The effect of nanosilica (SiO₂) and nanoalumina (Al₂O₃) reinforced polyester nanocomposites on aerosol nanoparticle emissions into the environment during automated drilling

Figures & data

Figure 1. Design of drilling setup within enclosed test chamber with cycled airflow to allow for a clean environment removing any background interference.

Figure 2. Post completion of mechanical drilling process on a pristine polyester sample.

Figure 3. Particle number concentration averages of polyester-based nanocomposites recorded using the CPC.

Figure 4. Average particle number concentration of 2 wt. % Al₂O₃ and 5 wt. % Al₂O₃ reinforced polyester nanocomposites recorded on CPC.

Figure 5. Average particle number concentration of 2 wt. % SiO₂ and 5 wt. % SiO₂ reinforced polyester nanocomposites as recorded on CPC.

Table 1. Inferential statistical representation of the particle number concentrations introduced at the peaks due to the drilling. Lower and upper limits represent the values of a 90% confidence interval on a sampling t-distribution.

Sample	Mean: [#/cm^3]	Deviation: [#/cm^3]	Minimum [#/cm^3]	Maximum [#/cm^3]	5% Lower limit of confidence interval [#/cm^3]	95% upper limit of confidence interval [#/cm^3]
PE	3.97 × 10^6	2.54 × 10^6	1.19 × 10^6	8.88 × 10^6	2.70 × 10^6	5.24 × 10^6
PE/ Al2O3 2%	6.35 × 10^6	2.16 × 10^6	2.78 × 10^6	9.66 × 10^6	5.26 × 10^6	7.43 × 10^6
PE/ Al2O3 5%	8.52 × 10^6	1.03 × 10^6	7.27 × 10^6	9.99 × 10^6	8.00 × 10^6	9.03 × 10^6
PE/ SiO2 2%	8.15 × 10^6	1.21 × 10^6	6.45 × 10^6	9.99 × 10^6	7.55 × 10^6	8.76 × 10^6
PE/ SiO2 5%	2.97 × 10^6	2.91 × 10^6	5.61 × 10^6	9.61 × 10^6	1.51 × 10^6	4.42 × 10^6

Figure 6. Average particle size distribution measure using SMPS of polyester-based nanocomposites.

Figure 7. Average particle size distributions collected on SMPS of 2 wt. % Al₂O₃ and 5 wt. % Al₂O₃ reinforced polyester nanocomposite samples.

Figure 8. Average particle size distributions collected on SMPS of 2 wt. % SiO₂ and 5 wt. % SiO₂ reinforced polyester nanocomposite samples.