Cross-Dictionary Linking at Sense Level with a Double-Layer Classifier

We present a system for linking dictionaries at the sense level, which is part of a wider programme aiming to extend current lexical resources and to create new ones by automatic means. One of the main challenges of the sense linking task is the existence of non one-to-one mappings among senses. Our system handles this issue by addressing the task as a binary classification problem using standard Machine Learning methods, where each sense pair is classified independently from the others. In addition, it implements a second, statistically-based classification layer to also model the dependence existing among sense pairs, namely, the fact that a sense in one dictionary that is already linked to a sense in the other dictionary has a lower probability of being linked to a further sense. The resulting double-layer classifier achieves global Precision and Recall scores of 0.91 and 0.80, respectively

Chemically specifi C multiscale modeling of clay-polymer nanocomposites reveals intercalation dynamics, tactoid self-assembly and emergent materials properties

A quantitative description is presented of the dynamical process of polymer intercalation into clay tactoids and the ensuing aggregation of polymerentangled tactoids into larger structures, obtaining various characteristics of these nanocomposites, including clay-layer spacings, out-of-plane clay-sheet bending energies, X-ray diffractograms, and materials properties. This model of clay-polymer interactions is based on a three-level approach, which uses quantum mechanical and atomistic descriptions to derive a coarse-grained yet chemically specifi c representation that can resolve processes on hitherto inaccessible length and time scales. The approach is applied to study collections of clay mineral tactoids interacting with two synthetic polymers, poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(vinyl alcohol). The controlled behavior of layered materials in a polymer matrix is centrally important for many engineering and manufacturing applications. This approach opens up a route to computing the properties of complex soft materials based on knowledge of their chemical composition, molecular structure, and processing conditions.This work was funded in part by the EU FP7 MAPPER project (grant number RI-261507) and the Qatar National Research Fund (grant number 09–260–1–048). Supercomputing time was provided by PRACE on JUGENE (project PRA044), the Hartree Centre (Daresbury Laboratory) on BlueJoule and BlueWonder via the CGCLAY project, and on HECToR and ARCHER, the UK national supercomputing facility at the University of Edinburgh, via EPSRC through grants EP/F00521/1, EP/E045111/1, EP/I017763/1 and the UK Consortium on Mesoscopic Engineering Sciences (EP/L00030X/1). The authors are grateful to Professor Julian Evans for stimulating discussions during the course of this project. Data-storage and management services were provided by EUDAT (grant number 283304)

Development of a green material for horticulture

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), used as a matrix, was mixed with wood fibers, coffee grounds, fertilizer and a foaming agent to develop an ecofriendly material to be used in horticulture. For this application materials should have mechanical properties similar to PLA, increased biodegradability and a lower price than currently used materials. The new materials were prepared by melt processing in an internal mixer at 190 ° C and were characterized by several techniques. The mechanical properties of the biocomposites, measured by flexural tests, were similar to neat PLA, even with a reduction of 40 wt% of polymer. Biodegradation assessment by composting tests in an aerobic environment demonstrated that the green materials exhibited higher biodegradability than PLA. Biocomposites containing wood fibers and fertilizer were revealed to be the most suitable for horticulture application, as these can combine mechanical properties, biodegradability and fertilizer release. Moreover, this green material has two main advantages: it can be prepared using materials from natural resources, and it does not generate any residue after use.n-STeP Project, NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000039, supported by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2) and PEst- C/CTM/LA0025/2013 (Strategic Project-LA 25-2013-2014

Impact of thermal processing or solvent casting upon crystallization of PLA nanocellulose and/or nanoclay composites

Here, we present how processing (solvent casting or isothermal crystallization) impacts crystallinity of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and its nanocomposites (PLA/1 wt % cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), PLA/1 wt % nanoclay (C30B) or PLA/1 wt % CNF/1 wt % C30B. Polarized optical microscopy demonstrated a heterogeneous nucleation process during isothermal crystallization leading to smaller homogeneously distributed spherulites. With solvent casting, no effect on morphology was observed with respect to the nanoparticles, but an increased spherulite size was observed at higher temperatures. This fact raises significant concerns regarding the suitability of solvent casting as a lab‐scale procedure to investigate materials. Additionally, combining the reinforcing agents, CNF, and C30B, did not increase nucleation rate, in contrast with the general tendency, where the incorporation of both particles led to improved properties (e.g., thermomechanical and barrier properties). However, a combination of C30B and CNF did lead to an overall increase in the rigid amorphous fraction and a reduced mobile amorphous fraction

