Jianbin Qin

Dynamic/quasi-static stab-resistance and mechanical properties of soft body armour composites constructed from Kevlar fabrics and shear thickening fluids

Soft body armour composites were constructed by combining Kevlar fabrics with different quantities of shear thickening fluid (STF). In particular, the quantity of the added STF and the mechanical properties of these composites were systemically explored. The dynamic and quasi-static knife-stabbing resistance and the quasi-static mechanical properties of these composites were both significantly enhanced in comparison to those of neat Kevlar fabric. The composites were much lighter, thinner and more flexible than the neat Kevlar fabric and, with an optimal quantity of added STF, could not even be penetrated. However, the dynamic knife-stabbing resistance of the fabric became poor when the amount of added STF was higher than 100 wt%. The tensile strength of the composites could be increased from 40% to 80% and the tearing strength could be increased by nearly eight times that of the neat Kevlar fabric by increasing the concentration of added STF. Yarn pull-out testing suggested that the triggered shear thickening contributed to the increase of the friction between yarns or filaments, resulting in improvements in the dynamic and quasi-static properties of these composites. Moreover, these composites are suitable for use as soft body armour materials due to their good adaptability to high and low speeds conditions.

Study of a shear thickening fluid: the suspensions of monodisperse polystyrene microspheres in polyethylene glycol

ABSTRACT The monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres were prepared by dispersion polymerization. The rheological properties of shear thickening fluid (STF) based on PS microspheres dispersing in polyethylene glycol with different concentrations were studied through the steady and oscillatory shear at different temperatures, respectively. All suspensions successively present the first shear thinning, the shear thickening, and the second shear thinning. The experimental results indicate that the shear thickening behavior of STF is controlled by the concentration of PS microspheres and temperature, as changed from continuous shear thickening (CST) to discontinuous shear thickening (DST) with increasing solid content or decreasing temperature. The STF is affected by shear rate, temperature, and the viscosity of the dispersed medium, and it is reversible absolutely and presents transient response ability. Both CST and DST behave as dilatancy. The PS microsphere aggregations formed under shear stress may result in the shear thickening in STFs. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Introduction of stereocomplex crystallites of PLA for the solid and microcellular poly(lactide)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blends

Solid and microcellular poly(L-lactide)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLLA/PBAT) blends with or without poly(D-lactide) (PDLA) were prepared via melt blending and batch foaming process with supercritical carbon dioxide, respectively. The introduction of PDLA on the rheological properties, crystallization behavior and dynamic mechanical properties of the PLLA matrix were investigated. The formed PLA stereocomplex between PLLA and PDLA enhanced the storage modulus and complex viscosity of PLLA/PBAT blends efficiently. Interestingly, the addition of 5 wt% or 10 wt% PDLA in the PLLA/PBAT blends was unfavorable for the PLLA crystallization behavior. The potential reason can be sc-PLA crystallites acting as the physical crosslinking points, which constrained the molecular mobility of the PLLA matrix and even blocked the nucleating effect of PBAT domains. Both the enhanced melt strength and decreased crystallinity of the PLLA matrix are favorable for the cell nucleation and growth and the gas adsorption, respectively. The designed partially foaming of PLLA/PBAT with or without PDLA was carried out to investigate the foaming mechanism. The final cell morphology of PLLA/PBAT foams exhibited typical open-cell structure mainly attributed to the soft immiscible PBAT phase as separated domains. With further addition of PDLA in the PLLA/PBAT blends, the microcellular morphology exhibited decreased average cell size and increased cell density. The sc-PLA crystallites networks in the PLLA matrix acted as cell nucleating agents, which meanwhile resisted the force of cell growth and then prevented the cell collapse.

Viscoelasticity of Shear Thickening Fluid Based on Silica Nanoparticles Dispersing in 1-butyl-3-methylimidizolium Tetrafluoroborate

The viscoelasticity of shear thickening fluid (STF), a crucial property in the protective composite applications, with different silica nanoparticle concentrations in ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidizolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4min]BF4), was studied at different temperatures and with shear frequencies through oscillatory shear, respectively. All STFs present strain thickening behavior. With increasing silica nanoparticle concentration, the critical shear strain for the onset of strain thickening decreased, while the complex viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus increased significantly. The critical shear strain increased with an increase of temperature, while the complex viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus decreased notably. The critical shear strain was constant with increasing the frequency of strain, while the complex viscosity decreases slightly. The storage modulus and loss modulus were independent with frequency in the strain thickening region. Nanoparticle clusters leading to strain thickening were demonstrated. The viscoelastic response of STFs to varying silica nanoparticle content, temperature, and frequency investigated here will help to design the specific application of STFs in soft protective composites and damping devices. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Effect of poly(butylenes succinate) on the microcellular foaming of polylactide using supercritical carbon dioxide

Microcellular Polylactide (PLA) and PLA/poly(butylenes succinate) (PBS) foams were prepared by batch foaming process with supercritical carbon dioxide. The introduced PBS phase was immiscible with the PLA matrix and separated as domains. The study of CO2 solubility in PLA and PLA/PBS blends indicated the addition of PBS decreased the gas solubility due to the poor affinity of CO2 for PBS. The crystallization behavior of PLA was enhanced by small amount of PBS with lower cold crystallization temperature and higher crystallinity. However, separated PBS droplets led to less perfect and small crystallites, which showed greatly effect for the PLA foaming process. The investigation on the foaming conditions dependence indicated the PLA/PBS blends required higher temperature and longer time for the cell growth, which were nucleated around the interface between PLA and PBS. With less CO2 content in the PLA or PLA/PBS blends after different desorption time, the final cell morphology exhibited more uniform size distribution with bigger average cell size and smaller cell density. Different from the well closed-cell structure for neat PLA foam, the PLA/PBS foam presented open cell structure due to the cell nucleation around the PLA/PBS interface and the lower melt strength of PBS phase.