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Melt‐spun poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and polyamide 56 (PA56) fibers are generally prepared individually. Herein, inspired by the complementary properties of these two materials, PTT/PA56 blend fibers were prepared by two‐step melt spinning and drawing processes. The regularity of crystalline regions, overall orientation in crystalline and amorphous regions, and dimensional stability under hot and humid conditions can be improved by increasing drawing temperature. The most suitable drawing temperature is 90°C, at which 4‐fold drawn PTT and PA56 fibers show tenacity of 2.94 and 3.54 cN/dtex, respectively. An increase in draw ratio leads to increase in the order of crystal regions and overall orientation in crystalline and amorphous phases. Interestingly, increasing dispersed phase content from 0 to 10 wt% is conducive to the increase in tenacity of samples. The PTT/PA56 (10/90) blend fiber suggests the maximum tenacity value, and tenacity of 4‐fold drawn fiber is 4.02 cN/dtex. As PA56 content increases, dimensional stability of samples under dry conditions increases. Comprehensive analysis demonstrates that the PTT/PA56 (10/90) blend fiber achieves the best combination of tensile properties and dimensional stability. The prepared PTT/PA56 blend fibers are potentially competitive in the fields of fibers, garment, and decoration due to their satisfactory comprehensive performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myrrh has unique medicinal properties: it is an anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial material. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ethanolic myrrh extract on the production and properties of modified PP and PLA melt spun yarns. In this work, multifilament yarns of polylactide (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) containing 10 wt% myrrh resin at different melt-spinning drawing ratios (DRs) were prepared. The results of scanning electron microscopy revealed that the multifilament yarns from polymers covered by myrrh resin extract had a smooth surface without cracks or visible myrrh derivatives. The influence of myrrh resin on the mechanical properties of PP and PLA multifilament yarns was analyzed, and it was found that the presence of myrrh (PP/M, PLA/M) increased tenacity (cN/tex) and decreased the tensile strain (%) of melt spun yarns obtained at different draw ratios (DRs). During optical analysis, it was found that the absorbance of yarns increased in the entire UV region of the spectra, which was most likely determined by the presence of myrrh. The degree of crystallinity and the wetting angle of PP/M and PLA/M multifilament yarns increased compared with the pure PLA and PP multifilament yarns. This study concludes that the presence of myrrh derivatives influences PLA yarns degradation rate and antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is often used to determine the sulfur contents and isotope ratios of metallic alloys in meteorites or high‐pressure experimental samples. However, SIMS analyses involve calibration and the determination of instrumental mass fractionation in reference materials with a matrix composition similar to that of the unknown samples. To provide metallic reference materials adapted to S measurements via SIMS, we synthesised a series of twenty‐eight alloys comprising four FeNi(±Si) compositions (Fe95Ni5, Fe90Ni10, Fe80Ni20, and Fe80Ni15Si5) with S contents varying from 100 μg g−1 to 4 g/100g using the "melt spinning" method, which guarantees that the metal alloys are rapidly quenched at ~ 106 K s−1. Sulfur contents were determined at the Service d'Analyse des Roches et Minéraux at the CRPG and absolute δ34S values were determined by multi‐collector ICP‐MS (MC‐ICP‐MS, ThermoScientific Neptune) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Thermoscientific Delta V). A δ34S value of 16.01 ± 0.31‰ was consistently obtained using the MC‐ICP‐MS, which was indistinguishable of the δ34S value of the FeS starting material (15.95 ± 0.08‰). It suggests that S did not undergo isotopic fractionation during the melting process. Of fifteen samples containing ≤ 5000 μg g−1 S, SIMS measurements with 15‐μm‐diameter spots were repeatable to within 10% relative (1 standard deviation, 1s) for S contents and 2‰ for δ34S values. However, samples containing > 5000 μg g−1 S showed FeNi–FeS immiscibility, leading to minor dispersion of the S mass fractions and δ34S values. No matrix effect was observed for Fe‐Ni, Si, or S contents in terms of the calibration curves and instrumental mass fractionation. We ultimately recommend eight samples as reliable reference materials for S isotopic measurements by SIMS, which we can share worldwide with other laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Synthetic Fiber Industry is the property of Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of China Synthetic Fiber Industry is the property of Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fiber lithium‐ion batteries (FLIBs) hold great promise for powering wearable electronics. However, their practical application is hindered by limited cycle and calendar life, primarily due to the loss of active Li caused by water vapor permeation through the encapsulation layer. To address this challenge, a low‐permeability and high‐flexibility tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP) tube is presented to continuously encapsulate FLIBs by melting extrusion method. Owing to the inherent hydrophobicity of fluorine resins and appropriate crystallinity of the polymer matrix, FEP tubes exhibited significantly low vapor permeability, with a water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) of 0.3 mg·day−1·pkg−1, 15 times lower than that of the nylon 12 tubes (4.6 mg·day−1·pkg−1). Leveraging the low permeability and elastic modulus of FEP tubes, FLIBs demonstrate a capacity retention of 80.05% after 180 cycles and exceptional flexibility with a capacity retention of 98.32% after 10 000 bending cycles, showcasing superior performance compared to the conventional polymer tubes (for example, the capacity of PP‐FLIBs declined by 20.68% after 30 cycles). This work presents a general and efficient strategy for continuously encapsulating FLIBs, effectively extending their cycle and calendar lifetime of FLIBs, thereby enhancing their practical viability for wearable electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is widely used for its high strength‐to‐weight ratio, gas barrier properties, and chemical resistance. The growing PET use highlights the demand for a better recycling system. Enzymatic recycling, alongside mechanical and chemical methods, is eco‐friendly and yields properties similar to virgin PET. Substrate properties (Tg, crystallinity, and specific surface area [SSA]) and enzyme stability significantly impact conversion efficiency. Higher SSA and lower crystallinity tend to yield improved depolymerization when employing leaf compost‐cutinase (LCC‐ICCG) enzymes. This study explored melt extrusion and foaming as pretreatment techniques to modify PET structural properties, using a low‐cost chemical foaming agent (CFA). The monomer conversion rate and efficiency during depolymerization were measured and related to the processing, extrudate micro‐ and meso‐structure, and polyester type. Pretreated PET substrates showed reduced Tg, crystallinity, density, and