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This work investigates the effects of very small amounts of fumed silica on the morphology and on the rheological and mechanical behaviour of polypropylene nanocomposites and on their photo-oxidation behaviour. Polypropylene nanocomposites were prepared using a twin-screw corotating extruder with 0, 1 and 2 wt/wt% of SiO2. Morphological, mechanical, thermomechanical and rheological properties were examined. It was found that the viscosity of the matrix is reduced by the presence of the silica nanoparticles, suggesting a poor adhesion between the two phases and probably some lubricating effect. On the contrary, the mechanical and, in particular, the thermomechanical properties of the matrix are considerably improved by the presence of the silica. In particular, elastic modulus and tensile strength increases remarkably, and this effect becomes more and more remarkable with an increasing temperature. As for the photo-oxidation behaviour, the presence of silica improves the photostability of the polypropylene matrix. This effect has been attributed to both the barrier to the oxygen and to the absorbance of the UV radiation from the silica nanoparticles. Finally, no significant effect of the silica nanoparticles has been put in evidence on the crystallisation behaviour of the polypropylene. As for the effect of the silica content, the difference in the properties of the two nanocomposites is relatively small and all the measured properties depend much less than linearly with its amount. This has been correlated with the reaggregation of the nanoparticles that, having a larger size, decrease the contact area between the matrix and the filler.
Vincenzo Titone; Maria Mistretta; Luigi Botta; Francesco Mantia. Investigation on the Properties and on the Photo-Oxidation Behaviour of Polypropylene/Fumed Silica Nanocomposites. Polymers 2021, 13, 2673 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Titone, Maria Mistretta, Luigi Botta, Francesco Mantia. Investigation on the Properties and on the Photo-Oxidation Behaviour of Polypropylene/Fumed Silica Nanocomposites. Polymers. 2021; 13 (16):2673.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Titone; Maria Mistretta; Luigi Botta; Francesco Mantia. 2021. "Investigation on the Properties and on the Photo-Oxidation Behaviour of Polypropylene/Fumed Silica Nanocomposites." Polymers 13, no. 16: 2673.
This study explores the processability, mechanical, and thermal properties of biocompostable composites based on poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) as polymer matrix and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) derived from softwood almond (Prunus dulcis) shells (as-MCC) as filler at two different weight concentration, i.e., 10 wt% and 20 wt%. The materials were processed by melt mixing and a commercial MCC (c-MCC) was used as filler comparison. The fibrillar shape of as-MCC particles was found to change the rheological behavior of PBAT, particularly at the highest concentration. The melt mixing processing allowed obtaining a uniform dispersion of both kinds of fillers, slightly reducing the L/D ratio of as-MCC fibers. The as-MCC particles led to a higher increase of the elastic modulus of PBAT if compared to the c-MCC counterparts. Both the MCC fillers caused a drastic reduction of the elongation at break, although it was higher than 120% also at the highest filler concentrations. DSC analysis revealed that both MCC fillers poorly affected the matrix crystallinity, although as-MCC induced a slight PBAT crystallinity increase from 8.8% up to 10.9% for PBAT/as-MCC 20%. Therefore, this work demonstrates the great potential of MCC particles derived from almond shells as filler for biocompostable composites fabrication.
Luigi Botta; Vincenzo Titone; Maria Mistretta; Francesco La Mantia; Aurora Modica; Maurizio Bruno; Francesco Sottile; Francesco Lopresti. PBAT Based Composites Reinforced with Microcrystalline Cellulose Obtained from Softwood Almond Shells. Polymers 2021, 13, 2643 .
AMA StyleLuigi Botta, Vincenzo Titone, Maria Mistretta, Francesco La Mantia, Aurora Modica, Maurizio Bruno, Francesco Sottile, Francesco Lopresti. PBAT Based Composites Reinforced with Microcrystalline Cellulose Obtained from Softwood Almond Shells. Polymers. 2021; 13 (16):2643.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuigi Botta; Vincenzo Titone; Maria Mistretta; Francesco La Mantia; Aurora Modica; Maurizio Bruno; Francesco Sottile; Francesco Lopresti. 2021. "PBAT Based Composites Reinforced with Microcrystalline Cellulose Obtained from Softwood Almond Shells." Polymers 13, no. 16: 2643.
