Effect of weight and apllied force on the friction coefficient of the spunlace nonwoven fabrics

Friction force that can be defined as the forces resisting relative to the movement between two surfaces contacting with each other plays an important role in textile industry. During usage, the fabrics continue to friction to the textile or the other surfaces and because of this problem fabric surface structure deteriorates. Therefore, most of the scientists have been designed different methods in order to estimate surface properties and friction of fabric before their usage. In this study, friction experiments have been performed by designed and manufactured two different systems which work as a horizontal platform and inclined plane. It has tried to investigate friction properties of polyester nonwoven fabric samples which are produced by spunlace methods (air laid and spunlace bonding) with different weights. While the selected fabric samples weight increase, it has been seen that a low friction force occurred because of more stable structure. And also, it has been observed that the higher vertical force (load) applied on the specimens the lower the coefficient of friction. These results shows that both measurement methods have similar tendencies based on the analyzed results.     

Predicting the influence of seam design on formability and strength of nonwoven structures using artificial neural network

Formability which is also known as drapability is defined as the ability of a planar textile structure to be directly deformed to fit a three-dimensional surface without the formation of wrinkling, kinks or tears. According to human’s desire for comfortable and high quality clothing, formability has a specific place in the textile industry so many studies have been conducted on understanding and predicting formability of textiles. Artificial neural network method is used in this study order to predict the influence of seam design on formability and tensile behavior of nonwoven structures. Our findings and analysis showed that seam design, seam allowance and weight of nonwoven layers are three main parameters significantly affecting the formability and overall tensile of nonwoven structure. Predicted values obtained from the ANN methodology were compared with the experimental data proving very good correlation between examined and predicted values.     

The effects of humidity on the surface modification of wool fabric through atmospheric pressure plasma jet

Current research was carried out on hydrophilic wool fibers at three different humidity conditions through atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). Samples were taken to evaluate surface microscopic morphology, surface roughness, directional friction effect (DFE), and surface chemical composition. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and fiber friction coefficient test (FFT) results show that wetting pretreatment has significant effect on surface etching and DFE, but very limited effect on surface roughness. Allwörden reaction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results reveal that extra moisture changes C, O, N, S contents and their related characteristic functional groups, therefore increases etching degree on wool fiber surface scales. It was concluded that APPJ treatment is effective in processing wool fiber with high moisture contents.     

The efficacy of coconut fibers on the sound-absorbing and thermal-insulating nonwoven composite board

The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of the coconut fiber on the sound absorption and thermal insulation performance towards the composite nonwoven fabrics. The 2D polyester fiber and 12D fire retardant three-dimensional hollow crimp polyester fiber are individually mixed with 4D low-melting point polyester fiber (4DLMf) to produce 2D polyester nonwoven fabric (2D-PETF) and 12D polyester nonwoven fabric (12D-PETF) respectively. Subsequently, the coconut fiber (CF) is then laminated with the 2D-PETF and 12D-PETF to fabricate two types of PET/CF composite boards through the multiple needle-punching techniques. Accordingly, the sound absorption, thermal insulation, Limiting Oxygen Index and relative mechanical properties of the PET/CF composite boards are evaluated properly. The experimental results reveal that both types of PET/CF composite boards possess excellent thermal insulation performance and fire resistance property. Also, for both types of PET/CF composite boards, the average sound absorption coefficient increases with the increased amount of CF.     

The influence of water content on the stiffness and fracture properties of grass leaves

Laminae of Lolium perenne and Phleum pratense were tested mechanically and the results analysed using engineering composite theory and fracture mechanics. As the lamina dries the fibres double in stiffness. The intervening cells show a sevenfold increase in stiffness below 20% water content (based on dry weight). Work to fracture across the veins is almost independent of water content, but below 50% water content the mode of fracture changes. It is predicted that total fibre content will not affect hay shatter; total protein content may affect it by altering the water-binding properties.     

The study on the air volume fraction of electrospun nanofiber nonwoven mats

Electrospinning is an efficient method to produce polymer fibers with a diameter range from nanometers to a few microns using an electrically driven jet. Electrospun nanofiber nonwoven fabrics can be applied into different areas with higher air volume fraction, especially applied into textile materials with good warmth retention property. In this article, the air volume fraction in nonwoven mats made of electrospun nanofibers was verified by studying fiber volume fraction in the mats. Then the relationship between fiber volume fraction and fiber diameter was derived, and the fiber volume fraction is in direct ratio to the square of fiber radius. By experimental verification, to get electrospun PAN nanofiber nonwoven mats with high air volume fraction about 99 %, it can fix the polymer concentration on 8 %. The voltage fixed on 20 kV, the tip-to-collector distance on 15 cm. The experiment is in accordance with the theory excellently.     

