Scania är en av världens största tillverkare av lastbilar, bussar och marina motorer och examensarbetet har utförts i syfte att utveckla en ny remmätrigg för att bättre kunna verifiera slitage, livslängd och töjning efter olika testcykler på Poly-V remmar. Riggen skall utföra mätningar enligt standard SAE-J1459 och klara att mäta remlängder mellan 1000-3300 mm. Därtill måste konstruktionen vara utformad enligt gällande säkerhetsföreskrifter och ergonomiska aspekter beaktas. Mätningar av Poly-V remmar sker efter principen att remmen spänns in mellan två remskivor med en kraft på 100 N per ribba. Vid examensarbetets start fanns en äldre mätrigg att tillgå, vilken inte längre är i bruk p.g.a. att den inte uppfyller alla krav för mätprocessen. Den har dock använts i syfte för att identifiera ergonomi- och säkerhetsrisker. Påvisade risker har sedan beaktats vid utformningen av koncept, för att begränsa dessa vid konstruktion av den nya mätriggen. Konstruktionen av den nya remmätriggen är framtagen med hjälp av erkänd produktutvecklingsmetodik, med arbete från idé till färdig produkt. Allt i enlighet med en förstudie i konstruktionsmetodik, en konceptstudie som behandlar ett flertal koncept, konceptval och analys av teknisk utrustning som används i den nya konstruktionen samt konstruktionsarbete och utvärdering. Vid examensarbetets slut har en färdigmonterad remmätrigg levererats klar för användning. Konstruktionen klarar att mäta remlängder mellan 1000-3300 mm och upp till tolv ribbor. Mätprocessen enligt SAE-J1459 kan utföras samtidigt som riggen är utformat med ergonomi och säkerhet i åtanke. Tillhörande remmätriggen finns en användarmanual som beskriver rutiner kring användning av utrustningen, risker och själva mätprocessen steg för steg. I rapporten bilagas en förstudie inom ergonomi och säkerhet, som har utförts vid examensarbetets första fas med syfte att användas som grund vid utformningen av den nya riggen. Det för garantera att hänsyn är tagen till gällande ergonomi- & arbetsmiljö-föreskrifter. / Scania is one of the World greatest producers of trucks, busses and marine engines. The purpose of the master thesis has been to develop a new measuring rig for Poly-V belts, to better be able to verify wear, duration and elongation at different testing cycles. The rig shall do measurements following the SAE-J1459 standard and be able to perform on belts with length between 1000-3300 mm. In addition, the design must be made in accordance with safety regulations and ergonomic aspects. Measurement of Poly-V belts are carried out by straining the belt between to pulleys with a force of 100 N per crossbar. At the project start access was granted to an old measuring rig, which is no longer in use due to not fulfilling the requirements for the measuring procedure. However, it has been used to identify ergonomic and safety gaps. The development of new concepts has then been carried out with those gaps in mind. The design of the new measuring rig is developed by using proven product development methodology, which covers work from idée to completed product. That includes accordance with a pre-study in design methodology, a concept study which deals with a number of concepts, the selection of concepts and an analysis of the technical equipment used in the new design during the product design. The result of the thesis is a completed rig, delivered and ready to use. The rig is capable of measuring ribbed belt length between 1000-3300 mm and up to twelve ribs. Measurement process according to SAE-J1459 can be performed meanwhile the rig is designed with ergonomics and safety aspects. A user manual describing the use of equipment, risks and the actual measurement process step by step is also included with the rig. The report annexes a pre-study of ergonomic and safety, which has been written in the initial phase of the thesis. The pre-study has been used as a guide for the design of the new rig, taking into consideration the existing regulations from different acquis.

