US – Page 128 – TechConnect Briefs

Epoxy Toughening with Nano-Sized Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Micelles

Liu D., Sue H-J, Thompson Z.J., Bates F.S., Hillmyer M.A., Exponent, Inc., US

A model diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin was modified with a poly(ethylene-alt-propylene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEP-PEO) block copolymer to improve fracture toughness. Two distinct nanoscaled morphologies were achieved in the cured systems: spherical micelles [...]

Protein-based nanoparticles for hydrophilic coating

Kim S., Biswas A., Evans K., USDA/ARS/NCAUR, US

Cyanoacrylate nanoparticles have been studied in great detail over the past three decades with a view to their use as controlled release drug delivery materials. The mechanism of polymerization is anionic where the initiating species [...]

New biodegradable polymers based on previously unknown functional groups for drug and gene delivery

Yoo J., Graf T.A., Kuruvilla D.J., D’Mello S.R., Salem A.K., Bowden N.B., University of Iowa, US

We developed the synthesis of three new sets of polymers based on bonds between sulfur and nitrogen for applications in drug and gene delivery. These polymers were designed to slowly degrade in water at pH [...]

Separation of mixtures of fatty acids into individual components using a nanoporous membrane

Gupta A., Bowden N.B., University of Iowa, US

We recently developed the first method to separate fatty acids derived from vegetable oils using nanoporous membranes based on polydicyclopentadiene. Fatty acids were too small and too similar in size to be separated from one [...]

Frequency-Dependent Dielectric Properties Optimization of Polymer-Based-BT Nanocomposites for High Energy Density Applications

Hossain M.E., Liu S., Li J., Liu S., O’Brien S., The City College of New York of CUNY, US

Nanodielectric materials become one of the new materials to play a sole role in sustainable and clean energy production, energy transportation, energy storage, and end usage in terms of energy storage capabilities due to the [...]

New Nanocomposites – Controlled Capture of Nanoparticles in Scrolled Nanosheets

Adireddy S., Yao Y., Vargas J.M., Spinu L., Wiley J.B., University of Neworleans, US

The ability to encapsulate linear nanoparticle chains in scrolled nanosheets is an important advance in the formation of nanocomposites. Recent work in our group resulted in the in situ formation of peapod-like structures based on [...]

Mechanical Properties of Reduced Graphene Polymer Composites

Xu P., Panchapakesan B., University of Louisville, US

In this paper, we report load transfer and mechanical properties of chemically derived single layer graphene (SLG) as reinforcements in poly (dimethyl) siloxane (PDMS) composites. Shear mixing reduced graphene sheets in polymers resulted in a [...]

Asphalt bitumen modified with carbon nanotubes

Boyer L., Barrera E.V., Rice University, US

We have introduced carbon nanotubes into asphalt bitumen (paving asphalt with no stone or sand aggregate) to investigate the effect on (1) strength, (2) viscoelasticity, and (3) exposure to microwave radiation.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Scale-up of Cellulose Nanofibril Production

Gardner D.J., University of Maine, US

Technologies to produce cellulose nanofibrils via either mechanical means (CNF) or chemical means (cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)) have improved dramatically over recent years and a limited number of companies and research labs can produce cellulose nanofibrils [...]

Composites with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

McAndrew T.P., Havel M., Korzhenko A., Delprat P., Arkema Inc., US

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are of great interest – primarily based upon their electrical and mechanical properties. The main application is in polymer composites – where at low concentrations they provide substantial improvements in electrical and [...]