A combination of three surface modifiers for the optimal generation and application of natural hybrid nanopigments in a biodegradable resin

Our purpose was to improve the thermal, mechanical and optimal properties of an epoxy bioresin using optimum hybrid natural pigments previously synthesised in our lab. Next, we searched for the best combinations of factors in the synthesis of natural hybrid nanopigments and then incorporated them into the bioresin. We combined three structural modifiers in the nanopigment synthesis, surfactant, coupling agent (silane) and a mordant salt (alum), selected to replicate mordant textile dyeing with natural dyes. We used Taguchi s design L8 to seek final performance optimisation. We selected three natural dyes, chlorophyll, beta-carotene and beetroot extract, and used two laminar nanoclay types, montmorillonite and hydrotalcite. The thermal, mechanical and colorimetric characterisation of the composite obtained by mixing natural hybrid nanopigments (bionanocomposite) was made. The natural dye interactions with both nanoclays improved the thermal stabilities, colour performance and UV VIS light exposure stability of natural dyes and bioresins. The best bionanocomposite materials were found in an acidic pH [3, 4] environment and by modifying nanoclays with mordant and surfactant during the nanopigment synthesis processWe thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for funding Projects DPI2011-30090-C02-02 and DPI2015-68514-R.Micó Vicent, B.; Jordán Núñez, J.; Martinez Verdu, FM.; Balart Gimeno, RA. (2017). A combination of three surface modifiers for the optimal generation and application of natural hybrid nanopigments in a biodegradable resin. Journal of Materials Science. 52(2):889-898. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0384-8S889898522Majdzadeh-Ardakani K, Nazari B (2010) Improving the mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch/poly(vinyl alcohol)/clay nanocomposites. Compos Sci Technol 70(10):1557–1563. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2010.05.022Najafi N, Heuzey MC, Carreau PJ (2012) Polylactide (PLA)-clay nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding in the presence of a chain extender. Compos Sci Technol 72(5):608–615. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2012.01.005Acharya H, Srivastava SK, Bhowmick AK (2007) Synthesis of partially exfoliated EPDM/LDH nanocomposites by solution intercalation: structural characterization and properties. Compos Sci Technol 67(13):2807–2816. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2007.01.030Marras SI, Zuburtikudis I, Panayiotou C (2007) Nanostructure vs. microstructure: morphological and thermomechanical characterization of poly(L-lactic acid)/layered silicate hybrids. Eur Polymer J 43(6):2191–2206. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2007.03.013Leszczyńska A, Njuguna J, Pielichowski K, Banerjee JR (2007) Polymer/montmorillonite nanocomposites with improved thermal properties: Part I. Factors influencing thermal stability and mechanisms of thermal stability improvement. Thermochim Acta 453(2):75–96. doi: 10.1016/j.tca.2006.11.002Park HM, Lee WK, Park CY, Cho WJ, Ha CS (2003) Environmentally friendly polymer hybrids Part I Mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of thermoplastic starch/clay nanocomposites. J Mater Sci 38(5):909–915. doi: 10.1023/a:1022308705231Porter D, Metcalfe E, Thomas MJK (2000) Nanocomposite fire retardants—a review. Fire Mater 24(1):45–52. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1018(200001/02)24:13.0.co;2-sRay SS, Okamoto M (2003) Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites: a review from preparation to processing. Prog Polym Sci 28(11):1539–1641. doi: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2003.08.002Gao D, Li R, Lv B, Ma J, Tian F, Zhang J (2015) Flammability, thermal and physical-mechanical properties of cationic polymer/montmorillonite composite on cotton fabric. Compos B Eng 77:329–337. doi: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.03.061LeBaron PC, Wang Z, Pinnavaia TJ (1999) Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: an overview. Appl Clay Sci 15(1–2):11–29. doi: 10.1016/s0169-1317(99)00017-4Karuntarut Sermsantiwanita SP (2012) Preparation of