Rigid zeolite containing polyurethane foams

DOEpatents

Frost, C.B.

1984-05-18

A closed cell rigid polyurethane foam has been prepared which contains up to about 60% by weight of molecular sieves capable of sorbing molecules with effective critical diameters of up to about 10 A. The molecular sieve component of the foam can be preloaded with catalysts or with reactive compounds that can be released upon activation of the foam to control and complete crosslinking after the foam is formed. The foam can also be loaded with water or other flame-retarding agents, after completion. Up to about 50% of the weight of the isocyanate component of the foam can be replaced by polyimide resin precursors for incorporation into the final polymeric network.

Polyfibroblast: A Self-Healing and Galvanic Protection Additive

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-27

moisture-cured polyurethane -urea (MCPU). When scratched, the foaming action of a propellant ejects the resin from the broken tubes and completely fills...experiments have reinforced the prevailing view that the existing microcapsule recipe is difficult to improve upon. Recipes with faster reaction rates

Chemical Warfare Agent Decontamination Foaming Composition and Method

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-03-22

Drumgoole et al. The Drumgoole patent discloses an inflatable, portable apparatus having an aqueous foam for substantially mitigating the 15 effects...by weight to about 25% by weight. Exemplary 10 foaming components include AFFF manufactured by 3M of St. Paul, Minnesota, Knockdown manufactured...amines, amino alcohols and polyamines. For example, when the foam is water-based, the corrosion inhibitor also may be used as a solvent, as described

Composite Sandwich Structures for Shock Mitigation and Energy Absorption

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-28

analysis of the blast performance of foam -core, composite sandwich panels was that on a per unit areal weight density basis, lighter and more crushable... foam cores offered greater blast resistance and energy absorption than the heavier and stronger foam cores. This was found to be the case even on an...absolute weight basis for cuNed sandwich panels and panels subjected to underwater blast. 15. SUBJECT TERMS composite; foam -core sandwich; blast

Drop Weight Impact Behavior of Al-Si-Cu Alloy Foam-Filled Thin-Walled Steel Pipe Fabricated by Friction Stir Back Extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Nakano, Yukiko; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2017-02-01

In this study, Al-Si-Cu alloy ADC12 foam-filled thin-walled stainless steel pipes, which exhibit metal bonding between the ADC12 foam and steel pipe, were fabricated by friction stir back extrusion. Drop weight impact tests were conducted to investigate the deformation behavior and mechanical properties of the foam-filled pipes during dynamic compression tests, which were compared with the results of static compression tests. From x-ray computed tomography observation, it was confirmed that the fabricated foam-filled pipes had almost uniform porosity and pore size distributions. It was found that no scattering of the fragments of collapsed ADC12 foam occurred for the foam-filled pipes owing to the existence of the pipe surrounding the ADC12 foam. Preventing the scattering of the ADC12 foam decreases the drop in stress during dynamic compression tests and therefore improves the energy absorption properties of the foam.

Synergistic effect of high and low molecular weight molecules in the foamability and foam stability of sparkling wines.

PubMed

Coelho, Elisabete; Reis, Ana; Domingues, M Rosário M; Rocha, Sílvia M; Coimbra, Manuel A

2011-04-13

The foam of sparkling wines is a key parameter of their quality. However, the compounds that are directly involved in foam formation and stabilization are not yet completely established. In this work, seven sparkling wines were produced in Bairrada appellation (Portugal) under different conditions and their foaming properties evaluated using a Mosalux-based device. Fractionation of the sparkling wines into four independent fractions, (1) high molecular weight material, with molecular weight higher than 12 kDa (HMW), (2) hydrophilic material with molecular weigh between 1 and 12 kDa (AqIMW), (3) hydrophobic material with molecular weigh between 1 and 12 kDa (MeIMW), and (4) hydrophobic material with a molecular weight lower than 1 kDa (MeLMW), allowed the observation that the wines presenting the lower foam stability were those that presented lower amounts of the MeLMW fraction. The fraction that presented the best foam stability was HMW. When HMW is combined with MeLMW fraction, the foam stability largely increased. This increase was even larger, approaching the foam stability of the sparkling wine, when HMW was combined with the less hydrophobic subfraction of MeLMW (fraction 3). Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) of fraction 3 allowed the assignment of polyethylene glycol oligomers (n = 5-11) and diethylene glycol 8-hydroxytridecanoate glyceryl acetate. To observe if these molecules occur in sparkling wine foam, the MeLMW was recovered directly from the sparkling wine foam and was also analyzed by ESI-MS/MS. The presence of monoacylglycerols of palmitic and stearic acids, as well as four glycerylethylene glycol fatty acid derivatives, was observed. These surface active compounds are preferentially partitioned by the sparkling wine foam rather than the liquid phase, allowing the inference of their role as key components in the promotion and stabilization of sparkling wine foam.

Quality control of concrete at the stage of designing its composition and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudyakov, A.; Prischepa, I.; Kiselev, D.; Prischepa, B.

2016-01-01

The results of tests on samples of foam concrete with a hardening accelerator are presented. As the setting and hardening accelerators the following chemical additives were used: Universal-P-2 and Asilin 12. All additives were added into the insulating foam concrete mix of brand D 400 in the amount of 0.5% to 1% of cement weight. By using of additives in foam concrete technology - hardening accelerators Asilin 12 and Universal P2 in the amount of 0.5 % - and 1.0% by weight of cement foam concrete structure formation is accelerated and increases strength by 60%. For the industrial preparation of foam concrete mix technological regulations are worked out, in which it is recommended to use additives - hardening accelerators Asilin 12 in the amount of 0.5% and Universal P2 - 1% of cement weight.

Structural assessment of metal foam using combined NDE and FEA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Young, Philippe G.; Rauser, Richard W.

2005-05-01

Metal foams are expected to find use in structural applications where weight is of particular concern, such as space vehicles, rotorcraft blades, car bodies or portable electronic devices. The obvious structural application of metal foam is for light weight sandwich panels, made up of thin solid face sheets and a metallic foam core. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a light weight foam core. The resulting high-stiffness structure is lighter than that constructed only out of the solid metal material. Since the face sheets carry the applied in-plane and bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. However, the metal foam core must resist transverse shear loads and compressive loads while remaining integral with the face sheets. Challenges relating to the fabrication and testing of these metal foam panels remain due to some mechanical properties falling short of their theoretical potential. Theoretical mechanical properties are based on an idealized foam microstructure and assumed cell geometry. But the actual testing is performed on as fabricated foam microstructure. Hence in this study, a high fidelity finite element analysis is conducted on as fabricated metal foam microstructures, to compare the calculated mechanical properties with the idealized theory. The high fidelity geometric models for the FEA are generated using series of 2D CT scans of the foam structure to reconstruct the 3D metal foam geometry. The metal foam material is an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. Tensile, compressive, and shear mechanical properties are deduced from the FEA model and compared with the theoretical values. The combined NDE/FEA provided insight in the variability of the mechanical properties compared to idealized theory.

Viscoelastic foam cushion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubokawa, C. C.; Yost, C.

1977-01-01

Foam is viscous and elastic with unusual and useful temperature, humidity, and compression responses. Applied weight and pressure distributed equally along entire interface with foam eliminates any pressure points. Flexible urethane foam is ideal for orthopedic and prosthetic devices, sports equipment, furniture, and crash protection.

Energy-Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT): Lost Foam Thin Wall - Feasibility of Producing Lost Foam Castings in Aluminum and Magnesium Based Alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fasoyinu, Yemi; Griffin, John A.

2014-03-31

With the increased emphasis on vehicle weight reduction, production of near-net shape components by lost foam casting will make significant inroad into the next-generation of engineering component designs. The lost foam casting process is a cost effective method for producing complex castings using an expandable polystyrene pattern and un-bonded sand. The use of un-bonded molding media in the lost foam process will impose less constraint on the solidifying casting, making hot tearing less prevalent. This is especially true in Al-Mg and Al-Cu alloy systems that are prone to hot tearing when poured in rigid molds partially due to their longmore » freezing range. Some of the unique advantages of using the lost foam casting process are closer dimensional tolerance, higher casting yield, and the elimination of sand cores and binders. Most of the aluminum alloys poured using the lost foam process are based on the Al-Si system. Very limited research work has been performed with Al-Mg and Al-Cu type alloys. With the increased emphasis on vehicle weight reduction, and given the high-strength-to-weight-ratio of magnesium, significant weight savings can be achieved by casting thin-wall (≤ 3 mm) engineering components from both aluminum- and magnesium-base alloys.« less

Quality control of concrete at the stage of designing its composition and technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kudyakov, A., E-mail: kudyakow@mail.tomsknet.ru; Prischepa, I., E-mail: ingaprishepa@mail.ru; Kiselev, D.

The results of tests on samples of foam concrete with a hardening accelerator are presented. As the setting and hardening accelerators the following chemical additives were used: Universal-P-2 and Asilin 12. All additives were added into the insulating foam concrete mix of brand D 400 in the amount of 0.5% to 1% of cement weight. By using of additives in foam concrete technology – hardening accelerators Asilin 12 and Universal P2 in the amount of 0.5 % - and 1.0% by weight of cement foam concrete structure formation is accelerated and increases strength by 60%. For the industrial preparation ofmore » foam concrete mix technological regulations are worked out, in which it is recommended to use additives – hardening accelerators Asilin 12 in the amount of 0.5% and Universal P2 - 1% of cement weight.« less

Foam composition for treating asbestos-containing materials and method of using same

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Block, J.; Krupkin, N.V.; Kuespert, D.R.

A composition for transforming a chrysotile asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material is disclosed. The composition comprises water, at least about 30% by weight of an acid component, at least about 0.1% by weight of a source of fluoride ions, and a stable foam forming amount of a foaming agent system having both cationic and non-ionic functionality. A method of transforming the asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material using the present composition in the form of a foam also disclosed.

Foam composition for treating asbestos-containing materials and method of using same

DOEpatents

Block, Jacob; Krupkin, Natalia Vera; Kuespert, Daniel Reid; Nishioka, Gary Masaru; Lau, John Wing-Keung; Palmer, Nigel Innes

1998-04-28

A composition for transforming a chrysotile asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material is disclosed, wherein the composition comprises water, at least about 30% by weight of an acid component, at least about 0.1% by weight of a source of fluoride ions, and a stable foam forming amount of a foaming agent system having both cationic and non-ionic functionality. A method of transforming the asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material using the present composition in the form of a foam also disclosed.

Foam composition for treating asbestos-containing materials and method of using same

DOEpatents

Block, J.; Krupkin, N.V.; Kuespert, D.R.; Nishioka, G.M.; Lau, J.W.K.; Palmer, N.I.

1998-04-28

A composition for transforming a chrysotile asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material is disclosed. The composition comprises water, at least about 30% by weight of an acid component, at least about 0.1% by weight of a source of fluoride ions, and a stable foam forming amount of a foaming agent system having both cationic and non-ionic functionality. A method of transforming the asbestos-containing material into a non-asbestos material using the present composition in the form of a foam also disclosed.

A combined NDE/FEA approach to evaluate the structural response of a metal foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Raj, Sai V.; Rauser, Richard W.

2007-04-01

Metal foams are expected to find use in structural applications where weight is of particular concern, such as space vehicles, rotorcraft blades, car bodies or portable electronic devices. The obvious structural application of metal foam is for light weight sandwich panels, made up of thin solid face sheets and a metallic foam core. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a light weight metal foam core. The resulting high-stiffness structure is lighter than that constructed only out of the solid metal material. Since the face sheets carry the applied in-plane and bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. However, the metal foam core must resist transverse shear loads and compressive loads while remaining integral with the face sheets. Challenges relating to the fabrication and testing of these metal foam panels remain due to some mechanical properties falling short of their theoretical potential. Theoretical mechanical properties are based on an idealized foam microstructure and assumed cell geometry. But the actual testing is performed on as fabricated foam microstructure. Hence in this study, a detailed three dimensional foam structure is generated using series of 2D Computer Tomography (CT) scans. The series of the 2D images are assembled to construct a high precision solid model capturing all the fine details within the metal foam as detected by the CT scanning technique. Moreover, a finite element analysis is then performed on as fabricated metal foam microstructures, to calculate the foam mechanical properties with the idealized theory. The metal foam material is an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. Tensile and compressive mechanical properties are deduced from the FEA model and compared with the theoretical values for three different foam densities. The combined NDE/FEA provided insight in the variability of the mechanical properties compared to idealized theory.

The Study on Development of Light-Weight Foamed Mortar for Tunnel Backfill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Sang-Joon; Kang, Eun-Gu; Kim, Dong-Min

This study was intended to develop the Light-Weight Foamed Mortar which is used for NATM Composite lining backfill. In the wake of the study, the mixing method which satisfies the requirements for compressive strength, permeability coefficient, fluidity, specific gravity and settlement was developed and moreover field applicability was verified through the model test. Thus the mixing of Light-Weight Foamed Mortar developed in this study is expected to be applicable to NATM Composite lining, thereby making commitment to improving the stability and drainage performance of lining.

Filling material for a buried cavity in a collapse area using light-weighted foam and active feldspar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Jin Woo; Lee, Ju-hyoung; Kim, Sung-Wook; Choi, Eun-Kyeong

2017-04-01

Concrete which is generally used as filling material for a buried cavity has very high strength but significantly high self-load is considered its disadvantage. If it is used as filling material, the second collapse due to additional load, causing irreversible damage. If light-weighted foam and active feldspar are used to solve this problem, the second collapse can be prevented by reducing of self-load of filling material. In this study, the specimen was produced by mixing light-weighted foam, active feldspar and cement, and changes in the density, unconfined compressive strength and hydraulic conductivity were analyzed. Using the light-weighted foam could enable the adjustment of density of specimen between 0.5 g/cm3 and 1.7 g/cm3, and if the mixing ratio of the light-weighted foam increases, the specimen has more pores and smaller range of cross-sectional area. It is confirmed that it has direct correlation with the density, and if the specimen has more pores, the density of the specimen is lowered. The density of the specimen influences the unconfined compressive strength and the hydraulic conductivity, and it was also confirmed that the unconfined compressive strength could be adjusted between 0.6 MPa and 8 MPa and the hydraulic conductivity could be adjusted between 10-9cm/sec and 10-3cm/sec. These results indicated that we can adjust unconfined compressive strength and hydraulic conductivity of filling materials by changing the mixing amount of lightweight-weighted foam according to the requirements of the field condition. Keywords: filling material, buried cavity, light-weighted foam, feldspar Acknowledgement This research was supported by a Grant from a Strategic Research Project (Horizontal Drilling and Stabilization Technologies for Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Operation) funded by the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology.

Method and composition for molding low density desiccant syntactic foam articles

DOEpatents

Lula, James W.; Schicker, James R.

1984-01-01

A method and a composition are provided for molding low density desiccant syntactic foam articles. A low density molded desiccant article may be made as a syntactic foam by blending a thermosetting resin, microspheres and molecular sieve desiccant powder, molding and curing. Such articles have densities of 0.2-0.9 g/cc, moisture capacities of 1-12% by weight, and can serve as light weight structural supports.

Investigation of the Minimum Deployment Time of a Foam/Fabric Composite Material.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

Kevlar Fabric! use xperienced, trained personnel. The pres- Polyurethane Foam Composites. TR M-272/ADA076310 sure containers should be adequately...evaluated. High molecular ponent foam producing materials. (Polyurethanes, weight resin performed best because its solubility char- epoxies, phenolics , and...that was coated to a total Because earlier CERL tests had established the weight of about 10 oz/sq yd (237 gm/m 2 ). strength of Kevlar * fabric, it was

Engineered carbon foam for temperature control applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almajali, Mohammad Rajab

The need for advanced thermal management materials is well recognized in the electronics and communication industries. An overall reduction in size of electronic components has lead to higher power dissipation and increased the necessity for innovative cooling designs. In response, material suppliers have developed and are continuing to develop, an increasing number of light weight thermal management materials. The new carbon foam is a low density and high thermal conductivity material which has the potential to radically improve heat transfer, thereby reducing size and weight of equipment while simultaneously increasing its efficiency and capabilities. However, carbon foam exhibits low strength and low heat capacity. The present work is intended to overcome these two main drawbacks using a combinatorial approach: (i) initially, copper coating was carried out to improve the thermo-mechanical properties of carbon foam. The thermal and mechanical properties of coated foam were measured using laser flash technique and compression test, respectively. An analytical model was developed to calculate the effective thermal conductivity. It was observed that the copper-coated carbon foam with 50% porosity can attain a thermal conductivity of 180 W/mK. The results from the analytical model were in a very good agreement with experimental results. The modulus increased from 4.5 MPa to 8.6 MPa and the plateau stress increased from 54 kPa to 171 kPa. The relationships between the measured properties and the copper weight ratio were determined. The above analyses demonstrated the significance of copper coating in tailoring carbon foam properties. (ii) Numerical and experimental studies were performed to analyze the phase change behavior of wax/foam composite encapsulated in metal casing. A two-energy equation model was solved using computational fluid dynamics software (CFD). Interfacial effects at the casing-composite junction and between the wax-foam surfaces and the capillary pressure within the foam matrix were investigated. These factors lowered the heat transfer rate considerably and the melting area was reduced by more than 23%. Two samples, coated and uncoated carbon foam, were infiltrated with PCM and subjected to a uniform heat load test in a vacuum. The coated foam showed excellent performance compared to the uncoated foam. (iii) Finally, the new engineered carbon foam was used as a heat sink and heat exchanger in a thermoelectric cooler for a cooling vest application. Using carbon foam as the core material for this application, the effective transfer of heat was significantly increased while reducing the size and weight of the heat exchanger.

Metallized polymeric foam material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birnbaum, B. A.; Bilow, N.

1974-01-01

Open-celled polyurethane foams can be coated uniformly with thin film of metal by vapor deposition of aluminum or by sensitization of foam followed by electroless deposition of nickel or copper. Foam can be further processed to increase thickness of metal overcoat to impart rigidity or to provide inert surface with only modest increase in weight.

Foam-Mixing-And-Dispensing Machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chong, Keith Y.; Toombs, Gordon R.; Jackson, Richard J.

1996-01-01

Time-and-money-saving machine produces consistent, homogeneously mixed foam, enhancing production efficiency. Automatically mixes and dispenses polyurethane foam in quantities specified by weight. Consists of cart-mounted, air-driven proportioning unit; air-activated mechanical mixing gun; programmable timer/counter, and controller.

Investigation and Development of Air Foam Cushioning

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-01

n.c..#arr and lafenrffr or »lock numb«) CUSHIONING MATERIALS PACKAGING MATERIILS POLYURETHANE FOAM CUSHIONING SOLUTIONS ( AQUEOUS ) POLYMERS FOAMING ...Mixer. This froth foam could be produced by pour-in-place method or could be made into pre- formed and cut ribbon DD, ET» M73 EDITION OF I NOV SI IS...hours« The foam did not recover after the weight was removed« Work on the foaming of polyvinyl alcohol solution with an Oakes Mixer produced a spongy

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane grafted polymer in polymeric foam

DOEpatents

King, Bruce A.; Patankar, Kshitish A.; Costeux, Stephane; Jeon, Hyun K.

2017-01-17

A polymeric foam article with a polymer matrix defining multiple cells therein has a polymer component with a first polymer that is a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane grafted polymer that has a weight-average molecular weight of two kilograms per mole or higher and 200 kilograms per mole or lower.

Polyurethane foam with multi walled carbon nanotubes/magnesium hybrid filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adnan, Sinar Arzuria; Zainuddin, Firuz; Zaidi, Nur Hidayah Ahmad; Akil, Hazizan Md.; Ahmad, Sahrim

2016-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/magnesium (Mg) hybrid filler in polyurethane (PU) foams with different weight percentages (0.5 wt.% to 3.0 wt.%). The PU/MWCNTs/Mg foam composites were formed by reaction of based palm oil polyol (POP) with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) with ratio 1:1.1 by weight. The foam properties were evaluated in density, morphology and compressive strength. The addition of 2.5 wt.% hybrid filler showed the higher density in 59.72 kg/m3 and thus contribute to the highest compressive strength at 1.76 MPa. The morphology show cell in closed structure and addition hybrid filler showed uneven structure.

Experimental study on nonlinear vibrating of aluminum foam using electronic speckle pattern interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fujun; Ma, Yinhang; Tao, Nan; He, Xiaoyuan

2017-06-01

Due to its multi properties, including excellent stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios, closed-cell aluminum and its alloy foams become candidate materials for use in many high-technology industries, such as the automotive and aerospace industries. For the efficient use of closed-cell foams in structural applications, it is necessary and important to detailly understand their mechanical characteristics. In this paper, the nonlinear vibration responses of the cantilever beams of closed-cell aluminum foams were investigated by use of electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). The nonlinear resonant mode shapes of testing specimens under harmonic excitation were measured. It is first time to obtain from the experimental results that there exist super-harmonic responses when the cantilever beams of closed-cell aluminum foam were forced to vibrate, which was caused by its specific cellular structures.

Characterization of 17-4 PH stainless steel foam for biomedical applications in simulated body fluid and artificial saliva environments.

PubMed

Mutlu, Ilven; Oktay, Enver

2013-04-01

Highly porous 17-4 PH stainless steel foam for biomedical applications was produced by space holder technique. Metal release and weight loss from 17-4 PH stainless steel foams was investigated in simulated body fluid and artificial saliva environments by static immersion tests. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer was employed to measure the concentrations of various metal ions released from the 17-4 PH stainless steel foams into simulated body fluids and artificial saliva. Effect of immersion time and pH value on metal release and weight loss in simulated body fluid and artificial saliva were determined. Pore morphology, pore size and mechanical properties of the 17-4 PH stainless steel foams were close to human cancellous bone. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of Lead Free Energy Absorber for Space Shuttle Blast Container

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingram, T.; Balles, D.; Schricker, A.; Novak, H.

1998-01-01

The Space Shuttle vehicle (SSV) is connected to the mobile launch platform (MLP) by four aft skirt hold down studs on each solid rocket booster (SRB). Prior to lift-off, the frangible nuts inside the aft skirt blast containers (BC) are severed into two nut halves by two pyrotechnic booster cartridges. This action releases the SSV and allows the hold down studs to eject through the aft skirt bore and then down into the MLP. USBI has been tasked to upgrade the BC for two specific reasons; 1. to eliminate lead for environmental concerns, and 2. to reduce the chance of nut recontact with the holddown stud. Nut recontact with the stud has been identified as a likely contributor to stud hangups. This upgrade will replace the lead liner with an aluminum foam material. The aluminum foam used as a energy absorber is a proven design in many other aerospace/defense applications. Additional benefits of using the open cell, energy absorbent aluminum foam in place of the solid lead liner are: A. Lead handling/ exposure, and possible contamination, along with hazardous waste disposal will be eliminated; B. Approximately 200 lbs. weight savings will be contributed to each Space Shuttle flight by using aluminum foam over lead; C. The new aluminum liner is designed to catch all shrapnel from frangible nuts thus virtually eliminating chance of foreign object debris (FOD) exiting the HDP, and causing potential damage to the vehicle; D. Potential of using the lighter aluminum liner over lead, allows for easier assembly and disassembly of blast container elements, also allowing for improvements in safety, operator handling, and efficiency of operations. Six BC firing tests will be required to determine if the new liner material will perform in a way to decrease the chance of stud hangups and enhance the ability of the BC to retain blast debris. Testing will be performed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) facility known as the Launch Equipment Test Facility (LETF), and will simulate the SRB hold- down post, with actual BC hardware and pyrotechnics assembled, and then test fired. Initial testing was performed in 1997 using a frangible nut in a static drop test over lead and aluminum foam sheet materials. The aluminum foam showed a dramatic improvement of energy absorption over the lead liner material. Proof-of-Principle testing at the KSC-LETF commenced in May, 1998, and is expected to be completed by June, 1998.

The effect of foaming agent doses on lightweight geopolymer concrete metakaolin based

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risdanareni, Puput; Hilmi, Aldi; Susanto, Prijono Bagus

2017-04-01

The aims of this study is to obtain optimal doses of foaming agent on lightweight geopolymer concrete using fly Ash (FA) and metakaolin (MK) as raw materials. Several test was conducted in order to obtained characteristics of geopolymer lightweight concrete using foaming agent with different doses. The levels of foaming agent used was 0%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9% from the binder weight. Level of metakolin content of 25% by precursor mass were applied in this research. In addition, activator solution with the ratio of Na2SiO3 / NaOH of 2 and Concentration of NaOH of 10 Molar were performed in this research. Doses of foaming agent of 0%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9% by weight of the binder was used. Based on test results obtained, the best mechanical and physical properties of lightweight concrete was owned by speciment with doses of foam 0%. The recommended foam dosage is 0.3% due to its fair enough mechanical and physical properties of lightweight geopolymer concrete produced.

Cryogenic Moisture Uptake in Foam Insulation for Space Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E.; ScholtensCoffman, Brekke E.; Sass, Jared P.; Williams, Martha K.; Smith, Trent M.; Meneghelli, Barrry J.

2008-01-01

Rigid polyurethane foams and rigid polyisocyanurate foams (spray-on foam insulation), like those flown on Shuttle, Delta IV, and will be flown on Ares-I and Ares-V, can gain an extraordinary amount of water when under cryogenic conditions for several hours. These foams, when exposed for eight hours to launch pad environments on one side and cryogenic temperature on the other, increase their weight from 35 to 80 percent depending on the duration of weathering or aging. This effect translates into several thousand pounds of additional weight for space vehicles at lift-off. A new cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus was designed to determine the amount of water/ice taken into the specimen under actual-use propellant loading conditions. This experimental study included the measurement of the amount of moisture uptake within different foam materials. Results of testing using both aged specimens and weathered specimens are presented. To better understand cryogenic foam insulation performance, cryogenic moisture testing is shown to be essential. The implications for future launch vehicle thermal protection system design and flight performance are discussed.

Formulation and characterization of polyimide resilient foams of various densities for aircraft seating applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gagliani, J.; Lee, R.; Sorathia, U. A. K.

1981-01-01

Light weight, heat and fire resistant low smoke generating polyimide foams are developed for aircraft seating applications. The material is upgraded and classified into groups for fabrication of cushions possessing acceptable comfort properties. Refinement and selection of foaming processes using a variety of previously developd foaming techniques and definition of property relationships to arrive at the selection and classfication of polyimide foams into five groups in accordance with predetermined ILD values are emphasized.

Influence of Pore Characteristics on Electrochemical and Biological Behavior of Ti Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehi, Akram; Barzegar, Faezeh; Amini Mashhadi, Hossein; Nokhasteh, Samira; Abravi, Mohammad Sadegh

2017-08-01

This study reports on titanium (Ti) foams produced using the powder metallurgy technique. During the investigation, the cross-sectional area and perimeter distributions of the pores within the foam were measured. Metallographic image processing analysis software combined with scanning electron microscopic images demonstrated that the pore size and circularity were affected by varying the volume percentage of the space-holder material. The corrosion resistance was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic polarization tests. MG-63 osteoblast-like cells were used to study the biocompatibility and to evaluate the cell attachment, viability, and alkaline phosphatase activity. Analytical results indicated that 50 and 60 vol.% samples were suitable for biomedical applications. Because of the high degree of interconnectivity in the 60 and 70% porosity samples, the electrochemical parameters produced similar results. The corrosion rate of the porous samples showed that the amount of dissolved Ti was at an acceptable level that can be ejected by the body. Applying a fluoridated hydroxyapatite coating significantly increased the osteoblast cell functions on the porous surface.

A heat transfer model for incorporating carbon foam fabrics in firefighter's garment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elgafy, Ahmed; Mishra, Sarthak

2014-04-01

In the present work, a numerical study was performed to predict and investigate the performance of a thermal protection system for firefighter's garment consisting of carbon foam fabric in both the outer shell and the thermal liner elements. Several types of carbon foam with different thermal conductivity, porosity, and density were introduced to conduct a parametric study. Additionally, the thickness of the introduced carbon foam fabrics was varied to acquire optimum design. Simulation was conducted for a square planar 2D geometry of the clothing comprising of different fabric layers and a double precision pressure-based implicit solver, under transient state condition was used. The new anticipated thermal protection system was tested under harsh thermal environmental conditions that firefighters are exposed to. The parametric study showed that employing carbon foam fabric with one set of designed parameters, weight reduction of 33 % in the outer shell, 56 % in the thermal liner and a temperature reduction of 2 % at the inner edge of the garment was achieved when compared to the traditional firefighter garment model used by Song et al. (Int J Occup Saf Ergon 14:89-106, 2008). Also, carbon foam fabric with another set of designed parameters resulted in a weight reduction of 25 % in the outer shell, 28 % in the thermal liner and a temperature reduction of 6 % at the inner edge of the garment. As a result, carbon foam fabrics make the firefighter's garment more protective, durable, and lighter in weight.

The effect of changes in the USF/NASA toxicity screening test method on data from some cellular polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Miller, C. M.

1976-01-01

Rankings of relative toxicity can be markedly affected by changes in test variables. Revision of the USF/NASA toxicity screening test procedure to eliminate the connecting tube and supporting floor and incorporate a 1.0 g sample weight, 200 C starting temperature, and 800 C upper limit temperature for pyrolysis, reversed the rankings of flexible polyurethane and polychloroprene foams, not only in relation to each other, but also in relation to cotton and red oak. Much of the change is attributed to reduction of the distance between the sample and the test animals, and reduction of the sample weight charged. Elimination of the connecting tube increased the relative toxicity of the polyurethane foams. The materials tested were flexible polyurethane foam, without and with fire retardant; rigid polyurethane foam with fire retardant; flexible polychloroprene foam; cotton, Douglas fir, red oak, hemlock, hardboard, particle board, polystyrene, and polymethyl methacrylate.

High temperature ablative foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Matthew T. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

An ablative foam composition is formed of approximately 150 to 250 parts by weight polymeric isocyanate having an isocyanate functionality of 2.6 to 3.2; approximately 15 to 30 parts by weight reactive flame retardant having a hydroxyl number range from 200-260; approximately 10 to 40 parts by weight non-reactive flame retardant; approximately 10 to 40 parts by weight nonhydrolyzable silicone copolymer having a hydroxyl number range from 75-205; and approximately 3 to 16 parts by weight amine initiated polyether resin having an isocyanate functionality greater than or equal to 3.0 and a hydroxyl number range from 400-800.

Hydroxyapatite fiber reinforced poly(alpha-hydroxy ester) foams for bone regeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. C.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Powers, J. M.; Mikos, A. G.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

A process has been developed to manufacture biodegradable composite foams of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite short fibers for use in bone regeneration. The processing technique allows the manufacture of three-dimensional foam scaffolds and involves the formation of a composite material consisting of a porogen material (either gelatin microspheres or salt particles) and hydroxyapatite short fibers embedded in a PLGA matrix. After the porogen is leached out, an open-cell composite foam remains which has a pore size and morphology defined by the porogen. By changing the weight fraction of the leachable component it was possible to produce composite foams with controlled porosities ranging from 0.47 +/- 0.02 to 0.85 +/- 0.01 (n = 3). Up to a polymer:fiber ratio of 7:6, short hydroxyapatite fibers served to reinforce low-porosity PLGA foams manufactured using gelatin microspheres as a porogen. Foams with a compressive yield strength up to 2.82 +/- 0.63 MPa (n = 3) and a porosity of 0.47 +/- 0.02 (n = 3) were manufactured using a polymer:fiber weight ratio of 7:6. In contrast, high-porosity composite foams (up to 0.81 +/- 0.02, n = 3) suitable for cell seeding were not reinforced by the introduction of increasing quantities of hydroxyapatite short fibers. We were therefore able to manufacture high-porosity foams which may be seeded with cells but which have minimal compressive yield strength, or low porosity foams with enhanced osteoconductivity and compressive yield strength.

Applications of Polymer Matrix Syntactic Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Nikhil; Zeltmann, Steven E.; Shunmugasamy, Vasanth Chakravarthy; Pinisetty, Dinesh

2013-11-01

A collection of applications of polymer matrix syntactic foams is presented in this article. Syntactic foams are lightweight porous composites that found their early applications in marine structures due to their naturally buoyant behavior and low moisture absorption. Their light weight has been beneficial in weight sensitive aerospace structures. Syntactic foams have pushed the performance boundaries for composites and have enabled the development of vehicles for traveling to the deepest parts of the ocean and to other planets. The high volume fraction of porosity in syntactic foams also enabled their applications in thermal insulation of pipelines in oil and gas industry. The possibility of tailoring the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams through a combination of material selection, hollow particle volume fraction, and hollow particle wall thickness has helped in rapidly growing these applications. The low coefficient of thermal expansion and dimensional stability at high temperatures are now leading their use in electronic packaging, composite tooling, and thermoforming plug assists. Methods have been developed to tailor the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams independent of each other over a wide range, which is a significant advantage over other traditional particulate and fibrous composites.

Flexible Foam Protection Materials for Portable Life Support System Packaging Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tang,Henry H.; Dillon, Paul A.; Thomas, Gretchen A.

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the phase I effort in evaluating and selecting a light weight impact protection material for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) conceptual packaging study. A light weight material capable of holding and protecting the components inside the PLSS is required to demonstrate the viability of the flexible PLSS packaging concept. The material needs to distribute, dissipate, and absorb the impact energy of the PLSS falling on the lunar surface. It must also be robust to consistently perform over several Extravehicular Activity (EVA) missions in the extreme lunar thermal vacuum environment. This paper documents the performance requirements for selecting a foam protection material, and the methodologies for evaluating some commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) foam material candidates. It also presents the mechanical properties and impact drop tests results of the foam material candidates. The results of this study suggest that a foam based flexible protection system is a viable solution for PLSS packaging. However, additional works are needed to optimize COTS foam or to develop a composite foam system that will meet all the performance requirements for the CSSE PLSS flexible packaging.

Flexible Foam Protection Materials for Constellation Space Suit Element Portable Life Support Subsystem Packaging Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tang, Henry H.; Orndoff, Evelyne S.; Thomas, Gretchen A.

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the effort in evaluating and selecting a light weight impact protection material for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support Subsystem (PLSS) conceptual packaging study. A light weight material capable of holding and protecting the components inside the PLSS is required to demonstrate the viability of the flexible PLSS packaging concept. The material needs to distribute, dissipate, and absorb the impact energy of the PLSS falling on the lunar surface. It must also be very robust and function in the extreme lunar thermal vacuum environment for up to one hundred Extravehicular Activity (EVA) missions. This paper documents the performance requirements for selecting a foam protection material, and the methodologies for evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) foam protection materials. It also presents the materials properties test results and impact drop test results of the various foam materials evaluated in the study. The findings from this study suggest that a foam based flexible protection system is a viable solution for PLSS packaging. However, additional works are needed to optimize COTS foam properties or to develop a composite foam system that will meet all the performance requirements for the CSSE PLSS flexible packaging.

Structure formation control of foam concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steshenko, Aleksei; Kudyakov, Aleksander; Konusheva, Viktoriya; Syrkin, Oleg

2017-01-01

The process of predetermined foam concrete structure formation is considered to be a crucial issue from the point of process control and it is currently understudied thus defining the need for additional research. One of the effective ways of structure formation control in naturally hardening foam concrete is reinforcement with dispersed fibers or introduction of plasticizers. The paper aims at studying the patterns of influence of microreinforcing and plasticizing additives on the structure and performance properties of foam concrete. Preparation of foam concrete mix has been conducted using one-step technology. The structure of modified foam concrete has been studied by means of electron microscopy. The cellular structure of foam concrete samples with the additives is homogeneous; the pores are uniformly distributed over the total volume. It has been revealed that introduction of the Neolas 5.2 plasticizer and microreinforcing fibers in the foam concrete mixture in the amount of 0.4 - 0.1 % by weight of cement leads to reduction of the average pore diameter in the range of 45.3 to 30.2 microns and the standard deviation of the pore average diameter from 23.6 to 9.2 in comparison with the sample without additive. Introduction of modifying additives has stimulated formation of a large number of closed pores. Thus porosity of conditionally closed pores has increased from 16.06 % to 34.48 %, which has lead to increase of frost resistance brand of foam concrete from F15 to F50 and to reduction of its water absorption by weight by 20 %.

3-D foam adhesive deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemons, C. R.; Salmassy, O. K.

1976-01-01

Bonding method, which reduces amount and weight of adhesive, is applicable to foam-filled honeycomb constructions. Novel features of process include temperature-viscosity control and removal of excess adhesive by transfer to cellophane film.

Hydrodynamics of wet foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langevin, Dominique; Saint-Jalmes, Arnaud; Marze, Sébastien; Cox, Simon; Hutzler, Stefan; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Weaire, Denis; Caps, Hervé; Vandewalle, Nicolas; Adler, Micheàle; Pitois, Olivier; Rouyer, Florence; Cohen-Addad, Sylvie; Höhler, Reinhard; Ritacco, Hernan

2005-10-01

Foams and foaming pose important questions and problems to the chemical industry. As a material, foam is unusual in being a desired product while also being an unwanted byproduct within industry. Liquid foams are an essential part of gas/liquid contacting processes such as distillation and absorption, but over-production of foam in these processes can lead to downtime and loss of efficiency. Solid polymeric foams, such as polystyrene and polyurethane, find applications as insulation panels in the construction industry. Their combination of low weight and unique elastic/plastic properties make them ideal as packing and cushioning materials. Foams made with proteins are extensively used in the food industry. Despite the fact that foam science is a rapidly maturing field, critical aspects of foam physics and chemistry remain unclear. Several gaps in knowledge were identified to be tackled as the core of this MAP project. In addition, microgravity affords conditions for extending our understanding far beyond the possibilities offered by ground-based investigation. This MAP project addresses the challenges posed by the physics of foams under microgravity.

Detection of Organophosphate Flame Retardants in Furniture Foam and US House Dust

PubMed Central

Stapleton, Heather M.; Klosterhaus, Susan; Eagle, Sarah; Fuh, Jennifer; Meeker, John D.; Blum, Arlene; Webster, Thomas F.

2009-01-01

Restrictions on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have resulted in the increased use of alternate flame retardant chemicals to meet flammability standards. However, it has been difficult to determine which chemical formulations are currently being used in high volumes to meet flammability standards since the use of flame retardant formulations in consumer products is not transparent (i.e. not provided to customers). To investigate chemicals being used as replacements for PentaBDE in polyurethane foam, we analyzed foam samples from 26 different pieces of furniture purchased in the United States primarily between 2003 and 2009 using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Samples included foam from couches, chairs, mattress pads, pillows, and, in one case, foam from a sound proofing system of a laboratory grade dust sieve. Fifteen of the foam samples contained the flame retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP; 1–5% by weight), four samples contained tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP; 0.5 –2.2 % by weight), one sample contained brominated chemicals found in a new flame retardant mixture called Firemaster 550 (4.2% by weight), and one foam sample collected from a futon likely purchased prior to 2004 contained PentaBDE (0.5% by weight). Due to the high frequency of detection of the chlorinated phosphate compounds in furniture foam, we analyzed extracts from 50 house dust samples collected between 2002 and 2007 in the Boston, MA area for TDCPP, TCPP, and another high volume use organophosphate-based flame retardant used in foam, triphenylphosphate (TPP). Detection frequencies for TDCPP and TPP in the dust samples were >96% and were log normally distributed, similar to observations for PBDEs. TCPP was positively detected in dust in only 24% of the samples, but detection was significantly limited by a co-elution problem. The geometric mean concentrations for TCPP, TDCPP and TPP in house dust were 570, 1890, and 7360 ng/g, respectively, and maximum values detected in dust were 5490, 56,080 and 1,798,000 ng/g, respectively. These data suggest that levels of these organophosphate flame retardants are comparable, or in some cases, greater than, levels of PBDEs in house dust. The high prevalence of these chemicals in foam and the high concentrations measured in dust (as high as 1.8 mg/g), warrant further studies to evaluate potential health effects from dust exposure, particularly for children. PMID:19848166

Polyimide foam for the thermal insulation and fire protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosser, R. W. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

The preparation of chemically resistant and flame retardant foams from polyfunctional aromatic carboxylic acid derivatives and organic polyisocyanates is outlined. It was found that polyimide foams of reproducible density above 1 lb./ft. and below 6 lbs./cu ft. can be obtained by employing in the reaction of least 2% by weight of siloxane-glycol copolymer as a surfactant which acts as a specific density control agent. Polyimide foams into which reinforcing fibers such as silicon dioxide and carbon fibers may be incorporated were also produced.

Development of a thermal acoustical aircraft insulation material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, R. Y.; Struzik, E. A.

1974-01-01

A process was developed for fabricating a light weight foam suitable for thermal and acoustical insulation in aircraft. The procedures and apparatus are discussed, and the foam specimens are characterized by numerous tests and measurements.

Polyfibroblast: A Self-Healing and Galvanic Protection Additive

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-22

polyurethane-urea (MCPU). When scratched, the foaming action of a propellant ejects the resin from the broken tubes and completely fills the crack . No...Resistivities of Control NCP and Enhanced NCP primers are 5xl06 and UxlO6 Ohm/sq respectively indicating we may be able to use simple enamel rater...instrumentation to evaluate self-healing. 1. Enamel rater evaluation underway. 2. 1 |im films of OTS prepared on Cold Rolled Steel and Blasted Steel panels

Piezoelectric characterization of ejecta from shocked tin surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogan, W. S.; Anderson, W. W.; Grover, M.; Hammerberg, J. E.; King, N. S. P.; Lamoreaux, S. K.; Macrum, G.; Morley, K. B.; Rigg, P. A.; Stevens, G. D.; Turley, W. D.; Veeser, L. R.; Buttler, W. T.

2005-12-01

Using piezoelectric diagnostics, we have measured densities and velocities of ejected particulate as well as "free-surface velocities" of bulk tin targets shock loaded with high explosive. The targets had finely grooved, machined finishes ranging from 10 to 250μin. Two types of piezoelectric sensor ("piezopins"), lithium niobate and lead zirconate titanate, were compared for durability and repeatability; in addition, some piezopins were "shielded" with foam and metal foil in order to mitigate premature failure of the pins in high ejecta regimes. These experiments address questions about ejecta production at a given shock pressure as a function of surface finish; piezopin results are compared with those from complementary diagnostics such as x-ray radiography and time-resolved optical transmission techniques. The mass ejection shows a marked dependence on groove characteristics and cannot be described by a groove defect theory alone.

Shock Tube Test for Energy Absorbing Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-13

rigid and lightweight foam material with a closed-cell structure, and a very high strength-to-weight ratio (7). It is commonly used as a sandwich...including application in helmet liners (8). Zorbium™ is the viscoelastic polyurethane foam used in military helmet suspension system pads (9). 8...viscoelastic polyurethane foam which shows strain rate dependent behavior when compressed. This is displayed by the significant difference in response

Mechanical properties of palm oil based bio-polyurethane foam of free rise and various densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilmi, Hazmi; Zainuddin, Firuz; Cheng, Teoh Siew; Lan, Du Ngoc Uy

2017-12-01

Bio-foam was produced from palm oil-based polyol (POBP) and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) with weight ratio of 1:1. The effect of opened mould (as free rise) and closed mould (control expansion) was investigated. Different densities of bio-polyurethane foam (0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 g.cm-3) were prepared using the closed mould system. The effect of density on morphology and compressive properties of bio-foam was studied. Results showed that bio-foam prepared by closed mould method possessed homogeneous cell structure and cell size compared to bio-foam prepared by opened mould. In addition, bio-foam using closed mould system had higher compression strength (0.47 MPa) than that of bio-foam using opened mould system (0.13 MPa). With higher density and lesser porosity, the compressive modulus and compressive strength of bio foams will be higher. The increase in compressive properties is due to the decrease in the cells size, more homogeneous cell structure and reduction in porosity content.

The Utilization of Bark to Make Rigid Polyurethane Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Souza, Jason

This work focused on the characterization of polyols derived from the liquefaction or alkoxylation of bark. Regarding liquefaction, it was found that both temperature and solvent structure played a significant role in polyol properties. High temperature liquefaction resulted in the degradation of sugars, while liquefaction at mild temperatures preserved sugar structures as shown by 31P-NMR. It was also shown that liquefaction at 130°C was ideal in terms of producing a polyol with a relatively at, broad, plateau of molecular weight distribution, whereas liquefaction at 90 and 160°C produced polyols with a large amount of low molecular weight compounds. Regarding solvent structure, it was found that polyhydric alcohols with short chain primary hydroxyls resulted in less sugar degradation products and less formation of condensation side-products. It is proposed that the highly polar environment promoted grafting and prevented condensation onto other biopolymers. Using organic solvents it was found that ketonic solvents like acetyl acetone and cyclohexanone, through their highly polar carbonyl group could engage in hydrogen bonding through electron donation/proton accepting interactions. These enabled the solvent to reduce the amount of condensation reactions and improve liquefaction yield. The liquefied bark-based polyols were then used to make polyurethane foams. It was found that when a diversity of hydroxyl groups were present the foaming rate was reduced and this may react a slower rate of curing and explain why the bark foams had a greater amount of cells that underwent coalescence. It was also observed that the bark foams had a low amount of closed-cell content. Since closed-cell content plays a role in dictating elastic compression, this may explain why the bark foams exhibited a lower elastic modulus. Finally, as a contrast to liquefaction, bark was alkoxylated. It was observed that the conversion yield was higher than liquefaction. The polyols had a high average molecular weight with a broad distribution and far greater solubility. It is proposed that alkoxylation is far less degradative than liquefaction. This may explain why the foams showed improved compressive behaviour compared to the foams made from liqueed bark-based polyols. Through greater characterization of the structure of polyols produced via liquefaction and alkoxylation the relationships between reaction parameters, polyol structure, and foam properties can be better understood. This is an important step towards the utilization of bark to make polyurethane foams.

Evaluation of Canisterized Foams and Evaluation of Radiation Hardened Foams for D&D Activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholson, J. C.

The introduction of polyurethane foams has previously been examined elsewhere within the DOE complex with regards to decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities, though its use has been prohibited as a result of excessive heat generation and flammability concerns per the safety basis. Should these foams be found compatible with respect to the facility safety basis requirements, D&D work involving large void containing structures such as gloveboxes could be eased through the fixation of residual contamination after decontamination efforts have concluded. To this end, SRNL embarked on a characterization of commercial epoxy foams to identify the characteristics that would be mostmore » important to safety basis requirements. Through SRNL’s efforts, the performance of commercial two-part epoxy foams was evaluated for their foaming characteristics, temperature profiles, loading capability with high-Z (high density) additives, and applicability for shielding gamma emission from isotopes including; Am-241, Cs-137, and Co-60. It was found that these foams are capable of encapsulation of a desired volume, though the ideal and experimental expansion coefficients were found to differ. While heat is generated during the reaction, no samples generated heat above 70 °C. Of the down–selected materials, heating was on the order of 40 °C for the flexible foam and 60 °C for the rigid foam. Both were found to return to room temperature after 20 minutes regardless of the volume of foam cast. It was also found that the direct introduction of high-Z additives were capable of attenuating 98% of Am-241 gamma signal, 16% of Cs-137 signal, and 9.5% of Co-60 signal at 1:1 loading capacities of total liquid constituent weight to additive weight. These efforts are currently being reviewed for the ASTM January 2017 subcommittee discussions to address the lack of test methods and standards regarding these materials with respect to D&D environments.« less

Polyurethane foam pica in a patient with excessive interdialytic weight gain

PubMed Central

Iyasere, Osasuyi; Allington, Ying; Cafferkey, Michele

2010-01-01

Maintaining fluid balance in haemodialysis patients is important because of the adverse effects of excessive interdialytic weight gain. This often requires fluid restriction that patients often struggle with. We report a case of a 31-year-old female diabetic patient on haemodialysis with repeated excessive interdialytic weight gains despite fluid restriction and dry weight adjustment. It was subsequently discovered that she devised an unusual, albeit unsuccessful, strategy of eating the polyurethane foam from her dialysis chair while increasing her fluid intake hoping that it would absorb excess water in the gut! This under-diagnosed phenomenon known as pica has been reported in renal patients with substances such as ice, clay and baking soda. PMID:22767521

Synthesis and development of low cost, high temperature N-arylene polybenzimidazole foam material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, E. S.

1975-01-01

Polymer (and foam) studies followed two basic routes: (1) formation of high molecular weight uncyclized polyamide followed by subsequent fusion and cyclodehydration to yield NABI (foam) and (2) polymer and foam formation by reaction of diphenyl esters (or anhydrides) with the tetramine. The latter route was found much more attractive since considerable versatility in both basic polymer structure and crosslinkability is achievable. Preliminary studies on BAB, phthalic anhydride (PA), and 3, 3 (prime), 4, 4(prime) benzo pheno netetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BTDA) as crosslinked polymer precursors were conducted. Nonmelting rigid char forming foams with densities as low as 2.7 lb/cubic ft. were achieved. The program was successful in the preparation of a potentially low cost, low density, high char yield, high temperature foam material.

Improvement of the mechanical properties of reinforced aluminum foam samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formisano, A.; Barone, A.; Carrino, L.; De Fazio, D.; Langella, A.; Viscusi, A.; Durante, M.

2018-05-01

Closed-cell aluminum foam has attracted increasing attention due to its very interesting properties, thanks to which it is expected to be used as both structural and functional material. A research challenge is the improvement of the mechanical properties of foam-based structures adopting a reinforced approach that does not compromise their lightness. Consequently, the aim of this research is the fabrication of enhanced aluminum foam samples without significantly increasing their original weight. In this regard, cylindrical samples with a core of closed-cell aluminum foam and a skin of fabrics and grids of different materials were fabricated in a one step process and were mechanically characterized, in order to investigate their behaviour and to compare their mechanical properties to the ones of the traditional foam.

Investigation on occupant ejection in high severity rear impact based on post mortem human subject sled tests.

PubMed

Petit, Philippe; Luet, Carole; Potier, Pascal; Vallancien, Guy

2011-11-01

Occupant protection in rear impact involves two competing challenges. On one hand, allowing a deformation of the seat would act as an energy absorber in low severity impacts and would consequently decrease the risk of neck injuries. However, on the other hand, large deformations of the seat may increase the likelihood of occupant ejection in high severity cases. Green et al. 1987 analyzed a total of 919 accidents in Great Britain. They found that occupant ejection resulted in a risk of severe injuries and fatalities between 3.6 and 4.5 times higher than those cases where no ejection was observed. The sample included single front, side and rear impacts as well as multiple impacts and rollover. The rate of belt use in the sample was 50%. While this analysis included all forms of impact scenarios, nevertheless, it highlights the relative injury severity of occupant ejection. Extensive literature search has found no full-scale rear impact tests involving Post Mortem Human Subjects (PMHS) conducted in a laboratory environment and resulting in ejection. This paper describes a total of 10 sled tests conducted on 3 belted PMHS using a simplified seat design composed of rigid plates assembled such that the angular and linear stiffness of the seatback (including the foam) was modeled. The initial angular position and the range of motion of the seatback, the size of the PMHS, the slack length of the seatbelt, the angular stiffness of the seatback, and the use of headrest were varied in the test matrix while the pulse was kept constant (triangular acceleration with a peak of 17 G at 30 ms and a duration of 95 ms). In the test series, the tests were not run randomly but the likelihood of occupant ejection was increased systematically until ejection occurred. PMHS seat ejection was observed only for the 95th percentile, initially positioned with a seatback angle relative to the vertical equal to 22°, a range of seatback angular motion equal to 44° and no headrest. Repeating the test under the same conditions but with the pretentionner fired did not prevent the ejection. In addition, the 50th percentile belted specimen were not observed to sustain rearward seat ejection under realistic conditions including the use of head-rest.

Domain Growth Kinetics in Stratifying Foam Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiran; Sharma, Vivek

2015-03-01

Baking bread, brewing cappuccino, pouring beer, washing dishes, shaving, shampooing, whipping eggs and blowing bubbles all involve creation of aqueous foam films. Typical foam films consist of two surfactant-laden surfaces that are μ 5 nm - 10 micron apart. Sandwiched between these interfacial layers is a fluid that drains primarily under the influence of viscous and interfacial forces, including disjoining pressure. Interestingly, for certain low molecular weight surfactants, a layered ordering of micelles inside the foam films (thickness <100 nm) leads to a stepwise thinning phenomena called stratification. We experimentally elucidate the influence of these different driving forces, and confinement on drainage kinetics of horizontal stratifying foam films. Thinner, darker domains spontaneously grow within foam films. Quantitative characterization of domain growth visualized in a using Scheludko-type thin film cell and a theoretical model based on lubrication analysis, provide critical insights into hydrodynamics of thin foam films, and the strength and nature of surface forces, including supramolecular oscillatory structural forces.

Fabrication of Aluminum Foam-Filled Thin-Wall Steel Tube by Friction Welding and Its Compression Properties.

PubMed

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Saito, Masaki; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kitahara, Soichiro; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2014-09-19

Aluminum foam has received considerable attention in various fields and is expected to be used as an engineering material owing to its high energy absorption properties and light weight. To improve the mechanical properties of aluminum foam, combining it with dense tubes, such as aluminum foam-filled tubes, was considered necessary. In this study, an aluminum foam-filled steel tube, which consisted of ADC12 aluminum foam and a thin-wall steel tube, was successfully fabricated by friction welding. It was shown that a diffusion bonding layer with a thickness of approximately 10 μm was formed, indicating that strong bonding between the aluminum foam and the steel tube was realized. By the X-ray computed tomography observation of pore structures, the fabrication of an aluminum foam-filled tube with almost uniform pore structures over the entire specimen was confirmed. In addition, it was confirmed that the aluminum foam-filled steel tube exhibited mechanical properties superior to those of the ADC12 aluminum foam and steel tube. This is considered to be attributed to the combination of the aluminum foam and steel tube, which particularly prevents the brittle fracture and collapse of the ADC12 foam by the steel tube, along with the strong metal bonding between the aluminum foam and the steel tube.

Material characterization of rigid foam insulation at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrios, Matthew

There is a continuing need for improved rigid foam insulation, particularly for cryogenic storage aboard aerospace vehicles. The present work is a material characterization of spray-on foam insulation used on the Space Shuttle External Tank. The characterization includes imaging and measurements of thermal conductivity, ultimate tensile strength, and moisture absorption. Thermal conductivity measurements are the main focus of the present work, as it is the most relevant property to insulation performance. A novel apparatus was developed to measure the thermal conductivity of rigid foam at temperatures ranging from 20 K to 300 K with a DeltaT of 10 K between the sides of the foam sample. The effective thermal conductivity of three samples of NCFI 24-124 foam insulation was measured over the full temperature range. Additionally, the effects of different residual gases and moisture absorption on the thermal conductivity of the foam were studied. The data were compared to data from the literature and to mathematical models developed to predict the thermal conductivity. The data show that gas condensation can play a significant role in the thermal conductivity of the foam at low temperature. Moisture absorption can occur in the foam in application when cryogenic fuel is filled into a tank which sits in a warm, humid environment. An apparatus was developed to subject foam samples to these conditions. The moisture content in the samples was then measured. The samples were then imaged using the 900 MHz NMR magnet at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory to determine the location of the water within the foam. Samples conditioned for 9 hours exhibited a 50% weight increase, and samples conditioned for 69 hours exhibited a 284% weight increase. The NMR images showed that the moisture collects first near the warm side of the foam, and permeates through the foam over time. However, the moisture appears to not collect near the knit lines (areas between sprayed layers of foam, containing cells about 10 times smaller than those that make up the bulk of the foam). The 100 kN mechanical testing system at the NHMFL was used to measure the ultimate tensile strength of the foam. The number of samples available limited the amount of measurements, but the data show that the orientation of the foam (parallel or perpendicular to the knit lines) has a greater effect on the tensile strength than does the moisture absorption or exposure to cryogenic temperature.

Advanced Metal Foam Structures for Outer Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanan, Jay; Johnson, William; Peker, Atakan

2005-01-01

A document discusses a proposal to use advanced materials especially bulk metallic glass (BMG) foams in structural components of spacecraft, lunar habitats, and the like. BMG foams, which are already used on Earth in some consumer products, are superior to conventional metal foams: BMG foams have exceptionally low mass densities and high strength-to-weight ratios and are more readily processable into strong, lightweight objects of various sizes and shapes. These and other attractive properties of BMG foams would be exploited, according to the proposal, to enable in situ processing of BMG foams for erecting and repairing panels, shells, containers, and other objects. The in situ processing could include (1) generation of BMG foams inside prefabricated deployable skins that would define the sizes and shapes of the objects thus formed and (2) thermoplastic deformation of BMG foams. Typically, the generation of BMG foams would involve mixtures of precursor chemicals that would be subjected to suitable pressure and temperature schedules. In addition to serving as structural components, objects containing or consisting of BMG foams could perform such functions as thermal management, shielding against radiation, and shielding against hypervelocity impacts of micrometeors and small debris particles.

High performance supercapacitors based on three-dimensional ultralight flexible manganese oxide nanosheets/carbon foam composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shuijian; Chen, Wei

2014-09-01

The syntheses and capacitance performances of ultralight and flexible MnO2/carbon foam (MnO2/CF) hybrids are systematically studied. Flexible carbon foam with a low mass density of 6.2 mg cm-3 and high porosity of 99.66% is simply obtained by carbonization of commercially available and low-cost melamine resin foam. With the high porous carbon foam as framework, ultrathin MnO2 nanosheets are grown through in situ redox reaction between KMnO4 and carbon foam. The three-dimensional (3D) MnO2/CF networks exhibit highly ordered hierarchical pore structure. Attributed to the good flexibility and ultralight weight, the MnO2/CF nanomaterials can be directly fabricated into supercapacitor electrodes without any binder and conductive agents. Moreover, the pseudocapacitance of the MnO2 nanosheets is enhanced by the fast ion diffusion in the three-dimensional porous architecture and by the conductive carbon foam skeleton as well as good contact of carbon/oxide interfaces. Supercapacitor based on the MnO2/CF composite with 3.4% weight percent of MnO2 shows a high specific capacitance of 1270.5 F g-1 (92.7% of the theoretical specific capacitance of MnO2) and high energy density of 86.2 Wh kg-1. The excellent capacitance performance of the present 3D ultralight and flexible nanomaterials make them promising candidates as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Foam and thin films of hydrophilic silica particles modified by β-casein.

PubMed

Chen, M; Sala, G; van Valenberg, H J F; van Hooijdonk, A C M; van der Linden, E; Meinders, M B J

2018-03-01

Foaming properties of particle dispersions can be modified by addition of amphiphiles. The molar ratio between particles and amphiphiles will influence the wetting properties of the particles as well as the bulk concentration of the amphiphiles. This will have an effect on air/water interfacial composition as well as on the thin film and foam stability of the mixed system. In this research foams and thin films of hydrophilic silica particles in presence of β-casein (β-CN) were investigated with different particle sizes and varying β-CN/silica weight ratios (between 1:10 and 1:100). Samples were characterized for particles size, morphology as well as contact angle and related to their foaming, interfacial, and thin film properties. A threshold weight ratio of β-CN/silica was found to be 1:50 for foam stabilization with mixtures containing silica particles no larger than 1 μm and 1:30 for film stabilization with mixtures containing larger particles. At the interface, the modified silica particles were rather diluted without much interaction for surface compressions up to 30%. Large silica particles (0.0015% β-CN, C silica  ≤ 0.15%) were dragged to the periphery of the thin liquid films but no decrease of the inner film draining rate by a decrease of capilary pressure gradient across the film was observed. The depletion of β-casein in the bulk by particles played a major role in foam destabilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-24

AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0026 Pilot Study : Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing Austin M. Fischer, BS1; William W...COVERED (From – To) April – October 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pilot Study : Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...prototype to mitigate the increase in helmet weight and forward center of gravity. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and

Drainage and Stratification Kinetics of Foam Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiran; Sharma, Vivek

2014-03-01

Baking bread, brewing cappuccino, pouring beer, washing dishes, shaving, shampooing, whipping eggs and blowing bubbles all involve creation of aqueous foam films. Foam lifetime, drainage kinetics and stability are strongly influenced by surfactant type (ionic vs non-ionic), and added proteins, particles or polymers modify typical responses. The rate at which fluid drains out from a foam film, i.e. drainage kinetics, is determined in the last stages primarily by molecular interactions and capillarity. Interestingly, for certain low molecular weight surfactants, colloids and polyelectrolyte-surfactant mixtures, a layered ordering of molecules, micelles or particles inside the foam films leads to a stepwise thinning phenomena called stratification. Though stratification is observed in many confined systems including foam films containing particles or polyelectrolytes, films containing globular proteins seem not to show this behavior. Using a Scheludko-type cell, we experimentally study the drainage and stratification kinetics of horizontal foam films formed by protein-surfactant mixtures, and carefully determine how the presence of proteins influences the hydrodynamics and thermodynamics of foam films.

Further weight reduction of applications in long glass reinforced polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanev, A.; Schijve, W.; Martin, C.; Brands, D.

2014-05-01

Long glass reinforced materials are broadly used in the automotive industry due to their good mechanical performance, competitive price and options for functional integration in order to reduce weight. With rapidly changing environmental requirements, a demand for further weight reduction is growing constantly. Designs in LGF-PP can bring light weight solutions in combination with system cost improvement. There are quite some possibilities for applying weight reduction technologies nowadays. These technologies have to be evaluated based on weight reduction potential, but also on mechanical performance of the end application, where the latter is often the key to success. Different weight reduction technologies are applied to SABIC®STAMAX{trade mark, serif} material, a long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (LGF-PP), in order to investigate and define best application performance. These techniques include: chemical foaming, physical foaming and thin wall applications. Results from this research will be presented, giving a guideline for your development.

Foam imbibition in a Hele-Shaw cell via laminated microfluidic ``T-junction'' device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Dina; Ward, Thomas

2013-11-01

In this talk we analyze experimental results of a novel microfluidic ``T-junction'' device, made from laminated plastic, that is used to produce foam in porous media. The fluids, both Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids and air, are driven using constant-static pressure fluid pumping. For the T-junction geometry studied there are novel observations with this type of pumping: 1) at low pressure ratios there is an increase in the liquid and total flow rates and 2) at higher pressure ratios there is a decrease in the liquid flow rate. To understand this phenomenon we visualize the drop production process near the T-junction. Furthermore, flow rates for the liquid and total volume are estimated by imbibing the foam into a Hele-Shaw cell. Foam is produced by using a mixture containing aqueous polyacrylamide of concentrations ranging from 0.01-0.10% by weight and several solution also containing a sodium-lauryl-sulfate (SLS) surfactant at concentrations ranging 0.01-0.1% by weight.

Porous CoO nanostructures grown on three-dimension graphene foams for supercapacitors electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Wei; Lan, Wei; Sun, Yaru; Su, Qing; Xie, Erqing

2014-06-01

Three-dimensional graphene foams with good conductivity, light weight and chemical stability were produced by chemical vapor deposition. Then porous CoO nanowalls were deposited on graphene foam by a simple hydrothermal process and subsequent thermal treatment. This hybrid structures possessing large surface area in which the CoO nanowalls are separated by graphene foam with robust adhesion can directly serve as supercapacitor electrode including current collector without the need of any other binder materials and conductive agents. Electrochemical tests manifest a high specific capacitance of 231.87 F/g scaled to the mass of CoO (139.47 F/g for total mass of electrodes) at 1 A/g current, good rate capability and excellent cycling performance of >98% capacitance retention over 1000 cycles at 7 A/g current. The high conductivity, light weight and rational architectures, which provide fast electron pathway and the low diffusion resistance of ions, are responsible for the high performance of the electrodes.

Superalloy Foams for Aeroshell Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayda, John; Padula, Santo, II

2001-01-01

Current thermal protection systems for reentry from space, such as that employed on the space shuttle, rely on ceramic tiles with ultra-low conductivity. These materials provide excellent thermal protection but are extremely fragile, easily degraded by environmental attack, and carry no structural loads. Future thermal protection systems being proposed in NASAs MITAS Program will attempt to combine thermal protection with improved durability and structural capability without significant increases in vehicle weight. This may be accomplished by combining several materials in a layered structure to obtain the desired function for aeroshell applications. One class of materials being considered for inclusion in this concept are high temperature metal foam. The objective of this paper was to fabricate low density, superalloy foams and conduct limited testing to evaluate their thermal and structural capabilities. Superalloys were chosen for evaluation as they possesses good strength and excellent environmental endurance over a wide range of temperatures. Utilizing superalloys as low density foams, with porosity contents greater than 90%, minimizes weight and thermal conductivity.

