Effect of Basalt Powder Surface Treatments on Mechanical and Processing Properties of Polylactide-Based Composites

Legislative restrictions and the needs of consumers have created a demand for sustainable materials. Polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable polyester with advantageous mechanical properties, however, due to its low crystallization rate, it also has low thermomechanical stability. Its range of application temperatures can be widened using nucleating agents and fillers including basalt powder (BP), a waste product from the mining industry. This study analyzed the possibility of enhancing the properties of a PLA-BP composite by chemically treating the filler. Basalt powder was subjected to silanization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane or γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and mixed with PLA at 5–20 wt%. The nucleating effect of a potassium salt of 3,5-bis(methoxycarbonyl) (LAK-301) in the silanized composite was also evaluated. The properties of the materials with silanized BP were compared with the unmodified basalt powder. The miscibility of the filler and the polymer was assessed by oscillatory rheometry. The structure of the composites was studied using scanning electron microscopy and their thermomechanical properties were analyzed using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness and impact strength, and heat deflection temperature of the materials were also determined. It was concluded that BP-filled nucleated PLA composites presented satisfactory thermomechanical stability without silanization, but chemical treatment could improve the matrix–filler interactions.     

Study on the Influence of Silica Fume (SF) on the Rheology,Fluidity, Stability,Time-Varying Characteristics,and Mechanism of Cement Paste

In this study, the rheology, fluidity, stability, and time-varying properties of cement paste with different substitute contents of silica fume (SF) were investigated. The result showed that the effects of SF on macro-fluidity and micro-rheological properties were different under different water–cement ratios. The addition of SF increased the yield stress and plastic viscosity in the range of 2.61–18.44% and 6.66–24.66%, respectively, and reduced the flow expansion in the range of 4.15–18.91%. The effect of SF on cement paste gradually lost its regularity as the w/c ratio increased. The SF can effectively improve the stability of cement paste, and the reduction range of bleeding rate was 0.25–4.3% under different water–cement ratios. The mathematical models of rheological parameters, flow expansion, and time followed the following equations: τ(t) = τ₀ + k₀t, η(t) = η₀e^at, and L(t) = L₀ − k₁t, L(t) = L₀ − k₁t − a₁t₂. The SF slowly increased the rheological parameters in the initial time period and reduced the degree of fluidity attenuation, but the effect was significantly enhanced after entering the accelerated hydration period. The mechanism of the above results was that SF mainly affected the fluidity and rheology of the paste through the effect of water film thickness. The small density of SF particles resulted in a low sedimentation rate in the initial suspended paste, which effectively alleviated the internal particle agglomeration effect and enhanced stability. The SF had a dilution effect and nucleation effect during hydration acceleration, and the increase of hydration products effectively increased the plastic viscosity.     

Influence of Sand-Cement Ratio and Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer on the Basic Properties of Mortar Based on Water Film Thickness

Previous studies demonstrated that water film thickness (WFT) is a key factor that affects the fluidity of mortar. Changes in the sand-cement (S/C) ratio and polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) dosage will affect the WFT. In this study, several mortar samples with different S/C ratios and different PCE dosages were prepared, and the basic properties of the mortar were measured. The results show that as the S/C ratio increases, the packing density of the mortar will decrease, the WFT will decrease, and the cohesiveness will increase, resulting in a decrease in the flow spread and strength of the mortar. When the PCE dosage is increased, the packing density of the mortar will increase, the WFT will increase, and the cohesiveness will decrease, which increases the flow spread of the mortar. When the water-cement (W/C) ratio is low, the S/C ratio has a significant effect on the strength, and the strength will increase with the increasing of the PCE dosage. When the W/C ratio is high, the strength of the mortar will be reduced once the PCE dosage exceeds the saturation value. In the case of different S/C ratios or different PCE dosages, the WFT can be used as a measure of mortar cohesiveness and flow spread.     