In this work, monopolymer blends of virgin polypropylene and photo-oxidized polypropylene were prepare and characterized. The polypropylene samples were subjected to accelerated ageing to simulate the effects of outdoor exposure of polypropylene. After exposure, samples were pelletized and mixed with the same virgin polymer. The rheological, mechanical and morphological characterization was conducted on both the polymers and the blends. Both viscosity and mechanical properties decrease with increases in the content of recycled, photo-oxidized components and of the level of degradation of this component. In addition, the experimental data were compared with a model that takes into account both the effect of the change of the molecular weight and of the presence of oxygenated groups.
Francesco Mantia; Maria Mistretta; Vincenzo Titone. Rheological, Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Monopolymer Blends Made by Virgin and Photo-Oxidized Polypropylene. Recycling 2021, 6, 51 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Mantia, Maria Mistretta, Vincenzo Titone. Rheological, Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Monopolymer Blends Made by Virgin and Photo-Oxidized Polypropylene. Recycling. 2021; 6 (3):51.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Mantia; Maria Mistretta; Vincenzo Titone. 2021. "Rheological, Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Monopolymer Blends Made by Virgin and Photo-Oxidized Polypropylene." Recycling 6, no. 3: 51.
In this work, bionanocomposites based on two different types of biopolymers belonging to the MaterBi® family and containing two kinds of modified nanoclays were compounded in a twin-screw extruder and then subjected to a film blowing process, aiming at obtaining sustainable films potentially suitable for packaging applications. The preliminary characterization of the extruded bionanocomposites allowed establishing some correlations between the obtained morphology and the material rheological and mechanical behavior. More specifically, the morphological analysis showed that, regardless of the type of biopolymeric matrix, a homogeneous nanofiller dispersion was achieved; furthermore, the established biopolymer/nanofiller interactions caused a restrain of the dynamics of the biopolymer chains, thus inducing a significant modification of the material rheological response, which involves the appearance of an apparent yield stress and the amplification of the elastic feature of the viscoelastic behavior. Besides, the rheological characterization under non-isothermal elongational flow revealed a marginal effect of the embedded nanofillers on the biopolymers behavior, thus indicating their suitability for film blowing processing. Additionally, the processing behavior of the bionanocomposites was evaluated and compared to that of similar systems based on a low-density polyethylene matrix: this way, it was possible to identify the most suitable materials for film blowing operations. Finally, the assessment of the mechanical properties of the produced blown films documented the potential exploitation of the selected materials for packaging applications, also at an industrial level.
Maria Mistretta; Luigi Botta; Rossella Arrigo; Francesco Leto; Giulio Malucelli; Francesco La Mantia. Bionanocomposite Blown Films: Insights on the Rheological and Mechanical Behavior. Polymers 2021, 13, 1167 .
AMA StyleMaria Mistretta, Luigi Botta, Rossella Arrigo, Francesco Leto, Giulio Malucelli, Francesco La Mantia. Bionanocomposite Blown Films: Insights on the Rheological and Mechanical Behavior. Polymers. 2021; 13 (7):1167.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Mistretta; Luigi Botta; Rossella Arrigo; Francesco Leto; Giulio Malucelli; Francesco La Mantia. 2021. "Bionanocomposite Blown Films: Insights on the Rheological and Mechanical Behavior." Polymers 13, no. 7: 1167.
In this work, bionanocomposites based on different biodegradable polymers and two types of nanofillers, namely a nanosized calcium carbonate and an organomodified nanoclay, were produced through melt extrusion, with the aim to evaluate the possible applications of these materials as a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived polyolefins, for the production of irrigation pipes. The rheological behavior of the formulated systems was thoroughly evaluated by exploiting different flow regimes, and the obtained results indicated a remarkable effect of the introduced nanofillers on the low-frequency rheological response, especially in nanoclay-based bionanocomposites. Conversely, the shear viscosity at a high shear rate was almost unaffected by the presence of both types of nanofillers, as well as the rheological response under nonisothermal elongational flow. In addition, the analysis of the mechanical properties of the formulated materials indicated that the embedded nanofillers increased the elastic modulus when compared to the unfilled counterparts, notwithstanding a slight decrease of the material ductility. Finally, the processing behavior of unfilled biopolymers and bionanocomposites was evaluated, allowing for selecting the most suitable material and thus fulfilling the processability requirements for pipe extrusion applications.
