaCl₂·2H₂O were individually added at varying concentrations to bottom ash/Portland cement mixtures having different bottom ash contents. The effect of the selected compounds was evaluated in terms of macroscopic properties including mechanical strength and composition of cementitious materials/water slurries. The results showed that Na-based activators were not capable of improving the characteristics of the cementitious products if compared to Portland cement under both normal and accelerated curing. Conversely, the use of calcium chloride at 40 °C-curing did promote the pozzolanic properties of bottom ash, leading to UCS values of 45.5 and 60.0 MPa after 10 and 20 days, respectively, as opposed to a value of 43.6 MPa obtained after 28 days for Portland cement under normal curing conditions.     

Performance of Firefighters’ Protective Clothing After Heat Exposure

Heat and mechanical protection properties of 6 fabric combinations commonly used in firefighters’ protective clothing were assessed before and after different heat treatment. It was shown that after heat exposure, the values obtained were generally lower than in the original state. The mechanical properties of the materials were more affected by heat than by heat protective properties. In 2 cases, degradation started before a visible change in the material could be observed, which might be potentially dangerous for the end user who will not realize the alteration of the material.     

Synthesis, crystal structure, photodegradation kinetics and photocatalytic activity of novel photocatalyst ZnBiYO4

ZnBiYO₄ was synthesized by a solid-state reaction method for the first time. The structural and photocatalytic properties of ZnBiYO₄ were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance. ZnBiYO₄ crystallized with a tetragonal spinel structure with space group I41/A. The lattice parameters for ZnBiYO₄ were a = b = 11.176479 Å and c= 10.014323 Å. The band gap of ZnBiYO₄ was estimated to be 1.58 eV. The photocatalytic activity of ZnBiYO₄ was assessed by photodegradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The results showed that ZnBiYO₄ had higher catalytic activity compared with N-doped TiO₂ under the same experimental conditions using visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange with ZnBiYO₄ or N-doped TiO₂ as catalyst followed first-order reaction kinetics, and the first-order rate constant was 0.01575 and 0.00416 min^-1 for ZnBiYO₄ and N-doped TiO₂, respectively. After visible light irradiation for 220 min with ZnBiYO₄ as catalyst, complete removal and mineralization of methyl orange were observed. The reduction of total organic carbon, formation of inorganic products, SO₄^2- and NO₃^-, and evolution of CO₂ revealed the continuous mineralization of methyl orange during the photocatalytic process. The intermediate products were identified using liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry. The ZnBiYO₄/(visible light) photocatalysis system was found to be suitable for textile industry wastewater treatment and could be used to solve other environmental chemical pollution problems.     

Study on acceleration and suppression properties of coal gangue with different void fractions on gas explosion propagation

Gas explosion is one of the main disasters in coal mining. Plenty of coal gangue are generally distributed in the disaster areas in gob. Experiments were carried out to explore the propagation law of the gas explosion distributed by coal gangue. The variation characteristics of the overpressure, pressure rise rate, and flame shape with void fractions were analyzed. The results showed that the effect of the coal gangue on the explosion intensity changed from suppression to acceleration with the increase of void fraction, the flame front upstream blockage area changed from laminar state to turbulent divergent state, and a reverse flame was formed. When the void fraction of the coal gangue was 0.50–0.65, the maximum overpressure downstream of the blocked area were positively correlated with the void fraction and the critical suppression range was between 0.50 and 0.55. When the void fraction was lower than 0.50, the flame was quenched in the coal gangue, neither the flame nor the pressure could pass through the blocked area. It is helpful to guide the improvement of coal recovery process to avoid the expansion of the explosion impact in coalmine gob.     

软木材料力学行为及其缓冲吸能特性研究进展综述

综述了软木材料的力学行为及其缓冲吸能特性方面的研究进展,首先从密度、含水率、温度、构造与缺陷、服役时间等方面阐述了不同因素对木材力学性能的影响.然后从宏观观测和微细观分析两方面概述了软木材料力学性能试验的研究进展,从宏观本构模型和细观模拟方面阐述了数值仿真分析进展,并简述了理论建模方面的研究成果.最后从多方面给出了未来...     

