Browsing by Author "Tirkes, Seha"
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Article Citation Count: 11Atomistic Engineering of Chemiluminogens: Synthesis, Properties and Polymerization of 2,3-Dihydro-Pyrrolo[3,4-d]Pyridazine-1,4-Dione Scaffolds(Springer/plenum Publishers, 2017) Tirkeş, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Tirkes, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Algi, Fatih; Chemical EngineeringTwo chemiluminescent compounds containing 2,5-di(thien-2-yl)pyrrole and pyridazine units, namely 5,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridazine-1,4(6H)-dione (5) and 6-phenyl-5,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridazine-1,4(6H)-dione (6), were successfully synthesized and electrochemically polymerized. The compounds have chemiluminescent properties and glow in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in basic medium. The intensity of the glow can be increased dramatically by using Fe3+ ions, hemin (1.0 ppm) or blood samples (1.0 ppm) as catalyst. The compounds 5 and 6 have one well-defined irreversible oxidation peak at 1.08 V and 1.33 V vs Ag/AgCl, respectively. Electrochemical polymerization of both 5 and 6 were carried out successfully by repeating potential scanning in the presence of BF3. Et2O in an electrolyte solution of 0.1 M LiClO4 dissolved in acetonitrile. The electronic band gaps (E-g) of the polymers P5 and P6 were found to be 2.02 eV and 2.16 eV, respectively. On the other hand, the corresponding polymers are electroactive and exhibited electrochromic features.Article Citation Count: 3Comparative Performance Study of Acidic Pumice and Basic Pumice Inclusions for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene-Based Composite Filaments(Mary Ann Liebert, inc, 2024) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Dogan, Mehmet; Tirkes, Suha; Zahmakiran, Mehmet; Chemical EngineeringThis study aims to evaluate the effective use of porous pumice powder as an additive in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)-based composite materials. The influence of pumice addition on mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, and physical properties of ABS filaments was reported. Two types of pumice, namely acidic pumice (AP) and basic pumice (BP), were melt compounded with ABS at loading levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight using the melt extrusion preparation method. Composites were shaped into dog bone test specimens by the injection molding process. The physical properties of pumice powders were investigated by particle size analysis and X-ray spectroscopy techniques. Mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, melt flow, and morphological behaviors of ABS/AP and ABS/BP composite filaments were proposed. According to test results, pumice addition led to an increase in the mechanical response of ABS up to a filling ratio of 10%. Further inclusion of pumice caused sharp reduction due to the possible agglomeration of pumice particles. Composites filled with AP yielded remarkably higher mechanical performance in terms of tensile, impact, and hardness strength compared with BP-loaded composites. According to thermal analyses, ABS exhibited higher thermal stability after incorporation of AP and BP. Pumice addition also resulted in raising the glass transition temperature of ABS. Melt flow index (MFI) findings revealed that addition of two types of pumice led to an opposite trend in the melt flow behavior of ABS filaments. Homogeneous dispersion of pumice particles into the ABS matrix when adding low amounts, as well as reduction in dispersion homogeneity with high amounts, of AP and BP was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs.Article Citation Count: 6Contribution of surface silanization process on mechanical characteristics of TPU-based composites involving feldspar and quartz minerals(Wiley, 2023) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Suha; Yilmaz, Volkan Murat; Tayfun, Umit; Tirkes, Seha; Chemical EngineeringIn this study, quartz and feldspar powders were surface treated using a silane coupling agent to achieve a more compatible mineral surface with the polymer matrix. Details of surface characteristics of minerals were examined by energy-dissipative X-ray spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and infrared spectroscopy. Thermoplastic polyurethane-TPU was compounded with minerals using the melt-blending technique. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, melt-flow, and morphological characterizations of TPU and relevant composites were performed by utilizing tensile and Shore hardness tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), melt flow index (MFI) measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Water repellency of TPU and composites were also evaluated experimentally. Effects of surface treatments were discussed by comparing the results of composites filled with pristine and modified minerals. Results revealed that enrichment of quartz and feldspar surfaces confer mechanical and thermo-mechanical performance of composites. Mineral inclusions caused no drastic changes to the MFI parameter of TPU. The silane layer on the mineral surface displayed a barrier effect to water uptake of composites. Homogeneous dispersion and