Effect of Layer Thickness and Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Alloy 625 Manufactured by Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion

This research program investigated the effects of layer thickness (50 µm and 100 µm) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of electron beam powder bed fusion (EBPBF) additive manufacturing of Inconel 625 alloy. The as-built 50 µm and 100 µm layer thickness components were also heat treated at temperatures above 1100 °C which produced a recrystallized grain structure containing annealing twins in the 50 µm layer thickness components, and a duplex grain structure consisting of islands of very small equiaxed grains dispersed in a recrystallized, large-grain structure containing annealing twins. The heat-treated components of the microstructures and mechanical properties were compared with the as-built components in both the build direction (vertical) and perpendicular (horizontal) to the build direction. Vickers microindentation hardness (HV) values for the vertical and horizontal geometries averaged 227 and 220 for the as-built 50 µm and 100 µm layer components, respectively, and 185 and 282 for the corresponding heat-treated components. The yield stress values were 387 MPa and 365 MPa for the as-built horizontal and vertical 50 µm layer geometries, and 330 MPa and 340 MPa for the as-built 100 µm layer components. For the heat-treated 50 µm components, the yield stress values were 340 and 321 MPa for the horizontal and vertical geometries, and 581 and 489 MPa for the 100 µm layer components, respectively. The elongation for the 100 µm layer as-built horizontal components was 28% in contrast with 65% for the corresponding 100 µm heat-treated layer components, an increase of 132% for the duplex grain structure.     

Influence of Layer Thickness and Raster Angle on the Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed PEEK and a Comparative Mechanical Study between PEEK and ABS

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a rapidly growing 3D printing technology. However, printing materials are restricted to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or poly (lactic acid) (PLA) in most Fused deposition modeling (FDM) equipment. Here, we report on a new high-performance printing material, polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), which could surmount these shortcomings. This paper is devoted to studying the influence of layer thickness and raster angle on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed PEEK. Samples with three different layer thicknesses (200, 300 and 400 μm) and raster angles (0°, 30° and 45°) were built using a polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) 3D printing system and their tensile, compressive and bending strengths were tested. The optimal mechanical properties of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) samples were found at a layer thickness of 300 μm and a raster angle of 0°. To evaluate the printing performance of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) samples, a comparison was made between the mechanical properties of 3D-printed polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) parts. The results suggest that the average tensile strengths of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) parts were 108% higher than those for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and compressive strengths were 114% and bending strengths were 115%. However, the modulus of elasticity for both materials was similar. These results indicate that the mechanical properties of 3D-printed polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) are superior to 3D-printed ABS.     

Influence of Rapid Freeze-Thaw Cycling on the Mechanical Properties of Sustainable Strain-Hardening Cement Composite (2SHCC)

This paper provides experimental results to investigate the mechanical properties of sustainable strain-hardening cement composite (2SHCC) for infrastructures after freeze-thaw actions. To improve the sustainability of SHCC materials in this study, high energy-consumptive components—silica sand, cement, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers—in the conventional SHCC materials are partially replaced with recycled materials such as recycled sand, fly ash, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, respectively. To investigate the mechanical properties of green SHCC that contains recycled materials, the cement, PVA fiber and silica sand were replaced with 10% fly ash, 25% PET fiber, and 10% recycled aggregate based on preliminary experimental results for the development of 2SHCC material, respectively. The dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight for 2SHCC material were measured at every 30 cycles of freeze-thaw. The effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties of sustainable SHCC are evaluated by conducting compressive tests, four-point flexural tests, direct tensile tests and prism splitting tests after 90, 180, and 300 cycles of rapid freeze-thaw. Freeze-thaw testing was conducted according to ASTM C 666 Procedure A. Test results show that after 300 cycles of freezing and thawing actions, the dynamic modulus of elasticity and mass loss of damaged 2SHCC were similar to those of virgin 2SHCC, while the freeze-thaw cycles influence mechanical properties of the 2SHCC material except for compressive behavior.     

