Predictive coalescence modeling of particles from different polymers: application to PVDF and PMMA pair

This paper aims to study the coalescence phenomenon of two different polymers PVDF and PMMA. The paper is divided in two parts: the first part is devoted to the experimental work, and the second one focuses on the modeling of the coalescence phenomenon. The first step was a physicochemical and rheological characterization. Then, the coalescence tests have been performed on droplets derived from PVDF and PMMA polymers using a polarized light optical microscope combined with a hot stage. The effect of several significant parameters like temperature and particle size was investigated. The second part of this study is focused on the modeling of the coalescence phenomenon based on the well-known Bellehumeur model. The latter has been commonly used to describe the coalescence phenomenon between identical grains. The novelty of the present work consists in the extension of the coalescence model to wider describe the coalescence phenomenon between grains of different polymers. In addition, probabilistic analysis was performed in order to investigate the effect of the parameters governing the coalescence model, namely the viscosity, the surface tension and the relaxation time. The results have shown a good compromise between the experimental results and the predictive generalized Bellehumeur model

On the miscibility of PVDF/PMMA polymer blends: Thermodynamics, experimental and numerical investigations

In this paper the miscibility of PVDF/PMMA blends was studied using different approaches: experimental tests, thermodynamics and numerical simulation. The first part of this study is devoted to the experimental work and aims to investigate the miscibility of blends by different experimental techniques. First, blends of PVDF/PMMA at different ratios were compounded and characterized using physico-chemical and rheological methods. The effect of PMMA content on the crystallization behavior of PVDF in the blend was experimentally investigated. At a second stage, the thermodynamic interaction parameter of Flory-Huggins was evaluated as a function of the PMMA proportion in the blends based on the experimental data related to the PVDF melting point and enthalpy. Besides, a numerical method has been developed using Fluent Ansys software to describe the coalescence phenomenon under different scenarios of viscosity ratios and grain sizes of polymers. The confrontation of the code simulation results with the experimental and thermodynamic approaches has shown a good agreement for reproducing the behavior of miscible polymers as well as their aptitude to form a homogeneous blend

Altered mRNA Editing and Expression of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors after Kainic Acid Exposure in Cyclooxygenase-2 Deficient Mice

Kainic acid (KA) binds to the AMPA/KA receptors and induces seizures that result in inflammation, oxidative damage and neuronal death. We previously showed that cyclooxygenase-2 deficient (COX-2−/−) mice are more vulnerable to KA-induced excitotoxicity. Here, we investigated whether the increased susceptibility of COX-2−/− mice to KA is associated with altered mRNA expression and editing of glutamate receptors. The expression of AMPA GluR2, GluR3 and KA GluR6 was increased in vehicle-injected COX-2−/− mice compared to wild type (WT) mice in hippocampus and cortex, whereas gene expression of NMDA receptors was decreased. KA treatment decreased the expression of AMPA, KA and NMDA receptors in the hippocampus, with a significant effect in COX-2−/− mice. Furthermore, we analyzed RNA editing levels and found that the level of GluR3 R/G editing site was selectively increased in the hippocampus and decreased in the cortex in COX-2−/− compared with WT mice. After KA, GluR4 R/G editing site, flip form, was increased in the hippocampus of COX-2−/− mice. Treatment of WT mice with the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib for two weeks decreased the expression of AMPA/KA and NMDAR subunits after KA, as observed in COX-2−/− mice. After KA exposure, COX-2−/− mice showed increased mRNA expression of markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, such as cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), microglia (CD11b) and astrocyte (GFAP). Thus, COX-2 gene deletion can exacerbate the inflammatory response to KA. We suggest that COX-2 plays a role in attenuating glutamate excitotoxicity by modulating RNA editing of AMPA/KA and mRNA expression of all ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits and, in turn, neuronal excitability. These changes may contribute to the increased vulnerability of COX-2−/− mice to KA. The overstimulation of glutamate receptors as a consequence of COX-2 gene deletion suggests a functional coupling between COX-2 and the glutamatergic system

Study of the miscibility of polymers using the sintering method to recycl WEEE polymers by rotomoulding