Luigi Botta; Francesco La Mantia; Maria Mistretta; Antonino Oliveri; Rossella Arrigo; Giulio Malucelli. Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications. Polymers 2021, 13, 782 .
AMA StyleLuigi Botta, Francesco La Mantia, Maria Mistretta, Antonino Oliveri, Rossella Arrigo, Giulio Malucelli. Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications. Polymers. 2021; 13 (5):782.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuigi Botta; Francesco La Mantia; Maria Mistretta; Antonino Oliveri; Rossella Arrigo; Giulio Malucelli. 2021. "Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications." Polymers 13, no. 5: 782.
The goal of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of a cost-effective and eco-friendly treatment based on the use of sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7) on the mechanical properties of flax fiber reinforced composites. To this scope, flax fibers were soaked in mildly alkaline solutions of the sodium salt at different weight concentration (i.e., 5%, 10% and 20%) for 120 h at 25 °C. The modifications on fibers surface induced by the proposed treatment were evaluated through Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR), whereas scanning electron microscope (SEM) and helium pycnometer were used to obtain useful information about composites morphology. The effect of the concentration of the treating solution on the mechanical response of composites was determined through quasi-static tensile and flexural tests, Charpy impact tests and dynamical mechanical thermal (DMTA) tests. The results revealed that composites reinforced with flax fibers treated in 10% solution exhibit the best mechanical performances as well as the lowest void contents. SEM analysis supported these findings showing that, by treating fibers in solutions with concentration up to 10%, composites having better morphology can be manufactured, in comparison to untreated ones. Conversely, higher Na3C6H5O7 concentrations negatively affect both the morphology and the mechanical properties of composites.
Vincenzo Fiore; Dionisio Badagliacco; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Riccardo Miranda; Antonino Valenza. An Innovative Treatment Based on Sodium Citrate for Improving the Mechanical Performances of Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites. Polymers 2021, 13, 559 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore, Dionisio Badagliacco, Carmelo Sanfilippo, Riccardo Miranda, Antonino Valenza. An Innovative Treatment Based on Sodium Citrate for Improving the Mechanical Performances of Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites. Polymers. 2021; 13 (4):559.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore; Dionisio Badagliacco; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Riccardo Miranda; Antonino Valenza. 2021. "An Innovative Treatment Based on Sodium Citrate for Improving the Mechanical Performances of Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites." Polymers 13, no. 4: 559.
In this work, an additive model for the prediction of the rheological and mechanical properties of monopolymer blends made by virgin and reprocessed components is proposed. A polypropylene sample has been reprocessed more times in an extruder and monopolymer blends have been prepared by simulating an industrial process. The scraps are exposed to regrinding and are melt reprocessed before mixing with the virgin polymer. The reprocessed polymer is, then, subjected to some thermomechanical degradation. Rheological and mechanical experimental data have been compared with the theoretical predictions. The results obtained showed that the values of this simple additive model are a very good fit for the experimental values of both rheological and mechanical properties.
Francesco Paolo La Mantia; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Vincenzo Titone. An Additive Model to Predict the Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Blends Made by Virgin and Reprocessed Components. Recycling 2021, 6, 2 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Paolo La Mantia, Maria Chiara Mistretta, Vincenzo Titone. An Additive Model to Predict the Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Blends Made by Virgin and Reprocessed Components. Recycling. 2021; 6 (1):2.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Paolo La Mantia; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Vincenzo Titone. 2021. "An Additive Model to Predict the Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Blends Made by Virgin and Reprocessed Components." Recycling 6, no. 1: 2.
