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Composite materials are materials that are made of two or more materials that remain separate and differ on a macroscopic level while forming a single component so as to produce a composite material that has different mechanical properties and characteristics from the material it forms. Particle composite materials consist of particles held together by a matrix. In this study, an epoxy resin matrix was used with Polymesoda erosa clam shell nanopowder filler. Nano-sized fillers have many advantages over macro-sized ones. The nano-sized particles will have a high surface area, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the material. The powdered nanoparticles produced will be analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Based on the results of SEM and TEM, the nanopowder of clamshell has a size below 100 nm. The FTIR results of the powdered shellfish showed the presence of carbonate bonds C-O, C=O, and Ca-O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin loss is one of the oldest and still not totally resolved problems in the medical field. Since spontaneous healing of the dermal defects would not occur, the regeneration of full thickness of skin requires skin substitutes. Tissue engineering constructs would provide a three dimensional matrix for the reconstruction of skin tissue and the repair of damage. The aim of the present work is to develop a chitin based scaffold, by blending it with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), an aliphatic, biodegradable and biocompatible synthetic polymer with excellent mechanical properties. The presence of chondroitin sulfate nanoparticles (CSnp) in the scaffold would favor cell adhesion. A chitin/PBS/CSnp composite hydrogel scaffold was developed and characterized by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), and swelling ratio of scaffolds were analyzed. The scaffolds were evaluated for the suitability for skin tissue engineering application by cytotoxicity, cell attachment, and cell proliferation studies using human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). The cytotoxicity and cell proliferation studies using HDF confirm the suitability of the scaffold for skin regeneration. In short, these results show promising applicability of the developed chitin/PBS/CSnps ternary composite hydrogel scaffolds for skin tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxide nanoparticle of magnetite, one of well-known soft magnetic materials, has been investigated due to their various potential applications. In order to apply it as a magnetorheological (MR) material, composite of poly(vinyl butyral) and magnetite nanoparticles was prepared via solvent evaporation method using synthesized magnetite nanoparticles because of their proper magnetic characteristics and dispersion stability in a viscous medium. The magnetite nanoparticle was prepared via a co-precipitation method using ferrous and ferric ionic aqueous solutions. Surface and internal morphology of the composite particles were observed via scanning electron microscope and transmittance electron microscope. The MR fluid was prepared by suspending the composite particles in mineral oil. Its MR characteristics were examined via a rotational rheometer in a parallel plate geometry equipped with a magnetic field supplier. MR properties of the composite based MR fluid exhibit typical MR behavior with maximum yield stress of 800 Pa when 343 kA/m of magnetic field was applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of various combinations of filler materials on the performance of polypropylene (PP)-based composites was investigated. PP in particulate form was used as the matrix. Milled short carbon fiber (SCF) micro-size, graphite nano-platelet (GNP), and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) were used as fillers. These fillers were incorporated in the polymer matrix to produce mono-filler (PP/SCF and PP/nanofiller) and hybrid composites. Hybrid composites consist of PP/10SCF/GNP, PP/10SCF/nTiO2, and PP/10SCF/GNP/nTiO2. The effect of the addition of SCF, GNP, and nTiO2 on PP-based composites was investigated by analyzing their morphological, mechanical, and physical properties. The addition of mono-filler to the PP matrix improved the mechanical properties of the composites when compared to the neat PP. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS), flexural modulus, flexural strength, and impact toughness of the hybrid composites with 15 wt % total loading of fillers, were higher than that of mono-filler composites with 15 wt % SCF (PP/15SCF). A maximum increase of 20% in the flexural modulus was observed in the hybrid composite with 10 wt % of SCF with the additional of 2.5 wt % GNP and 2.5 wt % nTiO2 when compared to PP/15SCF composite. The addition of 2.5 wt % nTiO2 to the 10 wt % SCF reinforced PP, resulted in increasing the strain at break by 15% when compared to the PP/10SCF composite. A scanning electron microscope image of the PP/10SCF composite with the addition of GNP improved the interfacial bonding between PP and SCF compared with PP/SCF alone. A decrease in the melt flow index (MFI) was observed for all compositions. However, hybrid composites showed a higher decrease in MFI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]