Three series copolyesters [poly(butylene succinate-co-propylene succinate) (PBPSu), poly(butylene succinate-co-2-methyl-1,3-propylene succinate) (PBMPSu) and poly(ethylene succinate-co-butylene succinate) (PEBSu)] and their homopolyesters [poly(butylene succinate) (PBSu), poly(ethylene succinate) (PESu), poly(propylene succinate) (PPSu) and poly(2-methyl-1,3-propylene succinate) (PMPSu)] were synthesized by a two-step reaction (esterification and polycondensation) with titanium tetraisopropoxide as the catalyst. Molecular weights of all synthesized polyesters were determined by intrinsic viscosity and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements. The values of intrinsic viscosity (0.97 ~ 1.62 dL/g) and relative molecular weight (2.4x10000 ~ 11.9x10000 g/mol) indicate that these polyesters can be made into films without complications. Compositions and sequence distributions of copolyesters were determined by analyzing the spectra of 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The randomness values of these copolyesters are closed to 1.0 that represents random sequence distribution of the comonomers. Thermal properties and stabilities were characterized using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), respectively. All copolyesters exhibited a single glass transition temperature (Tg). For PBPSu copolyesters, incorporating propylene succinate units to PBSu not only narrows the window between Tg and melting temperature (Tm), but also retards the cold crystallization ability, thereby lowering the crystallinity to a considerable extent. This phenomenon also occurred in PBMPSu and PEBSu copolyesters when the 2-methyl-1,3-propylene succinate (MPS) and butylene succinate (BS) units were incorporated into PBSu and PESu, respectively. Tstart is the temperature of first detectable deviation from the derivative curve of weight loss. Tstarts of all synthesized polyesters around 240 £jC, higher than the temperature of polycondensation reaction (220 £jC), demonstrates that there is no necessity of using a thermal stabilizer during the synthesis of these polyesters. Additionally, the thermal stability does not vary significantly with compositions in the same series polyester. Wide-angle X-ray diffractograms (WAXDs) at room temperature were obtained from polyesters crystallized isothermally at a temperature around 5-20 £jC below their melting temperatures. WAXD patterns of two series polyesters elucidated that the incorporation of PS or MPS units into PBSu markedly inhibits the crystallization behavior of PBSu. The phenomenon also occurred in PEBSu copolyesters when BS units were incorporated into PESu. Results of WAXD and DSC measurements showed that PMPSu is a amorphous polyester. The retarding effect on crystallization by methyl substituents on the polymer chain is efficient.

In this research that we design in the polymer structure containing the core monomer into benzene ring structure for appied on the flexible substrate and the optoelectronic components .Three novel bisphenol monomers have been synthesised successfully and converted to a series of poly(arylene ether)s by nucleophilic displacement reaction with Bis(4-fluorophenyl) sulfone, then we called them:P1, P2 and P3.We can see from the material structure that the steric hindrance of the group connected to the side of the main chain (M2) is larger than the group in the main chain(M1,M3),and the steric hindrance of the longer length of main chain (M3) is smaller than the shorter one(M1) in the polymerization Thermal analysis physics studies with these polymers confirmed by Thermogravimetric analyzer(TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).It is indicated that Td5% of these polymers were 476¢XC~577¢XC in TGA and Tg of these polymers were 264¢XC~290¢XC in DSC. Besides, these polymers were not observed apparent crystallizing point, so we consider that they are not crystallized easily. The transmission spectra of thin film in the visible light region were up to 87%~93%. In drop shape analysis system, the contact angles of them are 85¢X~87¢X, show that they have good hyrophobicity.By above material properties of these polymers, they have high thermal stabilities, high optical transparency and good hydrophobicity.

Amine bis(phenolate) ligands synthesis can be easily prepared by the reaction of a substituted 2-(bromomethyl)phenol, a substituted phenol, potassium carbonate, triethylamine and the appropriate amine to form the desired compounds in high yields and purities. A series of amine bis(phenolate) ligand precursors with group 4 metals and aluminum complexes have been prepared, characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and tested for ring opening polymerisation of £`-caprolactone. Group 4 metals complexes which are shown to be active catalysts for the ROP of £`-caprolactone with excellent conversions and polydispersities. All aluminum compounds as four-coordinate aluminum methyl complexes show excellent catalytic activity toward the ring opening polymerization of £`-caprolactone in the presence of benzyl alcohol. And amine bis(phenolate)s ligand ([tert-ButylONO]2-) bond cleavage with zirconium and hafnium complexes that have been prepared, characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Another zirconium complexes of dianionic amine bis(phenolate) ligands have been synthesized, their X-ray structures solved, and their activity as 1-hexene polymerization catalysts study. Upon treatment with B(C6F5)3, a series of pentacoordinate [ONO]Zr(CH2Ph)2 complex, having no extra donor group, shows only poor activity as a polymerization catalyst. Final reaction of diamine-bis(phenol) ligands containing a mixture of [i-PropylONO]Ti(OiPr)2 in dry THF under RT without exclusion of air and moisture gives {[i-PropylONO]TiO}3 (characterised by X-ray crystallography) is hydrolysed with H2O.

