Nanoparticle and Gelation Stabilized Functional Composites of an Ionic Salt in a Hydrophobic Polymer Matrix

Nanoparticle and Gelation Stabilized Functional Composites of an Ionic Salt in a Hydrophobic Polymer Matrix

Polymer composites consisted of small hydrophilic pockets homogeneously dispersed in a hydrophobic polymer matrix are important in many applications where controlled release of the functional agent from the hydrophilic phase is needed. As an example, a release of biomolecules or drugs from therapeutic formulations or release of salt in anti-icing application can be mentioned. Here, we report a ...

Super-hydrophobic Polymer/nanoparticle Composites for the Protection of Marble Monuments

Water contributes substantially to the degradation of monuments through freezing and thawing cycles and also because it is a carrier of pollutants and salt solutions. Water repellency can be promoted by the application of a thin organic, hydrophobic, film. The efficacy of simple polymer coatings for monument protection is, however, still debated. We demonstrate that a polymer/nanoparticle compo...

Manufacturing of Polymer-matrix Composites

Control of Ionic Polymer Metal Composites

Robotic devices are traditionally actuated by hydraulic systems or electric motors. However, with the desire to make robotic systems more compact and versatile, new actuator technologies are required. In this paper, the control of ionic polymer metal composite actuators is investigated from a practical perspective. The actuator characteristics are examined though the unblocked maximum displacem...

Electromechanical response of ionic polymer-metal composites

An ionic polymer-metal composite ~IPMC! consisting of a thin Nafion sheet, platinum plated on both faces, undergoes large bending motion when an electric field is applied across its thickness. Conversely, a voltage is produced across its faces when it is suddenly bent. A micromechanical model is developed which accounts for the coupled ion transport, electric field, and elastic deformation to p...