Polypropylene blended with natural oil and pigment additives has been studied. Different formulations for each compound were made into polybag used for cultivation of oil palm seedlings for strength and mechanical properties studies. One group of sample was exposed under normal sunlight to initiate degradation and another group of sample was placed under shaded area for five months. All samples...

We present an experimental investigation of the effects of surface passivation, film thickness and grain size on the plastic behavior of freestanding Cu thin films. The stress–strain curves of the films are measured using the plane–strain bulge test. Films with a passivation layer on one or both surfaces have an offset yield stress that increases significantly with decreasing film thickness; th...

Soft, conformable electrical contacts provide efficient, noninvasive probes for the transport properties of chemically and mechanically fragile, ultrathin organic semiconducting films. When combined with high-resolution printing and lamination techniques, these soft contacts also form the basis of a powerful technique for fabricating flexible plastic circuits. In this approach, a thin elastomer...

Novel Processes for Poly-Si Thin-Film Transistors on Plastic Substrates

Delamination of prestressed thin films on thick substrates is analysed accounting for plastic dissipation in either the substrate or film. Emphasis is on large scale yielding wherein the height of the plastic zone at the propagating interface crack tip is comparable to the film thickness. Such conditions are common for both metal and polymer thin films on elastic substrates or for ceramic coati...

The use of plastic materials in agriculture causes serious hazards to the environment. The introduction of biodegradable materials, which can be disposed directly into the soil can be one possible solution to this problem. In the present research results of experimental tests carried out on biodegradable film fabricated from natural waste (corn husk) are presented. The film was characterized by...

Mulching and nitrogen are critical drivers of crop production for smallholders of the Loess Plateau in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mulching and nitrogen fertilizer on the soil water content, soil nitrate-N content and vertical distribution in maize root-zone. The experiment was conducted over two consecutive years and used randomly assigned field plots with...

This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of nano- and microscopic materials that can thermal radiation insulation without reducing visible light transmittance, thereby heat loss conserving energy in greenhouses. We also reviewed the radial properties greenhouse covering materials. Fillers, colorants, reinforcers, additives, as well glass, plastic film, sheet materials, were discusse...

We developed three types of covers that are easily fabricated from plastic screen locally manufactured in Thailand. The covers were designed to permit normal use of water jars for drinking, utility water uses, and water storage. Tests of the covers in the laboratory and field demonstrated that they could completely prevent successful development of Aedes aegypti (L.) in water jars. Initial expe...

Microplates with integrated optical oxygen sensors are a new tool to study metabolic rates and enzyme activities. Precise measurements are possible only if oxygen exchange between the sample and the environment is known. In this study we quantify gas exchange in plastic microplates. Dissolved oxygen was detected using either an oxygen-sensitive film fixed at the bottom of each well or a needle-...