Due to several promising properties, such as their low density and specific properties, low price, easy processing, health advantages, renewability and recyclability, increasing attention was paid in the last years to natural fibres as alternatives to synthetic counterparts for the reinforcement of polymeric based composites
Vincenzo Fiore. Natural Fibres and Their Composites. Polymers 2020, 12, 2380 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore. Natural Fibres and Their Composites. Polymers. 2020; 12 (10):2380.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore. 2020. "Natural Fibres and Their Composites." Polymers 12, no. 10: 2380.
Mechanical recycling is one of the possible ways to enhance the value of postconsumer plastic materials. However, the final performance of the recycled material will strongly depend on the quality of the selection made on the recycled product and on the degradation of the properties. In this context, the present study examines the effect of reprocessing for five successive extrusion cycles on the rheological, mechanical and thermal properties of a poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)-based blend on samples reprocessed in both dry and wet conditions. The results showed that when the sample was processed after drying, degradation of the material was less than when it was processed in wet conditions. However, the experimental results showed that the decrease of rheological and mechanical properties was not so dramatic, and therefore the material could be reused in both cases.
Francesco Paolo La Mantia; Luigi Botta; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Antonino Di Fiore; Vincenzo Titone. Recycling of a Biodegradable Polymer Blend. Polymers 2020, 12, 2297 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Paolo La Mantia, Luigi Botta, Maria Chiara Mistretta, Antonino Di Fiore, Vincenzo Titone. Recycling of a Biodegradable Polymer Blend. Polymers. 2020; 12 (10):2297.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Paolo La Mantia; Luigi Botta; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Antonino Di Fiore; Vincenzo Titone. 2020. "Recycling of a Biodegradable Polymer Blend." Polymers 12, no. 10: 2297.
Polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) is bitumen that has been specifically engineered with polymer for providing enhanced performance in service. The aging of bitumen is a main aspect that is able to affect its final performance: during the production phase in a hot mix plant, all the binders experience short-term aging due to the high processing temperature. The same is true during the production of the modified binder, when the polymer is dispersed at high temperature in the bitumen mass. This paper aims at studying the effect of short-term aging when using different types of modifiers such as recycled polymers obtained from waste materials. A 50/70 penetration-grade bitumen has been modified, and bitumen characterization has been carried out before and after short-term aging; conventional tests, viscosity measurements, and dynamical mechanical analysis have been used to investigate the properties. Different aging indices have been determined for predicting the effect of short-term aging based on the type of modifier. Furthermore, the morphology of the modified bitumen has been investigated via fluorescent microscopy, before and after aging, in order to highlight morphological changes due to aging. The results confirm that aging affects all the modified binders, due to the thermal stress imposed during PMBs production. Nevertheless, polymer modification is proved to reduce the aging effect in terms of an increase in the elastic modulus as experienced by the original binder.
Clara Celauro; Edwina Saroufim; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Francesco Paolo La Mantia. Influence of Short-Term Aging on Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polymer-Modified Bitumen with Recycled Plastics from Waste Materials. Polymers 2020, 12, 1985 .
AMA StyleClara Celauro, Edwina Saroufim, Maria Chiara Mistretta, Francesco Paolo La Mantia. Influence of Short-Term Aging on Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polymer-Modified Bitumen with Recycled Plastics from Waste Materials. Polymers. 2020; 12 (9):1985.
Chicago/Turabian StyleClara Celauro; Edwina Saroufim; Maria Chiara Mistretta; Francesco Paolo La Mantia. 2020. "Influence of Short-Term Aging on Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polymer-Modified Bitumen with Recycled Plastics from Waste Materials." Polymers 12, no. 9: 1985.
The increasing efforts aimed to design structures with reduced weight and better mechanical performances has led in recent years to a growing use of fiber reinforced polymer materials in several fields such as marine. However, these materials can be composed of chemically very different elements and, hence, may be difficult to joint. This research aims to improve the adhesion between a thermoplastic matrix of polyamide reinforced with short carbon fibers (PA12-CR) and a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy matrix (CFRP). Two different silane coupling agents, (3-Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (AM) and (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (EP), were applied, through the spray deposition method, on the PA12-CR substrate to create a reactive layer between the adherents. Different deposition methods and coupling agents curing conditions were also investigated. The wettability of the PA12-CR surface as well as the chemical modifications induced by silane treatments were investigated through contact angle and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. Furthermore, the interfacial adhesion between PA12-CR and CFRP substrates was evaluated through Mode I delamination tests (DCB). The effectiveness of the most promising treatment was finally verified on sandwich structures, having PA12-CR printed as internal core and CFRP laminates as external skins, through quasi-static three-point bending mechanical tests. Overall, the epoxy-based silane (EP) allowed significantly better resistance to the delamination up until the tensile failure of the CFRP substrate.
