No description available.

Organic acids are usually the reactants which proceed in chlorination reaction into products of disinfection by-products in water treatment plant. The purpose of this study is by using tests of kinetics and equilibrium adsorptions to investigate adsorption characteristics and kinetic model evaluations of selected organic acid in solution. We use commercial carbon nano-tube for the adsorbents. The major factors in adsorption tests include the concentration of fulvic acid (a typical organic acid in raw water), pH, ionic strength and temperature. Experiment results exhibited kinetic adsorption reached equilibrium about 120 minutes, the adsorption capacity increased with concentrations increasing of fulvic acid and decreased with ionic strengths. The best selection in kinetic models evaluation, fitting models such as Modified Freundlich equation, Pseudo-1st-order equation and Pesudo-2nd-oder equation is Modified Freundlch equation model. In addition, intraparticle diffusion equation model was fitted well and showed adsorption process was controlled with pore diffusion. The maximum adsorption capacity varied from 26.094 to 20.772 mg/g when temperature ranging from 4 to 45¢J. Isotherm adsorption results were fitted on Langmuir and Freundich models. The £GG¢X values ranged from -0.930 to -1.014 kcal/mol, £GH¢X:-1.561 kcal/mol and £GS¢X:-2.02 cal/mol. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption is spontaneously and an exothermic reaction. Adsorption of fulvic acid by carbon nano-tube has a good performance when operation conditions of higher fulvic acid concentration, lower ionic strength, lower pH and lower temperature.

This thesis research investigates the adhesion mechanisms of protein molecules to surfaces of biomaterials. New understanding in such adhesion mechanisms will lead to materials design and surface engineering in order to extend the lifespan of implants. The present research evaluates and analyzes the adhesive strength of proteins on pure High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Single Wall Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) enhanced HDPE composites, Ti-C:H coating and Ti6Al4V alloys (grade 2). The adhesive strength was studied through fluid shear stress and the interactions between the fluid and material surfaces. The adhesive strength of protein molecules was measured through the critical shear strength that resulted through the fluid shear stress. The effects of surface and material properties, such as roughness, topography, contact angle, surface conductivity, and concentration of carbon nanotubes on adhesion were analyzed. Research results showed that the surface roughness dominated the adhesion. Protein was sensitive to micro-scale surface roughness and especially favored the nano-porous surface feature. Results indicated that the unpurified SWCNTs influenced crystallization of HDPE and resulted in a nano-porous structure, which enhanced the adhesion of the protein onto a surface. Titanium hydrocarbon coating on silicon substrate also had a porous topography which enhanced its adhesion with protein, making it superior to Ti6Al4V.

<p>Polymer based multifunctional material systems (MFMS) have gained increasing attention in the past two decades. The addition of nanofillers and nanoparticles allows for modification of physical properties as well as the discovery of new features. Multifunctionalization of composites allows us to “do more with less”. For example, electrically conductive additives can eliminate the need for sensors through self-sensing principles, shape morphing matrices can reduce the need for actuators, and the inclusion of fire-resistant constituents can reduce flammability in stringent fire protection measures. With added capabilities, the applications of multifunctional composites extends beyond the aerospace and automotive industries to healthcare, infrastructure, electronics, among others, and optics.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The current state of the art is largely focused on single-filler composites or multifiller composites with complementary attributes. For example, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) when mixed with graphene produces higher conductivity than can be achieved via modification with either CNTs or graphene alone. The majority of investigations conducted in this domain have fillers selected with the aim of imparting a singular property. Much less has been done in the area of multifiller and multifunctional polymer matrix composites (PMCs) which can exhibit multiple properties. Consequently, this work seeks to contribute towards the field of synergistic functional composites. That is, a multifiller composite material system comprised of differently functional fillers. This approach has potential to yield smart material systems that outperform single-filler or single-functionality materials through the discovery of novel synergistic coupling between the differently functional phases.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In light of the preceding motivation, this work presents the results on the experimental electromagnetic and mechanical characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) + carbon-coated iron nanoparticle (CCFeNP)-modified polymers. Carbon nanotubes with their electrical properties and iron nanoparticles with their magnetic attributes present potential for synergistic electromagnetic interactions in a well-percolated network. We report on the electro-magnetic properties of MWCNT + CCFeNP/epoxy composites including DC and AC conductivity, dielectric permittivity, magnetic permeability, and piezoresistance as a function of varying relative MWCNT and CCFeNP concentrations. The results are in a large part linked to the manufacturing process described herein. This work seeks to establish the foundations of synergistic functional filler combinations that could lead to new multifunctional capabilities in the future.</p>

