To improve interfacial adhesion between glass fiber (GF) and poly(ethylene-grafted-styrene)-based cation exchange membranes (CEM), GF was modified by four coupling agents: [3-(Methacryloxy)propyl] trimethoxy silane (3-MPS), 1,6-bis (trimethoxysilyl) hexane (1,6 bis), Poly(propylene-graft-maleic anhydride) (PP-g-MA) and Triethoxyvinylsilane (TES). The results indicated the addition of modified GF increased tensile strength, tensile modulus, storage modulus and interfacial adhesion of GF/CEM composite but degraded the strains. The composite with 3-MPS modified GF obtained superior mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion, whereas the modified effect of TES was inconspicuous. The addition of unmodified GF even had negative effects on GF/CEM mechanical properties. The field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM) showed that the GF treated by 3-MPS and PP-g-MA have better compatibility with the CEM matrix than 1,6 bis and TES-treated GF. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) verified that the strengthening effects from modified GF were attributed to the formation of Si-O-Si and Si-O-C bonds. The additions of modified GF in CEM positively influence water uptake ability but negatively influence ion exchange capacity (IEC). This research provided a way of strengthening GF/CEM composite and pointed out which functional groups included in coupling agents could be useful to GF-reinforced composite.

Reactions between Al containing materials and counterfeit refrigerant chloromethane (R-40) were investigated under various conditions. The addition of Mg effected a reaction indicating that trimethylaluminum may have been produced in the reaction. A different study involving Al-foil, AlCl3 and chloromethane resulted in cracks detected on the Al-foil which reduced in weight by 19% and methane was detected. Studies conducted either at room temperature or at 80 degrees C with two other genuine refrigerants, R-142b (1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane) and R-133a (2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) did not form organoaluminum compounds. Several commercially available refrigerant oils were subjected to Me3Al. Only polyester oil resulted in a decrease in the quantity of methane released upon final deactivation with alcohol. Various chemicals were added to Me3Al in order to find which ones would react and not produce methane. Phthalaldehyde was determined to be the most efficient reagent by deactivating approximately 50% of the methyl groups on Me3Al.