enhanced SSA, resulting in a 90% mass loss for foamed RPET and VPET substrates within 2 days. In contrast, PET with ~30% of cyclohexanedimethanol comonomer exhibited a nearly 50% lower depolymerization rate, with zero BHET production. It indicates that the combination of low crystallinity, low Tg, and high SSA leads to improved monomer conversion. These findings emphasize the significance of amorphization and foaming in enhancing PET enzymatic depolymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the behavior of polymer melts during extrusion is essential for optimizing processes and developing new materials. However, analyzing the continuous data generated by an extruder poses significant challenges. This paper investigates the utility of machine learning in predicting melt pressure at the die plate in polylactic acid (PLA) bead foam extrusion, a critical parameter in the extrusion process. Utilizing a random forest (RF) model, we examine how various processing parameters influence melt pressure. By segmenting the data into time‐delayed intervals, we achieve accurate predictions. We present forecasts of melt pressure at the die for intervals of 5 s, 1 min, and 5 min, demonstrating particularly strong performance for the 5‐min forecast with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 1.88 and the coefficient of determination (R2 score) of 0.90. By exploring time series data, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of the RF model and provides a foundation for more advanced and precise control strategies in polymer bead extrusion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively identifying and preventing anomalies in the melt process significantly enhances production efficiency and product quality in industrial manufacturing. Consequently, this paper proposes a study on a melt anomaly identification system for pelletizers using autoencoder technology. It discusses the challenges of detecting anomalies in the melt extrusion process of polyester pelletizers, focusing on the limitations of manual monitoring and traditional image detection methods. This paper proposes a system based on autoencoders that demonstrates effectiveness in detecting and differentiating various melt anomaly states through deep learning. By randomly altering the brightness and rotation angle of images in each training round, the training samples are augmented, thereby enhancing the system's robustness against changes in environmental light intensity. Experimental results indicate that the system proposed has good melt anomaly detection efficiency and generalization performance and has effectively differentiated degrees of melt anomalies. This study emphasizes the potential of autoencoders in industrial applications and suggests directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most single-screw extruders used in the plastics processing industry are plasticizing extruders, designed to melt solid pellets or powders within the screw channel during processing. In many cases, the efficiency of the melting process acts as the primary throughput-limiting factor. If the material melts too late in the process, it may not be sufficiently mixed, resulting in substandard product quality. Accurate prediction of the melting process is therefore essential for efficient and cost-effective machine design. A practical method for engineers is the modeling of the melting process using mathematical–physical models that can be solved without complex numerical methods. These models enable rapid calculations while still providing sufficient predictive accuracy. This study revisits the modified Tadmor model by Potente, which describes the melting process and predicts the delay-zone length, extending from the hopper front edge to the point of melt pool formation. Based on extensive experimental investigations, this model is adapted by redefining the flow temperatures at the phase boundary and accounting for surface porosity at the beginning of the melting zone. Additionally, the effect of variable solid bed dynamics on model accuracy is examined. Significant model improvements were achieved by accounting for reduced heat flow into the solid bed due to the porous surface structure in the solid conveying zone, along with a new assumption for the flow temperature at the phase boundary between the solid bed and melt film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst‐free, radical‐based reactive processing is used to transform low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) into polyethylene covalent adaptable networks (PE CANs) using a dialkylamino disulfide crosslinker, BiTEMPS methacrylate (BTMA). Two versions of BTMA are used, BTMA‐S2, with nearly exclusively disulfide bridges, and BTMA‐Sn, with a mixture of oligosulfide bridges, to produce S2 PE CAN and Sn PE CAN, respectively. The two PE CANs exhibit identical crosslink densities, but the S2 PE CAN manifests faster stress relaxation, with average relaxation times ∼4.5 times shorter than those of Sn PE CAN over a 130 to 160 °C temperature range. The more rapid dynamics of the S2 PE CAN translate into a shorter compression‐molding reprocessing time at 160 °C of only 5 min (vs 30 min for the Sn PE CAN) to achieve full recovery of crosslink density. Both PE CANs are melt‐extrudable and exhibit full recovery within experimental uncertainty of crosslink density after extrusion. Both PE CANs are self‐healable, with a crack fully repaired and the original tensile properties restored after 30 min for the S2 PE CAN or 60 min for the Sn PE CAN at a temperature slightly above the LDPE melting point and without the assistance of external forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-based amorphous alloys have broad applications due to disordered atomic structure, thermal stability, crystallinity, low elastic modulus and high strength. In the present study, Mg–Ni–Gd–Yb–Ag alloys were prepared by vacuum arc melting combined with copper roll melt spinning. The addition of trace amounts of ytterbium (Yb) improved the corrosion resistance of Mg73-XNi15Gd10YbXAg2 (x = 2,4,6,8 at.%). Electrochemical experiments, immersion tests and analysis of corrosion products by XPS and EDS showed that Mg67Ni15Gd10Yb6Ag2 exhibited the best corrosion resistance with an Ecorr of − 968 mV and an Icorr of 5.93 µA/cm2. The superior corrosion performance was attributed to the presence of corrosion passivation films comprising MgO, Mg(OH)2, Ni(OH)2, Ag2O, AgCl, Ca5(PO4)3(OH), as well as rare-earth oxides Gd2O3 and Yb2O3. These compounds efficiently shield the matrix, and the microstructure corrosion mechanism of Mg–Ni–Gd–Yb–Ag involves a cyclic process that includes surface film layer dissolution, matrix corrosion and film layer regeneration, leading to oxide attachment. The addition of the appropriate amount of rare-earth element Yb to Mg-based amorphous alloys can improve the corrosion resistance, thereby increasing the application prospects of alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypropylene double‐grafted maleic anhydride and bisphenol A epoxy resin (PP‐g‐M‐E) was successfully prepared by a single‐step method and characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, it was employed as a compatibilizer to fabricate polypropylene (PP)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blends via melt extrusion. The content of the PET dispersed phase in the composite varied from 