improved interfacial adhesion of mineral particles to the TPU phase were confirmed with help of SEM observations. Quartz exhibited slightly higher performance thanks to its silica-rich composition. The findings of this research exhibited the considerable influence of the silane layer on the mineral surface on the mechanical performance of TPU-based composites.Article Citation Count: 18Design and synthesis of new 4,4′-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene based electrochromic polymers(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2013) Tirkeş, Seha; Ertan, Salih; Cihaner, Atilla; Ergun, Emine Gul Cansu; Cihaner, Atilla; Algi, Fatih; Chemical EngineeringDesign, synthesis, optical and electrochemical properties of two novel 4,4'-Difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) based donor-acceptor compounds, 1 and 2, are reported in order to elucidate the structure-property relationships in BODIPY based materials. Importantly, these compounds provide opportunity to be used as crosslinkers, since they have three electroactive donor sides. Furthermore, these compounds are polymerized successfully via electrochemical polymerization. The corresponding polymers (P1 and P2) are also characterized by using electrochemical and optical methods in monomer-free electrolyte solutions. It is found that both polymers P1 and P2 exhibit reversible oxidation peaks with half wave potentials of 0.70 V and 0.98 V vs. Ag/AgCl, respectively, and they have low optical band gaps (1.88 eV for P1 and 1.72 eV for P2). It is also noted that the polymers exhibit multielectrochromic properties upon doping: P1 can be switched from pink color in the neutral state to blue color in the oxidized state and P2 can be switched from transmissive pink color when neutralized to transmissive blue color when oxidized. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 12Development of barite-filled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites: Mechanical, thermal, melt-flow and morphological characterizations(Elsevier, 2021) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringBarite mineral (BRT) was compounded with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene terpolymer (ABS) with four varied filling ratio of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% by weight. ABS/BRT composites and unfilled ABS were fabricated by twin screw micro-extruder and test samples were shaped using injection molding process. Tensile tests, shore hardness measurements and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), melt-flow index (MFI) study and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization techniques were performed in order to investigate mechanical, thermo-mechanical, melt-flow and morphological performance of composites, respectively. Mechanical tests results showed that tensile strength and hardness of unfilled ABS were enhanced as BRT content increased. DMA study revealed that in addition to glass transition temperature, storage modulus of ABS raised by BRT inclusions. However, impact energy of ABS exhibited decreasing trend with the loading level of BRT. According to MFI measurements, BRT additions caused no significant change for MFI parameter of ABS regardless of concentration. It was confirmed by SEM microphotographs that the dispersion of BRT particles was found to be more homogeneous into ABS phase for their lower contents. The filling ratio of 10% BRT yield the highest performance among fabricated ABS based composites according to test results.Article Citation Count: 7Electrochemical copolymerization and characterization of dianilines linked by polyether bridge with aniline(Springer, 2010) Tirkeş, Seha; Onal, Ahmet M.; Chemical EngineeringCopolymer of aniline and triethylene glycol bis(o-aminophenyl) ether was synthesized by constant potential electrolysis. Cyclic voltammogram of the copolymer films recorded in the monomer-free electrolytic solution revealed that the redox behavior of the films approaches to that of poly(triethylene glycol bis(o-aminophenyl) ether) with increasing amount of triethylene glycol bis(o-aminophenyl) in the feed ratio. Copolymerization was investigated by in situ recording the changes in the electronic absorption spectrum during electrolysis. The free standing copolymer film was characterized utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and spectroelectrochemical behavior of the copolymer was investigated via in situ UV-vis spectroscopic technique. Besides the electron spin resonance study of the copolymer film, the different morphologies of the polymers were examined by scanning electron microscopy and the copolymerization was confirmed. The temperature dependence conductivity of the copolymer film was measured by four-probe technique in the temperature range of 100-300 K, and the calculated parameters showed that conduction mechanism fits to variable range hopping.Article Citation Count: 1Electrochemical polymerization and characterization of polyether-substituted aniline derivatives(Wiley, 2007) Tirkeş, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Oenal, Ahmet M.; Chemical EngineeringNew compounds consisting of aniline units linked by polyether bridges have been synthesized and their electrochemical polymerization was performed via constant potential