Den förbättrade livsstilen hos människor har stimulerat en ökad efterfrågan på textilier, inklusive användningen av dissolvingmassa. Dissolvingmassa med hög renhet av cellulosainnehåll och unika egenskaper har varit ett attraktivt material inom textilindustrin. Eukalyptusved har i stor utsträckning använts för produktion av dissolvingmassa, särskilt i Indonesien och Brasilien. Eukalyptusved erbjuder flera fördelar såsom högt cellulosainnehåll och snabb tillväxt, vilket gör den till ett idealiskt råmaterial. I den här studien valdes två olika densiteter för eukalyptus, nämligen låg och hög flisbasdensitet, för dissolvingmassanprocessen. En fördjupad kunskap och förståelse av delignifieringsprocessen vid kokning av eukalyptus med dessa två olika densiteter kan användas för att förbättra kokningsegenskaperna, inklusive massautbyte och kvalitet.  Huvudsyftet med denna avhandlingen var att undersöka effekten av flisbasdensiteten hos eukalyptus i dissolvingmassaprocessen. Metoden för dissolvingmassaprocessen följde APRIL företagets process standard. Förhydrolystemperaturen ställdes in på 110°C till 165 °C med en ökning på 2 °C/min, neutraliseringstemperaturen ställdes in på 150 oC och den milda koktemperaturen på 155 oC, medan koncentrationen av kokkemikalien (effektiv alkali 20% och sulfiditet 30%) hölls konstant men H-faktormålen varierades. De fysiska och kemiska egenskaperna hos eukalyptus analyserades och medan den oblekta massan som producerades analyserades vidare för siktat massautbyte, lignininnehåll, pentosan, viskositet och ljusstyrka. Dessutom undersöktes fibermorfologin med SEM och ligninstrukturen undersöktes med 2D-NMR. Resultaten visar att den höga basdensiteten uppvisade överlägsna egenskaper och är en idealisk råvara vid tillverkning av dissolvingmassa. Resultaten av lägre pentosanhalt, associerad med en minskad mängd hemicellulos och en högre S/G-förhållanden, visade sig vara gynnsamma i dissolvingmassaprocessen. Vidare ledde en högre basdensitet hos träflisorna, vilket resulterar i en ökad mängd siktad massautbyte och minskad specifik vedförbrukning, vilket medför betydande positiva ekonomiska effekter och kan även minska logistikkostnaderna. Av den anledningen har eukalyptusträd av hög basdensitet en god potential för framtida utveckling och för storskaliga odlingar. / The improvement in people’s fashion lifestyle has stimulated an increase in textile demand, including the use of dissolving pulp. Dissolving pulp with high purity of cellulose content and unique properties has been an attractive material in the textile industry. Eucalyptus wood has been broadly used in dissolving pulp production, especially in Indonesia and Brazil. Eucalyptus wood offers several advantages such as high cellulose content and rapid growth that make it an ideal raw material. In this study, eucalyptus with low and high basic density, were selected in the dissolving pulp process. Better knowledge and understanding of the cooking delignification process of two different densities of eucalyptus could be used to achieve excellent cooking performance such as pulp yield and quality. The main objective of this thesis was to investigate the impact of chips basic density of eucalyptus in the dissolving pulp process. The dissolving pulp process method followed the APRIL company process standard. The prehydrolysis temperature was set at 110 oC to 165 oC with ramping 2 oC/min, neutralization temperature was set at 150 oC and the mild cooking temperature at 155 oC, while the cooking chemical concentration effective alkali 20% and sulfidity 30% were kept constant but the H-Factor targets were varied. The physical and chemical properties of eucalyptus were analyzed and the unbleached pulp produced was then analyzed for screened pulp yield, lignin content, pentosan, viscosity, and brightness. Furthermore, the fiber morphology was investigated with SEM and the lignin structure was investigated with 2D-NMR. The findings indicate that the high basic density eucalyptus wood exhibited superior behaviors and demonstrated ideal raw material in dissolving pulp production. The results of lower pentosan levels attributed to lower hemicellulose content, and higher S/G ratio were favorable in the dissolving pulp process. Moreover, the higher basic density of the wood chips resulting in higher screened pulp yield and achieved lower specific wood consumption have a huge positive economy. Additionally, it can lower the logistics cost. Hence, high basic density eucalyptus wood has good potential for future development and larger plantations.