No description available.

Carbon nano tubes (CNT’s) are promising candidates for several sensor applications such as optical sensors, strain gauges or flow sensors. For certain sensor structures liquid CNT dispersions are required. These are important not only for the realization of CNT-films for sensors like strain gauges but also for technological processes such as dielectrophoresis. CNT-films are realized by deposing the dispersion on a carrier material followed by a drying process. The dispersion properties depend on several parameters like CNT concentration, surfactant concentration, sonication time, centrifugation time, storing time and other parameters. Methods for characterization of dispersions are up to now limited to UV/VIS spectroscopy. This is generally limited to low CNT concentrations. This paper discusses the possibility to use impedance spectroscopy as characterization method for the stability of the dispersions. The impedance of the dispersion was measured using a conductivity measurement cell with platinum electrodes. The behavior of characteristic points of the impedance spectrum was investigated for three identically prepared samples during 7 days of storing time. The systematic trend observed is definitively larger than the variance between different samples. With increasing time after preparation the CNT fallout will increase and the amount of deposable CNT’s will decrease. The decreasing imaginary part indicates an easier diffusion of surfactant molecules because they are not longer attached to CNT’s.

No description available.

Carbon nano tubes (CNT’s) are promising candidates for several sensor applications such as optical sensors, strain gauges or flow sensors. For certain sensor structures liquid CNT dispersions are required. These are important not only for the realization of CNT-films for sensors like strain gauges but also for technological processes such as dielectrophoresis. CNT-films are realized by deposing the dispersion on a carrier material followed by a drying process. The dispersion properties depend on several parameters like CNT concentration, surfactant concentration, sonication time, centrifugation time, storing time and other parameters. Methods for characterization of dispersions are up to now limited to UV/VIS spectroscopy. This is generally limited to low CNT concentrations. This paper discusses the possibility to use impedance spectroscopy as characterization method for the stability of the dispersions. The impedance of the dispersion was measured using a conductivity measurement cell with platinum electrodes. The behavior of characteristic points of the impedance spectrum was investigated for three identically prepared samples during 7 days of storing time. The systematic trend observed is definitively larger than the variance between different samples. With increasing time after preparation the CNT fallout will increase and the amount of deposable CNT’s will decrease. The decreasing imaginary part indicates an easier diffusion of surfactant molecules because they are not longer attached to CNT’s.