Multilevel Vehicle Design: Fuel Economy, Mobility and Safety Considerations, Part B. Ground Vehicle Weight and Occupant Safety Under Blast Loading

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-11

UNCLASSIFIED 11 Occupant Model Inputs: Blast Pulse (apeak) Seat Cushion Foam Stiffness (sc) Seat EA System Stiffness (sEA) Outputs: Upper Neck Axial Force...Floor Pad Surrogate model from linear regression on 300 data points: Inputs: Blast Pulse (apeak) Seat Cushion Foam Stiffness (sc) Seat EA System...B Ground Vehicle Weight and Occupant Safety Under Blast Loading Steven Hoffenson, presenter (U of M) Panos Papalambros, PI (U of M) Michael

Properties of Foamed Mortar Prepared with Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiao; Lim, Siong-Kang; Tan, Cher-Siang; Li, Bo; Ling, Tung-Chai; Huang, Runqiu; Wang, Qingyuan

2015-01-30

Foamed mortar with a density of 1300 kg/m³ was prepared. In the initial laboratory trials, water-to-cement (w/c) ratios ranging from 0.54 to 0.64 were tested to determine the optimal value for foamed mortar corresponding to the highest compressive strength without compromising its fresh state properties. With the obtained optimal w/c ratio of 0.56, two types of foamed mortar were prepared, namely cement-foamed mortar (CFM) and slag-foamed mortar (SFM, 50% cement was replaced by slag weight). Four different curing conditions were adopted for both types of foamed mortar to assess their compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and thermal insulation performance. The test results indicated that utilizing 50% of slag as cement replacement in the production of foamed mortar improved the compressive strength, UPV and thermal insulation properties. Additionally, the initial water curing of seven days gained higher compressive strength and increased UPV values as compared to the air cured and natural weather curing samples. However, this positive effect was more pronounced in the case of compressive strength than in the UPV and thermal conductivity of foamed mortar.

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

2014-05-01

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength).

Final Report: Research Study on Development of Environmental Friendly Spray-on Foam Insulation (SOFI) for the External Tank (ET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuckey, James M.

1996-01-01

The selection and quantification of four foams using a more environmentally friendly HCFC-141b blowing agent replacing foams that used the CFC-11 blowing agent for the external tank (ET) LWT has been addressed along with problems and solutions that were encountered during verification. The effort on two lower density spray foams for the ET SLWT are presented, but predicted weight savings were not encouraging. Suggestions for possible problem solving are included along with a new approach for selecting foams for qualification as back-up foams for the foams used on the ET LWT. We investigated three resins for use as thermally sprayed coatings for corrosion prevention on metal. The best coating was obtained with a thermoplastic polyimide resin. This coating has a good chance of meeting ET requirements. Possible third generation blowing agents have been shown usable in polyurethane spray and pour foams, and solubility in isocyannate foam components are acceptable. We considered aerogels as insulation materials on space vehicles, and suggested a liner for a liquid oxygen (LOX) composite tank.

Pore Size Control in Aluminium Foam by Standardizing Bubble Rise Velocity and Melt Viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avinash, G.; Harika, V.; Sandeepika, Ch; Gupta, N.

2018-03-01

In recent years, aluminium foams have found use in a wide range of applications. The properties of these foams, as good structural strength with light weight have made them as a promising structural material for aerospace industry. Foaming techniques (direct and indirect) are used to produce these foams. Direct foaming involves blowing of gas to create gas bubbles in the melt whereas indirect foaming technique uses blowing agents as metallic hydrides, which create hydrogen bubbles. Porosity and its distribution in foams directly affect its properties. This demands for more theoretical studies, to control such cellular structure and hence properties. In present work, we have studied the effect of gas bubble rise velocity and melt viscosity, on pore size and its distribution in aluminium foam. A 15 PPI aluminium foam, prepared using indirect foaming technique having porosity ~86 % was used for study. In order to obtain metal foam, the bubble must not escape from the melt and should get entrapped during solidification. Our calculations suggest that bubble rise velocity and melt viscosity are responsible for vertical displacement of bubble in the melt. It is observed that melt viscosity opposes bubble rise velocity and help the bubbles to stay in the melt, resulting in porous structure.

Semen characteristics and biochemical composition of cloacal foam of male Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) fed diet incorporated with selenium.

PubMed

Biswas, A; Mohan, J; Mandal, A B; Lal, N

2017-04-01

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of dietary selenium (Se) on physical and cloacal gland size, foam production, biochemical composition of foam and semen biochemical characteristics of male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica). Two hundred twenty-five (225)-day-old male Japanese quail were randomly distributed to three dietary treatment groups for a period of 20 weeks. Each treatment comprised of three replicates, each containing 25 chicks. Three experimental diets were supplemented with 0, 0.5 and 1.0 mg Se/kg (T 1 , T 2 and T 3, respectively), and diet T 1 was considered as control. Sodium selenite was used as the source of selenium. All the birds were provided with feed and water ad libitum. Cloacal foam characteristics, that is cloacal gland index and foam weight, were significantly higher in T 2 group. However, body weight, frequency of foam discharge and testes weight (left and right) did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Physical characteristics of semen, that is semen volume and sperm concentration, did not differ (p > 0.05) among the Se-treated groups. The sperm motility, live-dead count and abnormality improved significantly (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se-supplemented group compared to 0 or 1.0 mg/Se-supplemented groups. Similarly, fertility and hatchability percentages were higher (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se-supplemented group than in control or 1.0 mg/Se-supplemented counterparts. The biochemical characteristics of foam in terms of total protein, acid phosphatase (ACP) and nitric oxide did not differ (p > 0.05), while the concentration of glucose was higher (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se-supplemented diet. On the other hand, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were lower (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se-supplemented group compared to control or 1.0 mg/Se-supplemented groups. From this study, it was concluded that supplementation of 0.5 mg Se/kg diet was beneficial for foam variables, biochemical composition of foam, semen characteristics and fertility in male Japanese quail. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Rigid polyurethane and kenaf core composite foams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rigid polyurethane foams are valuable in many construction applications. Kenaf is a bast fiber plant where the surface stem skin provides bast fibers whose strength-to-weight ratio competes with glass fiber. The higher volume product of the kenaf core is an under-investigated area in composite appli...

Inflatable Tubular Structures Rigidized with Foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tinker, Michael L.; Schnell, Andrew R.

2010-01-01

Inflatable tubular structures that have annular cross sections rigidized with foams, and the means of erecting such structures in the field, are undergoing development. Although the development effort has focused on lightweight structural booms to be transported in compact form and deployed in outer space, the principles of design and fabrication are also potentially applicable to terrestrial structures, including components of ultralightweight aircraft, lightweight storage buildings and shelters, lightweight insulation, and sales displays. The use of foams to deploy and harden inflatable structures was first proposed as early as the 1960s, and has been investigated in recent years by NASA, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, industry, and academia. In cases of deployable booms, most of the investigation in recent years has focused on solid cross sections, because they can be constructed relatively easily. However, solid-section foam-filled booms can be much too heavy for some applications. In contrast, booms with annular cross sections according to the present innovation can be tailored to obtain desired combinations of stiffness and weight through choice of diameters, wall thicknesses, and foam densities. By far the most compelling advantage afforded by this innovation is the possibility of drastically reducing weights while retaining or increasing the stiffnesses, relative to comparable booms that have solid foamfilled cross sections. A typical boom according to this innovation includes inner and outer polyimide film sleeves to contain foam that is injected between them during deployment.

Synergism and foaming properties in binary mixtures of a biosurfactant derived from Camellia oleifera Abel and synthetic surfactants.

PubMed

Jian, Hong-lei; Liao, Xiao-xia; Zhu, Li-wei; Zhang, Wei-ming; Jiang, Jian-xin

2011-07-15

A biosurfactant, named tea saponin (TS), was isolated and purified from the defatted seed of Camellia oleifera Abel. The characterization of TS including molecular weight, glycosyl composition, and thermal behavior as well as the surface and foaming properties was conducted. The synergistic interactions of binary systems of CTAB-TS, SDS-TS, and Brij35-TS were investigated. The results show that TS had a weight-average molecular weight of 809.12 g mol(-1) and contained four aglycones of L-rhamnose, D-galactose, D-glucose, and D-glucuronic acid. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of 2.242 mmol L(-1) and the minimum surface tension (γ(cmc)) of 43.5 mN m(-1) were determined for TS. Synergisms in surface tension reduction efficiency, in mixed micelle formation, and in surface tension reduction effectiveness were observed in CTAB-TS and SDS-TS systems, whereas that was not shown in Brij35-TS mixtures. The mixtures of TS with CTAB and SDS showed synergism in foaming efficiency, but this synergism did not exist in Brij35-TS system with respect to the surface properties. Nevertheless, there appears to be no significant correlation between foam stability and the surface properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of Aluminum Foam-Filled Thin-Wall Steel Tube by Friction Welding and Its Compression Properties

PubMed Central

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Saito, Masaki; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kitahara, Soichiro; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2014-01-01

Aluminum foam has received considerable attention in various fields and is expected to be used as an engineering material owing to its high energy absorption properties and light weight. To improve the mechanical properties of aluminum foam, combining it with dense tubes, such as aluminum foam-filled tubes, was considered necessary. In this study, an aluminum foam-filled steel tube, which consisted of ADC12 aluminum foam and a thin-wall steel tube, was successfully fabricated by friction welding. It was shown that a diffusion bonding layer with a thickness of approximately 10 μm was formed, indicating that strong bonding between the aluminum foam and the steel tube was realized. By the X-ray computed tomography observation of pore structures, the fabrication of an aluminum foam-filled tube with almost uniform pore structures over the entire specimen was confirmed. In addition, it was confirmed that the aluminum foam-filled steel tube exhibited mechanical properties superior to those of the ADC12 aluminum foam and steel tube. This is considered to be attributed to the combination of the aluminum foam and steel tube, which particularly prevents the brittle fracture and collapse of the ADC12 foam by the steel tube, along with the strong metal bonding between the aluminum foam and the steel tube. PMID:28788213

Aromatic Polyimide Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); St.Clair, Terry L. (Inventor); Echigo, Yoshiaki (Inventor); Kaneshiro, Hisayasu (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A mechanically undensified aromatic polyimide foam is made from an aromatic polyimide precursor solid residuum and has the following combination of properties: a density according to ASTM D-3574A of about 0.5 pounds/cu.ft to about 20 pounds/cu.ft; a compression strength according to ASTM D-3574C of about 1.5 psi to about 1500 psi; and a limiting oxygen index according to ASTM D-2863 of about 35% oxygen to about 75% oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The aromatic polyimide foam has no appreciable solid inorganic contaminants which are residues of inorganic blowing agents. The aromatic polyimide which constitutes the aromatic polyimide foam has a glass transition temperature (Tg) by differential scanning calorimetry of about 235 C to about 400 C; and a thermal stability of 0 to about 1% weight loss at 204 C as determined by thermogravinietric analysis (TGA). The aromatic polyimide foam has utility as foam insulation and as structural foam, for example, for aeronautical, aerospace and maritime applications.

Microcellular foaming of arabinoxylan and PEGylated arabinoxylan with supercritical CO2.

PubMed

Härdelin, Linda; Ström, Anna; Di Maio, Ernesto; Iannace, Salvatore; Larsson, Anette

2018-02-01

In this study, arabinoxylan extracted from barley husks was reacted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) of various molecular weights to introduce an internal plasticizer into the polymer matrix. A successful PEGylation reaction was identified using FTIR and elemental analysis. Thermal and mechanical properties were studied using dynamic mechanical analysis, which revealed that the attachment of PEG chains reduced the glass transition temperature by up to 25°C. Foaming experiments were conducted under different test conditions in a batch foaming process with supercritical CO 2 in a thermoregulated and pressurized cylinder. The foams were evaluated using SEM by studying the morphology of the samples foamed at different temperatures. The unmodified arabinoxylan sample was found to produce the best foam morphology, though the PEGylated samples could be produced at lower temperatures than could the unmodified arabinoxylan. This was interpreted as due to the decrease in the glass transition temperature. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Vibration behaviour of foamed concrete floor with polypropylene and rise husk ash fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azaman, N. A. Mohd; Ghafar, N. H. Abd; Ayub, N.; Ibrahim, M. Z.

2017-11-01

In the history of the construction industry, lightweight concrete or foamed concrete is a special concrete which can very useful in the construction sector because it is very lightweight and it can compact by itself at each angle of foamwork. Foamed concrete is one of lightweight concrete which widely used for floor construction due to its light weight and economic. The significant challenges in the floor design process are considering the vibration that needs improvements for the poor dynamic behaviour insulation. An alternative material to replace sand with certain amount of rice husk ash (RHA) and polypropylene was introduced. Research was determine the dynamic behavior of foam-polypropylene and foam-RHA concrete by using impact hammer test. The natural frequency for normal foamed concrete, 0.5 % of Polypropylene and 15% of RHA is 29.8 Hz, 29.3 Hz and 29.5 Hz respectively.

High temperature polyimide foams for shuttle upper surface thermal insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ball, G. L., III; Leffingwell, J. W.; Salyer, I. O.; Werkmeister, D. W.

1974-01-01

Polyimide foams developed by Monsanto Company were examined for use as upper surface space shuttle thermal insulation. It was found that postcured polyimide foams having a density of 64 kg/cu m (4 lb/cu ft) had acceptable physical properties up to and exceeding 700 K (800 F). Physical tests included cyclic heating and cooling in vacuum, weight and dimensional stability, mechanical strength and impact resistance, acoustic loading and thermal conductivity. Molding and newly developed postcuring procedures were defined.

General introduction: Liquid and solid (materials, main properties and applications …)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabler, Simon

2014-10-01

A general introduction about the diversity of foam structures is given with focus onto the structural, mechanical and dynamical properties at hand. Two classes of materials are addressed: liquid and semi-solid foams, on the one hand, solid foams, on the other hand. The latter can be subdivided into metallic, ceramic and organic foams, depending on the nature of the solid skeleton that supports the overall cell structure. Solid foams generally stem from the concept of mechanical light-weight structures, but they can just as well be employed for their large surface area as well as for their acoustic and thermal properties. Modern biomaterials use tailored ceramic or organo-ceramic foams as bone scaffolds, whereas hierarchically micro- and nanoporous structures are being used by chemistry to control catalytic reactions. Future materials design and development is going to rely increasingly on natural and synthetic foam structures and properties, be it food, thermal insulators or car frames, thus giving a promising outlook onto the foam research and development that is about to come. xml:lang="fr"

Mechanical properties and flexure behaviour of lightweight foamed concrete incorporating coir fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, Noridah; Afif Iman, Muhamad; Othuman Mydin, M. A.; Samad, A. A. A.; Rosli, J. A.; Noorwirdawati, A.

2018-04-01

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the mechanical properties and flexural behaviour of lightweight foamed concrete (LFC) with added coir fibre as filler. The compressive strength (Pt), tensile strength (Ft), modulus of elasticity (E), ultimate load and crack pattern of the foamed concrete were determined. The coir fibre was added to the foamed concrete mixture at 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% of the total weight of cement. Effects of various percentage of coir fibre used on foam concrete’s mechanical and properties and flexural behaviour were studied and analysed. It was found that the increase percentage of fibre resulted in increase in compressive strength, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of LFC mixture. LFC with added coir of 0.3% experienced the smallest crack propagation.

Properties of Foamed Mortar Prepared with Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xiao; Lim, Siong-Kang; Tan, Cher-Siang; Li, Bo; Ling, Tung-Chai; Huang, Runqiu; Wang, Qingyuan

2015-01-01

Foamed mortar with a density of 1300 kg/m3 was prepared. In the initial laboratory trials, water-to-cement (w/c) ratios ranging from 0.54 to 0.64 were tested to determine the optimal value for foamed mortar corresponding to the highest compressive strength without compromising its fresh state properties. With the obtained optimal w/c ratio of 0.56, two types of foamed mortar were prepared, namely cement-foamed mortar (CFM) and slag-foamed mortar (SFM, 50% cement was replaced by slag weight). Four different curing conditions were adopted for both types of foamed mortar to assess their compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and thermal insulation performance. The test results indicated that utilizing 50% of slag as cement replacement in the production of foamed mortar improved the compressive strength, UPV and thermal insulation properties. Additionally, the initial water curing of seven days gained higher compressive strength and increased UPV values as compared to the air cured and natural weather curing samples. However, this positive effect was more pronounced in the case of compressive strength than in the UPV and thermal conductivity of foamed mortar. PMID:28787950

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rapp, F., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Schneider, A., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Elsner, P., E-mail: peter.elsner@ict.fraunhofer.de

2014-05-15

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO{sub 2} balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry),more » melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength)« less

Foam injection molding of thermoplastic elastomers: Blowing agents, foaming process and characterization of structural foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ries, S.; Spoerrer, A.; Altstaedt, V.

2014-05-01

Polymer foams play an important role caused by the steadily increasing demand to light weight design. In case of soft polymers, like thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), the haptic feeling of the surface is affected by the inner foam structure. Foam injection molding of TPEs leads to so called structural foam, consisting of two compact skin layers and a cellular core. The properties of soft structural foams like soft-touch, elastic and plastic behavior are affected by the resulting foam structure, e.g. thickness of the compact skins and the foam core or density. This inner structure can considerably be influenced by different processing parameters and the chosen blowing agent. This paper is focused on the selection and characterization of suitable blowing agents for foam injection molding of a TPE-blend. The aim was a high density reduction and a decent inner structure. Therefore DSC and TGA measurements were performed on different blowing agents to find out which one is appropriate for the used TPE. Moreover a new analyzing method for the description of processing characteristics by temperature dependent expansion measurements was developed. After choosing suitable blowing agents structural foams were molded with different types of blowing agents and combinations and with the breathing mold technology in order to get lower densities. The foam structure was analyzed to show the influence of the different blowing agents and combinations. Finally compression tests were performed to estimate the influence of the used blowing agent and the density reduction on the compression modulus.

Prospective of employing high porosity open-cell metal foams in passive cryogenic radiators for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tisha, Dixit; Indranil, Ghosh

2017-02-01

Passive cryogenic radiators work on the principle of dissipating heat to the outer space purely by radiation. High porosity open-cell metal foams are a relatively new class of extended surfaces. These possess the advantages of high surface area density and low weight, characteristics which the space industry looks for. In case of radiative heat transfer, the porous nature of metal foams permits a deeper penetration of the incident radiation. Consequently, the heat transfer area participating in radiative heat exchange increases thereby enhancing the heat transfer rate. However, effective heat conduction in between the foam struts reduces as a result of the void spaces. These two conflicting phenomenon for radiation heat transfer in metal foams have been studied in this work. Similar to the foam conduction-convection heat transfer analysis, a conduction-radiation heat transfer model has been developed for metal foams in analogy with the conventional solid fin theory. Metal foams have been theoretically represented as simple cubic structures. A comparison of the radiative heat transfer through metal foams and solid fins attached to a surface having constant temperature has been presented. Effect of changes in foam characteristic properties such as porosity and pore density have also been studied.

Predicting Mechanical Properties of Metal Matrix Syntactic Foams Reinforced with Ceramic Spheres

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

predicting the properties of interest listed above. Kiser et al. [12] extended a metal foam model to account for ceramic reinforcement to predict the...Daoud A. J Alloys Compd. 2009; 487:618. 11. Drury WJ, Rickles SA, Sanders Jr TH, Cochran JK. In Light-Weight Alloys for Aerospace Applications, ed. Loe

Overexpression of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) in endothelial cells accelerates coronary artery disease in a mouse model of familial hypercholesterolemia

PubMed Central

Romanelli, Filippo; Corbo, AnthonyMarco; Salehi, Maryam; Yadav, Manisha C.; Salman, Soha; Petrosian, David; Rashidbaigi, Omid J.; Chait, Jesse; Kuruvilla, Jes; Plummer, Maria; Radichev, Ilian; Margulies, Kenneth B.; Gerdes, A. Martin; Pinkerton, Anthony B.; Millán, José Luis; Savinov, Alexei Y.

2017-01-01

Objective Overexpression of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) in endothelium leads to arterial calcification in mice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of elevated endothelial TNAP on coronary atherosclerosis. In addition, we aimed to examine endogenous TNAP activity in human myocardium. Approach and results A vascular pattern of TNAP activity was observed in human non-failing, ischemic, and idiopathic dilated hearts (5 per group); no differences were noted between groups in this study. Endothelial overexpression of TNAP was achieved in mice harboring a homozygous recessive mutation in the low density lipoprotein receptor (whc allele) utilizing a Tie2-cre recombinase (WHC-eTNAP mice). WHC-eTNAP developed significant coronary artery calcification at baseline compared WHC controls (4312 vs 0μm2 alizarin red area, p<0.001). Eight weeks after induction of atherosclerosis, lipid deposition in the coronary arteries of WHC-eTNAP was increased compared to WHC controls (121633 vs 9330μm2 oil red O area, p<0.05). Coronary lesions in WHC-eTNAP mice exhibited intimal thickening, calcifications, foam cells, and necrotic cores. This was accompanied by the reduction in body weight and left ventricular ejection fraction (19.5 vs. 23.6g, p<0.01; 35% vs. 47%, p<0.05). In a placebo-controlled experiment under atherogenic conditions, pharmacological inhibition of TNAP in WHC-eTNAP mice by a specific inhibitor SBI-425 (30mg*kg-1*d-1, for 5 weeks) reduced coronary calcium (78838 vs.144622μm2) and lipids (30754 vs. 77317μm2); improved body weight (22.4 vs.18.8g) and ejection fraction (59 vs. 47%). The effects of SBI-425 were significant in the direct comparisons with placebo but disappeared after TNAP-negative placebo-treated group was included in the models as healthy controls. Conclusions Endogenous TNAP activity is present in human cardiac tissues. TNAP overexpression in vascular endothelium in mice leads to an unusual course of coronary atherosclerosis, in which calcification precedes lipid deposition. The prevalence and significance of this mechanism in human atherosclerosis requires further investigations. PMID:29023576

Calcipotriol Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate Aerosol Foam is Effective, Independent of Body Mass Index and the Extent and Severity of Psoriasis.

PubMed

Stein Gold, Linda; Villumsen, John; Rosen, Monika

2016-12-01

Good treatment adherence is important in the effective management of psoriasis and is related to both the frequency of applications and the amount of product used versus the recommended dose. The efficacy and safety of fixed combination calcipotriol 50 µg/g (Cal) and betamethasone 0.5 mg/g as dipropionate (BD) in the treatment of psoriasis is well established; an aerosol foam formulation has been developed to enhance adherence. This subanalysis from the Phase III PSO-FAST study evaluates the amount of Cal/BD foam used during treatment and the association between the extent and severity of baseline disease. Patients (≥18 years) with mild-to-severe body psoriasis were randomized 3:1 to once-daily Cal/BD foam or vehicle. The amount of Cal/BD foam and vehicle used over the 4-week study period was evaluated according to three baseline disease assessments: extent of body surface area (BSA) affected by psoriasis, physician's global assessment of disease severity (PGA) and modified psoriasis area and severity index (mPASI). Treatment success and mPASI75 rates were assessed according to body mass index (BMI) and body weight. 323 patients were randomized to Cal/BD foam and 103 to vehicle. At week 4, the mean total amount of Cal/BD foam used was 120.8 g (n = 293), which was similar to the amount of vehicle used (128.9 g; n = 98). The total amount of Cal/BD foam used at week 4 was greater with increasing BSA and increasing severity of baseline PGA and mPASI. Throughout the study, 93.1% of patients in the Cal/BD foam group and 99.0% of patients in the vehicle group missed ≤10% of treatment applications. Treatment success and mPASI75 rates were generally similar when stratified according to BMI and body weight. This subanalysis demonstrates that Cal/BD aerosol foam is used appropriately and is effective for the treatment of psoriasis, independent of BMI and the extent or severity of disease. NCT01866163. LEO Pharma A/S.

Hypervelocity Impact Performance of Open Cell Foam Core Sandwich Panel Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, Shannon; Christiansen, Eric; Lear, Dana

2009-01-01

Metallic foams are a relatively new class of materials with low density and novel physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic properties. Although incompletely characterized, they offer comparable mechanical performance to traditional spacecraft structural materials (i.e. honeycomb sandwich panels) without detrimental through-thickness channeling cells. There are two competing types of metallic foams: open cell and closed cell. Open cell foams are considered the more promising technology due to their lower weight and higher degree of homogeneity. Leading micrometeoroid and orbital debris shields (MMOD) incorporate thin plates separated by a void space (i.e. Whipple shield). Inclusion of intermediate fabric layers, or multiple bumper plates have led to significant performance enhancements, yet these shields require additional non-ballistic mass for installation (fasteners, supports, etc.) that can consume up to 35% of the total shield weight [1]. Structural panels, such as open cell foam core sandwich panels, that are also capable of providing sufficient MMOD protection, represent a significant potential for increased efficiency in hypervelocity impact shielding from a systems perspective through a reduction in required non-ballistic mass. In this paper, the results of an extensive impact test program on aluminum foam core sandwich panels are reported. The effect of pore density, and core thickness on shielding performance have been evaluated over impact velocities ranging from 2.2 - 9.3 km/s at various angles. A number of additional tests on alternate sandwich panel configurations of comparable-weight have also been performed, including aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels (see Figure 1), Nomex honeycomb core sandwich panels, and 3D aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels. A total of 70 hypervelocity impact tests are reported, from which an empirical ballistic limit equation (BLE) has been derived. The BLE is in the standard form suitable for implementation in risk analysis software, and includes the effect of panel thickness, core density, and facesheet material properties. A comparison between the shielding performance of foam core sandwich panel structures and common MMOD shielding configurations is made for both conservative (additional 35% non-ballistic mass) and optimistic (additional mass equal to 30% of bumper mass) considerations. Suggestions to improve the shielding performance of foam core sandwich panels are made, including the use of outer mesh layers, intermediate fabric/composite layers, and varying pore density.

Foaming phenomenon in bench-scale anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Siebels, Amanda M; Long, Sharon C

2013-04-01

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (The District) in Madison, Wisconsin has been experiencing seasonal foaming in their anaerobic biosolids digesters, which has occurred from mid-November to late June for the past few years. The exact cause(s) of foaming is unknown. Previous research findings are unclear as to whether applications of advanced anaerobic digestion processes reduce the foaming potential of digesters. The object of this study was to investigate how configurations of thermophilic and acid phase-thermophilic anaerobic digestion would affect foaming at the bench-scale level compared to single stage mesophilic digestion for The District. Bench-scale anaerobic digesters were fed with a 4 to 4.5% by dry weight of solids content blend of waste activated sludge (WAS) and primary sludge from The District. Foaming potential was monitored using Alka-Seltzer and aeration foaming tests. The bench-scale acid phase-thermophilic digester had a higher foaming potential than the bench-scale mesophilic digester. These results indicate that higher temperatures increase the foaming potential of the bench-scale anaerobic digesters. The bench-scale acid phase-thermophilic digesters had a greater percent (approximately 5 to 10%) volatile solids destruction and a greater percent (approximately 5 to 10%) total solids destruction when compared to the bench-scale mesophilic digester. Overall, for the full-scale foaming experienced by The District, it appears that adding an acid phase or switching to thermophilic digestion would not alleviate The District's foaming issues.

Tests of two new polyurethane foam wheelchair tires.

PubMed

Gordon, J; Kauzlarich, J J; Thacker, J G

1989-01-01

The performance characteristics of four 24-inch wheelchair tires are considered; one pneumatic and three airless. Specifically, two new airless polyurethane foam tires (circular and tapered cross-section) were compared to both a molded polyisoprene tire and a rubber pneumatic tire. Rolling resistance, coefficient of static friction, spring rate, tire roll-off, impact absorption, wear resistance, and resistance to compression set were the characteristics considered for the basis of comparison. Although the pneumatic tire is preferred by many wheelchair users, the two new polyurethane foam tires were found to offer a performance similar to the high-pressure pneumatic tire. In addition, the foam tires are less expensive and lighter in weight than the other tires tested.

The management of amputations of the leg using a new rigid foam plaster for prosthetic fitting.

PubMed

Hölter, W; Echterhoff, M; Blömer, A; Verfürden, H

1980-01-01

This paper describes the use of a rigid polyurethane foam to construct a stump socket for immediate or early prosthetic fitting in 15 patients with amputation through the leg. The foam plaster is poured into a prepared cotton sleeve, with a zip incorporated, and rolled out to a layer 4 mm thick. The filled sleeve is put around the stump and the zip closed, moulding the sleeve firmly to the stump. The closed sleeve hardens into a rigid polyurethane shell within 20 min. Aferwards the skeletal prosthetic components are fixed with the same rigid foam. The polyurethane foam socket is quickly and cleanly prepared, only one third of the weight of a plaster of Paris cast and is easily removed by means of the zip, allowing access to the stump.

Noninvasive 3D Visualization of Defects and Crack Propagation in Layered Foam Structures by Phase Contrast Microimaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Z. W.; DeCarlo, F.

2006-01-01

Applications of polymeric foams in our modern society continue to grow because of their light weight, high strength, excellent thermal and mechanical insulation, and the ease of engineering. Among others, closed-cell foam has been structurally used for thermally insulating the shuttle external tank. However, internal defects of the foams were difficult to observe non-invasively due to limited sensitivity to the low-density structures possessed by traditional imaging tools such as computed X-ray tomography By combining phase contrast X-ray imaging with pressure loading, we succeeded in precisely mapping intact cellular structure and defects inside the bulk of layered foam and visualizing its subsequent response to the pressure in three-dimensional space. The work demonstrated a powerfir1 approach for yielding insight into underlying problems in lightweight cellular materials otherwise unobtainable.

Ultralight anisotropic foams from layered aligned carbon nanotube sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraji, Shaghayegh; L. Stano, Kelly; Yildiz, Ozkan; Li, Ang; Zhu, Yuntian; Bradford, Philip D.

2015-10-01

In this work, we present large scale, ultralight aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) structures which have densities an order of magnitude lower than CNT arrays, have tunable properties and exhibit resiliency after compression. By stacking aligned sheets of carbon nanotubes and then infiltrating with a pyrolytic carbon (PyC), resilient foam-like materials were produced that exhibited complete recovery from 90% compressive strain. With density as low as 3.8 mg cm-3, the foam structure is over 500 times less dense than bulk graphite. Microscopy revealed that PyC coated the junctions among CNTs, and also increased CNT surface roughness. These changes in the morphology explain the transition from inelastic behavior to foam-like recovery of the layered CNT sheet structure. Mechanical and thermal properties of the foams were tuned for different applications through variation of PyC deposition duration while dynamic mechanical analysis showed no change in mechanical properties over a large temperature range. Observation of a large and linear electrical resistance change during compression of the aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams makes strain/pressure sensors a relevant application. The foams have high oil absorption capacities, up to 275 times their own weight, which suggests they may be useful in water treatment and oil spill cleanup. Finally, the ACNT/C foam's high porosity, surface area and stability allow for demonstration of the foams as catalyst support structures.In this work, we present large scale, ultralight aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) structures which have densities an order of magnitude lower than CNT arrays, have tunable properties and exhibit resiliency after compression. By stacking aligned sheets of carbon nanotubes and then infiltrating with a pyrolytic carbon (PyC), resilient foam-like materials were produced that exhibited complete recovery from 90% compressive strain. With density as low as 3.8 mg cm-3, the foam structure is over 500 times less dense than bulk graphite. Microscopy revealed that PyC coated the junctions among CNTs, and also increased CNT surface roughness. These changes in the morphology explain the transition from inelastic behavior to foam-like recovery of the layered CNT sheet structure. Mechanical and thermal properties of the foams were tuned for different applications through variation of PyC deposition duration while dynamic mechanical analysis showed no change in mechanical properties over a large temperature range. Observation of a large and linear electrical resistance change during compression of the aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams makes strain/pressure sensors a relevant application. The foams have high oil absorption capacities, up to 275 times their own weight, which suggests they may be useful in water treatment and oil spill cleanup. Finally, the ACNT/C foam's high porosity, surface area and stability allow for demonstration of the foams as catalyst support structures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03899e

Dynamic Moisture Sorption and Desorption in Fumed Silica-filled Silicone Foam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trautschold, Olivia Carol

Characterizing dynamic moisture sorption and desorption in fumed silica-filled silicone foam is necessary for determining material compatibilities and life predictions, particularly in sealed environments that may be exposed to a range of environmental conditions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) were performed on S5470 fumed silica-filled silicone foam to determine the weight percent of moisture at saturation. Additionally, TGA was used to determine the time, temperature, and relative humidity levels required for sorption and desorption of physisorbed moisture in S5470.

Enhancement of oxidation resistance of graphite foams by polymer derived-silicon carbide coating for concentrated solar power applications

DOE PAGES

Kim, T.; Singh, D.; Singh, M.

2015-05-01

Graphite foam with extremely high thermal conductivity has been investigated to enhance heat transfer of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems. However, the use of graphite foam for elevated temperature applications (>600 °C) is limited due to poor oxidation resistance of graphite. In the present study, oxidation resistance of graphite foam coated with silicon carbide (SiC) was investigated. A pre-ceramic polymer derived coating (PDC) method was used to form a SiC coating on the graphite foams. Post coating deposition, the samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The oxidation resistance of PDC-SiC coating was quantifiedmore » by measuring the weight of the samples at several measuring points. The experiments were conducted under static argon atmosphere in a furnace. After the experiments, oxidation rates (%/hour) were calculated to predict the lifetime of the graphite foams. The experimental results showed that the PDC-SiC coating could prevent the oxidation of graphite foam under static argon atmosphere up to 900 °C.« less

Superelastic Few-Layer Carbon Foam Made from Natural Cotton for All-Solid-State Electrochemical Capacitors.

PubMed

Lin, Tianquan; Liu, Fengxin; Xu, Feng; Bi, Hui; Du, Yahui; Tang, Yufeng; Huang, Fuqiang

2015-11-18

Flexible/stretchable devices for energy storage are essential for future wearable and flexible electronics. Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) are an important technology for supplement batteries in the energy storage and harvesting field, but they are limited by relatively low energy density. Herein, we report a superelastic foam consisting of few-layer carbon nanowalls made from natural cotton as a good scaffold to growth conductive polymer polyaniline for stretchable, lightweight, and flexible all-solid-state ECs. As-prepared superelastic bulk tubular carbon foam (surface area ∼950 m(2)/g) can withstand >90% repeated compression cycling and support >45,000 times its own weight but no damage. The flexible device has a high specific capacitance of 510 F g(-1), a specific energy of 25.5 Wh kg(-1) and a power density of 28.5 kW kg(-1) in weight of the total electrode materials and withstands 5,000 charging/discharging cycles.

Epoxy resin

DOEpatents

Wilson, Glenn R.; Salyer, Ival O.; Ball, III, George L.

1976-07-13

By mixing one part of a prepolymer containing a polyamine partially polymerized with an organic epoxide and subsequently reacted with a fatty acid containing from 8 to 32 carbon atoms, and then reacting this prepolymer mixture with 3 parts of an organic epoxide, a composition was obtained which made a gas frothable, shear-stable, room temperature curing, low density foam. A particularly advantageous prepolymer was prepared using a polyamine selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, and tetraethylenepentamine, partially polymerized with an organic epoxide having an average molecular weight of about 350 and having an epoxide equivalent of 185 to 192, and reacted with 2-10 weight percent linoleic acid. When one part of this prepolymer was reacted with about three parts of epoxy, and frothed by whipping in air or nitrogen an epoxy foam was produced which could be troweled onto surfaces and into corners or crevices, and subsequently cured, at near ambient temperature, to a strong dimensionally stable foam product.

Transmission loss characteristics of aircraft sidewall systems to control cabin interior noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesil, Oktay; Serati, Paul M.; Hofbeck, Eric V.; Glover, Billy M.

We have explored the possibility of using new, light weight, and acoustically effective materials on aircraft interiors to control noise. The sidewall system elements were evaluated for increased TL in the laboratory. Measured TL for a given configuration, relative to a baseline, was used as an indication of the TL change to be expected for modifications. Test data were in good agreement with the predicted levels. The TL contributions due to all sidewall components were important for interior cabin noise control. Polyimide foam insulation was inferior to fiberglass in the mid-frequency range; however, foam was a better performer at high frequencies. Fiberglass/polyimide foam composite blankets, with less weight, provided noise reductions similar to fiberglass. 'Premium' fiberglass was slightly better performer than the standard fiberglass. Solid fiberglass interior trim panel provided adequate noise performance. Production-type trim attachment design could be improved to control flanking path for sound transmission.

Temper Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Fabricated by Expanded Rubber & Plastics Corporation, Temper Foam provides better impact protection for airplane passengers and enhances passenger comfort on long flights because it distributes body weight and pressure evenly over the entire contact area. Called a "memory foam" it matches the contour of the body pressing against it and returns to its original shape once the pressure is removed. As a shock absorber, a three-inch foam pad has the ability to absorb the impact of a 10-foot fall by an adult. Applications include seat cushioning for transportation vehicles, padding for furniture and a variety of athletic equipment medical applications including wheelchair padding, artificial limb socket lining, finger splint and hand padding for burn patients, special mattresses for the bedridden and dental stools. Production and sales rights are owned by Temper Foam, Inc. Material is manufactured under license by the Dewey and Almy Division of Grace Chemical Corporation. Distributors of the product are Kees Goebel Medical Specialties, Inc. and Alimed, Inc. They sell Temper Foam in bulk to the fabricators who trim it to shapes required by their customers.

Experimental study on cryogenic moisture uptake in polyurethane foam insulation material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. B.; Yao, L.; Qiu, L. M.; Gan, Z. H.; Yang, R. P.; Ma, X. J.; Liu, Z. H.

2012-12-01

Rigid foam is widely used to insulate cryogenic tanks, in particular for space launch vehicles due to its lightweight, mechanical strength and thermal-insulating performance. Up to now, little information is available on the intrusion of moisture into the material under cryogenic conditions, which will bring substantial additional weight for the space vehicles at lift-off. A cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus has been designed and fabricated to measure the amount of water uptake into the polyurethane foam. One side of the specimen is exposed to an environment with high humidity and ambient temperature, while the other with cryogenic temperature at approximately 78 K. A total of 16 specimens were tested for up to 24 h to explore the effects of the surface thermal protection layer, the foam thickness, exposed time, the butt joints, and the material density on water uptake of the foam. The results are constructive for the applications of the foam to the cryogenic insulation system in space launch vehicles.

A study of tensile test on open-cell aluminum foam sandwich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, N. A.; Hazza, M. H. F. Al; Adesta, E. Y. T.; Abdullah Sidek, Atiah Bt.; Endut, N. A.

2018-01-01

Aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) panels are one of the growing materials in the various industries because of its lightweight behavior. AFS also known for having excellent stiffness to weight ratio and high-energy absorption. Due to their advantages, many researchers’ shows an interest in aluminum foam material for expanding the use of foam structure. However, there is still a gap need to be fill in order to develop reliable data on mechanical behavior of AFS with different parameters and analysis method approach. Least of researcher focusing on open-cell aluminum foam and statistical analysis. Thus, this research conducted by using open-cell aluminum foam core grade 6101 with aluminum sheets skin tested under tension. The data is analyzed using full factorial in JMP statistical analysis software (version 11). ANOVA result show a significant value of the model which less than 0.500. While scatter diagram and 3D plot surface profiler found that skins thickness gives a significant impact to stress/strain value compared to core thickness.

Experimental Characterization of the Energy Absorption of Functionally Graded Foam Filled Tubes Under Axial Crushing Loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Saeed; Vahdatazad, Nader; Liaghat, Gholamhossein

2018-03-01

This paper deals with the energy absorption characterization of functionally graded foam (FGF) filled tubes under axial crushing loads by experimental method. The FGF tubes are filled axially by gradient layers of polyurethane foams with different densities. The mechanical properties of the polyurethane foams are firstly obtained from axial compressive tests. Then, the quasi-static compressive tests are carried out for empty tubes, uniform foam filled tubes and FGF filled tubes. Before to present the experimental test results, a nonlinear FEM simulation of the FGF filled tube is carried out in ABAQUS software to gain more insight into the crush deformation patterns, as well as the energy absorption capability of the FGF filled tube. A good agreement between the experimental and simulation results is observed. Finally, the results of experimental test show that an FGF filled tube has excellent energy absorption capacity compared to the ordinary uniform foam-filled tube with the same weight.

The Usability of Boric Acid as an Alternative Foaming Agent on the Fabrication of Al/Al2O3 Composite Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaman, Bilge; Onuklu, Eren; Korpe, Nese O.

2017-09-01

Pure Al and alumina (2, 5, 10 wt.% Al2O3)-added Al composite foams were fabricated through powder metallurgy technique, where boric acid (H3BO3) is employed as a new alternative foaming agent. It is aimed to determine the effects of boric acid on the foaming behavior and cellular structure and also purposed to develop the mechanical properties of Al foams by addition of Al2O3. Al and Al composite foams with porosity fraction in the range of 46-53% were achieved by sintering at 620 °C for 2 h. Cell morphology was characterized using a combination of stereomicroscope equipped with image analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. Microhardness values were measured via using Vickers indentation technique. Quasi-static compression tests were performed at strain rate of 10-3 s-1. Compressive strength and energy absorption of the composite foams enhanced not only by the increasing weight fraction of alumina, but also by the usage of boric acid which leads to formation of boron oxide (B2O3) acting as a binder in obtaining dense cell walls. The results revealed that the boric acid has outstanding potential as foaming agent in the fabrication of Al and Al composite foams by providing improved mechanical properties.

Structural applications of metal foams considering material and geometrical uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, Mohammadreza

Metal foam is a relatively new and potentially revolutionary material that allows for components to be replaced with elements capable of large energy dissipation, or components to be stiffened with elements which will generate significant supplementary energy dissipation when buckling occurs. Metal foams provide a means to explore reconfiguring steel structures to mitigate cross-section buckling in many cases and dramatically increase energy dissipation in all cases. The microstructure of metal foams consists of solid and void phases. These voids have random shape and size. Therefore, randomness ,which is introduced into metal foams during the manufacturing processes, creating more uncertainty in the behavior of metal foams compared to solid steel. Therefore, studying uncertainty in the performance metrics of structures which have metal foams is more crucial than for conventional structures. Therefore, in this study, structural application of metal foams considering material and geometrical uncertainty is presented. This study applies the Sobol' decomposition of a function of many random variables to different problem in structural mechanics. First, the Sobol' decomposition itself is reviewed and extended to cover the case in which the input random variables have Gaussian distribution. Then two examples are given for a polynomial function of 3 random variables and the collapse load of a two story frame. In the structural example, the Sobol' decomposition is used to decompose the variance of the response, the collapse load, into contributions from the individual input variables. This decomposition reveals the relative importance of the individual member yield stresses in determining the collapse load of the frame. In applying the Sobol' decomposition to this structural problem the following issues are addressed: calculation of the components of the Sobol' decomposition by Monte Carlo simulation; the effect of input distribution on the Sobol' decomposition; convergence of estimates of the Sobol' decomposition with sample size using various sampling schemes; the possibility of model reduction guided by the results of the Sobol' decomposition. For the rest of the study the different structural applications of metal foam is investigated. In the first application, it is shown that metal foams have the potential to serve as hysteric dampers in the braces of braced building frames. Using metal foams in the structural braces decreases different dynamic responses such as roof drift, base shear and maximum moment in the columns. Optimum metal foam strengths are different for different earthquakes. In order to use metal foam in the structural braces, metal foams need to have stable cyclic response which might be achievable for metal foams with high relative density. The second application is to improve strength and ductility of a steel tube by filling it with steel foam. Steel tube beams and columns are able to provide significant strength for structures. They have an efficient shape with large second moment of inertia which leads to light elements with high bending strength. Steel foams with high strength to weight ratio are used to fill the steel tube to improves its mechanical behavior. The linear eigenvalue and plastic collapse finite element (FE) analysis are performed on steel foam filled tube under pure compression and three point bending simulation. It is shown that foam improves the maximum strength and the ability of energy absorption of the steel tubes significantly. Different configurations with different volume of steel foam and composite behavior are investigated. It is demonstrated that there are some optimum configurations with more efficient behavior. If composite action between steel foam and steel increases, the strength of the element will improve due to the change of the failure mode from local buckling to yielding. Moreover, the Sobol' decomposition is used to investigate uncertainty in the strength and ductility of the composite tube, including the sensitivity of the strength to input parameters such as the foam density, tube wall thickness, steel properties etc. Monte Carlo simulation is performed on aluminum foam filled tubes under three point bending conditions. The simulation method is nonlinear finite element analysis. Results show that the steel foam properties have a greater effect on ductility of the steel foam filled tube than its strength. Moreover, flexural strength is more sensitive to steel properties than to aluminum foam properties. Finally, the properties of hypothetical structural steel foam C-channels foamed are investigated via simulations. In thin-walled structural members, stability of the walls is the primary driver of structural limit states. Moreover, having a light weight is one of the main advantages of the thin-walled structural members. Therefore, thin-walled structural members made of steel foam exhibit improved strength while maintaining their low weight. Linear eigenvalue, finite strip method (FSM) and plastic collapse FE analysis is used to evaluate the strength and ductility of steel foam C-channels under uniform compression and bending. It is found that replacing steel walls of the C-channel with steel foam walls increases the local buckling resistance and decreases the global buckling resistance of the C-channel. By using the Sobol' decomposition, an optimum configuration for the variable density steel foam C-channel can be found. For high relative density, replacing solid steel of the lips and flange elements with steel foam increases the buckling strength. On the other hand, for low relative density replacing solid steel of the lips and flange elements with steel foam deceases the buckling strength. Moreover, it is shown that buckling strength of the steel foam C-channel is sensitive to the second order Sobol' indices. In summary, it is shown in this research that the metal foams have a great potential to improve different types of structural responses, and there are many promising application for metal foam in civil structures.

Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Phantom Fabrication and Characterization through the Tailored Properties of Polymeric Composites and Cellular Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoy, Carlton F. O.

The overall objective of this thesis was to control the fabrication technique and relevant material properties for phantom devices designated for computed tomography (CT) scanning. Fabrication techniques using polymeric composites and foams were detailed together with parametric studies outlining the fundamentals behind the changes in material properties which affect the characteristic CT number. The composites fabricated used polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polyethylene (PE) with hydroxylapatite (hA) as additive with different composites made by means of different weight percentages of additive. Polymeric foams were fabricated through a batch foaming technique with the heating time controlled to create different levels of foams. Finally, the effect of fabricated phantoms under varied scanning media was assessed to determine whether self-made phantoms can be scanned accurately under non-water or rigid environments allowing for the future development of complex shaped or fragile material types.

Preparation and characterization of phase transition/graphite foam composite materials.

PubMed

Yu, Jia; Tang, ChenLong; Yu, ZhiChao

2016-07-04

Phase transition/graphite foam (PCM/GF) composite materials are a kind of composite materials that fill graphite foam with phase change materials. In this paper, graphite foam was prepared firstly by the soft template method, the heat conductivity of which at room temperature is 5.44 W/(m∙K). Then, four phase change materials including eicosane, acetamide, xylitol, and erythritol were chosen for filling into the prepared graphite foam to obtain PCM/GF composite materials. Among the four kinds of materials, erythritol composite material has the highest melting point (118.5°C) and the highest enthalpy of fusion (266.3J/g), weight loss ratios of xylitol composite material after ten cycles is the lowest (2.1%), the compressive strength of xylitol composite material is the highest (9.08 MPa) and that of eicosane composite material is the lowest (3.32 MPa).

Microstructural Design for Stress Wave Energy Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

Polyurea based foam 7 4) Controlling transmission and reflection of pressure and shear waves in a multilayered anisotropic structure 10 5... Polyurea based foam consists of several factors including high energy absorption, light weight, higher elastic modulus to density ratio (compared with... Polyurea ), and collapsible voids under extreme loading. Pure Polyurea offers unique properties such as increased shear stiffness under large pressure

Relative toxicity of pyrolysis products of some foams and fabrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.

1976-01-01

A limited number of foams and fabrics was evaluated in the course of developing test procedures for determining the relative toxicity of materials. The principal variable studied, heating rate, did not affect the relative ranking of the materials tested. Two pyrolysis test procedures using the same basic approach but employing different sample weights, chamber volumes, laboratory animals, heating rates, and upper temperature limits, resulted in identical rankings of relative toxicity. The data obtained show that modification of conventional flexible polyurethane foams with flame retardants to comply with California upholstered furniture flammability regulations seems to consistently reduce toxicity under pyrolysis conditions.

Composite foam structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Brian E. (Inventor); Brockmeyer, Jerry (Inventor); Tuffias, Robert H. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A composite rigid foam structure that has a skin or coating on at least one of its surfaces. The skin is formed in situ by thermal spray techniques. The skin is bonded substantially throughout the surface of the porous substrate to the peripheries of the pores. The skin on the average does not penetrate the surface of the substrate by more than the depth of about 2 to 5 pores. Thus, thermal spraying the skin onto the rigid foam produces a composite that is tightly and uniformly bonded together without unduly increasing the weight of the composite structure. Both thermal conductivity and bonding are excellent.

The influence of occupant anthropometry and seat position on ejection risk in a rollover.

PubMed

Atkinson, Theresa; Fras, Andrew; Telehowski, Paul

2010-08-01

During rollover crashes, ejection increases an occupant's risk of severe to fatal injury as compared to risks for those retained in the vehicle. The current study examined whether occupant anthropometry might influence ejection risk. Factors such as restraint use/disuse, seating position, vehicle type, and roll direction were also considered in the analysis. The current study examined occupant ejections in 10 years of National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) single-event rollovers of passenger vehicles and light trucks. Statistical analysis of unweighted and weighted ejection data was carried out. No statistically significant differences in ejection rates were found based on occupant height, age, or body mass index. Drivers were ejected significantly more frequently than other occupants: 62 percent of unrestrained drivers were ejected vs. 51 percent unrestrained right front occupants. Second row unrestrained occupants were ejected at rates similar to right front-seated occupants. There were no significant differences in ejection rates for near- vs. far-side occupants. These data suggest that assessment of ejection prevention systems using either a 50th or 5th percentile adult anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD) might provide a reasonable measure of system function for a broad range of occupants. They also support the development of ejection mitigation technologies that extend beyond the first row to protect occupants in rear seat positions. Future studies should consider potential interaction effects (i.e., occupant size and vehicle dimensions) and the influence of occupant size on ejection risk in non-single-event rollovers.

Polypropylenes foam consisting of thermally expandable microcapsule as blowing agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeoung, Sun Kyung; Hwang, Ye Jin; Lee, Hyun Wook; Kwak, Sung Bok; Han, In-Soo; Ha, Jin Uk

2016-03-01

The structure of thermally expandable microcapsule (TEMs) is consisted of a thermoplastic shell which is filled with liquid hydrocarbon at core. The shell of TEMs becomes soft when the temperature is higher than boiling temperature of liquid hydrocarbon. The shell of TEMs is expanded under the high temperature because the inner pressure of TEMs is increased by vaporization of hydrocarbon core. Therefore, the TEMs are applicable for blowing agents and light weight fillers. In this research, we fabricated the polypropylene (PP) foam by using the TEMs and chemical blowing agents and compared to their physical properties. The density of the specimen was decreased when the contents of chemical blowing agents and TEMs were increased. In addition, the mechanical properties (i.e. tensile strength and impact strength) of specimens were deteriorated with increasing amount of chemical blowing agents and TEMs. However, PP foam produced with TEMs showed higher impact strength than the one with the chemical blowing agent. In order to clarify the dependence of impact strength of PP foam as the blowing agent, the morphology difference of the PP foams was investigated. Expanding properties of PP foams produced with TEMs was changed with TEMs content of PP foams. Processing conditions also influenced the mechanical properties of PP foam containing TEMs.

Novel polymer composites from waste ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer rubber by supercritical CO2 foaming technology.

PubMed

Jeong, Keuk Min; Hong, Yeo Joo; Saha, Prosenjit; Park, Seong Ho; Kim, Jin Kuk

2014-11-01

In this study, a composite has been prepared by mixing waste rubber, such as ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer and low-density poly ethylene foaming, with supercritical carbon dioxide. In order to optimise the foaming process of the waste ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer-low-density poly ethylene composite, the variations of pressure and temperature on the foamed Microcell formation were studied. As indicated in scanning electron microscope photographs, the most uniform microcellular pattern was found at 200 bar and 100 °C using 30% by weight of waste ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer. Carbon dioxide could not be dissolved uniformly during foaming owing to extensive cross-linking of the waste ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer used for the composite. As a result the presence of un-uniform microcells after foaming were observed in the composite matrix to impart inferior mechanical properties of the composite. This problem was solved with uniform foaming by increasing the cross-link density of low-density poly ethylene using 1.5 parts per hundred dicumyl peroxide that enhances composite tensile and compressive strength up to 57% and 15%, respectively. The composite has the potential to be used as a foaming mat for artificial turf. © The Author(s) 2014.

A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

2018-06-01

A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foam as a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

Ultralight anisotropic foams from layered aligned carbon nanotube sheets.

PubMed

Faraji, Shaghayegh; Stano, Kelly L; Yildiz, Ozkan; Li, Ang; Zhu, Yuntian; Bradford, Philip D

2015-10-28

In this work, we present large scale, ultralight aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) structures which have densities an order of magnitude lower than CNT arrays, have tunable properties and exhibit resiliency after compression. By stacking aligned sheets of carbon nanotubes and then infiltrating with a pyrolytic carbon (PyC), resilient foam-like materials were produced that exhibited complete recovery from 90% compressive strain. With density as low as 3.8 mg cm(-3), the foam structure is over 500 times less dense than bulk graphite. Microscopy revealed that PyC coated the junctions among CNTs, and also increased CNT surface roughness. These changes in the morphology explain the transition from inelastic behavior to foam-like recovery of the layered CNT sheet structure. Mechanical and thermal properties of the foams were tuned for different applications through variation of PyC deposition duration while dynamic mechanical analysis showed no change in mechanical properties over a large temperature range. Observation of a large and linear electrical resistance change during compression of the aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams makes strain/pressure sensors a relevant application. The foams have high oil absorption capacities, up to 275 times their own weight, which suggests they may be useful in water treatment and oil spill cleanup. Finally, the ACNT/C foam's high porosity, surface area and stability allow for demonstration of the foams as catalyst support structures.

Drag Coefficient and Foam in Hurricane Conditions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golbraikh, E.; Shtemler, Y.

2016-12-01

he present study is motivated by recent findings of saturation and even decrease in the drag coefficient (capping) in hurricane conditions, which is accompanied by the production of a foam layer on the ocean surface. As it is difficult to expect at present a comprehensive numerical modeling of the drag coefficient saturation that is followed by wave breaking and foam production, there is no complete confidence and understanding of the saturation phenomenon. Our semi-empirical model is proposed for the estimation of the foam impact on the variation of the effective drag coefficient, Cd , with the reference wind speed U10 in stormy and hurricane conditions. The proposed model treats the efficient air-sea aerodynamic roughness length as a sum of two weighted aerodynamic roughness lengths for the foam-free and foam-covered conditions. On the available optical and radiometric measurements of the fractional foam coverage,αf, combined with direct wind speed measurements in hurricane conditions, which provide the minimum of the effective drag coefficient, Cd for the sea covered with foam. The present model yields Cd10 versus U10 in fair agreement with that evaluated from both open-ocean and laboratory measurements of the vertical variation of mean wind speed in the range of U10 from low to hurricane speeds. The present approach opens opportunities for drag coefficient modeling in hurricane conditions and hurricane intensity estimation by the foam-coverage value using optical and radiometric measurements.

Investigations on injection molded, glass-fiber reinforced polyamide 6 integral foams using breathing mold technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roch, A.; Kehret, L.; Huber, T.; Henning, F.; Elsner, P.

2015-05-01

Investigations on PA6-GF50 integral foams have been carried out using different material systems: longfiber- and shortfiber-reinforced PA6 as well as unreinforced PA6 as a reference material. Both chemical and physical blowing agents were applied. Breathing mold technology (decompression of the mold) was selected for the foaming process. The integral foam design, which can be conceived as a sandwich structure, helps to save material in the neutral axis area and maintains a distance between load-bearing, unfoamed skin layers. For all test series an initial mold gap of 2.5 mm was chosen and the same amount of material was injected. In order to realize different density reductions, the mold opening stroke was varied. The experiments showed that, at a constant mass per unit area, integral polyamide 6 foams have a significantly higher bending stiffness than compact components, due to their higher area moment of inertia after foaming. At a constant surface weight the bending stiffness in these experiments could be increased by up to 600 %. Both shortfiber- and longfiber-reinforced polyamide 6 showed an increase in energy absorption during foaming.

Shrinkage deformation of cement foam concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudyakov, A. I.; Steshenko, A. B.

2015-01-01

The article presents the results of research of dispersion-reinforced cement foam concrete with chrysotile asbestos fibers. The goal was to study the patterns of influence of chrysotile asbestos fibers on drying shrinkage deformation of cement foam concrete of natural hardening. The chrysotile asbestos fiber contains cylindrical fiber shaped particles with a diameter of 0.55 micron to 8 microns, which are composed of nanostructures of the same form with diameters up to 55 nm and length up to 22 microns. Taking into account the wall thickness, effective reinforcement can be achieved only by microtube foam materials, the so- called carbon nanotubes, the dimensions of which are of power less that the wall pore diameter. The presence of not reinforced foam concrete pores with perforated walls causes a decrease in its strength, decreases the mechanical properties of the investigated material and increases its shrinkage. The microstructure investigation results have shown that introduction of chrysotile asbestos fibers in an amount of 2 % by weight of cement provides the finely porous foam concrete structure with more uniform size closed pores, which are uniformly distributed over the volume. This reduces the shrinkage deformation of foam concrete by 50%.

Experimental study of moisture uptake of polyurethane foam subjected to a heat sink below 30 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. B.; Chen, J. Y.; Gan, Z. H.; Qiu, L. M.; Zhang, K. H.; Yang, R. P.; Ma, X. J.; Liu, Z. H.

2014-01-01

Rigid closed-cell foam is widely used to thermally insulate liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks of space launch vehicles due to its lightweight, mechanical strength and thermal-insulating performance. Up to now, little information is available on the intrusion of moisture into the foam that subjects one side to liquid hydrogen temperatures and the other side to room temperatures and high relative humidity. A novel cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus has been designed and fabricated to measure the moisture uptake into the polyurethane foam. For safety and convenience, two identical single-stage pulse tube cryocoolers instead of liquid hydrogen are used to cool one side of the foam specimen to the lowest temperature of 26 K. Total of eight specimens in three groups, according to whether there is a butt-joint or weathering period, are tested respectively for both 5 h and 9 h. The additional weight due to moisture uptake of the foam for the 26 K cases is compared to previous measurements at 79 K. The results are instructive for the applications of foam to the insulation of liquid hydrogen tanks in space launch vehicles.

Study of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Particulate Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite Foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Suresh; Pandey, O. P.

Metal foams cellular metals have gained an important role in the field of metallurgy, though barely a few decades old. Aluminum composite foam exhibit unique properties such as light weight, blast palliation, sound absorption, high energy absorption, and flame resistance. In the present investigation the effect of variation in the amount of CaCO3 as blowing agent on the microstructure and wear behavior of LM13 alloy foams has been studied. The blowing agent was blended in highly viscous semi-solid melt by stirring process. The process parameters that influence the formation of bubbles like the melt temperature, size and amount of blowing agent and its distribution has been optimized to get uniform size foams. The distribution behavior of blowing agent is influenced by the melt viscosity and stirring speed. For packaging application, the dry sliding wear behavior of the prepared foam was investigated by using a pin on disc method at applied loads of 9.8, 19.6 and 29.4 N at room temperature. The results indicate that the wear rate is dependent on the cell size and cell wall thickness of the foam.

Development of a Hopkinson Bar Apparatus for Testing Soft Materials: Application to a Closed-Cell Aluminum Foam.

PubMed

Peroni, Marco; Solomos, George; Babcsan, Norbert

2016-01-05

An increasing interest in lightweight metallic foams for automotive, aerospace, and other applications has been observed in recent years. This is mainly due to the weight reduction that can be achieved using foams and for their mechanical energy absorption and acoustic damping capabilities. An accurate knowledge of the mechanical behavior of these materials, especially under dynamic loadings, is thus necessary. Unfortunately, metal foams and in general "soft" materials exhibit a series of peculiarities that make difficult the adoption of standard testing techniques for their high strain-rate characterization. This paper presents an innovative apparatus, where high strain-rate tests of metal foams or other soft materials can be performed by exploiting the operating principle of the Hopkinson bar methods. Using the pre-stress method to generate directly a long compression pulse (compared with traditional SHPB), a displacement of about 20 mm can be applied to the specimen with a single propagating wave, suitable for evaluating the whole stress-strain curve of medium-sized cell foams (pores of about 1-2 mm). The potential of this testing rig is shown in the characterization of a closed-cell aluminum foam, where all the above features are amply demonstrated.

Foam-Metal Liner Attenuation of Low-Speed Fan Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutliff, Daniel L.; Jones, Michael G.

2008-01-01

A foam-metal liner for attenuation of fan noise was developed for and tested on a low speed fan. This type of liner represents a significant advance over traditional liners due to the possibility for placement in close proximity to the rotor. An advantage of placing treatment in this region is the modification of the acoustic near field, thereby inhibiting noise generation mechanisms. This can result in higher attenuation levels than can be achieved by liners located in the nacelle inlet. In addition, foam-metal liners could potentially replace the fan rub-strip and containment components, ultimately reducing engine components and thus weight, which can result in a systematic increase in noise reduction and engine performance. Foam-metal liners have the potential to reduce fan noise by 4 dB based on this study.

Fabrication of cellular materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prud'homme, Robert K.; Aksay, Ilhan A.; Garg, Rajeev

1996-02-01

Nature uses cellular materials in applications requiring strength while, simultaneously, minimizing raw materials requirements. Minimizing raw materials is efficient both in terms of the energy expended by the organism to synthesize the structure and in terms of the strength- to-weight ratio of the structure. Wood is the most obvious example of cellular bio-materials, and it is the focus of other presentations in this symposium. The lightweight bone structure of birds is another excellent example where weight is a key criterion. The anchoring foot of the common muscle [Mytilus edulis] whereby it attaches itself to objects is a further example of a biological system that uses a foam to fill space and yet conserve on raw materials. In the case of the muscle the foam is water filled and the foot structure distributes stress over a larger area so that the strength of the byssal thread from which it is suspended is matched to the strength of interfacial attachment of the foot to a substrate. In these examples the synthesis and fabrication of the cellular material is directed by intercellular, genetically coded, biochemical reactions. The resulting cell sizes are microns in scale. Cellular materials at the next larger scale are created by organisms at the next higher level of integration. For example an African tree frog lays her eggs in a gas/fluid foam sack she builds on a branch overhanging a pond. The outside of the foam sack hardens in the sun and prevents water evaporation. The foam structure minimizes the amount of fluid that needs to be incorporated into the sack and minimizes its weight. However, as far as the developing eggs are concerned, they are in an aqueous medium, i.e. the continuous fluid phase of the foam. After precisely six days the eggs hatch, and the solidified outer wall re-liquefies and dumps the emerging tadpoles into the pond below. The bee honeycomb is an example of a cellular material with exquisite periodicity at millimeter length scales. The cellular structure provides strength through geometric regularity and functions as both honey storage vessels and incubators.

Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of Aluminum Alloy Foam Fabricated from Die Castings without Using Blowing Agent by Friction Stir Processing Route

PubMed Central

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Kamada, Hiroto; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kitahara, Soichiro; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2014-01-01

Al foam has been used in a wide range of applications owing to its light weight, high energy absorption and high sound insulation. One of the promising processes for fabricating Al foam involves the use of a foamable precursor. In this study, ADC12 Al foams with porosities of 67%–78% were fabricated from Al alloy die castings without using a blowing agent by the friction stir processing route. The pore structure and tensile properties of the ADC12 foams were investigated and compared with those of commercially available ALPORAS. From X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) observations of the pore structure of ADC12 foams, it was found that they have smaller pores with a narrower distribution than those in ALPORAS. Tensile tests on the ADC12 foams indicated that as their porosity increased, the tensile strength and tensile strain decreased, with strong relation between the porosity, tensile strength, and tensile strain. ADC12 foams exhibited brittle fracture, whereas ALPORAS exhibited ductile fracture, which is due to the nature of the Al alloy used as the base material of the foams. By image-based finite element (FE) analysis using X-ray CT images corresponding to the tensile tests on ADC12 foams, it was shown that the fracture path of ADC12 foams observed in tensile tests and the regions of high stress obtained from FE analysis correspond to each other. Therefore, it is considered that the fracture behavior of ADC12 foams in relation to their pore structure distribution can be investigated by image-based FE analysis. PMID:28788573

Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of Aluminum Alloy Foam Fabricated from Die Castings without Using Blowing Agent by Friction Stir Processing Route.

PubMed

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Kamada, Hiroto; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kitahara, Soichiro; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2014-03-21

Al foam has been used in a wide range of applications owing to its light weight, high energy absorption and high sound insulation. One of the promising processes for fabricating Al foam involves the use of a foamable precursor. In this study, ADC12 Al foams with porosities of 67%-78% were fabricated from Al alloy die castings without using a blowing agent by the friction stir processing route. The pore structure and tensile properties of the ADC12 foams were investigated and compared with those of commercially available ALPORAS. From X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) observations of the pore structure of ADC12 foams, it was found that they have smaller pores with a narrower distribution than those in ALPORAS. Tensile tests on the ADC12 foams indicated that as their porosity increased, the tensile strength and tensile strain decreased, with strong relation between the porosity, tensile strength, and tensile strain. ADC12 foams exhibited brittle fracture, whereas ALPORAS exhibited ductile fracture, which is due to the nature of the Al alloy used as the base material of the foams. By image-based finite element (FE) analysis using X-ray CT images corresponding to the tensile tests on ADC12 foams, it was shown that the fracture path of ADC12 foams observed in tensile tests and the regions of high stress obtained from FE analysis correspond to each other. Therefore, it is considered that the fracture behavior of ADC12 foams in relation to their pore structure distribution can be investigated by image-based FE analysis.

Mechanically Robust, Ultraelastic Hierarchical Foam with Tunable Properties via 3D Printing

DOE PAGES

Chen, Qiyi; Cao, Peng-Fei; Advincula, Rigoberto C.

2018-04-11

We present a mechanically robust, ultraelastic foam with controlled multiscale architectures and tunable mechanical/conductive performance is fabricated via 3D printing. Hierarchical porosity, including both macro- and microscaled pores, are produced by the combination of direct ink writing (DIW), acid etching, and phase inversion. The thixotropic inks in DIW are formulated by a simple one-pot process to disperse duo nanoparticles (nanoclay and silica nanoparticles) in a polyurethane suspension. The resulting lightweight foam exhibits tailorable mechanical strength, unprecedented elasticity (standing over 1000 compression cycles), and remarkable robustness (rapidly and fully recover after a load more than 20 000 times of its ownmore » weight). Surface coating of carbon nanotubes yields a conductive elastic foam that can be used as piezoresistivity sensor with high sensitivity. For the first time, this strategy achieves 3D printing of elastic foam with controlled multilevel 3D structures and mechanical/conductive properties. In conclusion, the facile ink preparation method can be utilized to fabricate foams of various materials with desirable performance via 3D printing.« less

Structure and Compressive Properties of Invar-Cenosphere Syntactic Foams.

PubMed

Luong, Dung; Lehmhus, Dirk; Gupta, Nikhil; Weise, Joerg; Bayoumi, Mohamed

2016-02-18

The present study investigates the mechanical performance of syntactic foams produced by means of the metal powder injection molding process having an Invar (FeNi36) matrix and including cenospheres as hollow particles at weight fractions (wt.%) of 5 and 10, respectively, corresponding to approximately 41.6 and 60.0 vol.% in relation to the metal content and at 0.6 g/cm³ hollow particle density. The synthesis process results in survival of cenospheres and provides low density syntactic foams. The microstructure of the materials is investigated as well as the mechanical performance under quasi-static and high strain rate compressive loads. The compressive stress-strain curves of syntactic foams reveal a continuous strain hardening behavior in the plastic region, followed by a densification region. The results reveal a strain rate sensitivity in cenosphere-based Invar matrix syntactic foams. Differences in properties between cenosphere- and glass microsphere-based materials are discussed in relation to the findings of microstructural investigations. Cenospheres present a viable choice as filler material in iron-based syntactic foams due to their higher thermal stability compared to glass microspheres.

Mechanically Robust, Ultraelastic Hierarchical Foam with Tunable Properties via 3D Printing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Qiyi; Cao, Peng-Fei; Advincula, Rigoberto C.

We present a mechanically robust, ultraelastic foam with controlled multiscale architectures and tunable mechanical/conductive performance is fabricated via 3D printing. Hierarchical porosity, including both macro- and microscaled pores, are produced by the combination of direct ink writing (DIW), acid etching, and phase inversion. The thixotropic inks in DIW are formulated by a simple one-pot process to disperse duo nanoparticles (nanoclay and silica nanoparticles) in a polyurethane suspension. The resulting lightweight foam exhibits tailorable mechanical strength, unprecedented elasticity (standing over 1000 compression cycles), and remarkable robustness (rapidly and fully recover after a load more than 20 000 times of its ownmore » weight). Surface coating of carbon nanotubes yields a conductive elastic foam that can be used as piezoresistivity sensor with high sensitivity. For the first time, this strategy achieves 3D printing of elastic foam with controlled multilevel 3D structures and mechanical/conductive properties. In conclusion, the facile ink preparation method can be utilized to fabricate foams of various materials with desirable performance via 3D printing.« less

Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

2017-09-01

Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

High-Potential Metalless Nanocarbon Foam Supercapacitors Operating in Aqueous Electrolyte.

PubMed

Liu, Chueh; Li, Changling; Ahmed, Kazi; Mutlu, Zafer; Lee, Ilkeun; Zaera, Francisco; Ozkan, Cengiz S; Ozkan, Mihrimah

2018-04-01

Light-weight graphite foam decorated with carbon nanotubes (dia. 20-50 nm) is utilized as an effective electrode without binders, conductive additives, or metallic current collectors for supercapacitors in aqueous electrolyte. Facile nitric acid treatment renders wide operating potentials, high specific capacitances and energy densities, and long lifespan over 10 000 cycles manifested as 164.5 and 111.8 F g -1 , 22.85 and 12.58 Wh kg -1 , 74.6% and 95.6% capacitance retention for 2 and 1.8 V, respectively. Overcharge protection is demonstrated by repetitive cycling between 2 and 2.5 V for 2000 cycles without catastrophic structural demolition or severe capacity fading. Graphite foam without metallic strut possessing low density (≈0.4-0.45 g cm -3 ) further reduces the total weight of the electrode. The thorough investigation of the specific capacitances and coulombic efficiencies versus potential windows and current densities provides insights into the selection of operation conditions for future practical devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of an improved coating for polybenzimidazole foam. [for space shuttle heat shields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neuner, G. J.; Delano, C. B.

1976-01-01

An improved coating system was developed for Polybenzimidazole (PBI) foam to provide coating stability, ruggedness, moisture resistance, and to satisfy optical property requirements (alpha sub (s/epsilon) or = 0.4 and epsilon 0.8) for the space shuttle. The effort was performed in five tasks: Task 1 to establish material and process specifications for the PBI foam, and material specifications for the coatings; Task 2 to identify and evaluate promising coatings; Task 3 to establish mechanical and thermophysical properties of the tile components; Task 4 to determine by systems analysis the potential weight trade-offs associated with a coated PBI TPS; and Task 5 to establish a preliminary quality assurance program. The coated PBI tile was, through screening tests, determined to satisfy the design objectives with a reduced system weight over the baseline shuttle silica LRSI TPS. The developed tile provides a thermally stable, extremely rugged, low thermal conductivity insulator with a well characterized optical coating.

Fiber reinforced hybrid phenolic foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Amit

Hybrid composites in recent times have been developed by using more than one type of fiber reinforcement to bestow synergistic properties of the chosen filler and matrix and also facilitating the design of materials with specific properties matched to end use. However, the studies for hybrid foams have been very limited because of problems related to fiber dispersion in matrix, non uniform mixing due to presence of more than one filler and partially cured foams. An effective approach to synthesize hybrid phenolic foam has been proposed and investigated here. Hybrid composite phenolic foams were reinforced with chopped glass and aramid fibers in varied proportions. On assessing mechanical properties in compression and shear several interesting facts surfaced but overall hybrid phenolic foams exhibited a more graceful failure, greater resistance to cracking and were significantly stiffer and stronger than foams with only glass and aramid fibers. The optimum fiber ratio for the reinforced hybrid phenolic foam system was found to be 1:1 ratio of glass to aramid fibers. Also, the properties of hybrid foam were found to deviate from rule of mixture (ROM) and thus the existing theories of fiber reinforcement fell short in explaining their complex behavior. In an attempt to describe and predict mechanical behavior of hybrid foams a statistical design tool using analysis of variance technique was employed. The utilization of a statistical model for predicting foam properties was found to be an appropriate tool that affords a global perspective of the influence of process variables such as fiber weight fraction, fiber length etc. on foam properties (elastic modulus and strength). Similar approach could be extended to study other fiber composite foam systems such as polyurethane, epoxy etc. and doing so will reduce the number of experimental iterations needed to optimize foam properties and identify critical process variables. Diffusivity, accelerated aging and flammability of hybrid foams were evaluated and the results indicate that hybrid foam surpassed several commercial foams and thus could fulfill the current needs for an insulation material which is low cost, has excellent fire properties and retains compressive stiffness even after aging.

Ambient cure polyimide foams prepared from aromatic polyisocyanates, aromatic polycarboxylic compounds, furfuryl alcohol, and a strong inorganic acid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawko, Paul M. (Inventor); Riccitiello, Salvatore R. (Inventor); Hamermesh, Charles L. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

Flame and temperature resistant polyimide foams are prepared by the reaction of an aromatic dianhydride, e.g., pyromellitic dianhydride, with an aromatic polyisocyanate, e.g., polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate (PAPI) in the presence of an inorganic acid and a lower molecular weight alcohol, e.g., dilute sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid and furfuryl alcohol. The exothermic reaction between the acid and the alcohol provides the heat necessary for the other reactants to polymerize without the application of any external heat. Such mixtures, therefore, are ideally suited for in situ foam formation, especially where the application of heat is not practical or possible.

Physical and Mechanical Properties of W-Ni-Fe-Co Metal Foam Modified by Titanium Tungsten Carbide Alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishchenko, A. N.; Tabachenko, A. N.; Afanas'eva, S. A.; Belov, N. N.; Biryukov, Yu. A.; Burkin, V. V.; D'yachkovskii, A. S.; Rogaev, K. S.; Skosyrskii, A. B.; Yugov, N. T.

2018-02-01

The paper studies physical and mechanical properties of tungsten-nickel-iron-cobalt metal foam alloyed with titanium tungsten carbide. Test specimens are obtained by the liquid phase sintering of powder materials, including those containing tungsten nanopowders. High porosity metal foams are prepared through varying the porosity of powder specimens and the content of filling material. The penetration capability of cylinder projectiles made of new alloys is explored in this paper. It is shown that their penetration depth exceeds that of the prototype with relevant weight and size, made of tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, other factors being equal.

Light weight polarized polypropylene foam for noise shielding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zelfer, Travis J.; Warne, Derik S.; Korde, Umesh A.

2009-03-01

The high levels of noise generated during launch can destroy sensitive equipment on space craft. Passive damping systems, like acoustic blankets, work to reduce the high frequency noise but do little to the low frequency noise (<400 Hz). While wall mounted transducers can reduce the low frequency noise during a launch, they also can create areas of higher increased sound pressure in the payload fairings. Ferroelectret cellular polymer foams with high piezoelectric coupling constants are being used as new types of actuators and sensors. Further impedance control through the inverse piezoelectric effect will lead to a new "semi-active" approach that will reduce low frequency noise levels. Combining layers of conventional nonpiezoelectric foam and ferroelectret materials with a multiple loop feedback system will give a total damping effect that is adaptable over a wide band of low frequencies. This paper covers the manufacturing methods that were used to make polarized polypropylene foam, to test the foam for its polarized response and its noise shielding ability.

Macro-Fiber Composite Based Transduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

displacements, resonance frequencies, and acoustic performance. In addition to the experimental work, ATILA++ finite element models were developed and...done free flooded and with a simulated air backing made from a foam core (a weight was suspended below the device for negative buoyancy). Figure 13 and...Layer Ring -- 80000 100.000 100000 ~ Figure 15 shows the TVR and phase of the MFC cylinder in-water with an air backing ( foam core). The wide

Thermal aging of traditional and additively manufactured foams: analysis by time-temperature-superposition, constitutive, and finite-element models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maiti, A.; Weisgraber, T. H.; Small, W.

Cellular solids or foams are a very important class of materials with diverse applications ranging from thermal insulation and shock absorbing support cushions, to light-weight structural and floatation components, and constitute crucial components in a large number of industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics, marine, biomedical, packaging, and defense. In many of these applications the foam material is subjected to long periods of continuous stress, which can, over time, lead to a permanent change in structure and a degradation in performance. In this report we summarize our modeling efforts to date on polysiloxane foam materials that form an important component inmore » our systems. Aging of the materials was characterized by two measured quantities, i.e., compression set and load retention. Results of accelerated aging experiments were analyzed by an automated time-temperaturesuperposition (TTS) approach, which creates a master curve that can be used for long-term predictions (over decades) under ambient conditions. When comparing such master curves for traditional (stochastic) foams with those for recently 3D-printed (i.e., additively manufactured, or AM) foams, it became clear that AM foams have superior aging behavior. To gain deeper understanding, we imaged the microstructure of both foams using X-ray computed tomography, and performed finite-element analysis of the mechanical response within these microstructures. This indicates a wider stress variation in the stochastic foam with points of more extreme local stress as compared to the 3D printed material.« less

The effect of water binder ratio and fly ash on the properties of foamed concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saloma, Hanafiah, Urmila, Dea

2017-11-01

Foamed concrete is a lightweight concrete composed by cement, water, fine aggregate and evenly distributed foam. Foamed concrete is produced by adding foam to the mixture. The function of foam is to create air voids in the mixture, so the weight of the concrete becomes lighter. The foaming agent is diluted in water then given air pressure by foam generator to produce foam. This research utilizes coal combustion, which is fly ash as cementitious material with a percentage of 0%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. The purpose of the research is to examine the effect of water binder ratio 0.425, 0.450, 0.475, and 0.500 using fly ash on the properties of foamed concrete. Fresh concrete tests include slump flow and setting time test while hardened concrete tests include density and compressive strength. The maximum value of slump flow test result is 59.50 cm on FC-20-0.500 mixture with w/b = 0.500 and 20% of fly ash percentage. The results of the setting time tests indicate the fastest initial and final time are 335 and 720 minutes, respectively on FC-0-0.425 mixture with w/b = 0.425 without fly ash. The lowest density is 978.344 kg/m3 on FC-20-0.500 mixture with w/b = 0.500 and 20% of fly ash percentage. The maximum compressive strength value is 4.510 MPa at 28 days on FC-10-0.450 mixture with w/b = 0.450 and 10% of fly ash percentage.

Preparation and Oxidation Performance of Y and Ce-Modified Cr Coating on open-cell Ni-Cr-Fe Alloy Foam by the Pack Cementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Q.; Hu, Z. L.; Wu, G. H.

2016-12-01

Metallic foams with a high fraction of porosity, low density and high-energy absorption capacity are a rapidly emerging class of novel ultralight weight materials for various engineering applications. In this study, Y-Cr and Ce-Cr-coated Ni-Cr-Fe alloy foams were prepared via the pack cementation method, and the effects of Y and Ce addition on the coating microstructure and oxidation performance were analyzed in order to improve the oxidation resistance of open-cell nickel-based alloy foams. The results show that the Ce-Cr coating is relatively more uniform and has a denser distribution on the surface of the nickel-based alloy foam. The surface grains of the Ce-Cr-coated alloy foam are finer compared to those of the Y-Cr-coated alloy foam. An obvious Ce peak appears on the interface between the coating and the alloy foam strut, which gives rise to a "site-blocking" effect for the short-circuit transport of the cation in the substrate. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the Y-Cr-coated alloy foam mainly consists of Cr, (Fe, Ni) and (Ni, Cr) phases in the surface layer. The Ce-Cr-coated alloy foam is mainly composed of Cr and (Ni, Cr) phases. Furthermore, the addition of Y and Ce clearly lead to an improvement in the oxidation resistance of the coated alloy foams in the temperature range of 900-1000 °C. The addition of Ce is especially effective in enhancing the diffusion of chromium to the oxidation front, thus, accelerating the formation of a Cr2O3 layer.

Biodegradable poly (lactic acid)/Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) composite microcellular foam: Effect of nanofillers on foam cellular morphology, thermal and wettability behavior.

PubMed

Borkotoky, Shasanka Sekhar; Dhar, Prodyut; Katiyar, Vimal

2018-01-01

This article addresses the elegant and green approach for fabrication of bio-based poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) bionanocomposite foam (PLA/CNC) with cellular morphology and hydrophobic surface behavior. Highly porous (porosity >80%) structure is obtained with interconnected pores and the effect of CNCs in the cell density (N f ) and cell size of foams are thoroughly investigated by morphological analysis. The thermo-mechanical investigations are performed for the foam samples and almost ∼1.7 and ∼2.2 fold increase in storage modulus is observed for the compressive and tensile mode respectively. PLA/CNC based bionanocomposite foams displayed similar thermal stability as base PLA foam. Detailed investigations of decomposition behavior are studied by using hyphenated thermogravimetric analysis-fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) system. Almost ∼13% increment is observed in crystallinity at highest loading of CNCs compared to neat counterpart. To investigate the splitting and spreading phenomenon of the wettability of the samples, linear model is used to find the Young's contact angle and contact angle hysteresis (CAH). Besides, ∼6.1 folds reduction in the density of PLA and the nanocomposite foams compared to PLA carries much significance in specialized application areas where weight is an important concern. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of aerosol entrapment and the influence of wind speed, chamber design and foam density on polyurethane foam passive air samplers used for persistent organic pollutants.

PubMed

Chaemfa, Chakra; Wild, Edward; Davison, Brian; Barber, Jonathan L; Jones, Kevin C

2009-06-01

Polyurethane foam disks are a cheap and versatile tool for sampling persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from the air in ambient, occupational and indoor settings. This study provides important background information on the ways in which the performance of these commonly used passive air samplers may be influenced by the key environmental variables of wind speed and aerosol entrapment. Studies were performed in the field, a wind tunnel and with microscopy techniques, to investigate deployment conditions and foam density influence on gas phase sampling rates (not obtained in this study) and aerosol trapping. The study showed: wind speed inside the sampler is greater on the upper side of the sampling disk than the lower side and tethered samplers have higher wind speeds across the upper and lower surfaces of the foam disk at a wind speed > or = 4 m/s; particles are trapped on the foam surface and within the body of the foam disk; fine (<1 um) particles can form clusters of larger size inside the foam matrix. Whilst primarily designed to sample gas phase POPs, entrapment of particles ensures some 'sampling' of particle bound POPs species, such as higher molecular weight PAHs and PCDD/Fs. Further work is required to investigate how quantitative such entrapment or 'sampling' is under different ambient conditions, and with different aerosol sizes and types.

Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Sass, Jared P. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Foam/aerogel composite materials for thermal and acoustic insulation and cryogen storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Sass, Jared P. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Low-Speed Fan Noise Attenuation from a Foam-Metal Liner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutliff, Daniel L.; Jones, Michael G.

2011-01-01

A foam-metal liner for attenuation of fan noise was developed for and tested on a low-speed fan. This type of liner represents a significant advance over traditional liners, due to the possibility of placement in close proximity to the rotor. An advantage of placing treatment in this region is that the acoustic near field is modified, thereby inhibiting the noise-generation mechanism. This can result in higher attenuation levels than could be achieved by liners located in the nacelle inlet. In addition, foam-metal liners could potentially replace the fan rub strip and containment components, ultimately reducing engine components and thus weight, which can result in a systematic increase in noise reduction and engine performance. Foam-metal liners have the potential to reduce fan noise by 4 dB based on this study.

Open cell fire-resistant foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, J. E.; Wittman, J. W.; Reynard, K. A.

1976-01-01

Candidate polyphosphazene polymers were investigated to develop a fire-resistant, thermally stable and flexible open cell foam. The copolymers were prepared in several mole ratios of the substituent side chains and a (nominal) 40:60 derivative was selected for formulation studies. Synthesis of the polymers involved solution by polymerization of hexachlorophosphazene to soluble high molecular weight poly(dichlorophosphazene), followed by derivatization of the resultant polymer in a normal fashion to give polymers in high yield and high molecular weight. Small amounts of a cure site were incorporated into the polymer for vulcanization purposes. The poly(aryloxyphosphazenes) exhibited good thermal stability and the first polymer mentioned above exhibited the best thermal behavior of all the candidate polymers studied.

Physical and chemical evaluation of furniture waste briquettes.

PubMed

Moreno, Ana Isabel; Font, Rafael; Conesa, Juan A

2016-03-01

Furniture waste is mainly composed of wood and upholstery foam (mostly polyurethane foam). Both of these have a high calorific value, therefore, energy recovery would be an appropriate process to manage these wastes. Nevertheless, the drawback is that the energy content of these wastes is limited due to their low density mainly that of upholstery foam. Densification of separate foam presents difficulties due to its elastic character. The significance of this work lies in obtaining densified material by co-densification of furniture wood waste and polyurethane foam waste. Densification of furniture wood and the co-densification of furniture wood waste with polyurethane foam have been studied. On the one hand, the parameters that have an effect on the quality of the furniture waste briquettes have been analysed, i.e., moisture content, compaction pressure, presence of lignin, etc. The maximum weight percentage of polyurethane foam that can be added with furniture wood waste to obtain durable briquettes and the optimal moisture were determined. On the other hand, some parameters were analysed in order to evaluate the possible effect on the combustion. The chemical composition of waste wood was compared with untreated wood biomass; the higher nitrogen content and the concentration of some metals were the most important differences, with a significant difference of Ti content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

2018-05-01

A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foamas a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

Thermal design of spacecraft solar arrays using a polyimide foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianco, N.; Iasiello, M.; Naso, V.

2015-11-01

The design of the Thermal Control System (TCS) of spacecraft solar arrays plays a fundamental role. Indeed, the spacecraft components must operate within a certain range of temperature. If this doesn't occur, their performance is reduced and they may even break. Solar arrays, which are employed to recharge batteries, are directly exposed to the solar heat flux, and they need to be insulated from the earth's surface irradiation. Insulation is currently provided either with a white paint coating or with a Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) system [1]. A configuration based on an open-cell polyimide foam has also been recently proposed [2]. Using polyimide foams in TCSs looks very attractive in terms of costs, weight and assembling. An innovative thermal analysis of the above cited TCS configurations is carried out in this paper, by solving the porous media energy equation, under the assumption of Local Thermal Equilibrium (LTE) between the two phases. Radiation effects through the solar array are also considered by using the Rosseland approximation. Under a stationary daylight condition, temperature profiles are obtained by means of the finite-element based code COMSOL Multiphysics®. Finally, since the weight plays an important role in aerospace applications, weights of the three TCS configurations are compared.

Size Limit for Particle-Stabilized Emulsion Droplets under Gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavacoli, J. W.; Katgert, G.; Kim, E. G.; Cates, M. E.; Clegg, P. S.

2012-06-01

We demonstrate that emulsion droplets stabilized by interfacial particles become unstable beyond a size threshold set by gravity. This holds not only for colloids but also for supracolloidal glass beads, using which we directly observe the ejection of particles near the droplet base. The number of particles acting together in these ejection events decreases with time until a stable acornlike configuration is reached. Stability occurs when the weight of all remaining particles is less than the interfacial binding force of one particle. We also show the importance of the curvature of the droplet surface in promoting particle ejection.

A Flying Ejection Seat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollrock, R. H.; Barzda, J. J.

1972-01-01

To increase aircrewmen's chances for safe rescue in combat zones, the armed forces are investigating advanced escape and rescue concepts that will provide independent flight after ejection and thus reduce the risk of capture. One of the candidate concepts is discussed; namely, a stowable autogyro that serves as the crewman's seat during normal operations and automatically converts to a flight vehicle after ejection. Discussed are (1) the mechanism subsystems that the concept embodies to meet the weight and cockpit-packaging constraints and (2) tests that demonstrated the technical feasibility of the stowage, deployment, and flight operation of the rotor lift system.

Mitigation of explosions of hydrogen-air mixtures using bulk materials and aqueous foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medvedev, S. P.; Khomik, S. V.; Mikhalkin, V. N.; Ivantsov, A. N.; Agafonov, G. L.; Cherepanov, A. A.; Cherepanova, T. T.; Betev, A. S.

2018-01-01

The objective of this work is to determine experimentally the effectiveness of protective barriers under conditions when blast waves are generated during premixed hydrogen- air combustion in various regimes. Experiments are conducted in a vertical tube having a diameter of 54 mm and a length of up to 2 m. Blast loads are produced by acceleration of premixed hydrogen-air flames in the tube with ring obstacles. Comparative tests are performed between protection barriers made of bulk materials with different densities and aqueous foams with different expansion ratios. It is demonstrated that the degree of blast load attenuation by an aqueous foam barrier increases with decreasing molecular weight of the filling gas and increasing density (decreasing expansion ratio) of the foam. An Aerosil barrier three times thicker than a titanium-dioxide one is found to have a similar attenuating effect on blast action. However, the mass per unit area of an Aerosil barrier is lower than titanium dioxide by a factor of 6 and is comparable to foam. The observed dependence of blast load attenuation on parameters of bulk materials and aqueous foams must be taken into account in systems designed to mitigate the consequences of accidental hydrogen release and combustion.

Magnetically driven floating foams for the removal of oil contaminants from water.

PubMed

Calcagnile, Paola; Fragouli, Despina; Bayer, Ilker S; Anyfantis, George C; Martiradonna, Luigi; Cozzoli, P Davide; Cingolani, Roberto; Athanassiou, Athanassia

2012-06-26

In this study, we present a novel composite material based on commercially available polyurethane foams functionalized with colloidal superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and submicrometer polytetrafluoroethylene particles, which can efficiently separate oil from water. Untreated foam surfaces are inherently hydrophobic and oleophobic, but they can be rendered water-repellent and oil-absorbing by a solvent-free, electrostatic polytetrafluoroethylene particle deposition technique. It was found that combined functionalization of the polytetrafluoroethylene-treated foam surfaces with colloidal iron oxide nanoparticles significantly increases the speed of oil absorption. Detailed microscopic and wettability studies reveal that the combined effects of the surface morphology and of the chemistry of the functionalized foams greatly affect the oil-absorption dynamics. In particular, nanoparticle capping molecules are found to play a major role in this mechanism. In addition to the water-repellent and oil-absorbing capabilities, the functionalized foams exhibit also magnetic responsivity. Finally, due to their light weight, they float easily on water. Hence, by simply moving them around oil-polluted waters using a magnet, they can absorb the floating oil from the polluted regions, thereby purifying the water underneath. This low-cost process can easily be scaled up to clean large-area oil spills in water.

Growth of carbon nanofibers using resol-type phenolic resin and cobalt(II) catalyst.

PubMed

Kim, Taeyun; Mees, Karina; Park, Ho-Seon; Willert-Porada, Monika; Lee, Chang-Seop

2013-11-01

This study investigated carbon nanofibers (CNFs) grown on reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) foam through catalytic deposition of ethylene. Before growing the CNFs, Co(II) on the RVC foam was expected to act as a catalyst by deposition. The preparation of the CNFs was a two-step process. The first step was preparing the RVC from polyurethane (PU) foam. Changes in weight over time were evaluated using two kinds of resol. The change in the mass and state of the sample with the change in temperature was studied during the carbonization process. The second step was to prepare the CNFs. An OH group was attached by the oxidation of the RVC foam. A change in the shape and mass of the sample was observed due to a change in nitric acid concentration and oxidation time. Then, cobalt was deposited to grow CNFs on the RVC foam. Hydrolysis helped to deposit the Co(ll) on the RVC foam. The appropriate time and temperature were investigated for the reduction process. In the last step, CNFs were prepared by the introducing ethylene gas. The resulting samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, N2-sorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Lysophosphatidic acid directly induces macrophage-derived foam cell formation by blocking the expression of SRBI.

PubMed

Chen, Linmu; Zhang, Jun; Deng, Xiao; Liu, Yan; Yang, Xi; Wu, Qiong; Yu, Chao

2017-09-23

The leading cause of morbidity and mortality is the result of cardiovascular disease, mainly atherosclerosis. The formation of macrophage foam cells by ingesting ox-LDL and focal retention in the subendothelial space are the hallmarks of the early atherosclerotic lesion. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is a low-molecular weight lysophospholipid enriched in oxidized LDL, exerts a range of effects on the cardiovascular system. Previous reports show that LPA increases the uptake of ox-LDL to promote the formation of foam cells. However, as the most active component of ox-LDL, there is no report showing whether LPA directly affects foam cell formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LPA on foam cell formation, as well as to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Oil red O staining and a Cholesterol/cholesteryl ester quantitation assay were used to evaluate foam cell formation in Raw264.7 macrophage cells. We utilized a Western blot and RT-PCR to investigate the relationship between LPA receptors and lipid transport related proteins. We found that LPA promoted foam cell formation, using 200 μM for 24 h. Meanwhile, the expression of the Scavenger receptor BI (SRBI), which promotes the efflux of free cholesterol, was decreased. Furthermore, the LPA 1/3 receptor antagonist Ki16425 significantly abolished the LPA effects, indicating that LPA 1/3 was involved in the foam cell formation and SRBI expression induced by LPA. Additionally, the LPA-induced foam cell formation was blocked with an AKT inhibitor. Our results suggest that LPA-enhanced foam cell formation is mediated by LPA 1/3 -AKT activation and subsequent SRBI expression. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Dynamic Crushing Response of Closed-cell Aluminium Foam at Variable Strain Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, M. A.; Kader, M. A.; Escobedo, J. P.; Hazell, P. J.; Appleby-Thomas, G. J.; Quadir, M. Z.

2015-06-01

The impact response of aluminium foams is essential for assessing their crashworthiness and energy absorption capacity for potential applications. The dynamic compactions of closed-cell aluminium foams (CYMAT) have been tested at variable strain rates. Microstructural characterization has also been carried out. The low strain rate impact test has been carried out using drop weight experiments while the high strain compaction test has been carried out via plate impact experiments. The post impacted samples have been examined using optical and electron microscopy to observe the microstructural changes during dynamic loading. This combination of dynamic deformation during impact and post impact microstructural analysis helped to evaluate the pore collapse mechanism and impact energy absorption characteristics.

Ultra Low Density and Highly Crosslinked Biocompatible Shape Memory Polyurethane Foams

PubMed Central

Singhal, Pooja; Rodriguez, Jennifer N.; Small, Ward; Eagleston, Scott; Van de Water, Judy; Maitland, Duncan J.; Wilson, Thomas S.

2012-01-01

We report the development of highly chemically crosslinked, ultra low density (~0.015 g/cc) polyurethane shape memory foams synthesized from symmetrical, low molecular weight and branched hydroxyl monomers. Sharp single glass transitions (Tg) customizable in the functional range of 45–70 °C were achieved. Thermomechanical testing confirmed shape memory behavior with 97–98% shape recovery over repeated cycles, a glassy storage modulus of 200–300 kPa and recovery stresses of 5–15 kPa. Shape holding tests under constrained storage above the Tg showed stable shape memory. A high volume expansion of up to 70 times was seen on actuation of these foams from a fully compressed state. Low in-vitro cell activation induced by the foam compared to controls demonstrates low acute bio-reactivity. We believe these porous polymeric scaffolds constitute an important class of novel smart biomaterials with multiple potential applications. PMID:22570509

Conduit dynamics in transitional rhyolitic activity recorded by tuffisite vein textures from the 2008-2009 Chaitén eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saubin, Elodie; Tuffen, Hugh; Gurioli, Lucia; Owen, Jacqueline; Castro, Jonathan; Berlo, Kim; McGowan, Ellen; Schipper, C.; Wehbe, Katia

2016-05-01

The mechanisms of hazardous silicic eruptions are controlled by complex, poorly-understood conduit processes. Observations of recent Chilean rhyolite eruptions have revealed the importance of hybrid activity, involving simultaneous explosive and effusive emissions from a common vent. Such behaviour hinges upon the ability of gas to decouple from magma in the shallow conduit. Tuffisite veins are increasingly suspected to be a key facilitator of outgassing, as they repeatedly provide a transient permeable escape route for volcanic gases. Intersection of foam domains by tuffisite veins appears critical to efficient outgassing. However, knowledge is currently lacking into textural heterogeneities within shallow conduits, their relationship with tuffisite vein propagation, and the implications for fragmentation and degassing processes. Similarly, the magmatic vesiculation response to upper conduit pressure perturbations, such as those related to the slip of dense magma plugs, remains largely undefined. Here we provide a detailed characterization of an exceptionally large tuffisite vein within a rhyolitic obsidian bomb ejected during transitional explosive-effusive activity at Chaitén, Chile in May 2008. Vein textures and chemistry provide a time-integrated record of the invasion of a dense upper conduit plug by deeper fragmented magma. Quantitative textural analysis reveals diverse vesiculation histories of various juvenile clast types. Using vesicle size distributions, bubble number densities, zones of diffusive water depletion, and glass H2O concentrations, we propose a multi-step degassing/fragmentation history, spanning deep degassing to explosive bomb ejection. Rapid decompression events of ~3-4 MPa are associated with fragmentation of foam and dense magma at ~200-350 metres depth in the conduit, permitting vertical gas and pyroclast mobility over hundreds of metres. Permeable pathway occlusion in the dense conduit plug by pyroclast accumulation and sintering preceded ultimate bomb ejection, which then triggered a final bubble nucleation event. Our results highlight how the vesiculation response of magma to decompression events is highly sensitive to the local melt volatile concentration, which is strongly spatially heterogeneous. Repeated opening of pervasive tuffisite vein networks promotes this heterogeneity, allowing juxtaposition of variably volatile-rich magma fragments that are derived from a wide range of depths in the conduit. This process enables efficient but explosive removal of gas from rhyolitic

Three-Dimensional Rebar Graphene.

PubMed

Sha, Junwei; Salvatierra, Rodrigo V; Dong, Pei; Li, Yilun; Lee, Seoung-Ki; Wang, Tuo; Zhang, Chenhao; Zhang, Jibo; Ji, Yongsung; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Lou, Jun; Zhao, Naiqin; Tour, James M

2017-03-01

Free-standing robust three-dimensional (3D) rebar graphene foams (GFs) were developed by a powder metallurgy template method with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a reinforcing bar, sintered Ni skeletons as a template and catalyst, and sucrose as a solid carbon source. As a reinforcement and bridge between different graphene sheets and carbon shells, MWCNTs improved the thermostability, storage modulus (290.1 kPa) and conductivity (21.82 S cm -1 ) of 3D GF resulting in a high porosity and structurally stable 3D rebar GF. The 3D rebar GF can support >3150× the foam's weight with no irreversible height change, and shows only a ∼25% irreversible height change after loading >8500× the foam's weight. The 3D rebar GF also shows stable performance as a highly porous electrode in lithium ion capacitors (LICs) with an energy density of 32 Wh kg -1 . After 500 cycles of testing at a high current density of 6.50 mA cm -2 , the LIC shows 78% energy density retention. These properties indicate promising applications with 3D rebar GFs in devices requiring stable mechanical and electrochemical properties.

The effect of dispersion technique of montmorillonite on polyisocyanurate nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabulis, U.; Fridrihsone, A.; Andersons, J.; Vlcek, T.

2014-05-01

The biomass represents an abundant, renewable, competitive and low cost resource that can play an alternative role to petrochemical resources. The central topic of the research activity reported is the use of rape seed oil (RO) as a raw material for the production of rigid polyisocyanurate foams (PIR). The content of the renewable resource-derived polymers achieved in ready foams is up to 20%. By using biopolymers as a matrix, a prospective way is to reinforce them with nanoparticles, organically modified clays, for improvement of mechanical properties while, at the same time, replacing petrochemical raw materials. Organoclay Cloisite® 15A was tested as a filler of PIR foams. Three different techniques - ultrasonification, mixing by three-roll mills, and high-pressure homogenization were used for dispergation of nanoclays in polyols. Composite polyisocyanurate foams and solid polymer samples were produced and tested for stiffness and strength. This paper discusses the studies into the use of RO as a renewable source in rigid PIR foams filled with organomodified montmorillonite clay with loadings from 1 to 5% by weight.

Analysis of Stainless Steel Sandwich Panels with a Metal Foam Care for Lightweight Fan Blade Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, James B.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Raj, Sai V.; Holland, Frederic A., Jr.; Hebsur, Mohan G.

2004-01-01

The quest for cheap, low density and high performance materials in the design of aircraft and rotorcraft engine fan and propeller blades poses immense challenges to the materials and structural design engineers. Traditionally, these components have been fabricated using expensive materials such as light weight titanium alloys, polymeric composite materials and carbon-carbon composites. The present study investigates the use of P sandwich foam fan blade made up of solid face sheets and a metal foam core. The face sheets and the metal foam core material were an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a foam core. The resulting structure possesses a high stiffness while being lighter than a similar solid construction. Since the face sheets carry the applied bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. The material properties of 17-4 PH metal foam are reviewed briefly to describe the characteristics of the sandwich structure for a fan blade application. A vibration analysis for natural frequencies and P detailed stress analysis on the 17-4 PH sandwich foam blade design for different combinations of skin thickness and core volume %re presented with a comparison to a solid titanium blade.

Development and characterization of a rechargeable carbon foam electrode containing nickel oxyhydroxide active mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chye, Matthew B.

2011-12-01

Batteries and asymmetric electrochemical capacitors using nickel-based positive electrodes can provide high currents due to their defect structure and low internal resistance. Nickel-based positive electrodes, therefore, are ideal for high current applications such as power tools and electric vehicles (EVs). The positive electrodes prepared in this research are monolithic graphitic foams electrochemically impregnated with nickel oxyhydroxide active mass and select additives that enhance electrode performance. Carbon foam is a good current collector due to its light-weight, porous, and graphitic nature, which give its good electrical properties and the ability to be used as a current collector. Replacing sintered nickel current collectors in nickel-based batteries with a low cost, readily available material, carbon foam, can reduce the mass of a rechargeable battery. The goal of this research has been to contribute to fundamental science through better understanding of optimizing the deposition and formation processes of the active mass onto carbon foams as well as investigating the active mass behavior under deposition, formation, and cycling conditions. Flooded cells and a PFA sealed asymmetric capacitor have been used. The effects of carbon foam surface pretreatments and how they affect the active material/carbon foam performance are demonstrated. Also the feasibility of this positive electrode as a component in nickel-based batteries, a Ni-Zn cells and an asymmetric capacitor pouch cell, is demonstrated.

Laceration and Ejection Dangers of Automotive Glass, and the Weak Standards Involved. The Strain Fracture Test.

PubMed Central

Clark, Carl C.; Yudenfriend, Herbert; Redner, Alex S.

2000-01-01

Glazing types are historically described, with the laceration injuries and ejection deaths associated with present glazing. Sixty tempered glass windows manufactured at nominally four temper levels were tested for uncracked fracture fragment size and weight and length by the American and European standards, which fracture the glass without strain, and our preliminary strain fracture test, which produces longer uncracked fragments and heavier clusters of fragments. Our study relates the results by the three methods to the temper measurements using birefringence, with a discussion of alternate safer glazing and the inadequacy of present standards for reducing laceration and ejection dangers. PMID:11558078

Foam Transport in Porous Media - A Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Z. F.; Freedman, Vicky L.; Zhong, Lirong

2009-11-11

Amendment solutions with or without surfactants have been used to remove contaminants from soil. However, it has drawbacks such that the amendment solution often mobilizes the plume, and its movement is controlled by gravity and preferential flow paths. Foam is an emulsion-like, two-phase system in which gas cells are dispersed in a liquid and separated by thin liquid films called lamellae. Potential advantages of using foams in sub-surface remediation include providing better control on the volume of fluids injected, uniformity of contact, and the ability to contain the migration of contaminant laden liquids. It is expected that foam can servemore » as a carrier of amendments for vadose zone remediation, e.g., at the Hanford Site. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s EM-20 program, a numerical simulation capability will be added to the Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases (STOMP) flow simulator. The primary purpose of this document is to review the modeling approaches of foam transport in porous media. However, as an aid to understanding the simulation approaches, some experiments under unsaturated conditions and the processes of foam transport are also reviewed. Foam may be formed when the surfactant concentration is above the critical micelle concentration. There are two main types of foams – the ball foam (microfoam) and the polyhedral foam. The characteristics of bulk foam are described by the properties such as foam quality, texture, stability, density, surface tension, disjoining pressure, etc. Foam has been used to flush contaminants such as metals, organics, and nonaqueous phase liquids from unsaturated soil. Ball foam, or colloidal gas aphrons, reportedly have been used for soil flushing in contaminated site remediation and was found to be more efficient than surfactant solutions on the basis of weight of contaminant removed per gram of surfactant. Experiments also indicate that the polyhedral foam can be used to enhance soil remediation. The transport of foam in porous media is complicated in that the number of lamellae present governs flow characteristics such as viscosity, relative permeability, fluid distribution, and interactions between fluids. Hence, foam is a non-Newtonian fluid. During transport, foam destruction and formation occur. The net result of the two processes determines the foam texture (i.e., bubble density). Some of the foam may be trapped during transport. According to the impacts of the aqueous and gas flow rates, foam flow generally has two regimes – weak and strong foam. There is also a minimum pressure gradient to initiate foam flow and a critical capillary for foam to be sustained. Similar to other fluids, the transport of foam is described by Darcy’s law with the exception that the foam viscosity is variable. Three major approaches to modeling foam transport in porous media are the empirical, semi-empirical, and mechanistic methods. Mechanistic approaches can be complete in principal but may be difficult to obtain reliable parameters, whereas empirical and semi-empirical approaches can be limited by the detail used to describe foam rheology and mobility. Mechanistic approaches include the bubble population-balance model, the network/percolation theory, the catastrophe theory, and the filtration theory. Among these methods, all were developed for modeling polyhedral foam with the exception that the method based on the filtration theory was for the ball foam (microfoam).« less

Uniform Foam Crush Testing for Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle Impact Attenuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Byron W.; Glaab, Louis J.

2012-01-01

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes and retro-rockets, instead using built-in impact attenuators to absorb energy remaining at impact to meet landing loads requirements. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs and develop the trade space. Testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of several candidate impact foam attenuators to enhance M-SAPE analysis. In the current effort, four different Rohacell foams are tested at three different, uniform, strain rates (approximately 0.17, approximately 100, approximately 13,600%/s). The primary data analysis method uses a global data smoothing technique in the frequency domain to remove noise and system natural frequencies. The results from the data indicate that the filter and smoothing technique are successful in identifying the foam crush event and removing aberrations. The effect of strain rate increases with increasing foam density. The 71-WF-HT foam may support Mars Sample Return requirements. Several recommendations to improve the drop tower test technique are identified.

Foam Cushioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

One innovation developed by a contractor at Ames Research Center was an open cell polymeric foam material with unusual properties. Intended as padding for aircraft seats the material offered better impact protection against accidents, and also enhanced passenger comfort because it distributed body weight evenly over the entire contact area. Called a slow springback foam, it flows to match the contour of the body pressing against it, and returns to its original shape once the pressure is removed. It has many applications including aircraft cushions and padding, dental stools, and athletic equipment. Now it's used by Dynamic Systems, Inc. for medical applications such as wheel chairs for severely disabled people which allow them to sit for 3-8 hours where they used to be uncomfortable in 15-30 minutes.

Light weight escape capsule for fighter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robert, James A.

1988-01-01

Emergency crew escape capabilities have been less than adequate for fighter aircraft since before WW II. From the over-the-side bailout of those days through the current ejection seat with a rocket catapult, escaping from a disabled aircraft has been risky at best. Current efforts are underway toward developing a high-tech, smart ejection seat that will give fighter pilots more room to live in the sky, but an escape capsule is needed to meet current and future fighter envelopes. Escape capsules have a bad reputation due to past examples of high weight, poor performance and great complexity. However, the advantages available demand that a capsule be developed. This capsule concept will minimize the inherent disavantages and incorporate the benefits while integrating all aspects of crew station design. The resulting design is appropriate for a crew station of the year 2010 and includes improved combat acceleration protection, chemical or biological combat capability, improved aircraft to escape system interaction, and the highest level of escape performance achievable. The capsule is compact, which can allow a reduced aircraft size and weighs only 1200 lb. The escape system weight penalty is only 120 lb higher than that for the next ejection seat and the capsule has a corresponding increase in performance.

Osseointegration into a Novel Titanium Foam Implant in the Distal Femur of a Rabbit

PubMed Central

Willie, Bettina M.; Yang, Xu; Kelly, Natalie H.; Merkow, Justin; Gagne, Shawn; Ware, Robin; Wright, Timothy M.; Bostrom, Mathias P.G.

2010-01-01

A novel porous titanium foam implant has recently been developed to enhance biological fixation of orthopaedic implants to bone. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanical and histological characteristics of bone apposition into two different pore sizes of this titanium foam (565 and 464 micron mean void intercept length) and to compare these characteristics to those obtained with a fully porous conventionally sintered titanium bead implant. Cylindrical implants were studied in a rabbit distal femoral intramedullary osseointegration model at time zero and at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. The amount of bone ingrowth, amount of periprosthetic bone, and mineral apposition rate of periprosthetic bone measured did not differ among the three implant designs at 3, 6, or 12 weeks. By 12 weeks, the interface stiffness and maximum load of the beaded implant was significantly greater than either foam implant. No significant difference was found in the interface stiffness or maximum load between the two foam implant designs at 3, 6, or 12 weeks. The lower compressive modulus of the foam compared to the more dense sintered beaded implants likely contributed to the difference in failure mode. However, the foam implants have a similar compressive modulus to other clinically successful coatings, suggesting they are nonetheless clinically adequate. Additional studies are required to confirm this in weight-bearing models. Histological data suggest that these novel titanium foam implants are a promising alternative to current porous coatings and should be further investigated for clinical application in cementless joint replacement. PMID:20024964

Effect of silica nanoparticles on polyurethane foaming process and foam properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francés, A. B.; Navarro Bañón, M. V.

2014-08-01

Flexible polyurethane foams (FPUF) are commonly used as cushioning material in upholstered products made on several industrial sectors: furniture, automotive seating, bedding, etc. Polyurethane is a high molecular weight polymer based on the reaction between a hydroxyl group (polyol) and isocyanate. The density, flowability, compressive, tensile or shearing strength, the thermal and dimensional stability, combustibility, and other properties can be adjusted by the addition of several additives. Nanomaterials offer a wide range of possibilities to obtain nanocomposites with specific properties. The combination of FPUF with silica nanoparticles could develop nanocomposite materials with unique properties: improved mechanical and thermal properties, gas permeability, and fire retardancy. However, as silica particles are at least partially surface-terminated with Si-OH groups, it was suspected that the silica could interfere in the reaction of poyurethane formation.The objective of this study was to investigate the enhancement of thermal and mechanical properties of FPUF by the incorporation of different types of silica and determining the influence thereof during the foaming process. Flexible polyurethane foams with different loading mass fraction of silica nanoparticles (0-1% wt) and different types of silica (non treated and modified silica) were synthesized. PU/SiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, and measurements of apparent density, resilience and determination of compression set. Addition of silica nanoparticles influences negatively in the density and compression set of the foams. However, resilience and thermal stability of the foams are improved. Silica nanoparticles do not affect to the chemical structure of the foams although they interfere in the blowing reaction.

Nanocellular thermoplastic foam and process for making the same

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Lingbo; Costeux, Stephane; Patankar, Kshitish A.

Prepare a thermoplastic polymer foam having a porosity of 70% or more and at least one of: (i) an average cell size of 200 nanometers or less; and (ii) a nucleation density of at least 1.times.1015 effective nucleation sites per cubic centimeter of foamable polymer composition not including blowing agent using a foamable polymer composition containing a thermoplastic polymer selected from styrenic polymer and (meth)acrylic polymers, a blowing agent comprising at least 20 mole-percent carbon dioxide based on moles of blowing agent and an additive having a Total Hansen Solubility Parameter that differs from that of carbon dioxide by lessmore » than 2 and that is present at a concentration of 0.01 to 1.5 weight parts per hundred weight parts thermoplastic polymer.« less

The Reactive Stabilisation of Aluminum-Zinc-X Foams via the Formation of a Transient Liquid Phase Using the Powder Metallurgy Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lafrance, Maxime

During the past few decades, aluminum foam research has focused on the improvement of properties. These properties include pore structure and process reproducibility. High energy absorption capacity, lightweight and high stiffness to weight ratio are some of the properties that make these foams desirable for a number of diverse applications. The use of a transient liquid phase and melting point depressant was studied in order to improve aluminum foam manufactured through the powder metallurgy process and to create reactive Stabilisation. The transient liquid phase reacts with aluminum and helps encapsulate higher levels of hydrogen, simultaneously reducing the difference between the melting point of the alloy and the gas release temperature of the blowing agent (TiH2). A large difference is known to adversely affect foam properties. The study of pure aluminum foam formation was undertaken to understand the basic foaming mechanisms related to crack formations under in-situ conditions. Elemental zinc powder at various concentrations (Al-10wt%Zn, Al-33wt%Zn and Al-50wt%Zn) was added to produce a transient liquid phase. Subsequently, an Al-12wt%Si pre-alloyed powder was added to the Al-Zn mixture in order to further reduce the melting point of the alloy and to increase the amount of transient liquid phase available (Al-3.59wtSi-9.6%Zn and Al-2.4wt%Si-9.7wt%Zn). The mechanical properties of each system at optimal foaming conditions were assessed and compared. It was determined that pure aluminum foam crack formation could be suppressed at higher heating rates, improving the structure through the nucleation of uniform pores. The Al-10wt%Zn foams generated superior pore properties, post maximum expansion stability and mechanical properties at lower temperatures, compared to pure aluminum. The Al-Si-Zn foams revealed remarkable stability and pore structure at very low temperatures (640 to 660°C). Overall, the Al-10wt%Zn and Al-3.59wt%Si-9.6wt%Zn foams offer superior properties compared to pure aluminum.

Marine debris in five national parks in Alaska.

PubMed

Polasek, L; Bering, J; Kim, H; Neitlich, P; Pister, B; Terwilliger, M; Nicolato, K; Turner, C; Jones, T

2017-04-15

Marine debris is a management issue with ecological and recreational impacts for agencies, especially on remote beaches not accessible by road. This project was implemented to remove and document marine debris from five coastal National Park Service units in Alaska. Approximately 80km of coastline were cleaned with over 10,000kg of debris collected. Marine debris was found at all 28 beaches surveyed. Hard plastics were found on every beach and foam was found at every beach except one. Rope/netting was the next most commonly found category, present at 23 beaches. Overall, plastic contributed to 60% of the total weight of debris. Rope/netting (14.6%) was a greater proportion of the weight from all beaches than foam (13.3%). Non-ferrous metal contributed the smallest amount of debris by weight (1.7%). The work forms a reference condition dataset of debris surveyed in the Western Arctic and the Gulf of Alaska within one season. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Nonlinearity in the vertical transmissibility of seating: the role of the human body apparent mass and seat dynamic stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tufano, Saverio; Griffin, Michael J.

2013-01-01

The efficiency of a seat in reducing vibration depends on the characteristics of the vibration, the dynamic characteristics of the seat, and the dynamic characteristics of the person sitting on the seat. However, it is not known whether seat cushions influence the dynamic response of the human body, whether the human body influences the dynamic response of seat cushions, or the relative importance of human body nonlinearity and seat nonlinearity in causing nonlinearity in measures of seat transmissibility. This study was designed to investigate the nonlinearity of the coupled seat and human body systems and to compare the apparent mass of the human body supported on rigid and foam seats. A frequency domain model was used to identify the dynamic parameters of seat foams and investigate their dependence on the subject-sitting weight and hip breadth. With 15 subjects, the force and acceleration at the seat base and acceleration at the subject interface were measured during random vertical vibration excitation (0.25-25 Hz) at each of five vibration magnitudes, (0.25-1.6 ms-2 r.m.s.) with four seating conditions (rigid flat seat and three foam cushions). The measurements are presented in terms of the subject's apparent mass on the rigid and foam seat surfaces, and the transmissibility and dynamic stiffness of each of the foam cushions. Both the human body and the foams showed nonlinear softening behaviour, which resulted in nonlinear cushion transmissibility. The apparent masses of subjects sitting on the rigid seat and on foam cushions were similar, but with an apparent increase in damping when sitting on the foams. The foam dynamic stiffness showed complex correlations with characteristics of the human body, which differed between foams. The nonlinearities in cushion transmissibilities, expressed in terms of changes in resonance frequencies and moduli, were more dependent on human body nonlinearity than on cushion nonlinearity.

Effects of porosity on corrosion resistance of Mg alloy foam produced by powder metallurgy technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aghion, E., E-mail: egyon@bgu.ac.il; Perez, Y.

2014-10-15

Magnesium alloy foams have the potential to serve as structural material for regular light-weight applications as well as for biodegradable scaffold implants. However, their main disadvantage relates to the high reactivity of magnesium and consequently their natural tendency to corrode in regular service conditions and in physiological environments. The present study aims at evaluating the effect of porosity on the corrosion resistance of MRI 201S magnesium alloy foams in 0.9% NaCl solution and in phosphate buffer saline solution as a simulated physiological electrolyte. The magnesium foams were produced by powder metallurgy technology using space-holding particles to control the porosity content.more » Machined chips were used as raw material for the production of Mg alloy powder by milling process. The microstructure of the foams was examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The corrosion behavior was evaluated by immersion test and potentiodynamic polarization analysis. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that the porosity has a significant effect on the corrosion resistance of the tested foams. Foams with 14–19% porosity have a corrosion rate of 4–10 mcd and 7–15 mcd in NaCl and phosphate buffer saline solution, respectively, compared to only 0.10 mcd for the same alloy in as cast conditions. This increased corrosion degradation of the Mg foams by more than one order of magnitude compared to the cast alloy may limit their potential application in regular and physiological environments. - Highlights: • Porosity has a detrimental effect on corrosion resistance of MRI 201S Mg foams. • 14–19% porosity increases the corrosion rate by more than one order of magnitude. • Accelerated corrosion limits the use of foams in regular/physiological environments.« less

Associative electron detachment - O(-) + H yields OH + e(-)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharya, P. K.; Kendall, R. A.; Simons, J.

1985-10-01

Diatomic associative electron detachment (AED) involves the ejection of an electron when a atomic anion and another atom collisionally associate to produce a neutral diatomic molecule in a vibration-rotation state labeled V-prime, J-prime. Electron ejection rate calculations are discussed, taking into account aspects of rate expressions, calculations of ingredients in rate expression, initial-condition weighting factors, and the vibration and rotation dependence of ejection rates. The results of ab initio theoretical simulations indicate that AED in O(-) + H is so slow (approximately 10,000 per s) that it is likely to be inaccessible to present experimental observation. Propensity for producing OH in high vibrational levels does occur but the propensity is not sharp.

External foam layers to football helmets reduce head impact severity.

PubMed

Nakatsuka, Austin S; Yamamoto, Loren G

2014-08-01

Current American football helmet design has a rigid exterior with a padded interior. Softening the hard external layer of the helmet may reduce the impact potential of the helmet, providing extra head protection and reducing its use as an offensive device. The objective of this study is to measure the impact reduction potential provided by external foam. We obtained a football helmet with built-in accelerometer-based sensors, placed it on a boxing mannequin and struck it with a weighted swinging pendulum helmet to mimic the forces sustained during a helmet-to-helmet strike. We then applied layers of 1.3 cm thick polyolefin foam to the exterior surface of the helmets and repeated the process. All impact severity measures were significantly reduced with the application of the external foam. These results support the hypothesis that adding a soft exterior layer reduces the force of impact which may be applicable to the football field. Redesigning football helmets could reduce the injury potential of the sport.

External Foam Layers to Football Helmets Reduce Head Impact Severity

PubMed Central

Nakatsuka, Austin S

2014-01-01

Current American football helmet design has a rigid exterior with a padded interior. Softening the hard external layer of the helmet may reduce the impact potential of the helmet, providing extra head protection and reducing its use as an offensive device. The objective of this study is to measure the impact reduction potential provided by external foam. We obtained a football helmet with built-in accelerometer-based sensors, placed it on a boxing mannequin and struck it with a weighted swinging pendulum helmet to mimic the forces sustained during a helmet-to-helmet strike. We then applied layers of 1.3 cm thick polyolefin foam to the exterior surface of the helmets and repeated the process. All impact severity measures were significantly reduced with the application of the external foam. These results support the hypothesis that adding a soft exterior layer reduces the force of impact which may be applicable to the football field. Redesigning football helmets could reduce the injury potential of the sport. PMID:25157327

Characterization of cassava starch based foam blended with plant proteins, kraft fiber, and palm oil.

PubMed

Kaisangsri, Nattapon; Kerdchoechuen, Orapin; Laohakunjit, Natta

2014-09-22

Cassava starch foam (CSF) trays blended with zein, gluten, soy protein, kraft fiber, and palm oil at various concentrations: 0, 5, 10 and 15% by weight of starch, were characterized. The addition of zein and gluten into CSF resulted in consolidated and homogeneous structural foams compared to its controls. Moreover, the flexural and compressive strength increased with increasing kraft, zein and gluten. CSF containing 15% kraft gave the highest flexural and compressive strength. However, the addition of palm oil into CSF gave the lowest flexural strength and compressive strength. The observed water absorption and water solubility index of CSFs blended with 15% zein and 15% gluten protein was lowest. Although kraft, zein and gluten could improve mechanical properties, water absorption and water solubility were greater than the expanded polystyrene foam (EPS). The CSF trays in this study might be an alternative for packing low water content foods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of magnetic reconnection in stellar plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammoud, M.; El Eid, M.; Darwish, M.

2017-06-01

An important phenomenon in Astrophysics is the process of magnetic reconnection (MGR), which is envisaged to understand the solar flares, coronal mass ejection, interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetic field (so called geomagnetic storm) and other phenomena. In addition, it plays a role in the formation of stars. MGR involves topological change of a set of magnetic field lines leading to a new equilibrium configuration of lower magnetic energy. The MGR is basically described in the framework of the Maxwell’s equations linked to Navier-Stockes equations. Nevertheless, many details are still not understood. In this paper, we investigate the MGR process in the framework of the Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of a single conducting fluid using a modern powerful computational tool (OpenFOAM). We will show that the MGR process takes place only if resistivity exists. However, despite the high conductivity of the plasma, resistivity becomes effective in a very thin layer generating sharp gradients of the magnetic field, and thus accelerating the reconnection process. The net effect of MGR is that magnetic energy is converted into thermal and kinetic energies leading to heating and acceleration of charged particles. The Sun’s coronal ejection is an example of the MGR process.

Impact Foam Testing for Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaab, Louis J.; Agrawal, Paul; Hawbaker, James

2013-01-01

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes and retro-rockets, instead using built-in impact attenuators to absorb energy remaining at impact to meet landing loads requirements. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs and develop the trade space. Testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of several candidate impact foam attenuators to enhance M-SAPE analysis. In the current effort, two different Rohacell foams were tested to determine their thermal conductivity in support of MMEEV design applications. These applications include thermal insulation during atmospheric entry, impact attenuation, and post-impact thermal insulation in support of thermal soak analysis. Results indicate that for these closed-cell foams, the effect of impact is limited on thermal conductivity due to the venting of the virgin material gas and subsequent ambient air replacement. Results also indicate that the effect of foam temperature is significant compared to data suggested by manufacturer's specifications.

Polyurethane rigid foam, a proven thermal insulating material for applications between +130°C and -196°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demharter, Anton

Polyurethanes are high molecular weight polymers based on the polyaddition of polyfunctional hydroxyl-group containing compounds and polyisocyanates. A wide variety of properties can be tailored to fulfil the requirements of different applications: soft to hard, plastic, elastic or thermoset, compact or foamed. Compared with other insulating materials, PUR rigid foam is highly competitive. There are five product-related advantages: lowest thermal conductivity, high mechanical and chemical properties at both high and low temperatures, all major international fire safety requirements can be satisfied, the ability to form sandwich structures with various facer materials, and the new generation of PUR is CFC-free and recyclable. Rigid polyurethane foams perform well in most areas of low-temperature insulations. Products in density ranging from approximately 30 to 200 kg m -3 withstand temperatures down to -196°C. Typical applications are: refrigerated vehicles, road and rail tankers, vessels for refrigerated cargo, pipelines, liquid gas tanks for LPG and LNG and cryogenic wind tunnels. The paper presents applications, corresponding properties of the rigid foams used, and also other insulating materials in competition to PUR are discussed.

Acoustic and vibrational damping in porous solids.

PubMed

Göransson, Peter

2006-01-15

A porous solid may be characterized as an elastic-viscoelastic and acoustic-viscoacoustic medium. For a flexible, open cell porous foam, the transport of energy is carried both through the sound pressure waves propagating through the fluid in the pores, and through the elastic stress waves carried through the solid frame of the material. For a given situation, the balance between energy dissipated through vibration of the solid frame, changes in the acoustic pressure and the coupling between the waves varies with the topological arrangement, choice of material properties, interfacial conditions, etc. Engineering of foams, i.e. designs built on systematic and continuous relationships between polymer chemistry, processing, micro-structure, is still a vision for the future. However, using state-of-the-art simulation techniques, multiple layer arrangements of foams may be tuned to provide acoustic and vibrational damping at a low-weight penalty. In this paper, Biot's modelling of porous foams is briefly reviewed from an acoustics and vibrations perspective with a focus on the energy dissipation mechanisms. Engineered foams will be discussed in terms of results from simulations performed using finite element solutions. A layered vehicle-type structure is used as an example.

Applicability of cranial models in urethane resin and foam as a substitute for bone: are synthetic materials reliable?

PubMed

Muccino, Enrico; Porta, Davide; Magli, Francesca; Cigada, Alfredo; Sala, Remo; Gibelli, Daniele; Cattaneo, Cristina

2013-09-01

As literature is poor in functional synthetic cranial models, in this study, synthetic handmade models of cranial vaults were produced in two different materials (a urethane resin and a self-hardening foam), from multiple bone specimens (eight original cranial vaults: four human and four swine), in order to test their resemblance to bone structure in behavior, during fracture formation. All the vaults were mechanically tested with a 2-kg impact weight and filmed with a high-speed camera. Fracture patterns were homogeneous in all swine vaults and heterogeneous in human vaults, with resin fractures more similar to bone fractures. Mean fracture latency time extrapolated by videos were of 0.75 msec (bone), 1.5 msec (resin), 5.12 msec (foam) for human vaults and of 0.625 msec (bone), 1.87 msec (resin), 3.75 msec (foam) for swine vaults. These data showed that resin models are more similar to bone than foam reproductions, but that synthetic material may behave quite differently from bone as concerns fracture latency times. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Optimization of a novel large field of view distortion phantom for MR-only treatment planning.

