The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Degradation of PLA/Diatomaceous Earth Composites.

In the present study, tests were carried out on composite samples on a polylactide matrix containing 25% by weight of mineral filler in the form of diatomaceous earth, base, and silanized with GPTMOS (3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane), OTES (n-octyltriethoxysilane), and MTMOS (methyltrimethoxysilane) silanes. The addition of two types of waxes, synthetic polyamide wax and natural beeswax, were used as a factor to increase the rheological properties of the composites. The obtained samples were characterized in terms of the effect of filler silanization on the degradation rate of the composites.

The 3D-Printed (FDM/FFF) Biocomposites Based on Polylactide and Carbonate Lake Sediments-Towards a Circular Economy.

In this study, composites containing polylactide and carbonate lake sediment in concentrations of 2.5, 5, 10, and 15% by weight were prepared by a 3D printing method. The material for 3D printing was obtained by directly diluting the masterbatch on an injection moulder to the desired concentrations, and after granulation, it was extruded into a filament.

Polyamide 11 Composites Reinforced with Diatomite Biofiller-Mechanical, Rheological and Crystallization Properties.

Amorphic diatomaceous earth is derived from natural sources, and polyamide 11 (PA11) is produced from materials of natural origin. Both of these materials show a low harmfulness to the environment and a reduced carbon footprint. This is why the combination of these two constituents is beneficial not only to improve the physicochemical and mechanical properties of polyamide 11 but also to produce a biocomposite.

Beeswax as a natural alternative to synthetic waxes for fabrication of PLA/diatomaceous earth composites.

In this study, injection moulding was applied to produce biocomposites consisting of polylactide (PLA) and amorphous diatomaceous earth used as a filler at different concentrations. Natural wax and synthetic wax were added to improve processing properties, comparing the resulting biocomposites. The use of natural beeswax makes the composite environmentally friendly.

Carbonate Lake Sediments in the Plastics Processing-Preliminary Polylactide Composite Case Study: Mechanical and Structural Properties.

In this study, the influence of carbonate lake sediments (Polylactide/Carbonate Lake Sediments-PLA/CLS) on the mechanical and structural properties of polylactide matrix composites was investigated. Two fractions of sediments originating from 3-8 and 8-12 m were analysed for differences in particle size by distribution (Dynamic Light Scattering-DLS), phase composition (X-ray Diffraction-XRD), the presence of surface functional groups (Fourier Transform-Infrared-FT-IR), and thermal stability (Thermogravimetric Analysis-TGA). Microscopic observations of the composite fractures were also performed.

Influence of Diatomaceous Earth Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of PLA/Diatomaceous Earth Composites.

The fractionation of diatomaceous earth (DE) using sedimentation made it possible to obtain separate unbroken diatom fractions from broken or agglomerated bodies with a range of particle sizes. The produced filler was used to prepare polylactide (PLA)/diatomaceous earth biocomposite samples containing different particle sizes, which were subjected to mechanical testing (tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength), colloidal testing (contact angle, color change test, SEM/EDS), and thermal testing (TGA, DSC, DMA). Modification of the PLA containing the smallest particle size with diatomaceous earth (Fraction 5) resulted in a higher impact strength compared to both the pure PLA and the PLA/DE composite that contained base diatomaceous earth.

Where ppm Quantities of Silsesquioxanes Make a Difference-Silanes and Cage Siloxanes as TiO Dispersants and Stabilizers for Pigmented Epoxy Resins.

In this work, silsesquioxane and spherosilicate compounds were assessed as novel organosilicon coupling agents for surface modification of TiO in a green process, and compared with their conventional silane counterparts. The surface-treated TiO particles were then applied in preparation of epoxy (EP) composites and the aspects of pigment dispersion, suspension stability, hiding power, as well as the composite mechanical and thermal properties were discussed. The studied compounds loading was between 0.

Methodological Aspects of Obtaining and Characterizing Composites Based on Biogenic Diatomaceous Silica and Epoxy Resins.

Diatomaceous earth are sediments of unicellular algal skeletons with a well-defined hierarchical structure. Despite many tests conducted on systems using diatomaceous earth and epoxy resins, we can find many differences in the methods of acquisition and characteristics of the composite, which may considerably affect the results. In our study, we have conducted tests to verify the impact of the method of obtaining samples and the degassing of the composite on its mechanical properties and standard deviation.

Comparative Analysis of Polyurethane Drive Belts with Different Cross-Section Using Thermomechanical Tests for Modeling the Hot Plate Welding Process.

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the circular and flat cross-section belts using measurements of a set of thermomechanical parameters, contributing to research about hot plate welding of drive belts. On the basis of thermogravimetric and spectrophotometric tests, information about the same chemical composition of the two belts was obtained. Dynamic thermomechanical analysis and scanning differential calorimetry provided information about a small difference between belts, which disappeared when the material was placed in a state of increased temperature and mechanical stress.

A New Method of Diatomaceous Earth Fractionation-A Bio-Raw Material Source for Epoxy-Based Composites.

The authors of this paper use an original method of diatomaceous earth fractionation, which allows for obtaining a filler with a specific particle size distribution. The method makes it possible to separate small, disintegrated and broken diatom frustules from those which maintained their original form in diatomaceous earth. The study covers a range of tests conducted to prove that such a separated diatomic fraction (3-30 µm) shows features different from the base diatomite (from 1 to above 40 µm) used as an epoxy resin filler.

Biogenic Composite Filaments Based on Polylactide and Diatomaceous Earth for 3D Printing.

New composites containing a natural filler made of diatom shells (frustules), permitting the modification of polylactide matrix, were produced by Fused Deposition Modelling (3D printing) and were thoroughly examined. Two mesh fractions of the filler were used, one of <40 µm and the other of 40-63 µm, in order to check the effect of the filler particle size on the composite properties. The composites obtained contained diatom shells in the concentrations from 0% to 5% wt.

Graphite Modified Polylactide (PLA) for 3D Printed (FDM/FFF) Sliding Elements.

With the development of 3D printing technology, there is a need to produce printable materials with improved properties, e.g., sliding properties.