The influence of mist irrigation on the potato I. Micro-environment and leaf water relations

The influence of low gallonage “mist” irrigation on the following parameters were measured: leaf, air and soil temperature; and soil moisture, relative turgor and stomatal aperature. Misted canopies had lower leaf, air and soil temperature and higher soil moisture than the non-irrigated plants. Stomata of misted plants did not close as rapidly as those of non-irrigated plants.     

Synthesis,structure and thermal protective behavior of silica aerogel/PET nonwoven fiber composite

In recent years, flexible, mechanically strong and environmental friendly thermal insulation materials have attracted considerable attention. In this work, silica aerogel/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven fiber composite with desirable characteristics was prepared via a two-step sol-gel process followed by an ambient drying method through immersing the PET nonwoven fiber into silica sol. The silica aerogel particles were characterized by FTIR, FE-SEM, TGA and nitrogen adsorption analysis. The morphology and hydrophobic properties of neat PET nonwoven fiber and its silica aerogel composite were also investigated. For studying thermal protective properties, the thermal diffusivity was calculated from temperature distribution curves. The mean pore size of 11 nm, the surface area of 606 m²/g and the total pore volume of 1.77 cm³/g for the silica aerogel particles in the composite are obtained from nitrogen adsorption analysis, indicating the aerogel can maintain its high porosity in the nonwoven composite structure. Silica aerogel particles were efficiently covered the surface of the PET fibers and completely filled the micron size pores of the nonwoven fiber leading to a stronger hydrophobicity and higher thermal insulation performance in the aerogel composite samples compared to the neat PET nonwoven. In this regard, an almost 64 % decrease in the thermal diffusivity was achieved with 66 wt% silica aerogel.     

Hydrophilic and flexible polyurethane foams using sodium alginate as polyol: Effects of PEG molecular weight and cross-linking agent content on water absorbency

Hydrophilic and flexible polyurethane foams were prepared using sodium alginate as a polyol, and characterized by optical microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, density measurements, volume swelling, and water absorbency. Optical microscopy revealed that the resulting cells were closed with round and elongated shapes. FT-IR confirmed that the urethane linkages were formed between the isocyanate and sodium-alginate. As an indirect measurement of porosity, the apparent density indicated an initial decrease followed by an increase with increasing glycerin content. The volume-swelling ratio was initially constant, followed by a gradual decrease with glycerin content. The volume swelling ratio increased with PEG molecular weight. The water absorbency initially increased, followed by a decrease with increasing glycerin content. The correlation-ships between water absorbency, density, and volume-swelling ratio indicated that the absorbency was predominantly influenced by density when the PEG molecular weight was low and was greatly affected by the volume-swelling ratio when the PEG molecular weight was relatively high.     

The allylamine grafting on the plasma pre-treated polyester nonwoven fabric: Preparation, characterization and utilization

This article describes the novel possibility of the polyester (polyethylene terephthalate) surface modification by plasma treatment. Moreover, this modified polyester could be component for the composite material (with hyaluronic acid) used in the wound healing. In this study, the experimental methods: FT-IR spectroscopy, the contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for the surface modified polyester characterisation.     

The influence of climate change on irrigation water requirements for corn in the coastal region of Ecuador

This study investigated the irrigation water requirements (IWR) for corn in five provinces of the coastal region of Ecuador that have been influenced by climate change. The weather data were statistically downscaled from six General Circulation Models and compared with the current climate period from 1986 to 2012. CROPWAT 8.0 was used to estimate future IWR for corn cultivation from 2011 to 2100 based on the Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. Also the frequency of predicted rainfall for future periods was analysed to identify the possibility of obtaining the amount of water required for corn plantation from rainfall. The projected trend of future climate showed increases in temperature and rainfall. The predicted IWR showed a decreasing trend in the rainy season and a similar or slightly lower trend in the dry season. Sufficient rain for corn cultivation was predicted for the wet region of the study area, with lower IWR, whereas most of the dry region was shown to have similar patterns of current water demands, except an increase in predicted rainfall resulted in lower IWR in some parts of this region.     

The influence of thermal stabilization stage on the molecular structure of polyacrylonitrile fibers prior to the carbonization stage

Structural transformation from a linear chain structure to crosslinked chain structure, occuring during the thermal stabilization stage of carbon fiber manufacture, was followed through the use of infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elemental analysis and gel-fraction measurements. The results obtained from the analysis of IR spectroscopy showed the gradual and continuous loss of intensity of the nitrile (C≡N) vibration at 2242 cm⁻¹ closely associated with the cyclization reactions whereas the intensity loss of the methylene (CH₂) groups vibration around 2920–2939 cm⁻¹ has been attributed to the loss of hydrogen atoms as part of the dehydrogenation reactions. The dehydrogenation index, evaluated using the absorbance ratio of A₁₄₅₂/A₁₃₆₈, also indicated the gradual loss of hydrogens in agreement with decreasing hydrogen content with progressing stabilization process. IR spectroscopy also showed the emergence of new absorption bands attributed to the formation of crosslinked ladder-like structure in the 1590–1600 cm⁻¹ region. The amount of newly formed crosslinked structure was characterized using DSC conversion index, IR conversion index and gel-fraction measurements. The results are compared and discussed in detail.     