This thesis investigates the challenges and opportunities of recycling PA6-GF30, a glass-filled polyamide, to address the pressing environmental concerns surrounding polymer waste. Through a collaboration between Thule Group and Jönköping University, it aims to understand how the properties of recycled materials evolve over time and reprocessing cycles, proposing practical methods for their utilization in sustainable manufacturing practices. Thule Group's commitment to reducing emissions entails transitioning to sustainable materials, particularly through increased use of recycled engineering materials like PA6-GF30, to lower the carbon footprint of products, emphasizing the importance of maintaining product quality and safety while exploring the effects of recycled materials on mechanical properties. Through producing and testing post-industrial and post-consumer samples added to virgin PA6-GF30 with varying ratios, comparison with the commercially available polymers was conducted. In total, 15 different mixtures of pellets of different quantity and quality of recycled composites were investigated with tensile test and impact test, moreover the fibers of some batches were filtrated from the matrix and the fiber aspect ratio was examined with the help of an optical microscope. Results illustrated that recycled polymers generally showed more mechanical property degradation as the ratio of recycled polymers were increased. Furthermore, adding the same amount of post-consumer regrinds as opposed to post-industrial was more detrimental to the overall mechanical performance. Post-industrial composite regrinds performed 11,3% worse in UTS, meanwhile post-consumer regrinds dropped by 25,5% in the same characteristic when the samples made of 100% recycled materials were compared to the virgin composite.  The reason behind this phenomenon was investigated and supported by microscopy. One of them is the natural aging of the material that operates through chain scission, that slowly makes that polymer stiffer and weaker. The other and more dominant reason is the damage taken by the fibers, that create numerous stress concentration sites at fiber ends, within the structure, ultimately damaging the fiber-matrix interface.