Relationships among the Characteristic Tensile Strain,Curing Age,and Strength of Reactive Powder Concrete

The characteristic tensile strain of reactive powder concrete is a critical indicator of its resistance to cracking. In order to study its crack resistance performance, in this study, we investigated changes over time in the characteristic tensile strain patterns of reactive powder concrete. An axial tensile test was performed to obtain the stress–strain curves of reactive powder concrete after curing ages from 3 to 56 days, and then we identified changes over time in the initial and ultimate tensile strain patterns. An analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between the initial tensile strain and the ratio of tensile strength to elastic modulus. The correlations between the ultimate tensile strain and its curing age as well as that of the ultimate tensile strain with its tensile strength and its compressive strength were established, and an approach was proposed for calculating the characteristic age of reactive powder concrete.     

Impact of Recycled Aggregate on the Mechanical and Environmental Properties of Concrete: A Review

This review aims to present and discuss the mechanical and environmental properties of two different type of recycled aggregates obtain from construction and demolition waste (CDW): (1) Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCA) and (2) Mixed Recycled Aggregates (MRA). In addition, the properties of the concrete in the fresh (workability, water/cement ratio) and hardened state (mechanical and durability properties), as well as the environmental impact of the concrete produced with the two types of recycled aggregates, are presented and discussed. Due to the heterogeneous composition of recycled aggregates, the concrete properties can be significantly variable. The systematic review concerns scientific papers published from 2010 to 2020 and it shows the importance of the selection process in order to obtain high quality CDW as well as of the type of recycled aggregates on concrete properties. In particular, recycled concrete aggregates show a better quality and homogeneity than mixed recycled aggregates that make them more suitable for concrete. This work presents an overview on the influence of recycled aggregate quality on the physical, mechanical and environmental properties of concrete.     

Effect of Biochar Addition on Mechanical Properties,Thermal Stability,and Water Resistance of Hemp-Polylactic Acid (PLA) Composites

The present study investigated the effect of biochar (BC) addition on mechanical, thermal, and water resistance properties of PLA and hemp-PLA-based composites. BC was combined with variable concentration to PLA (5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 20 wt%) and hemp (30 wt%)-PLA (5 wt% and 10 wt%); then, composites were blended and injection molded. Samples were characterized by color measurements, tensile tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and water contact angle analysis. Experimental results showed that adding 5 wt% of BC enhanced the composite’s tensile modulus of elasticity and strength. Hence, the use of optimized loading of BC improved the mechanical strength of the composites. However, after BC addition, thermal stability slightly decreased compared with that of neat PLA due to the catalytic effect of BC particles. Moreover, the water-repelling ability decreased as BC content increased due to the specific hydrophilic characteristics of the BC used and its great porosity.     

Study on SO42−/Cl− Erosion Resistance and Mechanism of Recycled Concrete Containing Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) Powder

In this paper, the strength characteristics and erosion resistance of solid waste incineration (MSWI) powder were studied. Firstly, the optimum process for the preparation of regenerated powder from MSWI bottom slag by ball milling was determined as follows: rotational speed 350 r/min, time 45 min. The strength activity index of regenerated powder reached the maximum when the substitute content of powder was 30%. Secondly, the semi-erosion method was used to study the strength variation rule of mortar with different content of MSWI powder in semi-immersion of salt solution. It was found that the higher the content of MSWI powder, the greater the anti-erosion coefficient of mortar specimen. Finally, the capillary rise test, crystallization test and capillary pore water absorption test were used to study the total porosity, coarse capillary-pore porosity and fine-capillary pore porosity of concrete containing MSWI powder. The results showed that, with the increase in MSWI powder content, the above pore structure properties were improved. The results revealed the transport and crystallization process of salt solution in concrete mixed with MSWI powder and the mechanism of corrosion resistance.     

Study on Rheological Properties of Bituminous Binders and Mixtures Containing Waste Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and SBR Compound Modified Bitumen