0 to 30 phr. The microstructure and morphology of the composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The addition of PP‐g‐M‐E increased the interfacial interaction between the two phases and improved the compatibility and thermal stability of the system. In the presence of the compatibilizer, the crystallinity of the matrix phase (PP) increased, while that of the dispersed phase (PET) decreased owing to the heterogeneous nucleation effect of uniformly distributed PET. Double grafting of the PP‐g‐M‐E compatibilizer considerably enhanced the mechanical performance of the PP/PET blend system. The elongation at break of the modified sample exceeded that of the PP/PET blends by 117.55%, and the flexural and impact properties also showed considerable improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PLA/PMMA) composite fibers with high performance were fabricated using melt spinning technique. The crystallization, lamellae orientation and physical properties of composite fibers were investigated systematically. The addition of PMMA (0–20 wt%) has improved the hydrolysis resistance of composite fibers by preventing water molecules from penetrating and diffusing through the fibers, but the strength and heat resistance were reduced at the same time. The stereocomplex crystallites (SC) formed before spinning by introducing poly(D‐lactide) (PDLA) (3 wt%) in poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) matrix and acted as nucleating agents to enhanced the crystallization and lamellae orientation of PLLA matrix, which improved the physical properties of PLA composite fibers resultful. The tensile strength of PLA fibers with 3 wt% PDLA and 5 wt% PMMA was increased 31% as well as the boiling water shrinkage and the hydrolysis rate were decreased 30% and 33% in relation to PLLA fibers. Finally, the hydrolysis resistance was further enhanced on the basis of realizing high strength and heat resistance, which is of great significance for preparing durable PLA fiber materials and expanding their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Melt extrusion process was followed in order to improve the high crystallinity and poor toughness of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) blend materials. It was achieved by the incorporation of epoxy‐terminated hyperbranched polyester (EHBP) elastomer into PHBV and polycaprolactone (PCL). EHBP cross‐links PHBV and PCL through ring‐opening polymerization of epoxy‐terminated and carboxyl groups. The mass percentages of EHBP in the PHBV/PCL blends are 1, 2, 3, and 4mass%, which are expressed as 1, 2, 3, and 4 phr in the following text. Therefore, when the EHBP content was 3 phr, the Young's modulus and tensile strength of the blends are increased to 750 and 15 MPa, respectively, which was comparable to the biodegradable polymers used for packaging. Simultaneously, compatibility between PHBV and PCL has been improved and the particle size reduction of blends can be obviously observed in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) analysis revealed that PHBV and PCL showed improved compatibility with each other by the addition of EHBP. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the decrease of crystallinity of the blend was consistent with the increase in mechanical properties. Additionally, all the bio‐blends show good thermal stability. Food overall migration studies showed that the amount of migration of composite materials in contact with food was also far lower than the national standard value. Therefore, PHBV/PCL/EHBP blends are expected to be used in the field of food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the enhancement of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix using calcium hydroxyapatite (cHAP) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for developing composite scaffolds aimed at bone regeneration applications. The PLA composites were fabricated through solvent evaporation and melt extrusion and characterized by various techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical testing. The incorporation of cHAP and rGO significantly improved the thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the PLA matrix. Mechanical testing revealed that adding 10% cHAP and varying amounts of rGO (0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%) enhanced tensile and compressive strengths, with the highest improvements observed at 0.5% rGO content. Thermal analysis showed increased thermal stability with higher degradation temperatures for the composites. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed the effective integration of cHAP and rGO into the PLA matrix with characteristic peaks of the fillers identified in the composite spectra. In vitro, degraded action tests in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.4 over 12 months indicated that composites with higher rGO content exhibited lower mass loss and better mechanical stability. Furthermore, finite element analysis (FEA) simulations were performed to validate the experimental results, demonstrating a strong correlation between simulated and experimental compressive strengths. This novel approach demonstrates the potential of PLA/cHAP/rGO composites in creating effective and biocompatible scaffolds for tissue engineering, providing a comprehensive analysis of the synergistic effects of cHAP and rGO on the PLA matrix and offering a promising material for bone regeneration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biobased polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) break down naturally under certain environmental conditions. The efficiency of degradation can be linked directly to fiber surface properties, which influence polymer accessibility. Here, the degradation of PLA and PBS fibers with six different cross-sections was investigated. The fibers were aged by hydrolysis and UV exposure in an accelerated weathering test, followed by an ISO 20200 laboratory-scale disintegration test with non-aged fibers as controls. The polymers were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography, comparing the polymer granulate, virgin fibers, and UV-exposed fibers. It was found that the molecular mass and crystallinity of PBS changed more than PLA during spinning. Several PLA samples were completely degraded, whereas all the PBS samples remained intact. Furthermore, surface openings appeared on the PLA fibers during weathering, suggesting greater sensitivity to UV exposure and hydrolysis than PBS. A clear correlation between the fiber surface area and the degradation rate was observed for all samples, but the correlation was positive for PLA and negative for PBS. The slower degradation of PBS fibers with a larger surface area may reflect the ability of PBS to preserve itself by further crystallization during degradation processes at temperatures higher than the glass transition point. The data clearly show that the analysis of single degradation mechanisms is insufficient to predict the behavior of material under real-world conditions, where different degradation mechanisms may work in parallel or consecutively, and may show interdependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating environmental concerns associated with conventional plastic packaging have accelerated the development of sustainable alternatives, making food packaging a focus area for innovation. Bioplastics, particularly polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), have emerged as potential candidates due to their biobased origin, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. PHAs stand out for their good mechanical and medium gas permeability properties, making them promising materials for food packaging applications. In parallel, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have gained attention for their antimicrobial properties and ability to enhance the mechanical and barrier properties of (bio)polymers. This review aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the research on PHA/ZnO nanocomposites. It starts with the importance and current challenges of food packaging, followed by a discussion on the opportunities of bioplastics and PHAs. Next, the synthesis, properties, and application areas of ZnO NPs are discussed to introduce their potential use in (bio)plastic food packaging. Early research on PHA/ZnO nanocomposites has focused on solvent-assisted production methods, whereas novel technologies can offer additional possibilities with regard to industrial upscaling, safer or cheaper processing, or more specific incorporation of ZnO NPs in the matrix or on the surface of PHA films or fibers. Here, the use of solvent casting, melt processing, electrospinning, centrifugal fiber spinning, miniemulsion encapsulation, and ultrasonic spray coating to produce PHA/ZnO nanocomposites is explained. Finally, an overview is given of the reported effects of ZnO NP incorporation on thermal, mechanical, gas barrier, UV barrier, and antimicrobial properties in ZnO nanocomposites based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate). We conclude that the functionality of PHA materials can be improved by optimizing the ZnO incorporation process and the complex interplay between intrinsic ZnO NP properties, dispersion quality, matrix–filler interactions, and crystallinity. Further research regarding the antimicrobial efficiency and potential migration of ZnO NPs in food (simulants) and the End-of-Life will determine the market potential of PHA/ZnO nanocomposites as active packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effect of the microstructure of the as-quenched precursors prepared at various cooling rates on the soft magnetic characteristics and its sensitivity to the annealing heat rate (HR) of the Fe83.5Si3B10P2Cu1.5 nanocrystalline alloy. The results of Mössbauer spectra indicate that the cooling rate during the melt spinning process significantly impact the microstructure of as-quenched alloy samples. The decrease in the cooling rate facilitates the formation of an amorphous/nanocrystalline precursor containing more "α-Fe-like" structure and Cu-clusters. Variations of grain size and Hc with heating rate indicate that Fe83.5Si3B10P2Cu1.5 alloy samples prepared at a low cooling rate are less sensitive to the heating rate during crystallization annealing. The Fe83.5Si3B10P2Cu1.5 nanocrystalline alloy prepared at low cooling rate can achieve excellent soft magnetic properties with low HR annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 5, 10, and 15 wt% colemanite (Ca2B6O11‐5H2O) and 15 wt% Bi2O3 filled high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were fabricated by conventional melt extrusion processing techniques in the form of a layered structure to absorb both neutron radiation and secondary radiation resulting from neutron‐induced reactions. In the layered structure, HDPE was used to slow down neutrons, while colemanite and Bi2O3 were used to trap thermal neutrons and secondary gamma radiation respectively. The properties of the colemanite/HDPE and Bi2O3/HDPE composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The mechanical properties (tensile and hardness) of the composites were also investigated. The results showed that the addition of colemanite and Bi2O3 particles did not significantly alter the thermal and mechanical properties of the HDPE composites. The total macroscopic cross‐section of the composites was determined using a 239Pu‐Be (α,n) neutron source, while their linear and mass attenuation coefficients were determined using a 137Cs gamma‐ray source. The material with the best neutron absorption rate is 15 wt% colemanite‐filled HDPE (2.31 ± 003 cm−1), while the best gamma‐absorbing material is 15 wt% Bi2O3 filled HDPE (0.114 cm−1). The 15 wt% colemanite, 15 wt% Bi2O3 doped HDPE layered structure has 1.72 ± 0.05 cm−1 macroscopic cross‐sections and 0.098 linear attenuation coefficient. The results show that filled colemanite HDPE composites improve neutron shielding properties and Bi2O3 filled HDPE composites provide good shielding performance for gamma rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, different injection molding methods were adopted to prepare the test samples of polypropylene (PP) transparent material for the measurement of fog degree. The key factors affecting the fog degree of the transparent material, such as injection pressure, injection speed, melt temperature, and pressure holding pressure were investigated. The optimal process parameters for preparing the test samples for fog degree were determined to be an injection pressure of 55.52 MPa, an injection rate of 40 mm/s, a melt temperature of 200 °C, a mold temperature of 40 °C, and a holding pressure of 48.58 MPa. . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the traditional micro -coextrusion and gas-assisted micro-coextrusion flow models were established for double-layered microtubules. The effects of zero shear viscosity (η0), relaxation time (λ), and material parameters ε and ξ on the die swell rate were investigated by using a numerical simulation technology. The results indicated that the die swell rate was greatly affected by η0 and λ in the traditional micro-coextrusion process. With an increase in the outer melt viscosity, the die swell rate increased from 29.15 % to 43.77 % and then tended to be stable. The die swell rate was less affected by ε and ξ, and it decreased slightly with an increase in ε and ξ. The die swell rate varied between 37 % and 39 %. However, in the gas assisted co-extrusion process, the die swell rate always approached zero when η0, λ, ε and ξ changed, and there was no obvious swelling or deformation phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(epoxypropoxy) silsesquioxane (PESQ) was designed and synthesized and then melt blended with poly (glycolic acid) (PGA) at loadings of 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%, 2.0 wt% and 4.0 wt% to prepare the hydrolysis-resistant crystalline PGA. The changes in the rheological, hydrolysis, and crystallization properties of the PESQ-modified PGA was investigated to study the effect of PESQ modification on PGA. The results indicated that a combination of PESQ and PGA in a chain expansion form effectively improved the hydrolytic performance of PGA through increasing its viscosity, resulting in a reduction in the mass loss by 21.1 % after degrading for 10 days. Furthermore, PESQ could facilitate the crystallization of PGA. With an increase in the addition amount of PESQ, the crystallization temperature of the modified PGA increased to 179.5 °C, which was higher than that of pure PGA by 6. 