Im Gegensatz zu herkömmlichen Dehnungsmessstreifen können Carbon nanotube (CNT)-basierte Komposite zusätzlich eine ausgeprägte Druck-abhängigkeit des Widerstandes aufweisen. Deshalb können Drucksensoren aus CNT-Nanokomposite ohne den Einsatz von Verformungskörpern wie z. B. Biegebalken aufgebaut werden. Die möglichen Anwendungsgebiete für diese direkt messenden Sensoren wurden in der vorliegenden Arbeit bei drei industriellen Anwendungen wie z. B. bei Robotergreifarmen gezeigt. Die Zielstellung dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung und Charakterisierung eines neuartigen Sensors aus CNT-Nanokomposite. Unter Verwendung von Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-Epoxidharz und interdigitalen Elektroden soll der Sensor auf wenigen Quadratzentimetern Drücke im Megapascal-Bereich und somit Kräfte im Kilonewton-Bereich messen können. Durch die Auswahl geeigneter Werkstoffe und die Modellierung mit der Finite Element Methode wurde der Sensorentwurf durchgeführt sowie der Messbereich abgeschätzt. Die Herstellung der MWCNT-Epoxidharz-Dispersion erfolgte durch mechanische Mischverfahren. Anschließend wurden aus der Dispersion druckempfindliche Schichten mit der Schablonendrucktechnik hergestellt. Dabei wurden die Herstellungs-parameter und besonders der Füllstoffgehalt der MWCNTs variiert, um deren Einflüsse auf das mechanische, thermische und elektrische Verhalten zu untersuchen. Die Charakterisierung der mechanischen Kenngrößen erfolgte mit Zugversuchen und dynamisch-mechanischer Analyse. In den Untersuchungen zeigen die MWCNT-Komposite eine signifikante Steigerung der Zugfestigkeit und eine Erhöhung der Glasübergangstemperatur gegenüber reinem Epoxidharz. Die Abhängigkeiten der Druckempfindlichkeit und der Temperaturempfindlichkeit vom Füllstoffgehalt wurden untersucht. Eine besonders hohe Druckempfindlichkeit, aber auch Temperaturempfind-lichkeit wurde bei Proben mit geringem Füllstoffgehalt (1 wt% und 1,25 wt%) festgestellt. Es ist also wichtig, die richtige Materialkombination für diese Art Sensor zu finden. Die realisierten Sensoren liefern zuverlässige Antwortsignale bei wiederholten Belastungen bis zu einer Belastung von 20 MPa (entspricht 2 kN). Zusätzlich wurde der Temperatureinfluss in einem Bereich von −20 °C bis 50 °C durch eine Wheatstonesche Brückenschaltung kompensiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass eine zuverlässige Druckmessung mit einer Temperaturmessabweichung von 0,214 MPa/10 K gewährleistet werden kann. / In contrast to conventional metallic strain gauges, carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have an additional pressure sensitivity. Therefore, deformation elements such as bending beam is not needed by using pressure sensors, which are based on CNT nanocomposite. The possible areas of application for these pressure direct measured sensors were showed in three industrial application such as robot gripper. The focus of this work is the development and characterization of a new sensor manufactured from CNT nanocomposite. By using multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) epoxy and interdigital electrodes the sensor, which has a dimension of few square centimetre, should measure a pressure in mega Pascal range and hence a force in kilo newton range. By the selection of suitable materials and the modelling using finite element method, the sensor design as well as the measurement range were carried out. The MWCNT epoxy dispersion is manufactured by using a mechanical mixing process. Subsequent, the dispersion is used to fabricate pressure sensitive layers by stencil printing methods. Thereby, the fabrication parameters and especially the filler content of the MWCNTs were varied for the mechanical, thermal and electrical investigation. The characterization of the mechanical characteristic values were carried out by using tensile test and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results show a significant increasing of the tensile strength and glass transition temperature in comparison to neat epoxy. Additionally, the influence of the filler content to the pressure and thermal sensitivity were investigated. A highly pressure sensitivity but also a highly thermal sensitivity are obtained for samples with lower filler contents (1 wt% and 1.25 wt%). Therefore, a suitable material combination has to be chosen. The fabricated sensors show reliable response signals by repeated excitations up to 20 MPa (meets to 2 KN). Moreover, the temperature influence ranged from -20 °C to 50 °C was compensated with a Wheatstone bridge. This work demonstrate a direct pressure sensitive sensor with reliable response signals by a thermal deviation of 0.214 MPa/10K.