PubMed

Price, Ryan G; Knight, Robert A; Hwang, Ken-Pin; Bayram, Ersin; Nejad-Davarani, Siamak P; Glide-Hurst, Carri K

2017-07-01

MR-only treatment planning requires images of high geometric fidelity, particularly for large fields of view (FOV). However, the availability of large FOV distortion phantoms with analysis software is currently limited. This work sought to optimize a modular distortion phantom to accommodate multiple bore configurations and implement distortion characterization in a widely implementable solution. To determine candidate materials, 1.0 T MR and CT images were acquired of twelve urethane foam samples of various densities and strengths. Samples were precision-machined to accommodate 6 mm diameter paintballs used as landmarks. Final material candidates were selected by balancing strength, machinability, weight, and cost. Bore sizes and minimum aperture width resulting from couch position were tabulated from the literature (14 systems, 5 vendors). Bore geometry and couch position were simulated using MATLAB to generate machine-specific models to optimize the phantom build. Previously developed software for distortion characterization was modified for several magnet geometries (1.0 T, 1.5 T, 3.0 T), compared against previously published 1.0 T results, and integrated into the 3D Slicer application platform. All foam samples provided sufficient MR image contrast with paintball landmarks. Urethane foam (compressive strength ∼1000 psi, density ~20 lb/ft 3 ) was selected for its accurate machinability and weight characteristics. For smaller bores, a phantom version with the following parameters was used: 15 foam plates, 55 × 55 × 37.5 cm 3 (L×W×H), 5,082 landmarks, and weight ~30 kg. To accommodate > 70 cm wide bores, an extended build used 20 plates spanning 55 × 55 × 50 cm 3 with 7,497 landmarks and weight ~44 kg. Distortion characterization software was implemented as an external module into 3D Slicer's plugin framework and results agreed with the literature. The design and implementation of a modular, extendable distortion phantom was optimized for several bore configurations. The phantom and analysis software will be available for multi-institutional collaborations and cross-validation trials to support MR-only planning. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Morphology and properties of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) scaffolds: impact of process variables.

PubMed

Ye, Mao; Mohanty, Pravansu; Ghosh, Gargi

2014-09-01

Successful engineering of functional biological substitutes requires scaffolds with three-dimensional interconnected porous structure, controllable rate of biodegradation, and ideal mechanical strength. In this study, we report the development and characterization of micro-porous PVA scaffolds fabricated by freeze drying method. The impact of molecular weight of PVA, surfactant concentration, foaming time, and stirring speed on pore characteristics, mechanical properties, swelling ratio, and rate of degradation of the scaffolds was characterized. Results show that a foaming time of 60s, a stirring speed of 1,000 rpm, and a surfactant concentration of 5% yielded scaffolds with rigid structure but with interconnected pores. Study also demonstrated that increased foaming time increased porosity and swelling ratio and reduced the rigidity of the samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Perforation on Rigid PU Foam Plates: Acoustic and Mechanical Properties

PubMed Central

Lin, Jia-Horng; Chuang, Yu-Chun; Li, Ting-Ting; Huang, Chen-Hung; Huang, Chien-Lin; Chen, Yueh-Sheng; Lou, Ching-Wen

2016-01-01

Factories today are equipped with diverse mechanical equipment in response to rapid technological and industrial developments. Industrial areas located near residential neighborhoods cause massive environmental problems. In particular, noise pollution results in physical and psychological discomfort, and is a seen as invisible and inevitable problem. Thus, noise reduction is a critical and urgent matter. In this study, rigid polyurethane (PU) foam plates undergo perforation using a tapping machine. The mechanical and acoustic properties of these perforated plates as related to perforation rate and perforation depth are evaluated in terms of compression strength, drop-weight impact strength, and sound absorption coefficient. Experimental results indicate that applying the perforation process endows the rigid PU foaming plates with greater load absorption and better sound absorption at medium and high frequencies. PMID:28774119

Effects of Perforation on Rigid PU Foam Plates: Acoustic and Mechanical Properties.

PubMed

Lin, Jia-Horng; Chuang, Yu-Chun; Li, Ting-Ting; Huang, Chen-Hung; Huang, Chien-Lin; Chen, Yueh-Sheng; Lou, Ching-Wen

2016-12-09

Factories today are equipped with diverse mechanical equipment in response to rapid technological and industrial developments. Industrial areas located near residential neighborhoods cause massive environmental problems. In particular, noise pollution results in physical and psychological discomfort, and is a seen as invisible and inevitable problem. Thus, noise reduction is a critical and urgent matter. In this study, rigid polyurethane (PU) foam plates undergo perforation using a tapping machine. The mechanical and acoustic properties of these perforated plates as related to perforation rate and perforation depth are evaluated in terms of compression strength, drop-weight impact strength, and sound absorption coefficient. Experimental results indicate that applying the perforation process endows the rigid PU foaming plates with greater load absorption and better sound absorption at medium and high frequencies.

Vibration Characteristics Determined for Stainless Steel Sandwich Panels With a Metal Foam Core for Lightweight Fan Blade Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Min, James B.; Raj, Sai V.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Holland, Frederic A., Jr.

2004-01-01

The goal of this project at the NASA Glenn Research Center is to provide fan materials that are safer, weigh less, and cost less than the currently used titanium alloy or polymer matrix composite fans. The proposed material system is a sandwich fan construction made up of thin solid face sheets and a lightweight metal foam core. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by the foam layer. The resulting structure has a high stiffness and lighter weight in comparison to the solid facesheet material alone. The face sheets carry the applied in-plane and bending loads (ref. 1). The metal foam core must resist the transverse shear and transverse normal loads, as well as keep the facings supported and working as a single unit. Metal foams have ranges of mechanical properties, such as light weight, impact resistance, and vibration suppression (ref. 2), which makes them more suitable for use in lightweight fan structures. Metal foams have been available for decades (refs. 3 and 4), but the difficulties in the original processes and high costs have prevented their widespread use. However, advances in production techniques and cost reduction have created a new interest in this class of materials (ref. 5). The material chosen for the face sheet and the metal foam for this study was the aerospace-grade stainless steel 17-4PH. This steel was chosen because of its attractive mechanical properties and the ease with which it can be made through the powder metallurgy process (ref. 6). The advantages of a metal foam core, in comparison to a typical honeycomb core, are material isotropy and the ease of forming complex geometries, such as fan blades. A section of a 17-4PH sandwich structure is shown in the following photograph. Part of process of designing any blade is to determine the natural frequencies of the particular blade shape. A designer needs to predict the resonance frequencies of a new blade design to properly identify a useful operating range. Operating a blade at or near the resonance frequencies leads to high-cycle fatigue, which ultimately limits the blade's durability and life. So the aim of this study is to determine the variation of the resonance frequencies for an idealized sandwich blade as a function of its face-sheet thickness, core thickness, and foam density. The finite element method is used to determine the natural frequencies for an idealized rectangular sandwich blade. The proven Lanczos method (ref. 7) is used in the study to extract the natural frequency.

A theory of electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and electromagnetic interference shielding for lightweight graphene composite foams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xia, Xiaodong; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903; Wang, Yang

This work was driven by the need to understand the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of light weight, flexible, and high performance graphene composite foams, but as EMI SE of a material depends on its electrical conductivity, dielectric permittivity, and magnetic permeability, the investigation of these three properties also became a priority. In this paper, we first present a continuum theory to determine these three electromagnetic properties, and then use the obtained properties to evaluate the EMI SE of the foam. A two-scale composite model is conceived to evaluate these three properties, with the large one being the skeleton-voidmore » composite and the small one being the graphene-polymer composite that serves as the skeleton of the foam. To evaluate the properties of the skeleton, the effective-medium approach is taken as the starting point. Subsequently, the effect of an imperfect interface and the contributions of electron tunneling to the interfacial conductivity and Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars polarization mechanism to the dielectric constant are also implemented. The derived skeleton properties are then utilized on the large scale to determine the three properties of the composite foam at a given porosity. Then a uniform plane electromagnetic wave is considered to evaluate the EMI SE of the foam. It is demonstrated that the electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and EMI SE of the foam calculated from the developed theory are in general agreement with the reported experimental data of graphene/PDMS composite foams. The theory is further proven to be valid for the EMI SE of solid graphene/epoxy and solid carbon nanotube/epoxy nanocomposites. It is also shown that, among the three electromagnetic properties, electrical conductivity has the strongest influence on the EMI shielding effectiveness.« less

Preparation of High-Grade Powders from Tomato Paste Using a Vacuum Foam Drying Method.

PubMed

Sramek, Martin; Schweiggert, Ralf Martin; van Kampen, Andreas; Carle, Reinhold; Kohlus, Reinhard

2015-08-01

We present a rapid and gentle drying method for the production of high-grade tomato powders from double concentrated tomato paste, comparing results with powders obtained by foam mat air drying and freeze dried powders. The principle of this method consists of drying tomato paste in foamed state at low temperatures in vacuum. The formulations were dried at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70 °C and vacuum of 200 mbar. Foam stability was affected by low serum viscosity and the presence of solid particles in tomato paste. Consequently, serum viscosity was increased by maltodextrin addition, yielding optimum stability at tomato paste:maltodextrin ratio of 2.4:1 (w/w) in dry matter. Material foamability was improved by addition of 0.5% (w/w, fresh weight) egg white. Because of solid particles in tomato paste, foam air filling had to be limited to critical air volume fraction of Φ = 0.7. The paste was first pre-foamed to Φ = 0.2 and subsequently expanded in vacuo. After drying to a moisture content of 5.6% to 7.5% wet base (w.b.), the materials obtained were in glassy state. Qualities of the resulting powders were compared with those produced by freeze and air drying. Total color changes were the least after vacuum drying, whereas air drying resulted in noticeable color changes. Vacuum foam drying at 50 °C led to insignificant carotenoid losses, being equivalent to the time-consuming freeze drying method. In contrast, air drying caused lycopene and β-carotene losses of 18% to 33% and 14% to 19% respectively. Thus, vacuum foam drying enables production of high-grade tomato powders being qualitatively similar to powders obtained by freeze drying. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Flame Resistant Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Solimide manufactured by Imi-Tech Corporation, is a lightweight fire resistant material produced under a manufacturing process that allows it to be uniformly foamed. Can be produced in a variety of densities and structural configurations and remains resilient under exposure to temperatures ranging from minus 300 to plus 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Is resistant to open flame and generates virtually no smoke or toxic by-products. Used in aircraft for its superior damping characteristics, lighter weight and fire barrier properties, it's also applicable to ships and surface transportation systems such as transit cars, trains, buses and automobiles.

Acute Effects of Foam Rolling, Static Stretching, and Dynamic Stretching During Warm-ups on Muscular Flexibility and Strength in Young Adults.

PubMed

Su, Hsuan; Chang, Nai-Jen; Wu, Wen-Lan; Guo, Lan-Yuen; Chu, I-Hua

2017-11-01

Foam rolling has been proposed to improve muscle function, performance, and joint range of motion (ROM). However, whether a foam rolling protocol can be adopted as a warm-up to improve flexibility and muscle strength is unclear. To examine and compare the acute effects of foam rolling, static stretching, and dynamic stretching used as part of a warm-up on flexibility and muscle strength of knee flexion and extension. Crossover study. University research laboratory. 15 male and 15 female college students (age 21.43 ± 1.48 y, weight 65.13 ± 12.29 kg, height 166.90 ± 6.99 cm). Isokinetic peak torque was measured during knee extension and flexion at an angular velocity of 60°/second. Flexibility of the quadriceps was assessed by the modified Thomas test, while flexibility of the hamstrings was assessed using the sit-and-reach test. The 3 interventions were performed by all participants in random order on 3 days separated by 48-72 hours. The flexibility test scores improved significantly more after foam rolling as compared with static and dynamic stretching. With regard to muscle strength, only knee extension peak torque (pre vs. postintervention) improved significantly after the dynamic stretching and foam rolling, but not after static stretching. Knee flexion peak torque remained unchanged. Foam rolling is more effective than static and dynamic stretching in acutely increasing flexibility of the quadriceps and hamstrings without hampering muscle strength, and may be recommended as part of a warm-up in healthy young adults.

State-of-the-art of the Space Shuttle External Tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronquillo, L.

The designation, structure and environment of the External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle as well as plans for increasing the facilities and tooling to meet the required production rate capability of 40 or more ETs per year in 1992 are described. Special attention is given to the weight reduction of ET, since 1.0 lb of weight saved on the empty structure translates into about 0.9 lb of additional payload. To determine the potentiality of the weight reduction, structural tests were conducted. It was found that the tank could function properly with interior support structures reduced, and selected stringers eliminated. It is reported that an alternate sprayable polyisocyanurate foam capable of replacing a foam insulation over ablator bilayer thermoprotective composite on the aft-dome of the tank was developed: a commercially available material was modified to adhere to the -423 F aluminum substrate in the 2000 F engine-plume radiant-heat environment. It is mentioned that the weight savings program which started in Oct. 1975 saved 6000 lb by Jan. 1979. To reduce weld testing time and gain 100 times the accuracy, an electromechanical check system was developed. Problems of using robots are discussed.

Conduit dynamics in transitional rhyolitic activity recorded by tuffisite vein textures from the 2008-2009 Chaitén eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saubin, Elodie; Tuffen, Hugh; Gurioli, Lucia; Owen, Jacqueline; Castro, Jonathan; Berlo, Kim; McGowan, Ellen; Schipper, C. Ian; Wehbe, Katia

2016-04-01

Conduit processes govern the mechanisms of hazardous silicic eruptions, but our understanding of complex conduit behaviour is far from complete. Observations of recent Chilean rhyolite eruptions have revealed the importance of hybrid activity, involving simultaneous explosive and effusive emissions from a common vent[1]. Such behaviour hinges upon the ability of gas to decouple from magma in the shallow conduit. Tuffisite veins are increasingly suspected to be a key facilitator of outgassing, as they repeatedly provide a transient permeable escape route for volcanic gases. However, we have limited insights into the interactions between tuffisites and foams that appear critical to efficient outgassing[2], and into how heterogeneous conduit magma responds to pressure perturbations related to repeated disruption or slip of dense magma plugs. Here we provide a detailed characterization of an exceptionally large tuffisite vein within a rhyolitic obsidian bomb ejected during transitional explosive-effusive activity at volcán Chaitén, Chile in May 2008. Vein textures and chemistry provide a time-integrated record of the invasion of a dense upper conduit plug by deeper fragmented magma. Quantitative textural analysis reveals diverse vesiculation histories of varied juvenile clast types. Using vesicle size distributions, bubble number densities, zones of diffusive water depletion, and glass H2O concentrations, we propose a multi-step degassing/fragmentation history, spanning deep degassing to explosive bomb ejection. Rapid decompression events of ~3-4 MPa are associated with fragmentation of foam and dense magma at ~200-300 metres depth in the conduit, permitting vertical gas and pyroclast mobility over >100-200 metres. Permeable pathway occlusion in the dense conduit plug by pyroclast accumulation and sintering preceded ultimate bomb ejection, which triggered a final bubble nucleation event. Our results highlight how the vesiculation response of magma to decompression events is highly sensitive to the local melt volatile concentration, which is strongly spatially heterogeneous. Repeated opening of pervasive tuffisite vein networks promotes this heterogeneity, allowing juxtaposition of variably volatile-rich magma fragments that are derived from a wide range of depths in the conduit. This process enables efficient but explosive removal of gas from rhyolitic magma and creates a complex textural collage within dense rhyolitic lava, in which neighbouring fused clasts may have experienced vastly different degassing histories. [1] Schipper CI et al 2013 JVGR 262, 25-37. [2] Castro JM et al 2012 EPSL 333, 63-69.

Cryogenic Insulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Randall C. (Inventor); Taylor, Allan H. (Inventor); Jackson, L. Robert (Inventor); Mcauliffe, Patrick S. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

This invention relates to reusable, low density, high temperature cryogenic foam insulation systems and the process for their manufacture. A pacing technology for liquid hydrogen fueled, high speed aircraft is the development of a fully reusable, flight weight cryogenic insulation system for propellant tank structures. In the invention cryogenic foam insulation is adhesively bonded to the outer wall of the fuel tank structure. The cryogenic insulation consists of square sheets fabricated from an array of abutting square blocks. Each block consists of a sheet of glass cloth adhesively bonded between two layers of polymethacrylimide foam. Each block is wrapped in a vapor impermeable membrane, such as Kapton(R) aluminum Kapton(R), to provide a vapor barrier. Very beneficial results can be obtained by employing the present invention in conjunction with fibrous insulation and an outer aeroshell, a hot fuselage structure with an internal thermal protection system.

The mechanical and thermal characteristics of phenolic foam reinforced with kaolin powder and glass fiber fabric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Wenya; Huang, Zhixiong; Ding, Jie

2017-12-01

In this work, kaolin powder and glass fiber fabric were added to PF in order to improve its thermal stability and mechanical property. Micro-structures of carbonized PF with kaolin powder were inspected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to demonstrate the filler’s pinning effect. SEM results illustrated modified PF had well morphology after high-temperature heat treatment. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) test was carried out and found that kaolin powder only physically dispersed in PF. The compression test and thermal weight loss test were done on two groups of modified PF (Group A: add powder and fabric; Group B: add powder only). Results showed that all modified PF were better than pure PF, while foams with powder and fabric showed better mechanical characteristic and thermal stability compared with foams with powder only.

Production of starch foams by twin-screw extrusion: effect of maleated poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) as a compatibilizer.

PubMed

Nabar, Yogaraj; Raquez, Jean Marie; Dubois, Philippe; Narayan, Ramani

2005-01-01

Free-radical-initiated grafting of maleic anhydride (MA) onto poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), a biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic copolyester, was performed by reactive extrusion. 2,5-Dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butylperoxy)hexane was used as the free-radical initiator. The peroxide concentration was varied between 0.0 and 0.5 wt % at 3.0 wt % MA concentration; the MA concentration was varied between 1.0 and 5.0 wt % at 0.5 wt % peroxide concentration. The reaction temperature was maintained at 185 degrees C for all experiments. Under these conditions, between 0.194% and 0.691% MA was grafted onto the polyester backbone. Size-exclusion chromatography, melt flow index, intrinsic viscosity measurements, thermal gravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the maleated copolyester. Increasing the initiator concentration at a constant MA concentration of 3% resulted in an increase in the grafting of MA while decreasing the molecular weight of the resulting polymer. Increasing the feed MA concentration also increased the grafting percentage. The maleation of the polyester proved to be very efficient in promoting strong interfacial adhesion with high amylose cornstarch in starch foams as prepared by melt blending. Thus, the use of maleated copolyester as a compatibilizer between starch and PBAT allowed the reduction of the density of resulting starch foams to approximately 21 kg/m3 and improved the resilience from 84% to as high as 95%. Also, the resulting starch foams exhibited improved hydrophobic properties in terms of lower weight gain and higher dimensional stability on moisture sorption.

The application of SEAT values for predicting how compliant seats with backrests influence vibration discomfort.

PubMed

Basri, Bazil; Griffin, Michael J

2014-11-01

The extent to which a seat can provide useful attenuation of vehicle vibration depends on three factors: the characteristics of the vehicle motion, the vibration transmissibility of the seat, and the sensitivity of the body to vibration. The 'seat effective amplitude transmissibility' (i.e., SEAT value) reflects how these three factors vary with the frequency and the direction of vibration so as to predict the vibration isolation efficiency of a seat. The SEAT value is mostly used to select seat cushions or seat suspensions based on the transmission of vertical vibration to the principal supporting surface of a seat. This study investigated the accuracy of SEAT values in predicting how seats with backrests influence the discomfort caused by multiple-input vibration. Twelve male subjects participated in a four-part experiment to determine equivalent comfort contours, the relative discomfort, the location of discomfort, and seat transmissibility with three foam seats and a rigid reference seat at 14 frequencies of vibration in the range 1-20 Hz at magnitudes of vibration from 0.2 to 1.6 ms(-2) r.m.s. The 'measured seat dynamic discomfort' (MSDD) was calculated for each foam seat from the ratio of the vibration acceleration required to cause similar discomfort with the foam seat and with the rigid reference seat. Using the frequency weightings in current standards, the SEAT values of each seat were calculated from the ratio of overall ride values with the foam seat to the overall ride values with the rigid reference seat, and compared to the corresponding MSDD at each frequency. The SEAT values provided good predictions of how the foam seats increased vibration discomfort at frequencies around the 4-Hz resonance but reduced vibration discomfort at frequencies greater than about 6.3 Hz, with discrepancies explained by a known limitation of the frequency weightings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The effect of alumina particles on the microstructural and mechanical properties of copper foams fabricated by space-holder method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvo, C.; Aguilar, C.; Lascano, S.; Pérez, L.; López, M.; Mangalaraja, R. V.

2018-05-01

The copper foam is an interesting field of research because of its several advantages as an engineering material. Powder metallurgy presents an alternative route to obtain a porous structure with high strength to weight ratio and functional properties. The viability of processing copper foam separately with two different space-holders such as ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3) and sodium chloride (NaCl) of 50 vol% was studied. The green compacts obtained under 200 MPa were sintered at different cycles for the complete removal of space-holder. The sintered foams were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and uniaxial testing machine (UTM) to study their structural features and compressive strength, respectively. The results showed that NaCl particles were the best alternative to obtain a porous structure, hence two different sizes (1 and 0.01 μm) of alumina (Al2O3) particles with 2, 4 and 6 vol% were used to fabricate copper foams. As a result, a bimodal structure consisting of macro and micropores with a highly interconnected porosity was achieved. In addition, the smaller size alumina particles promoted a higher density of pores, however, the compressive strength was reduced for the higher volume fraction of alumina particles.

Foam injection molding of poly(lactic acid) with physical blowing agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantani, R.; Sorrentino, A.; Volpe, V.; Titomanlio, G.

2014-05-01

Foam injection molding uses environmental friendly blowing agents under high pressure and temperature to produce parts having a cellular core and a compact solid skin (the so-called "structural foam"). The addition of a supercritical gas reduces the part weight and at the same time improves some physical properties of the material through the promotion of a faster crystallization; it also leads to the reduction of both the viscosity and the glass transition temperature of the polymer melt, which therefore can be injection molded adopting lower temperatures and pressures. These aspects are of extreme interest for biodegradable polymers, which often present a very narrow processing window, with the suitable processing temperatures close to the degradation conditions. In this work, foam injection molding was carried out by an instrumented molding machine, able to measure the pressure evolution in different positions along the flow-path. The material adopted was a biodegradable polymer, namely the Poly(lactic acid), PLA. The effect of a physical blowing agent (PBA) on the viscosity was measured. The density reduction and the morphology of parts obtained by different molding conditions was assessed.

Viscosity measurements of CO2-in-water foam with dodecyl polypropoxy sulfate surfactants for enhanced oil recovery application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramudita, Ria Ayu; Ryoo, Won Sun

2016-08-01

Apparent viscosities of CO2-in-water foams were measured in a wide range of shear rate from 50 to 105 inverse second for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application. The CO2-in-water dispersions, made of 50:50 weight proportions of CO2 and water with 1 wt.% surfactant concentration, were prepared in high-pressure recirculation apparatus under pressure where CO2 density becomes 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 g/mL at each temperature of 35, 45, and 55°C. The surfactants used for the foam generation were sodium dodecyl polypropoxy sulfates with average propoxylation degrees of 4.7 and 6.2. The foam viscosity showed shear thinning behaviors with power-law indices ranging from 0.80 to 0.85, and approached a Newtonian regime in the lower shear rate range at several tens of inverse second. Zero-shear viscosity values projected from experimental data based on Ellis model were as high as 57.4 mPa·s and enough to control the mobility of water and CO2 in oil reservoirs.

Nanocellular foam with solid flame retardant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Liang; Kelly-Rowley, Anne M.; Bunker, Shana P.

Prepare nanofoam by (a) providing an aqueous solution of a flame retardant dissolved in an aqueous solvent, wherein the flame retardant is a solid at 23.degree. C. and 101 kiloPascals pressure when in neat form; (b) providing a fluid polymer composition selected from a solution of polymer dissolved in a water-miscible solvent or a latex of polymer particles in a continuous aqueous phase; (c) mixing the aqueous solution of flame retardant with the fluid polymer composition to form a mixture; (d) removing water and, if present, solvent from the mixture to produce a polymeric composition having less than 74 weight-percentmore » flame retardant based on total polymeric composition weight; (e) compound the polymeric composition with a matrix polymer to form a matrix polymer composition; and (f) foam the matrix polymer composition into nanofoam having a porosity of at least 60 percent.« less

Natural cork agglomerate employed as an environmentally friendly solution for quiet sandwich composites.

PubMed

Sargianis, James; Kim, Hyung-ick; Suhr, Jonghwan

2012-01-01

Carbon fiber-synthetic foam core sandwich composites are widely used for many structural applications due to their superior mechanical performance and low weight. Unfortunately these structures typically have very poor acoustic performance. There is increasingly growing demand in mitigating this noise issue in sandwich composite structures. This study shows that marrying carbon fiber composites with natural cork in a sandwich structure provides a synergistic effect yielding a noise-free sandwich composite structure without the sacrifice of mechanical performance or weight. Moreover the cork-core sandwich composites boast a 250% improvement in damping performance, providing increased durability and lifetime operation. Additionally as the world seeks environmentally friendly materials, the harvesting of cork is a natural, renewable process which reduces subsequent carbon footprints. Such a transition from synthetic foam cores to natural cork cores could provide unprecedented improvements in acoustic and vibrational performance in applications such as aircraft cabins or wind turbine blades.

Transient Thermal Response of Lightweight Cementitious Composites Made with Polyurethane Foam Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kismi, M.; Poullain, P.; Mounanga, P.

2012-07-01

The development of low-cost lightweight aggregate (LWA) mortars and concretes presents many advantages, especially in terms of lightness and thermal insulation performances of structures. Low-cost LWA mainly comes from the recovery of vegetal or plastic wastes. This article focuses on the characterization of the thermal conductivity of innovative lightweight cementitious composites made with fine particles of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam waste. Five mortars were prepared with various mass substitution rates of cement with PU-foam particles. Their thermal conductivity was measured with two transient methods: the heating-film method and the hot-disk method. The incorporation of PU-foam particles causes a reduction of up to 18 % of the mortar density, accompanied by a significant improvement of the thermal insulating performance. The effect of segregation on the thermal properties of LWA mortars due to the differences of density among the cementitious matrix, sand, and LWA has also been quantified. The application of the hot-disk method reveals a gradient of thermal conductivity along the thickness of the specimens, which could be explained by a non-uniform repartition of fine PU-foam particles and mineral aggregates within the mortars. The results show a spatial variation of the thermal conductivity of the LWA mortars, ranging from 9 % to 19 %. However, this variation remains close to or even lower than that observed on a normal weight aggregate mortar. Finally, a self-consistent approach is proposed to estimate the thermal conductivity of PU-foam cement-based composites.

Bombyx mori silk protein films microprocessing with a nanosecond ultraviolet laser and a femtosecond laser workstation: theory and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazare, S.; Sionkowska, A.; Zaborowicz, M.; Planecka, A.; Lopez, J.; Dijoux, M.; Louména, C.; Hernandez, M.-C.

2012-01-01

Laser microprocessing of several biopolymers from renewable resources is studied. Three proteinic materials were either extracted from the extracellular matrix like Silk Fibroin/Sericin and collagen, or coming from a commercial source like gelatin. All can find future applications in biomedical experimentation, in particular for cell scaffolding. Films of ˜hundred of microns thick were made by aqueous solution drying and laser irradiation. Attention is paid to the properties making them processable with two laser sources: the ultraviolet and nanosecond (ns) KrF (248 nm) excimer and the infrared and femtosecond (fs) Yb:KGW laser. The UV radiation is absorbed in a one-photon resonant process to yield ablation and the surface foaming characteristics of a laser-induced pressure wave. To the contrary, resonant absorption of the IR photons of the fs laser is not possible and does not take place. However, the high field of the intense I>˜1012 W/cm2 femtosecond laser pulse ionizes the film by the multiphoton absorption followed by the electron impact mechanism, yielding a dense plasma capable to further absorb the incident radiation of the end of the pulse. The theoretical model of this absorption is described in detail, and used to discuss the presented experimental effects (cutting, ablation and foaming) of the fs laser. The ultraviolet laser was used to perform simultaneous multiple spots experiments in which energetic foaming yields melt ejection and filament spinning. Airborne nanosize filaments "horizontally suspended by both ends" (0.25 μm diameter and 10 μm length) of silk biopolymer were observed upon irradiation with large fluences.

Relative merits of polystyrene foam and paper in hot drink cups: Implications for packaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hocking, Martin B.

1991-11-01

An analysis of the overall relative merits of the use of uncoated paper vs molded polystyrene bead foam in single-use 8-oz cups is described here as a manageable example of the use of paper vs plastics in packaging. In raw material requirements the paper cup required about 2.5 times its finished weight of raw wood and about the same hydrocarbon fueling requirement as is needed for the polystyrene foam cup. To process the raw materials about six times as much steam, 13 times as much electric power, and twice as much cooling water are consumed to produce the paper cup as compared to the polystyrene foam cup. Emission rates to air are similar and to water are generally higher for the paper cup. Virtually all primary use factors favor polystyrene foam over paper. Once used both cup types may be recycled. Landfill disposal of the two items under dry conditions will occupy similar landfill volumes after compaction and will confer similarly slow to nonexistent decomposition to either option. Under wet conditions polystyrene foam will not readily degrade, but may help other materials to do so. Paper under wet conditions will biodegrade to produce methane, a significant greenhouse gas, biochemical oxygen demand to any leachate, and instability to the land surface during the process. Both materials can be incinerated cleanly in a municipal waste stream with the option of energy recovery, to yield an ash volume of 2% 5% of the incoming waste volume. Overall this analysis would suggest that polystyrene foam, with an extension to plastics in general, should be given more evenhanded consideration relative to paper in packaging applications than is currently the case.

Permeability of starch gel matrices and select films to solvent vapors.

PubMed

Glenn, Gregory M; Klamczynski, Artur P; Ludvik, Charles; Shey, Justin; Imam, Syed H; Chiou, Bor-Sen; McHugh, Tara; DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Orts, William; Wood, Delilah; Offeman, Rick

2006-05-03

Volatile agrochemicals such as 2-heptanone have potential in safely and effectively controlling important agricultural pests provided that they are properly delivered. The present study reports the permeability of starch gel matrices and various coatings, some of which are agricultural-based, that could be used in controlled release devices. Low-density, microcellular starch foam was made from wheat, Dent corn, and high amylose corn starches. The foam density ranged from 0.14 to 0.34 g/cm3, the pore volume ranged from 74 to 89%, and the loading capacity ranged from 2.3 to 7.2 times the foam weight. The compressive properties of the foam were not markedly affected by saturating the pore volume with silicone oil. The vapor transmission rate (VTR) and vapor permeability (VP) were measured in dry, porous starch foam and silicone-saturated starch gels. VTR values were highest in foam samples containing solvents with high vapor pressures. Silicone oil-saturated gels had lower VTR and VP values as compared to the dry foam. However, the silicone oil gel did not markedly reduce the VP for 2-heptanone and an additional vapor barrier or coating was needed to adequately reduce the evaporation rate. The VP of films of beeswax, paraffin, ethylene vinyl alcohol, a fruit film, and a laminate comprised of beeswax and fruit film was measured. The fruit film had a relatively high VP for polar solvents and a very low VP for nonpolar solvents. The laminate film provided a low VP for polar and nonpolar solvents. Perforating the fruit film portion of the laminate provided a method of attaining the target flux rate of 2-heptanone. The results demonstrate that the vapor flux rate of biologically active solvents can be controlled using agricultural materials.

Investigation of Vehicle Rear Under Run Protection Device (RUPD) Using Aluminium Foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagaraj Goud, B.; pachori, Avinash

2017-08-01

Whenever the passenger cars meet with accidents with the heavy duty truck from rear, it will tend to penetrate under the truck bed called truck trailer under-ride crash. This is responsible for the thousands of accidents, causing severe injuries and spot death. This is mostly due to the lack of effective guarding system. The Present paper gives an importance on energy absorption mechanism of a Rear under Run Protection Device (RUPD) under crash effect of the truck. The aim of the study is to replace Steel RUPD with aluminum foam, which promises an improvement of vehicle crashworthiness as well as to reduce weight of the vehicle. The aluminum foam is selected due to the high specific strength and specific stiffness. This inborn character makes it a promising candidate in the modern lightweight structures in the automotive engineering which can contribute to the improvement of mileage in addition to safety of the occupants.

Hole Quality Assessment in Drilling of Glass Microballoon/Epoxy Syntactic Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashrith, H. S.; Doddamani, Mrityunjay; Gaitonde, Vinayak; Gupta, Nikhil

2018-05-01

Syntactic foams reinforced with glass microballoons are used as alternatives for conventional materials in structural application of aircrafts and automobiles due to their unique properties such as light weight, high compressive strength, and low moisture absorption. Drilling is the most commonly used process of making holes for assembling structural components. In the present investigation, grey relation analysis (GRA) is used to optimize cutting speed, feed, drill diameter, and filler content to minimize cylindricity, circularity error, and damage factor. Experiments based on full factorial design are conducted using a vertical computer numerical control machine and tungsten carbide twist drills. GRA reveals that a combination of lower cutting speed, filler content, and drill diameter produces a good quality hole at optimum intermediate feed in drilling syntactic foams composites. GRA also shows that the drill diameter has a significant effect on the hole quality. Furthermore, damage on the hole exit side is analyzed using a scanning electron microscope.

Characterization of Polyimide Foams for Ultra-Lightweight Space Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Michael (Technical Monitor); Hillman, Keithan; Veazie, David R.

2003-01-01

Ultra-lightweight materials have played a significant role in nearly every area of human activity ranging from magnetic tapes and artificial organs to atmospheric balloons and space inflatables. The application range of ultra-lightweight materials in past decades has expanded dramatically due to their unsurpassed efficiency in terms of low weight and high compliance properties. A new generation of ultra-lightweight materials involving advanced polymeric materials, such as TEEK (TM) polyimide foams, is beginning to emerge to produce novel performance from ultra-lightweight systems for space applications. As a result, they require that special conditions be fulfilled to ensure adequate structural performance, shape retention, and thermal stability. It is therefore important and essential to develop methodologies for predicting the complex properties of ultra-lightweight foams. To support NASA programs such as the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), Clark Atlanta University, along with SORDAL, Inc., has initiated projects for commercial process development of polyimide foams for the proposed cryogenic tank integrated structure (see figure 1). Fabrication and characterization of high temperature, advanced aerospace-grade polyimide foams and filled foam sandwich composites for specified lifetimes in NASA space applications, as well as quantifying the lifetime of components, are immensely attractive goals. In order to improve the development, durability, safety, and life cycle performance of ultra-lightweight polymeric foams, test methods for the properties are constant concerns in terms of timeliness, reliability, and cost. A major challenge is to identify the mechanisms of failures (i.e., core failure, interfacial debonding, and crack development) that are reflected in the measured properties. The long-term goal of the this research is to develop the tools and capabilities necessary to successfully engineer ultra-lightweight polymeric foams. The desire is to reduce density at the material and structural levels, while at the same time maintaining or increasing mechanical and other properties.

Honeycomb vs. Foam: Evaluating Potential Upgrades to ISS Module Shielding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, Shannon J.; Christiansen, Eric L.

2009-01-01

The presence of honeycomb cells in a dual-wall structure is advantageous for mechanical performance and low weight in spacecraft primary structures but detrimental for shielding against impact of micrometeoroid and orbital debris particles (MMOD). The presence of honeycomb cell walls acts to restrict the expansion of projectile and bumper fragments, resulting in the impact of a more concentrated (and thus lethal) fragment cloud upon the shield rear wall. The Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) is a Russian research module scheduled for launch and ISS assembly in 2011 (currently under review). Baseline shielding of the MLM is expected to be predominantly similar to that of the existing Functional Energy Block (FGB), utilizing a baseline triple wall configuration with honeycomb sandwich panels for the dual bumpers and a thick monolithic aluminum pressure wall. The MLM module is to be docked to the nadir port of the Zvezda service module and, as such, is subject to higher debris flux than the FGB module (which is aligned along the ISS flight vector). Without upgrades to inherited shielding, the MLM penetration risk is expected to be significantly higher than that of the FGB module. Open-cell foam represents a promising alternative to honeycomb as a sandwich panel core material in spacecraft primary structures as it provides comparable mechanical performance with a minimal increase in weight while avoiding structural features (i.e. channeling cells) detrimental to MMOD shielding performance. In this study, the effect of replacing honeycomb sandwich panel structures with metallic open-cell foam structures on MMOD shielding performance is assessed for an MLM-representative configuration. A number of hypervelocity impact tests have been performed on both the baseline honeycomb configuration and upgraded foam configuration, and differences in target damage, failure limits, and derived ballistic limit equations are discussed.

Validation of the analysis of respirable crystalline silica (quartz) in foams used with CIP 10-R samplers.

PubMed

Eypert-Blaison, Céline; Moulut, Jean-Claude; Lecaque, Thierry; Marc, Florian; Kauffer, Edmond

2011-05-01

Sampling the respirable fraction to measure exposure to crystalline silica is most often carried out using cyclones. However, low flow rates (<4 l min(-1)) and continuing improvement in workplace hygiene means less and less material is sampled for analysis, resulting in increased analytical uncertainty. Use of the CIP 10-R sampler, working at a flow rate of 10 l min(-1), is one attempt to solve current analytical difficulties. To check the ability of the analysis of quartz sampled on foams, known amounts of quartz associated with a matrix have been injected into foams. The results obtained show that the proposed protocol, with prior acid attack and ashing of the foams, satisfies the recommendations of EN 482 Standard [CEN. (2006) Workplace atmospheres-general requirements for the performance of procedures for the measurements of chemical agents. Brussels, Belgium: EN 482 Comité Européen de normalization (CEN).], namely an expanded uncertainty of <50% for quartz weights between 0.1 and 0.5 times the 8-h exposure limit value and <30% for quartz weights between 0.5 and 2 times the 8-h exposure limit value, assuming an exposure limit value equal to 0.1 mg m(-3). Results obtained show that the 101 reflection line allows a quartz quantity of the order of 25 μg to be satisfactorily measured, which corresponds to a 10th of the exposure limit value, assuming an exposure limit value of 0.05 mg m(-3). In this case, the 100 and 112 reflection lines with expanded uncertainties of ~50% would also probably lead to satisfactory quantification. Particular recommendations are also proposed for the preparation of calibration curves to improve the method.

Finite element based stability-constrained weight minimization of sandwich composite ducts for airship applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khode, Urmi B.

High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) airships are platform of interest due to their persistent observation and persistent communication capabilities. A novel HALE airship design configuration incorporates a composite sandwich propulsive hull duct between the front and the back of the hull for significant drag reduction via blown wake effects. The sandwich composite shell duct is subjected to hull pressure on its outer walls and flow suction on its inner walls which result in in-plane wall compressive stress, which may cause duct buckling. An approach based upon finite element stability analysis combined with a ply layup and foam thickness determination weight minimization search algorithm is utilized. Its goal is to achieve an optimized solution for the configuration of the sandwich composite as a solution to a constrained minimum weight design problem, for which the shell duct remains stable with a prescribed margin of safety under prescribed loading. The stability analysis methodology is first verified by comparing published analytical results for a number of simple cylindrical shell configurations with FEM counterpart solutions obtained using the commercially available code ABAQUS. Results show that the approach is effective in identifying minimum weight composite duct configurations for a number of representative combinations of duct geometry, composite material and foam properties, and propulsive duct applied pressure loading.

ACT Payload Shroud Structural Concept Analysis and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zalewski, Bart B.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.

2010-01-01

Aerospace structural applications demand a weight efficient design to perform in a cost effective manner. This is particularly true for launch vehicle structures, where weight is the dominant design driver. The design process typically requires many iterations to ensure that a satisfactory minimum weight has been obtained. Although metallic structures can be weight efficient, composite structures can provide additional weight savings due to their lower density and additional design flexibility. This work presents structural analysis and weight optimization of a composite payload shroud for NASA s Ares V heavy lift vehicle. Two concepts, which were previously determined to be efficient for such a structure are evaluated: a hat stiffened/corrugated panel and a fiber reinforced foam sandwich panel. A composite structural optimization code, HyperSizer, is used to optimize the panel geometry, composite material ply orientations, and sandwich core material. HyperSizer enables an efficient evaluation of thousands of potential designs versus multiple strength and stability-based failure criteria across multiple load cases. HyperSizer sizing process uses a global finite element model to obtain element forces, which are statistically processed to arrive at panel-level design-to loads. These loads are then used to analyze each candidate panel design. A near optimum design is selected as the one with the lowest weight that also provides all positive margins of safety. The stiffness of each newly sized panel or beam component is taken into account in the subsequent finite element analysis. Iteration of analysis/optimization is performed to ensure a converged design. Sizing results for the hat stiffened panel concept and the fiber reinforced foam sandwich concept are presented.

Polyols from Microwave Liquefied Bagasse and Its Application to Rigid Polyurethane Foam.

PubMed

Xie, Jiulong; Zhai, Xianglin; Hse, Chung Yun; Shupe, Todd F; Pan, Hui

2015-12-08

Bagasse flour (BF) was liquefied using bi-component polyhydric alcohol (PA) as a solvent and phosphoric acid as a catalyst in a microwave reactor. The effect of BF to solvent ratio and reaction temperatures on the liquefaction extent and characteristics of liquefied products were evaluated. The results revealed that almost 75% of the raw bagasse was converted into liquid products within 9 min at 150 °C with a BF to solvent ratio of 1/4. The hydroxyl and acid values of the liquefied bagasse (LB) varied with the liquefied conditions. High reaction temperature combining with low BF to solvent ratio resulted in a low hydroxyl number for the LB. The molecular weight and polydispersity of the LB from reactions of 150 °C was lower compared to that from 125 °C. Rigid polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared from LB and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), and the structural, mechanical and thermal properties of the PU foam were evaluated. The PU foams prepared using the LB from high reaction temperature showed better physical and mechanical performance in comparison to those from low reaction temperature. The amount of PA in the LB has the ability of increasing thermal stability of LB-PU foams. The results in this study may provide fundamental information on integrated utilizations of sugarcane bagasse via microwave liquefaction process.

Polyols from Microwave Liquefied Bagasse and Its Application to Rigid Polyurethane Foam

PubMed Central

Xie, Jiulong; Zhai, Xianglin; Hse, Chung Yun; Shupe, Todd F.; Pan, Hui

2015-01-01

Bagasse flour (BF) was liquefied using bi-component polyhydric alcohol (PA) as a solvent and phosphoric acid as a catalyst in a microwave reactor. The effect of BF to solvent ratio and reaction temperatures on the liquefaction extent and characteristics of liquefied products were evaluated. The results revealed that almost 75% of the raw bagasse was converted into liquid products within 9 min at 150 °C with a BF to solvent ratio of 1/4. The hydroxyl and acid values of the liquefied bagasse (LB) varied with the liquefied conditions. High reaction temperature combining with low BF to solvent ratio resulted in a low hydroxyl number for the LB. The molecular weight and polydispersity of the LB from reactions of 150 °C was lower compared to that from 125 °C. Rigid polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared from LB and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), and the structural, mechanical and thermal properties of the PU foam were evaluated. The PU foams prepared using the LB from high reaction temperature showed better physical and mechanical performance in comparison to those from low reaction temperature. The amount of PA in the LB has the ability of increasing thermal stability of LB-PU foams. The results in this study may provide fundamental information on integrated utilizations of sugarcane bagasse via microwave liquefaction process. PMID:28793725

The effects of microstructure on propagation of laser-driven radiative heat waves in under-dense high-Z plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colvin, J. D.; Matsukuma, H.; Brown, K. C.; Davis, J. F.; Kemp, G. E.; Koga, K.; Tanaka, N.; Yogo, A.; Zhang, Z.; Nishimura, H.; Fournier, K. B.

2018-03-01

This work was motivated by previous findings that the measured laser-driven heat front propagation velocity in under-dense TiO2/SiO2 foams is slower than the simulated one [Pérez et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 023102 (2014)]. In attempting to test the hypothesis that these differences result from effects of the foam microstructure, we designed and conducted an experiment on the GEKKO laser using an x-ray streak camera to compare the heat front propagation velocity in "equivalent" gas and foam targets, that is, targets that have the same initial density, atomic weight, and average ionization state. We first discuss the design and the results of this comparison experiment. To supplement the x-ray streak camera data, we designed and conducted an experiment on the Trident laser using a new high-resolution, time-integrated, spatially resolved crystal spectrometer to image the Ti K-shell spectrum along the laser-propagation axis in an under-dense TiO2/SiO2 foam cylinder. We discuss the details of the design of this experiment, and present the measured Ti K-shell spectra compared to the spectra simulated with a detailed superconfiguration non-LTE atomic model for Ti incorporated into a 2D radiation hydrodynamic code. We show that there is indeed a microstructure effect on heat front propagation in under-dense foams, and that the measured heat front velocities in the TiO2/SiO2 foams are consistent with the analytical model of Gus'kov et al. [Phys. Plasmas 18, 103114 (2011)].

Method and composition for molding low-density desiccant syntactic-foam articles

DOEpatents

Not Available

1981-12-07

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by a process for molding to size a desiccant syntactic foam article having a density of 0.2 to 0.9 g/cc and a moisture capacity of 1 to 12% by weight, comprising the steps of: charging a mold with a powdery mixture of an activated desiccant, microspheres and a thermosetting resin, the amount of the desiccant being sufficient to provide the required moisture capacity, and the amounts of the microspheres and resin being such that the microspheres/desiccant volume fraction exceeds the packing factor by an amount sufficient to substantially avoid shrinkage without causing excessively high molding pressures; covering the mold and heating the covered mold to a temperature and for an amount of time sufficient to melt the resin; and tightly closing the mold and heating the closed mold to a temperature and for an amount of time sufficient to cure the resin, and removing the resultant desiccant syntactic foam article from the mold. In a composition of matter aspect, the present invention provides desiccant syntactic foam articles, and a composition of matter for use in molding the same.

Effective Thermal Conductivity of High Porosity Open Cell Nickel Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullins, Alan D.; Daryabeigi, Kamran

2001-01-01

The effective thermal conductivity of high-porosity open cell nickel foam samples was measured over a wide range of temperatures and pressures using a standard steady-state technique. The samples, measuring 23.8 mm, 18.7 mm, and 13.6 mm in thickness, were constructed with layers of 1.7 mm thick foam with a porosity of 0.968. Tests were conducted with the specimens subjected to temperature differences of 100 to 1000 K across the thickness and at environmental pressures of 10(exp -4) to 750 mm Hg. All test were conducted in a gaseous nitrogen environment. A one-dimensional finite volume numerical model was developed to model combined radiation/conduction heat transfer in the foam. The radiation heat transfer was modeled using the two-flux approximation. Solid and gas conduction were modeled using standard techniques for high porosity media. A parameter estimation technique was used in conjunction with the measured and predicted thermal conductivities at pressures of 10(exp -4) and 750 mm Hg to determine the extinction coefficient, albedo of scattering, and weighting factors for modeling the conduction thermal conductivity. The measured and predicted conductivities over the intermediate pressure values differed by 13%.

3D simulation of polyurethane foam injection and reacting mold flow in a complex geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, İ. Bedii; Akar, Fırat

2018-05-01

The aim of the present work is to develop a flow model which can be used to determine the paths of the polyurethane foam in the mold filling process of a refrigerator cabinet so that improvements in the distribution and the size of the venting holes can be achieved without the expensive prototyping and experiments. For this purpose, the multi-component, two-phase chemically reacting flow is described by Navier Stokes and 12 scalar transport equations. The air and the multi-component foam zones are separated by an interface, which moves only with advection since the mass diffusion of species are set zero in the air zone. The inverse density, viscosity and other diffusion coefficients are calculated by a mass fraction weighted average of the corresponding temperature-dependent values of all species. Simulations are performed in a real refrigerator geometry, are able to reveal the problematical zones where air bubbles and voids trapped in the solidified foam are expected to occur. Furthermore, the approach proves itself as a reliable design tool to use in deciding the locations of air vents and sizing the channel dimensions.

On the balancing of structural and acoustic performance of a sandwich panel based on topology, property, and size optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Christopher J.; Lind Nordgren, Eleonora; Wennhage, Per; Göransson, Peter

2014-06-01

Balancing structural and acoustic performance of a multi-layered sandwich panel is a formidable undertaking. Frequently the gains achieved in terms of reduced weight, still meeting the structural design requirements, are lost by the changes necessary to regain acceptable acoustic performance. To alleviate this, a design method for a multifunctional load bearing vehicle body panel is proposed which attempts to achieve a balance between structural and acoustic performance. The approach is based on numerical modelling of the structural and acoustic behaviour in a combined topology, size, and property optimization in order to achieve a three dimensional optimal distribution of structural and acoustic foam materials within the bounding surfaces of a sandwich panel. In particular the effects of the coupling between one of the bounding surface face sheets and acoustic foam are examined for its impact on both the structural and acoustic overall performance of the panel. The results suggest a potential in introducing an air gap between the acoustic foam parts and one of the face sheets, provided that the structural design constraints are met without prejudicing the layout of the different foam types.

Experimental and simulation of split semi-torus key in PVC foam core to improve the debonding resistance of composite sandwich panel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juliyana, M.; Santhana Krishnan, R.

2018-02-01

The sandwich composite panels consisting of facesheet and core material are used as a primary structural member for aerospace, civil and marine areas due to its high stiffness to weight ratio. But the debonding nature of facesheet from the foam core under shear loading conditions leads to failure of the composite structure. To inhibit the debonding, an innovative methodology of introducing semi-torus key is used in the present study. The polyvinyl chloride foam core(PVC) is grooved and filled with semi-torus shaped chopped strand prepregs which are sandwiched between alternate layers of woven roven(WR) and chopped strand mat(CSM) skins by vacuum infusion process. The sandwich panel manufactured with semi-torus keys is evaluated regarding experimental and numerical simulations under shear loading conditions. The present innovative concept delays the debonding between face-sheet and foam core with enhancement the shear load carrying capability as the initial stiffness is higher than the conventional model. Also, the shear behaviour of the proposed concept is in good agreement with experimental results. The split semi-torus keys sustain the shear failure resulting in resistance to debonding capability.

Compressive Deformation Behavior of Open-Cell Cu-Zn-Al Alloy Foam Made Through P/M Route Using Mechanically Alloyed Powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnwal, Ajay Kumar; Mondal, D. P.; Kumar, Rajeev; Prasanth, N.; Dasgupta, R.

2018-03-01

Cu-Zn-Al foams of varying porosity fractions using mechanical alloyed powder have been made through powder metallurgy route. Here, NH4 (HCO3) was used as a space holder. Mechanically alloyed Cu-Zn-Al is made using a planetary ball mill taking the ratio of Cu/Zn/Al = 70:25:5 (by weight ratio). The ball/powder ratios were varied in the four ranges 10:1, 15:1, 20:1, and 25:1. Green compacts of milled powder and space holder samples were sintered at three stages at three different temperatures 350, 550, and 850 °C for 1 h at each stage. The crystalline size and particle size as a function of ball/powder ratios were examined. The compressive deformation responses of foams are varied with relative density and the ball/powder ratio. The plateau stress and energy absorption of these foams increase with an increase in relative density but decreases with increase in ball/powder ratio, even though crystalline size decreases. This has further been explained on the basis of particle morphology as a function of ball/powder ratio.

Mechanical Characterization of Composites and Foams for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veazie, D. R.; Glinsey, C.; Webb, M. M.; Norman, M.; Meador, Michael A. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Experimental studies to investigate the mechanical properties of ultra-lightweight polyimide foams for space applications, compression after impact (CAI) properties for low velocity impact of sandwich composites, and aspen fiber/polypropylene composites containing an interface adhesive additive, Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polypropylene (MAPP), were performed at Clark Atlanta University. Tensile, compression, flexural, and shear modulus tests were performed on TEEK foams categorized by their densities and relative cost according to ASTM specifications. Results showed that the mechanical properties of the foams increased as a function of higher price and increasing density. The CAI properties of Nomex/phenolic honeycomb core, fiberglass/epoxy facesheet sandwich composites for two damage arrangements were compared using different levels of impact energy ranging from 0 - 452 Joules. Impact on the thin side showed slightly more retention of CAI strength at low impact levels, whereas higher residual compressive strength was observed from impact on the thick side at higher impact levels. The aspen fiber/polypropylene composites studied are composed of various percentages (by weight) of aspen fiber and polypropylene ranging from 30%-60% and 40%-100%, respectively. Results showed that the MAPP increases tensile and flexural strength, while having no significant influence on tensile and flexural modulus.

Hypervelocity Impact Performance of Open Cell Foam Core Sandwich Panel Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, S.; Ordonez, E.; Christiansen, E. L.; Lear, D. M.

2010-01-01

Open cell metallic foam core sandwich panel structures are of interest for application in spacecraft micrometeoroid and orbital debris shields due to their novel form and advantageous structural and thermal performance. Repeated shocking as a result of secondary impacts upon individual foam ligaments during the penetration process acts to raise the thermal state of impacting projectiles ; resulting in fragmentation, melting, and vaporization at lower velocities than with traditional shielding configurations (e.g. Whipple shield). In order to characterize the protective capability of these structures, an extensive experimental campaign was performed by the Johnson Space Center Hypervelocity Impact Technology Facility, the results of which are reported in this paper. Although not capable of competing against the protection levels achievable with leading heavy shields in use on modern high-risk vehicles (i.e. International Space Station modules), metallic foam core sandwich panels are shown to provide a substantial improvement over comparable structural panels and traditional low weight shielding alternatives such as honeycomb sandwich panels and metallic Whipple shields. A ballistic limit equation, generalized in terms of panel geometry, is derived and presented in a form suitable for application in risk assessment codes.

Hypervelocity impact testing of advanced materials and structures for micrometeoroid and orbital debris shielding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Shannon; Christiansen, Eric L.

2013-02-01

A series of 66 hypervelocity impact experiments have been performed to assess the potential of various materials (aluminium, titanium, copper, stainless steel, nickel, nickel/chromium, reticulated vitreous carbon, silver, ceramic, aramid, ceramic glass, and carbon fibre) and structures (monolithic plates, open-cell foam, flexible fabrics, rigid meshes) for micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding. Arranged in various single-, double-, and triple-bumper configurations, screening tests were performed with 0.3175 cm diameter Al2017-T4 spherical projectiles at nominally 6.8 km/s and normal incidence. The top performing shields were identified through target damage assessments and their respective weight. The top performing candidate shield at the screening test condition was found to be a double-bumper configuration with a 0.25 mm thick Al3003 outer bumper, 6.35 mm thick 40 PPI aluminium foam inner bumper, and 1.016 mm thick Al2024-T3 rear wall (equal spacing between bumpers and rear wall). In general, double-bumper candidates with aluminium plate outer bumpers and foam inner bumpers were consistently found to be amongst the top performers. For this impact condition, potential weight savings of at least 47% over conventional all-aluminium Whipple shields are possible by utilizing the investigated materials and structures. The results of this study identify materials and structures of interest for further, more in-depth, impact investigations.

Impact Resistance of Lightweight Hybrid Structures for Gas Turbine Engine Fan Containment Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, Mohan G.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Revilock, Duane M.

2003-01-01

The ballistic impact resistance of hybrid composite sandwich structures was evaluated with the ultimate goal of developing new materials or structures for potential gas turbine engine fan containment applications. The sandwich structures investigated consisted of GLARE-5 laminates as face sheets with lightweight cellular metallic materials such as honeycomb, foam, and lattice block as a core material. The impact resistance of these hybrid sandwich structures was compared to GLARE-5 laminates and 2024-T3 Al sheet, which were tested as a function of areal weight (material thickness). The GLARE-5 laminates exhibited comparable impact properties to that of 2024-T3 Al at low areal weights, even though there were significant differences in the static tensile properties of these materials. The GLARE-5, however, did have a greater ballistic limit than straight aluminum sheet at higher areal weights. Furthermore, there is up to a 25% advantage in ballistic limit for the GLARE-5/foam sandwich structures compared to straight 2024-T3 Al. But no advantage in ballistic limit was observed between any of the hybrid sandwich structures and thicker versions of GLARE-5. Recommendations for future work are provided, based on these preliminary data.

Innovative energy absorbing devices based on composite tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, Chandrashekhar

Analytical and experimental study of innovative load limiting and energy absorbing devices are presented here. The devices are based on composite tubes and can be categorized in to two groups based upon the energy absorbing mechanisms exhibited by them, namely: foam crushing and foam fracturing. The device based on foam crushing as the energy absorbing mechanism is composed of light weight elastic-plastic foam filling inside an angle ply composite tube. The tube is tailored to have a high Poisson’s ratio (>20). Upon being loaded the device experiences large transverse contraction resulting in rapid decrease in diameter. At a certain axial load the foam core begins to crush and energy is dissipated. This device is termed as crush tube device. The device based upon foam shear fracture as the energy absorbing mechanism involves an elastic-plastic core foam in annulus of two concentric extension-twist coupled composite tubes with opposite angles of fibers. The core foam is bonded to the inner and outer tube walls. Upon being loaded axially, the tubes twist in opposite directions and fracture the core foam in out of plane shear and thus dissipate the energy stored. The device is termed as sandwich core device (SCD). The devices exhibit variations in force-displacement characteristics with changes in design and material parameters, resulting in wide range of energy absorption capabilities. A flexible matrix composite system was selected, which was composed of high stiffness carbon fibers as reinforcements in relatively low stiffness polyurethane matrix, based upon large strain to failure capabilities and large beneficial elastic couplings. Linear and non-linear analytical models were developed encapsulating large deformation theory of the laminated composite shells (using non-linear strain energy formulation) to the fracture mechanics of core foam and elastic-plastic deformation theory of the foam filling. The non-linear model is capable of including material and geometric nonlinearities that arise from large deformation and fiber reorientation. Developed non-linear analysis predicts the behavior of extension-twist coupled and angle ply flexible matrix composite tubes under multi-axial loadings. The predicted results show close correlation with experimental findings. It was also found that these devices exhibit variations with respect to rate of loading. It was found that the novel energy absorbing devices are capable of providing 4-5 times higher specific energy absorption (SEA) than currently used devices for similar purposes (such as wire bender which has SEA of 3.6 J/g).

Systolic versus diastolic heart failure in community practice: clinical features, outcomes, and the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

PubMed

Philbin, E F; Rocco, T A; Lindenmuth, N W; Ulrich, K; Jenkins, P L

2000-12-01

Among patients with heart failure, there is controversy about whether there are clinical features and laboratory tests that can differentiate patients who have low ejection fractions from those with normal ejection fractions. The usefulness of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors among heart failure patients who have normal left ventricular ejection fractions is also not known. From a registry of 2,906 unselected consecutive patients with heart failure who were admitted to 10 acute-care community hospitals during 1995 and 1997, we identified 1291 who had a quantitative measurement of their left ventricular ejection fraction. Patients were separated into three groups based on ejection fraction: < or =0.39 (n = 741, 57%), 0.40 to 0.49 (n = 238, 18%), and > or =0.50 (n = 312, 24%). In-hospital mortality, prescription of ACE inhibitors at discharge, subsequent rehospitalization, quality of life, and survival were measured; survivors were observed for at least 6 months after hospitalization. The mean (+/- SD) age of the sample was 75+/-11 years; the majority (55%) of patients were women. In multivariate models, age >75 years, female sex, weight >72.7 kg, and a valvular etiology for heart failure were associated with an increased probability of having an ejection fraction > or =0.50; a prior history of heart failure, an ischemic or idiopathic cause of heart failure, and radiographic cardiomegaly were associated with a lower probability of having an ejection fraction > or =0.50. Total mortality was lower in patients with an ejection fraction > or =0.50 than in those with an ejection fraction < or =0.39 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI 0.49 to 0.98, P = 0.04). Among hospital survivors with an ejection fraction of 0.40 to 0.49, the 65% who were prescribed ACE inhibitors at discharge had better mean adjusted quality-of-life scores (7.0 versus 6.2, P = 0.02), and lower adjusted mortality (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.70, P = 0.01) during follow-up than those who were not prescribed ACE inhibitors. Among hospital survivors with an ejection fraction > or =0.50, the 45% who were prescribed ACE inhibitors at discharge had better (lower) adjusted New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (2.1 versus 2.4, P = 0.04) although there was no significant improvement in survival. Among patients treated for heart failure in community hospitals, 42% of those whose ejection fraction was measured had a relatively normal systolic function (ejection fraction > or 0.40). The clinical characteristics and mortality of these patients differed from those in patients with low ejection fractions. Among the patients with ejection fractions > or =0.40, the prescription of ACE inhibitors at discharge was associated favorable effects.

Mechanical characterization of hybrid and functionally-graded aluminum open-cell foams with nanocrystalline-copper coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yi

Cellular/foam materials found in nature such as bone, wood, and bamboo are usually functionally graded by having a non-uniform density distribution and inhomogenous composition that optimizes their global mechanical performance. Inspired by such naturally engineered products, the current study was conducted towards the development of functionally graded hybrid metal foams (FGHMF) with electrodeposited (ED) nanocrystalline coatings. First, the deformation and failure mechanisms of aluminum/copper (Al/Cu) hybrid foams were investigated using finite element analyses at different scales. The micro-scale behavior was studied based on single ligament models discretized using continuum elements and the macro-scale behavior was investigated using beam-element based finite element models of representative unit volumes consisting of multiple foam cells. With a detailed constitutive material behavior and material failure considered for both the aluminum ligament and the nano-copper coating, the numerical models were able to capture the unique behavior of Al/Cu hybrid foams, such as the typically observed sudden load drop after yielding. The numerical models indicate that such load drop is caused by the fracture of foam ligaments initiated from the rupture of the ED nano-copper coating due to its low ductility. This failure mode jeopardizes the global energy absorption capacity of hybrid foams, especially when a thick coating is applied. With the purpose of enhancing the performance of Al/Cu hybrid foams, an annealing process, which increased the ductility of the nanocrystalline copper coating by causing recovery, recrystallination and grain growth, was introduced in the manufacturing of Al/Cu hybrid foams. Quasi-static experimental results indicate that when a proper amount of annealing is applied, the ductility of the ED copper can be effectively improved and the compressive and tensile behavior of Al/Cu hybrid foams can be significantly enhanced, including better energy absorption capacity. The behavior of Al/Cu hybrid foams under high-strain-rate condition was then investigated using experiments on a split Hopkinson pressure bar. It was found that the ED nano-copper coating can also effectively enhance the energy absorption capacities of aluminum open-cell foams under high strain rate. Similar to the quasi-static behavior, a large stress drop was observed in the compressive response of Al/Cu hybrid foams under high strain rate, which was accompanied by dramatic shattering of material. It is shown that a more ductile behavior and better energy absorption performance under high strain rate condition can be also obtained by introducing an annealing process. Finally, the manufacturing process of Al/Cu hybrid foams was customized to fabricate FGHMF systems with two dimensional property gradients. The performance of these FGHMFs at both quasi-static and dynamic conditions was evaluated. Under quasi-static condition, two flexural type loading conditions were considered, namely, a three point bending condition and a cantilever beam condition. The dynamic behavior of FGHMFs was investigated by conducting drop weight tower tests on a three point bending setup. It was found that the failure mechanism of hybrid metal foams can be modified and the mechanical properties, such as stiffness and strength, and energy absorption capacities of hybrid metal foams can be optimized under both quasi-static and dynamic conditions by introducing strategically designed coating patterns. The presented novel approach and findings in this study provide valuable information on the development of high performance hybrid and functionally-graded cellular materials.

Ultra-Lightweight Nanocomposite Foams and Sandwich Structures for Space Structure Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tan, Seng

2012-01-01

Microcellular nanocomposite foams and sandwich structures have been created to have excellent electrical conductivity and radiation-resistant properties using a new method that does not involve or release any toxicity. The nanocomposite structures have been scaled up in size to 12 X 12 in. (30 X 30 cm) for components fabrication. These sandwich materials were fabricated mainly from PE, CNF, and carbon fibers. Test results indicate that they have very good compression and compression-after-impact properties, excellent electrical conductivity, and superior space environment durability. Compression tests show that 1000 ESH (equivalent Sun hours) of UV exposure has no effect on the structural properties of the sandwich structures. The structures are considerably lighter than aluminum alloy (= 36 percent lighter), which translates to 36 percent weight savings of the electronic enclosure and its housing. The good mechanical properties of the materials may enable the electronic housing to be fabricated with a thinner structure that further reduces the weight. There was no difficulty in machining the sandwich specimens into electronic enclosure housing.

