Stearyl alcohol/palm triple pressed acid-graphite nanocomposites as phase change materials

Mixtures of stearyl alcohol with palm triple pressed acid (essentially a mixture of palmitic and stearic acid derived from palm oil) were prepared and characterized to assess their phase change thermal energy storage utility. Unlike the other mixtures, the 35 mol% stearyl alcohol mixture showed a single crystallization exotherm peak, albeit with a small shoulder, in differential scanning calorimetry. The enthalpy associated with this phase change was 158 ± 5 kJ kg−1 and the crystallization peak temperature was 46 °C. Inclusion of 10 wt.% graphite nanoplatelets increased the solid state and melt state thermal conductivities by factors of approximately six and twelve respectively. This nanocomposite showed no deterioration in thermal properties after hundred heating and cooling cycles between the end-temperatures of 30 °C and 60 °C when scanned at a rate of 10 °C min−1. There was also no evidence of graphite platelet sedimentation in the molten liquid after two months at 80 °C.The South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (Grant No. 97994 ), the African Laser Centre (ALC) and the Energy Institutional Research Theme of the University of Pretoria .http://www.elsevier.com/locate/tca2019-05-10hj2018Chemical Engineerin

Stearyl alcohol/palm triple pressed acid-graphite nanocomposites as phase change materials

This research study is a qualitative project exploring social workers’ experiences in working with adoption disruption. The literature covers adoption history, adoption statistics, disruption information, disruption risk factors, services and mental health aspects. Seven participants, including adoption social workers and a post adoption parent support specialist were interviewed from various adoption agencies. Findings include discovering there is a lack of a concrete definition for adoption disruption, the importance of expectations from adoptive parents, identifying struggles faced by adoption social workers, initial responses to a family wanting to disrupt, current services, barriers to services, and ways to reduce adoption disruption

Extremely stretchable and conductive water-repellent coatings for low-cost ultra-flexible electronics

Rapid advances in modern electronics place ever-accelerating demands on innovation towards more robust and versatile functional components. In the flexible electronics domain, novel material solutions often involve creative uses of common materials to reduce cost, while maintaining uncompromised performance. Here we combine a commercially available paraffin wax–polyolefin thermoplastic blend (elastomer matrix binder) with bulk-produced carbon nanofibres (charge percolation network for electron transport, and for imparting nanoscale roughness) to fabricate adherent thin-film composite electrodes. The simple wet-based process produces composite films capable of sustained ultra-high strain (500%) with resilient electrical performance (resistances of the order of 10(1)–10(2) Ω sq(−1)). The composites are also designed to be superhydrophobic for long-term corrosion protection, even maintaining extreme liquid repellency at severe strain. Comprised of inexpensive common materials applied in a single step, the present scalable approach eliminates manufacturing obstacles for commercially viable wearable electronics, flexible power storage devices and corrosion-resistant circuits