An analysis of the effect of feed foaming on the efficiency of sunflower oil encapsulation on selected product properties is presented in the paper. Experiments were carried out in a pilot-plant concurrent spray dryer using the gas-admixing technique. The analysis of the product properties showed that the application of foaming makes it possible to control final product properties, e.g. apparent density, bulk density, distribution of particle diameters, etc. at a high efficiency of sunflower oil encapsulation.
The results of experimental investigations into foaming process of poly(ε-caprolactone) using supercritical CO2 are presented. The objective of the study was to explore the aspects of fabrication of biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds that can be applied as a temporary three-dimensional extracellular matrix analog for cells to grow into a new tissue. The influence of foaming process parameters, which have been proven previously to affect significantly scaffold bioactivity, such as pressure (8-18 MPa), temperature (323-373 K) and time of saturation (1-6 h) on microstructure and mechanical properties of produced polymer porous structures is presented. The morphology and mechanical properties of considered materials were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray microtomography (μ-CT) and a static compression test. A precise control over porosity and morphology of obtained polymer porous structures by adjusting the foaming process parameters has been proved. The obtained poly(ε-caprolactone) solid foams prepared using scCO2 have demonstrated sufficient mechanical strength to be applied as scaffolds in tissue engineering.
For the decreasing of too high air volume in SCC, application of anti-foaming admixture (AFA) is proposed. In effect, AFA is increasing mix flow diameter and decreasing the flow time. Moreover, the workability loss is lower. In case of mix incorporating AFA, their high fluidity do not generate segregation of the mix, which is possible in case of SCC incorporating only SP. The effect of AFA application on the compressive strength depends on the proportions between SP and AFA. AFA has not a negative influence on the freeze-proof properties of the tested concrete. The advisable influence of AFA on porosity characteristic of SCC is proved by research results according to EN 480-11 code.
Biocomposite foam scaffolds of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with different porogenes were produced with batch foaming technique using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a blowing agent. In performed experiments composites were prepared from graphene-oxide (nGO), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) and nano-cellulose (nC), with various concentrations. The objective of the study was to explore the effects of porogen concentration and foaming process parameters on the morphology and mechanical properties of three-dimensional porous structures that can be used as temporary scaffolds in tissue engineering. The structures were manufactured using scCO2 as a blowing agent, at two various foaming pressures (9 MPa and 18 MPa), at three different temperatures (323 K, 343 K and 373 K) for different saturation times (0.5 h, 1 h and 4 h). In order to examine the utility of porogenes, a number of tests, such as static compression tests, thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy, have been performed. Analysis of experimental results showed that the investigated materials demonstrated high mechanical strength and a wide range of pore sizes. The obtained results suggest that PCL porous structures are useful as biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds for tissue engineering.
The article presents investigation results of the effect of sand fluidization on the structure and mechanical properties of AlSi9 aluminum alloy. Castings were made by lost foam casting process with sand fluidization in mold at the stages of their solidification and cooling. Sand fluidization was achieved by blowing sand bed with compressed air in a foundry container. The metallographic study was carrying out on samples cut from different sections of the castings. Mechanical properties were determined on specimens made from cast samples. Microstructural analysis showed that sand fluidization increases the cooling rate, as a result, the main microstructural components of the alloy – SDAS, eutectic silicon and needles of the rich-iron phase – decrease. Moreover, in different sections of the casting structure is more uniform. With an increasing the air flow rate, a greater refinement of the structure is observed. Through the use of sand fluidization, the mechanical properties of LFC aluminum alloys increase to the level of gravity die castings.
The purpose of the work was to determine the infuence of the bulk density ρz of granules, processing parameters and the density of ski inserts ρw made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) on their damping properties. For this aim liners for ski helmets with 3 different bulk densities were made. Sintering time and sintering pressure were also changed. The percentage damping factor η was determined on the basis of the results obtained in the rebound resilience test. Based on the analysis of the obtained data, it was found that increasing the density of EPS pads ρw increases their damping properties and at the same time contributes to a decrease in elasticity, increase in hardness and brittleness of EPS products.
Following paper is focused on experimental and numerical studies of the behavior and energy absorption for both: quasi-static and dynamic axial crushing of thin-walled cylindrical tubes filled with foam. The experiments were conducted on single walled and double walled tubes. Unfilled profiles were compared with tubes filled with various density polyurethane foam. All experiments were done in order to possibility of the safety of the elements absorbing collision energy which can applied in car body. The dynamic nonlinear simulations were carried out by means of PAM-CRASH™ explicit code, which is dedicated calculation package to modelling of crush. Computational crushing force, plastic hinges locations and specimens post-crushed geometry found to be convergent with the real experiments results. Conducted experiments allowed to draw conclusion, that crashworthiness ability is directly proportional to foam density. The investigation of the experimental data revealed, that double walled tubes have greater energy absorbing ability. A proposed investigation enable to analyze and chosen of optimal parameters of these elements, which can use in automotive industry as an absorption energy components.
When a truck impacts on a reinforced concrete (RC) column such as a bridge pier at a high velocity, a large reaction force would generate which would damage the truck, hurt the passengers and destroy the column. Lightweight foams with excellent energy absorbing performance are often used as safeguard constructions to resist impact. The impact behavior can be divided into soft and hard impact. In the case of soft impact, the impacted structure deformation is predominant. In the paper, metallic foam safeguarded RC square columns impacted by a rigid block are simulated using the ABAQUS code software, and the influential characteristic of foam density on the peak impact force and ultimate energy absorption is focused on. The simulated results indicate that the foam safeguard constructions play remarkable role on impact resistance. It is exciting that there appears almost an identical critical foam density corresponding to the minimum peak force and the ultimate energy absorption, which is of great significance for engineering design of this type of safeguard constructions to resist impact.