Improper handling of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) can cause serious pollution to the water and soil environments. In order to explore a new method of recycling waste PCBs, this study investigated the effect of PCBs and butadiene styrene rubber (SBR) on the rheological properties of neat bitumen. The dynamic shear rheological (DSR) test was used to study the effect of different PCB contents on the high-temperature rheological properties of SBR-modified bitumen. Fluorescence microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study the microstructure change law and modification mechanism of PCB and SBR composite modified bitumen. Finally, the feasibility of the bitumen properties was verified through a test of the bituminous mixture properties. The DSR test results showed that the addition of PCBs improves the elastic recovery modulus, dynamic shear modulus, and rutting factor of SBR-modified bitumen, indicating that the high-temperature properties were improved. Infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that a new absorption peak was generated in the infrared spectrum of the compound bitumen after the addition of PCBs, and the intensity of the original absorption peak also changed, indicating that PCBs and SBR-modified bitumen were mainly physically blended and accompanied by a weak chemical reaction. It was further found that the absorption peak of the unsaturated C=C double bond was significantly enhanced, and the increase in the content of the unsaturated bond C=C in the main chain of the polymer significantly increases the stiffness of the bitumen. Macroscopically, the high-temperature rutting resistance was improved to a certain extent. The fluorescence diagram shows that when PCBs do not exceed 10%, the PCBs can form a homogeneous structure and be dispersed in SBR-modified bitumen. The road test of PCBs and SBR composite modified bituminous mixtures showed that PCBs can significantly improve the rutting resistance and water stability of SBR-modified bitumen at high temperatures at the recommended optimum content. The crack resistance at low temperatures is weakened but still meets actual engineering requirements. The correlation analysis between the properties of bitumen and bituminous mixtures is carried out based on grey correlation theory. The results show that the index of modified bitumen has a very good guiding effect on the bituminous mixture properties. The development of PCBs and SBR composite-modified bitumen provides a new practical method for recycling waste PCBs.     

A Comprehensive Study of the Mechanical and Durability Properties of High-Performance Concrete Materials for Grouting Underwater Foundations of Offshore Wind Turbines

With the increasing importance of offshore wind turbines, a critical issue in their construction is the high-performance concrete (HPC) used for grouting underwater foundations, as such materials must be better able to withstand the extremes of the surrounding natural environment. This study produced and tested 12 concrete sample types by varying the water/binder ratio (0.28 and 0.30), the replacement ratios for fly ash (0%, 10%, and 20%) and silica fume (0% and 10%), as substitutes for cement, with ground granulated blast-furnace slag at a fixed proportion of 30%. The workability of fresh HPC is discussed with setting time, slump, and V-funnel flow properties. The hardened mechanical properties of the samples were tested at 1, 7, 28, 56, and 91 days, and durability tests were performed at 28, 56, and 91 days. Our results show that both fly ash (at 20%) and silica fume (at 10%) are required for effective filling of interstices and better pozzolanic reactions over time to produce HPC that is durable enough to withstand acid sulfate and chloride ion attacks, and we recommend this admixture for the best proportioning of HPC suitable for constructing offshore wind turbine foundations under the harsh underwater conditions of the Taiwan Bank. We established a model to predict a durability parameter (i.e., chloride permeability) of a sample using another mechanical property (i.e., compressive strength), or vice versa, using the observable relationship between them. This concept can be generalized to other pairs of parameters and across different parametric categories, and the regression model will make future experiments less laborious and time-consuming.     

Influence of the Halloysite Nanotube (HNT) Addition on Selected Mechanical and Biological Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane

Halloysite nanotube (HNT) additions to the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) system were thoroughly evaluated in this study. The resultant composites have been designed for future personalized intervertebral disc implant applications, which requires additional technology to obtain the appropriate geometry unique to each patient. These requirements can be fulfilled using 3D printing. In this work, a technology was developed to produce filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM). Nanocomposites were prepared using variable HNT content (1, 2, and 3 wt.%). The nanostructure of the resultant composites was confirmed using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Mechanical tests were used to measure the tensile modulus, stress, and elongation the composites and TPU matrix. Nanocomposites with 2% HNT content were able to withstand 26% increased stress and 50% increased elongation compared to pure TPU before fracturing in addition to a 13% reduction in the friction coefficient. A MTT cytotoxicity assay confirmed the cytotoxicity of all tested materials against human epidermal keratinocyte cells (HaCaT).     

