Gouni Thirupathiah¹, Sukanya Satapathy¹, Aruna Palanisamy^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 775-785, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06399

Abstract An acidic cation exchange resin has been used to prepare epoxidised castor oil (ECO) which was used as a co-plasticizer with epoxidised soyabean oil (ESBO) for processing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The structure of ECO was confirmed and its physico chemical properties were evaluated. PVC/ (ESBO&ECO) blends were prepared by melt mixing and compression molded into sheets. The specimens were evaluated for tensile properties, impact strength and hardness. While the tensile strength did not vary much, the elongation reduced with the replacement of ESBO with ECO. Dynamic mechanical studies revealed that the glass transition temperature increased with incorporation of ECO, however,… More >

Rakesh Kumar^1,*, Reshma Praveen¹, Shikha Rani¹, K. Sharma², K. P. Tiwary^3,*, K. Dinesh Kumar⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 749-761, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06286

Abstract ZnSe nanoparticles have been synthesized by microwave assisted method by using zinc chloride, selenium powder and ethylene diamine. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized structurally by FT-IR and XRD as well as morphological characterization was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystallite size after synthesis was obtained around 30 nm for pure ZnSe nanocrystallites. However, from SEM micrograph, agglomerated ZnSe nanoparticles of irregular shapes were observed. The as-synthesized ZnSe nanoparticles at different contents (1 to 5% w/w w.r.t SPI) were incorporated into soy protein isolate (SPI) to produce reinforced SPI films by solution casting method. The ZnSe nanoparticles incorporated… More >

Rakesh Kumar^1,*, Priya Rani¹, K. Dinesh Kumar²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.2, pp. 103-115, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00027

Abstract Soy protein isolate (SPI) biopolymeric films were prepared by adding different contents of mandelic acid (1 to 5% wrt SPI) to glycerol plasticized SPI by solution casting method. Also, SPI was fermented by Bacillus subtilis to get fermented SPI films by solution casting. Molecular mass determination of mandelic acid incorporated and fermented SPI films was carried out by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Mandelic acid incorporated and fermented SPI films were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile strength, water uptake and optical transmittance studies. Results indicated that incorporation of mandelic acid in SPI resulted… More >

D. Vassilev^1,*, N. Petkova², M. Koleva¹, P. Denev²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.7, pp. 707-714, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00015

Abstract The paper presents the findings of an experimental study on the microwave synthesis (MW) of inulin acetate and its possible application as bio-additive in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The obtained inulin acetate has been identified and characterized by spectroscopic methods. Advantages of the MW compared with the conventional synthesis were defined. In order to evaluate possible application of the product as bio-based additive for polymers, effect of the inulin ester on PVC behavior and characteristics has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and deformation upon extension. Experimental results show that in concentration range up to 30.0 wt. % the inulin… More >

J.W. Choi¹, S.H. Yoo¹, J.B. Kim¹, E.J. Park¹

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.2, No.2, pp. 47-52, 2007, DOI:10.3970/icces.2007.002.047

Abstract A semi-analytical solution by beam theory and finite element solutions are obtained for normal deflection of a plate with a surface crack under tensile stress. The semi-analytical solution consists of the deflection of a beam and the half-space or full-space solution. Also finite element solutions are obtained and compared with these analytical solutions. These solutions can be used as reference data for non-destructive evaluation of a surface crack. More >

Ahmad Safwan¹, Mohammad Jawaid^1*, Mohamed T. H. Sultan^1,2, Azman Hassan³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.5, pp. 529-535, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2018.634103

Abstract The application of natural fibers as reinforcement in composite material has increased due to environmental concerns, low cost, degradability and health concerns. The purpose of this study is to identify the best type of bamboo fibers to be used as reinforcement for kenaf (K)/bamboo hybrid composite. There were three types of bamboo fibers evaluated in this study which include bamboo mat (B), bamboo fabric (BF) and bamboo powder (BP). Chemical composition of B, BF, BP and K fibers were analyzed in this study. The effect of different types of bamboo fibers on tensile, impact, and morphological properties were investigated. The… More >

D. Puglia^1*, F. Dominici¹, M. Badalotti², C. Santulli³, J.M. Kenny¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 199-205, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634102

Abstract In this work, cocoa bean shells (CBS), which were ground, then sieved to less than 150 μm and dried in a vacuum oven, have been introduced in a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix in three different amounts, 10, 20 and 30% wt. The obtained composites were tested under tensile loading, which indicated an enhanced rigidity with a slight decrease of strength with respect to the neat polymer and a reduced elongation, particularly evident for composites with 30 wt% CBS, where final collapse took place for strains only slightly exceeding the yielding point. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated a rather negligible variation of… More >

Chetan D. Kuthe^∗, R.V. Uddanwadiker^†, Alankar Ramteke^‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.2, pp. 113-128, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.113

Abstract Biomechanical researches are essential to develop new techniques to improve the clinical relevance. Skeletal muscle generates the force which results in the motion of human body, so it is essential to study the mechanical and structural properties of skeletal muscle. Many researchers have carried out mechanical study of skeletal muscle with in-vivo testing. This work aims to examine anisotropic mechanical behavior of skeletal muscle with in vitro test (tensile test). It is important to understand the mechanical and structural behavior of skeletal muscle when it is subjected to external loading; the research aims to determine the structural properties of skeletal… More >

Donald F. Ward Jr.^*, William A. Williams^*, Nicole E. Schapiro^*, Samuel R. Christy^*, Genevieve L. Weber^*, Megan Salt, Robert F. Klees^*, Adele Boskey^†, George E. Plopper ^∗,‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 177-188, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.177

Abstract Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key integrator of integrin-mediated signals from the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton and downstream signaling molecules. FAK is activated by phosphorylation at specific tyrosine residues, which then stimulate downstream signaling including the ERK1/2 pathway, leading to a variety of cellular responses. In this study, we examined the effects of FAK point mutations at tyrosine residues (Y397, Y925, Y861, and Y576/7) on osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells exposed to collagen I and cyclic tensile strain. Our results demonstrate that FAK signaling emanating from Y397, Y925, and to a lesser extent Y576/7, but not… More >

S. Deguchi^1,2, T. Ohashi², M. Sato²

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 125-134, 2005, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2005.002.125

Abstract Actin bundles in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) play a critical role in transmitting intracellular forces between separate focal adhesion sites. However, quantitative descriptions of tension level in single actin bundles in a physiological condition are still poorly studied. Here, we evaluated magnitude of preexisting tension in a single actin bundle of ECs on the basis of measurements of its preexisting stretching strain and tensile properties. Cultured ECs expressing fluorescently-labeled actin were treated with detergents to extract acin bundles. One end of an actin bundle was then dislodged from the substrate by using a microneedle, resulting in a shortening of the… More >