8 °C. There is a decrease in the initial crystallization activation energy of the modified PGA, indicating that PESQ contributed to heterogenous nucleation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a regular extrusion process for thermoplastic specimen, the material behavior in dies and its rheological properties have a major influence on the mechanical properties and the quality of the extruded product. This study outlines the multiphysical model, which has been adapted to address the specific issues associated with polyamide 12 polymer extrusion. A series of numerical simulations, based on the modeling of material behavior, have been conducted using the computational code Comsol Multiphysics®. These simulations have been applied to the study of polymer melt flows through an industrial extrusion die. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the imposed extrusion parameters on the physical field distribution and the material displacement within the die. The die swell at the exit of the extrusion die has been investigated as a function of the imposed pressure. The progression of the polymer flow front inside the extrusion tool and the swelling rates have been analyzed. In particular, the phenomenon of delayed swelling at high pressure has been highlighted at high pressure. Highlights: Polymer swelling at industrial extrusion die exit is investigated.Polymer melt extrusion within industrial extrusion tool is numerically simulated.Flow front progression and extrudate swell are analyzed.Effect of extrusion pressure on instabilities and die swell is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progress of research on the preparation of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) coatings is systematically described with emphasis on the three coating preparation methods of thermal spraying, electrophoretic deposition, and melt extrusion coating, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and their main applications are reviewed. At the same time, research into the modification of PEEK coatings is also introduced, including modification using inorganic materials and chemical modification. Finally, the application of PEEK coatings is introduced, and its future development directions are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) demonstrate promising applications in engineering sectors, and the interfacial interaction between CFs and the matrix plays a significant role in determining the properties of CFRPs. This work attempted to study the influence of sizing agent on the properties of polyphenylene sulfide/CF (PPS/CF) composites with an aim to fabricate PPS/CF composites with enhanced mechanical properties. The results showed that the use of 2 wt% boron phenolic resin as the sizing agent favored the formation of a uniform interfacial layer on the surface of CFs. Contact angle tests revealed that corresponding sized CFs exhibited the smallest contact angle and the highest surface energy among the studied systems. As a result, the sizing agents acted as a protective layer for CFs during melt processing process, which mitigated the damage to the CFs. The average length of CFs was longer after melt extrusion process which was vital for achieving high mechanical performance of PPS/CF composites. Highlights: Coating sizing agent protected CFs from being fractured during melt processing.Applying 2 wt% BPR sizing agent yielded the best interfacial performance.The tensile strength and Yong's modulus of PPS/CFB2 reached as high as 155.9 and 7618.21 MPa.The tensile fracture mode between BPR‐treated CFs and PPS was cohesive damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Additive manufacturing for polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) could unlock fabrication of specialized and user‐specific biomedical devices. However, the process of combining PLA and CNF is challenging and proves complicated with possible irreversible CNF agglomeration and organic solvents leftover, particularly when involving solvent‐casting technique. Direct melt‐blending can mitigate these issues, but there are few reports of a single‐step melting and extrusion process to produce ready‐to‐use 3D printing filaments. This study compares the distribution of CNF fillers within the PLA matrix in PLA/CNF composites made by direct melt‐blending into filaments using a benchtop filament maker, and by solvent‐casting followed by extrusion into filaments. The filaments were 3D‐printed via fused deposition modeling (FDM), followed by tensile testing, morphology, and other characterizations. Uneven filament diameters were observed for the composite filaments prepared via solvent‐casting because of severe agglomeration, resulted in poor printability and tensile properties of filaments and 3D‐printed samples. Direct melt‐blended filament diameters were consistent, resulted in only slight decrease of tensile properties compared to pure PLA, contributing to the highest maximum tensile strength of 3D‐printed sample of 51.47 ± 1.73 MPa at 5% CNF loading. Morphology revealed good integration of CNF into PLA matrix starting at 3% CNF loading. Direct melt‐blending was comparable to the conventional methods, which enables simpler PLA/CNF composite preparation especially for 3D printing. Better dispersibility achieved by direct melt‐blending than by solvent‐casting. PLA/CNF filaments produced via solvent‐casting suffered severe agglomeration. Direct melt‐blended PLA/CNF5% yielded the highest maximum tensile strength. Morphology reveals good CNF‐PLA integration starting at 3% of CNF loading. Worsened agglomeration causing increased number of voids observed at 10% CNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the production of polymeric drug delivery devices, dissolution profile and mechanical properties of the drug loaded polymeric matrix are considered important Critical Quality Attributes (CQA) for quality assurance. However, currently the industry relies on offline testing methods which are destructive, slow, labour intensive, and costly. In this work, a real-time method for predicting these CQAs in a Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) process is explored using in-line NIR and temperature sensors together with Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. The mechanical and drug dissolution properties were found to vary significantly with changes in processing conditions, highlighting that real-time methods to accurately predict product properties are highly desirable for process monitoring and optimisation. Nonlinear ML methods including Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN) and Recursive Feature Elimination with RF (RFE-RF) outperformed commonly used linear machine learning methods. For the prediction of tensile strength RFE-RF and KNN achieved R2 values 98% and 99%, respectively. For the prediction of drug dissolution, two time points were considered with drug release at t = 6 h as a measure of the extent of burst release, and t = 96 h as a measure of sustained release. KNN and RFE-RF achieved R2 values of 97% and 96%, respectively in predicting the drug release at t = 96 h. This work for the first time reports the prediction of drug dissolution and mechanical properties of drug loaded polymer product from in-line data collected during the HME process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's drugs, not all usually soluble and easy to formulate drug actives, they might be potent drug molecules at their specific target, they can never become a successful therapy, or molecule, or product if they are not able to reach the target where they are active. So, what we are