Det elektriska isolationssystemet för stora roterande maskiner består av ett kompositmaterial av glimmertejp och ett värmehärdande harts. Hartset hjälper till att mekaniskt stabilisera lindningsstrukturen i statorn samt ersätter luftinneslutningar i isolationssystemet för att undertrycka bildandet av elektriska urladdningar. Vakuumtryckimpregneringsprocessen (VPI) är den föredragna tekniken för att impregnera glimmerisolationen med det värmehärdande hartset. Hartset som används i VPI-processen är sammansatt av flera nyckelkomponenter, inklusive den härdbara polymeren, härdare som deltar i tvärbindning, reaktiva utspädningsmedel för förbättrade processegenskaper och ytterligare tillsatser som katalysatorer och stabilisatorer. Olika hartskemier har använts under åren för VPI-processen. Det finns dock betydande farhågor när det gäller påverkan på miljö- och arbetshälsa för några av dessa komponenter. Den ökade medvetenheten om de skadliga effekterna av olika kemikalier har drivit på arbetet med att utveckla hartser med reducerade flyktiga organiska föreningar som kan vara skadliga för såväl miljön som de som hanterar hartset i stora mängder. Dessutom har stränga EU-regler klassificerat vissa härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel som ’substances of very high concern’, vilket har lett till ett stort behov av att hitta alternativ för dessa föreningar. Detta examensarbete består av en litteraturstudie som har genomförts med hänsyn till de önskade egenskaperna för VPI-hartser för att utvärdera potentiella kandidater som alternativ till härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel. Fyra olika impregneringshartser har tagits i beaktande som alternativ. Olika härdningskinetikparametrar har uppmätts med olika karakteriseringstekniker såsom infraröd spektroskopi av Fouriertransform i realtid, reologi och differentiell scanningkalorimetri. Eftersom de termiska, elektriska och mekaniska egenskaperna är nödvändiga för att säkerställa långvarig livslängd för industriellt nyttjade roterande maskiner, har olika egenskaper studerats genom att utföra dynamisk mekanisk analys, drag- och böjningstestning samt dielektrisk spektroskopi, genom att härda hartserna under lämpliga tids- och temperaturförhållanden. Alla de fyra hartserna visade varierande härdningskinetikparametrar och egenskaper som har korrelerats till hartskemin samt att hartsernas egenskaper har utvärderats i jämförelse med varandra. / The electrical insulation system for large rotating machines consists of a composite material of mica tape and a thermosetting resin. The resin helps in mechanically stabilizing the winding structure in the stator as well as replaces air inclusions in the insulation system to suppress the formation of discharges. Vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) is the preferred technique to impregnate this mica tape with the thermosetting resin. The resin used in VPI process is composed of several key components, including the thermoset polymer, a hardener that participates in crosslinking, reactive diluents for improved processability and and additional additives like catalysts and stabilizers. Different chemistries have been used over the years for the VPI process. However, there are significant concerns regarding the environmental and occupational health and safety of some of these components.  The increasing awareness of the harmful effects of various chemicals has driven efforts to develop resins with reduced volatile organic compounds which can be detrimental to both the environment as well as those who are handling the resin in large quantities. Furthermore, stringent EU regulations have classified some hardeners and reactive diluents as substances of very high concern which has resulted in pressing need to find alternatives for these compounds.  This thesis, thus, consists of a literature study which has been performed taking the desired properties for VPI resins into consideration to evaluate potential candidates as alternatives for hardeners, and reactive diluents. Four different chemistries of impregnation have been taken into consideration as alternatives. Different curing kinetics parameters have been measured by different characterization techniques such as real time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheology, and differential scanning calorimetry. As the thermal, electric, and mechanical factors are necessary to ensure long term lifespan of industrial machines, different properties have been studied by performing dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile and flexural testing as well as dielectric spectroscopy by curing the resins under appropriate time and temperature conditions. All the four resins showed varied curing kinetics parameters and properties which have been correlated to the chemistry involved in the resin as well as evaluated in comparison to each other.

I fordonsindustrin är kemisk renlighet ett grundläggande kriterium för att säkerställa kvaliteten och hållbarheten hos den slutliga produkten. Kemisk renlighet kan defineras som den maximala nivån av kemiska föroreningar (t.ex. olja, fett, ytaktiva ämnen, kemikalier, etc.) som är tillåten på ytan av en produkt, men som tillåter produkten att fortfarande fungera som normalt. En ren yta fri från kemiska föreningar kommer således att säkerställa en robust binding mellan olika substrat. Syftet med den här rapporten är att undersöka och fastställa en kvantiativ method för att utvärdera kemisk renlighet för Formed in Place Gaskets (FIGP). De instrument som kommer att användas för att analysera nivån av kemisk kontaminering (rengöringsmedel) är: F-Scanner, SITA CleanoSpector och Krüss MSA One-Click SFE Mobile Analyzer. För att anvgöra hur nivån av kontaminering (rengöringsmedel) påverkar silikonens tätningsförmåga kommer dolly pull-off adhesionsprov och dragprov att användas. Resultatet visar att F-Scanner och SITA CleanoSpector kan skilja mellan olika nivåer av kontaminering (rengöringsmedel). Dock kan det från dolly pull-off adhesionsprov och dragprov inte dras någon slutsats om att en högre koncentration av kontaminering (rengöringsmedel) leder till en lägreadhesionsstyrka. / In the automotive industry chemical cleanliness is a fundamental criterion for ensuring the quality and durability of the final product. Chemical cleanliness can be defined as the maximum level of chemical contaminants (e.g. oil, grease, surfactants, chemical residues, etc.) permitted on the surface of a part, that still allows the part to function as normal. Hence, a clean surface that is free of chemical contaminants will ensure a robust adhesive bond between different substrates. The following thesis aims to investigate and establish a quantitative method to evaluate chemical cleanliness applicable to Formed in Place Gaskets (FIGP). Different instruments: F-Scanner, SITA CleanoSpector, and Krüss MSA One- Click SFE Mobile Analyzer, for surface analysis will be investigated and used to determine the level of chemical contamination (detergent) on the surface. To determine how the level of contamination (detergent) affects the adhesion properties of sealant, the dolly pull-off adhesion test and tensile test will be used. The results show that the F-Scanner and SITA CleanoSpector can distinguish between different levels of contamination (detergent). However, from the dolly pull-off adhesion test and tensile test, it cannot be concluded that a higher concentration of contamination (detergent) leads to a decrease in the adhesion strength of the sealant.

