Master of Science / Department of Grain Science / Rebecca Miller / Hard winter wheat flour is predominantly used for bread production. Optimal dough handling properties are critical in commercial bread production. Variation in flour water absorption tolerance dramatically affects dough handling. Understanding the factors which affect water absorption tolerance and the influences of genotype, environment, and their interaction on those factors will improve breeding efforts and production practices to improve the quality of bread wheat. A previous study found the γ-gliadin protein fraction correlated highly with water absorption tolerance. The objectives of this study were to confirm the effect of γ-gliadin and investigate the effects of genetics and environment on water absorption tolerance. Nineteen hard winter wheat cultivars consisting of released varieties and experimental breeding lines from the Pacific Northwest grown in 2011 in 2 locations in Oregon (Pendleton and Arlington) were obtained. Quality evaluations including flour yield, test weight, kernel weight, kernel diameter, and kernel hardness were conducted on the wheat kernels and water absorption tolerance, protein content, moisture content, ash content, Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC), starch damage, and protein composition analyses were preformed on the resulting flours. The mixograph water absorption tolerance behavior of each sample was ranked as high, medium or low. Farnum and OR2080156H grown at Arlington had the highest water absorption tolerance range (1.6mL) while Farnum, Eddy, Paladin and OR2080227H grown at Pendleton exhibited the lowest interval (0.4mL). No wheat or flour parameters measured showed high correlation with water absorption tolerance. Moderate correlation was observed between water absorption tolerance and kernel weight (r = 0.39), kernel diameter (r = 0.37), starch damage (r = 0.33), and the extractable and unextractable polymeric protein fractions (r = 0.32).

The integrating cavity absorption meter (ICAM) has been used successfully to measure the low absorption coefficient of pure water. The ICAM produces an effective total path length of several meters or even longer, although the physical size of the instrument is only several centimeters. The long effective total path length ensures a high sensitivity that enables the ICAM to measure liquid mediums with low absorption. Compared to the conventional transmission type of instruments that were used to measure the same medium with the same path length, the ICAM eliminates the effect of scattering by introducing isotropic illumination in the medium, and consequently measures the true absorption coefficient of the medium in stead of the attenuation coefficient. The original ICAM was constructed with Spectralon and used in the wavelength range from 380 nm to 700 nm. Later studies showed that Spectralon is not suitable for measurements in the UV region because of its relatively lower reflectivity in this region and, even worse, the continuously decaying reflectivity under the exposure to UV radiation. Thus, we have developed a new way to construct the ICAM utilizing the material fumed silica. The resulting ICAM has a high sensitivity even in the UV region and doesn't have the deterioration problem. The measurement results from the new ICAM are in good agreement with the existing results. The absorption coefficients of pure water at wavelengths between 250 nm and 400 nm are presented here.

Yes / Test results of nine recycled aggregate concretes and a control concrete using only natural aggregates are reported. The recycled aggregates used were classified into three different types according to their measured specific gravity and water absorption, namely, RG I for recycled coarse aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.53 and water absorption of 1.9%; RG III for recycled coarse aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.4 and water absorption of 6.2%; and RS II for recycled fine aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.36 and water absorption of 5.4%. The replacement levels of both recycled coarse and fine aggregates were 30, 50, and 100% in separate mixtures. Slump loss and the amount of bleeding with time were recorded for fresh concrete. Compressive and tensile strengths, moduli of rupture and elasticity, and unrestrained shrinkage strain were also measured for hardened concrete. The properties of fresh and hardened concrete tested, together with a comprehensive database reported in the literature, were evaluated with respect to the relative water absorption of aggregates combining the quality and volume of recycled aggregates used. In addition, the properties of hardened concrete with different replacement levels and quality of recycled aggregates were compared with the design equations of ACI 318-05 and empirical equations proposed by Oluokun for natural aggregate concrete, whenever possible. Test results clearly showed that the properties of fresh and hardened concrete containing recycled aggregates were dependent on the relative water absorption of aggregates. In addition, the moduli of rupture and elasticity of recycled aggregate concrete were lower than the design equations specified in ACI 318-05, when the relative water absorption of aggregates is above 2.5% and 3.0%, respectively.