A New Light Weight Structural Material for Nuclear Structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rabiei, Afsaneh

2016-01-14

Radiation shielding materials are commonly used in nuclear facilities to attenuate the background ionization radiations to a minimum level for creating a safer workplace, meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining high quality performance. The conventional radiation shielding materials have a number of drawbacks: heavy concrete contains a high amount of elements that are not desirable for an effective shielding such as oxygen, silicon, and calcium; a well known limitation of lead is its low machinability and toxicity, which is causing a major environmental concern. Therefore, an effective and environmentally friendly shielding material with increased attenuation and low mass density is desirable.more » Close-cell composite metal foams (CMFs) and open-cell Al foam with fillers are light-weight candidate materials that we have studied in this project. Close-cell CMFs possess several suitable properties that are unattainable by conventional radiation shielding materials such as low density and high strength for structural applications, high surface area to volume ratio for excellent thermal isolation with an extraordinary energy absorption capability. Open-cell foam is made up of a network of interconnected solid struts, which allows gas or fluid media to pass through it. This unique structure provided a further motive to investigate its application as radiation shields by infiltrating original empty pores with high hydrogen or boron compounds, which are well known for their excellent neutron shielding capability. The resulting open-cell foam with fillers will not only exhibit light weight and high specific surface area, but also possess excellent radiation shielding capability and good processability. In this study, all the foams were investigated for their radiation shielding efficiency in terms of X-ray, gamma ray and neutron. X-ray transmission measurements were carried out on a high-resolution microcomputed tomography (microCT) system. Gamma-emitting sources: 3.0mCi 60Co, 1.8mCi 137Cs, 13.5mCi 241Am, and 5.0mCi 133Ba were used for gamma-ray attenuation analysis. The evaluations of neutron transmission measurements were conducted at the Neutron Powder Diffractometer beam facility at North Carolina State University. The experimental results were verified theoretically through XCOM and Monte Carlo Z-particle Transport Code (MCNP). A mechanical investigation was performed by means of quasi-static compressive testing. Thermal characterizations were carried out through effective thermal conductivity and thermal expansion analyses in terms of high temperature guarded-comparative-longitudinal heat flow technique and thermomechanical analyzer (TMA), respectively. The experimental results were compared with analytical results obtained from, respectively, Brailsford and Major’s model and modified Turner’s model for verification. Flame test was performed in accordance with United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) standard. CMF sample and a 304L stainless steel control sample were subjected to a fully engulfing fire with an average flame temperature of 800°C for a period of 30 minutes. Finite Element Analysis was conducted to secure the credibility of the experimental results. This research indicates the potential of utilizing the light-weight close-cell CMFs and open-cell Al foam with fillers as shielding material replacing current heavy structures with additional advantage of high-energy absorption and excellent thermal characteristics.« less

Footwear and Foam Surface Alter Gait Initiation of Typical Subjects

PubMed Central

Vieira, Marcus Fraga; Sacco, Isabel de Camargo Neves; Nora, Fernanda Grazielle da Silva Azevedo; Rosenbaum, Dieter; Lobo da Costa, Paula Hentschel

2015-01-01

Gait initiation is the task commonly used to investigate the anticipatory postural adjustments necessary to begin a new gait cycle from the standing position. In this study, we analyzed whether and how foot-floor interface characteristics influence the gait initiation process. For this purpose, 25 undergraduate students were evaluated while performing a gait initiation task in three experimental conditions: barefoot on a hard surface (barefoot condition), barefoot on a soft surface (foam condition), and shod on a hard surface (shod condition). Two force plates were used to acquire ground reaction forces and moments for each foot separately. A statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis was performed in COP time series. We compared the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) resultant center of pressure (COP) paths and average velocities, the force peaks under the right and left foot, and the COP integral x force impulse for three different phases: the anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) phase (Phase 1), the swing-foot unloading phase (Phase 2), and the support-foot unloading phase (Phase 3). In Phase 1, significantly smaller ML COP paths and velocities were found for the shod condition compared to the barefoot and foam conditions. Significantly smaller ML COP paths were also found in Phase 2 for the shod condition compared to the barefoot and foam conditions. In Phase 3, increased AP COP velocities were found for the shod condition compared to the barefoot and foam conditions. SPM analysis revealed significant differences for vector COP time series in the shod condition compared to the barefoot and foam conditions. The foam condition limited the impulse-generating capacity of COP shift and produced smaller ML force peaks, resulting in limitations to body-weight transfer from the swing to the support foot. The results suggest that footwear and a soft surface affect COP and impose certain features of gait initiation, especially in the ML direction of Phase 1. PMID:26270323

Optimization of aircraft seat cushion fire blocking layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourtides, D. A.; Parker, J. A.; Ling, A. C.; Hovatter, W. R.

1983-01-01

This report describes work completed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - for the Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center. The purpose of this work was to examine the potential of fire blocking mechanisms for aircraft seat cushions in order to provide an optimized seat configuration with adequate fire protection and minimum weight. Aluminized thermally stable fabrics were found to provide adequate fire protection when used in conjunction with urethane foams, while maintaining minimum weight and cost penalty.

Thermo-mechanical characterization of silicone foams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rangaswamy, Partha; Smith, Nickolaus A.; Cady, Carl M.

Cellular solids such as elastomeric foams are used in many structural applications to absorb and dissipate energy, due to their light weight (low density) and high energy absorption capability. In this paper we will discuss foams derived from S5370, a silicone foam formulation developed by Dow Corning. In the application presented, the foam is consolidated into a cushion component of constant thickness but variable density. A mechanical material model developed by Lewis (2013), predicts material response, in part, as a function of relative density. To determine the required parameters for this model we have obtained the mechanical response in compressionmore » for ambient, cold and hot temperatures. The variable density cushion provided samples sufficient samples so that the effect of sample initial density on the mechanical response could be studied. The mechanical response data showed extreme sensitivity to relative density. We also observed at strains corresponding to 1 MPa a linear relationship between strain and initial density for all temperatures. Samples taken from parts with a history of thermal cycling demonstrated a stiffening response that was a function of temperature, with the trend of more stiffness as temperature increased above ambient. This observation is in agreement with the entropic effects on the thermo-mechanical behavior of silicone polymers. In this study, we present the experimental methods necessary for the development of a material model, the testing protocol, analysis of test data, and a discussion of load (stress) and gap (strain) as a function of sample initial densities and temperatures« less

Performance of mechanical behavior of kenaf fibre reinforced foamed composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahzabin, Mst. Sadia; Hock, Lim Jee; Kang, Lim Siong; Jarghouyeh, Ehsan Nikbakht

2017-10-01

This paper investigates the mechanical properties of lightweight foamed composite (LFC) with the inclusion of kenaf fibres and superplasticizer. NaOH treated kenaf fibre contents of 0.4%, 0.45% and 0.5% (by weight of cement) with 5cm length were used in composite. The density of 1000kg/m3 to 2000kg/m3 foamed concrete was used for all the tested specimens. The ratio of cement, sand and water used was 1:1.5:0.45. All the experiments were set up in accordance with International standard methods of testing. In reference to the results and discussion, the different percentages of fibre used were proven to have a lesser contribution towards compressive strength or might even have reduced the result. The results also showed that water absorption and density of the composite mortar increased as the volume of fiber increased from 0.4% to 0.5% However, a higher percentage of fiber inclusions had been recorded to have a positive contribution towards flexural and tensile splitting properties of composites.

Polyurethane foam (PUF) disks passive air samplers: wind effect on sampling rates.

PubMed

Tuduri, Ludovic; Harner, Tom; Hung, Hayley

2006-11-01

Different passive sampler housings were evaluated for their wind dampening ability and how this might translate to variability in sampler uptake rates. Polyurethane foam (PUF) disk samplers were used as the sampling medium and were exposed to a PCB-contaminated atmosphere in a wind tunnel. The effect of outside wind speed on PUF disk sampling rates was evaluated by exposing polyurethane foam (PUF) disks to a PCB-contaminated air stream in a wind tunnel over air velocities in the range 0 to 1.75 m s-1. PUF disk sampling rates increased gradually over the range 0-0.9 m s-1 at approximately 4.5-14.6 m3 d-1 and then increased sharply to approximately 42 m3 d-1 at approximately 1.75 m s-1 (sum of PCBs). The results indicate that for most field deployments the conventional 'flying saucer' housing adequately dampens the wind effect and will yield approximately time-weighted air concentrations.

Aluminum phosphate microcapsule flame retardants for flexible polyurethane foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bin; Liu, Hong; Han, Jian

2018-04-01

In this study, highly efficient flame-retardant aluminum phosphate (ALP) microcapsules were synthesized from ALP and ammonium phosphomolybdate trihydrate. The chemical structure of the ALP microcapsules was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis, and the thermal degradation behavior was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Subsequently, flexible polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared with the ALP microcapsules. Limiting oxygen index (LOI) tests, vertical burning tests, smoke density rating (SDR), and cone calorimetric tests were employed to investigate the combustion of the materials. The results showed that the flexible PU foams with 15 parts per hundred polyol by weight (pphp) ALP microcapsules passed the vertical burning test and they had an increased LOI value of 28.5%. The SDR value for PU/20 pphp ALP microcapsule composites was about 16.0% and the SDR value for the pure PU was about 29.0%. The corresponding flame-retardant mechanism was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, TGA, Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) tests, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry.

Occupational asthma after exposure to azodicarbonamide: report of four cases.

PubMed Central

Normand, J C; Grange, F; Hernandez, C; Ganay, A; Davezies, P; Bergeret, A; Prost, G

1989-01-01

Azodicarbonamide (Chemical Abstract Service Registry No 123.77.3) is an organic low molecular weight agent used for blowing and foaming plastics. Finely ground azodicarbonamide can be a pulmonary and sometimes a cutaneous acute sensitiser. Four cases of work related asthma are reported. PMID:2920144

KOVATS RETENTION INDICES OF HALOCARBONS ON A HEXAFLUOROPROPYLENE EPOXIDE-MODIFIED GRAPHITIZED CARBON BLACK

EPA Science Inventory

The article gives results of measuring Kovats retention indices of 97 halocarbons related to research on alternative refrigerants, propellants, foaming agents, and blowing agents, on a packed-column stationary phase consisting of a 5% mass coating of a low-molecular-weight polyme...

Estimating Foreign-Object-Debris Density from Photogrammetry Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Jason; Metzger, Philip; Lane, John

2013-01-01

Within the first few seconds after launch of STS-124, debris traveling vertically near the vehicle was captured on two 16-mm film cameras surrounding the launch pad. One particular piece of debris caught the attention of engineers investigating the release of the flame trench fire bricks. The question to be answered was if the debris was a fire brick, and if it represented the first bricks that were ejected from the flame trench wall, or was the object one of the pieces of debris normally ejected from the vehicle during launch. If it was typical launch debris, such as SRB throat plug foam, why was it traveling vertically and parallel to the vehicle during launch, instead of following its normal trajectory, flying horizontally toward the north perimeter fence? By utilizing the Runge-Kutta integration method for velocity and the Verlet integration method for position, a method that suppresses trajectory computational instabilities due to noisy position data was obtained. This combination of integration methods provides a means to extract the best estimate of drag force and drag coefficient under the non-ideal conditions of limited position data. This integration strategy leads immediately to the best possible estimate of object density, within the constraints of unknown particle shape. These types of calculations do not exist in readily available off-the-shelf simulation software, especially where photogrammetry data is needed as an input.

Short-Term Thyroid Hormone Excess Affects the Heart but Does not Affect Adrenal Activity in Rats

PubMed Central

Szkudlarek, Ariani Cavazzani; Aldenucci, Bruno; Miyagui, Nelson Itiro; Silva, Ilana Kassouf; Moraes, Rosana Nogueira; Ramos, Helton Estrela; Fogaça, Rosalva Tadeu Hochmuller

2014-01-01

Background Hyperthyroidism (Hy) exerts a broad range of influences on a variety of physiological parameters. Its disruptive effect on cardiovascular system is one of its most remarkable impacts. Moreover, Hy has been clinically associated with stress - induced hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Objective Evaluate the impact of short-term Hy on cardiac performance and adrenal activity of rats. Methods Induction of Hy in Wistar rats through injections of T3 (150 µg/kg) for 10 days (hyperthyroid group - HG) or vehicle (control group). The cardiovascular performance was evaluated by: echocardiography (ECHO); heart weight/body weight (mg/gr) ratio; contractility of isolated papillary muscles (IPM) and direct measurement of blood pressures. Adrenal activity was evaluated by adrenal weight/body weight (mg/gr) ratio and 24-hour fecal corticosterone (FC) levels on the, 5th and 10th days of T3 treatment. Results In HG, the ECHO showed reduction of the End Systolic and End Diastolic Volumes, Ejection, Total Diastolic and Isovolumic Relaxation Times, Diastolic and Systolic Areas and E/A ratio. Heart Rate, Ejection Fraction and Cardiac Output increased. The heart weight/body weight ratio was higher. Similarly, in IPM, the maximum rate of force decay during relaxation was higher in all extracellular calcium concentrations. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels were higher. (p ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, there was no difference in the adrenal weight/body weight ratio or in the 24-hour FC levels. Conclusions Hy induces positive inotropic, chronotropic and lusitropic effects on the heart by direct effects of T3 and increases SBP. Those alterations are not correlated with changes in the adrenal activity. PMID:24676225

Ablative overlays for Space Shuttle leading edge ascent heat protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strauss, E. L.

1975-01-01

Ablative overlays were evaluated via a plasma-arc simulation of the ascent pulse on the leading edge of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Overlay concepts included corkboard, polyisocyanurate foam, low-density Teflon, epoxy, and subliming salts. Their densities ranged from 4.9 to 81 lb per cu ft, and the thicknesses varied from 0.107 to 0.330 in. Swept-leading-edge models were fabricated from 30-lb per cu ft silicone-based ablators. The overlays were bonded to maintain the surface temperature of the base ablator below 500 F during ascent. Foams provided minimum-weight overlays, and subliming salts provided minimum-thickness overlays. Teflon left the most uniform surface after ascent heating.

Integrated Structural/Acoustic Modeling of Heterogeneous Panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett, A.; Aboudi, Jacob; Arnold, Steven, M.; Pennline, James, A.

2012-01-01

A model for the dynamic response of heterogeneous media is presented. A given medium is discretized into a number of subvolumes, each of which may contain an elastic anisotropic material, void, or fluid, and time-dependent boundary conditions are applied to simulate impact or incident pressure waves. The full time-dependent displacement and stress response throughout the medium is then determined via an explicit solution procedure. The model is applied to simulate the coupled structural/acoustic response of foam core sandwich panels as well as aluminum panels with foam inserts. Emphasis is placed on the acoustic absorption performance of the panels versus weight and the effects of the arrangement of the materials and incident wave frequency.

Reinforced Honeycomb Panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhat, Balakrishna T.; Akutagawa, Wesley; Wang, Taylor G.; Barber, Dan

1989-01-01

New honeycomb panel structure has increased strength and stiffness with little increase in weight. Some or all of walls of honeycomb cells reinforced with honeycomb panels having smaller cells, lightweight foam, or other reinforcing material. Strong, lightweight reinforced panels used in aircraft, car and truck bodies, cabinets for equipment and appliances, and buildings.

7 CFR 2902.17 - Plastic insulating foam for residential and commercial construction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (Continued) OFFICE OF ENERGY POLICY AND NEW USES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNATING... weight (mass) of the total organic carbon in the finished product. (c) Preference compliance date. No... manufacturers of these qualifying biobased products provide information on the BioPreferred Web site of...

Molecular assembly, interfacial rheology and foaming properties of oligofructose fatty acid esters.

PubMed

van Kempen, Silvia E H J; Schols, Henk A; van der Linden, Erik; Sagis, Leonard M C

2014-01-01

Two major types of food-grade surfactants used to stabilize foams are proteins and low molecular weight (LMW) surfactants. Proteins lower the surface tension of interfaces and tend to unfold and stabilize the interface by the formation of a visco-elastic network, which leads to high surface moduli. In contrast, LMW surfactants lower the surface tension more than proteins, but do not form interfaces with a high modulus. Instead, they stabilize the interface through the Gibbs-Marangoni mechanism that relies on rapid diffusion of surfactants, when surface tension gradients develop as a result of deformations of the interface. A molecule than can lower the surface tension considerably, like a LMW surfactant, but also provide the interface with a high modulus, like a protein, would be an excellent foam stabilizer. In this article we will discuss molecules with those properties: oligofructose fatty acid esters, both in pure and mixed systems. First, we will address the synthesis and structural characterization of the esters. Next, we will address self-assembly and rheological properties of air/water interfaces stabilized by the esters. Subsequently, this paper will deal with mixed systems of mono-esters with either di-esters and lauric acid, or proteins. Then, the foaming functionality of the esters is discussed.

Analytical Modeling and Test Correlation of Variable Density Multilayer Insulation for Cryogenic Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hastings, L. J.; Hedayat, A.; Brown, T. M.

2004-01-01

A unique foam/multilayer insulation (MLI) combination concept for orbital cryogenic storage was experimentally evaluated using a large-scale hydrogen tank. The foam substrate insulates for ground-hold periods and enables a gaseous nitrogen purge as opposed to helium. The MLI, designed for an on-orbit storage period for 45 days, includes several unique features including a variable layer density and larger but fewer perforations for venting during ascent to orbit. Test results with liquid hydrogen indicated that the MLI weight or tank heat leak is reduced by about half in comparison with standard MLI. The focus of this effort is on analytical modeling of the variable density MLI (VD-MLI) on-orbit performance. The foam/VD-MLI model is considered to have five segments. The first segment represents the optional foam layer. The second, third, and fourth segments represent three different MLI layer densities. The last segment is an environmental boundary or shroud that surrounds the last MLI layer. Two approaches are considered: a variable density MLI modeled layer by layer and a semiempirical model or "modified Lockheed equation." Results from the two models were very comparable and were within 5-8 percent of the measured data at the 300 K boundary condition.

Directional and sectional ride comfort estimation using an integrated human biomechanical-seat foam model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohajer, Navid; Abdi, Hamid; Nahavandi, Saeid; Nelson, Kyle

2017-09-01

In the methodology of objective measurement of ride comfort, application of a Human Biomechanical Model (HBM) is valuable for Whole Body Vibration (WBV) analysis. In this study, using a computational Multibody System (MBS) approach, development of a 3D passive HBM for a seated human is considered. For this purpose, the existing MBS-based HBMs of seated human are briefly reviewed first. The Equations of Motion (EoM) for the proposed model are then obtained and the simulation results are shown and compared with idealised ranges of experimental results suggested in the literature. The human-seat interaction is established using a nonlinear vibration model of foam with respect to the sectional behaviour of the seat foam. The developed system is then used for ride comfort estimation offered by a ride dynamic model. The effects of human weight, road class, and vehicle speed on the vibration of the human body segments in different directions are studied. It is shown that the there is a high correlation (more than 99.2%) between the vibration indices of the proposed HBM-foam model and the corresponding ISO 2631 WBV indices. In addition, relevant ISO 2631 indices that show a high correlation with the directional vibration of the head are identified.

Solar-thermal conversion and thermal energy storage of graphene foam-based composites.

PubMed

Zhang, Lianbin; Li, Renyuan; Tang, Bo; Wang, Peng

2016-08-14

Among various utilizations of solar energy, solar-thermal conversion has recently gained renewed research interest due to its extremely high energy efficiency. However, one limiting factor common to all solar-based energy conversion technologies is the intermittent nature of solar irradiation, which makes them unable to stand-alone to satisfy the continuous energy need. Herein, we report a three-dimensional (3D) graphene foam and phase change material (PCM) composite for the seamlessly combined solar-thermal conversion and thermal storage for sustained energy release. The composite is obtained by infiltrating the 3D graphene foam with a commonly used PCM, paraffin wax. The high macroporosity and low density of the graphene foam allow for high weight fraction of the PCM to be incorporated, which enhances the heat storage capacity of the composite. The interconnected graphene sheets in the composite provide (1) the solar-thermal conversion capability, (2) high thermal conductivity and (3) form stability of the composite. Under light irradiation, the composite effectively collects and converts the light energy into thermal energy, and the converted thermal energy is stored in the PCM and released in an elongated period of time for sustained utilization. This study provides a promising route for sustainable utilization of solar energy.

Effects of Variable Helmet Weight on Human Response to -Gx Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

may increase the potential for aircrew neck injury during aircraft ejection due to the increase in dynamic loads generated in the cervical spine as a...began experiencing discomfort and pain when wearing 3.5 lb helmets at 10 G seat accelerations. While overall neck loads demonstrated little or no... cervical spine as a result of the change in helmet inertial properties including weight, center-of-gravity (CG), and moments-of-inertia (MOI

Synthesis of Transesterified Palm Olein-Based Polyol and Rigid Polyurethanes from this Polyol.

PubMed

Arniza, Mohd Zan; Hoong, Seng Soi; Idris, Zainab; Yeong, Shoot Kian; Hassan, Hazimah Abu; Din, Ahmad Kushairi; Choo, Yuen May

Transesterification of palm olein with glycerol can increase the functionality by introducing additional hydroxyl groups to the triglyceride structure, an advantage compared to using palm olein directly as feedstock for producing palm-based polyol. The objective of this study was to synthesize transesterified palm olein-based polyol via a three-step reaction: (1) transesterification of palm olein, (2) epoxidation and (3) epoxide ring opening. Transesterification of palm olein yielded approximately 78 % monoglyceride and has an hydroxyl value of approximately 164 mg KOH g -1 . The effect of formic acid and hydrogen peroxide concentrations on the epoxidation reaction was studied. The relationships between epoxide ring-opening reaction time and residual oxirane oxygen content and hydroxyl value were monitored. The synthesized transesterified palm olein-based polyol has hydroxyl value between 300 and 330 mg KOH g -1 and average molecular weight between 1,000 and 1,100 Da. On the basis of the hydroxyl value and average molecular weight of the polyol, the transesterified palm olein-based polyol is suitable for producing rigid polyurethane foam, which can be designed to exhibit desirable properties. Rigid polyurethane foams were synthesized by substituting a portion of petroleum-based polyol with the transesterified palm olein-based polyol. It was observed that by increasing the amount of transesterified palm olein-based polyol, the core density and compressive strength were reduced but at the same time the insulation properties of the rigid polyurethane foam were improved.

A Protection And Detection Surface (PADS) for damage tolerance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuart, M. J.; Prasad, C. B.; Biggers, S. B.

1990-01-01

A protection and detection surface (PADS) concept was studied for application to composite primary aircraft structures. A Kevlar-epoxy woven face sheet with a Rohacell foam core was found to be the most effective PADS configuration among the configurations evaluated. The weight of the PADS configuration was estimated to be approximately 17 percent of the structural weight. The PADS configuration was bonded to graphite-epoxy base laminates, and up to a 70 percent improvement in compression-after-impact failure strains was observed.

A Protection And Detection Surface (PADS) for damage tolerance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuart, Mark J.; Prasad, Chunchu B.; Biggers, Sherrill B.

1990-01-01

A protection and detection surface (PADS) concept was studied for application to composite primary aircraft structures. A Kevlar-epoxy woven face sheet with a Rohacell foam core was found to be the most effective PADS configuration among the configurations evaluated. The weight of the PADS configuration was estimated to be approximately 17 pct of the structural weight. The PADS configuration was bonded to graphite-epoxy base laminates, and up to a 70 pct improvement in compression-after-impact failure strains was observed.

The analysis of lightweight brick strength pressure with mixture of glass powder and silica fume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nursyamsi; Liang, William

2018-03-01

Little by little the engineers research how the development of concrete that can utilize waste. In the utilization of the waste, it can be functioned as mixing material which the chemical or the physical traits of the used goods contain similarity to the mixture of concrete in general, one of them is glass powder as the substitute of cement. The glass powder that utilizes is the one that is sifted through sieve No. 200 as much as 10% of the weight of the cement. The testing specimen of the concrete brick is make of the mixture with the ratio of 1:7, then is added with the foaming agent (1:30) and silica fume (10% of the weight of the cement). Furthermore, visual examination, absorption, net weight and testing specimen compressive strength. The data analysis uses the reference of SNI 03 – 0349 – 1989 regarding Concrete Brick for the Match for the Wall. Foaming Agent is make by using modified hand drill and brace. The testing specimen uses the brick mold with the size of 40 cm x 20cm x 10 cm. Based on this research, it shows that the quality that results from brick is still qualified based on SNI 03 – 0349 – 1989.

Rollover Injury in Vehicles with High Strength-to-Weight Ratio (SWR) Roofs, Curtain and Side Airbags and Other Safety Improvements.

PubMed

Viano, David C; Parenteau, Chantal S

2018-06-21

This study investigated trends in severe injury and ejection in rollover crashes involving lap-shoulder belted drivers and right-front passengers. It was conducted because of changes in 2009 to consumer information programs and regulations related to rollover protection. The data is presented by model year (MY) of the vehicle in groups from 1995-2016. NASS-CDS cases with 2010-16 MY vehicles were also evaluated to determine the crash circumstances and causes for severe injury of belted occupants in vehicles with a high strength-to-weight (SWR) roof, curtain and side airbags and other safety improvements. 1997-2015 NASS-CDS data was evaluated for severe injury and ejection of lap-shoulder belted front-outboard occupants in light vehicles. Crashes were grouped by front, side, rear and rollover. The injury and ejection data was grouped by vehicle MY: 1995-99, 2000-04, 2005-09 and 2010-16. Only drivers and right-front passengers were included if they were lap-shoulder belted and 15+ years old. Severely injured occupants were defined as those with MAIS 4-6 or fatality (MAIS 4+F). National estimates were made with weighted data using the ratio weight in NASS-CDS. All NASS-CDS electronic cases were evaluated for belted occupants with MAIS 4+F injury in rollovers involving 2010-16 MY vehicles. The crash circumstances and injuries were studied. These vehicles had high SWR roofs to meet IIHS ratings and FMVSS 216. The 1997-2015 NASS-CDS included 2,083,776 belted front occupants in rollover crashes with 24,466 (1.17%) MAIS 4+F injuries. The frequency of rollover crashes has decreased with modern vehicles (p < 0.0001). The 1995-1999 MY vehicles involved in a rollover accounted for 7.03% of all crashes (756,228/10,760,000). The corresponding proportion was 3.57% with 2010-2016 MY vehicles (81,406 v 2,282,062). The risk for MAIS 4+F was 1.325 ± 0.347% in rollover crashes with 1995-99 MY vehicles. It was 27.2% lower in 2010-16 MY vehicles at 0.964 ± 0.331% (p < 0.001). There were 42,567 (2.002%) ejections of belted occupants in rollover crashes, irrespective of injury outcome. The risk for ejection was 3.042 ± 1.44% in rollover crashes with 1995-99 MY vehicles. It was 43.6% lower in 2004-2009 MY vehicle at 1.715 ± 0.660% (p <0.001) and 83.4% lower in 2010-16 MY vehicle at 0.505 ± 0.336% (p < 0.001). There were 17 rollovers with MAIS 4+F in 2010-16 MY vehicles in NASS-CDS. Their roof strength was SWR = 4.15 ± 1.05 based on 15 vehicles. Many of the collisions involved front or side impacts and then a rollover. Four cases involved 16-30 year old drivers in extremely high-speed loss of control crashes resulting in >10 cm vertical roof deformation or substantial roof deformation based on photos. The roof strength (SWR) of 4.20 ± 1.0 was not sufficient to prevent roof deformation in these crashes. This study found a reduction in severe injury and ejection risk with modern vehicles. It indicates vehicle safety has improved in response to IIHS and NHTSA efforts to expand the array of safety requirements and increase performance so that newer models are safer than earlier ones. There has been an incremental improvement in safety by these advances.

Exposures to jet fuel and benzene during aircraft fuel tank repair in the U.S. Air Force.

PubMed

Carlton, G N; Smith, L B

2000-06-01

Jet fuel and benzene vapor exposures were measured during aircraft fuel tank entry and repair at twelve U.S. Air Force bases. Breathing zone samples were collected on the fuel workers who performed the repair. In addition, instantaneous samples were taken at various points during the procedures with SUMMA canisters and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry. The highest eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) fuel exposure found was 1304 mg/m3; the highest 15-minute short-term exposure was 10,295 mg/m3. The results indicate workers who repair fuel tanks containing explosion suppression foam have a significantly higher exposure to jet fuel as compared to workers who repair tanks without foam (p < 0.001). It is assumed these elevations result from the tendency for fuel, absorbed by the foam, to volatilize during the foam removal process. Fuel tanks that allow flow-through ventilation during repair resulted in lower exposures compared to those tanks that have only one access port and, as a result, cannot be ventilated efficiently. The instantaneous sampling results confirm that benzene exposures occur during fuel tank repair; levels up to 49.1 mg/m3 were found inside the tanks during the repairs. As with jet fuel, these elevated benzene concentrations were more likely to occur in foamed tanks. The high temperatures associated with fuel tank repair, along with the requirement to wear vapor-permeable cotton coveralls for fire reasons, could result in an increase in the benzene body burden of tank entrants.

Carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy matrix composites and syntactic foams - mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poveda, Ronald Leonel

The tailorability of composite materials is crucial for use in a wide array of real-world applications, which range from heat-sensitive computer components to fuselage reinforcement on commercial aircraft. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of composites are highly dependent on their material composition, method of fabrication, inclusion orientation, and constituent percentages. The focus of this work is to explore carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as potential nanoscale reinforcement for hollow particle filled polymer composites referred to as syntactic foams. In the present study, polymer composites with high weight fractions of CNFs, ranging from 1-10 wt.%, are used for quasi-static and high strain rate compression analysis, as well as for evaluation and characterization of thermal and electrical properties. It is shown that during compressive characterization of vapor grown carbon nanofiber (CNF)/epoxy composites in the strain rate range of 10-4-2800 s-1, a difference in the fiber failure mechanism is identified based on the strain rate. Results from compression analyses show that the addition of fractions of CNFs and glass microballoons varies the compressive strength and elastic modulus of epoxy composites by as much as 53.6% and 39.9%. The compressive strength and modulus of the syntactic foams is also shown to generally increase by a factor of 3.41 and 2.96, respectively, with increasing strain rate when quasi-static and high strain rate testing data are compared, proving strain rate sensitivity of these reinforced composites. Exposure to moisture over a 6 month period of time is found to reduce the quasi-static and high strain rate strength and modulus, with a maximum of 7% weight gain with select grades of CNF/syntactic foam. The degradation of glass microballoons due to dealkalization is found to be the primary mechanism for reduced mechanical properties, as well as moisture diffusion and weight gain. In terms of thermal analysis results, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of CNF/epoxy and CNF/syntactic foam composites reinforced with glass microballoons decrease by as much as 11.6% and 38.4%. The experimental CTE values for all of the composites also fit within the bounds of established analytical models predicting the CTE of fiber and particle-reinforced composites. Further thermal studies through dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated increased thermal stability and damping capability, where the maximum use and glass transition temperatures increase as much as 27.1% and 25.0%, respectively. The electrical properties of CNF reinforced composites are evaluated as well, where the electrical impedance decreases and the dielectric constant increases with addition of CNFs. Such behavior occurs despite the presence of epoxy and glass microballoons, which serve as insulative phases. Such results are useful in design considerations of lightweight composite materials used in weight saving, compressive strength, and damage tolerance applications, such as lightweight aircraft structure reinforcement, automobile components, and buoyancy control with marine submersibles. The results of the analyses have also evaluated certain factors for environmental exposure and temperature extremes, as well as considerations for electronics packaging, all of which have also played a role in shaping avant-garde composite structure designs for efficient, versatile, and long-life service use.

Influence of extraction pH on the foaming, emulsification, oil-binding and visco-elastic properties of marama protein.

PubMed

Gulzar, Muhammad; Taylor, John Rn; Minnaar, Amanda

2017-11-01

Marama bean protein, as extracted previously at pH 8, forms a viscous, adhesive and extensible dough. To obtain a protein isolate with optimum functional properties, protein extraction under slightly acidic conditions (pH 6) was investigated. Two-dimensional electrophoresis showed that pH 6 extracted marama protein lacked some basic 11S legumin polypeptides, present in pH 8 extracted protein. However, it additionally contained acidic high molecular weight polypeptides (∼180 kDa), which were disulfide crosslinked into larger proteins. pH 6 extracted marama proteins had similar emulsification properties to soy protein isolate and several times higher foaming capacity than pH 8 extracted protein, egg white and soy protein isolate. pH 6 extracted protein dough was more elastic than pH 8 extracted protein, approaching the elasticity of wheat gluten. Marama protein extracted at pH 6 has excellent food-type functional properties, probably because it lacks some 11S polypeptides but has additional high molecular weight proteins. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Thermal Performance of Aircraft Polyurethane Seat Cushions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourtides, D. A.; Parker, J. A.

1982-01-01

Aircraft seat materials were evaluated in terms of their thermal performance. The materials were evaluated using (a) thermogravimetric analysis, (b) differential scanning calorimetry, (c) a modified NBS smoke chamber to determine the rate of mass loss and (d) the NASA T-3 apparatus to determine the thermal efficiency. In this paper, the modified NBS smoke chamber will be described in detail since it provided the most conclusive results. The NBS smoke chamber was modified to measure the weight loss of material when exposed to a radiant heat source over the range of 2.5 to 7.5 W/sq cm. This chamber has been utilized to evaluate the thermal performance of various heat blocking layers utilized to protect the polyurethane cushioning foam used in aircraft seats. Various kinds of heat blocking layers were evaluated by monitoring the weight loss of miniature seat cushions when exposed to the radiant heat. The effectiveness of aluminized heat blocking systems was demonstrated when compared to conventional heat blocking layers such as neoprene. All heat blocking systems showed good fire protection capabilities when compared to the state-of-the-art, i.e., wool-nylon over polyurethane foam.

A laboratory method for precisely determining the micro-volume-magnitudes of liquid efflux

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cloutier, R. L.

1969-01-01

Micro-volumetric quantities of ejected liquid are made to produce equal volumetric displacements of a more dense material. Weight measurements are obtained on the displaced heavier liquid and used to calculate volumes based upon the known density of the heavy medium.

Refurbishment cost study of the thermal protection system of a space shuttle vehicle. Phase 2: Supplement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, D. W.; Gerler, V. M.

1972-01-01

The labor costs and techniques associated with the maintenance of a bonded-on ablator thermal protection system (TPS) concept, suitable for Space Shuttle application are examined. The baseline approach to TPS attachment involves bonding reusable surface insulation (RSI) and/or ablators to the structural skin of the vehicle. The RSI and/or ablators in the form of either flat or contoured panels can be bonded to the skin of the primary structure directly or by way of an intermediate silicone foam rubber pad. The use of foam rubber pads permits the use of buckling skins and protruding heat rivets on the primary structure, minimizing structural weight and fabrication costs. In the case of the RSI, the foam rubber pad serves as a required strain isolator. For purpose of comparison, test data were obtained for an installation with and without the use of a strain isolator. The refurbishment aspects of a bonded-on RSI concept (without a strain isolator) were examined experimentally along with several externally removable panel concepts employing both ablator and RSI TPS. The various concepts are compared.

Experimental testing of a foam/multilayer insulation (FMLI) thermal control system (TCS) for use on a cryogenic upper stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hastings, Leon J.; Martin, James J.

1998-01-01

An 18-m3 system-level test bed termed the Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB has been used to evaluate a foam/multilayer combination insulation concept. The foam element (Isofoam SS-1171) protects against ground hold/ascent flight environments, and allows the use of dry nitrogen purge as opposed to a more complex/heavy helium purge subsystem. The MLI (45 layers of Double Aluminized Mylar with Dacron spacers) is designed for an on-orbit storage period of 45 days. Unique MLI features included; a variable layer density (reduces weight and radiation losses), larger but fewer DAM vent perforations (reduces radiation losses), and a roll wrap installation which resulted in a very robust MLI and reduced both assembly man-hours and seam heat leak. Ground hold testing resulted in an average heat leak of 63 W/m2 and purge gas liquefaction was successfully prevented. The orbit hold simulation produced a heat leak of 0.22 W/m2 with 305 K boundary which, compared to historical data, represents a 50-percent heat leak reduction.

Deformation of Polymer Composites in Force Protection Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazarian, Oshin

Systems used for protecting personnel, vehicles and infrastructure from ballistic and blast threats derive their performance from a combination of the intrinsic properties of the constituent materials and the way in which the materials are arranged and attached to one another. The present work addresses outstanding issues in both the intrinsic properties of high-performance fiber composites and the consequences of how such composites are integrated into force protection systems. One aim is to develop a constitutive model for the large-strain intralaminar shear deformation of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber-reinforced composite. To this end, an analytical model based on a binary representation of the constituent phases is developed and validated using finite element analyses. The model is assessed through comparisons with experimental measurements on cross-ply composite specimens in the +/-45° orientation. The hardening behavior and the limiting tensile strain are attributable to rotations of fibers in the plastic domain and the effects of these rotations on the internal stress state. The model is further assessed through quasi-static punch experiments and dynamic impact tests using metal foam projectiles. The finite element model based on this model accurately captures both the back-face deflection-time history and the final plate profile (especially the changes caused by fiber pull-in). A separate analytical framework for describing the accelerations caused by head impact during, for example, the secondary collision of a vehicle occupant with the cabin interior during an external event is also presented. The severity of impact, characterized by the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), is used to assess the efficacy of crushable foams in mitigating head injury. The framework is used to identify the optimal foam strength that minimizes the HIC for prescribed mass and velocity, subject to constraints on foam thickness. The predictive capability of the model is evaluated through comparisons with a series of experimental measurements from impacts of an instrumented headform onto several commercial foams. Additional comparisons are made with the results of finite element simulations. An analytical model for the planar impact of a cylindrical mass on a foam is also developed. This model sets a theoretical bound for the reduction in HIC by utilizing a "plate-on-foam" design. Experimental results of impact tests on foams coupled with stiff composite plates are presented, with comparisons to the theoretical limits predicted by the analytical model. Design maps are developed from the analytical models, illustrating the variations in the HIC with foam strength and impact velocity.

John F. Kennedy Space Center's Technology Development and Application 2006-2007 Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Topics covered include: Reversible Chemochromic Hydrogen Detectors; Determining Trajectory of Triboelectrically Charged Particles, Using Discrete Element Modeling; Using Indium Tin Oxide To Mitigate Dust on Viewing Ports; High-Performance Polyimide Powder Coatings; Controlled-Release Microcapsules for Smart Coatings for Corrosion Applications; Aerocoat 7 Replacement Coatings; Photocatalytic Coatings for Exploration and Spaceport Design; New Materials for the Repair of Polyimide Electrical Wire Insulation; Commodity-Free Calibration; Novel Ice Mitigation Methods; Crack Offset Measurement With the Projected Laser Target Device; New Materials for Structural Composites and Protective Coatings; Fire Chemistry Testing of Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI); Using Aerogel-Based Insulation Material To Prevent Foam Loss on the Liquid-Hydrogen Intertank; Particle Ejection and Levitation Technology (PELT); Electrostatic Characterization of Lunar Dust; Numerical Analysis of Rocket Exhaust Cratering; RESOLVE Projects: Lunar Water Resource Demonstration and Regolith Volatile Characterization; Tribocharging Lunar Soil for Electrostatic Beneficiation; Numerically Modeling the Erosion of Lunar Soil by Rocket Exhaust Plumes; Trajectory Model of Lunar Dust Particles; Using Lunar Module Shadows To Scale the Effects of Rocket Exhaust Plumes; Predicting the Acoustic Environment Induced by the Launch of the Ares I Vehicle; Measuring Ultrasonic Acoustic Velocity in a Thin Sheet of Graphite Epoxy Composite; Hail Size Distribution Mapping; Launch Pad 39 Hail Monitor Array System; Autonomous Flight Safety System - Phase III; The Photogrammetry Cube; Bird Vision System; Automating Range Surveillance Through Radio Interferometry and Field Strength Mapping Techniques; Next-Generation Telemetry Workstation; GPS Metric Tracking Unit; and Space-Based Range.

Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties and Effectiveness of Countermine Boots.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

regarding comfort except that the 60 shanks overall length of approximately 5.7 in should allow normal flexure of the forefoot . Weight, however, is...When the electron beam strikes an element in the sample, electrons are ejected from inner atomic shells to outer shells resulting in ions in the

Powder, paper and foam of few-layer graphene prepared in high yield by electrochemical intercalation exfoliation of expanded graphite.

PubMed

Wu, Liqiong; Li, Weiwei; Li, Peng; Liao, Shutian; Qiu, Shengqiang; Chen, Mingliang; Guo, Yufen; Li, Qi; Zhu, Chao; Liu, Liwei

2014-04-09

A facile and high-yield approach to the preparation of few-layer graphene (FLG) by electrochemical intercalation exfoliation (EIE) of expanded graphite in sulfuric acid electrolyte is reported. Stage-1 H2SO4-graphite intercalation compound is used as a key intermediate in EIE to realize the efficient exfoliation. The yield of the FLG sheets (<7 layers) with large lateral sizes (tens of microns) is more than 75% relative to the total amount of starting expanded graphite. A low degree of oxygen functionalization existing in the prepared FLG flakes enables them to disperse effectively, which contributes to the film-forming characteristics of the FLG flakes. These electrochemically exfoliated FLG flakes are integrated into several kinds of macroscopic graphene structures. Flexible and freestanding graphene papers made of the FLG flakes retain excellent conductivity (≈24,500 S m(-1)). Three-dimensional (3D) graphene foams with light weight are fabricated from the FLG flakes by the use of Ni foams as self-sacrifice templates. Furthermore, 3D graphene/Ni foams without any binders, which are used as supercapacitor electrodes in aqueous electrolyte, provide the specific capacitance of 113.2 F g(-1) at a current density of 0.5 A g(-1), retaining 90% capacitance after 1000 cycles. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Method of preparation of removable syntactic foam

DOEpatents

Arnold, C. Jr.; Derzon, D.K.; Nelson, J.S.; Rand, P.B.

1995-07-11

Easily removable, environmentally safe, low-density, syntactic foams are disclosed which are prepared by mixing insoluble microballoons with a solution of water and/or alcohol-soluble polymer to produce a pourable slurry, optionally vacuum filtering the slurry in varying degrees to remove unwanted solvent and solute polymer, and drying to remove residual solvent. The properties of the foams can be controlled by the concentration and physical properties of the polymer, and by the size and properties of the microballoons. The suggested solute polymers are non-toxic and soluble in environmentally safe solvents such as water or low-molecular weight alcohols. The syntactic foams produced by this process are particularly useful in those applications where ease of removability is beneficial, and could find use in packaging recoverable electronic components, in drilling and mining applications, in building trades, in art works, in the entertainment industry for special effects, in manufacturing as temporary fixtures, in agriculture as temporary supports and containers and for delivery of fertilizer, in medicine as casts and splints, as temporary thermal barriers, as temporary protective covers for fragile objects, as filters for particulate matter, which matter may be easily recovered upon exposure to a solvent, as in-situ valves (for one-time use) which go from maximum to minimum impedance when solvent flows through, and for the automatic opening or closing of spring-loaded, mechanical switches upon exposure to a solvent, among other applications. 1 fig.

Method of preparation of removable syntactic foam

DOEpatents

Arnold, Jr., Charles; Derzon, Dora K.; Nelson, Jill S.; Rand, Peter B.

1995-01-01

Easily removable, environmentally safe, low-density, syntactic foams are disclosed which are prepared by mixing insoluble microballoons with a solution of water and/or alcohol-soluble polymer to produce a pourable slurry, optionally vacuum filtering the slurry in varying degrees to remove unwanted solvent and solute polymer, and drying to remove residual solvent. The properties of the foams can be controlled by the concentration and physical properties of the polymer, and by the size and properties of the microballoons. The suggested solute polymers are non-toxic and soluble in environmentally safe solvents such as water or low-molecular weight alcohols. The syntactic foams produced by this process are particularly useful in those applications where ease of removability is beneficial, and could find use in packaging recoverable electronic components, in drilling and mining applications, in building trades, in art works, in the entertainment industry for special effects, in manufacturing as temporary fixtures, in agriculture as temporary supports and containers and for delivery of fertilizer, in medicine as casts and splints, as temporary thermal barriers, as temporary protective covers for fragile objects, as filters for particulate matter, which matter may be easily recovered upon exposure to a solvent, as in-situ valves (for one-time use) which go from maximum to minimum impedance when solvent flows through, and for the automatic opening or closing of spring-loaded, mechanical switches upon exposure to a solvent, among other applications.

Comparison of blueberry powder produced via foam-mat freeze-drying versus spray-drying: evaluation of foam and powder properties.

PubMed

Darniadi, Sandi; Ho, Peter; Murray, Brent S

2018-03-01

Blueberry juice powder was developed via foam-mat freeze-drying (FMFD) and spray-drying (SD) via addition of maltodextrin (MD) and whey protein isolate (WPI) at weight ratios of MD/WPI = 0.4 to 3.2 (with a fixed solids content of 5 wt% for FMFD and 10 wt% for SD). Feed rates of 180 and 360 mL h -1 were tested in SD. The objective was to evaluate the effect of the drying methods and carrier agents on the physical properties of the corresponding blueberry powders and reconstituted products. Ratios of MD/WPI = 0.4, 1.0 and 1.6 produced highly stable foams most suitable for FMFD. FMFD gave high yields and low bulk density powders with flake-like particles of large size that were also dark purple with high red values. SD gave low powder recoveries. The powders had higher bulk density and faster rehydration times, consisting of smooth, spherical and smaller particles than in FMFD powders. The SD powders were bright purple but less red than FMFD powders. Solubility was greater than 95% for both FMFD and SD powders. The FMFD method is a feasible method of producing blueberry juice powder and gives products retaining more characteristics of the original juice than SD. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Processing and properties of Ti-6Al-4V hollow sphere foams from hydride powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardwicke, Canan Uslu

Honeycomb structures currently used in aerospace systems are expensive to manufacture, limited to sheet form, and present joining problems and mechanical anisotropy that promotes shear failure at low stresses. Metallic foams produced by point contact bonding of monosized hollow spheres offer an alternative if they can be processed into strong, light-weight, and reasonably priced structural materials. In this work, technology has been established for fabricating good quality, Ti-6Al-4V hollow sphere foams using the coaxial nozzle powder slurry technique. It was shown that hydride form of Ti-ELI can be used as the starting precursor powder and processed into fine particles of 1-10 mum size range without increasing the impurity levels. Hydride dispersion in acetone was provided by the addition of polyester/polyamine copolymers through electrosteric stabilization. Addition of PMMA to the pseudoplastically dispersed organic slurries helped bind hydride powder spherical shells. Furthermore, monosized Ti-6Al-4V hollow spheres were sintered to 98% dense cell walls in Ar and point-contact bonded into closed-cell foams through solid-state diffusion. These findings suggest that near-net shape Ti-6Al-4V structures may be produced with isotropic properties, strength, toughness, and densities as low as 10% of the bulk. Findings concerning the optimum processing parameters and implications for future research are discussed.

Optimization of Design and Manufacturing Process of Metal Foam Filled Anti-Intrusion Bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Andrea; Strano, Matteo; Mussi, Valerio

2011-05-01

The role of an anti-intrusion bar for automotive use is to absorb the kinetic energy of the colliding bodies that is partially converted into internal work of the bodies involved in the crash. The aim of this paper is to investigate the performances of a new kind of anti-intrusion bars for automotive use, filled with metallic foams. The reason for using a cellular material as a filler deals with its capacity to absorb energy during plastic deformation, while being lightweight. The study is the evolution of a previous paper presented by the authors at Esaform 2010 and will present new results and findings. It is conducted by evaluating some key technical issues of the manufacturing problem and by conducting experimental and numerical analyses. The evaluation of materials and shapes of the closed sections to be filled is made in the perspective of a car manufacturer (production costs, weight reduction, space availability in a car door, etc.). Experimentally, foams are produced starting from an industrial aluminium precursor with a TiH2 blowing agent. Bars are tested in three point bending, in order to evaluate their performances in terms of force-displacement response and other specific performance parameters. In order to understand the role of interface between the inner surface of the tube and the external surface of the foam, different kinds of interface are tested.

Acute Effects of Lateral Thigh Foam Rolling on Arterial Tissue Perfusion Determined by Spectral Doppler and Power Doppler Ultrasound.

PubMed

Hotfiel, Thilo; Swoboda, Bernd; Krinner, Sebastian; Grim, Casper; Engelhardt, Martin; Uder, Michael; Heiss, Rafael U

2017-04-01

Hotfiel, T, Swoboda, B, Krinner, S, Grim, C, Engelhardt, M, Uder, M, and Heiss, R. Acute effects of lateral thigh foam rolling on arterial tissue perfusion determined by spectral Doppler and power Doppler ultrasound. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 893-900, 2017-Foam rolling has been developed as a popular intervention in training and rehabilitation. However, evidence on its effects on the cellular and physiological level is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of foam rolling on arterial blood flow of the lateral thigh. Twenty-one healthy participants (age, 25 ± 2 years; height, 177 ± 9 cm; body weight, 74 ± 9 kg) were recruited from the medical and sports faculty. Arterial tissue perfusion was determined by spectral Doppler and power Doppler ultrasound, represented as peak flow (Vmax), time average velocity maximum (TAMx), time average velocity mean (TAMn), and resistive index (RI), and with semiquantitative grading that was assessed by 4 blindfolded investigators. Measurement values were assessed under resting conditions and twice after foam rolling exercises of the lateral thigh (0 and 30 minutes after intervention). The trochanteric region, mid portion, and distal tibial insertion of the lateral thigh were representative for data analysis. Arterial blood flow of the lateral thigh increased significantly after foam rolling exercises compared with baseline (p ≤ 0.05). We detected a relative increase in Vmax of 73.6% (0 minutes) and 52.7% (30 minutes) (p < 0.001), in TAMx of 53.2% (p < 0.001) and 38.3% (p = 0.002), and in TAMn of 84.4% (p < 0.001) and 68.2% (p < 0.001). Semiquantitative power Doppler scores at all portions revealed increased average grading of 1.96 after intervention and 2.04 after 30 minutes compared with 0.75 at baseline. Our results may contribute to the understanding of local physiological reactions to self-myofascial release.

Polymeric heat pipe wick

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidenberg, Benjamin

1988-01-01

A wick for use in a capillary loop pump heat pipe is described. The wick material is an essentially uniformly porous, permeable, open-cell, polyethylene thermoplastic foam having an ultrahigh average molecular weight of from approximately 1 to 5 million, and an average pore size of about 10 to 12 microns. A representative material having these characteristics is POREX UF, which has an average molecular weight of about 3 million. This material is fully compatible with the FREONs and anhydrous ammonia and allows for the use of these very efficient working fluids in capillary loops.

Development of polylactide (PLA) and PLA nanocomposite foams in injection molding for automotive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi Chaloupli, Naqi

Plastic materials are extensively used in automotive structures since they make cars more energy efficient. Recently, the automotive industry is searching for bio-based and renewable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. Among polymers originating from renewable sources, polylactide (PLA) has attracted significant interest. The use of this polymer in durable industries is promising. Fuel-efficient automobiles are nowadays demanded due to the increasing concerns about environmental and fuel issues. The automobile fuel efficiency can be improved by using a lightweight material and, thereby, reducing the automobile weight. A potential method to achieve this objective is the use of the foaming technology. Foam is a material where a gas phase is encapsulated by a solid phase. Foaming technology helps to manufacture lightweight parts with superior properties in comparison with their solid counterparts. The basic mechanisms of foaming process normally consists of gas implementation, formation of uniform polymer-gas solution, cell nucleation, cell growth and, finally, cell stabilization. PLA foaming has, however, proved to be difficult mainly due to poor rheological properties, small processing window, and slow crystallization kinetics. The ultimate purpose of this work is to reduce by 30 % the weight of polylactide (PLA)-clay based nanocomposites by manufacturing injection-molded foamed parts. To use standard processing equipment, a chemical blowing agent (CBA) was employed. The injection molding technique was utilized in this project because it is the most widely used fabrication process in industry that can produce complex shaped articles. This process, however, is more challenging than other foaming processes since it deals with many additional controlling parameters. In the first part of this project, we illustrated how long chain branching (LCB) and molecular structure impact the melt rheology, crystallization and batch foaming behavior of PLA. To this end, LCB-PLAs were prepared in the presence of a multifunctional chain extender (CE) using two different processing strategies. In the first strategy, the dried PLA was directly mixed in the molten state with various quantities of CE (the formation of LCB structure). To further examine the impact of CE and molecular topology, a LCB-PLA was also prepared using a second approach, strategy S2. In this approach, a highly branched PLA was first prepared and then mixed with the neat PLA at a weight ratio of 50:50 (the introduction of LCB structure). The steady and transient rheological properties of the linear and LCB-PLAs revealed that the LCB-PLAs exhibited an increased viscosity, shear sensitivity and longer relaxation time in comparison with the linear PLA. The presence of the LCB structure, moreover, led to a strong strain-hardening behavior in uniaxial elongational flow whereas no strain hardening was observed for the linear PLA. The batch foaming of the samples was conducted using CO2 at different foaming temperatures ranging from 130 to 155 °C. The impact of molecular structure and foaming temperature on the void fraction, cell density, and cell size were examined. It was found that the increased melt strength and elasticity, resulting from branching, strongly affected the cell uniformity, cell density and void fraction. Among the investigated compositions, LCB-PLA prepared by strategy S2 provided smaller cell size and higher cell density than the other compositions. In most polymer processing operations such as extrusion and injection molding the polymeric chains are subjected to complex flow fields (elongation, shear, and mixed flows). Shearing the molten polymer during processing plays an essential role on crystallization and, thus, on the final properties of the product. The impact of the LCB structure and shear on the isothermal shear-induced crystallization kinetics, and the crystal morphology of PLA were studied in the second part of this work. The quiescent crystallization behavior was investigated and the results were, then, used as the reference point for the study of the shear-induced crystallization. To determine the effect of shear strain, a pre-shear treatment was applied on the melt at two constant shear rates for a period of 1, 5, and 10 min. The onset time of crystallization was decreased with increasing total shear strain. Meanwhile, the impact of shear strain was more pronounced as the degree of LCB and molecular weight increased. To investigate the effect of shear rate on the induced crystallization, pre-shear was applied at three different shear rates while keeping the total strain constant. The induction time of the linear PLA and LCB-PLAs was found to reduce as the shear rate increased, even though the total strain was the same. The crystal morphology of the linear PLA and LCB-PLAs under quiescent and shear flow conditions was observed. These micrographs provided information about the spherulite density and growth rate. An increase in the spherulite density was achieved in the strained melt of both linear and LCB-PLAs, as compared with those of unstrained counterparts. A comparison of the crystal structure of linear PLA with that of LCB-PLA revealed that long chain branching significantly promoted the nucleation density, although it diminished the crystal growth rate. In the next step, the injection foam molding of the linear PLA and LCB-PLAs with different formulations was performed using a chemical blowing agent (CBA) in a conventional injection molding machine. Several factors including CBA content, degree of LCB, and injection molding processing parameters such as shot size, injection speed, back pressure, cooling time, and nozzle temperature were varied to optimize the formulation and processing conditions. The optimized formulation and processing conditions were selected for the last step of the project. In the third and last part of this work, the impact of LCB and nanoclay inclusion on the low pressure injection foaming behavior of PLA were examined. The linear PLA and LCB-PLA nanocomposites were prepared via melt compounding using a twin-screw extruder. An organo-modified clay, Cloisite 30B, at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 wt% was used in this step. The resulting compositions were then foamed in a conventional injection molding using a CBA. The degree of crystallinity, clay dispersion, cellular morphology and mechanical properties were studied. The addition of clay increased the linear PLA crystallinity while a reverse effect was observed for the LCB-PLA. The morphological observations and quantifications revealed that a more uniform, finer, and denser cellular structure was achieved in the LCB-PLA reinforced by nanoclay. In addition, 0.5 wt % clay was found to be the optimum content for achieving a uniform morphology with high cell density and relative foam density of 0.7 in the LCB-PLA. The mechanical properties of the foamed specimens were significantly influenced by the cellular structure. A significant improvement of the mechanical properties was observed at 0.5 wt% clay loading. Finally, it is worth noting that the addition of just 0.4 wt% CE and 0.5 wt% nanoclay led to the formation of a uniform cellular structure with relative density of 0.7, 10 times increase of the cell density and improved mechanical properties if they are judiciously added to the PLA.

Fungal mycelium and cotton plant materials in the manufacture of biodegradable molded packaging material: Evaluation study of select blends of cotton byproducts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The primary material used by the packaging industry is extruded polystyrene foam, which is commonly marketed as Styrofoam™. In its original formulation, Styrofoam™ is resistant to photolysis and effectively does not decompose. The light weight of Styrofoam™ packaging materials reduces the likelihood...

Elasticity Modulus and Flexural Strength Assessment of Foam Concrete Layer of Poroflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajek, Matej; Decky, Martin; Drusa, Marian; Orininová, Lucia; Scherfel, Walter

2016-10-01

Nowadays, it is necessary to develop new building materials, which are in accordance to the principles of the following provisions of the Roads Act: The design of road is a subject that follows national technical standards, technical regulations and objectively established results of research and development for road infrastructure. Foam concrete, as a type of lightweight concrete, offers advantages such as low bulk density, thermal insulation and disadvantages that will be reduced by future development. The contribution focuses on identifying the major material characteristics of foam concrete named Poroflow 17-5, in order to replace cement-bound granular mixtures. The experimental measurements performed on test specimens were the subject of diploma thesis in 2015 and continuously of the dissertation thesis and grant research project. At the beginning of the contribution, an overview of the current use of foam concrete abroad is elaborated. Moreover, it aims to determine the flexural strength of test specimens Poroflow 17-5 in combination with various basis weights of the underlying geotextile. Another part of the article is devoted to back-calculation of indicative design modulus of Poroflow based layers based on the results of static plate load tests provided at in situ experimental stand of Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Žilina (FCE Uniza). Testing stand has been created in order to solve problems related to research of road and railway structures. Concern to building construction presents a physical homomorphic model that is identical with the corresponding theory in all structural features. Based on the achieved material characteristics, the tensile strength in bending of previously used road construction materials was compared with innovative alternative of foam concrete and the suitability for the base layers of pavement roads was determined.

Sound transmission loss of composite sandwich panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ran

Light composite sandwich panels are increasingly used in automobiles, ships and aircraft, because of the advantages they offer of high strength-to-weight ratios. However, the acoustical properties of these light and stiff structures can be less desirable than those of equivalent metal panels. These undesirable properties can lead to high interior noise levels. A number of researchers have studied the acoustical properties of honeycomb and foam sandwich panels. Not much work, however, has been carried out on foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels. In this dissertation, governing equations for the forced vibration of asymmetric sandwich panels are developed. An analytical expression for modal densities of symmetric sandwich panels is derived from a sixth-order governing equation. A boundary element analysis model for the sound transmission loss of symmetric sandwich panels is proposed. Measurements of the modal density, total loss factor, radiation loss factor, and sound transmission loss of foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels with different configurations and thicknesses are presented. Comparisons between the predicted sound transmission loss values obtained from wave impedance analysis, statistical energy analysis, boundary element analysis, and experimental values are presented. The wave impedance analysis model provides accurate predictions of sound transmission loss for the thin foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels at frequencies above their first resonance frequencies. The predictions from the statistical energy analysis model are in better agreement with the experimental transmission loss values of the sandwich panels when the measured radiation loss factor values near coincidence are used instead of the theoretical values for single-layer panels. The proposed boundary element analysis model provides more accurate predictions of sound transmission loss for the thick foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels than either the wave impedance analysis model or the statistical energy analysis model.

Recovering recyclable materials from shredder residue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jody, Bassam J.; Daniels, Edward J.; Bonsignore, Patrick V.; Brockmeier, Norman F.

1994-02-01

Each year, about 11 million tons of metals are recovered in the United States from about 10 million discarded automobiles. The recovered metals account for about 75 percent of the total weight of the discarded vehicles. The balance of the material, known as shredder residue, amounts to about three million tons annually and is currently landfilled. The residue contains a diversity of potentially recyclable materials, including polyurethane foams, iron oxides, and certain thermoplastics. This article discusses a process under development at Argonne National Laboratory to separate and recover the recyclable materials from this waste stream. The process consists essentially of two stages. First, a physical separation is used to recover the foams and the metal oxides, followed by a chemical process to extract certain thermoplastics. The status of the technology and the process economics are reviewed here.

Effects of gonadectomy and hormonal replacement on rat hearts.

PubMed

Scheuer, J; Malhotra, A; Schaible, T F; Capasso, J

1987-07-01

To evaluate the effects of sex hormones on heart function and biochemistry, gonadectomy (GX) was performed in postpubertal male (M) and female (F) rats and compared with sham-operated controls (SH). The groups were MSH; MGX; MGX replaced with testosterone 3 mg/day s.c. (MGX + T), FSH, and FGX replaced with estrogen 2 mg/day (FGX + E), progesterone 0.4 mg/day (FGX + P), estrogen and progesterone (FGX + EP), or testosterone 2 mg/day (FGX + T). Body weight was decreased in MGX and was decreased further in MGX + T. Heart weight was decreased in both MGX and MGX + T. Body weights were increased in FGX and FTX + P and were increased further in FGX + T but were normal in FGX + E and FGX + EP. Heart weights were unchanged in F groups except in FGX + T, where it was increased. Cardiac performance in perfused hearts, as measured by stroke work, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, was decreased in MGX but was slightly increased in MGX + T. Papillary muscle studies showed increases in time to peak tension and one-half relaxation in MGX, but these were decreased in MGX + T. Isotonic shortening studies showed decreased velocity of shortening in MGX and increased velocity in MGX + T. Heart function was significantly decreased in FGX and FGX + P compared with FSH but was similar to FSH in FGX + E and FGX + EP. FGX + T had greater stroke work and ejection fraction than FSH and FGX.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quercetin protects against inflammation, MMP‑2 activation and apoptosis induction in rat model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation through modulating Bmi‑1 expression.

PubMed

Wang, Dawei; Lou, Xiaoqian; Jiang, Xiao-Ming; Yang, Chenxi; Liu, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Nan

2018-05-08

With extensive pharmacological actions, quercetin has anti‑oxidant, free radical scavenging, anti‑tumor, anti‑inflammatory, anti‑bacterial and anti‑viral activity. Quercetin also reduces blood glucose and reduces high blood pressure, and has immunoregulation and cardiovascular protection functions. Additionally, it has been reported that it can reduce depression. The current study evaluated whether quercetin protects against inflammation, matrix metalloproteinase‑2 (MMP‑2) activation and apoptosis induction in a rat model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and whether Bmi‑1 expression was involved in the effects. In CPR model rats, treatment with quercetin significantly recovered left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular fractional shortening, ejection fraction (%), and left ventricle weight/body weight. Treatment with quercetin significantly inhibited ROS generation, inflammation and MMP‑2 protein expression in the rat model CPR. Finally, quercetin significantly suppressed caspase‑3 activity and activated Bmi‑1 protein expression in the rat model of CPR. The results demonstrated that quercetin protects against inflammation, MMP‑2 activation and apoptosis induction in a rat model of CPR, and that this may be mediated by modulating Bmi‑1 expression.

Novel All-Extremity High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Aerobic Fitness, Cardiac Function and Insulin Resistance in Healthy Older Adults

PubMed Central

Hwang, Chueh-Lung; Yoo, Jeung-Ki; Kim, Han-Kyul; Hwang, Moon-Hyon; Handberg, Eileen M.; Petersen, John W.; Christou, Demetra D.

