Browsing by Author "Blazquez, Maria"

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    The effect of nanoclay on dust generation during drilling process of polyamide 6 nanocomposites
    (Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2012-06-10T00:00:00Z) Sachse, Sophia; Silva, Francesco; Zhu, Huijun; Irfan, Adeel; Leszczynska, Agneska; Pielichowski, Krzysztof; Ermini, Valentina; Blazquez, Maria; Kuzmenko, Oleksandr; Njuguna, James A. K.
    During the past decade, polymer nanocomposites have emerged as a novel and rapidly developing class of materials and attracted considerable investment in research and development worldwide. However, there is currently a lack of information available in the literature on the nano and ultrafine particle emission rates from these materials. In this study, influence of nanoclay on mechanical drilling of PA6 composites, in terms of dust generation has been reported. With the help of real-time characterization, submicrometer-sized particles (5.6-512 nm) size distribution and number concentration emitted from polyamide 6/nanoclay composites during mechanical drilling is studied. Total particle concentration for the PA6/nanoclay composites was 20,000 cm-3, while unreinforced panel measured a total concentration of approximately 400,000 cm-3. While the airborne particle concentration for the PA6/ nanoclay composites was 20 times lower than for the PA6 matrix, the concentration of deposited nanoparticles doubled for the nanocomposite. The results clearly shows that more particles in the size range between 175-350 nm are generated, during drilling of the nanocomposites and this particles deposit in a shorter time. It is likely that the presence of nanoclay in some way retains the formation of high quantity of airborne particles and promotes particle deposition.
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    Integration of polymer nanocomposites technologies for automotive applications: opportunities and environmental health challenges
    (2008-05-14T00:00:00Z) Njuguna, James A. K.; Peña, I.; Zhu, H.; Rocks, Sophie A.; Blazquez, Maria; Desai, S. A.; Pielichowski, Krzysztof
    The concept of nanostructured materials design is gaining widespread importance among the automotive industry. Although employment of nanotechnology in current and future automotives will go long way in solving energy crises, it is necessary to understand both the hazards associated with nanomaterials and the levels of exposure that are likely to occur. The existing knowledge in these areas is quite limited and it will be necessary in the near future. This paper highlights these key issues and goes a long way in pointing recent activities on environmental risks of nanomaterials. Some research directions are given and existing automotive opportunities and applications explored.