William Eberts, Matthew T. Siniawski^*, Timothy Burdiak, Nick Polito

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 259-267, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634137

Abstract Single-ply biocomposite laminates were fabricated with two different woven fabrics and a bio-based resin using a wet layup technique at room temperature. A highly elastic, stockinette weave bamboo fiber fabric and a thicker, inelastic plain weave bamboo fabric were both investigated. The elastic fabric was pre-strained at 25% intervals, ranging from 0–100% of its original length. Samples made with E-Glass and S-Glass, two common glass fiber reinforcements, were also fabricated using the bioresin as benchmarks. The ultimate strength and modulus of elasticity characteristics of the composites were determined using the ASTM D3039/ D3039M-08 standard test… More >

M.C. Lagel¹, A. Pizzi^1,2, S. Giovando³, A. Celzard⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 220-229, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634113

Abstract With the depletion of fossil resources, tannin extracts can be a natural alternative to some synthetic products. Hydrolysable chestnut tannin extracts have been used to partially replace phenol in PF resins for phenolic rigid foams. Phenol-formaldehyde-chestnut tannin (PFT) phenolic foams were initially made from copolymerized PFT resins of different molar ratio. The PFT foams so prepared were tested for thermal conductivity, these being slightly worse than that of pure PF foams; and for mechanical and water absorption, these two properties being better than those of pure PF foams. Indeed, PF resins represent an important part More >

M.C. Lagel^1,*, A. Pizzi^1,2, S. Giovando³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 207-219, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634111

Abstract Natural hydrolysable chestnut tannin extracts used to partially substitute phenol in Phenol-Formaldehyde (PF) resins for phenolic rigid foams were analysed by matrix-assisted desorption ionization time of fl ight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. PF only, chestnut only and PF-chestnut copolymerised oligomer types and distribution were determined. MALDI-TOF analyses of a PF control resin (with the same molar ratio) and of chestnut tannin extracts were performed in order to identify the peaks of molecular weights corresponding to copolymers of chestnut tannins with phenol and formaldehyde. More >

A. Sauget^1,*, X. Zhou¹, A. Pizzi^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 186-200, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634138

Abstract Glyoxal and glutaraldehyde are two viable alternatives to formaldehyde for the preparation of tanninresorcinol-aldehyde adhesive but lead to less resistant glue joint. Tannin-resorcinol-glyoxal (TRG1) and tannin-resorcinol-glutaraldehyde (TRG2) resins have been prepared and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of fl ight (MALDI-ToF) spectrometry to understand the chemical process behind the pre-curing of these resins and possibly the causes of this lower resistance. The analysis showed that TRG resins are not a simple mix of resorcinol-aldehydes oligomers and fl avonoids, but a much more complex combination of various species including tannin-aldehydes and tannin-resorcinol oligomers. More >

A. Sauget^1,*, X. Zhou¹, A. Pizzi^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 173-181, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634128

Abstract Tannin-resorcinol-formaldehyde (TRF) resin shows a good compatibility with natural fl ax fi bers and yields composite materials of good mechanical properties when using paraformaldehyde as a hardener. Different formulations, curing parameters and processes such as high-temperature curing in press or spray-drying have been explored in order to adapt this resin to composite manufacturing and to improve the properties of this new material. Additional testing has been performed on the TRF resin by thermomechanical analysis to observe its reactivity at different pH and with the use of different hardeners. More >

Arnaud Nicollin¹, Xinjun Li¹, Pierre Girods¹, Antonio Pizzi^1,2,*, Yann Rogaume¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.1, No.4, pp. 311-316, 2013, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634124

Abstract Experimental investigations have been carried out on the potential use of tannin-furfuryl alcohol resin for biobased composites using vegetal fi ber reinforcement. Results showed that a mixture containing 54% furfuryl alcohol, 45% modifi ed quebracho extract and 0.9% paratoluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst yields a resin that can be used with a nonwoven fl ax fi ber mat to manufacture lightweight composites with good mechanical properties and a very short curing time with a regular hot press. The panels made were tested for tensile and fl exural modulus and strength, water resistance and thermo-degradation. More >

M.Thébault^*, A.Pizzi, E.Fredon

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.1, No.4, pp. 242-252, 2013, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634121

Abstract Sunfl ower oil was subjected to a fl ow of compressed air containing ozone for different time periods. The addition of α-D-Glucose was used to increase the aldehyde content by reduction of the intermediate ozonides of the ozonation reaction. These new oils were analyzed by FTIR and GC-MS spectrometry, and their relative aldehyde groups content measured by the Henick method. They were then mixed with an aqueous solution of Radiata Pine tannin to form resins, subsequently analyzed by ¹³C NMR and MALDITOF mass spectrometry. Wood particleboards were then made using some of these resins as the More >

R.H. Haney¹, R.V. Mohan²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.95, No.5, pp. 431-452, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2013.095.431

Abstract The use of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as co-processors for single CPU/GPU computing systems has become pronounced in high performance computing research, however the solution of truly large scale computationally intensive problems require the utilization of multiple computing nodes. Multiple CPU/GPU computing systems bring new complexities to the observed performance of computationally intensive applications, the more salient of which is the cost of local CPU-GPU host and intra-nodal communication. This paper compares and analyzes the performance of a computationally intensive application represented by resin infusion flow during liquid composite molding process for the manufacture of… More >

D.S. Liu^1,2, Z.H. Fong¹, I.H. Lin¹, Z.W. Zhuang¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.93, No.6, pp. 441-468, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2013.093.441

Abstract In this study, we proposed a novel numerical technique to simulate the transient moisture diffusion process and to apply it to heterogeneous composite resins. The method is based on a heterogeneous hybrid moisture element (HHME), with properties determined through an equivalent hybrid moisture capacitance/ conductance matrix that was calculated using the conventional finite element formulation in space discretization and the q-method in time discretization, with similar mass/stiffness properties and matrix condensing operations. A coupled HHME with finite element scheme was developed and implemented in the computer code by using the commercial software MATLAB to analyze… More >

A. Saad^1,2, A. Echchelh¹, M. Hattabi³, M. El Ganaoui⁴, F. Lahlou¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.8, No.3, pp. 277-294, 2012, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2012.008.277

Abstract A modified finite element/control volume (FE/CV) method is used to solve the resin flow problem. Full advantage is taken of some of the intrinsic peculiar characteristics of the method, in particular, of its capability of eliminating the need to remesh continuously the resin-filled domain at each time step. The model leads to the numerical prediction of temperature, pressure distribution and flow front position with great accuracy, together with a precise representation of the thermal (spatio-temporal) behaviour of the resin inside the mould. The validity of such approach is validated by comparison with available analytical results. More >