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This study proposes making filter materials with polypropylene (PP) and low-melting point (LPET) fibers. The influences of temperatures and times of heat treatment on the morphology of thermal bonding points and average pore size of the PP/LPET filter materials. The test results indicate that the morphology of thermal bonding points is highly correlated with the average pore size. When the temperature of heat treatment is increased, the fibers are joined first with the thermal bonding points, and then with the large thermal bonding areas, thereby decreasing the average pore size of the PP/LPET filter materials. A heat treatment of 110 °C for 60 seconds can decrease the pore size from 39.6 μm to 12.0 μm.

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) affects treatment strategies and prognosis. However, preoperative imaging is not reliable enough for identifying LNM. Purpose: To develop and validate a radiomics nomogram based on dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)‐MR images for identifying LNM and prognosis in iCCA. Study Type: Retrospective. Subjects: Two hundred four patients with pathologically proven iCCA who underwent curative‐intent resection and lymphadenectomy (training cohort: N = 107, internal test cohort: N = 46, and external test cohort: N = 51). Field Strength/Sequence: T1‐ and T2‐weighted imaging, diffusion‐weighted imaging and DCE imaging at 1.5 T or 3.0 T. Assessment: Radiomics features were extracted from intra‐ and peri‐tumoral regions on preoperative DCE‐MR images. Imaging features were evaluated by three radiologists, and significant variables in univariable and multivariable regression analysis were included in clinical model. The best‐performing radiomics signature and clinical characteristics (intrahepatic duct dilatation, MRI‐reported LNM) were combined to build a nomogram. Patients were divided into high‐risk and low‐risk groups based on their nomogram scores (cutoff = 0.341). Patients were followed up for 1–102 months (median 12) after surgery, the overall survival (OS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) were calculated. Statistical Tests: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration, decision curve, Delong test, Kaplan–Meier curves, log rank test. Two tailed P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The nomogram incorporating intra‐ and peri‐tumoral radiomics features, intrahepatic duct dilatation and MRI‐reported LNM obtained the best discrimination for LNM, with areas under the ROC curves of 0.946, 0.913, and 0.859 in the training, internal, and external test cohorts. In the entire cohort, high‐risk patients had significantly lower RFS and OS than low‐risk patients. High‐risk of LNM was an independent factor of unfavorable OS and RFS. Data Conclusion: The nomogram integrating intra‐ and peri‐tumoral radiomics signatures has potential to identify LNM and prognosis in iCCA. Evidence Level: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adopts the melt compounding method to prepare /mutli-walled carbon nanotubes composites. The effects of different lengths of the mutli-walled carbon nanotubes on the isothermal crystallization behaviors, crystalline structure, and thermal stability of the polypropylene/mutli-walled carbon nanotubes composites are examined. The PLM results show that the combination of mutli-walled carbon nanotubes prevents the growth of polypropylene spherulites, and thus results in a small size of spherulites. The differential scanning calorimetry results show that the short (S-) or long (L-) mutli-walled carbon nanotubes can function as the nucleating agent of polypropylene, which accelerates the crystallization rate of polypropylene. Avrami theory analyses indicate that the addition of short-mutli-walled carbon nanotubes particularly provides polypropylene/mutli-walled carbon nanotubes composites with a high crystallization rate. The X-ray diffraction results show that the combination of mutli-walled carbon nanotubes does not pertain to the crystal structure. The TGA test results show that long-mutli-walled carbon nanotubes outperform short -mutli-walled carbon nanotubes in improving the thermal stability of polypropylene, and both can significantly improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a reactive extrusion for the grafting of maleic anhydride on polylactic acid in order to form polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride that serves as a compatibilizer between polylactic acid and carbon fiber. The effects of different ratios of the free radical initiator to maleic anhydride as well as the amounts of polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride on the mechanical properties, interfacial compatibility, thermal behaviors, and electrical properties of the polylactic acid/carbon fiber composites are discussed. The test results indicate that using polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride as compatibilizer improves the interfacial compatibility of polylactic acid/carbon fiber composites, which in turn contributes to a high electrical conductivity and the electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness, while decreasing the surface resistance and increases. In addition, the amount of polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride has a positive influence on their tensile properties, flexural strength, and impact strength. The differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that a high polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride content is also conducive to crystallinity, but is not in related to the melting temperature. According to the scanning electronic microscope observation, the fractured composites that are inflicted by an impact have considerably few traces of the fibers being pulled out, which is ascribed to polylactic acid that can completely enwrap carbon fiber. Therefore, the incorporation of polylactic acid grafted maleic anhydride is proven to strengthen polylactic acid/carbon fiber composites, exemplified by their improved interfacial compatibility and properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the synergistic effects of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) and carbon fibers (CFs) additions on the electrical and electromagnetic shielding properties of GNS/CF/polypropylene (PP) composites. These composites were fabricated by the melt blending of different ratios of GNSs and CFs (20:0, 15:5, 10:10, 5:15 and 0:20 wt/wt%) into a PP polymer matrix using a Brabender mixer. Besides, the chemical and crystalline structures and the thermal stability of the resultant GNS/CF/PP composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR and XRD showed that with the addition of GNSs content, transmittances at 1373.4 cm−1and 1454.4 cm−1became smaller and the characteristic peak at 26.82° became stronger. TGA showed that the GNS/CF/PP composite can be used at high temperature below 456°C. Blending 10 wt% CFs and 10 wt% GNSs into the PP polymer resulted in excellent conductivity (0.397 S/cm), which indicated the occurrence of the critical percolation threshold phenomenon, and also reached the maximum electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) of 20 dB at 1.28–2.00 GHz. Laminated with five layers of composites, its EMSE achieved 25–38 dB at 0.3–3.0 GHz, corresponding to blocking of 94.38–98.74% electromagnetic waves. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study prepares and explores the properties of three types of woven fabrics that have electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE), far infrared (FIR) emissivity, or both (EMSE/FIR). The EMSE woven fabrics use stainless steel (SS) staple blended yarn and the FIR woven fabrics use FIR polyester filaments. The woven fabrics are made with various structures, densities, lamination layers, and warp/weft arrangements in order to yield the optimum EMSE and FIR emissivity. The experimental results show that an increase in SS content slightly increases the EMSE at the frequency range between 300 and 600 MHz, but does not significantly increase the EMSE at a high frequency of between 2000 and 2200 MHz. However, using SS staple blended yarn for both the warp and the weft significantly increases the EMSE by between −8 and −16 dB. The FIR emissivity increases as a result of an increasing amount of FIR polyester filament and reaches the optimum, 0.88. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]