Recycling Polymer Blend made from Post-used Styrofoam and Polyethylene for Fuse Deposition Modelling

Styrofoam is widely used as packaging material for many applications like home furniture and electrical appliance. Styrofoam is a non-biodegradable material which its disposal causes serious environment issues. This research demonstrates an alternate recycling method of Styrofoam waste by converting it into 3D printing filament for Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). For this research, the recycled polystyrene (rPS) was extracted from Styrofoam waste and blended with low-density polyethylene (LDPE), then extruded into filament using a filament extruder. The formulated rPS/LDPE blend with different blend ratio exhibited a good printability when the printing temperature and extrusion rate fixed at 240°C and 120%. However, the tensile strength of printed specimens with rPS/LDPE blends were lower than printed specimen with neat rPS. The tensile strength and modulus of printed specimens with rPS/LDPE were decreased due to the increase of LDPE content. The decrease of tensile strength mainly caused by the incompatibility between the rPS and LDPE phases. However, the addition of more LDPE content in the blend enhanced the ductility of rPS/LDPE blends. Furthermore, the increase of LDPE content also increased the thermal stability of rPS/LDPE blends. Overall, the rPS/LDPE blend is a potential alternate material for producing FDM filament.

Regularities of Structure Formation in 30 mm Rods of Thermoelectric Material during Hot Extrusion

In this study, Ingots of (Bi, Sb)2Te3 thermoelectric material with p-type conductivity have been obtained by hot extrusion. The main regularities of hot extrusion of 30 mm rods have been analyzed with the aid of a mathematical simulation on the basis of the joint use of elastic-plastic body approximations. The phase composition, texture and microstructure of the (Bi, Sb)2Te3 solid solutions have been studied using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The thermoelectric properties have been studied using the Harman method. We show that extrusion through a 30 mm diameter die produces a homogeneous strain. The extruded specimens exhibit a fine-grained structure and a clear axial texture in which the cleavage planes are parallel to the extrusion axis. The quantity of defects in the grains of the (Bi, Sb)2Te3 thermoelectric material decreases with an increase in the extrusion rate. An increase in the extrusion temperature leads to a decrease in the Seebeck coefficient and an increase in the electrical conductivity. The specimens extruded at 450 °C and a 0.5 mm/min extrusion rate have the highest thermoelectric figure of merit (Z = 3.2 × 10−3 K−1).

A Study of Parameters that Effect to Width of Chocolate Line Based on Additive Manufacturing and Screw Based Extrusion

This paper presents a study of parameters that effect to width of chocolate line based on additive manufacturing and screw based extrusion. In order control a width of chocolate extruded lines for constructing chocolate model, three pitch of lead screw, three distances between nozzle and workspace, and three extrusion rates are assigned as independent variables. The result was showed that those three independent parameters were affects to width of extruded chocolate line. When the pitch of lead screw and the chocolate extrusion rate were increased, the width of the chocolate width had been expended. Moreover, if the distances between nozzle and workspace was increase, the chocolate width had been narrow.

Efficacy of pillar implants to reduce snoring and daytime sleepiness

Objective: To measure the efficacy of pillar implants in reducing snoring. Materials and methods: A total of 30 adult patients who underwent pillar implants were assessed preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the implantation. Improvement was measured using snoring frequency, visual analog scale for snoring loudness, and Epworth sleepiness scale for daytime sleepiness. Results: The mean snoring frequency, loudness and Epworth score were reduced from 6.9, 9.2 and 7.4 at the baseline to 5, 5.9 and 5.6, respectively, at 12 months postoperatively (all p < 0.03). The partial implant extrusion rate was 6.7%. Conclusion: We suggest that a pillar implant procedure should be considered before proceeding to more morbid surgeries in patients with snoring and daytime sleepiness.

Fabrication of kaolin hollow fibre membranes for bacteria removal

This study examines the influence of the particle size, extrusion rate and sintering temperature on the characteristics of kaolin hollow fibre membranes. In addition, the produced membranes were applied for bacteria removal from an aqueous suspension. The milling process reduced the size of kaolin particles from 8.7 to 5.1 ?m and greatly enhanced the morphology and mechanical resistance of the produced membranes. The increase in the sintering temperature up to 1250?C caused crystallographic phase modifications in the crude kaolin, which were mainly assigned to transformations of quartz and kaolinite to mullite and cristobalite phases. The fibres sintered at 1250?C have bending strength of 145MPa, but this relatively high sintering temperature caused a substantial particle densification and drastic decrease of the membrane water permeability. The kaolin hollow fibre membranes enabled almost total removal of the Enterobacter bacteria from an aqueous suspension.

Ossiculoplasty using Autologous Reshaped Incus and Teflon PORP: A Comparative Study

Introduction Autologous reshaped Incus and Teflon partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) are commonly used for ossicular chain reconstruction. The present study attempts to assess the post-operative outcome with these two prostheses. Materials and Methods A Randomized prospective study was conducted in Tertiary referral care hospital to determine which material, among autologous reshaped Incus and Teflon partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) gives better postoperative hearing result in Ossiculoplasty. Patients presenting at outpatients’ department with the clinical diagnosis of chronic otitis media with perforation or retraction. The study population consisted of a total of 50 patients. Ossiculoplasty with reshaped Incus or PORP was performed after Canal Wall Up mastoidectomy. Hearing results were measured by Air-Bone gap in PTA after 6 months of surgery. Results Selecting the criteria <20 dB ABG as success when Stapes superstructure is present, Incus has 64.29% success rate, whereas PORP has 31.81% success. Extrusion rate of different prosthesis shows PORP has 18.18% extrusion whereas autologous Incus has lower (7.14%) extrusion rate. Conclusion Among these two ossiculoplasty materials, autologous Incus gives better postoperative hearing gain and lower extrusion rate.