Vincenzo Fiore; Vincenzo Orlando; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Dionisio Badagliacco; Antonino Valenza. Effect of Silane Coupling Treatment on the Adhesion between Polyamide and Epoxy Based Composites Reinforced with Carbon Fibers. Fibers 2020, 8, 48 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore, Vincenzo Orlando, Carmelo Sanfilippo, Dionisio Badagliacco, Antonino Valenza. Effect of Silane Coupling Treatment on the Adhesion between Polyamide and Epoxy Based Composites Reinforced with Carbon Fibers. Fibers. 2020; 8 (8):48.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore; Vincenzo Orlando; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Dionisio Badagliacco; Antonino Valenza. 2020. "Effect of Silane Coupling Treatment on the Adhesion between Polyamide and Epoxy Based Composites Reinforced with Carbon Fibers." Fibers 8, no. 8: 48.
Over the last decades, natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPs) gained great attention in several engineering fields thanks to the reduction of the environmental impact and the end-of-life cost disposal. Unfortunately, the use of NFRPs is limited, mainly due to their weak resistance against humid environments. Since limited literature is available about the evolution of the dynamic mechanical response of NFRPs under aggressive environments, this paper aims to investigate the damping properties of flax, jute and flax/jute epoxy composites exposed to salt-fog up to 60 days. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate fiber treatment was performed to improve the composites’ durability. The effectiveness of treatment was evidenced for full flax-reinforced composites, whereas no beneficial effect was found for jute composites. Moreover, treated hybrid laminates having outer laminae reinforced with flax showed better damping behavior than their hybrid counterparts during the whole aging campaign.
Vincenzo Fiore; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Luigi Calabrese. Dynamic Mechanical Behavior Analysis of Flax/Jute Fiber-Reinforced Composites under Salt-Fog Spray Environment. Polymers 2020, 12, 716 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore, Carmelo Sanfilippo, Luigi Calabrese. Dynamic Mechanical Behavior Analysis of Flax/Jute Fiber-Reinforced Composites under Salt-Fog Spray Environment. Polymers. 2020; 12 (3):716.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore; Carmelo Sanfilippo; Luigi Calabrese. 2020. "Dynamic Mechanical Behavior Analysis of Flax/Jute Fiber-Reinforced Composites under Salt-Fog Spray Environment." Polymers 12, no. 3: 716.
Aim of the present paper is to evaluate how the bearing behavior of pinned flax composites can be influenced by their exposition to critical environment such as marine one. To this scope, flax fibers/epoxy pinned laminate was exposed up to 60 days to salt-fog environment, according to ASTM B 117 standard. In particular, samples having different hole diameter (D), laminate width (W), and hole center to laminate free edge distance (E) have been tested under single lap bearing tests at varying the aging exposition time. Following this procedure, an experimental 2D failure map clustering main failure modes was created by placing the experimental results in the plane E/D versus W/D ratios, and its variation was analyzed at varying the aging exposition. Experimental results showed that environmental aging induced modification on the mechanical performances of the pinned composite. Furthermore, the failure map, defined by E/D and W/D ratios axes, evidenced a progressive modification of damage mechanisms transitions, at increasing the exposition time. In particular, due to significant reductions of tensile and shear strengths of flax laminate, the progressive fracture by bearing mode was not observed for aged samples, replaced by premature and catastrophic shear out and net tension mechanisms.
V. Fiore; L. Calabrese; Tommaso Scalici; A. Valenza. Evolution of the bearing failure map of pinned flax composite laminates aged in marine environment. Composites Part B: Engineering 2020, 187, 107864 .