Local and regional factors influence the structure of treehole metacommunities

Background

Abiotic and biotic factors in a local habitat may strongly impact the community residing within, but spatially structured metacommunities are also influenced by regional factors such as immigration and colonization. We used three years of monthly treehole census data to evaluate the relative influence of local and regional factors on our study system.

Results

Every species responded to at least one of three local environmental factors measured: water volume, leaf litter mass, and presence of a top predator. Several species were affected by water volume, and a non-exclusive group of species were influenced by leaf litter mass. Relative abundance of Aedes triseriatus was higher in treeholes with higher volumes of water, and relative abundances of three out of six other species were lower in treeholes with higher volumes of water. Leaf litter mass positively affected densities of Aedes triseriatus and relative abundance of several dipteran species. The density of the top predator, Toxorhynchites rutilus, affected the relative abundance of the two most common species, A. triseriatus and Culicoides guttipennis. Treeholes with T. rutilus had an average of two more species than treeholes without T. rutilus. We found little evidence of synchrony between pairs of treeholes, either spatially or temporally. There were high levels of spatial and temporal turnover, and spatial turnover increased with distance between patches.

Conclusion

The strong effects of water volume, leaf litter mass, and presence of a top predator, along with the high temporal turnover strongly suggest that species presence and density are determined by local factors and changes in those factors over time. Both low water volume and high predator densities can eliminate populations in local patches, and those populations can recolonize patches when rain refills or predators exit treeholes. Population densities of the same species were not matched between pairs of treeholes, suggesting variation in local factors and limited dispersal. Distance effects on spatial turnover also support limitations to dispersal in the metacommunity, and we conclude that the weight of evidence favors a strong influence of local factors relative to regional factors.     

The influence of nitrate,water potential and oxygen tension on nitrogen fixation in detached pea roots

Nodulated pea roots were detached from the plant shoots and exposed to different nitrate concentrations, water potentials, and oxygen tensions. The rates of nitrogen fixation in the detached pea roots following these treatments were determined by the acetylene reduction assay. It was found that increasing the nitrate concentration up to 5 mM brought about reduced nitrogen fixing activity, and this occurred independently of the depressing effects of low water potential and low oxygen tension.

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Auszug Mit Knöllchenbakterien behaftete Erbsenwurzeln wurden von den Pflanzen abgetrennt und verschiedenen Nitratkonzentrationen, Wasserpotentialen und Sauerstoff-Tensionen ausgesetzt. Die Mengen an fixiertem N wurden nach den verschiedenen Behandlungen in den abgetrennten Erbsenwurzeln durch den Azetylen-Reduktionstest bestimmt.Vermehrte Nitrat-Konzentration bis zu 5 mM brachte eine reduzierte Aktivität in der N-Fixierung hervor. Dies war unabhängig vom depressiven Effekt des niedrigen Wasserpotentials und der niedrigen Sauerstoff-Tension.

     

The influence of the epidermis on the drying rate of red clover leaflets, leaf petioles and stems at low water contents

An apparatus is described which enables excised pieces of plant material lo be weighed al frequent intervals as they dry in controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and air-speed. The effect of removing the epidermis on the drying rate of red clover ( Trifolium pratense ) leaflets, leaf petioles and stems is examined. Initially this treatment caused a very large increase in the drying rate of leaflets. Although the effect declined as water content fell, leaflets from which the epidermis had been removed still dried more rapidly than the controls at a water content equivalent to 50% of the dry weight. Removing the epidermis had a greater effect on the drying rate of leaf petioles and stems at low water contents than it did on the drying rate of leaflets.
Slow drying at low water contents is a major factor responsible for the undesirably long periods for which hay may lie in the field. Slow drying occurs even though swath microclimate becomes more favourable for drying as water content falls. The results presented here suggest that treatments which reduce cuticular resistance have the potential to reduce field drying time.     

Study on the effects of reaction conditions on carboxymethyl cellulose nonwoven manufactured by wet-laid process

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has been used in medical area by virtue of their high water absorption property, bio-degradability, and biocompatibility. It has been mainly used as forms of gel, powder, and film due to the limitation in processability on textile structures, especially nonwoven. In this study we demonstrated wet-laid nonwoven process for viscose rayon and carboxymethylation to produce CMC nonwoven. The effects of process conditions, such as reaction time and amount of monochloroacetic acid (MCA) in carboxymethylation, were investigated in terms of the degree of substitution (DS), morphological properties and mechanical properties of the CMC nonwoven. Molar ratio of MCA to cellulose and etherification time played important roles in determining characteristics of CMC nonwoven. As DS increased, strength was improved while elongation decreased. Gel blocking behavior of CMC nonwoven with higher DS indicated the applicability of CMC nonwoven as wound dressing and adhesion prevention materials.     

