The focus of this research is to investigate the potential of using exfoliated graphene nanoplatelets, GNP, as the multifunctional reinforcement in fabricating polymer/GNP nanocomposites and then explore their prospective applications in bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Firstly, high density polyethylene (HDPE)/GNP nanocomposites were fabricated using the conven...

After tumor resection, bone reconstruction such as skull base reconstruction using interconnected porous structure is absolutely necessary. In this study, porous scaffolds for bone reconstruction were prepared using heat-pressing and salt-leaching methods. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEAA) were chosen as the polymer composites for producing a porous scaf...

Soil fumigation is an important component of U.S. agriculture, but excessive emissions can be problematic. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of agricultural films (e.g., tarps) on soil fumigant atmospheric emissions and spatiotemporal distributions in soil, soil temperature, and plant pathogen control in the field using plastic films with various permeabilities and therma...

A low cost and low dielectric loss zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4) reinforced HDPE (high-density polyethylene) composite has been developed for antenna applications. The 0-3 type composite is prepared by dispersing ZrSiO4 fillers for various volume fractions (0.1 to 0.5) in the HDPE matrix by the melt mixing process. The composite shows good microwave dielectric properties with a relative permittiv...

To modify water absorption properties of bamboo fiber (BF) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites, heat treatment of BFs was performed prior to compounding them with HDPE to form the composites. The moisture sorption property of the composites was measured and their diffusion coefficients (Dm) were evaluated using a one-dimensional diffusion model. Moisture diffusion coefficient values...

A melt flow indexer (MFI) was used to investigate high-temperature transitions in melts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The MFI data were obtained in the range 190–230°C. These transitions were found in the MFI at about 210 and 225°C and reproduced in a Haake melt blender. Polystyrene was used in the blender experiment to demonstrate typical amorphous behavior. For HDPE melts, the MFI–temp...

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping has been used in place of steel alloys in the petrochemical, power, and mining industries due to its exceptional resistance to corrosion and erosion. Recently, HDPE has also been used for nuclear safety-related cooling water applications. The application of nuclear quality assurance requirements creates reasonable assurance that the production fusion join...

The Balgrist hip socket, initially made entirely of HDPE (high molecular weight polyethylene), now made of outer titanium alloy shell that faces the bone of the acetabulum has been in clinical use for 10 years. The purpose of this presentation is to illustrate the biomechanical principles that have governed this unique design and to present the clinical results that we have obtained until the e...