Conductivity fiber size effect

Peripheral nerve functions are not affected equally by local anesthetics. Loss of sympathetic function usually is followed by loss of temperature sensation sensation to pinprick, touch, and deep pressure and last, motor function. This phenomenon is called differential blockade. Differential blockade is the result of a number of factors, including the size of the nerve, the presence and amount of myelin, and the location of particular fibers within a nerve bundle. For conduction to be effectively blocked, the local anesthetic must exert its effects over the distance between several nodes of Ranvier. Since the smallest nerves (C fibers) have no myelin, they can be most easily blocked thus, sympathetic functions often are blocked soon after a local anesthetic is applied to a particular nerve bundle. Small myelinated nerves have correspondingly short distances between nodes of Ranvier and therefore are often blocked next. These nerves subserve temperature and sharp pain sensation. Larger nerves then become blocked, accounting for the loss of function up to and including motor innervation. 

In Fig. 15, it is seen that the sheet made of cotton linters is more conductive than the other sheets. The sheet made with "Seagull W" hardwood pulp is the least conductive while the three other pulps have intermediate conductivity values. This behaviour seems to be related to the size of the different types of fibers used to make the sheets. As mentioned previously, hardwood fibers are shorter than softwood fibers, and consequently, there are more interfiber contacts in the sheets made of hardwood fiber. The surface area of a contact is very important to the conductivity. There may be a constrictive effect due to smaller surface at these contacts which results in a restricted flow of ions through the paper, and therefore a lower conductivity. Cotton linters are chemically different and longer than wood fibers and the sheet made of these fibers is more conductive. The difference between the three softwood pulps is probably related to a different chemical composition of its fibers. 

K. Effective thermal conductivities as high as 20W/mK are theoretically attainable for classic metal hydrides combined with 10% volumetric fraction of ENG fibers assuming 100% fiber aligmnent with the direction of heat transfer. Experimentally, composite thermal conductivities as high as lOW/ mK were measured with mass fractions as low as 5% although these results were obtained with very small sample sizes and presented with significant measurement scatter [19]. The measurement of larger composite samples may result in somewhat lower thermal conductivities (as much as half) due to randomization of the ENG fiber orientation. 

Examples of inert or extender fillers include china clay (kaolin), talc, and calcium carbonate. Calcinm carbonate is an important filler, with a particle size of about 1 pm. It is a natural product from sedimentary rocks and is separated into chalk, limestone, and marble. In some cases, the calcium carbonate may be treated to improve interaction with the thermoplastic. Glass spheres are also used as thermoplastic fillers. They may be either solid or hollow, depending on the particular application. Talc is a filler with a lamellar particle shape. It is a namral, hydrated magnesium silicate with good slip properties. Kaolin and mica are also natural materials with lamellar structures. Other fillers include woUastonite, silica, barium sulfate, and metal powders. Carbon black is used as a filler primarily in the rnbber industry, but it also finds application in thermoplastics for conductivity, for UV protection, and as a pigment. Fillers in fiber form are often used in thermoplastics. Types of fibers inclnde cotton, wood flour, fiberglass, and carbon. Table 1.3 shows the fillers and their forms. An overview of some typical fillers and their effect on properties is shown in Table 1.4. Considerable research interest exists for the incorporation of nanoscale fillers into polymers. This aspect will be discussed in later chapters. 

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