Extended Ordered Paired Comparison Models with Application to Football Data from German Bundesliga

A general paired comparison model for the evaluation of sports competitions is proposed. It efficiently uses the available information by allowing for ordered response categories and team-specific home advantage effects. Penalized estimation techniques are used to identify clusters of teams that share the same ability. The model is extended to include team-specific explanatory variables. It is shown that regularization techniques allow to identify the contribution of explanatory variables to the success of teams. The usefulness of the methods is demonstrated by investigating the performance and its dependence on the budget for football teams of the German Bundesliga

Laccase-assisted approach to graft multifunctional materials of interest: keratin-EC based novel composites and their characterisation

This study focuses on the evaluation of raw keratin as a potential material to develop composites with novel characteristics. Herein, we report a mild and eco-friendly fabrication of in-house extracted feather keratin-based novel enzyme assisted composites consisting of ethyl cellulose (EC) as a backbone material. A range of composites between keratin and EC using different keratin: EC ratios were prepared and characterised. Comparing keratin to the composites, the FT-IR peak at 1,630 cm-1 shifted to a lower wavenumber of 1,610 cm-1 in keratin-EC which typically indicates the involvement of β-sheet structures of the keratin during the graft formation process. SEM analysis revealed that the uniform dispersion of the keratin increases the area of keratin-EC contact which further contributes to the efficient functionality of the resulting composites. In comparison to the pristine keratin and EC, a clear shift in the XRD peaks was also observed at the specific region of 2-Theta values of keratin-g-EC. The thermo- mechanical properties of the composites reached their highest levels in comparison to the keratin which was too fragile to be measured for its mechanical properties. Considerable improvement in the water contact angle and surface tension properties was also recorded

Mechanical recycling of polylactide, upgrading trends and combination of valorization techniques

The upcoming introduction of polylactides in the fractions of polymer waste encourages technologists to ascertain its valorization at the best quality conditions. Mechanical recycling of PLA represents one of the most cost-effective methodologies, but the recycled materials are usually directed to downgraded applications, due to the inherent thermomechanical degradation affecting its mechanical, thermal and rheological performance. In this review, the current state of mechanical recycling of PLA is reported, with special emphasis on a multi-scale comparison among different studies. Additionally, the applications of physical and chemical upgrading strategies, as well as the chances to blend and/ or composite recycled PLA are considered. Moreover, the different valorization techniques that can be combined to optimize the value of PLA goods along its life cycle are discussed. Finally, a list of different opportunities to nurture the background of the mechanical recycling of PLA is proposed, in order to contribute to the correct waste management of PLA wastes

Combined effects of Sepiolite and Cloisite 30B on morphology and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/polylactide blends

The aim of the work was to investigate the combined effect of Sepiolite and Cloisite 30B on the morphology and properties of PHBV/PLA 50/50 w/w blend. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed that the morphology of PHBV/PLA blend was relatively regular and homogeneous in the presence of Cloisite 30B and Sepiolite compared to the virgin blend, indicating a better compatibility between the two base polymers. The thermal stability of PHBV/PLA blend was enhanced by the clay fillers. Modulus and hardness were also increased in comparison with the virgin blend. The rheological measurements showed a significant increase in both the complex viscosity and storage modulus of the filled blend due to interactions between the clays fillers and the PHBV/PLA blend. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A study of morphological, thermal, rheological and barrier properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-Co-3-Hydroxyvalerate)/polylactide blends prepared by melt mixing

International audienc

Mechanical Recycling of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyvalerate)/Polylactide Based Blends

International audienceThe effects of recycling cycles (up to six repeated cycles) on the structure and properties of neat poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), neat polylactide (PLA) and PHBV/PLA: 50/50 (wt%) blends elaborated by melt molding process were investigated. The changes in the chemical structure, the morphology and the thermal, mechanical and rheological properties of the recycled materials were studied. The reduction of molecular weights of both PHBV and PLA showed the predominance of chain scission mechanism as a result of degradation inducing an enhancement of PHBV chain mobility, as also revealed by the increasing of the PHBV crystallinity measured using differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray scattering. Nevertheless, all these effects were significantly smaller for neat PLA and PHBV–PLA blends compared to those of neat PHBV. Contrary to PLA, PHBV seems to be relatively more sensitive to the thermomechanical degradation and the presence of PLA in the PHBV–PLA blend tends to partially prevent the degradation of PHBV. Mechanical results evidenced the great recyclability of PHBV/PLA blends, even after six reprocessing cycles, since the values of mechanical characteristics remain more or less constant compared to the initial ones revealing the preservation of the material mechanical properties. A stabilizing effect of PLA on the recyclability of PHBV–PLA blends was highlighted and it can be concluded that the incorporation of PLA in PHBV/PLA blends might be a promising route to extend the PHBV applications

Electron beam radiation effects on properties and ecotoxicity of PHBV/PLA blends in presence of organo-modified montmorillonite

International audienceThe present article reports a study of oxidative degradation under eBeam irradiation of neat PHBV, neat PLA and PHBV/PLA blend (50/50 w/w) with and without Cloisite 30B (C30B) (3 wt%) at absorbed doses of 1 and 10 kGy. The changes in the chemical structure, the molecular weight, the thermal, mechanical and barrier properties as well as the morphology were evaluated. The data showed that eBeam irradiation of PHBV/PLA blend leads to oxidation reactions involving ester groups in both neat PLA and neat PHBV resulting in the formation of hydroperoxides groups. The presence of C30B in the polymer blend has no influence on the nature of the degradation process. However, the good dispersion of C30B nanoparticles provides more stability to the molar mass and the thermal, mechanical and barrier properties of PHBV/PLA blend. At absorbed dose of 10 kGy, the irradiated samples are completely safe. Furthermore, ecotoxicity testing of both non irradiated and irradiated samples clearly showed no toxicit

Synergistic Effect of Compatibilizer and Cloisite 30B on the Functional Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/Polylactide Blends

International audienceBlends of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and polylactide (PLA) with different PHBV/PLA weight ratios (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, 0/100) were prepared by melt compounding. To improve the miscibility between the two components of the blend, low amount of compatibilizing agent (5 wt%), obtained by grafting maleic anhydride onto PHBV, was used. When compared with the uncompatibilized blends, the compatibilizer presence induces a greater interfacial adhesion. The effect of Cloisite 30B (C30B) on the blend morphology and the blend properties was also investigated. The morphology of the different blends as well as the evolution of their material properties were discussed in terms of the nanoclay and compatibilizing agent contents. A synergistic effect of compatibilizer and C30B was highlighted leading to an improved miscibility of the two blend components. The resulting properties were correlated with the morphology observed for the different blends