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’investiguer la miscibilité des mélanges de polymères dans une perspective de recycler les polymères issus des DEEE par rotomoulage. En effet, la miscibilité est un facteur clé qui conditionne les propriétés finales du mélange. Basé sur les résultats de caractérisation des flux DEEE d’Éco-systèmes, le choix des matériaux d’étude (PVDF/PMMA) et (ABS/PC) a été motivé par l’intérêt à la fois industriel et scientifique de ces deux couples. La première partie du travail présente une panoplie de méthodes expérimentales mises en place, allant des procédés de mise en œuvre à la caractérisation des matériaux dans le but d’explorer in fine la miscibilité de ces mélanges. En particulier, l’étude de la coalescence des grains a permis de mettre en évidence la miscibilité du couple PVDF/PMMA et la miscibilité partielle de l’ABS/PC (phénomène d’enrobage). À l’issu de cette étude, le couple PVDF/PMMA a été retenu en tant que couple « modèle » pour mettre en place un modèle prédictif généralisé de la coalescence entre grains de polymères différents. Ce modèle a été couplé à une étude probabiliste paramétrique des incertitudes permettant d’évaluer l’effet des incertitudes des mesures relatives à la viscosité, la tension de surface, le temps de relaxation et la taille des grains sur la cinétique de coalescence. Le travail se termine par une ébauche de la simulation du phénomène de coalescence et de l’enrobage dans le cas des polymères miscibles et partiellement miscibles.The aim of this thesis is to study the miscibility of polymer blends with a view to recycling WEEE polymers by rotomoulding. Indeed, miscibility is a key factor which determines the final properties of polymer blends. The work was divided into two parts. Based on the characterization results of Éco-systèmes WEEE, the choice of materials (PVDF / PMMA) and (ABS / PC) was motivated by the industrial and scientific interest of these two couples. The first part of the work presents an array of experimental methods, ranging from processing to material characterization, with the aim of exploring the miscibility of these mixtures. In particular, the study of the coalescence of the grains made it possible to demonstrate the miscibility of the PVDF / PMMA couple and the partial miscibility of the ABS / PC (coating phenomenon). At the end of this study, the PVDF / PMMA couple was retained as a "model" pair to perform a generalized predictive model of the coalescence between different polymer grains. This model was coupled with a probabilistic parametric analysis to evaluate the effect of the uncertainties of the viscosity, surface tension, relaxation time and grain size measurements on coalescence kinetics. The work ends with a draft of the simulation of the coalescence phenomenon and the coating in the case of miscible and partially miscible polymers respectivel

Etude de la miscibilité des polymères par la méthode de coalescence des grains en vue du recyclage des DEEE par rotomoulage

The aim of this thesis is to study the miscibility of polymer blends with a view to recycling WEEE polymers by rotomoulding. Indeed, miscibility is a key factor which determines the final properties of polymer blends. The work was divided into two parts. Based on the characterization results of Éco-systèmes WEEE, the choice of materials (PVDF / PMMA) and (ABS / PC) was motivated by the industrial and scientific interest of these two couples. The first part of the work presents an array of experimental methods, ranging from processing to material characterization, with the aim of exploring the miscibility of these mixtures. In particular, the study of the coalescence of the grains made it possible to demonstrate the miscibility of the PVDF / PMMA couple and the partial miscibility of the ABS / PC (coating phenomenon). At the end of this study, the PVDF / PMMA couple was retained as a "model" pair to perform a generalized predictive model of the coalescence between different polymer grains. This model was coupled with a probabilistic parametric analysis to evaluate the effect of the uncertainties of the viscosity, surface tension, relaxation time and grain size measurements on coalescence kinetics. The work ends with a draft of the simulation of the coalescence phenomenon and the coating in the case of miscible and partially miscible polymers respectivelyL’objectif de cette thèse est d’investiguer la miscibilité des mélanges de polymères dans une perspective de recycler les polymères issus des DEEE par rotomoulage. En effet, la miscibilité est un facteur clé qui conditionne les propriétés finales du mélange. Basé sur les résultats de caractérisation des flux DEEE d’Éco-systèmes, le choix des matériaux d’étude (PVDF/PMMA) et (ABS/PC) a été motivé par l’intérêt à la fois industriel et scientifique de ces deux couples. La première partie du travail présente une panoplie de méthodes expérimentales mises en place, allant des procédés de mise en œuvre à la caractérisation des matériaux dans le but d’explorer in fine la miscibilité de ces mélanges. En particulier, l’étude de la coalescence des grains a permis de mettre en évidence la miscibilité du couple PVDF/PMMA et la miscibilité partielle de l’ABS/PC (phénomène d’enrobage). À l’issu de cette étude, le couple PVDF/PMMA a été retenu en tant que couple « modèle » pour mettre en place un modèle prédictif généralisé de la coalescence entre grains de polymères différents. Ce modèle a été couplé à une étude probabiliste paramétrique des incertitudes permettant d’évaluer l’effet des incertitudes des mesures relatives à la viscosité, la tension de surface, le temps de relaxation et la taille des grains sur la cinétique de coalescence. Le travail se termine par une ébauche de la simulation du phénomène de coalescence et de l’enrobage dans le cas des polymères miscibles et partiellement miscibles

