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Water uptake characteristics and some mechanical properties of polypropylene composites containing three types of natural fillers, purified ␣-cellulose, wastepaper fibers, and wood flour were studied. The fiber contents were 15, 25, and 35% by weight. Two percent maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) was also added to the mix, as the compatibilizer agent. Mixing process was performed in a Brabender Plasticorder until a constant torque was reached. Composites made out of these combinations were then pressed in a laboratory press and ASTM standard test specimens were cut out of the sheets. Water absorption and tensile tests were performed on these specimens. The results showed a significant difference between the various filler types regarding water uptake. Water uptake also increased by the increase in filler content. Tensile strength and elongation at break in composites declined when compared with pure polypropylene, but their modulus of elasticity increased. Among the three types of fillers, no significant discrepancies were observed in terms of improving mechanical properties in composites. Filler content increase had no drastic effect regarding strength improvement.

All-cellulose nanocomposite was directly fabricated using nanowelding of cellulose microfibers as a starting material, in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) as a solvent, for the first time. The average diameter of the reinforcing component (undissolved nanofibrils) in the nanocomposite made directly from cellulose microfibers (NC-microfiber) was 53 ± 16 nm. Owing to its high mechanical properties (tensile strength of 208 MPa and Young's modulus of 20 GPa), high transparency (76% at a wavelength of 800 nm), and complete barrier to air and biodegradability, the NC-microfiber is regarded as a high multiperformance material. The NC-microfiber made directly from cellulose microfibers showed similar macro-, micro-, and nanostructures and the same properties as those made from solvent-based welding of ground cellulose nanofibers (NC-nanofiber). Omitting the step of cellulose nanofiber production makes the direct production of all-cellulose nanocomposite from cellulose microfibers easier, shorter, and cheaper than using cellulose nanofibers as starting material. The direct nanowelding of macro/micrometer-sized materials is theorized to be a fundamental approach for making nanocomposites.

All-cellulose composite (ACC) and nanocomposite (ACNC) were, respectively, made from microfiber and grinding-based nanofiber of canola straw by using a partial dissolution method with the solvent N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMAc/LiCl). The dissolution times were 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 mins. The resultant composites were compared with neat micro-and nanofiber sheets. The average diameter of microfiber was 26 lm, which was downsized to 32 nm after grinding. The grinding process is a simple, cheap and fast downsizing method that could reduce fiber diameter by almost three orders of magnitude. The tensile strength of the nanofiber sheet was 11 times higher than that of the microfiber sheet. As dissolution time increased, the amount of non-crystalline matrix in the ACC and ACNC increased, and the apparent crystallinity decreased. The ACC had a tensile strength of 59 MPa when the dissolution time was 120 min, whereas the ACNC approached a maximum tensile strength of 164 MPa after a short dissolution time (10 min). Fiber pull-out was observed in the tensile-broken surfaces of the micro-and nanofiber sheets, and fibers tended to break when the dissolution time was long.

Using wood and other natural fibers with thermoplastic materials is always associated with a problem: poor compatibility between wood fibers and thermoplastic matrix. This paper deals with the mentioned problem and tries to solve, or at least ease, it through pre-heat treatment of wood prior to blending of wood fibers with other components of composites. In this study, wood pre-heat treated at different temperatures (175, 190 and 205°C) was used at various loadings (25 and 50%) with high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene-maleic anhydride copolymer (MAPP) to produce composites. The composite properties, including mechanical performance and morphological character, were investigated. The results of this study show that pre-heat treatment temperature and coupling agent content did not impact the composite properties at 25% wood content. Adding treated wood at 50% level to the composites enhanced the mechanical properties in comparison with untreated wood. The degree of the enhancement depended on pre-heat treatment temperature. Using wood treated at 190°C resulted in composites with the highest modulus of rupture (MOR) and tensile strength. In terms of modulus of elasticity (MOE), composites having wood treated at 205°C showed the highest MOE in both tensile and flexural tests. Adding 2% coupling agent caused an improvement in modulus of rupture (MOR) and tensile strength. An increase in wood content from 25 to 50% deceased strain at maximum load drastically. Morphological study showed that the mode of fracture is a function of wood and coupling agent content, and pre-heat treatment temperature.

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The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the quantity of debris and irrigant extruded apically using the ProTaper system compared to ProFiles and K-Flexofiles. Thirty-six mesio-buccal root canals of human mandibular molars were selected and divided into three groups of twelve canals. Two groups were instrumented with ProFiles and ProTapers according to the manufacturer's instructions. The other group was instrumented with K-Flexofiles using the step-back technique. A standard amount of irrigant was used for each canal. Apically-extruded debris and irrigant was collected in pre-weighed vials. The mean weight of extruded debris and irrigant for each group was statistically analysed using Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA. All instrumentation techniques produced extruded debris and irrigant. Although the mean amount of extrusion with the step-back technique was higher than the two rotary systems, there was no significant difference between the three groups (p > 0.05). NiTi rotary systems were associated with less apical extrusion, but were not significantly better than hand file instrumentation. All techniques extruded debris.