Research Articles

In this work the multi-factor, non-linear dependencies between main (tangential) FC (N) and normal (radial) FN (N) cutting forces and eight machining parameters by sawing simulation of wood of Pinus sylvestris L. were evaluated. The relationships are graphically illustrated and discussed. Evidence of several contradictions was found relative to results from available literature.

The performance of rice husk powder (RHP) filled polypropylene (PP)/ recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBRr) biocomposites with and without coupling agent, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS), were investigated. The composites with different RHP filler loading (0 to 30 phr) were prepared in a Haake internal mixer. Mechanical properties, swelling behavior, and water absorption of PP/NBRr/RHP were studied. Increasing RHP loading in PP/NBRr/RHP biocomposites increased processing torque, tensile modulus, water absorption, and swelling in oil but decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break of the biocomposites. The γ-APS treated RHP composites exhibited higher processing torque, tensile strength, and tensile modulus but lower elongation at break when compared to untreated RHP composites. This is due to strong bonding between γ-APS treated RHP filler and PP/NBRr matrices. These findings were well supported by micrographs from the morphology studies. The γ-APS treatment on RHP improved the adhesion between RHP fiber and PP/NBRr polymer matrices, which led to less water and oil absorption into PP/NBRr/RHP/ biocomposites.

Rapeseed waste from biodiesel production was explored as a biosorbent for the removal of Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions under batch conditions. The optimum value of the initial pH for the sorption of both metal ions was found to be 4.5 to 5. The efficiency of Cu(II) and Cd(II) removal from aqueous solutions varied from 49% to 91% and from 61% to 97%, respectively, by increasing the rapeseed waste dose from 5 to 30 g L-1. According to the evaluation using the Langmuir equation, the monolayer sorption capacity of copper (II) and cadmium (II) ions on rapeseed waste was found to be 15.43 mg g-1 and 21.72 mg g-1, respectively at 293 K. The batch sorption systems under study were thermodynamically characterized by means of parameters such as ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS. The kinetic parameters derived from the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations were calculated and compared.

Waste tyre dust (WTD)/kenaf fibre (Ke) hybrid filler filled natural rubber (NR) compounds having constant 30 phr loading were prepared with increasing partial replacement of WTD by kenaf fibre at 0, 10, 15, 20, and 30 phr. Curing characteristics, mechanical properties, rubber-fibre interaction, and morphology of the NR compounds were studied after the compounds were obtained. The curing characteristics such as t2 and t90 increased with increment of kenaf fibre loading. For MHR, the increasing partial replacement of WTD by kenaf fibre showed increasing MHR value. For tensile properties, the value of tensile strength and elongation at break value decreased with increasing kenaf fibre loading. The values of M100 and M300 increased but then decreased after the addition of 15 phr of kenaf fibre loading. Besides, fatigue life value also showed a decreasing trend with increasing kenaf fibre loading. For rubber-fibre interaction, the values of Qf/Qg showed a small increment with increasing kenaf fibre loading. The SEM micrographs obtained for fractured surface of WTD/kenaf fibre hybrid filled NR compounds supported the results for the mechanical properties.

Environmentally friendly polyurethane (PU) spray foam insulation was prepared by substituting petrochemical polyol with soy-based polyol. The effects of adding wood fiber and water on the cell morphologies were studied. Cell size increased with the presence of wood fiber, but it decreased with an increase of water (H2O). Still, shorter fiber decreased in foam density but increased in cell size and open cell content.

Bio-based polyurethane (PU) spray foam insulation was prepared with soy polyol. The effects of adding wood fiber and water on the thermal and mechanical properties of the insulations were studied. The decomposition temperature (Td) of the foams increased with fiber reinforcement due to a higher degree of crosslinking. Alternatively, different fiber length contributed to different crosslinking. In addition, the neat foams, which didn’t contain wood fibers, had exceptional thermal stability with the increase of the amount of H2O by forming more stable polyurea adducts. In addition, PU spray foam blown with a larger content of H2O had higher compressive strength by forming a stiffer phase. Still, PU spray foam reinforced with fiber also had superior compressive strength due to the fiber framing into the foam struts. The effect of the fiber length on the compressive strength was evaluated. The degree of complex networks was influenced by the fiber length. However, the tensile strength was weakened with the addition of wood fiber.

