Using polymer materials to fabricate microfluidic devices provides simple, cost effective, and disposal advantages for both lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices and micro total analysis systems (μTAS). Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer and thermoplastics are the two major polymer materials used in microfluidics. The fabrication of PDMS and thermoplastic microfluidic device can be categorized as fron...

Random copolymers of epsilon-caprolactone and 2-oxo-12-crown-4 ether, poly(CL-co-OC), were used as soft segments in the synthesis of a set of poly(urethane)urea thermoplastic elastomers. With increasing OC content, the soft segment crystallinity decreased, which influenced the mechanical properties: strain induced crystallization disappeared upon the introduction of OC into poly(CL). The materi...

Thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) combines the high elasticity of elastomers and excellent processability of thermoplastics. Novel bio-based TPV based on poly (lactide) (PLA) and poly (1,4-butanediol/2,3-butanediol/succinate/itaconic acid) (PBBSI) were prepared in this research. PBBSI copolyesters were synthesized by melting polycondensation, and the molecular weights, chemical structures and com...

Thermoplastic elastomer/carbon nanotube composites are studied for sensor applications due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. Piezoresisitive properties of tri-block copolymer styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)/ carbon nanotubes (CNT) prepared by solution casting have been investigated. Young modulus of the SBS/CNT composites increases with the amount of CNT filler content pr...

Styrene and polystyrene are two important organic compounds with a wide range of applications. The key difference between styrene and polystyrene is that it is the polymerization of styrene that forms polystyrene, a synthetic thermoplastic elastomer. Styrene is chemically called vinyl benzene and is among one of the oldest known vinyl compounds in the world. This aromaticcompound was first isol...

The I-gel airway is a novel supraglottic airway that uses an anatomically designed mask made of a gel-like thermoplastic elastomer. We studied the positioning and mechanics of this new device in 65 non-embalmed cadavers with 73 endoscopies (eight had repeat insertion), 16 neck dissections, and six neck radiographs. A full view of the glottis (percentage of glottic opening score 100%) occurred i...

A soft condensed matter sensor (SCMS) designed to measure strains on the human body is presented. The hybrid material based on carbon black (CB) and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) was bonded to a textile elastic band and used as a sensor on the human wrist to measure hand motion by detecting the movement of tendons in the wrist. Additionally it was able to track the blood pulse wave of a perso...

Thermoplastic elastomer of PA6/NBR reinforced by various nanoparticles have wide application in many industries. The properties of these materials depend on PA6, NBR, and nanoparticle amount and characteristics. In this study, the simultaneous effect of NBR and graphene nanoparticle content on mechanical, thermal properties, and morphology of PA6/NBR/Graphene nanocomposites investigated by Cent...