Electrospinning produces submicron fibers from a wide range of polymer/solvent systems that enable a variety of different applications. In electrospinning process, a straight polymer/solvent charged jet is initially formed, followed by a circular moving jet in the shape of a cone, called the bending region. The process physics in the bending region are difficult to study since the jet diameter cannot be measured directly due to its rapid motion and small size (~microns and smaller), and due to complex coupling of multiple forces, mass transport, and changing jet geometry. Since the solutions studied are hydrophilic, they readily absorb ambient moisture. This thesis explores the role of the bending region in determining the resulting electrospun fiber diameter through a combined experimental and modeling analysis for a variety of hydrophilic polymer/solvent solutions. Electrospinning experiments were conducted over a broad range of operating conditions for 4 different polymer/solvent systems. Comparison of the final straight jet diameters to fiber diameters reveals that between 30% to 60% jet thinning occurs in the bending region. These experiments also reveal that relative humidity significantly affects the electrospinning process and final fiber diameter, even for non-aqueous solutions. A model is developed to obtain insight into the bending region process physics. Important ones include understanding the mass transport for non-aqueous hydrophilic jets (including solvent evaporation and water absorption on the jet surface, radial diffusion, and axial advection), and the coupling between the mass and force balances that determines the final fiber diameter. The absorption and evaporation physics is validated by evaporation experiments. The developed model predicts fiber diameter to within of 8%, even though the solution properties and operating conditions that determines net stretching forces and net evaporation rates vary over a large range. Model analysis reveals how the net evaporation rate affects the jet length and net stretching force, both of which ultimately determine the fiber diameter. It is also shown that the primary impact of RH on the process is through occupation of the surface states that limits solvent evaporation rate, rather than the amount of water absorbed. Correlation functions between process conditions, solution properties and the resulting fiber diameters are discussed.

Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) have developed an optical biosensor that can quickly analyze a sample to detect any type of nucleic acid based organism, such as viruses or bacteria. The biosensor's reliability over time is compromised due to water absorbing into the SiO2 waveguides of the chip. It was hypothesized that keeping the thin-film stress of the waveguides close to zero would slow or stop water absorption from occurring. Completion of this thin-film study relied upon a new plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) machine and a new 3-D optical profilometer, both of which were installed in the BYU cleanroom. The new PECVD machine was much more capable than previous machines at controlling deposition parameters and was a critical component in accurately controlling the intrinsic stress of deposited films. The 3-D optical profilometer provided us a way to accurately measure the intrinsic stress of the films. Rib waveguides made from different stressed SiO2 films were fabricated over anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) layers. The wafers were baked out, cleaved, and their initial throughputs recorded. All waveguides were placed in a humid environment and were removed periodically to check their optical throughput. The resulting measurements were normalized to the highest measured throughput to determine how throughput was changing over time. Rib waveguides with the lowest stressed SiO2 had the slowest rate of throughput change, dropping to 50% of the original throughput after 40 days in the humid environment. The +50 MPa stressed waveguides performed next best, dropping to 20% of the original throughput after 40 days. The +100 MPA stressed waveguides dropped to 20% throughput after 16 days while the -50 MPa stressed wafers dropped to 20% optical throughput after 7 days. Keeping the stress of the film as low as possible helped reduce the rate of water absorption, but did not eliminate it completely. A method involving the use of high index difference buried channel waveguides is shown to be effective at stopping the effects of water absorption in our waveguides.

[pt] O uso indiscriminado de polímeros derivados do petróleo como matériaprima tem resultado no acúmulo de resíduos de lenta biodegradabilidade nos aterros sanitários, pois os plásticos convencionais levam cerca de meio século para serem degradados. Diante desse cenário, o estudo de polímeros derivados de fontes renováveis, os biopolímeros, é totalmente relevante e, em muitos casos, os polímeros derivados do petróleo podem ser substituídos por biopolímeros. Pesquisas apontam a escova dental como um produto ideal para sofrer esta mudança, por ser um produto de uso pessoal rapidamente descartado e por ser, geralmente, produzido a partir do polipropileno (PP), polímero que apresenta lenta biodegradabilidade. Dessa forma, este trabalho multidisciplinar tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um protótipo de escova dental fabricado em poliuretano derivado do óleo de mamona, bem como a caracterização desse material a partir de ensaios de absorção de água e de saliva artificial, análise térmica dinâmico-mecânica (DMTA) e ensaios mecânicos de tração, estabelecendo uma comparação com o PP. A partir dos ensaios pode-se concluir que o PU derivado de mamona apresentou absorção de saliva superior à de água e esta, por sua vez, superior ao PP. Com relação a tração, o PP superou o PU em todos os aspectos, mostrando-se um material mais resistente e de maior rigidez. Contudo, concluiu-se que com algumas alterações no design, uma escova fabricada em PU derivado do óleo de mamona pode alcançar a mesma carga de ruptura e rigidez estrutural de uma escova convencional. / [en] Indiscriminate use of raw materials by various industries such as polymers from petroleum has been causing an ever-increasing accumulation of slow biodegrading residue materials in sanitary pits. Many modern life utensils are made out of conventional plastic that are estimated to take up to half a century to decompose. In view of this situation, the study of polymers from renewable sources, the biopolymers, is key in the search for alternatives that may decrease the damaging effects on the environment. Petroleum based polymers can in many instances be replaced by biopolymers. Amongst such products, research has been indicating that toothbrush manufacturing can make use of alternative materials. A toothbrush is a personal hygiene device that should be used for relatively short periods. It is commonly made out of polypropylene (PP), a polymer with slow biodegrading characteristics. This study uses a multidisciplinary approach and its objective is the development of a toothbrush handle made out of polyurethane derived from castor oil. Water and artificial saliva absorption, DMTA and traction experiments were carried out to compare chemical and mechanical properties of traditional polypropylene and castor oil polyurethane toothbrushes. From the tests we can conclude that the derivative of castor oil PU showed absorption of saliva superior to water and also superior to PP. With respect to traction, the PP over the PU in all aspects and is a material more resistant and more rigid. However, it was concluded that with some changes in design, a brush made of PU derivative of castor oil might reach the same tensile strength and structural rigidity of a conventional toothbrush.