bio-based nanocomposite emulsions: effect of clay type. Prog Org Coat 74:660–666Pascual J, Fages E, Fenollar O, Garcia D, Balart R (2009) Influence of the compatibilizer/nanoclay ratio on final properties of polypropylene matrix modified with montmorillonite-based organoclay. Polym Bull 62(3):367–380. doi: 10.1007/s00289-008-0018-7Beltrán MI, Benavente V, Marchante V, Marcilla A (2013) The influence of surfactant loading level in a montmorillonite on the thermal, mechanical and rheological properties of EVA nanocomposites. Appl Clay Sci 83–84:153–161. doi: 10.1016/j.clay.2013.08.028Bitinis N, Verdejo R, Maya EM, Espuche E, Cassagnau P, Lopez-Manchado MA (2012) Physicochemical properties of organoclay filled polylactic acid/natural rubber blend bionanocomposites. Compos Sci Technol 72(2):305–313. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2011.11.018Sanchez-Garcia MD, Lopez-Rubio A, Lagaron JM (2010) Natural micro and nanobiocomposites with enhanced barrier properties and novel functionalities for food biopackaging applications. Trends Food Sci Technol 21(11):528–536. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2010.07.008Huskić M, Žigon M, Ivanković M (2013) Comparison of the properties of clay polymer nanocomposites prepared by montmorillonite modified by silane and by quaternary ammonium salts. Appl Clay Sci 85:109–115. doi: 10.1016/j.clay.2013.09.004Osman MA, Rupp JEP, Suter UW (2005) Effect of non-ionic surfactants on the exfoliation and properties of polyethylene-layered silicate nanocomposites. Polymer 46(19):8202–8209. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2005.06.101Wang H, Fang P, Chen Z, Wang S, Xu Y, Fang Z (2008) Effect of silane grafting on the microstructure of high-density polyethylene/organically modified montmorillonite nanocomposites. Polym Int 57(1):50–56. doi: 10.1002/pi.2310Montgomery DC (2008) Design and analysis of experiments. Wiley, HobokenBaena-Murillo E, Micó-Vicent B, Martínez-Verdú FM (2013) Method for the synthesis of nanostructured hybrid pigments having properties that can be syntonized. https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2013110841&recNum=229&docAn=ES2013070026&queryString=(ANA:ES)&maxRec=25813Kohno Y, Inagawa M, Ikoma S, Shibata M, Matsushima R, Fukuhara C, Tomita Y, Maeda Y, Kobayashi K (2011) Stabilization of a hydrophobic natural dye by intercalation into organo-montmorillonite. Appl Clay Sci 54(3):202–205. doi: 10.1016/j.clay.2011.09.001Kaneko Y, Iyi N, Bujdak J, Sasai R, Fujita T (2004) Effect of layer charge density on orientation and aggregation of a cationic laser dye incorporated in the interlayer space of montmorillonites. J Colloid Interface Sci 269(1):22–25. doi: 10.1016/s0021-9797(03)00602-7Silva AA, Dahmouche K, Soares BG (2011) Nanostructure and dynamic mechanical properties of silane-functionalized montmorillonite/epoxy nanocomposites. Appl Clay Sci 54(2):151–158. doi: 10.1016/j.clay.2011.08.002Park S-J, Kim B-J, Seo D-I, Rhee K-Y, Lyu Y-Y (2009) Effects of a silane treatment on the mechanical interfacial properties of montmorillonite/epoxy nanocomposites. Mater Sci Eng A 526(1–2):74–78. doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2009.07.023Khraisheh MAM, Al-Ghouti MA, Allen SJ, Ahmad MN (2005) Effect of OH and silanol groups in the removal of dyes from aqueous solution using diatomite. Water Res 39(5):922–932. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2004.12.008Fahn R, Fenderl K (1983) Reaction-products of organic-dye molecules with acid-treated montmorillonite. Clay Miner 18(4):447–458. doi: 10.1180/claymin.1983.018.4.10Kohno Y, Totsuka K, Ikoma S, Yoda K, Shibata M, Matsushima R, Tomita Y, Maeda Y, Kobayashi K (2009) Photostability enhancement of anionic natural dye by intercalation into hydrotalcite. J Colloid Interface Sci 337(1):117–121. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.04.065Capilla P, Pujol J (2002) Fundamentos de Colorimetría. Universitat de ValenciaGilabert EJ, Verdú FMM (2007) Medida de la luz y el color. Editorial de la UPV. In: Color psicofísico, pp 185–221Zhao H, Nagy KL (2004) Dodecyl sulfate–hydrotalcite nanocomposites for trapping chlorinated organic pollutants in water. J Colloid Interface Sci 274(2):613–624. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2004.03.05