targeting in this for is making these molecules bioavailable. So, this is what we want to achieve and it can be done by the melt extrusion process. The key point of this review was to establish the relationship between a novel technology, solubility and the bioavailability profile through Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) in order to reshaping the Pharmacokinetic (PK) and Pharmacodynamic (PD) landscape for poorly soluble drugs. Tailoring the PK and PD with HME solid dosage form was shown to be affected by the physicochemical properties of the carrier matrix used. With the help of HME technology by dissolving these crystalline drug actives in a molten polymer matrix and pre-dissolved form and that makes it much more bioavailable and this enhanced the performance of such drug actives and in many cases. It is that what actively enables such molecules to at all become a drug product and a therapy. Compared to the traditional methods of developing drug products, HME is a key the gate to enhance in delivering the drug products to avoid patient compliance. A report says there are lots of developments in pharmaceutical APIs with poor solubility and improving their solubility is quite challenging. The effective formulation needs characteristics carriers and polymers that are suitable for the HME technology that has been discussed here. HME has been proven as an effective choice for the conventional ways of producing tablets, films, implants, etc. that can be administered orally, transdermal and transmucosal. This review paper adds knowledge of supercharging sluggish drugs by the use of HME and it can put the punch back in pharmaceutical industries and should use these recent developments to employ and develop cutting-edge drug delivery systems to avoid patient compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: This study compared two pilot scale continuous manufacturing methods of solid self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDSs) via hot melt extrusion (HME). Methods: A model poorly water-soluble drug carvedilol in low dose (0.5–1.0% w/w) was processed in HME either in a conventional powder form or pre-dissolved in the liquid SEDDS. Results: HME yielded a processable final product with up to 20% w/w SEDDS. Addition of carvedilol powder resulted in a non-homogeneous drug distribution in the extrudates, whereas a homogeneous drug distribution was observed in pre-dissolved carvedilol. SEDDSs were shown to have a plasticizing effect, reducing the HME process torque up to 50%. Compatibility between excipients and carvedilol in the studied ratios after HME was confirmed via DSC and WAXS, demonstrating their amorphous form. Solid SEDDSs with Kollidon® VA64 self-emulsified in aqueous medium within 15 min with mean droplet sizes 150–200 nm and were independent of the medium temperature, whereas reconstitution of Soluplus® took over 60 min and mean droplet size increased 2-fold from 70 nm to 150 nm after temperature increased from 25 °C to 37 °C, indicating emulsion phase inversion at cloud point. Conclusions: In conclusion, using Kollidon® VA64 and pre-dissolved carvedilol in SEDDS has shown to yield a stabile HME process with a homogenous carvedilol content in the extrudate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to prepare a magnet with a c-axis alignment present in the melt-spun ribbons to be used as a precursor magnet for the hot deformation process. Melt-spun ribbons prepared at a wheel speed of 23 m/s resulted in nanograins with columnar grains having the <001> texture on the exposed side and very fine equiaxed nanograins on the wheel side of the ribbon. The ribbons were stacked and consolidated using the SPS technique with the variation of temperature (temperature series) and pressure (pressure series), which resulted in Nd2Fe14B grains in two-grain zones, namely (i) fine grain and (ii) coarse grain zones. The fine grains grow with temperature and dominate the coercivity mechanism in the temperature series, and the grains do not grow in the pressure series; hence, the coercivity is not affected by pressure. The calculation of the intensity ratio of I(006)/I(105) in SPS compacted samples in both temperature and pressure series showed evidence of texture retention; however, the texture was not strong enough to influence the magnetic properties. The best magnetic properties of Hc of 12.2 kOe and (BH)max of 11.6 MGOe were obtained in the temperature series sample prepared at temperature of 600 °C, pressure of 150 MPa, and dwell time of 2 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation and characterization of composite materials composed of polypropylene (PP) as the base mixed with halloysite nanotubes (HNT) at various weight percentages (0.5, 1.5, and 3 wt.%) using a melt extrusion method operated at a temperature between 190 °C and 200 °C is described. The impact of the addition of the HNT filler on the PP nanocomposites was investigated based on the thermal and mechanical properties. The thermal characterization was conducted by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Significant increases in the rheological properties were observed with the addition of a high content of HNTs. The water absorption decreased with increasing HNT. The SEM micrographs showed that the HNT fillers were homogeneously dispersed throughout the entire PP matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nd-Fe-C alloys have been reported as hard magnetic materials with a potential higher coercivity than Nd-Fe-B alloys. However, it has been seldom studied since its intrinsic properties were investigated in the last century. Here, we revisited the structure, phase precipitation and magnetic properties of rapidly quenched ternary Nd-Fe-C alloys for further understanding their composition-microstructure-property relationships. The Nd10+xFe84−xC6 (x = −2, 0, 2, 3, 4, 5) alloys with various compositions were prepared by melt spinning. The results show that the hard magnetic Nd2Fe14C phase can be hardly formed in the as-spun alloys. Instead, the alloys are composed of soft magnetic α-Fe phase and planar anisotropic Nd2Fe17Cx phase. After annealing above 650 °C, the Nd2Fe14C phase is precipitated by the peritectoid reaction. All optimally annealed alloys contain Nd2Fe14C and Nd2Fe17Cx phases, while the presence and content of α-Fe phase are determined by the alloy composition. The crystallization degree of the as-spun alloys has an effect on their magnetic properties after annealing. After the annealing treatment, partly crystallized as-spun alloys exhibit better magnetic properties than the amorphous alloys. The intrinsic coercivity Hcj = 847 kA/m, remanence Jr = 0.69 T, and maximum energy product (BH)max = 64.3 kJ/m3 were obtained in the Nd14Fe80C6 alloy annealed at 725 °C. The formation of the Nd2Fe14C and Nd2Fe17Cx phases with the Nd2O3 phase precipitated at the triangular grain boundaries is responsible for its relatively good properties. Although the magnetic properties of Nd-Fe-C alloys obtained in this work are inferior to those of Nd-Fe-B, the present results help us to further understand the magnetic behavior of Nd-Fe-C alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Tiangong University is the property of Journal of Tianjin Polytechnic University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Diamond & Abrasives Engineering is the property of Zhengzhou Research Institute for Abrasives & Grinding and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nanofibers, with their high surface area-to-volume ratio and unique physical properties, hold significant promise for a wide range of applications, including medical devices, filtration systems, packaging, electronics, and advanced textiles. However, their development and commercialization are hindered by several key challenges and hazards. The main issues are production cost and yield, high voltage, clogging, and toxic materials driven by complex production techniques, which limit their adoption. Additionally, there are environmental and health concerns associated with nanofiber production and disposal, necessitating the development of safer and more sustainable processes and materials. Addressing these challenges requires continued innovation in materials science and industrial practices, as well as a concerted effort to balance production, material, and surrounding condition parameters. This study emphasizes the challenges and hazards associated with nanofiber materials and their production techniques, including electrospinning, centrifugal spinning, solution blow spinning, electro-blown spinning, wet spinning, and melt spinning. It also emphasizes biopolymers and recycling as sustainable and eco-friendly practices to avoid harming the environment and human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with employing central composite design (CCD) as a design of experiment (DoE) tool for finding an appropriate model representing the evenness of polyester fully drawn yarn (FDY). Main effects of parameters like melt temperature, quenching air velocity, winding speed, draw ratio, and the position of the bobbin on the coefficient of variation (CV) of the FDY were examined. The interactions between significant factors were detected by the analysis of variance. CCD model showed that the quenching air velocity has no significant effects on the CV values. The special effects of the winding speed and melt temperature are higher than that of draw ratio and the position of the bobbin. Final model predicted the minimum CV values of 1.72–1.78% at 15 melt spinning conditions. Optimal CV value (1.72%) was achieved at the melt temperature of 283.8 °C, quenching air velocity of 41.0 m/s, winding speed of 4391.7 m/min, draw ratio of 2.89, and the position of 0°. It was also revealed that the average tensile strength of the PET filament yarns decreases from 44.73 ± 1.13 to 40.50 ± 0.81 cN/tex as the unevenness increases from 1.8 to 3.0. These results indicated that the CCD is well capable of analyzing, modeling, and optimizing the evenness of the PET filament yarns. A lay out of melt spinning process and the variation of CV versus quenching speed and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing textile industry demand for personalized fiber product, leading to the development and application of new fiber, sea-island microfiber become one of the representative new textile materials. Recently, the sea-island microfiber received extensive attention of researchers as a new composite fiber in high technology and high added value. In order to have a comprehensive understanding of the development of sea-island microfiber nonwovens at present, based on the development of sea-island microfiber nonwovens, the paper focused on the development of preparation technology-conjugate spinning and compound spinning, and the melt spinning. Based on the characteristics of sea-island microfiber nonwovens, the applications of the products in the fields of fashion fabrics, microfiber leather, filtration materials, high-performance cleaning cloth and biomedical materials are comprehensively introduced, and the future research orientations of the products are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Synthetic Fiber Industry is the property of Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of China Synthetic Fiber Industry is the property of Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The microstructure and thermoelectric properties of materials based on p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 and n-type Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 solid solutions doped with graphene are studied. The samples are obtained by spark plasma sintering of powders prepared by melt spinning and crushed in a ball mill together with graphene plates, which are introduced in an amount of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 wt %. Scanning electron microscopy is used to study the composition and microstructure. The samples with p-type conductivity have a fine-grained (on the order of hundreds of nanometers) structure with microsized tellurium-based eutectic inclusions. The samples with n-type conductivity contain grains with melted edges. The thermoelectric parameters are measured: Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity at room temperature and in the temperature range from 100 to 700 K; and the thermoelectric figure of merit is calculated. When adding 0.15 wt % of graphene plates to a p-type solid solution, the maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT)max of the material increases by 13% and is equal to 1.3 at 420 K. For a sample with n-type conductivity doped with graphene, the highest value of (ZT)max = 0.83 at 470 K is obtained by adding 0.1 wt % of graphene plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-Zn Al–27Zn-1.5Mg-1.2Cu-0.08Zr alloy was prepared by traditional casting and melt spinning. The as-casted alloy consists of well-developed α-Al dendrites with many coarse η-phase and low solute concentration, coarse network precipitates at grain boundaries and the α-Al/η-phase eutectic structures at triple junctions. Due to these featured structures, the as-cast alloy exhibits a low tensile strength of 101 MPa with room temperature and high temperature (300 °C) damping capacity of 0.0058 and 0.027 respectively. Comparatively, the as-spun alloy reveals gradient cross-sectional microstructures after solidification: an ultrafine grained region near the wheel surface, a transition region and an equiaxed-grained region near the ribbon free surface, with changes of precipitate morphologies from granular shape to network shape via vermicular. High-density nano-sized η′-phase/GP-zones within α-Al grains result in a higher tensile strength (121 MPa) of as-spun alloy with room temperature and high temperature (300 °C) damping capacity of 0.0049 and 0.048 respectively. Fracture analysis shows that the as-casted alloy fails in a mixed-mode fracture, comprised predominantly of transgranular fracture, quasi-cleavage fracture, cleavage fracture and dimple fracture, whereas the as-spun alloy failed in cleavage fracture and dimple fracture.

