Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is one of the building material capable of enhancing the design and structural integrity of the building. Since its recognition as conventional insulating material in 1950s, EPS has been experiencing swift progress in other new implementations. Currently, EPS is utilized in many building structures owing to its sustainability benefit and improvement in terms of energy efficiency, durability, and indoor environmental quality. This article provides an overview on the application of EPS as aggregates in lightweight concrete, decorative tiles and molding, panel application (structural insulated panels (SIPs) and composite SIPs), and embankment backfilling. Also, this article attempts to describe the properties of EPS in terms of fire behavior, mechanical properties, chemical resistant, water and moisture absorption, and their toxicity to the human and environment. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47529.
Material designs that use donor and acceptor units are often found in organic optoelectronic devices. Molecular level insight into the interactions between donors and acceptors are crucial for understanding how such interactions can modify the optical properties of the organic optoelectronic materials. In this paper, tris(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)amine (pTPA) was synthesized as a donor in order to compare with unmodified triphenylamine (TPA) in a donor-acceptor system by having 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (TRZ) as an acceptor. Dimerization of donors and acceptors occurred in solvent when the concentration of solute is high. At 0 K, using a polarizable continuum model, the nitrogen atom of TPA is found to stack on top of the center of triazine of TRZ, whereas such alignment is offset in pTPA and TRZ. We attributed such alignment in TPA-TRZ as the result of attractive interactions between partial localization of 2p z electrons at the nitrogen atom of TPA and the π deficiency of triazine in TPA-TRZ. By taking into account random motions of the solvent effect at 300 K in quantum molecular dynamics and classical molecular dynamics simulations to interpret the marked difference in emission spectra between TPA-TRZ and pTPA-TRZ, it was revealed that the attractive interaction between pTPA and TRZ in toluene is weaker than TPA and TRZ. Because of the weaker attractive interaction between pTPA and TRZ in toluene, the dimers adopted numerous ground state conformations resulting in broad emission bands superimposed with multiple small Gaussian peaks. This is in contrast to TPA-TRZ which has only one dominant dimer conformation. This study demonstrates that the strength of intermolecular interactions between donors and acceptors should be taken into consideration in designing supramolecular structures.
Intumescent coatings are an effective method for fire protection of steel structures. The search for more environmental friendly intumescent coatings has led to the utilization of palm oil clinker (POC) as a bio-filler in solvent-borne intumescent coatings in order to improve fire protection performance, mechanical strength and water resistance of steel structures. In this research, POC and hybrid fillers are mixed with an acrylic binder and then blended with flame-retardant additives in order to produce intumescent coatings. The samples were tested using Bunsen burner test, thermogravimetry analysis, surface spread of flame test, field emission scanning electron microscopy, static immersion test, and adhesion strength test. It was found that the optimum composition of POC and hybrid fillers gives the best fire protection performance with the lowest equilibrium temperature (171.3°C), high thermal stability, good water resistance and excellent mechanical properties. The results of the surface spread of flame test show that Sample A3, A4, and A6 were classified as Class 1, which is the best classification. For Sample A6 (a hybrid formulation), the addition of aluminium hydroxide gives better water resistance with the lowest rate of weight change (<0.2%), while the addition of magnesium hydroxide enhances the bonding strength of the coating up to 125% compared with Sample A1 which only has a single filler POC. It can be concluded that the optimum composition of POC and hybrid fillers results in intumescent coating with the greatest fire protection performance. ABSTRAKLapisan penahan api merupakan kaedah yang berkesan dalam perlindungan api bagi struktur keluli. Pencarian lapisan penahan api yang lebih mesra alam telah membawa kepada penggunaan arang kelapa sawit (POC) sebagai bahan pengisi biologi di dalam lapisan penahan api berasaskan pelarut bagi meningkatkan kadar kecekapan perlindungan api, kekuatan mekanik dan daya ketahanan terhadap air pada struktur keluli. Dalam kajian ini, POC dan bahan pengisi hibrid dirumuskan bersama bahan pengikat akrilik dan dicampurkan dengan bahan tambahan tertentu untuk menghasilkan lapisan penahan api. Semua sampel diuji dengan menggunakan ujian penunu Bunsen, analisis termogravimetri, ujian penyebaran api, mikroskopi elektron imbasan pancaran medan, daya tahan air dan daya lekatan. Didapati bahawa penggunaan optimum POC bersama bahan pengisi hibrid menunjukkan kecekapan perlindungan api terbaik dengan suhu keseimbangan terendah (171.3°C), kestabilan haba yang tinggi, daya ketahanan terhadap air dan kekuatan mekanik yang bagus. Ujian penyebaran api menunjukkan Sampel A3, A4 dan A6 berada di Kelas 1 iaitu kelas terbaik. Bagi Sampel A6 (rumusan dengan bahan pengisi hibrid), penambahan aluminium hidroksida meningkatkan ketahanan terhadap air dengan menunjukkan kadar perubahan berat yang paling rendah (<0.2%), manakala penambahan magnesium hidroksida meningkatkan daya lekatan lapisan penahan api sehingga 125% berbanding dengan Sampel A1 yang mempunyai bahan pengisi tunggal POC. Kesimp...
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