Cellulose Nano Fibrils (CNFs) can be extracted from wood and other plants. These CNFs are expected to play a large roll in future materials owing to their interesting properties and biobased nature. In this project, dewatering of gels made from CNF by non-confined mechanical pressing has been studied. A CNF suspension was gelled by the addition of HCl at pH 2 to form gel cakes and then pressed mechanically. The goal was to find the pressure limits of the gel cakes for different starting concentrations, in weight percentage [wt%], of CNF to optimize the pressure used when dewatering CNF gels. The non-confined pressing was achieved via the useof a Zwick/Roell Torsion multi-axis testing system. Gel cakes were pressed until a pressing equilibrium was reached. Equilibrium was reached when compression was less than 0.01 mm per 100 seconds. Gel cakes were frozen with liquid N2, freeze-dried, and analysed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results observed from the pressing data showed that gel cakes with higher CNF starting concentrations could survive higher pressures. Using the highest pressure available, at the pressure limit, yielded both the shortest run time and the highest dryness content. SEM imaging showed that the compression of the gel cakes starts at the surfaces and continuous inwards through the bulk. The mechanical pressure creates sheets of CNF both vertically and horizontally. By plotting the starting concentrations vs applied pressure a limit map with pressure regions could be created. From the limit map further optimization can be achieved to shorten the dewatering process of the CNF gels.

No description available.

Syftet med projektet var att samla in återvunnen polyeten och omvandla den till återvinningsbara högstyrke-härdplaster genom att designa ett kovalent anpassningsbart nätverk för det. Återvunnen polyeten samlades in och ympades med maleinsyraanhydrid genom reaktiv extrudering och en friradikalmekanism, vilket sedan tvärbands med laboratoriesyntetiserad polyimid. Den resulterande tvärbundna blandningen bearbetades genom formsprutning, och tester visade att den förväntade reaktionen hade utförts framgångsrikt och de mekaniska egenskaperna förbättrades avsevärt. Materialet bearbetades också om för att testa dess återvinningsbarhet och denna process samt analysen av materialet efteråt visade också lovande resultat. / The aim of the project was to collect recycled polyethylene and transform it into recyclable high-strength thermosets by designing a covalent adaptable network. Recycled polyethylene was collected and grafted with maleic anhydride through reactive extrusion and free radical mechanism, which was then cross-linked with laboratory synthesized polyimide. The resulting cross-linked blend was processed using injection molding, and testing showed that the expected reaction had been carried out successfully and mechanical properties were significantly enhanced. The material was also reprocessed to test its recyclability and this process and analysis of material after it showed promising results as well.