Optimal dynamic regulation of carbon emission market

In this article, we deal with optimal dynamic carbon emission regulation of a set of firms. On the one hand, the regulator dynamically allocates emission allowances to each firm. On the other hand, firms face idiosyncratic, as well as common, economic shocks on emissions, and they have linear quadratic abatement costs. Firms can trade allowances so as to minimise total expected costs, which arise from abatement, trading and terminal penalty. Using variational methods, we first exhibit in closed-form the market equilibrium in function of the regulator's dynamic allocation. We then solve the Stackelberg game between the regulator and the firms. The result is a closed-form expression of the optimal dynamic allocation policies that allow a desired expected emission reduction. The optimal policy is unique in the presence of market impact. In absence of market impact, the optimal policy is non unique, but all the optimal policies share common properties. The optimal policies are fully responsive, and therefore induce a constant abatement effort and a constant price of allowances. Our results are robust to some extensions, like different penalty functions. We conclude by providing analytical and numerical comparisons of the optimal dynamic policy with three existing policies, namely static allocation, Market Stability Reserve and pure tax mechanisms

Neuronal overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 does not alter the neuroinflammatory response during brain innate immune activation

Neuroinflammation is a critical component in the progression of several neurological and neurodegenerative diseases and cyclooxygenases (COX)-1 and -2 are key regulators of innate immune responses. We recently demonstrated that COX-1 deletion attenuates, whereas COX-2 deletion enhances, the neuroinflammatory response, blood-brain barrier permeability and leukocyte recruitment during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced innate immune activation. Here, we used transgenic mice, which overexpressed human COX-2 via neuron-specific Thy-1 promoter (TgCOX-2), causing elevated prostaglandins (PGs) levels. We tested whether neuronal COX-2 overexpression affects the glial response to a single intracerebroventricular injection of LPS, which produces a robust neuroinflammatory reaction. Relative to non-transgenic controls (NTg), 7 month-old TgCOX-2 did not show any basal neuroinflammation, as assessed by gene expression of markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, neuronal damage, as assessed by Fluoro-JadeB staining, or systemic inflammation, as assessed by plasma levels of IL-1beta and corticosterone. Twenty-four hours after LPS injection, all mice showed increased microglial activation, as indicated by Iba1 immunostaining, neuronal damage, mRNA expression of cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6), reactive oxygen expressing enzymes (iNOS and NADPH oxidase subunits), endogenous COX-2, cPLA(2) and mPGES-1, and hippocampal and cortical IL-1beta levels. However, the increases were similar in TgCOX-2 and NTg. In NTg, LPS increased brain PGE(2) to the levels observed in TgCOX-2. These results suggest that PGs derived from neuronal COX-2 do not play a role in the neuroinflammatory response to acute activation of brain innate immunity. This is likely due to the direct effect of LPS on glial rather than neuronal cells