Dans l’industrie automobile, la tâche de dimensionnement des faisceauxélectriques consiste à définir au plus juste la section du conducteur métallique, ce qui augmente l’échauffement du câble par effet Joule. Or, les polymères sont les matériaux d’isolation les plus utilisés malgré leur grande sensibilité au vieillissement thermique. C’est pourquoi leur durabilité en environnement automobile doit être déterminée pour pouvoir ensuite être prise en compte lors du dimensionnement des faisceaux électriques. Dans ce but, nous avons analysé le vieillissement thermique de deux gaines d’isolation en PVC et PELX dans l’air aux températures des essais de qualification (typiquement entre 100°C et 200°C). Dans le cas du PVC, le principal mécanisme de vieillissement est la perte physique du plastifiant. La fragilisation du matériau intervient orsque la concentration de la phase de plastifiant non-dissoute, qui est ispersée sous forme de nodules dans la matrice PVC faiblement plastifiée, atteint une valeur critique de l’ordre de 0,2 mol.L-1. En revanche, dans le cas du PELX, l’oxydation conduit à la fragilisation du matériau au terme de la période d’induction, c’est-à-dire dès que la totalité des antioxydants a été consommée. Pour chaque gaine d’isolation, un modèle cinétique a été dérivé des mécanismes de vieillissement et un critère de fin de vie structural a été établi. Ce modèle donne accès au potentiel de vie restant et à la durée de vie des câbles électriques en conditions de service. / In the automotive industry, the issue of electrical harness dimensioning consists in an optimal definition of the cross-section of metallic conductors, which increases the wire heating due to Joule effect. However, polymers are the most used materials for insulation despite their high sensitivity to thermal ageing. That is the reason why their durability must be determined in automotive environment to be then taken into account during the dimensioning of electrical harness. For this purpose, we analyzed the thermal aging of two insulation sheaths made of PVC and XLPE in air at temperatures of qualification tests (typically between 100°C and 200°C). For PVC, the main ageing mechanism is the physical loss of plasticizer. The material embrittlement occurs when the concentration of the non-dissolved plasticizer phase, which is dispersed as nodules in the weakly plasticized PVC matrix, reaches a critical value of about 0,2 mol.L-1. In contrast, for XLPE, oxidation leads to material embrittlement at the end of the induction period, i.e. when the totality of antioxidants has been consumed. For each insulation sheath, a kinetic model was derived from the ageing mechanisms and a structural end-of-life criterion was established. This model gives access to the remaining life potential and lifetime of electrical cables in service conditions.

The subject of this Ing. thesis is asphalt mixture with increasing RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement). The theoretical part defines the terms of recycling and RAP and types of recycling. The practical part is devoted to the production and testing of asphalt mixtures with different volume RAP. The proposed asphalt mixture is asphalt concrete for base layer ACP22 +. Content of RAP in mixtures is 0%, 30%, 50% and 70%. As a special additive to soften the asphalt from RAP is used ingredient STORFLUX. For each mixture are established modulus stiffness of asphalt mixture and determined fatigue characteristics of asphalt mixture. The identified properties are compared for the different representation of RAP.