electrolysis and cyclic voltammetry in an aqueous solution containing 3.0 moI L-1 H2SO4. Chemical polymerization was carried out using (NH4)(2)S2O8 as oxidizing agent. It was found that both methods gave the same polymer product without any cleavage of the polyether bridge between aniline rings. The polymers were characterized using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic technique and the thermal behavior of electrochemically prepared polymers was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Spectroelectrochemical properties of the films were investigated using the in situ UV-visible spectroscopic technique. (c) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.Article Citation Count: 13Electrochemical synthesis of new conjugated polymers based on carbazole and furan units(Elsevier Science Sa, 2015) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Onal, Ahmet M.; Chemical EngineeringIn this study, synthesis of four new monomers; 3,6-di(2-furyl)-9H-carbazole (M1), 3,6-di(2-furyl)-9-ethyl-carbazole (M2), 2,7-di(2-furyl)-9-H-carbazole (M3), 2,7-di(2-furyl)-9-(tridecan-7-yl)-9H-carbazole (M4), was achieved via Stifle cross-coupling reaction. The monomers were electrochemically polymerized, via repetitive cycling in acetonitrile-tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate electrolytic medium. Optical and electrochemical properties of the monomers and their corresponding polymers were investigated and it was found that optical properties show slight variations depending on the connectivity between the carbazole and furan moieties. However, all the monomers synthesized in this work exhibited an irreversible oxidation peak at around 1.0 V. Electrochemically obtained polymer films, on the other hand, exhibited quasi-reversible redox behavior due to doping/dedoping of the polymers which was accompanied by a reversible electrochromic behavior. Their band gap values (E-g) were elucidated utilizing spectroelectrochemical data and it was found that polymers obtained from 2,7-substituted carbazole derivatives have slightly lower band gap values. Furthermore, scanning electron micrographs were used for morphological examinations. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 13Electrosynthesis of polyfuran in acetonitrile-boron trifluoride-ethyl ether mixture and its device application(John Wiley & Sons inc, 2007) Tirkeş, Seha; Onal, Ahmet M.; Chemical EngineeringElectrochemical polymerization of furan was achieved in acetonitrile/boron trifluoride/ethyl ether (CH3 CN/BF3/EE) mixture in the presence of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate via constant potential electrolysis at 1.4 V versus Ag/AgCl. Electrochemical behavior of furan was investigated in the same solvent mixture of varying ratios, utilizing cyclic voltammetry. Free-standing polyfuran (PFu) films were obtained in CH3CN/BF3/EE mixture (2/4/4; v/v/v) and characterized using FTIR spectroscopic technique. Spectroelectrochemical behavior of the PFu film was investigated by recording the electronic absorption spectra, in sitn, in monomer-free solution. It is observed that PFu film can be reversibly cycled between -0.1 V (gray) and + 0.6 V versus Ag-wire (gray color); however, this behavior diminishes in the presence of water. Electrochromic device application of PFu film with poly(ethylene dioxythiophene) was also studied. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Conference Object Citation Count: 28Enhancement of mechanical, thermal and water uptake performance of TPU/jute fiber green composites via chemical treatments on fiber surface(Walter de Gruyter Gmbh, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Akar, Alinda Oyku; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringChopped jute fiber (JF) surfaces were modified using alkaline, silane and eco-grade epoxy resin. Surface characteristics of jute fibers were confirmed by FTIR and EDX analyses. JF filled polyurethane elastomer (TPU) composites were prepared via extrusion process. The effect of surface modifications of JF on mechanical, thermo-mechanical, melt-flow, water uptake and morphological properties of TPU-based eco-composites were investigated by tensile and hardness tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), melt flow index (MFI) test, water absorption measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, respectively. Mechanical test results showed that silane and epoxy treated JF additions led to increase in tensile strength, modulus and hardness of TPU. Glass transition temperature (T-g) of TPU rose up to higher values after JF inclusions regardless of treatment type. Si-JF filled TPU exhibited the lowest water absorption among composites. Surface treated JFs displayed homogeneous dispersion into TPU and their surface were covered by TPU according to SEM micro-photographs.Article Citation Count: 10Evaluation of flammability, thermal stability and mechanical behavior of expandable graphite-reinforced acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer(Springer, 2022) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringAcrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymer was loaded with expandable graphite (EG) at four different concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% using micro-compounder followed by