Im Gegensatz zu herkömmlichen Dehnungsmessstreifen können Carbon nanotube (CNT)-basierte Komposite zusätzlich eine ausgeprägte Druck-abhängigkeit des Widerstandes aufweisen. Deshalb können Drucksensoren aus CNT-Nanokomposite ohne den Einsatz von Verformungskörpern wie z. B. Biegebalken aufgebaut werden. Die möglichen Anwendungsgebiete für diese direkt messenden Sensoren wurden in der vorliegenden Arbeit bei drei industriellen Anwendungen wie z. B. bei Robotergreifarmen gezeigt. Die Zielstellung dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung und Charakterisierung eines neuartigen Sensors aus CNT-Nanokomposite. Unter Verwendung von Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-Epoxidharz und interdigitalen Elektroden soll der Sensor auf wenigen Quadratzentimetern Drücke im Megapascal-Bereich und somit Kräfte im Kilonewton-Bereich messen können. Durch die Auswahl geeigneter Werkstoffe und die Modellierung mit der Finite Element Methode wurde der Sensorentwurf durchgeführt sowie der Messbereich abgeschätzt. Die Herstellung der MWCNT-Epoxidharz-Dispersion erfolgte durch mechanische Mischverfahren. Anschließend wurden aus der Dispersion druckempfindliche Schichten mit der Schablonendrucktechnik hergestellt. Dabei wurden die Herstellungs-parameter und besonders der Füllstoffgehalt der MWCNTs variiert, um deren Einflüsse auf das mechanische, thermische und elektrische Verhalten zu untersuchen. Die Charakterisierung der mechanischen Kenngrößen erfolgte mit Zugversuchen und dynamisch-mechanischer Analyse. In den Untersuchungen zeigen die MWCNT-Komposite eine signifikante Steigerung der Zugfestigkeit und eine Erhöhung der Glasübergangstemperatur gegenüber reinem Epoxidharz. Die Abhängigkeiten der Druckempfindlichkeit und der Temperaturempfindlichkeit vom Füllstoffgehalt wurden untersucht. Eine besonders hohe Druckempfindlichkeit, aber auch Temperaturempfind-lichkeit wurde bei Proben mit geringem Füllstoffgehalt (1 wt% und 1,25 wt%) festgestellt. Es ist also wichtig, die richtige Materialkombination für diese Art Sensor zu finden. Die realisierten Sensoren liefern zuverlässige Antwortsignale bei wiederholten Belastungen bis zu einer Belastung von 20 MPa (entspricht 2 kN). Zusätzlich wurde der Temperatureinfluss in einem Bereich von −20 °C bis 50 °C durch eine Wheatstonesche Brückenschaltung kompensiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass eine zuverlässige Druckmessung mit einer Temperaturmessabweichung von 0,214 MPa/10 K gewährleistet werden kann. / In contrast to conventional metallic strain gauges, carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have an additional pressure sensitivity. Therefore, deformation elements such as bending beam is not needed by using pressure sensors, which are based on CNT nanocomposite. The possible areas of application for these pressure direct measured sensors were showed in three industrial application such as robot gripper. The focus of this work is the development and characterization of a new sensor manufactured from CNT nanocomposite. By using multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) epoxy and interdigital electrodes the sensor, which has a dimension of few square centimetre, should measure a pressure in mega Pascal range and hence a force in kilo newton range. By the selection of suitable materials and the modelling using finite element method, the sensor design as well as the measurement range were carried out. The MWCNT epoxy dispersion is manufactured by using a mechanical mixing process. Subsequent, the dispersion is used to fabricate pressure sensitive layers by stencil printing methods. Thereby, the fabrication parameters and especially the filler content of the MWCNTs were varied for the mechanical, thermal and electrical investigation. The characterization of the mechanical characteristic values were carried out by using tensile test and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results show a significant increasing of the tensile strength and glass transition temperature in comparison to neat epoxy. Additionally, the influence of the filler content to the pressure and thermal sensitivity were investigated. A highly pressure sensitivity but also a highly thermal sensitivity are obtained for samples with lower filler contents (1 wt% and 1.25 wt%). Therefore, a suitable material combination has to be chosen. The fabricated sensors show reliable response signals by repeated excitations up to 20 MPa (meets to 2 KN). Moreover, the temperature influence ranged from -20 °C to 50 °C was compensated with a Wheatstone bridge. This work demonstrate a direct pressure sensitive sensor with reliable response signals by a thermal deviation of 0.214 MPa/10K.