The increasing worldwide demand for more eco-friendly materials with improved tribo- logical properties has expanded the interest in research on polymer as an alternative for conventional metal/metal contacts under dry lubrication. Specifically, UHMWPE, a semi-crystalline polymer, has shown interesting tribological properties for low demanding applications, allied with excellent recyclability, manufacturability and low cost. Though, its limited working temperature range and wear resistance claims reinforcements to modulate these drawbacks. Metal sulfides, such as MoS2 and SnS2 are well-known 2D materials with outstanding thermal, mechanical and tribological properties which have the potential to increase the range of applicability of UHMWPE. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the influence of metal sulfide-based micro-particles on UHMWPE-based composites properties under reciprocating movement and to determine further acknowledgements about the mechanisms involved. The results showed that the incorporation of fillers im- proved in hardness and wettability, whereas thermal properties were conserved. Though, it is noted that chemical degradation processes (oxidation and un-saturation reactions) that occurred during the manufacturing negatively influenced the composite’s tribological response. Higher reinforcement weight percentages (10%) promoted metal-sulfides agglomeration, increased degradation and ultimately diminished wear resistance. Overall, optimizing the amount of filler in the matrix at 5 wt% provided its homogeneous dispersion and a good interface with the matrix, leading to enhancement in wear resistance up to 62%. Indeed, the incorporation of metal-sulfide based materials in the UHMWPE matrix revealed an excellent solution where wear resistance improvements are needed.

Plastics contribute 2 GTons to the global carbon footprint, today, several countries have set targets to achieve carbon neutrality. Plastics, being a major contributor to global carbon footprint, would need to be reduced significantly from our daily life to achieve that or a way needs to be devised to recycle them. A big bottleneck in this process is to reduce the consumption of thermosetting plastics or to reduce the emissions associated with plastic and move towards economical and environmentally safe plastics having a longer lifespan and efficient recyclability. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the most commonly used 3D printed technology available today. Its applications range from production of prototypes to hollow shafts, and fully functional commercial components. This technology is revolutionary in a sense that it offers advantages such as cheaper raw materials, high degree of customizability, production in smaller batches at lower costs, decrease in material wastage, rapid prototyping, and complex geometry. A number of thermoplastic polymers can be used with FFF technology to produce parts, in addition research is on going to print materials not commonly used for FFF process. Polyoxymethylene (POM) could be a viable option for utilization as FFF basestock for the production of tribologically functional components. POM is an engineering thermoplastic that offers high resistance to wear, low friction, excellent impact resistance, and good chemical resistance. These properties render it suitable for production of gear wheels and low load bearings. It is currently processed using traditional manufacturing methods such as injection and compression moulding, while its printability has received very little attention in the openly available literature. An attempt has been made in this thesis to fill up this research gap by providing insight into POM filament quality, and the thermal, mechanical, and tribological behaviour of POM printed parts. The influence of overfill and layer height on the bulk properties of the printed samples, its play with counterface surface roughness and applied load has also been investigated.

Degradation of steel pipes in district heating systems is often a result of corrosion processes. To maintain the power in the systems the pipes gets replaced when they have been worn-out, resulting in high cost and long service time due to excavation. A more affordable and time- effective method is known to be relining which implies renovation and facing of the already existing pipes. This thesis covers an initial review of the applicability of a polyamide curing solvent-free epoxy based relining for lifetime extension of corroded pipes in Stockholm Exergi's pipeline network. The research study is comprised of a literature search focusing on the permeability properties of epoxy coatings, an experimental part where the actual coating was tested for defined parameters similar to the prevailing ones in the system of Stockholm Exergi and finally an evaluation of the usability of the coating. Critical parameters such as the adhesion between the coating and the steel substrate, the sorption of water within the coating and the emit of Bisphenol A were carefully investigated during the analysis. Analysis methods such as pull of test, TGA, DSC and GC-MS were utilized in order to investigate the critical parameters. The adhesion between the coating and the substrate was found to be inadequate for the purpose, the TGA and DSC analysis showed a time-dependent increasing water sorption when exposure to 120 °C. At a higher temperature of 190 °C the sorption decreased. It was concluded that the coating cured at higher exposure temperatures which implied higher degree of conversion and thus a more brittle epoxy matrix. Additionally, the hydrophobicity decreased during 28 days of exposure, at both 120 °C and 190 °C, which can be supposed to affect the flow in the pipeline system during service. It can be stated that a spray coating consisting a polyamide curing solvent-free epoxy will not answer to a total solution for a lifetime extension for the pipes in Stockholm Exergi's pipeline network. An extended investigation regarding the exterior isolation of the pipes is suggested in order to circumvent the most critical breakdowns due to corrosion.