2016-01-01

Aging is associated with decreased aerobic fitness and cardiac remodeling leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the treadmill has been reported to be more effective in ameliorating these risk factors compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in patients with cardiometabolic disease. In older adults, however, weight-bearing activities are frequently limited due to musculoskeletal and balance problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and safety of non-weight-bearing all-extremity HIIT in older adults. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that all-extremity HIIT will be more effective in improving aerobic fitness, cardiac function, and metabolic risk factors compared with all-extremity MICT. Fifty-one healthy sedentary older adults (age: 65±1 years) were randomized to HIIT (n=17), MICT (n=18) or non-exercise control (CONT; n=16). HIIT (4×4 minutes 90% of peak heart rate; HRpeak) and isocaloric MICT (70% of HRpeak) were performed on a non-weight-bearing all-extremity ergometer, 4x/week for 8 weeks under supervision. All-extremity HIIT was feasible in older adults and resulted in no adverse events. Aerobic fitness (peak oxygen consumption; VO2peak) and ejection fraction (echocardiography) improved by 11% (P<0.0001) and 4% (P=0.001) respectively in HIIT, while no changes were observed in MICT and CONT (P≥0.1). Greater improvements in ejection fraction were associated with greater improvements in VO2peak (r=0.57; P<0.0001). Insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment) decreased only in HIIT by 26% (P=0.016). Diastolic function, body composition, glucose and lipids were unaffected (P≥0.1). In conclusion, all-extremity HIIT is feasible and safe in older adults. HIIT, but not MICT, improved aerobic fitness, ejection fraction, and insulin resistance. PMID:27346646

Novel all-extremity high-intensity interval training improves aerobic fitness, cardiac function and insulin resistance in healthy older adults.

PubMed

Hwang, Chueh-Lung; Yoo, Jeung-Ki; Kim, Han-Kyul; Hwang, Moon-Hyon; Handberg, Eileen M; Petersen, John W; Christou, Demetra D

2016-09-01

Aging is associated with decreased aerobic fitness and cardiac remodeling leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the treadmill has been reported to be more effective in ameliorating these risk factors compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in patients with cardiometabolic disease. In older adults, however, weight-bearing activities are frequently limited due to musculoskeletal and balance problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and safety of non-weight-bearing all-extremity HIIT in older adults. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that all-extremity HIIT will be more effective in improving aerobic fitness, cardiac function, and metabolic risk factors compared with all-extremity MICT. Fifty-one healthy sedentary older adults (age: 65±1years) were randomized to HIIT (n=17), MICT (n=18) or non-exercise control (CONT; n=16). HIIT (4×4min 90% of peak heart rate; HRpeak) and isocaloric MICT (70% of HRpeak) were performed on a non-weight-bearing all-extremity ergometer, 4×/week for 8weeks under supervision. All-extremity HIIT was feasible in older adults and resulted in no adverse events. Aerobic fitness (peak oxygen consumption; VO2peak) and ejection fraction (echocardiography) improved by 11% (P<0.0001) and 4% (P=0.001), respectively in HIIT, while no changes were observed in MICT and CONT (P≥0.1). Greater improvements in ejection fraction were associated with greater improvements in VO2peak (r=0.57; P<0.0001). Insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment) decreased only in HIIT by 26% (P=0.016). Diastolic function, body composition, glucose and lipids were unaffected (P≥0.1). In conclusion, all-extremity HIIT is feasible and safe in older adults. HIIT, but not MICT, improved aerobic fitness, ejection fraction, and insulin resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomimetic, Self-Healing Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morse, Daniel E.

2003-01-01

This final report contains a summary of significant findings, and bibliographies of publications and patents resulting from the research. The findings are grouped as follows: A) Lustrin-Mimetic Self-Healing Polymer Networks; B) Nanostructure-Directing Catalysis of Synthesis of Electronically and Optoelectronically Active Metallo-oxanes and Organometallics; C) New Discovery that Molecular Stencils Control Directional Growth to Form Light-Weight Mineral Foams.

Casting Protocols for the Production of Open Cell Aluminum Foams by the Replication Technique and the Effect on Porosity

PubMed Central

Elizondo Luna, Erardo M.; Barari, Farzad; Woolley, Robert; Goodall, Russell

2014-01-01

Metal foams are interesting materials from both a fundamental understanding and practical applications point of view. Uses have been proposed, and in many cases validated experimentally, for light weight or impact energy absorbing structures, as high surface area heat exchangers or electrodes, as implants to the body, and many more. Although great progress has been made in understanding their structure-properties relationships, the large number of different processing techniques, each producing material with different characteristics and structure, means that understanding of the individual effects of all aspects of structure is not complete. The replication process, where molten metal is infiltrated between grains of a removable preform material, allows a markedly high degree of control and has been used to good effect to elucidate some of these relationships. Nevertheless, the process has many steps that are dependent on individual “know-how”, and this paper aims to provide a detailed description of all stages of one embodiment of this processing method, using materials and equipment that would be relatively easy to set up in a research environment. The goal of this protocol and its variants is to produce metal foams in an effective and simple way, giving the possibility to tailor the outcome of the samples by modifying certain steps within the process. By following this, open cell aluminum foams with pore sizes of 1–2.36 mm diameter and 61% to 77% porosity can be obtained. PMID:25548938

Method of preparation of removable syntactic foam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arnold, C. Jr.; Derzon, D.K.; Nelson, J.S.

1995-07-11

Easily removable, environmentally safe, low-density, syntactic foams are disclosed which are prepared by mixing insoluble microballoons with a solution of water and/or alcohol-soluble polymer to produce a pourable slurry, optionally vacuum filtering the slurry in varying degrees to remove unwanted solvent and solute polymer, and drying to remove residual solvent. The properties of the foams can be controlled by the concentration and physical properties of the polymer, and by the size and properties of the microballoons. The suggested solute polymers are non-toxic and soluble in environmentally safe solvents such as water or low-molecular weight alcohols. The syntactic foams produced bymore » this process are particularly useful in those applications where ease of removability is beneficial, and could find use in packaging recoverable electronic components, in drilling and mining applications, in building trades, in art works, in the entertainment industry for special effects, in manufacturing as temporary fixtures, in agriculture as temporary supports and containers and for delivery of fertilizer, in medicine as casts and splints, as temporary thermal barriers, as temporary protective covers for fragile objects, as filters for particulate matter, which matter may be easily recovered upon exposure to a solvent, as in-situ valves (for one-time use) which go from maximum to minimum impedance when solvent flows through, and for the automatic opening or closing of spring-loaded, mechanical switches upon exposure to a solvent, among other applications. 1 fig.« less

Low density biodegradable shape memory polyurethane foams for embolic biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Singhal, Pooja; Small, Ward; Cosgriff-Hernandez, Elizabeth; Maitland, Duncan J; Wilson, Thomas S

2014-01-01

Low density shape memory polymer foams hold significant interest in the biomaterials community for their potential use in minimally invasive embolic biomedical applications. The unique shape memory behavior of these foams allows them to be compressed to a miniaturized form, which can be delivered to an anatomical site via a transcatheter process, and thereafter actuated to embolize the desired area. Previous work in this field has described the use of a highly covalently crosslinked polymer structure for maintaining excellent mechanical and shape memory properties at the application-specific ultra low densities. This work is aimed at further expanding the utility of these biomaterials, as implantable low density shape memory polymer foams, by introducing controlled biodegradability. A highly covalently crosslinked network structure was maintained by use of low molecular weight, symmetrical and polyfunctional hydroxyl monomers such as Polycaprolactone triol (PCL-t, Mn 900 g), N,N,N0,N0-Tetrakis (hydroxypropyl) ethylenediamine (HPED), and Tris (2-hydroxyethyl) amine (TEA). Control over the degradation rate of the materials was achieved by changing the concentration of the degradable PCL-t monomer, and by varying the material hydrophobicity. These porous SMP materials exhibit a uniform cell morphology and excellent shape recovery, along with controllable actuation temperature and degradation rate. We believe that they form a new class of low density biodegradable SMP scaffolds that can potentially be used as “smart” non-permanent implants in multiple minimally invasive biomedical applications. PMID:24090987

Producing Lignin-Based Polyols through Microwave-Assisted Liquefaction for Rigid Polyurethane Foam Production.

PubMed

Xue, Bai-Liang; Wen, Jia-Long; Sun, Run-Cang

2015-02-10

Lignin-based polyols were synthesized through microwave-assisted liquefaction under different microwave heating times (5-30 min). The liquefaction reactions were carried out using polyethylene glycol (PEG-400)/glycerol as liquefying solvents and 97 wt% sulfur acid as a catalyst at 140 °C. The polyols obtained were analyzed for their yield, composition and structural characteristics using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. FT-IR and NMR spectra showed that the liquefying solvents reacted with the phenol hydroxyl groups of the lignin in the liquefied product. With increasing microwave heating time, the viscosity of polyols was slightly increased and their corresponding molecular weight ( M W ) was gradually reduced. The optimal condition at the microwave heating time (5 min) ensured a high liquefaction yield (97.47%) and polyol with a suitable hydroxyl number (8.628 mmol/g). Polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared by polyols and methylene diphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) using the one-shot method. With the isocyanate/hydroxyl group ([NCO]/[OH]) ratio increasing from 0.6 to 1.0, their mechanical properties were gradually increased. This study provided some insight into the microwave-assisted liquefied lignin polyols for the production of rigid PU foam.

Research of hail impact on aircraft wheel door with lattice hybrid structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shengze; Jin, Feng; Zhang, Weihua; Meng, Xuanzhu

2016-09-01

Aimed at a long lasting issue of hail impact on aircraft structures and aviation safety due to its high speed, the resistance performance of hail impact on the wheel door of aircraft with lattice hybrid structure is investigated. The proper anti-hail structure can be designed both efficiency and precision based on this work. The dynamic responses of 8 different sandwich plates in diverse impact speed are measured. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) method is introduced to mimic the speciality of solid-liquid mixture trait of hailstone during the impact process. The deformation and damage degree of upper and lower panel of sandwich plate are analysed. The application range and failure mode for the relevant structure, as well as the energy absorbing ratio between lattice structure and aluminium foam are summarized. Results show that the tetrahedral sandwich plate with aluminium foam core is confirmed the best for absorbing energy. Furthermore, the high absorption characteristics of foam material enhance the capability of the impact resistance for the composition with lattice structure without increasing the structure surface density. The results of study are of worth to provide a reliable basis for reduced weight aircraft wheel door.

Analysis of Power Generating Speed Bumps Made of Concrete Foam Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syam, B.; Muttaqin, M.; Hastrino, D.; Sebayang, A.; Basuki, W. S.; Sabri, M.; Abda, S.

2017-03-01

This paper discusses the analysis of speed bump made of concrete foam composite which is used to generate electrical power. Speed bumps are designed to decelerate the speed of vehicles before passing through toll gates, public areas, or any other safety purposes. In Indonesia a speed bump should be designed in the accordance with KM Menhub 3 year 1994. In this research, the speed bump was manufactured with dimensions and geometry comply to the regulation mentioned above. Concrete foam composite speed bumps were used due to its light weight and relatively strong to receive vertical forces from the tyres of vehicles passing over the bumps. The reinforcement materials are processed from empty fruit bunch of oil palm. The materials were subjected to various tests to obtain its physical and mechanical properties. To analyze the structure stability of the speed bumps some models were analyzed using a FEM-based numerical softwares. It was obtained that the speed bumps coupled with polymeric composite bar (3 inches in diameter) are significantly reduce the radial stresses. In addition, the speed bumps equipped with polymeric composite casing or steel casing are also suitable for use as part of system components in producing electrical energy.

Effects of Molecular Weight upon Irradiation-Cross-Linked Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Clay Aerogel Properties.

PubMed

Chen, Hong-Bing; Zhao, Yan; Shen, Peng; Wang, Jun-Sheng; Huang, Wei; Schiraldi, David A

2015-09-16

Facile fabrication of mechanically strong poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH)/clay aerogel composites through a combination of increasing polymer molecular weights and gamma irradiation-cross-linking is reported herein. The aerogels produced from high polymer molecular weights exhibit significantly increased compressive moduli, similar to the effect of irradiation-induced cross-linking. The required irradiation dose for fabricating strong PVOH composite aerogels with dense microstructure decreased with increasing polymer molecular weight. Neither thermal stability nor flammability was significantly changed by altering the polymer molecular weight or by modest gamma irradiation, but they were highly dependent upon the polymer/clay ratio in the aerogel. Optimization of the mechanical, thermal, and flammability properties of these composite aerogels could therefore be obtained by using relatively low levels of polymer, with very high polymer molecular weight, or lower molecular weight coupled with moderate gamma irradiation. The facile preparation of strong, low flammability aerogels is an alternative to traditional polymer foams in applications where fire safety is important.

Observations on obesity patterns in tetralogy of Fallot patients from childhood to adulthood.

PubMed

Briston, David A; Sabanayagam, Aarthi; Zaidi, Ali N

2017-07-01

Obesity is increasingly prevalent, and abnormal body mass index is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There are limited data published regarding body mass index and CHD. We tested the hypothesis that body mass index and obesity prevalence are increasing in patients with tetralogy of Fallot over time by analysing time since surgery, age, height, weight, and body mass index among tetralogy of Fallot patients and demographic data from age-matched controls. NYHA class and left ventricular ejection fraction were analysed in adults. Body mass index was categorised into normal, overweight, and obese in this single-centre, retrospective chart review. Data were collected from 137 tetralogy of Fallot patients (71 men:66 women), of whom 40 had body mass index >25 kg/m2. Tetralogy of Fallot patients aged <6 years had lower body mass index (15.9 versus 17.1; p=0.042) until 16-20 years of age (27.4 versus 25.4; p=0.43). For adult tetralogy of Fallot patients, the mean body mass index was 26.5 but not statistically significantly different from the control cohort. Obese adult patients had significantly higher average NYHA class compared with those of normal weight (p=0.03), but no differences in left ventricular ejection fraction by echocardiography (p=0.55) or cardiac MRI (p=0.26) were noted. Lower body mass index was observed initially in tetralogy of Fallot patients, but by late adolescence no significant difference was observed. As adults, tetralogy of Fallot patients with higher body mass index had increased NYHA class but similar left ventricular ejection fraction.

A Monte Carlo Approach to Modeling the Breakup of the Space Launch System EM-1 Core Stage with an Integrated Blast and Fragment Catalogue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, Erin; Hays, M. J.; Blackwood, J. M.; Skinner, T.

2014-01-01

The Liquid Propellant Fragment Overpressure Acceleration Model (L-FOAM) is a tool developed by Bangham Engineering Incorporated (BEi) that produces a representative debris cloud from an exploding liquid-propellant launch vehicle. Here it is applied to the Core Stage (CS) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Launch System (SLS launch vehicle). A combination of Probability Density Functions (PDF) based on empirical data from rocket accidents and applicable tests, as well as SLS specific geometry are combined in a MATLAB script to create unique fragment catalogues each time L-FOAM is run-tailored for a Monte Carlo approach for risk analysis. By accelerating the debris catalogue with the BEi blast model for liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen explosions, the result is a fully integrated code that models the destruction of the CS at a given point in its trajectory and generates hundreds of individual fragment catalogues with initial imparted velocities. The BEi blast model provides the blast size (radius) and strength (overpressure) as probabilities based on empirical data and anchored with analytical work. The coupling of the L-FOAM catalogue with the BEi blast model is validated with a simulation of the Project PYRO S-IV destruct test. When running a Monte Carlo simulation, L-FOAM can accelerate all catalogues with the same blast (mean blast, 2 s blast, etc.), or vary the blast size and strength based on their respective probabilities. L-FOAM then propagates these fragments until impact with the earth. Results from L-FOAM include a description of each fragment (dimensions, weight, ballistic coefficient, type and initial location on the rocket), imparted velocity from the blast, and impact data depending on user desired application. LFOAM application is for both near-field (fragment impact to escaping crew capsule) and far-field (fragment ground impact footprint) safety considerations. The user is thus able to use statistics from a Monte Carlo set of L-FOAM catalogues to quantify risk for a multitude of potential CS destruct scenarios. Examples include the effect of warning time on the survivability of an escaping crew capsule or the maximum fragment velocities generated by the ignition of leaking propellants in internal cavities.

Investigating A Novel Flame Retardant Known as V6: Measurements in Baby Products, House Dust and Car Dust

PubMed Central

Fang, Mingliang; Webster, Thomas F.; Gooden, David; Cooper, Ellen M.; McClean, Michael D.; Carignan, Courtney; Makey, Colleen; Stapleton, Heather M.

2013-01-01

With the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, the use of new and alternate flame retardants has been increasing. 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyltetrakis(2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate, known as V6, is a flame retardant applied to polyurethane foam commonly found in furniture and automobile foam. However, to the authors’ knowledge, no research has been conducted on V6 levels in the environment. The intention of this study was to measure the concentration of V6 in foam collected from baby products where it was recently detected, and measure levels in dust samples collected from homes and automobiles in the Boston, MA area. To accomplish this a pure V6 commercial standard was purchased from a Chinese manufacturer and purified (> 98%). An analytical method to measure V6 in dust samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was developed. Extraction was conducted using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and extracts were purified using an ENVI-Florisil SPE column (500 mg, 3mL). V6 was measured in foam samples collected from baby products with a concentration ranging from 24,500,000 to 59,500,000 ng/g of foam (n = 12, average ± sd: 46,500,000 ± 12,000,000 ng/g; i.e., on average, 4.6 % of the foam mass was V6). V6 was also detected in 19 of 20 car dust samples and 14 of 20 house dust samples analyzed. The concentration of V6 in the house dust ranged from < 5 ng/g to 1,110 ng/g with a median of 12.5 ng/g, and < 5 ng/g to 6,160 ng/g in the car dust with a median of 103.0 ng/g. Concentrations in car dust were significantly higher than the house dust, potentially indicating higher use of V6 in automobiles compared to products found in the home. Furthermore, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a known carcinogen, was found in the V6 commercial mixture (14% by weight) as an impurity and was consistently detected with V6 in the foam samples analyzed. A significant correlation was also observed between V6 and TCEP in the dust samples, suggesting that the use of V6 is a significant source of TCEP in the indoor environment. PMID:23565680

Insights on Flow Behavior of Foam in Unsaturated Porous Media during Soil Flushing.

PubMed

Zhao, Yong S; Su, Yan; Lian, Jing R; Wang, He F; Li, Lu L; Qin, Chuan Y

2016-11-01

  One-dimensional column and two-dimensional tank experiments were carried out to determine (1) the physics of foam flow and propagation of foaming gas, foaming liquid, and foam; (2) the pressure distribution along foam flow and the effect of media permeability, foam flow rate and foam quality on foam injection pressure; and (3) the migration and distribution property of foam flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous sediments. The results demonstrated that: (1) gas and liquid front were formed ahead of the foam flow front, the transport speed order is foaming gas > foaming liquid > foam flowing; (2) injection pressure mainly comes from the resistance to bubble migration. Effect of media permeability on foam injection pressure mainly depends on the physics and behavior of foam flow; (3) foam has a stronger capacity of lateral spreading, besides, foam flow was uniformly distributed across the foam-occupied region, regardless of the heterogeneity of porous media.

3D Printing Variable Stiffness Foams Using Viscous Thread Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipton, Jeffrey I.; Lipson, Hod

2016-08-01

Additive manufacturing of cellular structures has numerous applications ranging from fabrication of biological scaffolds and medical implants, to mechanical weight reduction and control over mechanical properties. Various additive manufacturing processes have been used to produce open regular cellular structures limited only by the resolution of the printer. These efforts have focused on printing explicitly designed cells or explicitly planning offsets between strands. Here we describe a technique for producing cellular structures implicitly by inducing viscous thread instability when extruding material. This process allows us to produce complex cellular structures at a scale that is finer than the native resolution of the printer. We demonstrate tunable effective elastic modulus and density that span two orders of magnitude. Fine grained cellular structures allow for fabrication of foams for use in a wide range of fields ranging from bioengineering, to robotics to food printing.

Formation of porous HPCL/LPCL/HA scaffolds with supercritical CO2 gas foaming method.

PubMed

Moghadam, M Zahedi; Hassanajili, Sh; Esmaeilzadeh, F; Ayatollahi, M; Ahmadi, M

2017-05-01

Scaffold is a 3D porous structure that is made of different materials, such as synthetic and natural polymers. It plays the role of a synthetic extracellular matrix and permits adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of the cells. Porosity and pore size are the important factors for any 3D scaffold used in bone tissue engineering. In this study, porous scaffolds were prepared by adding hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles as filler to the polymeric matrix of polycaprolactone (PCL) blends with two different molecular weight by using supercritical CO 2 (ScCO 2 ) foaming method. The effect of different parameters such as CO 2 pressure, ratios of the polymers and amount of the filler on the scaffold properties was investigated. The results showed that porosity increased with increment of pressure and decreased with increasing the ratio of the high molecular weight PCL to the low molecular weight PCL in the scaffolds and also HA content. Optimum condition for obtaining adequate porous scaffold of HPCL/LPCL/HA occurred at 140bar and 45°C. The physical and mechanical properties of the prepared scaffolds were characterized using DSC, XRD, FTIR, SEM, contact angle and compression test. By analyzing the results of these tests, optimum sample for cell culture was selected. The biocompatibility of the selected HPCL/LPCL/HA scaffold (HPCL/LPCL 60/40 containing 2.5% HA) was assessed in vitro by using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lupinus mutabilis: Composition, Uses, Toxicology, and Debittering.

PubMed

Carvajal-Larenas, F E; Linnemann, A R; Nout, M J R; Koziol, M; van Boekel, M A J S

2016-07-03

Lupinus mutabilis has protein (32.0-52.6 g/100 g dry weight) and lipid (13.0-24.6 g/100 g dry weight) contents similar to soya bean (Glycine max). The Ω3, Ω6, and Ω9 contents are 1.9-3.0, 26.5-39.6, and 41.2-56.2 g/100 g lipid, respectively. Lupins can be used to fortify the protein content of pasta, bread, biscuits, salads, hamburgers, sausages, and can substitute milk and soya bean. Specific lupin protein concentrates or isolates display protein solubility (>90%), water-absorption capacity (4.5 g/g dry weight), oil-absorption capacity (3.98 g/g), emulsifying capacity (2000 mL of oil/g), emulsifying stability (100%, 60 hours), foaming capacity (2083%), foaming stability (78.8%, 36 hours), and least gelation concentration (6%), which are of industrial interest. Lupins contain bitter alkaloids. Preliminary studies on their toxicity suggest as lethal acute dose for infants and children 10 mg/kg bw and for adults 25 mg/kg bw. However, alkaloids can also have medical use for their hypocholesterolemic, antiarrhythmic, and immunosuppressive activity. Bitter lupins can be detoxified by biological, chemical, or aqueous processes. The shortest debittering process requires one hour. This review presents the nutritional composition of lupins, their uses (as food, medicine, and functional protein isolates), toxicology, and debittering process scenarios. It critically evaluates the data, infers conclusions, and makes suggestions for future research.

Current applications of foams formed from mixed surfactant-polymer solutions.

PubMed

Bureiko, Andrei; Trybala, Anna; Kovalchuk, Nina; Starov, Victor

2015-08-01

Foams cannot be generated without the use of special foaming agents, as pure liquids do not foam. The most common foaming agents are surfactants, however often for foam stability one active agent is not enough, it is necessary to add other component to increase foam lifetime. Foams on everyday use are mostly made from mixture of different components. Properly chosen combinations of two active ingredients lead to a faster foam formation and increased foam stability. During the last decade polymers (mainly polyelectrolytes and proteins) have become frequently used additives to foaming solutions. Mixtures of surfactants and polymers often demonstrate different foaming properties in comparison to surfactant only or polymer only solutions. The nature of surfactant-polymer interactions is complicated and prediction of resulting foaming properties of such formulations is not straightforward. Properties and foaming of surfactant-polymer mixtures are discussed as well as current applications of foams and foaming agents as foams are widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceutics, medicine and the food industry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure design of and experimental research on a two-stage laval foam breaker for foam fluid recycling.

PubMed

Wang, Jin-song; Cao, Pin-lu; Yin, Kun

2015-07-01

Environmental, economical and efficient antifoaming technology is the basis for achievement of foam drilling fluid recycling. The present study designed a novel two-stage laval mechanical foam breaker that primarily uses vacuum generated by Coanda effect and Laval principle to break foam. Numerical simulation results showed that the value and distribution of negative pressure of two-stage laval foam breaker were larger than that of the normal foam breaker. Experimental results showed that foam-breaking efficiency of two-stage laval foam breaker was higher than that of normal foam breaker, when gas-to-liquid ratio and liquid flow rate changed. The foam-breaking efficiency of normal foam breaker decreased rapidly with increasing foam stability, whereas the two-stage laval foam breaker remained unchanged. Foam base fluid would be recycled using two-stage laval foam breaker, which would reduce the foam drilling cost sharply and waste disposals that adverse by affect the environment.

Surface Evaluation by XPS of High Performance Foams After Exposure to Oxygen Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hampton, Michael D.

2001-01-01

This report will present the results of a study done during a 10-week summer faculty fellowship during the summer of 2001 working with Ms. Martha Williams of the Testbeds Group at Kennedy Space Center. The work was in a new area for this faculty and was both interesting and enjoyable. An imide is a compound in which nitrogen is bonded directly to an R group and to two other R groups through carbonyls. Polyimides have a number of properties that make them highly desirable materials for use on structures that are exposed to extreme conditions. They are strong, fire resistant, minimally outgasing, stable over a large temperature range, resistant to chemical attack, transparent to infrared and microwaves, and have a low density. One polyimide, solimide, commercially available as a foam, retains resiliency from -300 F to +500 F, is highly flame retardant, and decomposes with virtually no smoke or toxic byproduct formation. The density of this product is such that its use in place of fiberglass in the lower lobe of a 747 saves 400 lb. Shipboard applications have resulted in literally tons of weight reduction. While polyimide films have been used in structures to be placed in low earth orbit (LEO) for many years, polyimide foams have found only minimal application in this realm. NASA Langley Research Center has developed new technology that allows for the processing of new polyimide foams. The resulting increased availability of these materials, along with their highly desirable properties, has prompted a study to determine the suitability of these materials for use in structures to be placed in LEO.

The use of glass powder in making batako

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nursyamsi, N.; Indrawan, I.

2018-02-01

Along with the increase in construction materials, innovation is needed to lessen the use of them, and one of them is by using cement [1]. In this research, it is reduced by glass powder; the reason for using it as the substitution of cement is that some chemical elements in cement are similar to those in glass powder such as SiO2, A12o3, Fe2O3, and CaO. The glass powder used was the one who passed sieve no. 100 and was hampered in sieve no. 200. It passed sieve no. 200 with its composition of 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% from the volume of the use of cement. The specimen would treat within 28 days before the testing of compressive strength, water absorption, and tensile strength [2]. The variation which produced optimum result would mix with the foaming agent as the material for reducing the weight of the specimen. After that, the test of compressive strength, water absorption, and tensile strength on the installment of batako walls were done. The data analyzed by using SNI 02-0349-1989[3] reference about concrete brick for wall installment. The variation of 20% of glass powder passing sieve no. 200 gave optimum result. A specimen of the variation on glass powder of 20% which passed sieve no. 200 and the foaming agent was higher than the compressive strength of the specimen which used glass powder substitution of 0% of passing sieve no. 200 and foaming agent. The compressive strength of batako walls which used the batako construction with glass powder substitution of 20% of passing sieve no. 200 and the foaming agent was also higher than the compressive strength of the assaying object which used glass powder substitution of 0% of passing sieve no. 200 and foaming agent.

Preventing fall-related vertebral fractures: effect of floor stiffness on peak impact forces during backward falls.

PubMed

Sran, Meena M; Robinovitch, Stephen N

2008-08-01

In vivo biomechanical study of 11 male volunteers. To measure the peak forces applied to the buttocks in a backward fall from standing, and to determine whether this force is lowered by reductions in floor stiffness. Fall-related vertebral fractures are common and backward falls result in impact to the buttocks. Compliant flooring may reduce impact force and risk for vertebral fracture during a fall. However, we have little knowledge of the peak forces applied to the body during a backward fall, or how floor stiffness affects this force. Eleven males, mean age 25 +/- 5 (SD) years, were suddenly released from a backward lean of 15 degrees , falling backward onto the ground which was covered with 4.5, 7.5, or 10.5 cm of ethylene vinyl acetate foam rubber. We measured 3-dimensional impact forces applied to the buttocks at 960 Hz with a force plate. We used repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc t tests to compare peak forces between conditions. We also modeled peak vertical force for falls onto a bare floor. RESULTS.: There was a significant difference in peak vertical force between falls onto the 10.5 cm foam condition compared with the 7.5 cm (P = 0.002) and 4.5 cm (P < 0.001) conditions. Peak vertical force (N) was (mean +/- SD) 5099 +/- 868, 4788 +/- 702, and 4544 +/- 672 for the 4.5, 7.5, and 10.5 cm foam conditions, respectively, and estimated at 6027 +/- 988 for the rigid (bare floor) condition. Compared with the bare floor, these foam floors provided, on average, 24, 20, and 15% force attenuation respectively. In a backward fall onto the buttocks, peak impact forces are 6.4 to 9.0 times body weight in a fall onto a bare floor. Reducing floor stiffness using even a thin (4.5 cm) layer of foam may provide 15% vertical force attenuation during a fall onto the buttocks.

Production of surfactin from rice mill polishing residue by submerged fermentation using Bacillus subtilis MTCC 2423.

PubMed

Gurjar, Jigar; Sengupta, Bina

2015-08-01

Rice mill polishing residue (RMPR), an abundant and cheap agro residue, was used as substrate for microbial growth of Bacillus subtilis MTCC 2423 by submerged fermentation process to produce surfactin. Nutrients present in the residue were sufficient to sustain the growth of the microorganism. Multi stage foam fractionation followed by acid precipitation was used to concentrate and recover the product. Recoverable yield of surfactin was 4.17 g/kg residue. Product recovered in the foamate accounted for 69% of the total yield. The residual broth containing ∼ 30% surfactin exhibited biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand values of 23 and 69 mg/L respectively. The microbial growth data was correlated using three parameter sigmoid models. Surfactin synthesized had a predominance of molecular weight 1076 Da. Foam separation of copper using surfactin resulted in a maximum removal of 72.5%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D Printing Variable Stiffness Foams Using Viscous Thread Instability

PubMed Central

Lipton, Jeffrey I.; Lipson, Hod

2016-01-01

Additive manufacturing of cellular structures has numerous applications ranging from fabrication of biological scaffolds and medical implants, to mechanical weight reduction and control over mechanical properties. Various additive manufacturing processes have been used to produce open regular cellular structures limited only by the resolution of the printer. These efforts have focused on printing explicitly designed cells or explicitly planning offsets between strands. Here we describe a technique for producing cellular structures implicitly by inducing viscous thread instability when extruding material. This process allows us to produce complex cellular structures at a scale that is finer than the native resolution of the printer. We demonstrate tunable effective elastic modulus and density that span two orders of magnitude. Fine grained cellular structures allow for fabrication of foams for use in a wide range of fields ranging from bioengineering, to robotics to food printing. PMID:27503148

Toxicity studies of a polyurethane rigid foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Schneider, J. E.

1977-01-01

Relative toxicity tests were performed on a polyurethane foam containing a trimethylopropane-based polyol and an organophosphate flame retardant. The routine screening procedure involved the exposure of four Swiss albino male mice in a 4.2 liter hemispherical chamber to the products generated by pyrolyzing a 1.00 g sample at a heating rate of 40 deg C/min from 200 to 800 C in the absence of air flow. In addition to the routine screening, experiments were performed with a very rapid rise to 800 C, with nominal 16 and 48 ml/sec air flow and with varying sample rates. No unusual toxicity was observed with either gradual or rapid pyrolysis to 800 C. Convulsions and seizures similar to those previously reported were observed when the materials were essentially flash pyrolyzed at 800 C in the presence of air flow, and the toxicity appeared unusual because of low sample weights required to produce death.

An Experimental Investigation of Potential Icing of the Space Shuttle External Tank,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

PEG 4000, a PEG 1000/400 mixture, and PEG 6000. The number corresponds to the molecular weight of the compound. 2 4.65m Foam Inslation Side 8 ob o 4m(l...Level Emiseivity panel (PEG coated) (Uncoated) Emissivity Panel Left Right 1 4.4 -28.8 -31.6 4.7 -12.2 -15.3 2 4.4 -20.2 -22.2 4.7 -12.8 -13.4 3 4.3...constant dry bulb temperature of 60*F. PEG was tested on one half of side A of the panel. A mixture of 450 g of molecular weight 4000 PEG and 400 g of H20

Reactive modification of polyesters and their blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Chen

2004-12-01

As part of a broader research effort to investigate the chemical modification of polyesters by reactive processing a low molecular weight (MW) unsaturated polyester (UP) and a higher MW saturated polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), alone or blended with polypropylene (PP) were melt processed in a batch mixer and continuous twin screw extruders. Modification was monitored by on-line rheology and the products were characterized primarily by off-line rheology, morphology and thermal analysis. Efforts were made to establish processing/property relationships and provide an insight of the accompanying structural changes. The overall response of the reactively modified systems was found to be strongly dependent on the component characteristics, blend composition, type and concentrations of reactive additives and processing conditions. The work concluded that UP can be effectively modified through reactive melt processing. Its melt viscosity and MW can be increased through chemical reactions between organic peroxides (POX) and chain unsaturation or between MgO and carboxyl/hydroxyl end groups. Reactive blending of PP/UP blends through peroxide modification gave finer and more uniform morphology than unreacted blends and at a given PP/UP weight ratio more thermoplastic elastomers-like rheological behavior. This is due to the continuously decreasing viscosity ratio of PP/UP towards unity by the competing reactions between POX and the blend components and formation of PP-UP copolymers which serve as in-situ compatibilizers to promote better interfacial adhesion. Kinetics of the competing reactions were analyzed through a developed model. In addition to POX concentration and mixing efficiency, rheology and morphology of UP/PP bends were significantly affected by the addition of inorganic and organic coagents. Addition of coagents such as a difunctional maleimide, MgO and/or an anhydride functionalized PP during reactive blending offers effective means for tailoring the desired rheological and structural characteristics of the final products for potential applications such as low density extrusion foaming or compatibilization of immiscible polymer blends. Important modification conditions through coagents are identified and reaction mechanisms are proposed. A high MW saturated polyester, PET, can also be rheologically modified in extruders through low MW multifunctional anhydride and epoxy compounds by chain extension/branching. Several such modifiers were successfully screened in terms of their reactivity towards PET under controlled reactive extrusion conditions. A dianhydride with medium reactivity was then successfully used in a one-step reactive modification/extrusion foaming process to produce low density foams. A similar process was successfully used to produce small cell size foams from a four component system containing PET, PP and lesser amounts of a low molecular weight multifunctional epoxy compound and an acid functionalized polyolefin, the latter acting as compatibilizers.

State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

2018-06-01

Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

2018-02-01

Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

Intumescent coating development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sayler, I. O.; Griffen, C. W.

1983-01-01

A program was completed at the University of Dayton Research Institute in which polyimide and phenolic intumescent coatings were evaluated as supplemental thermal insulation for the sprayed-on foam insulation on the aft bulkhead of the space shuttle external tank. The purpose of the intumescent coating was to provide additional thermal protection during lift-off in order to replace the ablative heat resistant layer with a lighter weight material for increased payload in the shuttle.

Exploratory Development of New and Improved Self-Sealing Materials for Fuel Lines

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-10-01

identify hy block number) New and improved self-sealing fuel line composites were developed under this program. Fabric reinforced plastic and nonflowering...integrated aluminum foil, fabric reinforced laminated fuel line composites employing compressed natural rubber foam as the sealant were fabricated which...successfully sealed wounds inflicted by .30 and .50 caliber projectiles. The weight of these new self-sealing fuel line composites ranged from 0.83

A porcine model of hypertensive cardiomyopathy: implications for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

PubMed

Schwarzl, Michael; Hamdani, Nazha; Seiler, Sebastian; Alogna, Alessio; Manninger, Martin; Reilly, Svetlana; Zirngast, Birgit; Kirsch, Alexander; Steendijk, Paul; Verderber, Jochen; Zweiker, David; Eller, Philipp; Höfler, Gerald; Schauer, Silvia; Eller, Kathrin; Maechler, Heinrich; Pieske, Burkert M; Linke, Wolfgang A; Casadei, Barbara; Post, Heiner

2015-11-01

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) evolves with the accumulation of risk factors. Relevant animal models to identify potential therapeutic targets and to test novel therapies for HFPEF are missing. We induced hypertension and hyperlipidemia in landrace pigs (n = 8) by deoxycorticosteroneacetate (DOCA, 100 mg/kg, 90-day-release subcutaneous depot) and a Western diet (WD) containing high amounts of salt, fat, cholesterol, and sugar for 12 wk. Compared with weight-matched controls (n = 8), DOCA/WD-treated pigs showed left ventricular (LV) concentric hypertrophy and left atrial dilatation in the absence of significant changes in LV ejection fraction or symptoms of heart failure at rest. The LV end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship was markedly shifted leftward. During simultaneous right atrial pacing and dobutamine infusion, cardiac output reserve and LV peak inflow velocities were lower in DOCA/WD-treated pigs at higher LV end-diastolic pressures. In LV biopsies, we observed myocyte hypertrophy, a shift toward the stiffer titin isoform N2B, and reduced total titin phosphorylation. LV superoxide production was increased, in part attributable to nitric oxide synthase (NOS) uncoupling, whereas AKT and NOS isoform expression and phosphorylation were unchanged. In conclusion, we developed a large-animal model in which loss of LV capacitance was associated with a titin isoform shift and dysfunctional NOS, in the presence of preserved LV ejection fraction. Our findings identify potential targets for the treatment of HFPEF in a relevant large-animal model. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Experimental Study of Hysteresis behavior of Foam Generation in Porous Media.

PubMed

Kahrobaei, S; Vincent-Bonnieu, S; Farajzadeh, R

2017-08-21

Foam can be used for gas mobility control in different subsurface applications. The success of foam-injection process depends on foam-generation and propagation rate inside the porous medium. In some cases, foam properties depend on the history of the flow or concentration of the surfactant, i.e., the hysteresis effect. Foam may show hysteresis behavior by exhibiting multiple states at the same injection conditions, where coarse-textured foam is converted into strong foam with fine texture at a critical injection velocity or pressure gradient. This study aims to investigate the effects of injection velocity and surfactant concentration on foam generation and hysteresis behavior as a function of foam quality. We find that the transition from coarse-foam to strong-foam (i.e., the minimum pressure gradient for foam generation) is almost independent of flowrate, surfactant concentration, and foam quality. Moreover, the hysteresis behavior in foam generation occurs only at high-quality regimes and when the pressure gradient is below a certain value regardless of the total flow rate and surfactant concentration. We also observe that the rheological behavior of foam is strongly dependent on liquid velocity.

Effect of 17β-trenbolone on male and female reproduction in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henry, Paula F.P.; Akuffo, Valorie G.; Chen, Yu; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Sprague, Daniel T.; Bakst, Murray R.

2012-01-01

The anabolic steroid 17β trenbolone (17β-TB), a known endocrine disrupting chemical, may influence reproductive functions in avian wildlife. We evaluated the effects of dietary exposure to 17β-TB at 5 and 20 ppm on reproductive functional endpoints in Japanese quail during and after sexual maturation. In the male, 5 and 20 ppm treatments revealed no differences in body and testes weight, testes histology, plasma testosterone concentrations, or size and weight of the foam glands. However, the onset of foam production was significantly earlier (days of age) in the 20 ppm males. In females, dietary 17β-TB at 20 ppm caused a reduction in the number of maturing yellow yolk follicles and overall egg production. Plasma testosterone concentrations were reduced compared to controls. Histology of the oviductal sperm storage tubules was normal in all treatments. The number of sperm holes, sites on the perivitelline layer (PVL) where sperm bound and hydrolyzed a path through the PVL, was significantly greater in the 10th egg laid compared to the 1st egg laid in the 20 ppm treatment. Potential effects, albeit transient, on endpoints associated with male maturation warrant further investigation into the sensitivity of these measures in the event of embryonic and/or trans-generational exposure to 17β-TB.

Effects of gender, ejection fraction and weight on cardiac force development in patients undergoing cardiac surgery--an experimental examination.

PubMed

Bening, Constanze; Weiler, Helge; Vahl, Christian-Friedrich

2013-11-18

It has long been recognized that differences exist between men and women in the impact of risc factors, symptoms, development and outcome of special diseases like the cardiovascular disease. Gender determines the cardiac baseline parameters like the number of cardiac myocyte, size and demand and may suggest differences in myofilament function among genders, which might be pronounced under pathological conditions. Does gender impact and maybe impair the contractile apparatus? Are the differences more prominent when other factors like weight, age, ejection fraction are added?Therefore we performed a study on 36 patients (21 male, 15 female) undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) or aortocoronary bypass operation (CABG) to examine the influence of gender, ejection fraction, surgical procedure and body mass index (BMI) on cardiac force development. Tissue was obtained from the right auricle and was stored in a special solution to prevent any stretching of the fibers. We used the skinned muscle fiber model and single muscle stripes, which were mounted on the "muscle machine" and exposed to a gradual increase of calcium concentration calculated by an attached computer program. 1.) In general female fibers show more force than male fibers: 3.9 mN vs. 2.0 mN (p = 0.03) 2.) Female fibers undergoing AVR achieved more force than those undergoing CABG operation: 5.7 mN vs. 2.8 mN (p = 0.02) as well as male fibers with AVR showed more force values compared to those undergoing CABG: 2.0 mN vs. 0.5 mN (p = 0.01). 3.) Male and female fibers of patients with EF > 55% developed significantly more force than from those with less ejection fraction than 30%: p = 0.002 for the male fibers (1.6 vs. 2.8 mN) and p = 0.04 for the female fibers (5.7 vs. 2.8 mN). 4.) Patients with a BMI between 18 till 25 develop significant more force than those with a BMI > 30: Females 5.1 vs. 2.6 mN; p 0.03, Males 3.8 vs. 0.8 mN; p 0.04). Our data suggest that female patients undergoing AVR or CABG develop significantly more force than male fibers. Additionally we could image the clinical impression of negative impact of overweight and obesity as well as low ejection fraction on cardiac function on level of the myofilaments and observed a reduced force capacity, which is more prominent in male fibers.

Modeling Study: Mechanism of Foam Propagation in Porous Media at Different Levels of Minimum Mobilization Pressure Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izadi, M.; Kam, S.

2017-12-01

Scope: Numerous laboratory and field tests revealed that foam can effectively control gas mobility and improve sweep efficiency in enhanced-oil-recovery and subsurface-remediation processes, if correctly designed. The objective of this study is to answer (i) how mechanistic foam model parameters can be determined by fitting lab experiments in a step-by-step manner; (ii) how different levels of mobilization pressure gradient for foam generation affects the fundamentals of foam propagation; and (iii) how foam propagation distance can be estimated in the subsurface. This study for the first time shows why, and by how much, supercritical CO2 foams are advantaged over other types of foams such as N2 foam. Methods: First of all, by borrowing experimental data existing in the literature, this study shows how to capture mechanistic foam model parameters. The model, then, is applied to a wide range of mobilization pressure gradient to represent different types of foams that have been applied in the field (Note that supercritical CO2 foams exhibit much lower mobilization pressure compared to other types of foams (N2, steam, air, etc.). Finally, the model and parameters are used to evaluate different types of foam injection scenarios in order to predict how far foams can propagate with what properties in the field condition. Results and Conclusions: The results show that (i) the presence of three different foam states (strong, weak, intermediate) as well as two different strong-foam flow regimes (high-quality and low-quality regimes) plays a key role in model fit and field-scale propagation prediction and (ii) the importance of complex non-Newtonian foam rheology should not be underestimated. More specifically, this study finds that (i) supercritical CO2 foams can propagate a few hundreds of feet easily, which is a few orders of magnitude higher than other foams such as N2 foams; (ii) for dry foams (or, strong foams in the high-quality regime), the higher gas fractions the less foams travel, while for wet foams (or, strong foams in the low-quality regime) the distance is not sensitive to gas fraction; and (iii) the higher injection rates (or pressures), the farther foams propagate (this effect is much more pronounced for dry foams).

Analytical Modeling of Variable Density Multilayer Insulation for Cryogenic Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedayat, A.; Hastings, L. J.; Brown, T.; Cruit, Wendy (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A unique foam/Multilayer Insulation (MLI) combination concept for orbital cryogenic storage was experimentally evaluated at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) using the Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB). The MLI was designed for an on-orbit storage period of 45 days and included several unique features such as: a variable layer density and larger but fewer perforations for venting during ascent to orbit. Test results with liquid hydrogen indicated that the MLI weight or heat leak is reduced by about half in comparison with standard MLI. The focus of this paper is on analytical modeling of the Variable Density MLI (VD-MLI) on-orbit performance (i.e. vacuum/low pressure environment). The foam/VD-MLI combination model is considered to have five segments. The first segment represents the optional foam layer. The second, third, and fourth segments represent three MLI segments with different layer densities. The last segment is considered to be a shroud that surrounds the last MLI layer. Two approaches are considered. In the first approach, the variable density MLI is modeled layer by layer while in the second approach, a semi-empirical model is applied. Both models account for thermal radiation between shields, gas conduction, and solid conduction through the layer separator materials.

Producing Lignin-Based Polyols through Microwave-Assisted Liquefaction for Rigid Polyurethane Foam Production

PubMed Central

Xue, Bai-Liang; Wen, Jia-Long; Sun, Run-Cang

2015-01-01

Lignin-based polyols were synthesized through microwave-assisted liquefaction under different microwave heating times (5–30 min). The liquefaction reactions were carried out using polyethylene glycol (PEG-400)/glycerol as liquefying solvents and 97 wt% sulfur acid as a catalyst at 140 °C. The polyols obtained were analyzed for their yield, composition and structural characteristics using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. FT-IR and NMR spectra showed that the liquefying solvents reacted with the phenol hydroxyl groups of the lignin in the liquefied product. With increasing microwave heating time, the viscosity of polyols was slightly increased and their corresponding molecular weight (MW) was gradually reduced. The optimal condition at the microwave heating time (5 min) ensured a high liquefaction yield (97.47%) and polyol with a suitable hydroxyl number (8.628 mmol/g). Polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared by polyols and methylene diphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) using the one-shot method. With the isocyanate/hydroxyl group ([NCO]/[OH]) ratio increasing from 0.6 to 1.0, their mechanical properties were gradually increased. This study provided some insight into the microwave-assisted liquefied lignin polyols for the production of rigid PU foam. PMID:28787959

The Evaluation of Foam Performance and Flooding Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keliang, Wang; Yuhao, Chen; Gang, Wang; Gen, Li

2017-12-01

ROSS-Miles and spinning drop interfacial tensionmeter are used to select suitable foam system through foam composite index (FCI) and interfacial tension (IT). The selected foam system are taken to conduct further test. The further tests are evaluating the foam system resistance to adsorption with multi-round core flooding dynamic adsorption test and evaluating the performance of foam system with four kinds of different transport distance, quantitatively analyzing the foam system effective distance after dynamic adsorption. The result shows that the foaming ability and the mobilizing ability of the foam system decrease with the increase of the round of dynamic adsorption. As the transport distance increases, the foaming ability and the mobilizing ability of the foam system decrease. This result further reveals the flooding characteristics of nitrogen foam flooding, which provides a reference for the implementation of nitrogen foam flooding technology.

Organic pollutant loading and biodegradability of firefighting foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xian-Zhong; Bao, Zhi-ming; Hu, Cheng; Li-Shuai, Jing; Chen, Yang

2017-11-01

Firefighting foam has been widely used as the high-performance extinguishing agent in extinguishing the liquid poor fire. It was concerned for its environmental impacts due to its massive usage. In this study, the organic loading level and the biodegradability of 18 firefighting foams commonly used in China were evaluated and compared. The COD and TOC of firefighting foam concentrates are extremely high. Furthermore, those of foam solutions are also much higher than regular wastewater. The COD/TOC ratio of synthetic foams are higher than protein foams. The 28-day biodegradation rates of 18 firefighting foams are all over 60%, indicating that they are all ready biodegradable. Protein foams (P, FP and FFFP) have the higher organic loading and lower 28-day biodegradation rates compared to the synthetic foams (Class A foam, AFFF and S). The short and long-term impact of protein foams on the environment are larger than synthetic foams.

The Range Safety Debris Catalog Analysis in Preparation for the Pad Abort One Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kutty, Prasad; Pratt, William

2010-01-01

With each flight test a Range Safety Data Package is assembled to understand the potential consequences of various failure scenarios. Debris catalog analysis considers an overpressure failure of the Abort Motor and the resulting debris field created 1. Characterize debris fragments generated by failure: weight, shape, and area 2. Compute fragment ballistic coefficients 3. Compute fragment ejection velocities.

Heavy particle transport in sputtering systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trieschmann, Jan

2015-09-01

This contribution aims to discuss the theoretical background of heavy particle transport in plasma sputtering systems such as direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS), high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), or multi frequency capacitively coupled plasmas (MFCCP). Due to inherently low process pressures below one Pa only kinetic simulation models are suitable. In this work a model appropriate for the description of the transport of film forming particles sputtered of a target material has been devised within the frame of the OpenFOAM software (specifically dsmcFoam). The three dimensional model comprises of ejection of sputtered particles into the reactor chamber, their collisional transport through the volume, as well as deposition of the latter onto the surrounding surfaces (i.e. substrates, walls). An angular dependent Thompson energy distribution fitted to results from Monte-Carlo simulations is assumed initially. Binary collisions are treated via the M1 collision model, a modified variable hard sphere (VHS) model. The dynamics of sputtered and background gas species can be resolved self-consistently following the direct simulation Monte-Carlo (DSMC) approach or, whenever possible, simplified based on the test particle method (TPM) with the assumption of a constant, non-stationary background at a given temperature. At the example of an MFCCP research reactor the transport of sputtered aluminum is specifically discussed. For the peculiar configuration and under typical process conditions with argon as process gas the transport of aluminum sputtered of a circular target is shown to be governed by a one dimensional interaction of the imposed and backscattered particle fluxes. The results are analyzed and discussed on the basis of the obtained velocity distribution functions (VDF). This work is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the frame of the Collaborative Research Centre TRR 87.

A review of aqueous foam in microscale.

PubMed

Anazadehsayed, Abdolhamid; Rezaee, Nastaran; Naser, Jamal; Nguyen, Anh V

2018-06-01

In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in the study of aqueous foams. Having said this, a better understanding of foam physics requires a deeper and profound study of foam elements. This paper reviews the studies in the microscale of aqueous foams. The elements of aqueous foams are interior Plateau borders, exterior Plateau borders, nodes, and films. Furthermore, these elements' contribution to the drainage of foam and hydraulic resistance are studied. The Marangoni phenomena that can happen in aqueous foams are listed as Marangoni recirculation in the transition region, Marangoni-driven flow from Plateau border towards the film in the foam fractionation process, and Marangoni flow caused by exposure of foam containing photosurfactants under UV. Then, the flow analysis of combined elements of foam such as PB-film along with Marangoni flow and PB-node are studied. Next, we contrast the behavior of foams in different conditions. These various conditions can be perturbation in the foam structure caused by injected water droplets or waves or using a non-Newtonian fluid to make the foam. Further review is about the effect of oil droplets and particles on the characteristics of foam such as drainage, stability and interfacial mobility. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovative test method for the estimation of the foaming tendency of substrates for biogas plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moeller, Lucie, E-mail: lucie.moeller@ufz.de; Eismann, Frank, E-mail: info@antoc.de; Wißmann, Daniel, E-mail: d.s.wissmann@gmx.de

2015-07-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Foaming in biogas plants depends on the interactions between substrate and digestate. • Foaming tests enable the evaluation of substrate foaming tendency in biogas plants. • Leipzig foam tester enables foaming tests of substrates prior to use. - Abstract: Excessive foaming in anaerobic digestion occurs at many biogas plants and can cause problems including plugged gas pipes. Unfortunately, the majority of biogas plant operators are unable to identify the causes of foaming in their biogas reactor. The occurrence of foaming is often related to the chemical composition of substrates fed to the reactor.more » The consistency of the digestate itself is also a crucial part of the foam formation process. Thus, no specific recommendations concerning substrates can be given in order to prevent foam formation in biogas plants. The safest way to avoid foaming is to test the foaming tendency of substrates on-site. A possible solution is offered by an innovative foaming test. With the help of this tool, biogas plant operators can evaluate the foaming disposition of new substrates prior to use in order to adjust the composition of substrate mixes.« less

Development of Defoamers for Confinenment Foam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffman, D M; Mitchell, A R

Aqueous foam concentrate (AFC) 380 foam was developed by Sandia National Laboratory as a blast mitigation foam for unexploded ordnance (UXO) and its ''engineered foam structure'' is reported to be able to ''envelop chemical or biological aerosols'' [1]. It is similar to commercial fire-fighting foams, consisting mostly of water with small amounts of two alcohols, an ether and surfactant. It also contains xanthan gum, probably, to strengthen the foam film and delay drainage. The concentrate is normally diluted in a 6:94 ratio with water for foaming applications. The diluted solution is normally foamed with air to an expansion factor ofmore » about 100 (density 0.01 g/cc), which is called ''dry'' foam. Higher density foam (0.18 > {rho} > 0.03 g/cc) was discovered which had quite different characteristics from ''dry'' foam and was called ''wet'' foam. Some characterization of these foams has also been carried out, but the major effort described in this document is the evaluation, at the small and medium scale, of chemical, mechanical and thermal approaches to defoaming AFC 380 foam. Several chemical approaches to defoaming were evaluated including oxidation and precipitation of the xanthan, use of commercial oil-emulsion or suspension defoamers, pH modification, and cation exchange with the surfactant. Of these the commercial defoamers were most effective. Two mechanical approaches to defoaming were evaluated: pressure and foam rupture with very fine particles. Pressure and vacuum techniques were considered too difficult for field applications but high surface area silica particles worked very well on dry foam. Finally simple thermal techniques were evaluated. An order-disorder transition occurs in xanthan solutions at about 60 C, which may be responsible for the effectiveness of hot air as a defoamer. During defoaming of 55 gallons of foam with hot air, after about 70% of the AFC 380 foam had been defoamed, the effectiveness of hot air was dramatically reduced. Approximately 15 gal of residual foam containing mostly small bubbles was resistant to further defoaming by methods that had been effective on the original, dry foam. In this paper the residual foam is referred to as ''wet'' and the original foam is referred to as ''dry''. Methods for generating ''wet'' foam in small to moderate quantities for defoaming experiments have been developed. Methods for defoaming wet foam are currently under study.« less

40 CFR 63.8830 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication... chemical substance that is applied for the purpose of bonding foam to foam, foam to fabric, or foam to any... means the process of bonding flexible foam to one or more layers of material by heating the foam surface...

40 CFR 63.8830 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication... chemical substance that is applied for the purpose of bonding foam to foam, foam to fabric, or foam to any... means the process of bonding flexible foam to one or more layers of material by heating the foam surface...

40 CFR 63.8830 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication... chemical substance that is applied for the purpose of bonding foam to foam, foam to fabric, or foam to any... means the process of bonding flexible foam to one or more layers of material by heating the foam surface...

40 CFR 63.8830 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication... chemical substance that is applied for the purpose of bonding foam to foam, foam to fabric, or foam to any... means the process of bonding flexible foam to one or more layers of material by heating the foam surface...

40 CFR 63.8830 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication... chemical substance that is applied for the purpose of bonding foam to foam, foam to fabric, or foam to any... means the process of bonding flexible foam to one or more layers of material by heating the foam surface...

Fabrication of low-crystalline carbonate apatite foam bone replacement based on phase transformation of calcite foam.

PubMed

Maruta, Michito; Matsuya, Shigeki; Nakamura, Seiji; Ishikawa, Kunio

2011-01-01

Carbonate apatite (CO(3)Ap) foam may be an ideal bone substitute as it is sidelined to cancellous bone with respect to its chemical composition and structure. However, CO(3)Ap foam fabricated using α-tricalcium phosphate foam showed limited mechanical strength. In the present study, feasibility of the fabrication of calcite which could be a precursor of CO(3)Ap was studied. Calcite foam was successfully fabricated by the so-called "ceramic foam" method using calcium hydroxide coated polyurethane foam under CO(2)+O(2) atmosphere. Then the calcite foam was immersed in Na(2)HPO(4) aqueous solution for phase transformation based on dissolution-precipitation reaction. When CaO-free calcite foam was immersed in Na(2)HPO(4) solution, low-crystalline CO(3)Ap foam with 93-96% porosity and fully interconnected porous structure was fabricated. The compressive strength of the foam was 25.6 ± 6 kPa. In light of these results, we concluded that the properties of the precursor foam were key factors for the fabrication of CO(3)Ap foams.

Efficient continuous dryer for flexible polyurethane foam and cleaning apparatus

DOEpatents

Jody, Bassam; Daniels, Edward; Libera, Joseph A.

1999-01-01

A method of cleaning polyurethane foams where the material is transported through a wash station while alternately soaking the polyurethane foam in an organic solvent and squeezing solvent from the polyurethane foam a number of times. Then the polyurethane foam is sent through a rinse or solvent transfer station for reducing the concentration of solvent in the foam. The rinsed polyurethane foam is sent to a drying station wherein the foam is repeatedly squeezed while being exposed to hot air to remove wet air from the foam.

Efficient continuous dryer for flexible polyurethane foam and cleaning apparatus

DOEpatents

Jody, B.; Daniels, E.; Libera, J.A.

1999-03-16

A method of cleaning polyurethane foams where the material is transported through a wash station while alternately soaking the polyurethane foam in an organic solvent and squeezing solvent from the polyurethane foam a number of times. Then the polyurethane foam is sent through a rinse or solvent transfer station for reducing the concentration of solvent in the foam. The rinsed polyurethane foam is sent to a drying station wherein the foam is repeatedly squeezed while being exposed to hot air to remove wet air from the foam. 4 figs.

Handbook for using foams to control vapors from hazardous spills. Report for April 1984-September 1985

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, M.L.; Carroll, H.A.

1986-07-01

The handbook describes basic types of foams that may be used to control vapor hazards from spilled volatile chemicals. It provides a table to be used by spill-response personnel to choose an appropriate foam based on the type of chemical spill. Six general types of foams, surfactant (syndet) foams, aqueous film forming foams (AFFF), alcohol type or polar solvent type foams (ATF), and special foams such as Hazmat NF no. 1 which was developed especially for alkaline spills. The handbook provides the basis for spill responders to evaluate and select a foam for vapor control by using the test methodsmore » presented or by considering manufacturers specifications for foam-expansion ratios and quarter drainage times. The responder is encouraged to maximize the effectiveness of a foam by trying different nozzles, distances of applications, and thicknesses of the foam layers.« less

Regional Power Ballistic Missiles. An Emerging Threat to Deployed US forces?

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

packaging and dispensing submunitions are straightforward: the MLRS submunitions are simply nestled in polyurethane foam ; and cluster munitions such as the...several U.S. mobile ballistic missile systems, both ground-launched and air-launched. The Army Tactical Missile System ( ATACMS ), a mobile TBM...weight class have also been presented. (99:185-187) Warheads with "light" submunitions are used on the US LANCE and Army Tactical Missile System ( ATACMS

Forming foam structures with carbon foam substrates

DOEpatents

Landingham, Richard L.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Coronado, Paul R.; Baumann, Theodore F.

2012-11-06

The invention provides foams of desired cell sizes formed from metal or ceramic materials that coat the surfaces of carbon foams which are subsequently removed. For example, metal is located over a sol-gel foam monolith. The metal is melted to produce a metal/sol-gel composition. The sol-gel foam monolith is removed, leaving a metal foam.

Nanostructuring effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on electrochemical properties of carbon foam as constructive electrode for lead acid battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Rajeev; Kumari, Saroj; Mathur, Rakesh B.; Dhakate, Sanjay R.

2015-01-01

In the present study, nanostructuring effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on electrochemical properties of coal tar pitch (CTP) based carbon foam (CFoam) was investigated. The different weight fractions of MWCNTs were mixed with CTP and foam was developed from the mixture of CTP and MWCNTs by sacrificial template technique and heat treated at 1,400 and 2,500 °C in inert atmosphere. These foams were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and potentiostat PARSTAT for cyclic voltammetry. It was observed that, bulk density of CFoam increases with increasing MWCNTs content and decreases after certain amount. The MWCNTs influence the morphology of CFoam and increase the width of ligaments as well as surface area. During the heat treatment, stresses exerting at MWCNTs/carbon interface accelerate ordering of the graphene layer which have positive effect on the electrochemical properties of CFoam. The current density increases from 475 to 675 mA/cm2 of 1,400 °C heat treated and 95 to 210 mA/cm2 of 2,500 °C heat-treated CFoam with 1 wt% MWCNTs. The specific capacitance was decreases with increasing the scan rate from 100 to 1,000 mV/s. In case of 1 % MWCNTs content CFoam the specific capacitance at the scan rate 100 mV/s was increased from 850 to 1,250 μF/cm2 and 48 to 340 μF/cm2 of CFoam heat treated at 1,400 °C and 2,500 °C respectively. Thus, the higher value surface area and current density of MWCNTs-incorporated CFoam heat treated to 1,400 °C can be suitable for lead acid battery electrode with improved charging capability.

Technological parameters influence on the non-autoclaved foam concrete characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartenjeva, Ekaterina; Mashkin, Nikolay

2017-01-01

Foam concretes are used as effective heat-insulating materials. The porous structure of foam concrete provides good insulating and strength properties that make them possible to be used as heat-insulating structural materials. Optimal structure of non-autoclaved foam concrete depends on both technological factors and properties of technical foam. In this connection, the possibility to manufacture heat-insulation structural foam concrete on a high-speed cavity plant with the usage of protein and synthetic foamers was estimated. This experiment was carried out using mathematical planning method, and in this case mathematical models were developed that demonstrated the dependence of operating performance of foam concrete on foaming and rotation speed of laboratory plant. The following material properties were selected for the investigation: average density, compressive strength, bending strength and thermal conductivity. The influence of laboratory equipment technological parameters on technical foam strength and foam stability coefficient in the cement paste was investigated, physical and mechanical properties of non-autoclaved foam concrete were defined based on investigated foam. As a result of investigation, foam concrete samples were developed with performance parameters ensuring their use in production. The mathematical data gathered demonstrated the dependence of foam concrete performance on the technological regime.

Role of foam drainage in producing protein aggregates in foam fractionation.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Zhang, Yuran; Chang, Yunkang; Wu, Zhaoliang; Wang, Yanji; Chen, Xiang'e; Wang, Tao

2017-10-01

It is essential to obtain a clear understanding of the foam-induced protein aggregation to reduce the loss of protein functionality in foam fractionation. The major effort of this work is to explore the roles of foam drainage in protein aggregation in the entire process of foam fractionation with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The results show that enhancing foam drainage increased the desorption of BSA molecules from the gas-liquid interface and the local concentration of desorbed molecules in foam. Therefore, it intensified the aggregation of BSA in foam fractionation. Simultaneously, it also accelerated the flow of BSA aggregates from rising foam into the residual solution along with the drained liquid. Because enhancing foam drainage increased the relative content of BSA molecules adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface, it also intensified the aggregation of BSA during both the defoaming process and the storage of the foamate. Furthermore, enhancing foam drainage more readily resulted in the formation of insoluble BSA aggregates. The results are highly important for a better understanding of foam-induced protein aggregation in foam fractionation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced rhamnolipids production via efficient foam-control using stop valve as a foam breaker.

