Objectives: Maxillofacial silicone is used to restore abnormalities due to congenital or acquired causes. However, the quality of silicone is far from ideal. This study was aimed at assessing the influence of the addition of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs; several nanometers wide and 2-5 micro m long) on the physical and mechanical characteristics of maxillofacial silicone elastomers. Methods: Two CNF weight percentages (0.5% and 1%) were tested, and 180 specimens were divided into one control and two experimental groups. Each group was subdivided into six subgroups. In each subgroup, ten specimens subjected to each of the following tests: tearing strength, Shore-A hardness, tensile strength, elongation percentage, surface roughness, and color stability. The samples were additionally analyzed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FESEM). Results: The 0.5% CNF group, compared with the control group, exhibited highly significantly greater tearing strength, elongation percentage, hardness Shore-A, and surface roughness, and substantially greater tensile strength. However, color stability did not significantly differ between groups. The 1% CNF group showed significantly greater Shore-A hardness, tear strength, color stability, and surface roughness, and insignificantly lower tensile strength and percentage elongating values, than the control group. FESEM imaging revealed good CNF dispersion. The FTIR spectra indicated that CNFs interacted with silicon through surface functional hydroxyl groups. Conclusion: Addition of 0.5 wt. % CNF to silicone elastomers increased the material’s mechanical tensile strength, tear strength, elongation percentage, and hardness as long as it stayed within the acceptable range for clinical use. Surface roughness increased in direct proportion to the amount of nanofibers added. Moreover, addition of 0.5 wt. % CNF to silicone polymers had insignificant effects on color stability.
The pure and Sb doped GeSe thin films have been prepared by thermal flash evaporation technique. Both the structural and optical measurement were carried out for as deposited and annealed films at different annealing temperatures.XRD spectra revealed that the all films have one significant broad amorphous peak except for pure GeSe thin film which annealed at 573 K, it has sharp peak belong to orthorhombic structure nearly at 2θ=33o . The results of the optical studies showed that the optical transition is direct and indirect allowed. The energy gap in general increased with increasing annealing temperature and decreased with increase the ratio of Sb dopant. The optical parameters such as refractive index, extinction coefficient and r
... Show MoreThe pure and Sb doped GeSe thin films have been prepared by thermal flash evaporation technique. Both the structural and optical measurement were carried out for as deposited and annealed films at different annealing temperatures.XRD spectra revealed that the all films have one significant broad amorphous peak except for pure GeSe thin film which annealed at 573 K, it has sharp peak belong to orthorhombic structure nearly at 2θ=33o. The results of the optical studies showed that the optical transition is direct and indirect allowed. The energy gap in general increased with increasing annealing temperature and decreased with increase the ratio of Sb dopant. The optical parameters such as refractive index, extinction coefficient and real and
... Show MoreThis study describe the effect of temperature on the optical
properties of nickel(ii) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium
salt (NiPcTs) organic thin films which are prepared by spin coating
on indium tin oxide (ITO-glass). The optical absorption spectra of
these thin films are measured. Present studies reveal that the optical
band gap energies of NiPcTs thin films are dependent on the
annealing temperatures. The optical band gap decreases with increase
in annealing temperature, then increased when the temperature rising
to 473K. To enhance the results of Uv-Vis measurements and get
more accurate values of optical energy gaps; the Photoluminescence
spectra of as-deposited and annealed NiPcTs thin fi
Rutting is a predominant distress in asphalt pavements, particularly in hot climatic regions. This study systematically investigated the high-temperature performance of hot mix asphalt modified with five nanomaterials, namely, nano-silica (NS), nano-alumina (NA), nano-titanium (NT), nano-zinc (NZ), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), under consistent laboratory conditions. Modification dosages were selected up to 10% for NS, NA, and NT, and up to 5% for NZ and CNTs. The experimental methodology comprised the following: (i) binder rheological characterization through rotational viscosity, G*/sinδ, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) to quantify rutting susceptibility; (ii) chemical and microstructural assessments using Fourier transf
... Show MoreThis paper describes the geotechnical properties of Al-Ammarah soil of Ammarah city in Messan Governorate-southern parts of Iraq. Data and other information taken from numbers of geotechnical reports that performed under the supervision of Consulting Engineering Bureau of Baghdad University. This research is devoted to study the correlation between different physical properties such as (LL, PI, LI, n,t, e) with different mechanical properties such as (qu, cc, cs, SPT). The correlation is verified using simple regression analysis. From the regression results it was found that there is direct correlation between different parameters. By using the correlation-with some information- preliminary investigation stages and studies of any s
... Show MoreMechanical rock properties are essential to minimize many well problems during drilling and production operations. While these properties are crucial in designing optimum mud weights during drilling operations, they are also necessary to reduce the sanding risk during production operations. This study has been conducted on the Zubair sandstone reservoir, located in the south of Iraq. The primary purpose of this study is to develop a set of empirical correlations that can be used to estimate the mechanical rock properties of sandstone reservoirs. The correlations are established using laboratory (static) measurements and well logging (dynamic) data. The results support the evidence that porosity and sonic travel time are consistent i
... Show MoreThe adopted accelerated curing methods in the experimental work are 55ºC and 82ºC according to British standard methods. The concrete mix with the characteristics compressive strength of 35MPa is design according to the ACI 211.1, the mix proportion is (1:2.65:3.82) for cement, fine and coarse aggregate, respectively. The concrete reinforced with different volume fraction (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75)% of glass, carbon and polypropylene fibers. The experimental results showed that the accelerated curing method using 82ºC gives a compressive strength higher than 55ºC method for all concrete mixes. In addition, the fiber reinforced concrete with 0.75% gives the maximum compressive strength, flexural and splitting tensile strength for all types of
... Show MoreThe silicon carbide/carbon fiber (SiC/CF) hybrid fillers were introduced to improve the electrical and thermal conductivities of the epoxy resin composites. Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the peaks at 3532 and 2850 cm−1 relate to carboxylic acid O–H stretching and aldehyde C–H stretching appearing deeper with an increased volume fraction of SiC. Scanning electron microscopic image shows a better interface bonding between the fiber and the matrix when the volume fraction of SiC particles are increased. As frequency increases from 102 Hz to 106 Hz, dielectric constants decrease slightly. Dissipation factor (tan δ) values keep low a
... Show MoreThis paper reports a.c., d.c. conductivity and dielectric behavior of Ep-hybrid composite with12 Vol.% Kevlar-Carbon hybrid . D.C. conductivity measurements are conducted on the graded composites by using an electrometer over the temperature range from (293-413) K. It was shown then that conductivity increases by increasing number of Kevlar –Carbon fiber layers (Ep1, Ep2, Ep3), due to the high electrical conductivity of Carbon fiber. To identify the mechanism governing the conduction, the activation energies at low temperature region (LTR) and at high temperature region (HTR) have been calculated. The activation energy values for hybrid composite decrease with increasing number of fiber layers. The a.c. conductivity was measured over fr
... Show More