Commonly used thermoplastic biodegradable polymers are generally brittle and lack appreciable elasticity at physiological temperature and thereby fail to mimic the elastic nature of many human soft tissues such as blood vessels. Thus, there is a need for biomaterials which exhibit elasticity. Biodegradable elastomers are promising candidates whose elasticity more closely parallels that of soft tissues. In this research, we developed hybrid biodegradable elastomers comprised of organic and inorganic polymer components in a block copolymer system: poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), respectively. A block structure maintains the distinct properties of the PCL and PDMS components. These elastomers may be useful for the tissue engineering of soft tissues as well as for shape memory polymer (SMP) devices. Tri-block macromers of the form PCLn-block-PDMSm-block-PCLn were developed to permit systematic variations to key features including: PDMS block length, PCL block length, PDMS:PCL ratio, and crosslink density. The macromer was capped with acrylating groups (AcO) to permit their photochemical cure to form elastomers. Thus, a series of biodegradable elastomers were prepared by photocrosslinking a series of macromers in which the PCL blocks varied (n = 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40) and the PDMS block was maintained (m = 37). All elastomers displayed hydrophobic surface properties and high thermal stability. These elastomers demonstrated systematic tuning of mechanical properties as a function of PCL block length or crosslink density. Notable was strains at break as high as 814% making them suitable for elastomeric bioapplications. Elastomers with a critical PCL block length (n = 30 or 40) exhibited shape memory properties. Shape memory polymers based on an organic-inorganic, photocurable silicon-containing polymer system is a first of its kind. This SMP demonstrated strain fixity of 100% and strain recovery near 100% after the third thermomechanical cycle. Transition from temporary to permanent shape was quite rapid (2 sec) and at temperatures near body temperature (60 degrees C). Lastly, porous analogues of the biodegradable elastomers were created using a novel porogen - salt leaching technique. Resulting porous elastomers were designed for tissue engineering scaffolds or shape memory foams.

<p>Degradable polymers have gained an increased attention in the field of biomedical applications over the past decades, for example in tissue engineering. One way of improving the biocompatibility of these polymers is by chemical surface modification, however the risk of degradation during the modification procedure is a limiting factor. In some biomedical applications, for example in nerve guides, a patterned surface is desired to improve the cell attachment and proliferation.</p><p>In this thesis a new non-destructive, single-step, and solvent free method for surface modification of degradable polymers is described. Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) substrates have been functionalized with one of the following vinyl monomers; N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP), acrylamide (AAm), or maleic anhydride (MAH) grafts. The substrates were subjected to a vapor phase atmosphere constituted of a mixture of a vinyl monomer and a photoinitiator (benzophenone) in a closed chamber at very low pressure and under UV irradiation. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) have been surface modified with VP using the same procedure to show the versatility of the method. The wettability of all of the four substrates increased after grafting. The surface compositions were confirmed by ATR-FTIR and XPS. The VP grafted PLLA, PTMC and PLGA substrates have been shown to be good substrates for the normal human cells i.e. keratinocytes and fibroblasts, to adhere and proliferate on. The topography of substrates with well defined nano patterns was preserved during grafting, since the grafted layer is very thin. We have also shown that the method is useful for a simultaneous chemical and topographical modification of substrates by masked vapor phase grafting. The surface topography was determined with SEM and AFM.</p> / <p>Intresset för användningen av nedbrytbara polymerer till biomedicinska applikationer som till exempel vävnads rekonstruktion har ökat avsevärt de senaste decennierna. Ett sätt att öka biokompatibiliteten hos dessa polymerer är genom kemisk ytmodifiering, men risken för nedbrytning under själva modifieringen är en begränsande faktor. I vissa biomedicinska applikationer, till exempel nervguider, är det önskvärt att ha en väldefinierad ytstruktur för att öka vidhäftningen och tillväxten av celler.</p><p>I den här avhandlingen presenteras en ny ickeförstörande, lösningsmedelsfri enstegsprocess för ytmodifiering av nedbrytbara polymerer. Substrat av poly(L-laktid) (PLLA) har ytfunktionaliserats med var och en av följande vinylmonomerer, N-vinylpyrrolidon (VP), akrylamid (AAm) eller maleinsyraanhydrid (MAH). Substraten har exponerats för en gasfasatmosfär av en blandning av en vinylmonomer och en fotoinitiator (bensofenon) i en tillsluten reaktor vid mycket lågt tryck och under UV-strålning. Metodens mångsidighet har även påvisats genom att ytmodifiera substrat av poly(ε-kaprolakton) (PCL), poly(laktid-co-glykolid) (PLGA) och poly(trimetylen karbonat) (PTMC) med VP. Vätbarheten ökade för alla fyra materialen efter ympning med en vinylmonomer. Ytsammansättningen fastställdes med ATR-FTIR och XPS. De VP ympade filmerna av PLLA, PLGA och PTMC visade sig vara bra substrat för mänskliga celler, i detta fall keratinocyter och fibroblaster, att vidhäfta och växa på. Yttopografin hos filmer med väldefinierade nanomönstrade ytor kunde bevaras efter ympning, tack vare att det ympade lagret är så tunt. Gasfas metoden har också visat sig användbar för att simultant ytmodifiera både kemiskt och topografiskt genom maskad gasfasympning. Yttopografin bestämdes med SEM och AFM.</p>