Epoxy resins are widely used materials in the industry as electrical insulators, adhesives and in aircrafts structural components because of their high mechanical stiffness, strength and high temperature and chemical resistance properties. But still, the influence of water uptake due to moisture adsorption is not fully understood as it detrimentally modifies the electrical and chemical properties of the material. Here ,we investigate the influence of water moisture uptake on the neat epoxy material by monitoring the change in the volume resistivity and dielectric properties of epoxy material at three different thickness configurations: 0.250 mm, 0.50 mm and 1 mm thicknesses. Gravimetric analysis was done to monitor the mass uptake behaviour, Volume Resistivity was measured to monitor the change in conductivity of the material, and the dielectric properties were mapped to characterise the type of water mechanism available within the material during two ageing processes of sorption and desorption. Two-stage behaviours of diffusion and reaction have been identified by the mass uptake analysis. Moreover, the plot of volume resistivity versus mass uptake has indicated a non-uniform relationship between the two quantities. However, the analysis of the dielectric spectrum at medium range of frequency and time has showed a change in the dipolar activities and also showed the extent to which the water molecules can be segregated between bounding to the resin or existing as free water

The objective of this research was to investigate the hydrophilic and mechanical properties of kenaf fiber treated with vinyl tris(2-ethoxymethoxy) silane (VTEMS) and the resulting fiber/resin composite. The hypothesis was that silane-modified kenaf fibers, when used to make Sheet Molding Compounds (SMCs), would improve the water resistance and mechanical properties compared to unmodified kenaf fibers, and these potentially improved SMCs may be a useful material for the automotive and other industries. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the modified fibers and the resulting SMCs, and some silica-lignocellulosic bonding was observed. The water absorption of composites decreased as the loading of the silane reagent increased. The MOR and MOE mechanical properties of the SMCs also initially improved as the silane reagent levels increased from 0 (untreated) to 10% silane, but at levels above 10% VTEMS no further enhancement in the mechanical properties was obtained.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Jon M. Faubion / Rebecca Miller / Water absorption tolerance is an important parameter in commercial bread production. Hard winter wheat (HWW) flours have shown different water absorption tolerance behaviors in routine wheat quality analysis. Flours with high water absorption tolerance allow broader variation in water addition without affecting optimum dough conditions. Although studies have demonstrated that genotype and environmental factors affect optimum water absorption, mixing time and dough strength, there is no research defining or quantifying water absorption tolerance behavior or explaining reasons and factors affecting such behavior and its correlation with end product quality. Using the mixograph®, this study identified high and low absorption tolerance behaviors in five HRW varieties (Jagger, Jagalene, Fuller, 2137 and Overley) grown in six locations (Finney, Labette, Republic, Thomas, Riley and Sumner Counties) in Kansas, during crop year 2009. Milling, wheat and flour quality tests, Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC), damaged starch, protein composition and identification, flour and starch particle size distribution and bread baking tests were conducted and analyzed. Jagger grown at Finney County possessed the largest water absorption tolerance range while the smallest range was observed for Fuller grown at Riley and Sumner Counties. A positive high correlation was observed between water absorption tolerance and the following parameters: protein content, kernel hardness, extractable polymeric proteins, unextractable polymeric proteins, gliadins and flour particle size (41-300 μm). SDS PAGE and proteomic analyses determined that γ-gliadins were present in a significantly higher concentration in the high tolerance sample suggesting that these proteins play a primary role in water absorption tolerance behavior. The five wheat varieties grown at locations with high and low water absorption tolerance were blended together by location and test baked at three different absorption levels. Loaf volume varied between flours but did not vary between different water levels. It is unclear if this was an effect of the differing protein contents of the blends, water tolerance or both. However, a negative effect on crumb grain characteristics was observed when lower water levels were used.

Uma condutividade evanescente, dependente do tempo, tem sido detectada nos filmes de PVDF da BembergFolien. Após muitos ciclos de polarização e despolarização, a corrente de absorção torna-se fortemente reduzida, para o mesmo nível das correntes de despolarização. Esta condutividade é facilmente observada, aparecendo na corrente de polarização pela aplicação de altos campos. É observada recuperação em amostras deixadas em atmosfera úmida. Nós interpretamos estas observações como sendo uma limpeza, pelo campo elétrico, dos íons gerados por uma acentuação da dissociação de moléculas de água absorvida no volume, pela ação deste campo. / A time dependent evanescent conductivity has been detected in BembergFoliem PVDF films. After many polarization-depolarization cycles, the absorption current became strongly reduced, to the same level as the depolarization one. It is easily seen at higher fields by a bump appearing in the polarization current Recovering is observed in samples left in humid atmosphere. We have interpreted these observations as an electric field ion cleaning of an electric field enhanced dissociation of bulk absorbed water molecules.