AMA StyleV. Fiore, L. Calabrese, Tommaso Scalici, A. Valenza. Evolution of the bearing failure map of pinned flax composite laminates aged in marine environment. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2020; 187 ():107864.
Chicago/Turabian StyleV. Fiore; L. Calabrese; Tommaso Scalici; A. Valenza. 2020. "Evolution of the bearing failure map of pinned flax composite laminates aged in marine environment." Composites Part B: Engineering 187, no. : 107864.
The aim of the present paper is to study the mechanical performance evolution of pinned hybrid glass-flax composite laminates under environment aging conditions. Hybrid glass-flax fibers/epoxy pinned laminates were exposed to salt-spray fog environmental conditions up to 60 days. With the purpose of assessing the relationship between mechanical performances and failure mechanisms at increasing aging time, single lap joints at varying joint geometry (i.e., hole diameter D and hole distance E from free edge) were characterized after 0 days (i.e., unaged samples), 30 days, and 60 days of salt-fog exposition. Based on this approach, the property–structure relationship of the composite laminates was assessed on these critical environmental conditions. In particular, a reduction of failure strength for long-aging-time-aged samples was observed in the range 20–30% compared to unaged one. Due to the natural fiber degradation in a salt-fog environment, premature catastrophic fractures mode due to shear-out and net-tension were found, related to reduced joint fracture strength. This behavior identifies that this type of joint requires a careful design in order to guarantee an effective mechanical stability of the composite hybrid joint under long-term operating conditions in an aggressive environment.
Luigi Calabrese; Vincenzo Fiore; Paolo Bruzzaniti; Tommaso Scalici; Antonino Valenza. Pinned Hybrid Glass-Flax Composite Laminates Aged in Salt-Fog Environment: Mechanical Durability. Polymers 2019, 12, 40 .
AMA StyleLuigi Calabrese, Vincenzo Fiore, Paolo Bruzzaniti, Tommaso Scalici, Antonino Valenza. Pinned Hybrid Glass-Flax Composite Laminates Aged in Salt-Fog Environment: Mechanical Durability. Polymers. 2019; 12 (1):40.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuigi Calabrese; Vincenzo Fiore; Paolo Bruzzaniti; Tommaso Scalici; Antonino Valenza. 2019. "Pinned Hybrid Glass-Flax Composite Laminates Aged in Salt-Fog Environment: Mechanical Durability." Polymers 12, no. 1: 40.
The aim of the present paper is to assess the bearing performance evolution of pinned, glass-composite laminates due to environmental aging in salt-spray fog tests. Glass fibers/epoxy pinned laminates were exposed for up to 60 days in salt-spraying, foggy environmental conditions (according to ASTM B117 standard). In order to evaluate the relationship between mechanical failure mode and joint stability over increasing aging time, different single lap joints, measured by the changing hole diameter (D), laminate width (W) and hole free edge distance (E), were characterized at varying aging steps. Based on this approach, the property-structure relationship of glass-fibers/epoxy laminates was assessed under these critical environmental conditions. Furthermore, an experimental 2D failure map, clustering main failure modes in the plane E/D versus W/D ratios, was generated, and its cluster variation was analyzed at each degree of aging.
Luigi Calabrese; Vincenzo Fiore; Paolo Giovanni Bruzzaniti; Tommaso Scalici; Antonino Valenza. An Aging Evaluation of the Bearing Performances of Glass Fiber Composite Laminate in Salt Spray Fog Environment. Fibers 2019, 7, 96 .
AMA StyleLuigi Calabrese, Vincenzo Fiore, Paolo Giovanni Bruzzaniti, Tommaso Scalici, Antonino Valenza. An Aging Evaluation of the Bearing Performances of Glass Fiber Composite Laminate in Salt Spray Fog Environment. Fibers. 2019; 7 (11):96.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuigi Calabrese; Vincenzo Fiore; Paolo Giovanni Bruzzaniti; Tommaso Scalici; Antonino Valenza. 2019. "An Aging Evaluation of the Bearing Performances of Glass Fiber Composite Laminate in Salt Spray Fog Environment." Fibers 7, no. 11: 96.