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird der Einfluß der Ladungsdichte des Polyelektrolyts sowie der Molmasse und der Ionenkonzentration der Lösung bei der Adsorption von Poly(vinylformamid) und Poly(vinylamin) an Kieselgel 60 und an Titandioxid unter-sucht. Die Charakterisierung der Polyelektrolyteigenschaften der modifizierten anorganischen Partikel erfolgt mit elektrokinetischen und potentiometrischen Mes-sungen. Es konnte gezeigt werden, daß Poly(vinylamine) mit geringen Ladungs-dichte ein Screening-enhanced-Verhalten zeigen, während bei hoher Ladungsdichte am Polyelektrolyt ein Screening-reduced-Verhalten vorliegt. Der Einfluß der Polymerfunktionalisierung auf die Oberflächenpolarität der Hybridpartikel wurde durch UV-VIS-spektroskopische Bestimmung der ET(30)-Werte nach Reichardt nachgewiesen. Ausgehend von den Ergebnissen der Adsorption von Poly(vinylaminen) wird die Synthese von geladenen Netzwerken auf der Oberfläche der anorganischen Partikel vorgestellt. Die aus wässriger Lösung adsorbierte Polyelektrolytschicht wird dabei in einem zweiten Schritt in einem organischen Lösungsmittel mit bifunktionellen Vernetzermolekülen (4,4´-Diisocyanato)diphenylmethan, Fulleren C60] umgesetzt. Der erfolgreiche Ablauf der Reaktion konnte im Fall des Isocyanats mit Festkörper-NMR-, ESCA- und ATR-FTIR-Messungen nachgewiesen werden. Um die Umsetzung mit Fullerenen nachzuweisen, wurde die EPR-Spektroskopie eingesetzt.

Arbetet syftar till att skapa en prototyp av en textil trycksensor som kan känna av och skilja på olika typer av belastning. En lämplig metod för att på ett vetenskapligt sätt testa sagda prototyp har också utvecklats. Prototypen har tillverkats för hand på en datoriserad vävstol och de ingående materialen är piezoelektrisk poly(vinyldifluorid), PVDF, tvinnad tillsammans med ett konduktivt garn, Shieldex®, samt polyester. När PVDF-fiber utsätts för töjning genererar de en spänning, vars storlek står i relation till töjningen. Den vävda konstruktion som valdes till prototypen är en distansvara där väftinläggen lagts in i 7 olika lager för att skapa volym. Därmed möjliggörs en töjning av PVDF-fibern som relaterar till trycket strukturen utsätts för. För att utvärdera strukturen skapades tre likadana trycksensorer innehållandes fyra PVDF-fiber som lagts in med ett mellanrum på ca 1,5 cm. Dessa prototyper har sedan fästs på en egentillverkad ramp och PVDF- samt Shieldex®-garnet har kopplats in till ett oscilloskop. Därefter har vikter rullats över prototypen för att generera spänning, vilken har kunnat uppmätas med oscilloskopet. De uppmätta resultaten har analyserats och utvärderats med hjälp av Excel. Testerna visade tydligt att spänningen som uppmättes stod i relation till vikternas storlek; högre vikter gav en mätbart större spänning. Det finns dock stor varians bland resultaten och utvärdering av samtliga prover visar på stora standardavvikelser hos samtliga fiber. Detta innebär att även om det är tydligt att ökad vikt medför ökad signal så kan det finnas svårigheter i att avgöra storleken på vikten utifrån den uppmätta spänningen. / The aim of this project was to create a sensor in textile material which can register and recognize different kinds of pressure. A suitable method has been developed in order to scientifically investigate and evaluate the sensitivity of the prototypes. The prototypes have been produced with a computerized hand weave machine and the materials used were polyester and piezoelectric PVDF-fiber, twisted with a conductive yarn, Shieldex®. When a force is applied to the PVDF-fiber, causing an extension of the fiber, a voltage is generated directly related to the applied force. The final prototype is a woven textile with integrated monofilaments and weft inserted in seven different layers to create a voluminous structure. An extension by the PVDF-fiber is there by enabled to occur which is related to the force applied onto the structure. Three equable prototypes were produced, each consisting four separated PVDF-fibers which were inserted with a distance of 1, 5 cm from each other. The prototypes were further attached one by one on a homemade ramp and the PVDF- and Shieldex®-fibers were connected to an oscilloscope. Different weights were then rolled from the top of the ramp, generating a voltage each time it pressures a fiber, which were seen on the computer software of the oscilloscope. The results were afterwards analyzed and evaluated using Excel. A clear relationship between applied force and generated voltage is shown although there is a great variety among the test results on each weight along with large standard deviations. The exact weight generating a specific voltage is therefore difficult to determine.