PubMed

Long, Xuwei; Shen, Chong; He, Ni; Zhang, Guoliang; Meng, Qin

2017-01-01

In this study, a stop valve was used as a foam breaker for dealing with the massive overflowing foam in rhamnolipid fermentation. As found, a stop valve at its tiny opening could break over 90% of the extremely stable rhamnolipid foam into enriched liquid when foam flows through the sharp gap in valve. The efficient foam-control by the stop valve considerably improved the rhamnolipid fermentation and significantly enhanced the rhamnolipid productivity by 83% compared to the regular fermentation. This efficient foam breaking was mainly achieved by a high shear rate in combination with fast separation of air from the collapsed foam. Altogether, the stop valve possessed a great activity in breaking rhamnolipid foam, and the involving mechanism holds the potential for developing efficient foam breakers for industrial rhamnolipid fermentation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

ZrP nanoplates based fire-fighting foams stabilizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lecheng; Cheng, Zhengdong; Li, Hai

2015-03-01

Firefighting foam, as a significant innovation in fire protection, greatly facilitates extinguishments for liquid pool fire. Recently, with developments in LNG industry, high-expansion firefighting foams are also used for extinguishing LNG fire or mitigating LNG leakage. Foam stabilizer, an ingredient in fire-fighting foam, stabilizes foam bubbles and maintains desired foam volume. Conventional foam stabilizers are organic molecules. In this work, we developed a inorganic based ZrP (Zr(HPO4)2 .H2O, Zirconium phosphate) plates functionalized as firefighting foam stabilizer, improving firefighting foam performance under harsh conditions. Several tests were conducted to illustrate performance. The mechanism for the foam stabilization is also proposed. Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3122

Foam, Foam-resin composite and method of making a foam-resin composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacArthur, Doug E. (Inventor); Cranston, John A. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

This invention relates to a foam, a foam-resin composite and a method of making foam-resin composites. The foam set forth in this invention comprises a urethane modified polyisocyanurate derived from an aromatic amino polyol and a polyether polyol. In addition to the polyisocyanurate foam, the composite of this invention further contains a resin layer, wherein the resin may be epoxy, bismaleimide, or phenolic resin. Such resins generally require cure or post-cure temperatures of at least 350.degree. F.

Exploratory development of foams from liquid crystal polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, T. S.

1985-01-01

Two types of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) compositions were studied and evaluated as structural foam materials. One is a copolymer of 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, terephthalic acid, and p-acetoxyacetanilide (designed HNA/TA/AAA), and the other is a copolymer of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (designated HBA/HNA). Experimental results showed that the extruded HNA/TA/AA foams have better mechanical quality and appearance than HBA/HNA foams. Heat treatment improved foam tensile strength and break elongation, but reduced their modulus. The injection molding results indicated that nitrogen foaming agents with a low-pressure process gave better void distribution in the injection molded LCP foams than those made by the conventional injection-molding machine and chemical blowing agents. However, in comparing LCP foams with other conventional plastic foams, HBA/HNA foams have better mechanical properties than foamed ABS and PS, but are comparable to PBT and inferior to polycarbonate foams, especially in heat-deflection temperature and impact resistance energy. These deficiencies are due to LCP molecules not having been fully oriented during the Union-Carbide low-pressure foaming process.

Espresso coffee foam delays cooling of the liquid phase.

PubMed

Arii, Yasuhiro; Nishizawa, Kaho

2017-04-01

Espresso coffee foam, called crema, is known to be a marker of the quality of espresso coffee extraction. However, the role of foam in coffee temperature has not been quantitatively clarified. In this study, we used an automatic machine for espresso coffee extraction. We evaluated whether the foam prepared using the machine was suitable for foam analysis. After extraction, the percentage and consistency of the foam were measured using various techniques, and changes in the foam volume were tracked over time. Our extraction method, therefore, allowed consistent preparation of high-quality foam. We also quantitatively determined that the foam phase slowed cooling of the liquid phase after extraction. High-quality foam plays an important role in delaying the cooling of espresso coffee.

Design of sidewall treatment of cabin noise control of a twin engine turboprop aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaicaitis, R.; Slazak, M.

1983-01-01

An analytical procedure was used to predict the noise transmission into the cabin of a twin engine general aviation aircraft. This model was then used to optimize the interior A weighted noise levels to an average value of about 85 dBA. The surface pressure noise spectral levels were selected utilizing experimental flight data and empirical predictions. The add on treatments considered in this optimization study include aluminum honeycomb panels, constrained layer damping tape, porous acoustic blankets, acoustic foams, septum barriers and limp trim panels which are isolated from the vibration of the main sidewall structure. To reduce the average noise level in the cabin from about 102 kBA (baseline) to 85 dBA (optimized), the added weight of the noise control treatment is about 2% of the total gross takeoff weight of the aircraft.

Design of sidewall treatment of cabin noise control of a twin engine turboprop aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaicaitis, R.; Slazak, M.

1983-12-01

An analytical procedure was used to predict the noise transmission into the cabin of a twin engine general aviation aircraft. This model was then used to optimize the interior A weighted noise levels to an average value of about 85 dBA. The surface pressure noise spectral levels were selected utilizing experimental flight data and empirical predictions. The add on treatments considered in this optimization study include aluminum honeycomb panels, constrained layer damping tape, porous acoustic blankets, acoustic foams, septum barriers and limp trim panels which are isolated from the vibration of the main sidewall structure. To reduce the average noise level in the cabin from about 102 kBA (baseline) to 85 dBA (optimized), the added weight of the noise control treatment is about 2% of the total gross takeoff weight of the aircraft.

Generation of sclerosant foams by mechanical methods increases the foam temperature.

PubMed

Tan, Lulu; Wong, Kaichung; Connor, David; Fakhim, Babak; Behnia, Masud; Parsi, Kurosh

2017-08-01

Objective To investigate the effect of agitation on foam temperature. Methods Sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol were used. Prior to foam generation, the sclerosant and all constituent equipment were cooled to 4-25℃ and compared with cooling the sclerosant only. Foam was generated using a modified Tessari method. During foam agitation, the temperature change was measured using a thermocouple for 120 s. Results Pre-cooling all the constituent equipment resulted in a cooler foam in comparison with only cooling the sclerosant. A starting temperature of 4℃ produced average foam temperatures of 12.5 and 13.2℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. It was also found that only cooling the liquid sclerosant provided minimal cooling to the final foam temperature, with the temperature 20 and 20.5℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. Conclusion The foam generation process has a noticeable impact on final foam temperature and needs to be taken into consideration when creating foam.

Infiltrated carbon foam composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, Rick D. (Inventor); Danford, Harry E. (Inventor); Plucinski, Janusz W. (Inventor); Merriman, Douglas J. (Inventor); Blacker, Jesse M. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

An infiltrated carbon foam composite and method for making the composite is described. The infiltrated carbon foam composite may include a carbonized carbon aerogel in cells of a carbon foam body and a resin is infiltrated into the carbon foam body filling the cells of the carbon foam body and spaces around the carbonized carbon aerogel. The infiltrated carbon foam composites may be useful for mid-density ablative thermal protection systems.

Foam property tests to evaluate the potential for longwall shield dust control.

PubMed

Reed, W R; Beck, T W; Zheng, Y; Klima, S; Driscoll, J

2018-01-01

Tests were conducted to determine properties of four foam agents for their potential use in longwall mining dust control. Foam has been tried in underground mining in the past for dust control and is currently being reconsidered for use in underground coal longwall operations in order to help those operations comply with the Mine Safety and Health Administration's lower coal mine respirable dust standard of 1.5 mg/m 3 . Foams were generated using two different methods. One method used compressed air and water pressure to generate foam, while the other method used low-pressure air generated by a blower and water pressure using a foam generator developed by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Foam property tests, consisting of a foam expansion ratio test and a water drainage test, were conducted to classify foams. Compressed-air-generated foams tended to have low expansion ratios, from 10 to 19, with high water drainage. Blower-air-generated foams had higher foam expansion ratios, from 30 to 60, with lower water drainage. Foams produced within these ranges of expansion ratios are stable and potentially suitable for dust control. The test results eliminated two foam agents for future testing because they had poor expansion ratios. The remaining two foam agents seem to have properties adequate for dust control. These material property tests can be used to classify foams for their potential use in longwall mining dust control.

Foam property tests to evaluate the potential for longwall shield dust control

PubMed Central

Reed, W.R.; Beck, T.W.; Zheng, Y.; Klima, S.; Driscoll, J.

2018-01-01

Tests were conducted to determine properties of four foam agents for their potential use in longwall mining dust control. Foam has been tried in underground mining in the past for dust control and is currently being reconsidered for use in underground coal longwall operations in order to help those operations comply with the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s lower coal mine respirable dust standard of 1.5 mg/m3. Foams were generated using two different methods. One method used compressed air and water pressure to generate foam, while the other method used low-pressure air generated by a blower and water pressure using a foam generator developed by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Foam property tests, consisting of a foam expansion ratio test and a water drainage test, were conducted to classify foams. Compressed-air-generated foams tended to have low expansion ratios, from 10 to 19, with high water drainage. Blower-air-generated foams had higher foam expansion ratios, from 30 to 60, with lower water drainage. Foams produced within these ranges of expansion ratios are stable and potentially suitable for dust control. The test results eliminated two foam agents for future testing because they had poor expansion ratios. The remaining two foam agents seem to have properties adequate for dust control. These material property tests can be used to classify foams for their potential use in longwall mining dust control. PMID:29416179

Changes in left ventricular ejection fraction and coronary flow reserve after coronary microembolization

PubMed Central

Ma, Jianying; Qian, Juying; Zeng, Xin; Sun, Aijun; Chang, Shufu; Chen, Zhangwei; Zou, Yunzeng

2012-01-01

Introduction Although coronary microembolization (CME) is a frequent phenomenon in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, few data are available on the changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) after CME. Material and methods In this study, six miniature swine of either sex (body weight 21-25 kg) were used to prepare a CME model. After coronary angiography, 1.2 × 105 microspheres (42 µm) were selectively infused into the left anterior descending artery via an infusion catheter. Left ventricular ejection fraction was evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography; myocardial blood flow was measured using coloured microspheres; and CFR and coronary pressure were measured using Doppler and a pressure wire. Results Left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.77 ±0.08 at baseline, 0.69 ±0.08 at 2 h, 0.68 ±0.08 at 6 h, and 0.76 ±0.06 at 1 week (2 h vs. baseline p < 0.05; 6 h vs. baseline p < 0.01). After CME, left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV) and end diastolic volume (LVEDV) were significant larger 1 week later (p < 0.01 for both), while CFR was significantly reduced at 6 h (1.24 ±0.10 at 6 h vs. 1.77 ±0.30 at baseline, p < 0.01) and myocardial blood flow remained unchanged. Serum ET-1 level was significantly higher only at 6 h after CME (6 h vs. baseline p < 0.05). Conclusions Reduction of CFR and LVEF is significant at 6 h after CME and recovers 1 week later with left ventricular dilation. PMID:22457677

Drug treatment effects on outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Zheng, Sean Lee; Chan, Fiona T; Nabeebaccus, Adam A; Shah, Ajay M; McDonagh, Theresa; Okonko, Darlington O; Ayis, Salma

2018-01-01

Background Clinical drug trials in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction have failed to demonstrate improvements in mortality. Methods We systematically searched Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomised controlled trials (RCT) assessing pharmacological treatments in patients with heart failure with left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction≥40% from January 1996 to May 2016. The primary efficacy outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalisation, exercise capacity (6-min walk distance, exercise duration, VO2 max), quality of life and biomarkers (B-type natriuretic peptide, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide). Random-effects models were used to estimate pooled relative risks (RR) for the binary outcomes, and weighted mean differences for continuous outcomes, with 95% CI. Results We included data from 25 RCTs comprising data for 18101 patients. All-cause mortality was reduced with beta-blocker therapy compared with placebo (RR: 0.78, 95%CI 0.65 to 0.94, p=0.008). There was no effect seen with ACE inhibitors, aldosterone receptor blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and other drug classes, compared with placebo. Similar results were observed for cardiovascular mortality. No single drug class reduced heart failure hospitalisation compared with placebo. Conclusion The efficacy of treatments in patients with heart failure and an LV ejection fraction≥40% differ depending on the type of therapy, with beta-blockers demonstrating reductions in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Further trials are warranted to confirm treatment effects of beta-blockers in this patient group. PMID:28780577

In vivo performance of novel soybean/gelatin-based bioactive and injectable hydroxyapatite foams

PubMed Central

Kovtun, Anna; Goeckelmann, Melanie J.; Niclas, Antje A.; Montufar, Edgar B.; Ginebra, Maria-Pau; Planell, Josep A.; Santin, Matteo; Ignatius, Anita

2015-01-01

Major limitations of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) are their relatively slow degradation rate and the lack of macropores allowing the ingrowth of bone tissue. The development of self-setting cement foams has been proposed as a suitable strategy to overcome these limitations. In previous work we developed a gelatine-based hydroxyapatite foam (G-foam), which exhibited good injectability and cohesion, interconnected porosity and good biocompatibility in vitro. In the present study we evaluated the in vivo performance of the G-foam. Furthermore, we investigated whether enrichment of the foam with soybean extract (SG-foam) increased its bioactivity. G-foam, SG-foam and non-foamed CPC were implanted in a critical-size bone defect in the distal femoral condyle of New Zealand white rabbits. Bone formation and degradation of the materials were investigated after 4, 12 and 20 weeks using histological and biomechanical methods. The foams maintained their macroporosity after injection and setting in vivo. Compared to non-foamed CPC, cellular degradation of the foams was considerably increased and accompanied by new bone formation. The additional functionalization with soybean extract in the SG-foam slightly reduced the degradation rate and positively influenced bone formation in the defect. Furthermore, both foams exhibited excellent biocompatibility, implying that these novel materials may be promising for clinical application in non-loaded bone defects. PMID:25448348

In vivo performance of novel soybean/gelatin-based bioactive and injectable hydroxyapatite foams.

PubMed

Kovtun, Anna; Goeckelmann, Melanie J; Niclas, Antje A; Montufar, Edgar B; Ginebra, Maria-Pau; Planell, Josep A; Santin, Matteo; Ignatius, Anita

2015-01-01

Major limitations of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) are their relatively slow degradation rate and the lack of macropores allowing the ingrowth of bone tissue. The development of self-setting cement foams has been proposed as a suitable strategy to overcome these limitations. In previous work we developed a gelatine-based hydroxyapatite foam (G-foam), which exhibited good injectability and cohesion, interconnected porosity and good biocompatibility in vitro. In the present study we evaluated the in vivo performance of the G-foam. Furthermore, we investigated whether enrichment of the foam with soybean extract (SG-foam) increased its bioactivity. G-foam, SG-foam and non-foamed CPC were implanted in a critical-size bone defect in the distal femoral condyle of New Zealand white rabbits. Bone formation and degradation of the materials were investigated after 4, 12 and 20weeks using histological and biomechanical methods. The foams maintained their macroporosity after injection and setting in vivo. Compared to non-foamed CPC, cellular degradation of the foams was considerably increased and accompanied by new bone formation. The additional functionalization with soybean extract in the SG-foam slightly reduced the degradation rate and positively influenced bone formation in the defect. Furthermore, both foams exhibited excellent biocompatibility, implying that these novel materials may be promising for clinical application in non-loaded bone defects. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. All rights reserved.

Polymer-Reinforced, Non-Brittle, Lightweight Cryogenic Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, David M.

2013-01-01

The primary application for cryogenic insulating foams will be fuel tank applications for fueling systems. It is crucial for this insulation to be incorporated into systems that survive vacuum and terrestrial environments. It is hypothesized that by forming an open-cell silica-reinforced polymer structure, the foam structures will exhibit the necessary strength to maintain shape. This will, in turn, maintain the insulating capabilities of the foam insulation. Besides mechanical stability in the form of crush resistance, it is important for these insulating materials to exhibit water penetration resistance. Hydrocarbon-terminated foam surfaces were implemented to impart hydrophobic functionality that apparently limits moisture penetration through the foam. During the freezing process, water accumulates on the surfaces of the foams. However, when hydrocarbon-terminated surfaces are present, water apparently beads and forms crystals, leading to less apparent accumulation. The object of this work is to develop inexpensive structural cryogenic insulation foam that has increased impact resistance for launch and ground-based cryogenic systems. Two parallel approaches will be pursued: a silica-polymer co-foaming technique and a post foam coating technique. Insulation characteristics, flexibility, and water uptake can be fine-tuned through the manipulation of the polyurethane foam scaffold. Silicate coatings for polyurethane foams and aerogel-impregnated polyurethane foams have been developed and tested. A highly porous aerogel-like material may be fabricated using a co-foam and coated foam techniques, and can insulate at liquid temperatures using the composite foam

A Novel Method for Preparing Auxetic Foam from Closed-cell Polymer Foam Based on Steam Penetration and Condensation (SPC) Process.

PubMed

Fan, Donglei; Li, Minggang; Qiu, Jian; Xing, Haiping; Jiang, Zhiwei; Tang, Tao

2018-05-31

Auxetic materials are a class of materials possessing negative Poisson's ratio. Here we establish a novel method for preparing auxetic foam from closed-cell polymer foam based on steam penetration and condensation (SPC) process. Using polyethylene (PE) closed-cell foam as an example, the resultant foams treated by SPC process present negative Poisson's ratio during stretching and compression testing. The effect of steam-treated temperature and time on the conversion efficiency of negative Poisson's ratio foam is investigated, and the mechanism of SPC method for forming re-entrant structure is discussed. The results indicate that the presence of enough steam within the cells is a critical factor for the negative Poisson's ratio conversion in the SPC process. The pressure difference caused by steam condensation is the driving force for the conversion from conventional closed-cell foam to the negative Poisson's ratio foam. Furthermore, the applicability of SPC process for fabricating auxetic foam is studied by replacing PE foam by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam with closed-cell structure or replacing water steam by ethanol steam. The results verify the universality of SPC process for fabricating auxetic foams from conventional foams with closed-cell structure. In addition, we explored potential application of the obtained auxetic foams by SPC process in the fabrication of shape memory polymer materials.

mdFoam+: Advanced molecular dynamics in OpenFOAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longshaw, S. M.; Borg, M. K.; Ramisetti, S. B.; Zhang, J.; Lockerby, D. A.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

2018-03-01

This paper introduces mdFoam+, which is an MPI parallelised molecular dynamics (MD) solver implemented entirely within the OpenFOAM software framework. It is open-source and released under the same GNU General Public License (GPL) as OpenFOAM. The source code is released as a publicly open software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial cases. Since mdFoam+ is designed entirely within the OpenFOAM C++ object-oriented framework, it inherits a number of key features. The code is designed for extensibility and flexibility, so it is aimed first and foremost as an MD research tool, in which new models and test cases can be developed and tested rapidly. Implementing mdFoam+ in OpenFOAM also enables easier development of hybrid methods that couple MD with continuum-based solvers. Setting up MD cases follows the standard OpenFOAM format, as mdFoam+ also relies upon the OpenFOAM dictionary-based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of an MD simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. Results show that mdFoam+ compares well to another well-known MD code (e.g. LAMMPS) in terms of benchmark problems, although it also has additional functionality that does not exist in other open-source MD codes.

Temporal relationship between instantaneous pressure gradients and peak-to-peak systolic ejection gradient in congenital aortic stenosis.

PubMed

Boe, Brian A; Norris, Mark D; Zampi, Jeffrey D; Rocchini, Albert P; Ensing, Gregory J

2017-12-01

We sought to identify a time during cardiac ejection when the instantaneous pressure gradient (IPG) correlated best, and near unity, with peak-to-peak systolic ejection gradient (PPSG) in patients with congenital aortic stenosis. Noninvasive echocardiographic measurement of IPG has limited correlation with cardiac catheterization measured PPSG across the spectrum of disease severity of congenital aortic stenosis. A major contributor is the observation that these measures are inherently different with a variable relationship dependent on the degree of stenosis. Hemodynamic data from cardiac catheterizations utilizing simultaneous pressure measurements from the left ventricle (LV) and ascending aorta (AAo) in patients with congenital valvar aortic stenosis was retrospectively reviewed over the past 5 years. The cardiac cycle was standardized for all patients using the percentage of total LV ejection time (ET). Instantaneous gradient at 5% intervals of ET were compared to PPSG using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. A total of 22 patients underwent catheterization at a median age of 13.7 years (interquartile range [IQR] 10.3-18.0) and median weight of 51.1 kg (IQR 34.2-71.6). The PPSG was 46.5 ± 12.6 mm Hg (mean ± SD) and correlated suboptimally with the maximum and mean IPG. The midsystolic IPG (occurring at 50% of ET) had the strongest correlation with the PPSG ( PPSG = 0.97(IPG50%)-1.12, R 2  = 0.88), while the IPG at 55% of ET was closest to unity ( PPSG = 0.997(IPG55%)-1.17, R 2  = 0.87). The commonly measured maximum and mean IPG are suboptimal estimates of the PPSG in congenital aortic stenosis. Using catheter-based data, IPG at 50%-55% of ejection correlates well with PPSG. This may allow for a more accurate estimation of PPSG via noninvasive assessment of IPG. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ingestion and ejection of hooks: effects on long-term health and mortality of angler-caught yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis.

PubMed

Broadhurst, Matt K; Butcher, Paul A; Brand, Craig P; Porter, Mark

2007-02-08

Ninety juvenile yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis were angled from holding tanks, allowed to ingest nickel-plated, carbon-steel J-hooks and released (with their lines cut) into individual experimental tanks during 2 experiments in order to assess their (1) long-term (up to 105 d) health, mortality and rate of hook ejection and (2) short- and medium-term (< 42 d) temporal changes in health during hook ingestion. Equal numbers of control fish were scooped from holding tanks and similarly monitored in experimental tanks. Of 20 hook-ingested fish released during Expt 1, 3 died within 8 d, providing a non-significant mortality of 15%. Between Day 6 and Day 56 post-release, 13 of the surviving individuals ejected their hooks, which were typically oxidized to about 94% of their original weight and often broken into 2 pieces. At Day 105, there were no significant differences between the 20 control and 17 hook-ingested/-ejected fish in terms of their ability to digest and assimilate food (measured as changes in apparent digestibility coefficients), stress (measured as concentrations of plasma cortisol and glucose) or of morphological parameters that included weight (Wt) and maximum height (MH), maximum width (MW) and maximum girth (MG). During Expt 2, 3 individuals that still contained ingested hooks and 3 controls were sampled on each of 9 occasions between Day 3 and Day 42 post-release. All fish were sampled for blood cortisol and glucose and were then euthanized before being weighed and measured for total length (TL), MH, MW and MG. Hook-ingested individuals were also X-rayed to determine the position and orientation of hooks. There were no significant differences in plasma glucose between hook-ingested and control fish. Irrespective of the treatment of fish, concentrations of cortisol were elevated on some sampling occasions, indicating variable, acute stress. The MH and MG of fish were not significantly different between groups. Significant differences were detected for MG and Wt, with hook-ingested fish having weights similar to those of the control fish but a relatively greater MW (owing to stomach distension from ingested hooks) until 2 wk post-release, after which both morphological parameters generally declined. There was no significant temporal progression of hooks in the stomach of treatment fish; however, some hooks reorientated to positions that may have precluded passage along the digestive tract. We conclude that, for the J-hooks examined, cutting the line is an appropriate strategy that results in the greater majority of released hook-ingested yellowfin bream surviving with minimal negative long-term effects.

Severe soft tissue injuries of the upper extremity in motor vehicle crashes involving partial ejection: the protective role of side curtain airbags.

PubMed

Kaufman, Robert; Fraade-Blanar, Laura; Lipira, Angelo; Friedrich, Jeffrey; Bulger, Eileen

2017-05-01

Partial ejection (PE) of the upper extremity (UE) can occur in a motor vehicle crash (MVC) resulting in complex and severe soft tissue injuries (SSTI). This study evaluated the relationship between partial ejection and UE injuries, notably SSTIs, in MVCs focusing on crash types and characteristics, and further examined the role of side curtain airbags (SCABs) in the prevention of partial ejection and reducing SSTI of the UE. Weighted data was analyzed from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) from 1993 to 2012. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship of PE with SSTI of the UE and the effect of SCABs in both nearside impacts and rollover collisions. Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) case studies illustrated PE involving SSTI of the UE, and long term treatment. Rollover and nearside impact collisions had the highest percentages of partial ejection, with over half occurring in rollover collisions. Annually over 800 SSTIs of the UE occurred in all MVCs. For nearside lateral force impacts, a multivariable analysis adjusting for belt use and delta V showed a 15 times (OR 15.35, 95% CI 4.30, 54.79) greater odds of PE for occupants without SCABs compared to those with a SCAB deployment. No occupants (0 of 51,000) sustained a SSTI of the UE when a SCAB deployed in nearside impacts, compared to 0.01% (114 of 430,000) when SCABs were unavailable or did not deploy. In rollover collisions, a multivariable analysis adjusted for number of quarter turns and belt use showed 3 times the odds (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.22, 7.47) of PE for occupants without SCABs compared to those with a SCAB deployment. Just 0.17% (32 of 19,000) of the occupants sustained a SSTI of the UE in rollovers with a SCAB deployment, compared to 0.53% (2294 of 431,000) of the occupants when SCABs were unavailable or did not deploy. CIREN case studies illustrated the injury causation of SSTI of the UE due to partial ejection, and the long term treatment and medical costs associated with a SSTI to the UE. The majority of severe soft tissue injuries (SSTI) of the upper extremity (UE) involved partial ejection out the nearside window of outboard seated occupants in nearside impacts and rollover collisions. Real world case studies showed that SSTIs of the upper extremity require extensive treatment, extended hospitalization and are costly. Occupants without a side curtain airbag (SCAB) deployment had an increase in the odds of partial ejection. SCAB deployments provided protection against partial ejection and prevented SSTIs of the UE, with none occurring in nearside impacts, and a small percentage and reduction occurring in rollover collisions compared to those where SCABs were unavailable or did not deploy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 108.473 - Foam system components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Foam system components. 108.473 Section 108.473 Shipping... EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.473 Foam system components. (a) Each foam agent, each tank for a foam agent, each discharge outlet, each control, and each valve for the...

46 CFR 108.473 - Foam system components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Foam system components. 108.473 Section 108.473 Shipping... EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.473 Foam system components. (a) Each foam agent, each tank for a foam agent, each discharge outlet, each control, and each valve for the...

Initial Evaluation of Burn Characteristics of Phenolic Foam Runway Brake Arrestor Material

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

foam immersed in a jet fuel fire when extinguished using 3-percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ). Three pool...extinguishment time of phenolic foam immersed in a jet fuel fire, using 3-percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ) extinguishing agent. The wind was negligible...percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ) agent. This project is an initial assessment of the fire safety of phenolic foam

Electrostatic Safety with Explosion Suppressant Foams.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

the foam, and (2) sorption of alkylphenol type substances, present as oxidation inhibitors in the fuel, by the foam. It had been previously reported... alkylphenol type substances. The use of antistatic ingredients in the reticulated polyurethane foam was suggested as a means of minimizing static...foam with JP-4 are: o Removal of diethylhexyl phthalate from the foam. o Sorption of alkylphenol type compounds by the foam. Tne latter of these two

Impact of foamed matrix components on foamed concrete properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasenko, V. N.

2018-03-01

The improvement of the matrix foam structure by means of foam stabilizing additives is aimed at solving the technology-oriented problems as well as at the further improvement of physical and mechanical properties of cellular-concrete composites. The dry foam mineralization is the mainstream of this research. Adding the concrete densifiers, foam stabilizers and mineral powders reduces the drying shrinkage, which makes the foam concrete products technologically effective.

Foam-mat drying technology: A review.

PubMed

Hardy, Z; Jideani, V A

2017-08-13

This article reviews various aspects of foam-mat drying such as foam-mat drying processing technique, main additives used for foam-mat drying, foam-mat drying of liquid and solid foods, quality characteristics of foam-mat dried foods, and economic and technical benefits for employing foam-mat drying. Foam-mat drying process is an alternative method that allows the removal of water from liquid materials and pureed materials. In this drying process, a liquid material is converted into foam that is stable by being whipped after adding an edible foaming agent. The stable foam is then spread out in sheet or mat and dried by using hot air (40-90°C) at atmospheric pressure. Methyl cellulose (0.25-2%), egg white (3-20%), maltodextrin (0.5-05%), and gum Arabic (2-9%) are the commonly utilized additives for the foam-mat drying process at the given range, either combined together for their effectiveness or individual effect. The foam-mat drying process is suitable for heat sensitive, viscous, and sticky products that cannot be dried using other forms of drying methods such as spray drying because of the state of product. More interest has developed for foam-mat drying because of the simplicity, cost effectiveness, high speed drying, and improved product quality it provides.

Application of an Elongated Kelvin Model to Space Shuttle Foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Roy M.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.

2009-01-01

The space shuttle foams are rigid closed-cell polyurethane foams. The two foams used most-extensively oil space shuttle external tank are BX-265 and NCFL4-124. Because of the foaming and rising process, the foam microstructures are elongated in the rise direction. As a result, these two foams exhibit a nonisotropic mechanical behavior. A detailed microstructural characterization of the two foams is presented. Key features of the foam cells are described and the average cell dimensions in the two foams are summarized. Experimental studies are also conducted to measure the room temperature mechanical response of the two foams in the two principal material directions (parallel to the rise and perpendicular to the rise). The measured elastic modulus, proportional limit stress, ultimate tensile strength, and Poisson's ratios are reported. The generalized elongated Kelvin foam model previously developed by the authors is reviewed and the equations which result from this model are summarized. Using the measured microstructural dimensions and the measured stiffness ratio, the foam tensile strength ratio and Poisson's ratios are predicted for both foams and are compared with the experimental data. The predicted tensile strength ratio is in close agreement with the measured strength ratio for both BX-265 and NCFI24-124. The comparison between the predicted Poisson's ratios and the measured values is not as favorable.

Advanced nondestructive techniques applied for the detection of discontinuities in aluminum foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katchadjian, Pablo; García, Alejandro; Brizuela, Jose; Camacho, Jorge; Chiné, Bruno; Mussi, Valerio; Britto, Ivan

2018-04-01

Metal foams are finding an increasing range of applications by their lightweight structure and physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Foams can be used to fill closed moulds for manufacturing structural foam parts of complex shape [1]; foam filled structures are expected to provide good mechanical properties and energy absorption capabilities. The complexity of the foaming process and the number of parameters to simultaneously control, demand a preliminary and hugely wide experimental activity to manufacture foamed components with a good quality. That is why there are many efforts to improve the structure of foams, in order to obtain a product with good properties. The problem is that even for seemingly identical foaming conditions, the effective foaming can vary significantly from one foaming trial to another. The variation of the foams often is related by structural imperfections, joining region (foam-foam or foam-wall mold) or difficulties in achieving a complete filling of the mould. That is, in a closed mold, the result of the mold filling and its structure or defects are not known a priori and can eventually vary significantly. These defects can cause a drastic deterioration of the mechanical properties [2] and lead to a low performance in its application. This work proposes the use of advanced nondestructive techniques for evaluating the foam distribution after filling the mold to improve the manufacturing process. To achieved this purpose ultrasonic technique (UT) and cone beam computed tomography (CT) were applied on plate and structures of different thicknesses filled with foam of different porosity. UT was carried out on transmission mode with low frequency air-coupled transducers [3], in focused and unfocused configurations.

Analysis of Influence of Foaming Mixture Components on Structure and Properties of Foam Glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karandashova, N. S.; Goltsman, B. M.; Yatsenko, E. A.

2017-11-01

It is recommended to use high-quality thermal insulation materials to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. One of the best thermal insulation materials is foam glass - durable, porous material that is resistant to almost any effect of substance. Glass foaming is a complex process depending on the foaming mode and the initial mixture composition. This paper discusses the influence of all components of the mixture - glass powder, foaming agent, enveloping material and water - on the foam glass structure. It was determined that glass powder is the basis of the future material. A foaming agent forms a gas phase in the process of thermal decomposition. This aforementioned gas foams the viscous glass mass. The unreacted residue thus changes a colour of the material. The enveloping agent slows the foaming agent decomposition preventing its premature burning out and, in addition, helps to accelerate the sintering of glass particles. The introduction of water reduces the viscosity of the foaming mixture making it evenly distributed and also promotes the formation of water gas that additionally foams the glass mass. The optimal composition for producing the foam glass with the density of 150 kg/m3 is defined according to the results of the research.

Foams for barriers and nonlethal weapons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rand, Peter B.

1997-01-01

Our times demand better solutions to conflict resolution than simply shooting someone. Because of this, police and military interest in non-lethal concepts is high. Already in use are pepper sprays, bean-bag guns, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets. At Sandia we got a head start on non- lethal weapon concepts. Protection of nuclear materials required systems that went way beyond the traditional back vault. Dispensable deterrents were used to allow a graduated response to a threat. Sticky foams and stabilized aqueous foams were developed to provide access delay. Foams won out for security systems simply because you could get a large volume from a small container. For polymeric foams the expansion ratio is thirty to fifty to one. In aqueous foams expansion ratios of one thousand to ne are easily obtained. Recent development work on sticky foams has included a changeover to environmentally friendly solvents, foams with very low toxicity, and the development of non-flammable silicone resin based foams. High expansion aqueous foams are useful visual and aural obscurants. Our recent aqueous foam development has concentrated on using very low toxicity foaming agents combined with oleoresin capsicum irritant to provide a safe but highly irritating foam.

Benefits of polidocanol endovenous microfoam (Varithena®) compared with physician-compounded foams

PubMed Central

Carugo, Dario; Ankrett, Dyan N; Zhao, Xuefeng; Zhang, Xunli; Hill, Martyn; O’Byrne, Vincent; Hoad, James; Arif, Mehreen; Wright, David DI

2015-01-01

Objective To compare foam bubble size and bubble size distribution, stability, and degradation rate of commercially available polidocanol endovenous microfoam (Varithena®) and physician-compounded foams using a number of laboratory tests. Methods Foam properties of polidocanol endovenous microfoam and physician-compounded foams were measured and compared using a glass-plate method and a Sympatec QICPIC image analysis method to measure bubble size and bubble size distribution, Turbiscan™ LAB for foam half time and drainage and a novel biomimetic vein model to measure foam stability. Physician-compounded foams composed of polidocanol and room air, CO2, or mixtures of oxygen and carbon dioxide (O2:CO2) were generated by different methods. Results Polidocanol endovenous microfoam was found to have a narrow bubble size distribution with no large (>500 µm) bubbles. Physician-compounded foams made with the Tessari method had broader bubble size distribution and large bubbles, which have an impact on foam stability. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam had a lower degradation rate than any physician-compounded foams, including foams made using room air (p < 0.035). The same result was obtained at different liquid to gas ratios (1:4 and 1:7) for physician-compounded foams. In all tests performed, CO2 foams were the least stable and different O2:CO2 mixtures had intermediate performance. In the biomimetic vein model, polidocanol endovenous microfoam had the slowest degradation rate and longest calculated dwell time, which represents the length of time the foam is in contact with the vein, almost twice that of physician-compounded foams using room air and eight times better than physician-compounded foams prepared using equivalent gas mixes. Conclusion Bubble size, bubble size distribution and stability of various sclerosing foam formulations show that polidocanol endovenous microfoam results in better overall performance compared with physician-compounded foams. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam offers better stability and cohesive properties in a biomimetic vein model compared to physician-compounded foams. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam, which is indicated in the United States for treatment of great saphenous vein system incompetence, provides clinicians with a consistent product with enhanced handling properties. PMID:26036246

Benefits of polidocanol endovenous microfoam (Varithena®) compared with physician-compounded foams.

PubMed

Carugo, Dario; Ankrett, Dyan N; Zhao, Xuefeng; Zhang, Xunli; Hill, Martyn; O'Byrne, Vincent; Hoad, James; Arif, Mehreen; Wright, David D I; Lewis, Andrew L

2016-05-01

To compare foam bubble size and bubble size distribution, stability, and degradation rate of commercially available polidocanol endovenous microfoam (Varithena®) and physician-compounded foams using a number of laboratory tests. Foam properties of polidocanol endovenous microfoam and physician-compounded foams were measured and compared using a glass-plate method and a Sympatec QICPIC image analysis method to measure bubble size and bubble size distribution, Turbiscan™ LAB for foam half time and drainage and a novel biomimetic vein model to measure foam stability. Physician-compounded foams composed of polidocanol and room air, CO2, or mixtures of oxygen and carbon dioxide (O2:CO2) were generated by different methods. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam was found to have a narrow bubble size distribution with no large (>500 µm) bubbles. Physician-compounded foams made with the Tessari method had broader bubble size distribution and large bubbles, which have an impact on foam stability. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam had a lower degradation rate than any physician-compounded foams, including foams made using room air (p < 0.035). The same result was obtained at different liquid to gas ratios (1:4 and 1:7) for physician-compounded foams. In all tests performed, CO2 foams were the least stable and different O2:CO2 mixtures had intermediate performance. In the biomimetic vein model, polidocanol endovenous microfoam had the slowest degradation rate and longest calculated dwell time, which represents the length of time the foam is in contact with the vein, almost twice that of physician-compounded foams using room air and eight times better than physician-compounded foams prepared using equivalent gas mixes. Bubble size, bubble size distribution and stability of various sclerosing foam formulations show that polidocanol endovenous microfoam results in better overall performance compared with physician-compounded foams. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam offers better stability and cohesive properties in a biomimetic vein model compared to physician-compounded foams. Polidocanol endovenous microfoam, which is indicated in the United States for treatment of great saphenous vein system incompetence, provides clinicians with a consistent product with enhanced handling properties. © The Author(s) 2015.

Acquisition of Ice-Tethered Profilers with Velocity (ITP-V) Instruments for Future Arctic Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-15

instrument that measures sea water temperature and salinity versus depth, the ITP-V adds a multi-axis acoustic -travel-time current meter and...housing capped by an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene dome. The electronics case sits within a foam body designed to provide buoyancy for...then transmits them by satellite to a logger computer at WHO I. The ITP-V instruments add a multi-axis acoustic -travel-time current meter and

Research on air sprays and unique foam application methods. Phase II report. Laboratory investigation of foam systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-06-01

The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of air sprays and foam systems for dust control on longwall double-drum shearer faces. Laboratory testing has been conducted using foam systems and promising results have been obtained. Upon Bureau approval, underground testing will be scheduled to assess the effectiveness of foam systems under actual operating conditions. Laboratory testing of air sprays is being conducted at present. This report presents the results of the laboratory testing of foam systems. Specifically, the results obtained on the evaluation of selected foaming agents are presented, the feasibility investigation of flushing foam through themore » shearer-drum are demonstrated, and conceptual layout of the foam system on the shearer is discussed. The laboratory investigation of the selected foaming agents reveal that the Onyx Microfoam, Onyx Maprosyl and DeTer Microfoam foaming agents have higher expansion ratios compared to the others tested. Flushing foam through the shearer drum is entirely feasible and could be a viable technique for dust suppression on longwall faces.« less

High-strength cellular ceramic composites with 3D microarchitecture.

PubMed

Bauer, Jens; Hengsbach, Stefan; Tesari, Iwiza; Schwaiger, Ruth; Kraft, Oliver

2014-02-18

To enhance the strength-to-weight ratio of a material, one may try to either improve the strength or lower the density, or both. The lightest solid materials have a density in the range of 1,000 kg/m(3); only cellular materials, such as technical foams, can reach considerably lower values. However, compared with corresponding bulk materials, their specific strength generally is significantly lower. Cellular topologies may be divided into bending- and stretching-dominated ones. Technical foams are structured randomly and behave in a bending-dominated way, which is less weight efficient, with respect to strength, than stretching-dominated behavior, such as in regular braced frameworks. Cancellous bone and other natural cellular solids have an optimized architecture. Their basic material is structured hierarchically and consists of nanometer-size elements, providing a benefit from size effects in the material strength. Designing cellular materials with a specific microarchitecture would allow one to exploit the structural advantages of stretching-dominated constructions as well as size-dependent strengthening effects. In this paper, we demonstrate that such materials may be fabricated. Applying 3D laser lithography, we produced and characterized micro-truss and -shell structures made from alumina-polymer composite. Size-dependent strengthening of alumina shells has been observed, particularly when applied with a characteristic thickness below 100 nm. The presented artificial cellular materials reach compressive strengths up to 280 MPa with densities well below 1,000 kg/m(3).

Treatments to induce the nucleation and growth of apatite-like layers on polymeric surfaces and foams.

PubMed

Reis, R L; Cunha, A M; Fernandes, M H; Correia, R N

1997-12-01

In this work, a bioactive glass is used as a percusor of calcium-phosphate (Ca-P) film deposition onto several polymer-based materials. Both bioinert (high molecular weight polyethylene, HMWPE), and biodegradable (corn starch-based blends, SEVA-C) polymers, unreinforced or reinforced with hydroxylapatite (HA), were coated by the very simple proposed route. Also polyurethane (PU) foams, with an open-cell structure, were mineralized by the proposed method. In fact, it was possible to induce the growth of the Ca-P films not only at the surface, but also in the bulk of the PU foam. These cellular materials are intended for cancellous bone replacement applications. The morphology of the formed films was strongly dependent on the used substrate, its polar character, and on the presence of HA in its composition, as observed by SEM. Nevertheless, a well defined needly like structure was observed in all samples at high magnifications. The Ca:P ratios of the films were between 1.5 and 1.7, i.e. in the range of tricalcium phosphate-hydroxylapatite. Raman spectroscopy and thin-film x-ray diffraction (XRD) evidenced the formation of mostly amorphous calcium-phosphate films. After scraping the coating from the polymer surface and heat-treating the resulting powder at 1000 degrees C for 1 h, HA and beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) typical peaks were found on XRD patterns.

Ocean foam generation and modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, R. A.; Bechis, K. P.

1976-01-01

A laboratory investigation was conducted to determine the physical and microwave properties of ocean foam. Special foam generators were designed and fabricated, using porous glass sheets, known as glass frits, as the principal element. The glass frit was sealed into a water-tight vertical box, a few centimeters from the bottom. Compressed air, applied to the lower chamber, created ocean foam from sea water lying on the frit. Foam heights of 30 cm were readily achieved, with relatively low air pressures. Special photographic techniques and analytical procedures were employed to determine foam bubble size distributions. In addition, the percentage water content of ocean foam was determined with the aid of a particulate sampling procedure. A glass frit foam generator, with pore diameters in the range 70 - 100 micrometers, produced foam with bubble distributions very similar to those found on the surface of natural ocean foam patches.

Foam capacity and stability of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) on the presence of contaminant coffee and Cd ions in solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haryanto, B.; Chang, C. H.; Kuo, A. T.; Siswarni, M. Z.; Sinaga, T. M. A.

2018-02-01

In this study, the effect of the coffee colloidal particle and Cd ion contaminant on the foam capacity and stability of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution was investigated. The foam was generated by using a foam generator. The foam capacity of SDS was first evaluated at different concentrations. After the foam capacity reaching a constant value, the foam stability was then measured by flowing to a column. The results showed that the presence the coffee colloidal particles or Cd ions in the solution would decrease the foam capacity and stability of SDS. In addition, the decreased foam capacity and stability was more pronounced in the presence of coffee colloidal particles than Cd ions. The colloidal particles may have stronger interaction with SDS and thus reduce the formation of the foam.

Fixed Combination Aerosol Foam Calcipotriene 0.005% (Cal) Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate 0.064% (BD) is More Efficacious than Cal or BD Aerosol Foam Alone for Psoriasis Vulgaris

PubMed Central

Tyring, Stephen; Bukhalo, Michael; Alonso-Llamazares, Javier; Olesen, Martin; Lowson, David; Yamauchi, Paul

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of fixed combination aerosol foam calcipotriene 0.005% (Cal) plus betamethasone dipropionate 0.064% (BD). Design: Patients were randomized (100:101:101) to receive Cal/BD foam, Cal foam, or BD foam once daily for four weeks. Setting: Twenty-eight United States centers. Participants: 302 patients (≥18 years) with Psoriasis vulgaris (plaque Psoriasis; ≥mild disease severity by physicians global assessment). Measurements: Treatment success of the body (“clear”/”almost clear” from baseline moderate/severe disease; “clear” from baseline mild disease). Involved scalp treatment success was an additional endpoint. Results: Most patients (76%) had moderate Psoriasis of the body (66% for scalp). At Week 4, 45 percent of Cal/BD foam patients achieved treatment success, significantly more than Cal foam (14.9%; OR 4.34 [95%CI 2.16,8.72] P<0.001) or BD foam (30.7%; 1.81 [1.00,3.26] P=0.047). Fifty-three percent of Cal/BD foam patients achieved treatment success of the scalp, significantly greater than Cal foam (35.6%; 1.91 [1.09,3.35] P=0.021), but not BD foam (47.5%; 1.24 [0.71,2.16] P=0.45). Mean modified Psoriasis area and severity index (population baseline 7.6) improved in all groups, with statistically significant differences in Week 4 Cal/BD foam score (2.37) versus Cal foam (4.39; mean difference -2.03 [-2.63][-1.43] P<0.001) and BD foam (3.37; -1.19 [-1.80][-0.59] P<0.001). Four (Cal/BD), 10 (Cal), and 8 (BD) adverse drug reactions were reported. Conclusion: Cal/BD foam was significantly more effective than Cal foam and BD foam in providing treatment success at Week 4 and effective on involved scalp. Trial registration: NCT01536938. PMID:27313822

Foam relaxation in fractures and narrow channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Ching-Yao; Rallabandi, Bhargav; Perazzo, Antonio; Stone, Howard A.

2017-11-01

Various applications, from foam manufacturing to hydraulic fracturing with foams, involve pressure-driven flow of foams in narrow channels. We report a combined experimental and theoretical study of this problem accounting for the compressible nature of the foam. In particular, in our experiments the foam is initially compressed in one channel and then upon flow into a second channel the compressed foam relaxes as it moves. A plug flow is observed in the tube and the pressure at the entrance of the tube is higher than the exit. We measure the volume collected at the exit of the tube, V, as a function of injection flow rate, tube length and diameter. Two scaling behaviors for V as a function of time are observed depending on whether foam compression is important or not. Our work may relate to foam fracturing, which saves water usage in hydraulic fracturing, more efficient enhanced oil recovery via foam injection, and various materials manufacturing processes involving pressure-driven flow foams.

Role of Temperature and SiCP Parameters in Stability and Quality of Al-Si-Mg/SiC Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi Kumar, N. V.; Gokhale, Amol A.

2018-06-01

Composites of Al-Si-Mg (A356) alloy with silicon carbide particles were synthesized in-house and foamed by melt processing using titanium hydride as foaming agent. The effects of the SiCP size and content, and foaming temperature on the stability and quality of the foam were explored. It was observed that the foam stability depended on the foaming temperature alone but not on the particle size or volume percent within the studied ranges. Specifically, foam stability was poor at 670°C. Among the stable foams obtained at 640°C, cell soundness (absence of/low defects, and collapse) was seen to vary depending on the particle size and content; For example, for finer size, lower particle contents were sufficient to obtain sound cell structure. It is possible to determine a foaming process window based on material and process parameters for good expansion, foam stability, and cell structure.

Reproducibility of Aluminum Foam by Combining Sintering and Dissolution Process with Precursor Foaming Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Matsushita, Hayato; Koyama, Shinji; Suzuki, Ryosuke; Matsubara, Masaaki

2017-07-01

A preliminary study of the reproducibility of aluminum foam was performed. Aluminum foam was fabricated by a sintering and dissolution process. It was found that aluminum foam containing a blowing agent can be fabricated without the decomposition of the blowing agent, namely, the densified aluminum foam can be used as a foamable precursor for refoaming. By heat treatment of the densified aluminum foam containing the blowing agent, pores were reproduced in the aluminum.

Synergistic effect of casein glycomacropeptide on sodium caseinate foaming properties.

PubMed

Morales, R; Martinez, M J; Pilosof, A M R

2017-11-01

Several strategies to improve the interfacial properties and foaming properties of proteins may be developed; among them, the use of mixtures of biopolymers that exhibit synergistic interactions. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of casein glycomacropeptide (CMP) on foaming and surface properties of sodium caseinate (NaCas) and to establish the role of protein interactions in the aqueous phase. To this end particles size, interfacial and foaming properties of CMP, NaCas and NaCas-CMP mixtures at pH 5.5 and 7 were determined. At both pH, the interaction between CMP and NaCas induced a decrease in the aggregation state of NaCas. Single CMP foams showed the highest and NaCas the lowest foam overrun (FO) and the mixture exhibited intermediate values. CMP foam quickly drained. The drainage profile of mixed foams was closer to NaCas foams; at pH 5.5, mixed foams drained even slower than NaCas foam, exhibiting a synergistic performance. Additionally, a strong synergism was observed on the collapse of mixed foams at pH 5.5. Finally, a model to explain the synergistic effect observed on foaming properties in CMP-NaCas mixtures has been proposed; the reduced aggregation state of NaCas in the presence of CMP, made it more efficient for foam stabilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal Design of Functionally Graded Metallic Foam Insulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haftka, Raphael T.; Sankar, Bhavani; Venkataraman, Satchi; Zhu, Huadong

2002-01-01

The focus of our work has been on developing an insight into the physics that govern the optimum design of thermal insulation for use in thermal protection systems of launch vehicle. Of particular interest was to obtain optimality criteria for designing foam insulations that have density (or porosity) distributions through the thickness for optimum thermal performance. We investigate the optimum design of functionally graded thermal insulation for steady state heat transfer through the foam. We showed that the heat transfer in the foam has competing modes, of radiation and conduction. The problem assumed a fixed inside temperature of 400 K and varied the aerodynamic surface heating on the outside surface from 0.2 to 1.0 MW/sq m. The thermal insulation develops a high temperature gradient through the thickness. Investigation of the model developed for heat conduction in foams showed that at high temperatures (as on outside wall) intracellular radiation dominates the heat transfer in the foam. Minimizing radiation requires reducing the pore size, which increases the density of the foam. At low temperatures (as on the inside wall), intracellular conduction (of the metal and air) dominates the heat transfer. Minimizing conduction requires increasing the pore size. This indicated that for every temperature there was an optimum value of density that minimized the heat transfer coefficient. Two optimization studies were performed. One was to minimize the heat transmitted though a fixed thickness insulation by varying density profiles. The second was to obtain the minimum mass insulation for specified thickness. Analytical optimality criteria were derived for the cases considered. The optimality condition for minimum heat transfer required that at each temperature we find the density that minimizes the heat transfer coefficient. Once a relationship between the optimum heat transfer coefficient and the temperature was found, the design problem reduced to the solution of a simple nonlinear differential equation. Preliminary results of this work were presented at the American Society of Composites meeting, and the final version was submitted for publication in the AIAA Journal. In addition to minimizing the transmitted heat, we investigated the optimum design for minimum weight given an acceptable level of heat transmission through the insulation. The optimality criterion developed was different from that obtained for minimizing beat transfer coefficient. For minimum mass design, we had to find for a given temperature the optimum density, which minimized the logarithmic derivative of the insulation thermal conductivity with respect to its density. The logarithmic derivative is defined as the ratio of relative change in the dependent response (thermal conductivity) to the relative change in the independent variable (density). The results have been documented as a conference paper that will be presented at the upcoming AIAA.

Crack Initiation and Growth in Rigid Polymeric Closed-Cell Foam Cryogenic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sayyah, Tarek; Steeve, Brian; Wells, Doug

2006-01-01

Cryogenic vessels, such as the Space Shuttle External Tank, are often insulated with closed-cell foam because of its low thermal conductivity. The coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the foam and metallic substrate places the foam under a biaxial tension gradient through the foam thickness. The total foam thickness affects the slope of the stress gradient and is considered a significant contributor to the initiation of subsurface cracks. Rigid polymeric foams are brittle in nature and any subsurface cracks tend to propagate a finite distance toward the surface. This presentation investigates the relationship between foam thickness and crack initiation and subsequent crack growth, using linear elastic fracture mechanics, in a rigid polymeric closed-cell foam through analysis and comparison with experimental results.

Advances of Researches on Improving the Stability of Foams by Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, G.; Wang, K. L.; Lu, C. J.

2017-09-01

Recently, nano-tech made a change of traditional oil-gas exploration. Considering that foam fluid had a poor stability, investigators proposed to add nanoparticles to stabilize the foam fluid system. This paper described the mechanism of particles to improve the stability of the foam fluid in detail; and emphasized the synergistic effect between nanoparticles and surfactants and its effect on the foaming and foam stability of dispersions; and reviewed the latest applications of foam fluid that was stabilized by nanoparticle in enhancing oil-gas recovery, in which there are analysis that showed that the nanoparticles not only greatly increase the stability of the foam fluid, but also improve the efficiency of foam fluid; and lastly, forecasted the development of nanotechnology in petroleum areas.

Brood size and its importance for nestling growth in the Biscutate Swift (Streptoprocne biscutata, Aves: Apodidae).

PubMed

Pichorim, M; Monteiro-Filho, E L A

2008-11-01

Many Apodidae, including Streptoprocne biscutata (Sclater, 1866), drop eggs from their nests during incubation. This is interpreted as nest site competition or accident. We provide evidence that egg ejection is deliberate and that this behaviour controls the brood size. Brood sizes were manipulated and nestling growth was measured to test the hypothesis that pairs can regulate brood size during incubation based on current ability to rear nestlings. Natural (control) broods with one, two and three nestlings, and manipulated (experimental) broods reduced to one and increased to two and three young were monitored. Growth rates were measured based on weight, and wing, tail and tarsus lengths of natural and manipulated broods. We compared the slopes of each measure's regression lines of the nestlings of each brood size by t-test. Nestling growth of control nests was similar and relatively little associated with brood size. In broods reduced to one nestling, weight, wing and tail had greater growth rates, and in broods increased to three nestlings growth rates were lower. Weight was most, and tarsus length least influenced by brood size. In general, nestling growth of manipulated nests was inversely proportional to brood size. The results suggest that pairs with larger clutches are in better physical conditions than others. Thus, in experimental broods, pairs are over or under-loaded because feeding activities increase or decrease and these changes affect the growth rate of the nestlings. The present study suggests that egg ejection can control brood size. This behaviour is probably stimulated by physical changes in the adult birds during incubation.

Porous Media Approach for Modeling Closed Cell Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Sullivan, Roy M.

2006-01-01

In order to minimize boil off of the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen and to prevent the formation of ice on its exterior surface, the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is insulated using various low-density, closed-cell polymeric foams. Improved analysis methods for these foam materials are needed to predict the foam structural response and to help identify the foam fracture behavior in order to help minimize foam shedding occurrences. This presentation describes a continuum based approach to modeling the foam thermo-mechanical behavior that accounts for the cellular nature of the material and explicitly addresses the effect of the internal cell gas pressure. A porous media approach is implemented in a finite element frame work to model the mechanical behavior of the closed cell foam. The ABAQUS general purpose finite element program is used to simulate the continuum behavior of the foam. The soil mechanics element is implemented to account for the cell internal pressure and its effect on the stress and strain fields. The pressure variation inside the closed cells is calculated using the ideal gas laws. The soil mechanics element is compatible with an orthotropic materials model to capture the different behavior between the rise and in-plane directions of the foam. The porous media approach is applied to model the foam thermal strain and calculate the foam effective coefficient of thermal expansion. The calculated foam coefficients of thermal expansion were able to simulate the measured thermal strain during heat up from cryogenic temperature to room temperature in vacuum. The porous media approach was applied to an insulated substrate with one inch foam and compared to a simple elastic solution without pore pressure. The porous media approach is also applied to model the foam mechanical behavior during subscale laboratory experiments. In this test, a foam layer sprayed on a metal substrate is subjected to a temperature variation while the metal substrate is stretched to simulate the structural response of the tank during operation. The thermal expansion mismatch between the foam and the metal substrate and the thermal gradient in the foam layer causes high tensile stresses near the metal/foam interface that can lead to delamination.

Foams prepared from whey protein isolate and egg white protein: 2. Changes associated with angel food cake functionality.

PubMed

Berry, Tristan K; Yang, Xin; Foegeding, E Allen

2009-06-01

The effects of sucrose on the physical properties and thermal stability of foams prepared from 10% (w/v) protein solutions of whey protein isolate (WPI), egg white protein (EWP), and their combinations (WPI/EWP) were investigated in wet foams and angel food cakes. Incorporation of 12.8 (w/v) sucrose increased EWP foam stability (drainage 1/2 life) but had little effect on the stability of WPI and WPI/EWP foams. Increased stability was not due to viscosity alone. Sucrose increased interfacial elasticity (E ') of EWP and decreased E' of WPI and WPI/EWP combinations, suggesting that altered interfacial properties increased stability in EWP foams. Although 25% WPI/75% EWP cakes had similar volumes as EWP cakes, cakes containing WPI had larger air cells. Changes during heating showed that EWP foams had network formation starting at 45 degrees C, which was not observed in WPI and WPI/EWP foams. Moreover, in batters, which are foams with additional sugar and flour, a stable foam network was observed from 25 to 85 degrees C for batters made from EWP foams. Batters containing WPI or WPI/EWP mixtures showed signs of destabilization starting at 25 degrees C. These results show that sucrose greatly improved the stability of wet EWP foams and that EWP foams form network structures that remain stable during heating. In contrast, sucrose had minimal effects on stability of WPI and WPI/EWP wet foams, and batters containing these foams showed destabilization prior to heating. Therefore, destabilization processes occurring in the wet foams and during baking account for differences in angel food cake quality.

Thermal insulation of pipelines by foamed glass-ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apkaryan, A. S.; Kudyakov, A. I.

2015-01-01

Based on broken glass, clay and organic additives granular insulating glass crystalline material and technology of its receipt are developed. The regularities of the effect of composition and firing temperature on the properties of the granules are specified. The resulting granular thermally insulating material is produced with a bulk density of 260-280 kg/m3 pellet strength - 1.74 MPa, thermal conductivity - 0.075 W/m °C, water absorption - 2.6 % by weight. The effect of the basic physical characteristics of the components of the charge on the process of pore formation is studied. According to the research results, basic parameters affecting the sustainability of the swelling glass are specified. Rational charge composition, thermal and gas synthesis mode are chosen so that the partial pressure of gases is below the surface tension of the melt. This enables the formation of granules with small closed pores and vitrified surface. The article is the result of studies on the application of materials for pipe insulation of heating mains with foamed glass ceramics.

Jellyfish skin polysaccharides: extraction and inhibitory activity on macrophage-derived foam cell formation.

PubMed

Zhang, Hai-Lin; Cui, Shao-Hua; Zha, Xue-Qiang; Bansal, Vibha; Xue, Lei; Li, Xiao-Long; Hao, Ran; Pan, Li-Hua; Luo, Jian-Ping

2014-06-15

In this work, response surface methodology was used to determine optimum conditions for extraction of polysaccharides from jellyfish skin (JSP). The optimum parameters were found to be raw material to water ratio 1:7.5 (w/v), extraction temperature 100°C and extraction time 4h. Under these conditions, the JSP yield reached 1.007 mg/g. Papain (15 U/mL) in combination with Sevag reagent was beneficial in removing proteins from JSP. After precipitation with ethanol at final concentration of 40%, 60% and 80% in turn, three polysaccharide fractions of JSP1, JSP2 and JSP3 were obtained from JSP, respectively. The three fractions exhibited different physicochemical properties with respect to molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, infrared absorption spectra, and glycosyl bond composition. In addition, JSP3 showed strong inhibitory effects on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) induced conversion of macrophages into foam cells, which possibly attributed to the down-regulation of some atherogenesis-related gene expressions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of polysaccharides with marked inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation in Pleurotus eryngii.

PubMed

Chen, Jingjing; Yong, Yangyang; Xing, Meichun; Gu, Yifan; Zhang, Zhao; Zhang, Shizhu; Lu, Ling

2013-09-12

Mushrooms have a great potential for the production of useful bioactive metabolites. To explore the bioactive compounds from edible mushrooms for interfering with the development of macrophage-derived foam cells, which is recognized as the hallmark of early atherosclerosis, eight types of mushrooms polysaccharides had been selected to be tested. Consequently, different mushrooms polysaccharides displayed diverse component profiles. Of polysaccharides that we tested, the Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharide had the strongest inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation. Furthermore, through fractionation of DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100, the polysaccharide from P. eryngii had been successfully purified and identified. By the analysis of IR, GC, and HPLC, the purified polysaccharide was estimated to be 30-38 kDa for the average molecular weight with the monosaccharide composition mainly composed of D-types of mannose, glucose and galactose. Findings presented in this report firstly provide direct evidence, which links the purified polysaccharide moiety with the biological function in foam-cell model. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of yolk contamination, shearing, and heating on foaming properties of fresh egg white.

PubMed

Wang, G; Wang, T

2009-03-01

A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of yolk contamination, shearing, and thermal treatment on foaming properties of liquid egg white. Samples obtained from industrial processing were also evaluated. Whipping and purging methods were both used to assess their effectiveness and sensitivity in evaluating foaming. A concentration as low as 0.022% (as-is basis) of yolk contamination caused significant reductions in foaming capacity and foaming speed. The neutral lipid fraction of egg yolk caused the major detrimental effect on foaming, and phospholipids fraction did not give significant foaming reduction at a concentration as high as 0.1%. High-speed and short-time shearing caused no apparent damage but longer shearing time significantly impaired foaming. Heat-induced foaming change is a function of temperature and holding time. Foaming was significantly reduced at a temperature of 55 degrees C for 10 min, whereas it did not change up to 3 min at a heating temperature of 62 to 64 degrees C. Industrial processing steps (pumping, pipe transfer, and storage) did not produce negative effects on foaming of the final products and the controlled pasteurization was actually beneficial for good foaming performance. Therefore, yolk contamination of the egg white was the major factor in reducing foaming properties of the white protein.

The effects of foaming conditions on plasticized polyvinyl chloride foam morphology by using liquid carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuaponpat, N.; Areerat, S.

2017-11-01

This research studies the effects of foaming conditions by using liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) as a physical blowing agent on plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam morphology. Foaming conditions were soaking time of 6, 10, and 12 h, foaming temperature of 70, 80, 90 °C for 5 s, at constant soaking temperature of -20 °C and pressure of 50 bar. Instantaneously increasing temperature was employed in this process for making foam structure. PVC foam samples were calculated percentage of shrinkage (Sh) by using density at before and after aging process at 30 °C for 12 h. When PVC samples were activated to form foam by using liquid CO2 as a physical blowing agent, it reveal bimodal foam structure with a thick bubble wall (10-20 μm). Bubble diameter of PVC foam at longer soaking time is in the range of 40-60 μm and its at shorter soaking time reveal a large bubble that is in the range of 80-120 μm. Foaming condition slightly affected to bubble density that was in the narrow range of 106-108 bubbles/cm3. PVC foam reveal reduction of density up to 65% when compare with PVC and Sh is less than 10%.

Detailed investigation of the microbial community in foaming activated sludge reveals novel foam formers

PubMed Central

Guo, Feng; Wang, Zhi-Ping; Yu, Ke; Zhang, T.

2015-01-01

Foaming of activated sludge (AS) causes adverse impacts on wastewater treatment operation and hygiene. In this study, we investigated the microbial communities of foam, foaming AS and non-foaming AS in a sewage treatment plant via deep-sequencing of the taxonomic marker genes 16S rRNA and mycobacterial rpoB and a metagenomic approach. In addition to Actinobacteria, many genera (e.g., Clostridium XI, Arcobacter, Flavobacterium) were more abundant in the foam than in the AS. On the other hand, deep-sequencing of rpoB did not detect any obligate pathogenic mycobacteria in the foam. We found that unknown factors other than the abundance of Gordonia sp. could determine the foaming process, because abundance of the same species was stable before and after a foaming event over six months. More interestingly, although the dominant Gordonia foam former was the closest with G. amarae, it was identified as an undescribed Gordonia species by referring to the 16S rRNA gene, gyrB and, most convincingly, the reconstructed draft genome from metagenomic reads. Our results, based on metagenomics and deep sequencing, reveal that foams are derived from diverse taxa, which expands previous understanding and provides new insight into the underlying complications of the foaming phenomenon in AS. PMID:25560234

dsmcFoam+: An OpenFOAM based direct simulation Monte Carlo solver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, C.; Borg, M. K.; Scanlon, T. J.; Longshaw, S. M.; John, B.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

2018-03-01

dsmcFoam+ is a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) solver for rarefied gas dynamics, implemented within the OpenFOAM software framework, and parallelised with MPI. It is open-source and released under the GNU General Public License in a publicly available software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial DSMC gas flow cases. This release of the code includes many features not found in standard dsmcFoam, such as molecular vibrational and electronic energy modes, chemical reactions, and subsonic pressure boundary conditions. Since dsmcFoam+ is designed entirely within OpenFOAM's C++ object-oriented framework, it benefits from a number of key features: the code emphasises extensibility and flexibility so it is aimed first and foremost as a research tool for DSMC, allowing new models and test cases to be developed and tested rapidly. All DSMC cases are as straightforward as setting up any standard OpenFOAM case, as dsmcFoam+ relies upon the standard OpenFOAM dictionary based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of a DSMC simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. We show that dsmcFoam+ compares well to other well-known DSMC codes and to analytical solutions in terms of benchmark results.

