Nayara Koba de Moura Morgado, Guilherme Ferreira de Melo Morgado, Erick Gabriel Ribeiro dos Anjos, Fabio Roberto Passador^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.1, pp. 95-110, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.059364 - 27 March 2025

Abstract The continuous improvement in patient care and recovery is driving the development of innovative materials for medical applications. Medical sutures, essential for securing implants and closing deep wounds, have evolved to incorporate smart materials capable of responding to various stimuli. This study explores the potential of thermoresponsive sutures, made from shape memory materials, that contract upon heating to bring loose stitches closer together, promoting optimal wound closure. We developed nanocomposites based on a blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)—biopolymers that inherently exhibit shape memory—enhanced with carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelets (GN)… More >

M. A. H. Nizam¹, A. F. Fuzlin^1,2, A. S. Samsudin^1,2,*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.1, pp. 173-185, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.059244 - 27 March 2025

Abstract This work explores the dielectric and electrochemical properties of solid biopolymer blend electrolytes (SBEs) based on a combination of alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), doped with varying concentrations of ammonium iodide (NH₄I). The SBEs were synthesized using the solution casting method, and their ac conductivity exhibited an optimal value of 1.01 × 10⁻⁵ S · cm⁻¹ at 25 wt.% NH₄I. Detailed dielectric and modulus spectroscopy analyses revealed distinctive trends in relation to NH₄I concentration, suggesting complex dielectric relaxation behavior. The universal power law (UPL) analysis identified the Small Polaron Hopping (SPH) mechanism as the dominant conduction process in More >

Mohammed A. Fayad^1,*, Amera A. Radhi¹, Marwa K. Abood², Hind A. AL Salihi¹, Miqdam T. Chaichan¹

Energy Engineering, Vol.122, No.3, pp. 929-941, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.061612 - 07 March 2025

Abstract Oxygenated fuels can reduce harmful emissions without affecting engine performance, meeting the big challenge in the transportation industry, which keeps the environment safe and reduces global warming. This study investigates the impact of biodiesel injection strategies and fuel injection pressures (FIP) on diesel engine exhaust emission characteristics. The engine is fuelled with 20% Jatropha biodiesel (JB) and 80% diesel, named JB20D. The ratios of fuel injection pressures started with injecting the fuel (diesel and JB20D) from 200 bar to 500 bar. The experimental outcomes indicate that the engine performance of brake-specific fuel consumption increased by More > Graphic Abstract

Toni Dwi Novianto^1,2, Sri Rahayoe^1,*, Bakti Berlyanto Sedayu^2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 385-400, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2024.057313 - 20 February 2025

Abstract This study aimed to develop and characterize biodegradable packaging film from blends of two natural polysaccharides, i.e., agar and glucomannan. The glucomannan used was derived from the specific tuber plant Amorphophallus oncophyllus (locally known as “porang”), which grows abundantly in Indonesian forests and remains underutilized. Various ratios of agar and porang-glucomannan (PG) proportions were formulated to produce a food packaging film, which was subsequently tested for its mechanical, physical, chemical, and thermal properties. The results showed that the inclusion of PG to the film formulations notably enhanced the stretchability of agar films, achieving maximum a… More > Graphic Abstract

Prashanth K P^1,*, Rudresh M², Venkatesh N³, Poornima Gubbi Shivarathri⁴, Shwetha Rajappa⁵

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.12, No.12, pp. 2115-2134, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2024.055437 - 20 December 2024

Abstract This study explores the mechanical properties of a novel composite material, blending polylactic acid (PLA) with sea shells, through a comprehensive tensile test analysis. The tensile test results offer valuable insights into the material’s behavior under axial loading, shedding light on its strength, stiffness, and deformation characteristics. The results suggest that the incorporation of sea shells decrease the tensile strength of 14.55% and increase the modulus of 27.44% for 15 wt% SSP (sea shell powder) into PLA, emphasizing the reinforcing potential of the mineral-rich sea shell particles. However, a potential trade-off between decreased strength and… More >

Pengfei Duan^1,*, Luling Li¹, Jianhui Liu¹

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.30, No.4, pp. 1-1, 2024, DOI:10.32604/icces.2024.012431

Abstract The supply of hydrogen-blended natural gas to civil and industrial users can assist downstream firm to achieve carbon emission reduction, and ensure energy security as an alternative gas source. This application mode has been widely concerned by urban gas enterprises. This paper focuses on the leakage problem of hydrogen-blended pipelines in utility tunnel due to corrosion and other reasons. Using dimensional analysis method, a model experiment is designed to verify that the three-dimensional compressible fluid model coupled with transport equations can effectively simulate the concentration change of hydrogen-blended natural gas after leakage in the utility… More >

Dukui Zheng¹, Jingfa Li^1,*, Bo Yu¹, Zhiqiang Huang¹, Yindi Zhang¹, Cuiwei Liu²

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.29, No.4, pp. 1-1, 2024, DOI:10.32604/icces.2024.011669

Abstract In the low and medium pressure urban gas pipe network, transporting the hydrogen-blended natural gas through polyethylene pipe is an important means to realize the large-scale delivery and utilization of hydrogen-blended natural gas. However, due to the characteristics of polymer material, polyethylene pipes will experience aging phenomenon, which will lead to the deterioration of performance and eventually result in brittle damage and failure. Therefore, it is of great significance to analyze and predict the lifetime of polyethylene pipe due to the aging in the hydrogen-blended natural gas environment to ensure the safe transportation. In this… More >

Anuraag Moturi, Dharmesh R. Chejara^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.41, No.3, pp. 179-190, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2024.055887 - 30 September 2024

Abstract A chitosan and guar protein isolate blend conjugate (Ch/GPI-Glu) based membrane has been designed and studied for its possible interaction with this biopolymer mixture. The designed conjugate chitosan/guar protein isolate blended membrane was investigated for its structural features using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses. IR Spectroscopic data suggested that chitosan and guar protein isolate contributed to a specific intermolecular interaction. The designed membrane was water-insoluble and it exhibited strong polymer–protein interaction. Further, the membrane was also found to have a smooth morphology More >

Zhenzhen Liu, Hua Zhang^*, Zilong Wang, Yugang Zhao

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.22, No.4, pp. 1087-1105, 2024, DOI:10.32604/fhmt.2024.053851 - 30 August 2024

Abstract The exploration of performance and prediction of environmentally friendly refrigerant physical properties represents a critical endeavor. Equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the density and transport properties of propane and ethane at ultra-low temperatures under evaporative pressure conditions. The results of the density simulation of the evaporation conditions of the blends proved the validity of the simulation method. Under identical temperature and pressure conditions, increasing the proportion of R170 in the refrigerant blends leads to a density decrease while the temperature range in which the gas-liquid phase transition occurs is lower. The analysis More >

Pirapat Arunyanart, Nithitorn Kongkaew, Supattarachai Sudsawat^*

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.80, No.2, pp. 3379-3403, 2024, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2024.054337 - 15 August 2024

Abstract This research introduces a novel approach to enhancing bucket elevator design and operation through the integration of discrete element method (DEM) simulation, design of experiments (DOE), and metaheuristic optimization algorithms. Specifically, the study employs the firefly algorithm (FA), a metaheuristic optimization technique, to optimize bucket elevator parameters for maximizing transport mass and mass flow rate discharge of granular materials under specified working conditions. The experimental methodology involves several key steps: screening experiments to identify significant factors affecting bucket elevator operation, central composite design (CCD) experiments to further explore these factors, and response surface methodology (RSM)… More >