三峡库区典型支流库湾消落带沉积泥沙特征及重金属评价

为了分析三峡库区支流消落带沉积泥沙的理化特征以及重金属污染的空间变化特征,选择9条典型一级支流,共采集54个消落带沉积泥沙样品,测定了粒径分布、容重、有机质(TOC)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、钾(K)等养分元素含量特征以及运用地累积指数评价铬(Cr)、铜(Cu)、镍(Ni)、铅(Pb)、锌(Zn)等重金属.结果表明消落带沉积泥沙粒径分布在空间上(乌江-磨刀溪)中值粒径呈波动变化;支流消落带下部(160~165 m)沉积泥沙相比上部(165~175 m)偏粗,不同高程带砂粒和黏粒体积分数变化属于中等变异,粉粒属于弱变异.独立样本t检验表明消落带上部和下部之间沉积泥沙特征差异不显著.地累积指数评价表明支流消落带沉积泥沙只有Zn元素在珍溪河、龙洞河和龙河属于无-中的污染程度,Pb元素在磨刀溪属于无-中的污染程度,其他元素在所选支流消落带均为无污染.     

A~2/O工艺中好氧污泥絮体的分形结构与理化特征分析

采用图像法和沉降柱法分别研究了A2/O工艺中好氧污泥絮体的形貌、粒度分布、低维分形维数和沉降速率、有效密度、空隙率以及质量分形维数,并尝试探讨了上述相关性质与这些污泥宏观操作性质(沉降、压缩、脱水和稳定性)相关的各种理化指标以及胞外高分子物质(EPS)的含量之间的变化关系.结果表明,污泥絮体呈现不规则的形貌,表面具有空隙.其有效密度一般随着其粒径的增加而降低,而空隙率和沉降速率却呈现与有效密度相反的变化趋势,这些均表明了污泥絮体的分形结构的存在.2次所采集的污泥絮体的中位直径分别为248.81、332.86μm,有效密度的平均值分别为0.0040、0.0072g·cm-3,自由沉降速率的平均值分别为2.67、4.79mm·s-1,空隙率的平均值分别为0.94、0.89,一维分形维数分别为1.03、1.19,二维分形维数分别为1.64、1.84,采用基于Logan经验公式的有效密度-最大直径的双对数关系确定的质量分形维数分别为1.74、2.29.尽管第2次所采集的污泥絮体较为密实,但其表面粗糙程度却比第1次的低.此外,研究中发现絮凝能力较高或负电荷较高的A2/O好氧污泥絮体具有高的SVI和ZSV值;分形维数较低...     

聚合氯化铝-腐殖酸(PACl-HA)絮体的物理与分形特征研究

采用低温急速冷冻-真空干燥技术制备了PACl-HA絮体的粉末样品,研究了这些样品的物理与分形特征.结果表明,PACl-HA絮体具有无定形结构,主要组成元素为C、O、Al,所含特征官能团保留了絮体组成原料的一些特征;絮体的BET比表面积为130～161 m²·g^-1,BJH累积吸附孔体积为0.38～0.52 cm³·g^-1,BJH脱附平均孔径为7.7～9.6nm,PSD峰值对应孔径8.4～11.2nm.PACl-HA絮体具有自相似性的粗糙表面,呈现多尺度分形特征;图象法和N₂吸附/脱附等温线法确定的表面分形维数Ds分别为2.03～2.26、2.24～2.37,前者的分形尺度大约处于23～390nm之间,主要属于絮体外表面尺度,而后者的分形特征尺度区间的下限大约为0.2nm,属于孔表面尺度;另外,对同一絮体,N₂吸附法和脱附法确定的孔表面分形维数不同.热力学模型计算出的D_s远大于3,与Sahouli等的研究不符.