Pitch based foam with particulate

DOEpatents

Klett, James W.

2001-01-01

A thermally conductive, pitch based foam composite having a particulate content. The particulate alters the mechanical characteristics of the foam without severely degrading the foam thermal conductivity. The composite is formed by mixing the particulate with pitch prior to foaming.

Strain compatibility tests for sprayed foam cryogenic insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, W. L.; Kimberlin, D. O.

1970-01-01

Mechanical stress applied to foam-coated aluminum alloy specimens maintained at cryogenic temperature simulates actual use conditions of the foam insulation. The testing reveals defects in the polyurethane foam or in the foam to metal bond.

Rigid closed-cell polyimide foams for aircraft applications and foam-in-place technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gagliani, J.; Straub, P.; Gagliani, J., Jr.

1983-01-01

Significant accomplishments generated are summarized. Testing of closed cell foams, which has resulted in the characterization of compositions which produce rigid foams for use in galley structure applications is reported. It is shown that the density, compressive strength and shear strength of the foams are directly related to the concentrations of the microballoons. The same properties are also directly related to the resin loading. Prototype samples of rigid closed cell foams meeting the requirements of the program were submitted. Investigation of the apparatus to produce polyimide foams using foam in place techniques, resulted in the selection of a spray gun apparatus, capable to deliver a mixture of microballoons and resin binder on substrates which cures to yield a closed cell foam. It is found that the adhesion of the foam on aluminum, titanium and steel substrates is satisfactory. It is concluded that the material meets the mechanical and thermal requirements of the program.

Fabrication of Aluminum Foams with Small Pore Size by Melt Foaming Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ying; Li, Yanxiang; Chen, Xiang; Shi, Tong; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Ningzhen

2017-04-01

This article introduces an improvement to the fabrication of aluminum foams with small pore size by melt foaming method. Before added to the melt, the foaming agent (titanium hydride) was pretreated in two steps. It firstly went through the traditional pre-oxidation treatment, which delayed the decomposition of titanium hydride and made sure the dispersion stage was controllable. Then such pre-oxidized titanium hydride powder was mixed with copper powder in a planetary ball mill. This treatment can not only increase the number of foaming agent particles and make them easier to disperse in the melt, which helps to increase the number of pores, but also reduce the amount of hydrogen released in the foaming stage. Therefore, the pore size could be decreased. Using such a ball-milled foaming agent in melt foaming method, aluminum foams with small pore size (average size of 1.6 mm) were successfully fabricated.

Understanding about How Different Foaming Gases Effect the Interfacial Array Behaviors of Surfactants and the Foam Properties.

PubMed

Sun, Yange; Qi, Xiaoqing; Sun, Haoyang; Zhao, Hui; Li, Ying

2016-08-02

In this paper, the detailed behaviors of all the molecules, especially the interfacial array behaviors of surfactants and diffusion behaviors of gas molecules, in foam systems with different gases (N2, O2, and CO2) being used as foaming agents were investigated by combining molecular dynamics simulation and experimental approaches for the purpose of interpreting how the molecular behaviors effect the properties of the foam and find out the key factors which fundamentally determine the foam stability. Sodium dodecyl sulfate SDS was used as the foam stabilizer. The foam decay and the drainage process were determined by Foamscan. A texture analyzer (TA) was utilized to measure the stiffness and viscoelasticity of the foam films. The experimental results agreed very well with the simulation results by which how the different gas components affect the interfacial behaviors of surfactant molecules and thereby bring influence on foam properties was described.

Innovative test method for the estimation of the foaming tendency of substrates for biogas plants.

PubMed

Moeller, Lucie; Eismann, Frank; Wißmann, Daniel; Nägele, Hans-Joachim; Zielonka, Simon; Müller, Roland A; Zehnsdorf, Andreas

2015-07-01

Excessive foaming in anaerobic digestion occurs at many biogas plants and can cause problems including plugged gas pipes. Unfortunately, the majority of biogas plant operators are unable to identify the causes of foaming in their biogas reactor. The occurrence of foaming is often related to the chemical composition of substrates fed to the reactor. The consistency of the digestate itself is also a crucial part of the foam formation process. Thus, no specific recommendations concerning substrates can be given in order to prevent foam formation in biogas plants. The safest way to avoid foaming is to test the foaming tendency of substrates on-site. A possible solution is offered by an innovative foaming test. With the help of this tool, biogas plant operators can evaluate the foaming disposition of new substrates prior to use in order to adjust the composition of substrate mixes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foam-oil interaction in porous media: implications for foam assisted enhanced oil recovery.

PubMed

Farajzadeh, R; Andrianov, A; Krastev, R; Hirasaki, G J; Rossen, W R

2012-11-15

The efficiency of a foam displacement process in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) depends largely on the stability of foam films in the presence of oil. Experimental studies have demonstrated the detrimental impact of oil on foam stability. This paper reviews the mechanisms and theories (disjoining pressure, coalescence and drainage, entering and spreading of oil, oil emulsification, pinch-off, etc.) suggested in the literature to explain the impact of oil on foam stability in the bulk and porous media. Moreover, we describe the existing approaches to foam modeling in porous media and the ways these models describe the oil effect on foam propagation in porous media. Further, we present various ideas on an improvement of foam stability and longevity in the presence of oil. The outstanding questions regarding foam-oil interactions and modeling of these interactions are pointed out. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Springback Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

A decade ago, NASA's Ames Research Center developed a new foam material for protective padding of airplane seats. Now known as Temper Foam, the material has become one of the most widely-used spinoffs. Latest application is a line of Temper Foam cushioning produced by Edmont-Wilson, Coshocton, Ohio for office and medical furniture. The example pictured is the Classic Dental Stool, manufactured by Dentsply International, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, one of four models which use Edmont-Wilson Temper Foam. Temper Foam is an open-cell, flameresistant foam with unique qualities.

Foaming volume and foam stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Sydney

1947-01-01

A method of measuring foaming volume is described and investigated to establish the critical factors in its operation. Data on foaming volumes and foam stabilities are given for a series of hydrocarbons and for a range of concentrations of aqueous ethylene-glycol solutions. It is shown that the amount of foam formed depends on the machinery of its production as well as on properties of the liquid, whereas the stability of the foam produced, within specified mechanical limitations, is primarily a function of the liquid.

Development of drilling foams for geothermal applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, W.J.; Remont, L.J.; Rehm, W.A.

The use of foam drilling fluids in geothermal applications is addressed. A description of foams - what they are, how they are used, their properties, equipment required to use them, the advantages and disadvantages of foams, etc. - is presented. Geothermal applications are discussed. Results of industry interviews presented indicate significant potential for foams, but also indicate significant technical problems to be solved to achieve this potential. Testing procedures and results of tests on representative foams provide a basis for work to develop high-temperature foams.

Historical usage of aqueous film forming foam: a case study of the widespread distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids from a military airport to groundwater, lakes, soils and fish.

PubMed

Filipovic, Marko; Woldegiorgis, Andreas; Norström, Karin; Bibi, Momina; Lindberg, Maria; Österås, Ann-Helen

2015-06-01

Historical usage of aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) at military airports is a potential source of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) to the nearby environment. In this study, the distribution of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in soil, groundwater, surface water, tap water well, and fish muscle was investigated at a closed down military airfield (F18) and its surroundings in Stockholm, Sweden. The presence of PFOS at AFFF training sites was inventoried. One major finding of the study is that a former airfield, abandoned since 1994, may still be a point source of PFAAs to nearby recipients. PFOS and PFOA were ubiquitous in the soil samples at former AFFF training sites with concentrations ranging from 2.18 to 8520ngg(-1) dry weight and <0.12-287ngg(-1) dry weight respectively. The sum of PFAAs in the groundwater and surface waters ranged from 738 to 51000ngL(-1) and

Investigation of Shock Wave Attenuation in Porous Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Foam ...... 38 Table 4. Summary of Material Characteristics of Polyurethane Foams ............ 40 Table 5. Summary of Experiment Results...polyurethane foam , he performed a simple symmetric impact simulation to investigate the material properties and wave propagation characteristics of the...describes the characteristics of the two foam materials studied in this research, namely the aluminum metal foam and rigid polyurethane foam , which

Indentability of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakes, R. S.; Elms, K.

1992-01-01

The indentation resistance of foams, both of conventional structure and of reentrant structure giving rise to negative Poisson's ratio, is studied using holographic interferometry. In holographic indentation tests, reentrant foams had higher yield strength and lower stiffness than conventional foams of the same original relative density. Calculated energy absorption for dynamic impact is considerably higher for reentrant foam than conventional foam.

Pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composites and methods of making the same

DOEpatents

Gash, Alexander E [Brentwood, CA; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Simpson, Randall L [Livermore, CA; Baumann, Theodore F [Discovery Bay, CA; Worsley, Marcus A [Belmont, CA

2012-05-08

A method for creating a pyrophoric material according to one embodiment includes thermally activating a carbon foam for creating micropores therein; contacting the activated carbon foam with a liquid solution comprising a metal salt for depositing metal ions in the carbon foam; and reducing the metal ions in the foam to metal particles. A pyrophoric material in yet another embodiment includes a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m.sup.2/g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam. Additional methods and materials are also disclosed.

Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure Analysis, a Non-Conventional Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Philip M.

2015-01-01

The Space Shuttle Program made use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications de-bond, classical methods of failure analysis did not provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

Bio-based Polymer Foam from Soyoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnaillie, Laetitia M.; Wool, Richard P.

2006-03-01

The growing bio-based polymeric foam industry is presently lead by plant oil-based polyols for polyurethanes and starch foams. We developed a new resilient, thermosetting foam system with a bio-based content higher than 80%. The acrylated epoxidized soybean oil and its fatty acid monomers is foamed with pressurized carbon dioxide and cured with free-radical initiators. The foam structure and pore dynamics are highly dependent on the temperature, viscosity and extent of reaction. Low-temperature cure hinds the destructive pore coalescence and the application of a controlled vacuum results in foams with lower densities ˜ 0.1 g/cc, but larger cells. We analyze the physics of foam formation and stability, as well as the structure and mechanical properties of the cured foam using rigidity percolation theory. The parameters studied include temperature, vacuum applied, and cross-link density. Additives bring additional improvements: nucleating agents and surfactants help produce foams with a high concentration of small cells and low bulk density. Hard and soft thermosetting foams with a bio content superior to 80% are successfully produced and tested. Potential applications include foam-core composites for hurricane-resistant housing, structural reinforcement for windmill blades, and tissue scaffolds.

Foam pad of appropriate thickness can improve diagnostic value of foam posturography in detecting postural instability.

PubMed

Liu, Bo; Leng, Yangming; Zhou, Renhong; Liu, Jingjing; Liu, Dongdong; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Su-Lin; Kong, Wei-Jia

2018-04-01

The present study investigated the effect of foam thickness on postural stability in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) during foam posturography. Static and foam posturography were performed in 33 patients (UVH group) and 30 healthy subjects (control group) with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC) on firm surface and on 1-5 foam pad(s). Sway velocity (SV) of center of pressure, standing time before falling (STBF) and falls reaction were recorded and analyzed. (1) SVs had an increasing tendency in both groups as the foam pads were added under EO and EC conditions. (2) STBFs, only in UVH group with EC, decreased with foam thickness increasing. (3) Significant differences in SV were found between the control and UVH group with EO (except for standing on firm surface, on 1 and 2 foam pad(s)) and with EC (all surface conditions). (4) Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the SV could better reflect the difference in postural stability between the two groups while standing on the 4 foam pads with EC. Our study showed that diagnostic value of foam posturography in detecting postural instability might be enhanced by using foam pad of right thickness.

Application of an Elongated Kelvin Model to Space Shuttle Foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Roy M.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.

2008-01-01

Spray-on foam insulation is applied to the exterior of the Space Shuttle s External Tank to limit propellant boil-off and to prevent ice formation. The Space Shuttle foams are rigid closed-cell polyurethane foams. The two foams used most extensively on the Space Shuttle External Tank are BX-265 and NCFI24-124. Since the catastrophic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia, numerous studies have been conducted to mitigate the likelihood and the severity of foam shedding during the Shuttle s ascent to space. Due to the foaming and rising process, the foam microstructures are elongated in the rise direction. As a result, these two foams exhibit a non-isotropic mechanical behavior. In this paper, a detailed microstructural characterization of the two foams is presented. The key features of the foam cells are summarized and the average cell dimensions in the two foams are compared. Experimental studies to measure the room temperature mechanical response of the two foams in the two principal material directions (parallel to the rise and perpendicular to the rise) are also reported. The measured elastic modulus, proportional limit stress, ultimate tensile stress and the Poisson s ratios for the two foams are compared. The generalized elongated Kelvin foam model previously developed by the authors is reviewed and the equations which result from this model are presented. The resulting equations show that the ratio of the elastic modulus in the rise direction to that in the perpendicular-to-rise direction as well as the ratio of the strengths in the two material directions is only a function of the microstructural dimensions. Using the measured microstructural dimensions and the measured stiffness ratio, the foam tensile strength ratio and Poisson s ratios are predicted for both foams. The predicted tensile strength ratio is in close agreement with the measured strength ratios for both BX-265 and NCFI24-124. The comparison between the predicted Poisson s ratios and the measured values is not as favorable.

Compressive Deformation Behavior of Closed-Cell Micro-Pore Magnesium Composite Foam.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Wang, Nannan; Liu, Xin; Ding, Jian; Xia, Xingchuan; Chen, Xueguang; Zhao, Weimin

2018-05-04

The closed-cell micro-pore magnesium composite foam with hollow ceramic microspheres (CMs) was fabricated by a modified melt foaming method. The effect of CMs on the compressive deformation behavior of CM-containing magnesium composite foam was investigated. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for observation of the microstructure. Finite element modeling of the magnesium composite foam was established to predict localized stress, fracture of CMs, and the compressive deformation behavior of the foam. The results showed that CMs and pores directly affected the compressive deformation behavior of the magnesium composite foam by sharing a part of load applied on the foam. Meanwhile, the presence of Mg₂Si phase influenced the mechanical properties of the foam by acting as the crack source during the compression process.

Compressive Deformation Behavior of Closed-Cell Micro-Pore Magnesium Composite Foam

PubMed Central

Wang, Jing; Wang, Nannan; Liu, Xin; Ding, Jian; Xia, Xingchuan; Chen, Xueguang; Zhao, Weimin

2018-01-01

The closed-cell micro-pore magnesium composite foam with hollow ceramic microspheres (CMs) was fabricated by a modified melt foaming method. The effect of CMs on the compressive deformation behavior of CM-containing magnesium composite foam was investigated. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for observation of the microstructure. Finite element modeling of the magnesium composite foam was established to predict localized stress, fracture of CMs, and the compressive deformation behavior of the foam. The results showed that CMs and pores directly affected the compressive deformation behavior of the magnesium composite foam by sharing a part of load applied on the foam. Meanwhile, the presence of Mg2Si phase influenced the mechanical properties of the foam by acting as the crack source during the compression process. PMID:29734700

Evaluation of a steady-state test of foam stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutzler, Stefan; Lösch, Dörte; Carey, Enda; Weaire, Denis; Hloucha, Matthias; Stubenrauch, Cosima

2011-02-01

We have evaluated a steady-state test of foam stability, based on the steady-state height of a foam produced by a constant velocity of gas flow. This test is mentioned in the book by Bikerman [Foams, Springer, Berlin, 1973] and an elementary theory was developed for it by Verbist et al. [J. Phys. Condens. Matter 8 (1996) p. 3715]. For the study, we used an aqueous solution of the cationic surfactant dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide, C12TAB, at a concentration of two times the critical micelle concentration (2 cmc). During foam generation, bubbles collapse at the top of the column which, in turn, eventually counterbalances the rate of bubble production at the bottom. The resulting balance can be described mathematically by an appropriate solution of the foam drainage equation under specified boundary conditions. Our experimental findings are in agreement with the theoretical predictions of a diverging foam height at a critical gas velocity and a finite foam height in the limit of zero velocity. We identify a critical liquid fraction below which a foam is unstable as an important parameter for characterizing foam stability. Furthermore, we deduce an effective viscosity of the liquid which flows through the foam. Currently unexplained are two experimental observations, namely sudden changes of the steady-state foam height in experiments that run over several hours and a reduction in foam height once an overflow of the foam from the containing vessel has occurred.

Foaming Volume and Foam Stability

DTIC Science & Technology

1947-02-01

for a series of hydrocarbons and for a range of concentrations of aqueous ethylene-glycol solutions. It is shown that the amount of foam formed depends...methodofmeasuringfoamingvolumeisdescribedandinvestigated to establishthecriticalfactorsin itsoperation.Dataon foaming ...zethatfoamstabll. # itymeasurementsshouldbe takenipcon@.n@ionwithmeasurementsof foam density.It iseasilyrecognizedthatinitialfoamdensities,asmeasured by

A review of the feasibility of lightening structural polymeric composites with voids without compromising mechanical properties.

PubMed

Rutz, Benjamin H; Berg, John C

2010-10-15

High performance polymer-fiber composites are high strength, low weight materials that have many applications, many of which would benefit from a decrease in weight, without a decrease in material properties. Generally, the fibers serve as the main load carriers, while the matrix serves to distribute load and protect the fibers from the environment. Thus, it is postulated that if the volume fraction of matrix is reduced, while still ensuring complete wetting of the fibers by the matrix, the per unit weight, i.e., specific, mechanical properties could be improved. This can be done by introducing small, spherical bubbles. Given the small average inter-fiber distance and assuming that the bubbles must not interact with the surface of the reinforcements the bubble diameter would need to be less than 1 μm. Introducing bubbles this small and ensuring that they do not form, or become attached, on the surface of the reinforcement are significant challenges. Two methods to produce such bubbles and the effect of these bubbles on mechanical properties of neat resins are reviewed: the addition of hollow spherical fillers, called microballoons, and the creation of bubbles from blowing agents. Microballoons in resins are a class of materials called syntactic foams. Although commercial microballoons are too large, smaller diameters can be made and could be used to reduce the weight of a reinforced composite on the order of 10%. The use of a physical blowing agent to produce bubbles in a composite is also considered. However, traditional polymer foaming techniques may be inadequate, as nucleation on the reinforcing phase is likely, and the bubbles formed are generally too large, so the use of blowing agent wells is considered. Blowing agent wells are discontinuous regions made from copolymer micelles or immiscible polymers that act as reservoirs of blowing agent. Additionally, the use of nano-sized materials for use as heterogeneous nucleation sites and secondary reinforcement of the matrix is also considered. Bubbles made from blowing agent could reduce the weight slightly more than using hollow spheres, but the reduction would also be of the order of 10%. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Counteracting foaming caused by lipids or proteins in biogas reactors using rapeseed oil or oleic acid as antifoaming agents.

PubMed

Kougias, P G; Boe, K; Einarsdottir, E S; Angelidaki, I

2015-08-01

Foaming is one of the major operational problems in biogas plants, and dealing with foaming incidents is still based on empirical practices. Various types of antifoams are used arbitrarily to combat foaming in biogas plants, but without any scientific support this action can lead to serious deterioration of the methanogenic process. Many commercial antifoams are derivatives of fatty acids or oils. However, it is well known that lipids can induce foaming in manure based biogas plants. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of rapeseed oil and oleic acid on foam reduction and process performance in biogas reactors fed with protein or lipid rich substrates. The results showed that both antifoams efficiently suppressed foaming. Moreover rapeseed oil resulted in stimulation of the biogas production. Finally, it was reckoned that the chemical structure of lipids, and more specifically their carboxylic ends, is responsible for their foam promoting or foam counteracting behaviour. Thus, it was concluded that the fatty acids and oils could suppress foaming, while salt of fatty acids could generate foam. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Syringe Volume on Foam Stability in Sclerotherapy for Varicose Vein Treatment.

PubMed

Bai, Taoping; Jiang, Wentao; Fan, Yubo

2018-05-01

Despite the popularity of sclerotherapy for treating varicose veins, it still exhibits various problems, such as pulmonary embolism, deep-vein thrombosis, phlebitis, and visual disorders. To investigate syringe volume influence on foam stability, obtain the foam decay rule, and provide a reference for clinics. Five types of syringes are used to prepare foam at room temperature with various liquid-gas ratios. Foam decay process experiments were performed 5 times and recorded by video. The stability indices used include drainage time, half-life, bubble diameter, bubble surface density, and drainage rate. The 30 and 2-mL syringes, respectively, recorded the highest and lowest drainage speeds. Foam drainage time and half-life, differences varied between 15 and 70 seconds, and 20 and 100 seconds, respectively. Foam bubble diameters were distributed over 0.1 to 2.0 mm with roughly 200 to 700 bubbles per square centimeter. Increased syringe volume causes the bubble diameter to increase. Thus, foam dispersion increases and foam half-life decreases; hence, foam becomes unstable. It is, thus, better to use a small syringe several times to prepare foam in clinics using segmented injections.

Close relationship between a dry-wet transition and a bubble rearrangement in two-dimensional foam

PubMed Central

Furuta, Yujiro; Oikawa, Noriko; Kurita, Rei

2016-01-01

Liquid foams are classified into a dry foam and a wet foam, empirically judging from the liquid fraction or the shape of the gas bubbles. It is known that physical properties such as elasticity and diffusion are different between the dry foam and the wet foam. Nevertheless, definitions of those states have been vague and the dry-wet transition of foams has not been clarified yet. Here we show that the dry-wet transition is closely related to rearrangement of the gas bubbles, by simultaneously analysing the shape change of the bubbles and that of the entire foam in two dimensional foam. In addition, we also find a new state in quite low liquid fraction, which is named “superdry foam”. Whereas the shape change of the bubbles strongly depends on the change of the liquid fraction in the superdry foam, the shape of the bubbles does not change with changing the liquid fraction in the dry foam. Our results elucidate the relationship between the transitions and the macroscopic mechanical properties. PMID:27874060

Nanoparticle-stabilized CO₂ foam for CO₂ EOR application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Ning; Lee, Robert; Yu, Jianjia

The purpose of this project was to develop nanoparticle-stabilized CO₂ foam for CO₂ -EOR application, in which nanoparticles instead of surfactants are used for stabilizing CO₂ foam to improve the CO₂ sweep efficiency and increase oil recovery. The studies included: (1) investigation of CO₂ foam generation nanoparticles, such as silica nanoparticles, and the effects of particle concentration and surface properties, CO₂/brine ratio, brine salinity, pressure, and temperature on foam generation and foam stability; (2) coreflooding tests to understand the nanoparticle-stabilized CO₂ foam for waterflooded residual oil recovery, which include: oil-free coreflooding experiments with nanoparticle-stabilized CO₂ foam to understand the transportationmore » of nanoparticles through the core; measurements of foam stability and CO₂ sweep efficiency under reservoir conditions to investigate temperature and pressure effects on the foam performance and oil recovery as well as the sweep efficiency in different core samples with different rock properties; and (3) long-term coreflooding experiments with the nanoparticle- stabilized CO₂ foam for residual oil recovery. Finally, the technical and economical feasibility of this technology was evaluated.« less

Method of casting pitch based foam

DOEpatents

Klett, James W.

2002-01-01

A process for producing molded pitch based foam is disclosed which minimizes cracking. The process includes forming a viscous pitch foam in a container, and then transferring the viscous pitch foam from the container into a mold. The viscous pitch foam in the mold is hardened to provide a carbon foam having a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts.

Guide to NavyFOAM V1.0

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

NavyFOAM has been developed using an open-source CFD software tool-kit ( OpenFOAM ) that draws heavily upon object-oriented programming. The...numerical methods and the physical models in the original version of OpenFOAM have been upgraded in an effort to improve accuracy and robustness of...computational fluid dynamics OpenFOAM , Object Oriented Programming (OOP) (CFD), NavyFOAM, 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT UNCLASSIFIED b

Preparation and characterization of starch-based loose-fill packaging foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Qi

Regular and waxy corn starches were blended in various ratios with biodegradable polymers including polylactic acid (PLA), Eastar Bio Copolyester 14766 (EBC) and Mater-Bi ZF03U (MBI) and extruded with a C. W. Brabender laboratory twin screw extruder using a 3-mm die nozzle at 150°C and 150 rev/min. Physical characteristics including radial expansion, unit density and bulk density and water solubility index, water absorption characteristics, mechanical properties including compressibility, Young's modulus, spring index, bulk compressibility and bulk spring index and abrasion resistance were investigated as affected by the ingredient formulations, i.e. type of polymers, type of starches, polymer to starch ratio and starch moisture content. A completely randomized factorial blocking experimental design was used. Fifty-four treatments resulted. Each treatment was replicated three times. SAS statistical software package was used to analyze the data. Foams made of waxy starch had better radial expansion, lower unit density and bulk density than did foams made of regular starch. Regular starch foams had significantly lower water solubility index than did the waxy starch foams. PLA-starch foams had the lowest compressibility and Young's modulus. MBI-starch foams were the most rigid. All foams had excellent spring indices and bulk spring indices which were comparable to the spring index of commercial expanded polystyrene foam. Correlations were established between the foam mechanical properties and the physical characteristics. Foam compressibility and Young's modulus decreased as increases in radial expansion and decreases in unit and bulk densities. Their relationships were modeled with power law equations. No correlation was observed between spring index and bulk spring index and foam physical characteristics. MBI-starch foams had the highest equilibrium moisture content. EBC-starch and PLA-starch foams had similar water absorption characteristics. No significant difference existed in water absorption characteristics between foams made of regular and waxy starches. Empirical models were developed to correlate foam water absorption characteristics with relative humidity and polymer content. The developed models fit the data well with relatively small standard errors and uniformly scattered residual plots. Foams with higher polymer content had better abrasion resistance than did foams with lower polymer content.

Synthesis and analysis of foam drainage agent for gas well in Jilin Oilfield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Sanyuan; Liu, Qingwang; Fan, Zhenzhong; Wang, Jigang; Xu, Jianjun

2017-05-01

The gas well in Jilin oil field has the characteristics of large temperature variation range and high condensate oil content. So the foam drainage agent of the gas well in Jilin oil field needs to have the performance of oil resistance and less effected by temperature. In this paper, a main foaming agent named lauramidopropyl betaine (LAB) and two kinds of auxiliary foaming agent named sodium alcohol ether sulphate (AES) and lauramidopropylamine oxide (LAO). Through the evaluation of the static foaming capacity and dynamic liquid carrying capacity, the AES is more suitable for LAB. The foaming agent with 70% LAB and 30% AES has 138mm foam height with ROSS-Miles equipment; stirring foam volume can reach 480mL, the half-life of foam is 520s. When the ventilation volume is 8L/min the liquid carrying capacity of 10% of the condensate oil content reached 82g. When the foaming agent concentration is 2%, the liquid carrying capacity of 10% of the condensate oil content reached 75g. When the aeration rate reaches 8-10L/min, the liquid carrying capacity of foam drainage agent can reach the best. The foam drainage agent can retain the performance after 120°C aging for 12h, these performances above can satisfy the requirements for gas well foam drainage in Jilin Oil Field.

Coordinate Stimulation of Macrophages by Microparticles and TLR Ligands Induces Foam Cell Formation1

PubMed Central

Keyel, Peter A; Tkacheva, Olga A.; Larregina, Adriana T.; Salter, Russell D

2012-01-01

Aberrant activation of macrophages in arterial walls by oxidized lipoproteins can lead to atherosclerosis. Oxidized lipoproteins convert macrophages to foam cells through lipid uptake and TLR signaling. To investigate the relative contributions of lipid uptake and TLR signaling in foam cell formation, we established an in vitro assay utilizing liposomes of defined lipid compositions. We found that TLRs signaling through Trif promoted foam cell formation by inducing both NF-KB signaling and Type I IFN production, whereas TLRs that do not induce IFN, like TLR2, did not enhance foam cell formation. Addition of IFNα to TLR2 activator promoted robust foam cell formation. TLR signaling further required PPARα, as inhibition of PPARα blocked foam cell formation. We then investigated the ability of endogenous microparticles (MP) to contribute to foam cell formation. We found that lipid containing MP promoted foam cell formation, which was enhanced by TLR stimulation or IFNα. These MP also stimulated foam cell formation in a human skin model. However, these MP suppressed TNFα production and T cell activation, showing that foam cell formation can occur by immunosuppressive microparticles. Taken together, the data reveal novel signaling requirements for foam cell formation and suggest that uptake of distinct types of MP in the context of activation of multiple distinct TLR can induce foam cell formation. PMID:23018455

40 CFR 63.1292 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... water. Flexible polyurethane foams are open-celled, permit the passage of air through the foam, and... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1292 Definitions. All... for the purposes of this subpart. Cured foam means flexible polyurethane foam with fully developed...

40 CFR 63.1292 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... water. Flexible polyurethane foams are open-celled, permit the passage of air through the foam, and... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1292 Definitions. All terms used in... purposes of this subpart. Cured foam means flexible polyurethane foam with fully developed physical...

40 CFR 63.1292 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... water. Flexible polyurethane foams are open-celled, permit the passage of air through the foam, and... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1292 Definitions. All... for the purposes of this subpart. Cured foam means flexible polyurethane foam with fully developed...

40 CFR 63.1292 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... water. Flexible polyurethane foams are open-celled, permit the passage of air through the foam, and... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1292 Definitions. All terms used in... purposes of this subpart. Cured foam means flexible polyurethane foam with fully developed physical...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Wei-Yang

Foam materials are used to protect sensitive components from impact loading. In order to predict and simulate the foam performance under various loading conditions, a validated foam model is needed and the mechanical properties of foams need to be characterized. Uniaxial compression and tension tests were conducted for different densities of foams under various temperatures and loading rates. Crush stress, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were obtained. A newly developed confined compression experiment provided data for investigating the foam flow direction. A biaxial tension experiment was also developed to explore the damage surface of a rigid polyurethane foam.

Swarm intelligence application for optimization of CO2 diffusivity in polystyrene-b-polybutadiene-b-polystyrene (SEBS) foaming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharudin, Rahida Wati; Ajib, Norshawalina Muhamad; Yusoff, Marina; Ahmad, Mohd Aizad

2017-12-01

Thermoplastic elastomer SEBS foams were prepared by using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a blowing agent and the process is classified as physical foaming method. During the foaming process, the diffusivity of CO2 need to be controlled since it is one of the parameter that will affect the final cellular structure of the foam. Conventionally, the rate of CO2 diffusion was measured experimentally by using a highly sensitive device called magnetic suspension balance (MSB). Besides, this expensive MSB machine is not easily available and measurement of CO2 diffusivity is quite complicated as well as time consuming process. Thus, to overcome these limitations, a computational method was introduced. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is a part of Swarm Intelligence system which acts as a beneficial optimization tool where it can solve most of nonlinear complications. PSO model was developed for predicting the optimum foaming temperature and CO2 diffusion rate in SEBS foam. Results obtained by PSO model are compared with experimental results for CO2 diffusivity at various foaming temperature. It is shown that predicted optimum foaming temperature at 154.6 °C was not represented the best temperature for foaming as the cellular structure of SEBS foamed at corresponding temperature consisted pores with unstable dimension and the structure was not visibly perceived due to foam shrinkage. The predictions were not agreed well with experimental result when single parameter of CO2 diffusivity is considered in PSO model because it is not the only factor that affected the controllability of foam shrinkage. The modification on the PSO model by considering CO2 solubility and rigidity of SEBS as additional parameters needs to be done for obtaining the optimum temperature for SEBS foaming. Hence stable SEBS foam could be prepared.

Foaming in simulated radioactive waste.

PubMed

Bindal, S K; Nikolov, A D; Wasan, D T; Lambert, D P; Koopman, D C

2001-10-01

Radioactive waste treatment process usually involves concentration of radionuclides before waste can be immobilized by storing it in stable solid form. Foaming is observed at various stages of waste processing like SRAT (sludge receipt and adjustment tank) and melter operations. This kind of foaming greatly limits the process efficiency. The foam encountered can be characterized as a three-phase foam that incorporates finely divided solids (colloidal particles). The solid particles stabilize foaminess in two ways: by adsorption of biphilic particles at the surfaces of foam lamella and by layering of particles trapped inside the foam lamella. During bubble generation and rise, solid particles organize themselves into a layered structure due to confinement inside the foam lamella, and this structure provides a barrier against the coalescence of the bubbles, thereby causing foaming. Our novel capillary force balance apparatus was used to examine the particle-particle interactions, which affect particle layer formation in the foam lamella. Moreover, foaminess shows a maximum with increasing solid particle concentration. To explain the maximum in foaminess, a study was carried out on the simulated sludge, a non-radioactive simulant of the radioactive waste sludge at SRS, to identify the parameters that affect the foaming in a system characterized by the absence of surface-active agents. This three-phase foam does not show any foam stability unlike surfactant-stabilized foam. The parameters investigated were solid particle concentration, heating flux, and electrolyte concentration. The maximum in foaminess was found to be a net result of two countereffects that arise due to particle-particle interactions: structural stabilization and depletion destabilization. It was found that higher electrolyte concentration causes a reduction in foaminess and leads to a smaller bubble size. Higher heating fluxes lead to greater foaminess due to an increased rate of foam lamella generation in the sludge system.

Transient foam flow in porous media with CAT Scanner

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Dianbin; Brigham, W.E.

1992-03-01

Transient behavior is likely to dominate over most of the duration of a foam injection field project. Due to the lack of date, little is presently known about transient foam flow behavior. Foam flow does not follow established models such as the Buckley-Leverett theory, and no general predictive model has been derived. Therefore, both experimental data and a foam flow theory are needed. In this work, foam was injected at a constant mass rate into one-dimensional sandpacks of 1-in diameter and 24-in or 48-in length that had initially been saturate with distilled water. The system was placed in a catmore » Scanner. Data, obtained at room temperature and low pressure at various times, include both the pressure and saturation distributions. Pressure profiles showed that the pressure gradient is much greater behind the foam front than ahead of it. Moreover, the pressure gradients keep changing as the foam advances in the sandpack. This behavior differs from Buckley-Leverett theory. The CT scan results demonstrated gas channeling near the front, but eventually the foam block all these channels and sweeps the entire cross section after many pore volumes of injection. Three series of experiments were run: (1) surfactant adsorption measurements; (2) gas displacements of surfactant-laden solutions and (3) foam displacements. The first two series of experiments were made to provide the necessary parameters required to match the foam displacements. To this end, it was necessary to smooth the saturation history data, using a Langmuir-type formula. A theory was proposed based on the principles of the fractional flow curve construction method. This foam theory treats the foam as composed of infinitesimal slugs of gas of varying viscosities. The foam front has the lowest viscosity and foam at the injection end has the highest.« less

Novel developments in foam sclerotherapy: Focus on Varithena® (polidocanol endovenous microfoam) in the management of varicose veins.

PubMed

Star, Phoebe; Connor, David E; Parsi, Kurosh

2018-04-01

Scope Varithena® is a recently approved commercially available drug/delivery unit that produces foam using 1% polidocanol for the management of varicose veins. The purpose of this review is to examine the benefits of foam sclerotherapy, features of the ideal foam sclerosant and the strengths and limitations of Varithena® in the context of current foam sclerotherapy practices. Method Electronic databases including PubMed, Medline (Ovid) SP as well as trial registries and product information sheets were searched using the keywords, 'Varithena', 'Varisolve', 'polidocanol endovenous microfoam', 'polidocanol' and/or 'foam sclerotherapy/sclerosant'. Articles published prior to 20 September 2016 were identified. Results Foam sclerosants have effectively replaced liquid agents due to their physiochemical properties resulting in better clinical outcomes. Medical practitioners commonly prepare sclerosant foam at the bedside by agitating liquid sclerosant with a gas such as room air, using techniques as described by Tessari or the double syringe method. Such physician-compounded foams are highly operator dependent producing inconsistent foams of different gas/liquid compositions, bubble size, foam behaviour and varied safety profiles. Varithena® overcomes the variability and inconsistencies of physician-compounded foam. However, Varithena® has limited applications due to its fixed sclerosant type and concentration, cost and lack of worldwide availability. Clinical trials of Varithena® have demonstrated efficacy and safety outcomes equivalent or better than physician-compounded foam but only in comparison to placebo alone. Conclusion Varithena® is a promising step towards the creation of an ideal sclerosant foam. Further assessment in independent randomised controlled clinical trials is required to establish the advantages of Varithena® over and above the current best practice physician-compounded foam.

Monopropellant engine investigation for space shuttle reaction control system. Volume 3: Improvement of metal foam for catalyst retention

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The retention of granular catalyst in a metal foam matrix was demonstrated to greatly increase the life capability of hydrazine monopropellant reactors. Since nickel foam used in previous tests was found to become degraded after long-term exposure the cause of degradation was examined and metal foams of improved durability were developed. The most durable foam developed was a rhodium-coated nickel foam. An all-platinum foam was found to be incompatible in a hot ammonia (hydrazine) environment. It is recommended to scale up the manufacturing process for the improved foam to produce samples sufficiently large for space shuttle APU gas generator testing.

Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure, a Non-Conventional Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Philip M.

2007-01-01

The Space Shuttle makes use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications debond, classical methods of analysis do not always provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis. Thin sectioning in two directions, both horizontal and vertical to the application, was chosen to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

Influence of calcium addition and stirring on the cellular structure and foaming behavior of molten zinc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossein Elahi, S.; Arabi Jeshvaghani, R.; Shahverdi, H. R.

2015-05-01

In this paper, the influence of calcium addition and melt stirring on the structure and foaming behavior of molten zinc was investigated. In this regard, zinc foam was produced by Alporas method (in which foam alloy melts and titanium hydride is used as a blowing agent). Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the phase distribution and structure in the foams. Results showed that addition of calcium increased foamability and foam efficiency of the molten zinc. In contrast, stirring had no significant effect on the foaming behavior of the melt. Microstructural examinations indicated that improving the foaming behavior of molten zinc was attributed to the formation of CaZn13 intermetallic phase and ZnO particles in the foam structure, which increased viscosity and reduced drainage rate.

Electrical conductivity of quasi-two-dimensional foams.

PubMed

Yazhgur, Pavel; Honorez, Clément; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Langevin, Dominique; Salonen, Anniina

2015-04-01

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) foams consist of monolayers of bubbles squeezed between two narrowly spaced plates. These simplified foams have served successfully in the past to shed light on numerous issues in foam physics. Here we consider the electrical conductivity of such model foams. We compare experiments to a model which we propose, and which successfully relates the structural and the conductive properties of the foam over the full range of the investigated liquid content. We show in particular that in the case of quasi-2D foams the liquid in the nodes needs to be taken into account even at low liquid content. We think that these results may provide different approaches for the characterization of foam properties and for the in situ characterization of the liquid content of foams in confining geometries, such as microfluidics.

Fabrication and Physical Evaluation of Gelatin-Coated Carbonate Apatite Foam.

PubMed

Hara, Kanae; Fujisawa, Kenji; Nagai, Hirokazu; Takamaru, Natsumi; Ohe, Go; Tsuru, Kanji; Ishikawa, Kunio; Miyamoto, Youji

2016-08-23

Carbonate apatite (CO₃Ap) foam has gained much attention in recent years because of its ability to rapidly replace bone. However, its mechanical strength is extremely low for clinical use. In this study, to understand the potential of gelatin-reinforced CO₃Ap foam for bone replacement, CO₃Ap foam was reinforced with gelatin and the resulting physical characteristics were evaluated. The mechanical strength increased significantly with the gelatin reinforcement. The compressive strength of gelatin-free CO₃Ap foam was 74 kPa whereas that of the gelatin-reinforced CO₃Ap foam, fabricated using 30 mass % gelatin solution, was approximately 3 MPa. Heat treatment for crosslinking gelatin had little effect on the mechanical strength of the foam. The gelatin-reinforced foam did not maintain its shape when immersed in a saline solution as this promoted swelling of the gelatin; however, in the same conditions, the heat-treated gelatin-reinforced foam proved to be stable. It is concluded, therefore, that heat treatment is the key to the fabrication of stable gelatin-reinforced CO₃Ap foam.

Improving the mechanical performance of wood fiber reinforced bio-based polyurethane foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Li-Chi

Because of the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, soybean-based polyurethane (PU) foam has been developed as an alternative to be used as the core in structural insulated panels (SIPs). Wood fibers can be added to enhance the resistance of foam against bending and buckling in compression. The goal of this work is to study the effect of three modifications: fiber surface treatment, catalyst choice, and mixing method on the compression performance of wood fiber-reinforced PU foam. Foams were made with a free-rising process. The compression performance of the foams was measured and the foams were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray computed tomography (CT). The foam reinforced with alkali-treated fibers had improved compression performance. The foams made with various catalysts shared similar performance. The foam made using a mechanical stirrer contained well-dispersed fibers but the reinforcing capability of the fibers was reduced.

Numerical simulation of heat transfer in metal foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangapatnam, Priyatham; Kurian, Renju; Venkateshan, S. P.

2018-02-01

This paper reports a numerical study of forced convection heat transfer in high porosity aluminum foams. Numerical modeling is done considering both local thermal equilibrium and non local thermal equilibrium conditions in ANSYS-Fluent. The results of the numerical model were validated with experimental results, where air was forced through aluminum foams in a vertical duct at different heat fluxes and velocities. It is observed that while the LTE model highly under predicts the heat transfer in these foams, LTNE model predicts the Nusselt number accurately. The novelty of this study is that once hydrodynamic experiments are conducted the permeability and porosity values obtained experimentally can be used to numerically simulate heat transfer in metal foams. The simulation of heat transfer in foams is further extended to find the effect of foam thickness on heat transfer in metal foams. The numerical results indicate that though larger foam thicknesses resulted in higher heat transfer coefficient, this effect weakens with thickness and is negligible in thick foams.

Effect of thermal hydrolysis and ultrasounds pretreatments on foaming in anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Alfaro, N; Cano, R; Fdz-Polanco, F

2014-10-01

Foam appears regularly in anaerobic digesters producing operational and safety problems. In this research, based on the operational observation at semi-industrial pilot scale where sludge pretreatment mitigated foaming in anaerobic digesters, this study aimed at evaluating any potential relationship between foaming tools applied to activated sludge at lab-scale (foam potential, foam stability and Microthrix parvicella abundance) and the experimental behavior observed in pilot scale and full-scale anaerobic digesters. The potential of thermal hydrolysis and ultrasounds for reducing foaming capacity was also evaluated. Filamentous bacteria abundance was directly linked to foaming capacity in anaerobic processes. A maximum reduction of M.parvicella abundance (from 5 to 2) was reached using thermal hydrolysis with steam explosion at 170°C and ultrasounds at 66.7kWh/m(3), showing both good anti-foaming properties. On the other hand, foam potential and stability determinations showed a lack of consistency with the bacteria abundance results and experimental evidences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AQUILA Remotely Piloted Vehicle System Technology Demonstrator (RPV-STD) Program. Volume 2. System Evolution and Engineering Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-04-01

crosshead of the piston assembly. Shock transients at this location cause demagnetization of the magnet . This is being alleviated by in- stallation of magnets ...substantial structure, such as bulk - heads with edge cape. Soond, the wire-out foam *or* for the wing could not be sufficiently precise to preven the used for...characterize the power potential, fuel consumption, weight, bulk , and adaptability to closed loop control of candidate carburetion systems to be employed with

In-Class Quantification of the Mentos and Diet Coke Analogue Experiment: Effects of Wind on Volcanic Isopach Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quane, S.; Klos, Z.; Jacobsen, R.

2009-05-01

The Mentos and Diet Coke experiment, where instantaneous emplacement of Mentos candy in Diet Coke creates a soda/CO2 eruptive plume, is a common educational analogue for a volcanic eruption. In this paper, we quantify the effects of varying directional wind speeds on the eruptive plume as a learning tool in advanced Introductory Geology and Volcanology courses. The Mentos and Diet Coke reaction is a fun, safe and affordable analogue for explosive, single pulse, basaltic eruptions (e.g., Strombolian eruptions). Specifically, the physical and chemical reaction nucleating CO2 bubbles on the pitted surface of Mentos candy is directly analogous to the collapsing foam eruption regime described by Parfitt (2004) where inertia driven fragmentation of the liquid (Namiki and Manga, 2008) leads to basaltic pyroclastic eruptions. Often, in these systems, the pyroclasts are carried downwind, resulting lopsided (downwind side taller) cinder cones. In our experiments, we create a single pulse eruption by simultaneously dropping four Mentos candies into a 16.9 oz. bottle of Diet Coke. The experiments are run under different wind conditions created by three stacked box fans in the off (control experiment) low, medium and high settings. Wind speed is measured using a hand held anemometer. The pyroclast dispersal is recorded by degree of liquid saturation through four layers of newspaper. The liquid is allowed to soak in for thirty seconds post eruption and then the individual layers of newspaper are separated and the saturation envelope is traced with a black marker and digitally photographed. The pyroclast dispersal envelope (or saturation area) is then quantified from the photos by image analysis in Adobe Photoshop. In addition, the experiments are videotaped to quantify ejection velocity using frame by frame analysis in iMovie. The resulting isopach ("deposit thickness") maps indicate a strong tightening of dispersal envelopes with increasing wind speed as seen in natural volcanic systems. Ongoing work is being done to scale the ejection velocities and dispersal envelope area up to natural eruptions. This simple and fun experiment brings a quantitative element to an experiment that is often limited to a show and tell exercise. In addition to covering the fundamental concepts of ejection velocity and isopach envelopes during explosive eruptions, it also exposes students to quantitative image and video analysis.

Indentability of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakes, R. S.; Elms, K.

1992-01-01

The indentation resistance of foams, both of conventional structure and of re-entrant structure giving rise to negative Poisson's ratio, is studied using holographic interferometry. In holographic indentation tests, re-entrant foams had higher yield strengths sigma(sub y) and lower stiffness E than conventional foams of the same original relative density. Calculated energy absorption for dynamic impact is considerably higher for re-entrant foam than conventional foam.

X-ray micro computed tomography characterization of cellular SiC foams for their applications in chemical engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ou, Xiaoxia

Open-cell SiC foams clearly are promising materials for continuous-flow chemical applications such as heterogeneous catalysis and distillation. X-ray micro computed tomography characterization of cellular β-SiC foams at a spatial voxel size of 13.6{sup 3} μm{sup 3} and the interpretation of morphological properties of SiC open-cell foams with implications to their transport properties are presented. Static liquid hold-up in SiC foams was investigated through in-situ draining experiments for the first time using the μ-CT technique providing thorough 3D information about the amount and distribution of liquid hold-up inside the foam. This will enable better modeling and design of structured reactors basedmore » on SiC foams in the future. In order to see more practical uses, μ-CT data of cellular foams must be exploited to optimize the design of the morphology of foams for a specific application. - Highlights: •Characterization of SiC foams using novel X-ray micro computed tomography. •Interpretation of structural properties of SiC foams regarding to their transport properties. •Static liquid hold-up analysis of SiC foams through in-situ draining experiments.« less

Econazole nitrate foam 1% for the treatment of tinea pedis: results from two double-blind, vehicle-controlled, phase 3 clinical trials.

PubMed

Elewski, Boni E; Vlahovic, Tracey C

2014-07-01

Econazole nitrate is a broad-spectrum topical antifungal with activity against a variety of dermatophytes and yeasts. A new topical dosage form, econazole nitrate topical foam 1%, utilizing patented Proderm Technology® has been developed for treatment of interdigital tinea pedis. To evaluate econazole nitrate foam 1% versus foam vehicle for treatment of interdigital tinea pedis. Two randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, vehicle-controlled, multicenter studies enrolled males and females ≥12 years old with a clinical diagnosis of interdigital tinea pedis and baseline fungal culture positive for a dermatophyte. Subjects applied econazole nitrate foam 1% (n=246) or foam vehicle (n=249) once daily for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was proportion of subjects achieving a complete cure (negative KOH, negative fungal culture, complete resolution of all signs and symptoms) at 2 weeks post-treatment (Day 43). Secondary endpoints included mycologic cure (negative KOH and negative culture) and effective treatment (mycologic cure + no or mild erythema and/or scaling and all other signs and symptoms absent). The complete cure rate at Day 43 was 24.3% for econazole nitrate foam 1% vs 3.6% for foam vehicle. In addition, higher rates of mycologic cure (67.6% vs 16.9%) and effective treatment (48.6% vs 10.8%) were observed with econazole nitrate foam 1% versus the foam vehicle. There were few adverse events and only nasopharyngitis and headache were experienced by >1% of subjects. No serious adverse events were reported for econazole nitrate foam 1%. Econazole nitrate foam 1% exhibited superiority over foam vehicle for the primary and secondary endpoints with a high mycologic cure rate for all pathogens evaluated. Econazole nitrate foam 1% was safe and well tolerated with a safety profile comparable with the foam vehicle. Econazole nitrate foam 1% presents a novel alternative for the management of tinea pedis.

Experimental study on foam coverage on simulated longwall roof.

PubMed

Reed, W R; Zheng, Y; Klima, S; Shahan, M R; Beck, T W

2017-01-01

Testing was conducted to determine the ability of foam to maintain roof coverage in a simulated longwall mining environment. Approximately 27 percent of respirable coal mine dust can be attributed to longwall shield movement, and developing controls for this dust source has been difficult. The application of foam is a possible dust control method for this source. Laboratory testing of two foam agents was conducted to determine the ability of the foam to adhere to a simulated longwall face roof surface. Two different foam generation methods were used: compressed air and blower air. Using a new imaging technology, image processing and analysis utilizing ImageJ software produced quantifiable results of foam roof coverage. For compressed air foam in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, 98 percent of agent A was intact while 95 percent of agent B was intact on the roof at three minutes after application. At 30 minutes after application, 94 percent of agent A was intact while only 20 percent of agent B remained. For blower air in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, the results were dependent upon nozzle type. Three different nozzles were tested. At 30 min after application, 74 to 92 percent of foam agent A remained, while 3 to 50 percent of foam agent B remained. Compressed air foam seems to remain intact for longer durations and is easier to apply than blower air foam. However, more water drained from the foam when using compressed air foam, which demonstrates that blower air foam retains more water at the roof surface. Agent A seemed to be the better performer as far as roof application is concerned. This testing demonstrates that roof application of foam is feasible and is able to withstand a typical face ventilation velocity, establishing this technique's potential for longwall shield dust control.

Experimental study on foam coverage on simulated longwall roof

PubMed Central

Reed, W.R.; Zheng, Y.; Klima, S.; Shahan, M.R.; Beck, T.W.

2018-01-01

Testing was conducted to determine the ability of foam to maintain roof coverage in a simulated longwall mining environment. Approximately 27 percent of respirable coal mine dust can be attributed to longwall shield movement, and developing controls for this dust source has been difficult. The application of foam is a possible dust control method for this source. Laboratory testing of two foam agents was conducted to determine the ability of the foam to adhere to a simulated longwall face roof surface. Two different foam generation methods were used: compressed air and blower air. Using a new imaging technology, image processing and analysis utilizing ImageJ software produced quantifiable results of foam roof coverage. For compressed air foam in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, 98 percent of agent A was intact while 95 percent of agent B was intact on the roof at three minutes after application. At 30 minutes after application, 94 percent of agent A was intact while only 20 percent of agent B remained. For blower air in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, the results were dependent upon nozzle type. Three different nozzles were tested. At 30 min after application, 74 to 92 percent of foam agent A remained, while 3 to 50 percent of foam agent B remained. Compressed air foam seems to remain intact for longer durations and is easier to apply than blower air foam. However, more water drained from the foam when using compressed air foam, which demonstrates that blower air foam retains more water at the roof surface. Agent A seemed to be the better performer as far as roof application is concerned. This testing demonstrates that roof application of foam is feasible and is able to withstand a typical face ventilation velocity, establishing this technique’s potential for longwall shield dust control. PMID:29563765

Drug treatment effects on outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zheng, Sean Lee; Chan, Fiona T; Nabeebaccus, Adam A; Shah, Ajay M; McDonagh, Theresa; Okonko, Darlington O; Ayis, Salma

2018-03-01

Clinical drug trials in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction have failed to demonstrate improvements in mortality. We systematically searched Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomised controlled trials (RCT) assessing pharmacological treatments in patients with heart failure with left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction≥40% from January 1996 to May 2016. The primary efficacy outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalisation, exercise capacity (6-min walk distance, exercise duration, VO 2 max), quality of life and biomarkers (B-type natriuretic peptide, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide). Random-effects models were used to estimate pooled relative risks (RR) for the binary outcomes, and weighted mean differences for continuous outcomes, with 95% CI. We included data from 25 RCTs comprising data for 18101 patients. All-cause mortality was reduced with beta-blocker therapy compared with placebo (RR: 0.78, 95%CI 0.65 to 0.94, p=0.008). There was no effect seen with ACE inhibitors, aldosterone receptor blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and other drug classes, compared with placebo. Similar results were observed for cardiovascular mortality. No single drug class reduced heart failure hospitalisation compared with placebo. The efficacy of treatments in patients with heart failure and an LV ejection fraction≥40% differ depending on the type of therapy, with beta-blockers demonstrating reductions in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Further trials are warranted to confirm treatment effects of beta-blockers in this patient group. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Assessments of low emission asphalt mixtures produced using combinations of foaming agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd Hasan, Mohd Rosli

The asphalt foaming techniques have been used over the last couple of decades as an alternative to the traditional method of preparing asphalt mixtures. Based on positive feedback from the industry, this study was initiated to explore and evaluate the performance of the Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) mixture produced through a foaming process using physical and chemical foaming agents, which are ethanol and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), respectively. The success of this project may lead to new theories and provide an environmentally friendly technique to produce asphalt mixtures. This may advance the understanding of the foaming process and improve the performance of WMA to support sustainable development. Theoretically, ethanol can function in the same manner as water but requires less energy to foam due to its lower boiling point, 78°C. During the asphalt foaming process, numerous bubbles were generated by the vaporized ethanol, which significantly increased the volume of the asphalt binder, hence the coating potential of aggregates improves. The sodium bicarbonate was incorporated to enhance the quantity of bubbles and its stability. Therefore, understanding foaming agents, their solubility, chemical reactions, chemical function groups and rheological properties of the foamed binder are essential to help control the foam structure and final properties of the foamed WMA mixture. In order to understand the overall performance of newly developed foaming WMA, this material was evaluated for moisture susceptibility, rutting potential, and resistance to fracture and thermal cracking. The coatability, workability and compactability of foamed asphalt mixtures during production were also evaluated. Based on the results, it was found that the newly proposed foaming WMA has high potential to promote sustainable development by lowering the energy consumption and impacts on the environment. The ethanol is efficient in lowering the viscosity of asphalt binders, enhancing the workability, and having a higher expulsion rate from the foamed binder compared to water as a foaming agent. The addition of foaming agents to the asphalt binder has also lowered the activation energy of the asphalt binder, which has high potential in lowering the energy demand during production processes. The foamed WMA mixture prepared at 100°C was found to have behavior comparable with the control Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) prepared at 155°C in terms of coatability, workability and compactability. Based on the mixture performance tests, the foamed WMA has a comparable or better performance than the HMA in terms of resistance to moisture damage, permanent deformation, fracture cracking and thermal cracking. The application of nano-hydrated lime is efficient in enhancing the aggregate coatability and improving the bearing capacity of asphalt pavement to lower the rutting potential and moisture susceptibility of foamed WMA mixtures. Limitations for each of the related parameters are also reported in this dissertation for the lab production of foamed WMA mixtures using ethanol and NaHCO 3 as foaming agents. The specified values were made based on the binder test, service characteristics and performance of foamed WMA mixtures in order to yield a comparable or better performance than the control HMA. Field validations should be carried out to understand the overall performance and durability of the proposed foaming WMA.

From Foam Rubber to Volcanoes: The Physical Chemistry of Foam Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Lee D.; McCarlie, V. Wallace

2004-11-01

Principles of physical chemistry and physical properties are used to describe foam formation. Foams are common in nature and in consumer products. The process of foam formation can be used to understand a wide variety of phenomena from exploding volcanoes to popping popcorn and making shoe soles.

40 CFR 428.110 - Applicability; description of the latex foam subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... latex foam subcategory. 428.110 Section 428.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Foam Subcategory § 428.110 Applicability; description of the latex foam subcategory. The provisions of... foam except for those discharges from textile plants subject to the provisions of part 410 of this...

24 CFR 200.947 - Building product standards and certification program for polystyrene foam insulation board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... certification program for polystyrene foam insulation board. 200.947 Section 200.947 Housing and Urban... program for polystyrene foam insulation board. (a) Applicable standards. (1) All polystyrene foam... visit the manufacturer's facility to select a sample of each certified polystyrene foam insulation board...

40 CFR 428.110 - Applicability; description of the latex foam subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... latex foam subcategory. 428.110 Section 428.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Foam Subcategory § 428.110 Applicability; description of the latex foam subcategory. The provisions of... foam except for those discharges from textile plants subject to the provisions of part 410 of this...

46 CFR 108.474 - Aqueous film forming foam systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Aqueous film forming foam systems. 108.474 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.474 Aqueous film forming foam systems. Aqueous film forming foam systems may be installed if approved by the Commandant. ...

Starch/fiber/poly(lactic acid) foam and compressed foam composites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Composites of starch, fiber, and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were made using a foam substrate formed by dehydrating starch or starch/fiber gels. PLA was infiltrated into the dry foam to provide better moisture resistance. Foam composites were compressed into plastics using force ranging from 4-76MPa. Te...

46 CFR 108.474 - Aqueous film forming foam systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Aqueous film forming foam systems. 108.474 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.474 Aqueous film forming foam systems. Aqueous film forming foam systems may be installed if approved by the Commandant. ...

46 CFR 108.474 - Aqueous film forming foam systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Aqueous film forming foam systems. 108.474 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.474 Aqueous film forming foam systems. Aqueous film forming foam systems may be installed if approved by the Commandant. ...

46 CFR 108.474 - Aqueous film forming foam systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Aqueous film forming foam systems. 108.474 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.474 Aqueous film forming foam systems. Aqueous film forming foam systems may be installed if approved by the Commandant. ...

46 CFR 108.474 - Aqueous film forming foam systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Aqueous film forming foam systems. 108.474 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.474 Aqueous film forming foam systems. Aqueous film forming foam systems may be installed if approved by the Commandant. ...

40 CFR 63.8784 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam... flexible polyurethane foam fabrication. (b) The affected sources are defined in this section in paragraphs... to bond foam to foam at a flexible polyurethane foam fabrication plant site. (2) The flame lamination...

40 CFR 63.1300 - Standards for molded flexible polyurethane foam production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... polyurethane foam production. 63.1300 Section 63.1300 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Foam Production § 63.1300 Standards for molded flexible polyurethane foam production. Each owner or... polyurethane foam process, with the following exception. Diisocyanates may be used to flush the mixhead and...

40 CFR 63.1301 - Standards for rebond foam production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1301 Standards for rebond foam production. Each owner or operator of a new or existing rebond foam... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Standards for rebond foam production...

40 CFR 63.8784 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam... flexible polyurethane foam fabrication. (b) The affected sources are defined in this section in paragraphs... to bond foam to foam at a flexible polyurethane foam fabrication plant site. (2) The flame lamination...

40 CFR 63.8784 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam... flexible polyurethane foam fabrication. (b) The affected sources are defined in this section in paragraphs... to bond foam to foam at a flexible polyurethane foam fabrication plant site. (2) The flame lamination...

40 CFR 63.1301 - Standards for rebond foam production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1301 Standards for rebond foam production. Each owner or operator of a new or existing rebond foam... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Standards for rebond foam production...

40 CFR 63.8784 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam... flexible polyurethane foam fabrication. (b) The affected sources are defined in this section in paragraphs... to bond foam to foam at a flexible polyurethane foam fabrication plant site. (2) The flame lamination...

40 CFR 63.1301 - Standards for rebond foam production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63.1301 Standards for rebond foam production. Each owner or operator of a new or existing rebond foam... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards for rebond foam production...

40 CFR 63.8784 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam... flexible polyurethane foam fabrication. (b) The affected sources are defined in this section in paragraphs... to bond foam to foam at a flexible polyurethane foam fabrication plant site. (2) The flame lamination...

40 CFR 63.1300 - Standards for molded flexible polyurethane foam production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... polyurethane foam production. 63.1300 Section 63.1300 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Foam Production § 63.1300 Standards for molded flexible polyurethane foam production. Each owner or... polyurethane foam process, with the following exception. Diisocyanates may be used to flush the mixhead and...

Foamability and structure analysis of foams in Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caps, H.; Vandewalle, N.; Broze, G.; Zocchi, G.

2007-05-01

The authors have generated two-dimensional foams by imposing an intermittent drainage in a Hele-Shaw cell partially filled with a detergent/water mixture. The foam generation associated with this process is reproducible and depends on the surfactant molecules composing the solution. A kinetic model can be proposed for the foam evolution. The structure of the foam is also investigated: the average bubble side number and correlation functions are measured. Distinguishable behaviors are observed for different surfactant molecules. This way of producing a foam is thus adequate for applied foam structure characterizations and fundamental studies.

Experimental Investigations of Space Shuttle BX-265 Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerch, Bradley A.; Sullivan, Roy M.

2009-01-01

This report presents a variety of experimental studies on the polyurethane foam, BX-265. This foam is used as a close-out foam insulation on the space shuttle external tank. The purpose of this work is to provide a better understanding of the foam s behavior and to support advanced modeling efforts. The following experiments were performed: Thermal expansion was measured for various heating rates. The in situ expansion of foam cells was documented by heating the foam in a scanning electron microscope. Expansion mechanisms are described. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed at various heating rates and for various environments. The glass transition temperature was also measured. The effects of moisture on the foam were studied. Time-dependent effects were measured to give preliminary data on viscoelastoplastic properties.

Pressure-Induced Foaming of Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Moreno, Francisco; Mukherjee, Manas; Jiménez, Catalina; Banhart, John

2015-05-01

Pressure-induced foaming (PIF) of metals is a foaming technique in which blowing agent free compacted metal powders are foamed. The method consists of heating hot-compacted metallic precursors to above their melting temperature under gas overpressure and foaming them by pressure release. This study focuses on PIF of Al99.7 and AlSi7 alloys under both air or Ar and overpressures up to 9 bar. In situ x-ray radioscopy allows us to follow the foaming process and to perform quantitative analyses of expansion, foam morphology, and coalescence rate. Mass spectrometry helps to identify hydrogen as the foaming gas. Adsorbates on the former powder particles are found to be the primary gas source. Various advantages of this new method are identified and discussed.

Analysis of the possibilities of using dielectric foam in the construction of composite high voltage post-insulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mączka, T.; Paściak, G.; Jarski, A.; Piątek, M.

2016-02-01

This paper presents the construction and basic performance parameters of the innovative tubular construction of high voltage composite insulator filled with the lightweight foamed electroinsulating material. The possibility of using of the commercially available expanding foams for preparing the lightweight foamed dielectric materials was analysed. The expanding foams of silicone RTV and compositions based on epoxy resin and LSR silicone were taken into account. The lightweight foamed dielectric materials were prepared according to the own foaming technology. In this work the experimental results on the use of the selected foams for the preparing of the lightweight filling materials to the tubular structure of composite insulator of 110 kV are presented.