A phosphorus-nitrogen organic salt flame retardant (EP) was synthesized through a simple one-step reaction using etdronic acid as a phosphorus source (EA) and antiphenylenediamine (PPD) as a nitrogen source. Its structure was characterized by !H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The flame-retardant TPU was prepared by mixing TPU with EP using a melt blending method, and its thermal stability, flame retardant performance, and mechanical properties were investigated. The results indicated that the addition of EP generated little effect on the thermal stability of TPU, and its flame retardancy was significantly improved. The flame-retardant TPU containing 3 wt. % EP (TPU-3% EP) obtained a limiting oxygen index of 28. 40 vol. % and also achieved a UL 94 V"0 classification in the vertical burn experiment. The residual carbon yield (CY) was more than twice that of pure TPU. Compared with pure TPU, the total heat release and peak heat release rate of TPU-3% EP were reduced by 22. 12% and 61. 85%, respectively, and its effective combustion heat was also reduced. EP can enhance the flame-retardant performance of TPU mainly by catalyzing the condensation phase to form charcoal and isolate thermal oxygen exchange. Moreover, the free radical quenching effectiveness in the gas phase also generates a certain flame-retardant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PLA was melt-blended with a chain extender (CEAX8840) and a nucleating agent (ST-NAB3) by using a torque rheometer, and the microstructure, crystallization behavior, mechanical properties, and heat resistance of the modified PLA were characterized by suing scanning electron microscope, hot-plate polarizing microscope, differential scanning calorimeter, thermal deformation meter, universal testing machine, and impact tester. The results indicated that the modified PLA obtained the smallest crystal size at CEAX8840 and ST-NAB3 contents of 6 and 1 wt%, respectively; however, its crystal density was the highest. Moreover, the crystallization temperature and crystallinity degree of the modified PLA were increased to 123. 9 °C and 44. 9 %, respectively. In addition, its impact strength and thermal deformation temperature were increased to 64. 7 kJ/m² and 84. 9 °C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) oligomers were synthesized through a solution reaction using sulfolane as a solvent, the resultant oligomers were employed to synthesize high melt viscosity PEEK through solid-state polymerization in a twin-roller mixer. The effects of polymerization time on the crystallization properties, thermal properties and flowability of PEEK were investigated. The results indicated that both the degree of crystallinity and crystallization completeness of PEEK decreased with an increase in polymerization time. The degree of crystallinity of PEEK after polymerization for 5 h decreased by about 31. 4 % as compared to that of the oligomers. All samples possessed residual weights greater than 50 % at 900 °C, indicating outstanding thermal stability. In addition, the melt viscosities of PEEKs increased significantly with an increase in the polymerization time, and it reached approximately 13-360 times as high as that of oligomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing of pharmaceutical formulations offers advanced micro-structure control of oral solid dose (OSD) forms targeting not only customised dosing of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) but also custom-made drug release profiles. Traditionally, material extrusion 3D printing manufacturing was performed in a two-step manufacturing process via an intermediate feedstock filament. This process was often limited in the material space due to unsuitable (brittle) material properties, which required additional time to develop complex formulations to overcome. The objective of this study was to develop an additive manufacturing MicroFactory process to produce an immediate release (IR) OSD form containing 250 mg of mefenamic acid (MFA) with consistent drug release. In this study, we present a single-step additive manufacturing process employing a novel, filament-free melt extrusion 3D printer, the MicroFactory, to successfully print a previously 'non-printable' brittle Soluplus®-based formulation of MFA, resulting in targeted IR dissolution profiles. The physico-chemical properties of 3D printed MFA-Soluplus®-D-sorbitol formulation was characterised by thermal analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction Powder (XRPD) analysis, confirming the crystalline state of mefenamic acid as polymorphic form I. Oscillatory temperature and frequency rheology sweeps were related to the processability of the formulation in the MicroFactory. 3D printed, micro-structure controlled, OSDs showed good uniformity of mass and content and exhibited an IR profile with good consistency. Fitting a mathematical model to the dissolution data correlated rate parameters and release exponents with tablet porosity. This study illustrates how additive manufacturing via melt extrusion using this MicroFactory not only streamlines the manufacturing process (one-step vs. two-step) but also enables the processing of (brittle) pharmaceutical immediate-release polymers/polymer formulations, improving and facilitating targeted in vitro drug dissolution profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black ginseng (BG), a traditional medicinal herb produced through a nine-stage steaming and drying process, exhibits stronger pharmacological efficacy, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, when compared to white and red ginseng. The ginsenosides in BG are classified as major and minor types, with minor ginsenosides demonstrating superior pharmacological properties. However, their low concentrations limit their availability for research and clinical applications. In this study, hot melt extrusion (HME) was utilized as an additional processing technique to enhance the content of minor ginsenoside in BG, and the physicochemical properties of the formulation were analyzed. Ginsenoside content in BG and HME-treated BG (HME-BG) was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while their physicochemical properties were evaluated through dynamic light scattering (DLS), electrophoretic light scattering (ELS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). HME treatment resulted in a significant increase in minor ginsenosides Rg3 and compound K (CK) by 330% and 450%, respectively, while major ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 decreased or were not detected. Additionally, HME-BG demonstrated reduced particle size, improved PDI, and decreased crystallinity. HME treatment effectively converts major ginsenosides in BG into minor ginsenosides, enhancing its pharmacological efficacy and showing great potential for research and development applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising innovative energy storage material, phase change fibers (PCFs) have been widely studied. PCFs are equipped with the ability of temperature regulation by introducing phase change materials (PCMs) and have been successfully prepared by melt spinning, wet spinning and electrospinning. With the rapid development of PCM and fibrous preparation technology, the combination of different processes of PCF preparation has been explored and developed. In this paper, the research progress of the preparation methods of PCFs is reviewed. Firstly, the preparation methods are classified according to the different loading forms of PCMs, and the fibrous maceration method, composite method and microcapsule method are introduced. Then, the special preparation methods and characteristics of PCF are elaborated. Finally, the research hot spots and development of PCFs are summarized for providing guidance for fabricating PCFs with desired comprehensive properties; among them, with the continuous innovation of smart fibers, the single function of PCFs will cause limited use, so the multi-functionality of PCFs is also discussed in detail for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]