A previous study demonstrated that paper sludges with high ash contents can be converted to ethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) or simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF). High ash content in the sludge, however, limited solid loading in the bioreactor, causing low product concentration. To overcome this problem, sludges were de-ashed before SSF and SSCF. Low ash content in sludges also increased the ethanol yield to the extent that the enzyme dosage required to achieve 70% yield in the fermentation process was reduced by 30%. High solid loading in SSF and SSCF decreased the ethanol yield. High agitation and de-ashing of the sludges were able to restore part of the yield loss caused by high solid loading. Substitution of the laboratory fermentation medium (peptone and yeast extract) with corn steep liquor did not bring about any adverse effects in the fermentation. Fed-batch operation of the SSCF and SSF using low-ash content sludges was effective in raising the ethanol concentration, achieving 47.8 g/L and 60.0 g/L, respectively.

The performance of a newly developed pilot scale continuous enzymatic deinking system has been evaluated using a mixture of cellulase and xylanase enzymes in the deinking of mixed office wastepaper (MOW) and old newspaper (ONP). Optimizations of the enzymatic deinking processes were carried out, and the optimum conditions obtained for MOW and ONP were different. The highest brightness obtained from enzymatic deinking of MOW and ONP under their respective optimum conditions were about 83.6% and 41.9%, respectively. The deinking efficiency of 6.0% and 6.3% were obtained by enzymatic deinking process using MOW and ONP, respectively. On the other hand, the deinking efficiency of 2.9% and 3.5% were obtained by a chemical deinking process using MOW and ONP, respectively. The findings obtained from present work indicated that enzymes have potential to be used in deinking of MOW, which is difficult to deink by conventional chemical deinking methods.

Juniper (Juniperus communis) is a slowly growing softwood species that has unusually high elasticity. To demonstrate the utilization of the material properties of juniper, conventional kraft pulping was used to prepare juniper pulp, whose handsheet and fiber properties were subsequently analyzed. A large number of uncooked fiber bundles remained after pulping, the screened yield was low, and kappa number high. Also the viscosity value of juniper pulp was lower than that of common industrial softwood pulps, due to the harsh pulping conditions required. Juniper fibres had thicker cell walls, smaller diameters, and shorter lengths than those of the more conventional softwood species, while the microfibril angle, which was measured by X-ray diffraction, was significantly higher (22-37°). Moreover, the strength properties of juniper pulp handsheets were lower than those of common softwood pulps. The intriguing elastic properties of juniper wood, however, were apparent in the handsheet properties. Tensile stiffness was determined to be merely half of the value typical for softwood pulps, whereas the breaking stretch was more than twice higher. Although a large-scale industrial use of juniper is not possible, one can speculate that it may be feasible to mimic its properties via transgenic modification to faster growing species.

Effects of surface chemical modifications of luffa fibers on mechanical and hygrothermal behaviors of polyester/luffa composites were studied. Unsaturated polyester resin was used as matrix. Untreated, alkali-treated, treated with combined process, and acetylated luffa fibers were used. Scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the morphology and chemical structure of the luffa fibers. The mechanical properties of the composites were characterized using the three-point flexural bending test. Water absorption tests were conducted on both the fibers and the composite materials by immersion in distilled water at 25°C. The acetylation treatment improved the mechanical properties. As shown by infrared analysis, the process decreased the hydrophilic behaviour of the luffa fibers, improving their adhesion to the polyester matrix. The chemical modifications at the surface of the luffa fibers also decreased the diffusion coefficient and the maximum amount of water absorbed by these fibers. Moreover, it was observed that for the fibers tested in this study, the diffusion process was “Fickian” at earlier times of immersion, but became complicated towards the end of the immersion. Similar results have been obtained for composite materials at earlier stages of water immersion. The diffusion process was found to be affected by external loads applied on the exposed composite materials. As the load increased, the amount of absorbed water increased at a higher rate of diffusion.