injection molding process. Mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, flame retardancy, melt flow and morphological characterizations of composites were done by tensile, hardness and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), melt flow index (MFI) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. According to test results, tensile strength and storage modulus of ABS were improved with the increase in EG content. Storage modulus and glass transition temperature of ABS yielded enhancement with the inclusion of EG. However, percent elongation and impact strength values showed decreasing trend with EG additions. ABS/EG composites gave higher fire performance relative to ABS including enhancement in LOI and reduction in heat release rate. MFI test revealed that incorporation of EG with the lowest amount displayed no dramatic change for MFI value of neat ABS. EG flakes exhibited well-dispersion and exfoliated structure for all of the filling ratios as the SEM microimages of composites were examined. 15% and 20% EG containing ABS composites were remarked as the most suitable candidates among prepared composites. [GRAPHICS] .Article Citation Count: 11Hybrid nanocomposites of elastomeric polyurethane containing halloysite nanotubes and POSS nanoparticles: tensile, hardness, damping and abrasion performance(Cambridge Univ Press, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Akar, Alinda Oyku; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringThermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix was reinforced with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and halloysite nanotubes (HNT), both separately and combined. Composite samples were fabricated using a melt-compounding method. Characterization of the composites obtained was performed via tensile and hardness tests, melt-flow index measurements (MFI), abrasion tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the mechanical performance, flow behaviour, tribological characteristics, thermo-mechanical response and morphological properties. The greatest tensile strength value was obtained for the smallest HNT content. Further addition of HNT resulted in agglomerations for both POSS and HNT particles. The shore hardness of TPU was enhanced by filler inclusions. The TPU/POSS composites displayed significant improvement in terms of abrasion resistance compared to TPU at lower loading levels. The DMA study showed that composites containing 0.5% POSS and 1.0% HNT displayed the greatest storage modulus. The glass-transition temperature of TPU shifted to smaller values with the addition of both nanoparticles. The HNT inclusions increased the MFI value of TPU because of their large aspect ratio. Homogeneous mixing of nanoparticles in the TPU matrix was confirmed by a SEM study of the composites. Their dispersion decreased as the concentrations of POSS and HNT increased. An adjuvant effect of POSS with HNT was achieved in their hybrid composites.Article Citation Count: 9Influence of carbon nanotube inclusions to electrical, thermal, physical and mechanical behaviors of carbon-fiber-reinforced ABS composites(Springer Japan Kk, 2022) Tirkeş, Seha; Yildiz, Umit Hakan; Tirkes, Seha; Tayfun, Umit; Hacivelioglu, Ferda; Chemical EngineeringAcrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymer was compounded with short carbon fiber (CF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) using a micro-extruder followed by the injection molding process. Composite samples were fabricated with loading ratios of 20 wt.% CF and 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 wt.% of CNT. Mechanical, electrical, thermo-mechanical, thermal, melt-flow, and structural investigations of ABS-based composites were conducted by performing tensile, impact, hardness, and wear tests, conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), melt flow rate test (MFR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization techniques, respectively. According to mechanical test data of resultant composites including tensile and impact test findings, CNT additions led to the remarkable increase in tensile strength and impact resistance for CF reinforced ABS composites. The formation of synergy between CNT nanoparticles and CF was confirmed by electrical conduction results. The conductive path in ABS/CF composite system was achieved by the incorporation of CNT with different loading levels. SEM micrographs of composites proved that CNT nanoparticles exhibited homogeneous dispersion into ABS matrix for lower loadings. [GRAPHICS] .Article Citation Count: 26Mechanical, thermal, melt-flow and morphological characterizations of bentonite-filled ABS copolymer(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringPurpose This study aims to investigate the mechanical, thermal, melt-flow and morphological behavior of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)-based composites after bentonite inclusions. Melt mixing is the most preferred production method in industrial scale and basically it has very near processing parameters compared to 3D printing applications. Rheological parameters of ABS and its composites are important for 3D applications. Melt flow behavior of ABS effects the fabrication of 3D printed product at desired levels. Shear thinning and non-Newtonian viscosity characteristics of ABS make viscosity control easier and more flexible for several processing techniques including injection molding, compression molding and 3D printing. Design/methodology/approach ABS copolymer was reinforced with bentonite mineral (BNT) at four different loading ratios of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. ABS/BNT composites were fabricated by lab-scale micro-compounder followed by injection molding process. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, thermal, melt-flow and morphological properties of composites were investigated by tensile, hardness and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), melt flow index (MFI) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Findings Mechanical tests revealed that tensile strength, elongation and hardness of ABS were enhanced as BNT content increased. Glass transition temperature and storage modulus of ABS exhibited increasing trend with the additions of BNT. However, impact strength values dropped down with BNT inclusion. According to MFI test measurements, BNT incorporation displayed no significant change for MFI value of ABS. Homogeneous dispersion of BNT particles into ABS phase was deduced from SEM micrographs of composites. Loading ratio of 15% BNT was remarked as the most suitable candidate among fabricated ABS-based composites according to findings. Research limitations/implications The advanced mechanical properties and easy processing characteristics are the reasons for usage of ABS as an engineering plastic. Owing to the increase in its usage for 3D printing technology, the ABS became popular in recent years. The utilization of ABS in this technology is in filament form with various colors and dimensions. This is because of its proper rheological features. Practical implications Melt-mixing technique was used as preparation of composites, as this processing method is widely applied in industry. This method is also providing similar processing methodology with 3D printing technology. Originality/value According to the literature survey, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first research work regarding the melt-flow performance of ABS-based composites to evaluate their 3D printing applications and processability. ABS and BNT containing composites were characterized by tensile, impact and shore hardness tests, DMA, TGA), MFI test and SEM techniques.Article Citation Count: 28Mechanical, thermo-mechanical and morphological characterization of ABS based composites loaded with perlite mineral(Iop Publishing Ltd, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringAcrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer was filled with perlite mineral (PER) at four different loading level of 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 15%. ABS/PER composites were produced using lab-scale micro-compounder followed by injection molding process. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, melt-flow and morphological properties of composites were reported by tensile and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), melt flow index (MFI) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Mechanical characterizations revealed that tensile strength, elongation and Youngs? modulus of ABS were improved by PER inclusions. However, impact strength of ABS reduced with increase of PER concentration. Glass transition temperature of ABS displayed increasing trend for %5 concentration of PER. MFI test implied that PER addition caused slight decreasing for MFI value of unfilled ABS. Homogeneous dispersion of PER particles into ABS matrix for their lower loading level was obtained from SEM micrographs of composites. According to findings, 5% PER containing sample exhibited the best performance and it was remarked as the most suitable candidate among fabricated ABS based composites.Article Citation Count: 26A new electrochromic copolymer based on dithienylpyrrole and EDOT(Elsevier Science Bv, 2013) Tirkeş, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Tirkes, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Algi, Fatih; Chemical EngineeringA new compound, namely diethyl 2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate (1), was copolymerized with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) via electrochemical method. The copolymer exhibits multicolor electrochromic property: It is found that the copolymer, poly(1-co-EDOT), has a specific optical band gap (1.71 eV) to reflect and/or transmit reddish brown color in the neutral state, and it can be switched to reddish orange, orange, yellowish green and blue colors upon oxidation in a low switching time (1.0 s). Importantly, these colors are essential for camouflage and/or full color electrochromic device/display applications. In addition to these, the obtained copolymer has a coloration efficiency of 173 cm(2)/C at 500 nm. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 29A new low-voltage-driven polymeric electrochromic(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2010) Tirkeş, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Cihaner, Atilla; Algi, Fatih; Chemical EngineeringDesign, synthesis, and properties of a novel donor-acceptor-donor type low-voltage-driven green polymeric electrochrome, P1, which is based on 8-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-11-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][l,4]dioxin-7-yl)acenaphtho[1,2-b]quinoxaline (1) are highlighted. It is noted that P1 has an ambipolar (n- and p-doping processes) character in 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate/dichloromethame solution and switches to a transmissive blue state upon oxidation. Furthermore, this new polymeric electrochromic candidate exhibits high redox stability, high coloration efficiency and/or contrast ratio, high percent transmittance (%T) and low response time (1.0 s) with a band gap of 1.10 eV-1.25 eV. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 24A new processable and fluorescent polydithienylpyrrole electrochrome with pyrene appendages(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2013) Tirkeş, Seha; Cihaner, Atilla; Oztas, Zahide; Algi, Melek Pamuk; Algi, Fatih; Cihaner, Atilla; Chemical EngineeringA new hybrid compound, namely 1-(pyren-3-yl)-2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrole (SNS-P), was polymerized via both chemical and electrochemical methods. Chemically obtained soluble polydithienylpyrrole (c-PSNS-P) bearing pyrene appendages is a homogeneous and uniform polymer with a number averaged molecular weight of 15,200 g/mol. The polymer exhibits both multi-electrochromic and fluorescent properties. Upon oxidation, the color of electrochemically obtained polymer (e-PSNS-P) changes from yellowish orange to greenish yellow and to green/blue and finally to blue. In addition, the polymer induces yellowish orange (564 nm) and bright orange emission (613 nm) in solution and solid states, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 12Physical and mechanical performance of bentonite and barite loaded low density polyethylene composites: Influence of surface silanization of minerals(Sage Publications Ltd, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Hacioglu, Firat; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringIn this study, two kinds of mineral fillers, bentonite (BNT) and barite (BRT), were incorporated into low density polyethylene (LDPE) by extrusion process. Silane treatment was applied to BRT and BNT surfaces in order to increase their compatibility with LDPE matrix. Surface characteristics of fillers were examined by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). LDPE-based composites were prepared at a constant concentration of 10%wt for each additives. Test samples were shaped by injection molding process. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, water repellency, melt-flow and morphological characterizations of LDPE and its composites were performed by tensile and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), water absorption test, melt flow index (MFI) measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique, respectively. Test results showed that surface treatments led to increase for final properties of composites since they promoted to stronger adhesion between minerals and LDPE matrix compared to untreated ones. Tensile and impact strength values, storage modulus and glass transition temperature of LDPE were improved by inclusion of silane treated minerals. BRT and BNT additions caused no remarkable changes with regard to MFI of LDPE. Additionally, silane modified mineral filled composites exhibited remarkable water resistance behavior. According to SEM analysis of composites, silane treated BNT and BRT containing samples displayed homogeneous dispersions into LDPE phase whereas debondings were observed for untreated BNT and BRT filled composites due to their weak adhesion to polymer matrix.Article Citation Count: 44Production and characterization of poly (lactic acid)-based biocomposites filled with basalt fiber and flax fiber hybrid(Sage Publications Ltd, 2020) Tirkeş, Seha; Tirkes, Seha; Akar, Alinda Oyku; Tayfun, Umit; Chemical EngineeringPoly (lactic acid) (PLA)-based biocomposites containing flax fiber (FF) and basalt fiber (BF) both separately and together were prepared by melt blending method at the total constant ratio of 30 wt%. Mechanical properties, thermo-mechanical characteristics, thermal stability, flow behaviors, water uptake, and morphology of composites were investigated by tensile, hardness and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermal gravimetric analysis, melt flow index (MFI) test, water absorption, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Mechanical test results show that tensile strength, elongation, elastic modulus, and impact strength are extended up to higher values with increase in BF content in hybrid composites. Conversely, the presence of FF displays a negative effect in which these values drop down drastically as the FF concentration increases. On the other hand, slightly higher hardness values are obtained by the addition of FF at higher loadings. DMA analysis reveals that BF inclusion leads glass transition temperature of PLA to one point higher, but hybrid and FF containing composites shift that temperature to lower values. Storage moduli of composites are enhanced with the increase in BF concentration and remarkable decreases are observed for FF-filled composites. Hybrid composites exhibit average MFI values between PLA/FF and PLA/BF composites.