A solid phase extraction (SPE) method was developed for simultaneous extraction of dicarboxylic acids and diols formed during hydrolysis of poly(butylene succinate), PBS, and poly(butylene adipate), PBA. The developed SPE method and subsequent GC-MS analysis were used to extract, identify and quantify low molecular weight products migrating from linear and branched poly(butylene adipate) (PBA) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) during aging in aqueous media. The combination of SPE and GC-MS proved to be a sensitive tool, able to detect small differences in the degradation rate during early stages of hydrolysis before any significant differences were observed by weight loss and molecular weight measurements. The detected low molecular weight products included monomers i.e. adipic acid and 1,4-butanediol for the PBA polymers and succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol for PBS. Several dimers and trimers i.e. hydroxybutyl adipate, hydroxybutyl succinate, di(hydroxybutyl) adipate, di(hydroxybutyl) succinate and hydroxybutyl disuccinate were also detected. Best extraction efficiency for 1,4-butanediol and succinic acid was achieved with a hydroxylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin as solid phase. Linear range for the extracted analytes was 1-500 ng/ml for adipic acid and 2-500 ng/ml for 1,4-butanediol and succinic acid. Detection and quantification limits for all analytes were between 1-2 ng/ml (S/N=3) and 2-7 ng/ml (S/N=10) respectively. Relative standard deviations were between 3 % and 7 %. Comparison of measured weight loss and the amount of monomeric products showed that weight loss during early stages of hydrolysis was mainly caused by the release of water-soluble oligomers that on prolonged ageing were further hydrolyzed to monomeric species. Significant differences in degradation rate could be assigned to degree of branching, molecular weight, aging temperature and degradation medium. Linear and branched PBA was mixed with PVC in solution cast films to study the effects of molecular weight and branching on plasticizer efficiency. Used as polymeric plasticizer, PBA formed a semi-miscible two-phase system with PVC where the amorphous part exhibited one single glass transition temperature and the degree of polyester crystallinity was dependent on molecular weight, degree of branching and blend composition. Plasticizing efficiency was favored by higher degree of branching and a 40 weight-percent polyester composition. / QC 20101209

The current technology for sprayed concrete cannot do without various types of concrete admixtures allowing that more demanding requirements for quality and overall characteristics of Sprayed Concrete can be met. These are mainly concrete plastificators and set acceleration admixtures. In practice these technologies are employed especially in construction of underground structures where the working conditions are often very restricted. In these days Sprayed Concrete is usually applied by wet spraying where the fresh concrete is made in a batching plant and then transported to the construction site. That is why it is also important to pay attention to rheology characteristics of sprayed concrete. The concrete is then placed by a special spraying plant while it is ensured that all requirements and technical specifications for sprayed concrete are complied with. The characteristics are most affected by the admixtures - both plastificators and accelerators and their compatibility with cement. In order to acquire new evidence in the field of sprayed concrete technology and use of admixtures and their effect in relation with various types of cement a number of combinations of admixtures and cements were tested. Gradually results were obtained and recorded for rheology of cement mortars and concrete, for characteristics of young sprayed concrete mixes and for the comparison between the laboratory tests and findings from daily practice.

No description available.

No description available.