Molecular dynamics of carrageenan composites reinforced with Cloisite Na+ montmorillonite nanoclay

[EN] Nanocomposites comprising biodegradable carrageenan and glycerol(KCg) as the host polymer, with different contents of natural montmorillonite (MMT) as filler, were prepared by a solution casting process. Different techniques have been used to determine the interaction/behavior among the different components of the samples such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and, mainly, Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). FTIR indicates hydrogen interaction between carrageenan matrix and silicate that is confirmed by the XRD data indicating some kind of carrageenan intercalation between the MMT layers. A rather homogenous distribution of MMT into KCg matrix were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The MMT effect on the molecular mobility at the glass transition was studied by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The MMT addition resulted in a slower relaxation and a wider distribution ofthe relaxation times. The fragility index, m, increased upon MMT incorporation, which may be attributed to a reduction in mobility chains, due to the MMT confinement of the KCg network. In addition, the apparent activation energy associated with the relaxation dynamics of the chains at Tg increased with the MMT content. The modified films developed in this paper could be used to prepare biodegradable and edible packaging films and films for biomedical applications with improved mechanical and good dielectric response.This work was supported by the Direccion General de Ciencia y Tecnologia (DGCYT) [MAT2015-63955-R]; the Vice-Rectorate for Research of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and the National Council of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation of Peru (CONCYTEC/FONDECYT).Sanchis Sánchez, MJ.; Carsí Rosique, M.; Culebras, M.; Gomez- Clari, CM.; Rodríguez, S.; García-Torres. F. (2017). Molecular dynamics of carrageenan composites reinforced with Cloisite Na+ montmorillonite nanoclay. Carbohydrate Polymers. 176:117-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.08.012S11712617

Deformation mechanisms in polylactic acid/natural rubber/organoclay bionanocomposites as revealed by synchrotron X-ray scattering

7 p.: gráf.The micromechanical deformation mechanisms of a polylactic acid (PLA)/natural rubber (NR) blend(PLA/NR 90/10 wt%) and its organoclay filled bionanocomposites have been investigated by small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS–WAXS) under tensile conditions. The addition of NR to a PLA matrix changed the brittle fracture of PLA to a ductile deformation through the debonding of the rubber droplets. Otherwise, the formation of cavities between PLA and NR was hampered by the nanoclays since they were mainly located at the polymer blend interface. In this case, the nanoclays acted as craze nucleation sites. At 1 wt% of filler concentration, the crazes were able to fully develop in the blend and to evolve into stable microvoids, which kept growing and orienting in the tensile direction. These mechanisms also explained the progressive plastic deformation of the polymer chains and the preferential orientation of the nanoclay platelets.© Royal Society of Chemistry 2012Supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation(MICINN) under projects MAT2010-18749, MAT2009-07789 and MAT2008-03232. JAE-Pre grant. Project FIS 2010-15502 (Direccion general de Investigación , Spain).Peer reviewe

Influence of thymol and silver nanoparticles on the degradation of poly(lactic acid) based nanocomposites: thermal and morphological properties

Biopolymers, such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), have been proposed as environmentally-friendly alternatives in applications such as food packaging. In this work, silver nanoparticles and thymol were used as active additives in PLA matrices, combining the antibacterial activity of silver with the antioxidant performance of thymol. The combined action of both additives influenced PLA thermal degradation in ternary systems. DSC results showed that the addition of thymol resulted in a clear decrease of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PLA, suggesting its plasticizing effect in PLA matrices. Slight modifications in mechanical properties of dog-bone bars were also observed after the addition of the active components, especially in the elastic modulus. FESEM analyses showed the good distribution of active additives through the PLA matrix, obtaining homogenous surfaces and highlighting the presence of silver nanoparticles successfully embedded into the bulk matrix. Degradation of these PLA-based nanocomposites with thymol and silver nanoparticles in composting conditions indicated that the inherent biodegradable character of this biopolymer was improved after this modification. The obtained nanocomposites showed suitable properties to be used as biodegradable active-food packaging systems with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.Authors would like to thank Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for financial support (MAT-2011-28468-C02-01). Moreover, Marina Ramos would like to thank University of Alicante (Spain) for UAFPU2011-48539721S predoctoral research grant

Poly(lactic acid)/natural rubber/cellulose nanocrystal bionanocomposites. Part II: Properties evaluation

International audienceThe crystallization, mechanical and biodegradation properties of poly(lactic acid)/natural rubber/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) bionanocomposites were evaluated. Three types of CNC were used in this study, one unmodified (CNC), long alkyl chain grafted CNC (C18-g-CNC) and PLA grafted CNC (PLA-g-CNC). The CNC modifications determined the affinity of the nanocrystals toward the polymers and reflected on the ultimate properties. Interestingly, PLA-g-CNC acted as a nucleating agent for the PLA matrix in the bio-based PLA/NR blend. Good mechanical properties were reported, as the bionanocomposites maintained a high elongation at break for a concentration up to 3 wt.% of cellulose nanocrystals. Moreover, the disintegration study confirmed that the materials completely disintegrated after one month in compost