ABSRACT: This research focuses on two hydrophilic polymers that form hydrogels when they sorb water: Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and Poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PDHPMA). Present work in the field obviated the need to properly characterize the thermal and dielectric properties of these materials.The dielectric permittivity, e', and the loss factor, e", of dry poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) were measured using a dielectric analyzer in the frequency range of 0.1Hz to 100 kHz and between the temperature range of -150 °C to 275°C. The dielectric response of the sub-Tg gamma transition of PHEMA has been widely studied before but little to no DEA data above 50°C is present in the literature. This study is the first to present the full range dielectric spectrum of PHEMA, PDHPMA and their random copolymers up to and above the glass transition region. The electric modulus formalism and several mathematical proofs were used to reveal the gamma, beta, alpha and conductivity relaxations. Dielectric analysis gives insight into the network structure of the polymer; it has been shown through thermal analyses that as the DHPMA content increased in HEMA-DHPMA copolymers the polymer matrix increased in available free volume and facilitated the movement of ions in its matrix. This is of significance as we then investigated the feasibility of using PHEMA, PDHPMA and their random copolymers as materials for a biocompatible coating for an implantable glucose sensor. The biocompatibility of hydrogels can be attributed to the low interfacial tension with biological fluids, high gas permeability, high diffusion of low molecular weight compounds, and reduced mechanical and frictional irritation to surrounding tissue. Once the biocompatibility of the hydrogels was established, the task to coat the polyurethane (PU)/epoxy coated metal glucose sensor was addressed. Plasma polymerization was found to be the most feasible technique for the application of the biocompatible hydrogel as a coating on the implantable glucose sensor. It has also been shown that thermal analysis techniques provide a mode of investigation that can be used to investigate the interfacial interactions of a novel hydroxylated, self-assembled nanoparticle with two functionally different polymers, poly(2-dihydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate).

Currently, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Conventional cancer treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical resection, but unfortunately, all of these methods have significant drawbacks. Hyperthermia, the heating of cancerous tissues to between 41 and 45°C, has been shown to improve the efficacy of cancer therapy when used in conjunction with irradiation and/or chemotherapy. In this work, a novel method for remotely administering heat is presented. This method involves heating of tumor tissue using hydrogel nanocomposites containing magnetic nanoparticles which can be remotely heated upon exposure to an external alternating magnetic field (AMF). The iron oxide nanoparticles contained in the hydrogel nanocomposites are able to heat via an AMF due to Brownian and Neel relaxation processes. The administration of hyperthermia via hydrogel nanocomposites allows for local delivery of heat to tumor tissue while also providing a drug depot to deliver chemotherapeutic agents. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that numerous chemotherapeutic agents, when used in conjunction with hyperthermia, show improved efficacy in treating cancer Various magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized for this work including poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels, which were studied due to their inherent biocompatibility and “stealth” properties, as well as, poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE)-based hydrogels which have tailorable degradation properties. The PEG hydrogels were investigated for their temperature-responsiveness swelling, mechanical strength, heating capabilities, biocompatibility, ability to kill M059K glioblastoma cells via thermoablation, and the ability to deliver paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent. PBAE hydrogels were also characterized for their degradation and swelling properties, ability to heat upon exposure to an AMF, biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and ability to deliver paclitaxel in a controlled fashion. Additionally, multiple cancer cell lines were exposed to a combination of paclitaxel and heat (at 42.5 °C) in vitro and it was shown that A539 lung carcinoma cells exhibit higher cytotoxicity when exposed to both heat and paclitaxel than either treatment alone. Overall, magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites are promising materials that can be utilized for the multi-modality treatment of cancer through the synergistic delivery of both heat and chemotherapeutic agents.