Aim of the current study is to investigate how an innovative and eco-friendly chemical treatment based on sodium bicarbonate solution (10 wt%) can improve the aging resistance in marine environment of epoxy based composites, reinforced with flax and jute fibers. To this scope, treated and untreated fiber reinforced composites were manufactured through vacuum infusion technique. The resulting composites were then exposed to salt-fog spray conditions up to 60 days, according to ASTM B117 standard. The assessment of their durability was made by means of tensile, flexural quasi-static tests and Charpy impact tests. Furthermore, the water uptake evolution of each composite was monitored during the whole aging exposition. The experimental campaign evidenced that the beneficial effect of the sodium bicarbonate treatment on adhesion between flax fibers and epoxy matrix allows treated laminates to better retain their flexural properties during the salt-fog-exposition, in comparison to untreated laminates. Conversely, the proposed treatment leads to a slight worsening effect on the durability of jute fiber reinforced composites.
V. Fiore; C. Sanfilippo; L. Calabrese. Influence of sodium bicarbonate treatment on the aging resistance of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites under marine environment. Polymer Testing 2019, 80, 106100 .
AMA StyleV. Fiore, C. Sanfilippo, L. Calabrese. Influence of sodium bicarbonate treatment on the aging resistance of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites under marine environment. Polymer Testing. 2019; 80 ():106100.
Chicago/Turabian StyleV. Fiore; C. Sanfilippo; L. Calabrese. 2019. "Influence of sodium bicarbonate treatment on the aging resistance of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites under marine environment." Polymer Testing 80, no. : 106100.
In the last years, natural fibers are increasingly investigated as an oil recovery system in order to overcome the oil spillage phenomena, thus preserving environment and aquatic life. In particular, lignocellulose-based fibers have recently been employed with promising results. In such a context, the aim of this paper is to assess the oil sorption capability of natural fibers extracted from the stem of the giant reed Arundo donax L., a perennial rhizomatous grass belonging to the Poaceae family that grows naturally all around the world thanks to its ability to tolerate different climatic conditions. Sorption tests in several pollutants and water as a reference were carried out. The fibers have absorption capacities that are about five to six times their weight. Depending on the high absorption kinetics, possible applicative interests can be identified. Eventually, depending on the fiber size, adsorption properties were related to the microstructure and morphology of Arundo donax fibers.
Vincenzo Fiore; Elpida Piperopoulos; Luigi Calabrese. Assessment of Arundo donax Fibers for Oil Spill Recovery Applications. Fibers 2019, 7, 75 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore, Elpida Piperopoulos, Luigi Calabrese. Assessment of Arundo donax Fibers for Oil Spill Recovery Applications. Fibers. 2019; 7 (9):75.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore; Elpida Piperopoulos; Luigi Calabrese. 2019. "Assessment of Arundo donax Fibers for Oil Spill Recovery Applications." Fibers 7, no. 9: 75.
In this study, the structural behavior of small-scale wood beams externally strengthened with various fiber strengthened polymer (FRP) composites (i.e., flax FRP (FFRP), basalt FRP (BFRP), E-glass FRP (“E” stands for electrical resistance, GFRP) and their hybrid FRP composites (HFRP) with different fiber configurations) were investigated. FRP strengthened wood specimens were tested under bending and the effects of different fiber materials, thicknesses and the layer arrangements of the FRP on the flexural behavior of strengthened wood beams were discussed. The beams strengthened with flax FRP showed a higher flexural loading capacity in comparison to the beams with basalt FRP. Flax FRP provided a comparable enhancement in the maximum load with beams strengthened with glass FRP at the same number of FRP layers. In addition, all the hybrid FRPs (i.e., a combination of flax, basalt and E-glass FRP) in this study exhibited no significant enhancement in load carrying capacity but larger maximum deflection than the single type of FRP composite. It was also found that the failure modes of FRP strengthened beams changed from tensile failure to FRP debonding as their maximum bending load increased.
Bo Wang; Erik Valentine Bachtiar; Libo Yan; Bohumil Kasal; Vincenzo Fiore. Flax, Basalt, E-Glass FRP and Their Hybrid FRP Strengthened Wood Beams: An Experimental Study. Polymers 2019, 11, 1255 .