Das Schilddrüsenhormon Triiodthyronin (T3) ist ein essenzieller Regulator physiologischer Prozesse der Entwicklung, des Wachstums und im Intermediärstoffwechsel. Täglich werden zahlreiche natürliche und synthetische Stoffe aufgenommen, die mit dem endokrinen System interferieren und deshalb als Endokrine Disruptoren (ED) bezeichnet werden. Zur Untersuchung einer direkten Interferenz von ED mit den Schilddrüsenhormonrezeptoren (TR) und ihrer transkriptionellen Aktivität wurde im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ein neues Luziferase-basiertes T3 Reportergensystem mit TRalpha1-transfizierten humanen Leberzellen aufgebaut. Durch Validierung mit dem synthetischen TR-Agonisten GC-1 und dem Antagonisten NH-3 konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass dieser Assay ein hoch-sensitives System zur Analyse von agonistischen sowie antagonistischen Effekten von Testsubtanzen darstellt. Zur Bestimmung der endokrinen Aktivitäten einiger humanrelevanter Vertreter aus den Stoffkategorien der Nahrungsmittel, Kosmetika, Pestizide und Industriechemikalien wurden Dosis-Wirkungskurven in Aktivierungs- und T3-Kompetitionsexperimenten ermittelt. In mikromolaren Konzentrationen wirkten von insgesamt 21 Testsubstanzen einige als reine Agonisten oder Antagonisten während andere gemischt agonistische/antagonistische Effekte hatten. Aufgrund ihrer hier beobachteten Effekte und der gegebenen Humanexposition wird eine eingehendere Analyse von 4-Methylbenzyliden Campher, 4-Nonylphenol, Acetochlor, Benzophenon 2, Benzophenon 3, Bisphenol A, Genistein, Octylmethoxycinnamat, Tetrabromobisphenol A und Xanthohumol empfohlen. Außerdem erwiesen sich einige Metaboliten von Schilddrüsenhormonen als potente Agonisten im T3-Reportergenassay und bedürfen weiterer Aufmerksamkeit. Für die molekulare Charakterisierung der Einflüsse solcher Substanzen auf die T3-regulierte Transaktivierung konnte mit dem hier etablierten Bioassay ein zuverlässiges neues Testsystem für reproduzierbare Screeningserien geschaffen werden. / Triiodothyronine (T3) is a crucial regulator of many physiological processes during development, growth and metabolism. A variety of natural and synthetic substances, which are collectively termed endocrine disrupters (ED) due to their interference with the endocrine system, is taken up on a daily base. A novel luciferase-based T3-responsive reporter gene system employing a human liver cell line transfected with thyroid hormone receptor (TR) alpha1 was established in this work to elucidate the potential molecular interference of certain ED with TR and their transcriptional activity. This assay was validated to be a highly sensitive and reliable tool for analyzing agonistic and antagonistic effects of test compounds using the synthetic TR agonist GC-1 and the antagonist NH-3. Dose-response data of test compounds contained in food, cosmetics, pesticides, plasticizers and other industrial chemicals were obtained after applying the substances alone in activation assays or in combination with T3 in competition assays. In total 21 test compounds were screened of which some acted as pure agonists or antagonists while others were mixed agonists/antagonists in the micromolar concentration range and only one was without effect. Follow-up studies are recommended for some of these substances with regard to their effects as determined in this bioassay and in light of information known on human exposure, i.e., 4-methylbenzyliden camphor, 4-nonylphenol, acetochlor, benzophenone 2, benzophenone 3, bisphenol A, genistein, octylmethoxycinnamate, tetrabromobisphenol A and xanthohumol. In addition some endogenous metabolites of thyroid hormones were surprisingly potent agonists in the T3 reporter gene assay and merit further attention. The novel bioassay established here represents a reliable tool for the screening and molecular characterization of substances interfering with T3-mediated transactivation of gene expression.

Les polymères électroactifs (PAE), sont des matériaux permettant de réaliser une conversion entre l'énergie électrique et mécanique. L'objet de ce travail est de proposer des procédés de modifications des terpolymères électrostrictifs par voies composites basés sur différentes approches dans le but d’améliorer les performances électromécaniques et de développer des applications à partir de ces matériaux modifiés. Dans un premier temps, un nano-composite à base de terpolymère et de noir de carbone a été préparé pour améliorer la permittivité diélectrique. Dans un deuxième temps, sur la base de la nature hétérogène de terpolymère semi-cristallin ainsi que du rôle important que la polarisation interfaciale joue sur la réponse diélectrique et électromécanique, une faible quantité d’agent plastifiant (bis (2-ethylhexyl) phalate (DEHP)) a été introduite dans le terpolymère électrostrictif afin de former un composite tout organique permettant l'amélioration des performances électromécaniques. Enfin, l’utilisation de ces matériaux modifiés dans deux applications spécifiques a été étudiée: La récupération de l'énergie mécanique et une pompe microfluidique sans valve. / Electroactive polymers (EAPs), which can realize the conversion between electrical and mechanical energy, have been emerging as one of the most interesting smart materials in the past two decades due to their low density, excellent mechanical properties, ease of processing, low price and potential applications in the fields of sensors, actuators, generators, biomimetic robots and so on. The object of this work is to modify electrostrictive terpolymers with different approaches to improve the electromechanical performances and to develop some applications based on modified terpolymers. Firstly, an organic/inorganic (terpolymer/carbon black) nanocomposite was prepared to improve the dielectric permittivity based on the percolation theory. Secondly, based on the heterogeneous nature of semi-crystalline terpolymer and the important role that interface polarization plays for dielectric and electromechanical response, small molecular plasticizer bis(2-ethylhexyl) phalate (DEHP) was introduced into electrostrictive terpolymer to form an all-organic polymer composite with improved electromechanical performances. Finally, two applications including mechanical energy harvesting and microfluidic pump based on DEHP modified terpolymers were investigated.