The influence of the epidermis on the drying rates of red clover leaf petioles and stems and of Italian ryegrass stems at low water contents

Previous results with red clover ( Trifolium pratense ) leaflets, leaf petioles and stems indicated that the epidermis continued to impose a barrier to water loss at low water contents. Further experiments with red clover leaf petioles and stems suggest that cuticular wax is the epidermal component concerned and that treatments which remove or merely modify this will also increase drying rate. However, when treatments to reduce epidermal resistance were applied to pseudostems and flowering stems of Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ) the initial increase in drying rate produced was not sustained at low water contents. The pseudostems consisted of three layers of leaf material rolled one within the other and the true flowering stems were surrounded by one leaf sheath. Their pattern of response to treatments suggested that these affected only the outer sheath, which produced an initial acceleration in drying rate, but that this was not sustained after the outer sheath was dry because the lower untreated layers dried in a similar way to untreated controls.
The results suggest the possibility of devising practical treatments to increase drying rate at low water contents with crops containing a high proportion of leaf or stem not surrounded by leaf sheath. Devising such treatments for crops with a high proportion of grass pseudostem or flowering stem surrounded by leaf sheath will be considerably more difficult.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure and temperature on the chemical and functional properties of wheat gluten II. Studies on the influence of additives

Cysteine, N-ethylmaleinimide, radical scavengers, various salts or urea were added to wheat gluten. After treatment at increasing pressure (0.1–800 MPa) and temperature (30–80 °C) the resulting material was analysed by micro-extension tests and an extraction/HPLC method to measure protein solubility. Furthermore, cysteine was added to isolated gliadin and glutenin prior to high-pressure treatment and protein solubility was determined. The resistance to extension of gluten strongly increased and the solubility of gliadin in aqueous ethanol decreased with increasing pressure and temperature. As compared to experiments without additive the observed effects were much stronger. Isolated gliadin turned largely insoluble in aqueous ethanol when cysteine was added prior to high-pressure treatment. The S-rich α- and γ-gliadins were much more strongly affected than the S-poor ω-gliadins pointing to a disulphide related mechanism. Monomeric gliadin components were completely recovered after reduction of the aggregates with dithioerythritol. In contrast, samples without free thiol groups such as isolated gliadins or with SH groups, which had been blocked by N-ethylmaleinimide, were hardly affected by high-pressure treatment. The addition of radical scavengers to gluten showed no effect in comparison to the control experiment, indicating that a radical mechanism of the high-pressure effect can be excluded. The observed effects can be explained by thiol-/disulphide interchange reactions, which require the presence of free thiol groups in the sample. The addition of salts and urea showed that unfolding of the protein due to weakening of interprotein hydrogen bonds is strongest for ions with a high radius (e.g. thiocyanate). This leads to weakening of gluten at ambient pressure but it facilitates high pressure induced reactions, e.g. of disulphide bonds.     

Experimental study on the influence of dissolved organic matter in water and redox state of bottom sediment on water quality dynamics under anaerobic conditions in an organically polluted water body

To understand aquatic environmental deterioration due to the anoxic state in an organically polluted water body, water quality dynamics under anaerobic conditions were examined through beaker-scale water quality monitoring. This study focused on the dynamic properties of NO₃–N, NH₄–N, PO₄–P, and sulfide from the biochemical reactions point of view, and based on anaerobic respiration activities, such as denitrification, iron reduction, and sulfate reduction. The specific aims of this study were to quantitatively estimate the impacts of the oxidative/reductive state of the sediment surface and the high/low concentrations of dissolved organic matter on the dynamic properties of water quality under anaerobic conditions. The beaker-scale water quality monitoring was carried out through continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), as well as periodic observations of water quality parameters for six cases that are composed from combinations of three experimental conditions: (1) concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC); (2) redox state of the sediment; and (3) concentration of NO₃–N. As a result, the temporal changes in ORP under anaerobic conditions exhibited a five-step process of decline without these conditions. Also, high DOC concentrations and oxidative states of the bottom mud accelerated the release of PO₄–P and sulfide generation through promoting biological iron reduction and sulfate reduction, because these conditions increase respiratory substrates for anaerobic microorganisms, such as iron and sulfate-reducing bacteria. It was concluded that our results would provide important information about the mechanisms of aqueous environmental deterioration due to organic pollution in closed water bodies.