Quick Preparation of Moisture-Saturated Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastics and Their Accelerated Ageing Tests Using Heat and Moisture.

A quick method involving the control of heat and water vapor pressure for preparing moisture-saturated carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP, 8 unidirectional prepreg layers, 1.5 mm thickness, epoxy resin) has been developed. The moisture-saturated CFRP sample was obtained at 120 °C and 0.

Biobased carbon content of resin extracted from polyethylene composite by carbon-14 concentration measurements using accelerator mass spectrometry.

An estimation procedure for biobased carbon content of polyethylene composite was studied using carbon-14 ((14)C) concentration ratios as measured by accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS). Prior to the measurement, additives and fillers in composites should be removed because they often contain a large amount of biobased carbon and may shift the estimation. Samples of resin with purity suitable for measurement were isolated from composites with a Soxhlet extractor using heated cyclohexanone.

Chemical synthesis of fully biomass-based poly(butylene succinate) from inedible-biomass-based furfural and evaluation of its biomass carbon ratio.

We have produced fully biomass-based poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) from furfural produced from inedible agricultural cellulosic waste. Furfural was oxidized to give fumaric acid. Fumaric acid was hydrogenated under high pressure with a palladium-rhenium/carbon catalyst to give 1,4-butanediol, and with a palladium/carbon catalyst to give succinic acid.

Biodegradability evaluation of polymers by ISO 14855-2.

Biodegradabilities of polymers and their composites in a controlled compost were described. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were employed as biodegradable polymers. Biodegradabilities of PCL and PLA samples in a controlled compost were measured using a Microbial Oxidative Degradation Analyzer (MODA) according to ISO 14855-2.

Biodegradation of poly(butylene succinate) powder in a controlled compost at 58°C evaluated by naturally-occurring carbon 14 amounts in evolved CO(2) based on the ISO 14855-2 method.

The biodegradabilities of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) powders in a controlled compost at 58 degrees C have been studied using a Microbial Oxidative Degradation Analyzer (MODA) based on the ISO 14855-2 method, entitled "Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions-Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide-Part 2: Gravimetric measurement of carbon dioxide evolved in a laboratory-scale test". The evolved CO(2) was trapped by an additional aqueous Ba(OH)(2) solution. The trapped BaCO(3) was transformed into graphite via a serial vaporization and reduction reaction using a gas-tight tube and vacuum manifold system.

Anaerobic biodegradation tests of poly(lactic acid) under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions using a new evaluation system for methane fermentation in anaerobic sludge.

Anaerobic biodegradation tests of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) powder were done at the thermophilic (55 degrees C) and mesophilic temperature (35 degrees C) under aquatic conditions [total solid concentrations of the used sludge were 2.07% (at 55 degrees C) and 2.24% (at 35 degrees C)] using a newly developed evaluation system.

Biobased contents of biodegradable poly(epsilon-caprolactone) composites polymerized and directly molded using aluminium triflate from caprolactone with cellulose and inorganic filler.

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) composite samples were prepared by polymerization and direct molding. The starting compound was epsilon-caprolactone monomer liquid combined with cellulose and inorganic fillers, using aluminium triflate as a catalyst at 80 degrees C, for 6 or 24 h. Cylinder-shaped PCL composite samples with a homogeneously dispersed cellulose filler were prepared with (-)M(n) = 4 600 ((-)M(w)/(-)M(n) = 2.