Influence of Infill Pattern on the Elastic Mechanical Properties of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Parts through Experimental Tests and Numerical Analyses

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is one of the most extensive additive manufacturing technologies for printing prototypes or final parts in various fields. Some printed parts need to meet structural requirements to be functional parts. Therefore, it is necessary to know the mechanical behavior of the printed samples as a function of the printing parameters in order to optimize the material used during the manufacturing process. It is known that FFF parts can present orthotropic characteristics as a consequence of the manufacturing process, in which the material is deposited layer by layer. Therefore, these characteristics must be considered for a correct evaluation of the printed parts from a structural point of view. In this paper, the influence of the type of filling pattern on the main mechanical properties of the printed parts is analyzed. For this purpose, the first parts are 3D printed using three different infill patterns, namely grid, linear with a raster orientation of 0 and 90°, and linear with a raster orientation of 45°. Then, experimental tensile tests, on the one hand, and numerical analyses using finite elements, on the other hand, are carried out. The elastic constants of the material are obtained from the experimental tests. From the finite element analysis, using a simple approach to create a Representative Volume Model (RVE), the constitutive characteristics of the material are estimated: Young’s Moduli and Poisson’s ratios of the printed FFF parts. These values are successfully compared with those of the experimental tests. The results clearly show differences in the mechanical properties of the FFF printed parts, depending on the internal arrangement of the infill pattern, even if similar 3D printing parameters are used.     

Effect of Curing Regime on the Mechanical Strength,Hydration, and Microstructure of Ecological Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete (EUHPC)

This paper investigates the effect of curing regimes (standard and steam curing) on the mechanical strength, hydration, and microstructure of ecological ultrahigh-performance concrete (EUHPC). The flowability, compressive strength, flexural strength, hydration, porosity, pore size distribution, and microstructure of UHPC with different contents of supplementary materials (silica fume, fly ash, and ground granulated blast furnace slag) were assessed. The test results showed that the compressive strength of EUHPC under steam curing was increased considerably compared to that under standard curing, while the flexural strength was mildly decreased. The steam curing could decrease the porosity of EUHPC, which ranged between 7% and 9% for standard curing, and between 3.5% and 5% for steam curing. The aperture of EUHPC was below 20 nm, mainly located in the range of 10 nm to 20 nm under standard curing, while it was less than 10 nm for steam curing. C–S–H gel was produced under steam curing, while unhydrated fly ash, mineral powder, and Ca(OH)₂ crystal were observed in the amorphous C–S–H gel. The microstructure of EUHPC under steam curing was denser than that under standard curing, and the interfacial transition zones under both curing regimes were compact.     

The Effects of Monomer,Crosslinking Agent,and Filler Concentrations on the Viscoelastic and Swelling Properties of Poly(methacrylic acid) Hydrogels: A Comparison

The present work aims at comparatively studying the effects of the concentrations of a monomer (10–30 wt% based on the whole hydrogel composition), crosslinking agent (1–3 mol% based on the monomer), and reinforcing agent (montmorillonite-MMT, 1–3 wt.% based on the whole hydrogel composition) on the swelling and viscoelastic properties of the crosslinked hydrogels prepared from methacrylic acid (MAA) and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) in the presence of K₂S₂O₈ in aqueous solution. The viscoelastic measurements, carried out on the as-prepared hydrogels, showed that the monomer concentration had the largest impact, its three-time enhancement causing a 30-fold increase in the storage modulus, as compared with only a fivefold increase in the case of the crosslinking agent and 1.5-fold increase for MMT in response to a similar threefold concentration increase. Swelling studies, performed at three pH values, revealed that the water absorption of the hydrogels decreased with increasing concentration of both the monomer and crosslinking agent, with the amplitude of the effect of concentration modification being similar at pH 5.4 and 7.4 in both cases, but very different at pH 1.2. Further, it was shown that the increased pH differently influenced the swelling degree in the case of the hydrogel series in which the concentrations of the monomer and crosslinking agent were varied. In contrast to the effect of the monomer and crosslinking agent concentrations, the increase in the MMT amount in the hydrogel resulted in an increased swelling degree at pH 5.4 and 7.4, while at pH 1.2, a slight decrease in the water absorption was noticed. The hydrogel crosslinking density determinations revealed that this parameter was most affected by the increase in the monomer concentration.