The objectives of this project were to investigate the critical factors impacting the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of β-chitosan based films derived from jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) pens, and to evaluate the feasibility of improving water solubility of β-chitosan through Maillard reaction. The studies examined the effect of molecular weight (1,815 and 366 kDa), acid (formic, acetic, propionic, and lactic acid), and plasticizer (glycerol and sorbitol) on the film properties, as well as reducing sugar (fructose and glucosamine) and heat treatment (high temperature short time (HTST), low temperature long time (LTLT)) on water solubility of chitosan. Results on β-chitosan were compared with α-chitosan in both studies. Tensile strength (TS) and elongation (EL) of β-chitosan films were influenced by molecular weight (Mw), acid and plasticizer types (P < 0.05). High molecular weight (Hw) β-chitosan films had an overall TS of 44 MPa, 53% higher than that of low molecular weight (Lw) β-chitosan films (29 MPa) across all acid types used. The mean TS of β-chitosan acetate and propionate films (43 and 39 MPa) were higher (P < 0.05) than that of β-chitosan formate and lactate films (34 and 29 MPa). Films incorporated with plasticizer (32 MPa) had lower TS than those without plasticizer (48 MPa). Mean EL of Hw β-chitosan films was 10% versus approximately 4% in Lw β-chitosan films. Formate and acetate films had higher EL than that of propionate film. Glycerol and sorbitol increased (P < 0.001) EL 151% and 106% compared with the films without plasticizer, respectively. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films was affected by acid and plasticizer. Formate films (34 g mm/m² d KPa) had higher WVP than other acid films. Adding plasticizer increased (11% to 31%) WVP of propionate films except the Lw β-chitosan propionate film with sorbitol. The antibacterial activity of Lw β-chitosan and α-chitosan films delayed (P < 0.05) the proliferation of E. coli, where lactate films showed the strongest effect. The growth of L. innocua at 24 h was completely (P < 0.05) inhibited by chitosan films except Hw β-chitosan acetate film. A soft and cotton-like water soluble chitosan with mesopores was acquired after freeze-drying the Maillard reacted chitosan-sugar solution. The yield of β-chitosan-derivatives (8.48%) was 1.21 times higher than that of α-chitosan products (7.00%) (P < 0.01). Heat treatment only affected the yield of chitosan-glucosamine derivatives. Sugar type did not indicate any impact on the yield of the chitosan-derivative products in general (P > 0.05). The solubility was affected by sugar type (P < 0.01) only occurred in the β-chitosan products prepared with LTLT (P<0.05), where β-chitosan-fructose derivatives (9.56 g/L) had higher solubility than the glucosamine (5.19 g/L).LTLT treatment had given all chitosan-derivatives a higher solubility (8.44 g/L) than HTST (3.83 g/L) did (P<0.001). The results from this study demonstrated the feasibility of creating β-chitosan based film from jumbo squid pens with similar mechanical, water barrier and antibacterial properties compare to α-chitosan films as a food wrap and controlled the properties with several important factors, and developing water soluble chitosan through Maillard reaction that possess the potential as functional substance in a wider range of applications. / Graduation date: 2012

In the introduction of the Master’s thesis describes for obtaining and processing of reclaimed asphlalt. Major point of the thesis is design of asphalt mixtures with use of higher amount of RAP for asphalt binder course. Asphalt mixtures were designed with contents of 0%, 30%, 50% and 70% of RAP. On each asphalt mixtures were compared parameters set out by functional tests – resistence to permanent deformation and resistence to water.