Bulk components, mechanical properties

Fibrous protein structure investigations applying X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy were reviewed by Blakely (31). Keratin fibers are made of three main structural components the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla. The medulla is only present in coarse fibers. The cortex forms the bulk of the fiber. Various morphological models have been proposed to explain the mechanical properties of keratin fibers. It is generally agreed that the cortex consists of fibrils in which protein molecules exist in helical and nonhelical regions. 

The mechanical properties of a linear, isotropic material can be specified by a bulk modulus, K, and a shear modulus, G. For an ideal elastic solid, these moduli are real-valued. For real solids undergoing sinusoidal deformation, these are best represented as complex quantities [49] K = K jA and G = G -I- jG". The real parts of K and G represent the component of stress in-phase with strain, giving rise to energy storage in the film (consequently K and G are referred to as storage moduli) the imaginary parts represent the component of stress 90° out of phase with strain, giving rise to power dissipation in the film (thus, K" and G" are called loss moduli). 

Equations 11.8 and 11.9 are isomorphous to equations 9.9 and 9.10 which define the storage and loss components of the complex dielectric constant . Similar equations are also used to define the complex bulk modulus B, the complex shear modulus G, and the complex Poisson s ratio v, in terms of their elastic and viscous components. The physical mechanism giving rise to the viscous portion of the mechanical properties is often called "damping" or "internal friction". It has important implications for the performance of materials [8-15],... 

Optical KLenents. Problems which are common to many solar-related optical elements Include dirt retention, cleaning, surface abrasion, and photodegradation. A common feature of some of these problems Is that the deleterious effects occur at an Interface. Ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric components, mechanical stress, etc., can have a profound effect on performance by changing surface characteristics. The lifetimes of UV stabilizers can be limited by exudation permeability can cause harmful reactions at Interfaces and mechanical properties can be Influenced by surface crazing. In other applications mechanical behavior of the bulk polymer Is critical and virtually all applications require that the polymer system withstand multiple environmental stresses simultaneously. 

A wide variety of additives is used with both TS and TP resins to adjust the handling, processing, property, and/or simply to add bulk and reduce cost without impairing the properties of RPs. Cost-reduction is not always the end-result. Apart fi om reinforcement, additives for these resins are generally in the form of particles or liquids, or combinations of the two, such as pastes (Chapters 3 and 4). Generally, the particles influence the mechanical properties, while the liquids are reactant components. Colorants can take the form of powders, pastes or liquids. In addition to what follows in this section more follows in his chapter and throughout this book. 

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