AMA StyleBo Wang, Erik Valentine Bachtiar, Libo Yan, Bohumil Kasal, Vincenzo Fiore. Flax, Basalt, E-Glass FRP and Their Hybrid FRP Strengthened Wood Beams: An Experimental Study. Polymers. 2019; 11 (8):1255.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBo Wang; Erik Valentine Bachtiar; Libo Yan; Bohumil Kasal; Vincenzo Fiore. 2019. "Flax, Basalt, E-Glass FRP and Their Hybrid FRP Strengthened Wood Beams: An Experimental Study." Polymers 11, no. 8: 1255.
The present paper deals with the investigation of quasi-static and dynamic mechanical response of epoxy-based composites reinforced with flax and/or jute plain weave fabrics. In order to evaluate the influence of the stacking sequence, two monolithic laminates reinforced with flax or jute fibers and two hybrid flax/jute laminates were manufactured through the vacuum infusion technique. Furthermore, an eco-friendly and cost-effective surface treatment based on fiber soaking in a sodium bicarbonate solution was employed to improve the fiber-matrix adhesion. The mechanical characterization (by means of quasi-static flexural, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and Charpy impact tests) allowed to evidence that the sodium bicarbonate treatment leads to noticeable improvement of the mechanical performances of flax reinforced composites, whereas jute composites experience a slight decrease of their mechanical properties. Overall, the hybridization allows to achieve intermediate mechanical properties among those of monolithic composites. Furthermore, the coupled action of hybridization and surface treatment does not lead to a beneficial and reliable effect on the mechanical response of the resulting composites.
Vincenzo Fiore; Luigi Calabrese. Effect of Stacking Sequence and Sodium Bicarbonate Treatment on Quasi-Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Flax/Jute Epoxy-Based Composites. Materials 2019, 12, 1363 .
AMA StyleVincenzo Fiore, Luigi Calabrese. Effect of Stacking Sequence and Sodium Bicarbonate Treatment on Quasi-Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Flax/Jute Epoxy-Based Composites. Materials. 2019; 12 (9):1363.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincenzo Fiore; Luigi Calabrese. 2019. "Effect of Stacking Sequence and Sodium Bicarbonate Treatment on Quasi-Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Flax/Jute Epoxy-Based Composites." Materials 12, no. 9: 1363.
The Achilles heel of thermoplastic natural fibre composites is their limited durability. The environmental degradation of the mechanical properties of hemp and hemp/basalt hybrid-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites has been investigated with a special focus on the effects of water ageing and accelerated ageing, including hygrothermal and UV radiation. Modification of the matrix was carried out using a maleic anhydride high-density polyethylene copolymer (MAPE) as a compatibilizer. Hybridization of hemp fibres with basalt fibres and the incorporation of MAPE were found to significantly decrease the water uptake (up to 75%) and increase the retention of mechanical properties after accelerated ageing. Secondary crystallization phenomena occurring in the composites, as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, were able to counteract the severe combined effects of hygrothermal stress and UV radiation, with the exception of hemp-fibre composites where permanent damage to the fibres occurred, with 2% and 20% reduction in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, for a 30 wt % hemp fibre-reinforced HDPE.
Claudia Sergi; Jacopo Tirillò; Maria Carolina Seghini; Fabrizio Sarasini; Vincenzo Fiore; Tommaso Scalici. Durability of Basalt/Hemp Hybrid Thermoplastic Composites. Polymers 2019, 11, 603 .
AMA StyleClaudia Sergi, Jacopo Tirillò, Maria Carolina Seghini, Fabrizio Sarasini, Vincenzo Fiore, Tommaso Scalici. Durability of Basalt/Hemp Hybrid Thermoplastic Composites. Polymers. 2019; 11 (4):603.
Chicago/Turabian StyleClaudia Sergi; Jacopo Tirillò; Maria Carolina Seghini; Fabrizio Sarasini; Vincenzo Fiore; Tommaso Scalici. 2019. "Durability of Basalt/Hemp Hybrid Thermoplastic Composites." Polymers 11, no. 4: 603.