As the IV generation of packaging, biopolymers, with the advantages of biodegradability, process ability, combination possibilities and no pollution to food, have become the leading food packaging materials. Biopolymers can be directly extracted from biomass, synthesized from bioderived monomers and produced directly by microorganisms which are all abundant and renewable. The raw materials used to produce biopolymers are low-cost, some even coming from agrion dustrial waste. This review summarized the advances in protein-based films and coatings for food packaging. The materials studied to develop protein-based packaging films and coatings can be divided into two classes: plant proteins and animal proteins. Parts of proteins are referred in this review, including plant proteins i.e., gluten, soy proteins and zein, and animal proteins i.e., casein, whey and gelatin. Films and coatings based on these proteins have excellent gas barrier properties and satisfactory mechanical properties. However, the hydrophilicity of proteins makes the protein-based films present poor water barrier characteristics. The application of plasticizers and the corresponding post-treatments can make the properties of the protein-based films and coatings improved. The addition of active compounds into protein-based films can effectively inhibit or delay the growth of microorganisms and the oxidation of lipids. The review also summarized the research about the storage requirements of various foods that can provide corresponding guidance for the preparation of food packaging materials. Numerous application examples of protein-based films and coatings in food packaging also confirm their important role in food packaging materials.
In the tire industry, the combination of carbon black and silica is commonly utilized to improve the comprehensive performance of natural rubber so as to realize the best performance and cost-effectiveness. The corresponding mixing is divided into three processes (initial mixing, delivery, reactive mixing) by the serial modular continuous mixing method, thus achieving more accurate control of the mixing process, higher production efficiency and better performance. Moreover, the optimization of serial modular continuous mixing process parameters can not only improve the performance of composite materials, but help people understand the physical and chemical changes and the reinforcing mechanism of fillers in the mixing process. In this paper, the relationship among the parameters of eight processes and filler network structure, tensile strength, chemical reinforcing effect and tear resistance was explored through experiments. The deep causes of performance changes caused by parameters were analyzed. Consequently, the best process condition and the ranking of the influencing factors for a certain performance was obtained. Furthermore, the best preparation process of natural rubber (NR)/carbon black/silica composite was achieved through comprehensive analysis.
12 April 2021 in Journal of Applied Polymer Science
In order to obtain a longer mixing chamber life, a layer of hard alloy coating is generally welded on the surface. However, when the mixing chamber is used for a long time, the surface will be worn due to friction with small fillers and rubber. As a result, there will be a large gap between the mixing chamber and the rotor, which will further affect the quality of the mixed rubber. In this paper, the dispersion process of the reinforcing system is simulated at first, and the mixed rubber samples are obtained from different dispersion stages in preparation for experiments with the chamber material. On this basis, the friction experiment is carried out with the same material as the mixing chamber on the friction experiment machine employed in the improved test part. The experiment shows that the friction and wear between the mixture and metal produced in each mixing stage are different. The wear in the stage with high friction is not necessarily large. The wear will be intensified in the middle and later mixing periods, while the friction will tend to be stable. In this paper, besides the exploration on the friction of fillers and rubber on the mixing chamber in different mixing stages, the most important thing is to change the mixing process of rubber formula, so as to extend the service life of the mixing chamber without changing the comprehensive physical properties of the mixing rubber.
The gap between the rotor and the mixer chamber wall is an important factor in determining filler dispersion in rubber compounds. The inner wall of a mixer will wear after working for a long time, which will cause poor filler dispersion and affect the quality of rubber products. In this study, MoDTC was added to carbon black as a kind of filler, and the effect on filler dispersion, the properties of the rubber product, and the friction and wear of rubber and metal in the mixing process were examined. Experimental data showed that after adding 3 phr of MoDTC, carbon black dispersion was greatly improved, the curing time was shortened, and the performance remained stable. It was also found that the Mo element of the compound with 3 phr MoDTC dispersed better than that of the other compounds. Most importantly, adding 3 phr of MoDTC greatly reduced the amount of wear on the metal during the mixing process. However, the opposite effect occurred when the MoDTC content was high. The method proposed in this study can not only improve filler dispersion in rubber but also reduce metal wear to prolong the service life of the mixing chamber when applied to an actual mixing process.