Performances of fluoropolymers related to membranes manufacturing for different purposes are reviewed in the present article. In particular the main physical, mechanical and chemical properties of PVDF, ECTFE and PFSA ionomers are described in their specific applications. The excellent chemical resistance and suitable electrochemical properties make fluoropolymers an especially good choice in membranes manufacturing.

Our previous research has identified granulin (grn) and p130 genes as sex steroidinducible genes in the rat hypothalamus, which might be involved in sexual differentiation of the brain. Phthalate esters that are used as plasticizers and also found at low levels in foods such as dairy products are often mentioned as suspected endocrine disrupters. The purpose of the present study is to elucidate whether perinatal exposure to dinbutyl phthalate (DBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and di2ethylhexyl adipate (DEHA) affects hypothalamic sex steroidinducible genes. The present study assessed the effects of perinatal exposure to DBP, DINP and DEHA on sex steroid hormones levels and hypothalamic grn and p130 mRNA expressions at postnatal day (PND) 3 and 7. Pregnant rats were fed a soyfree diet containing 20, 200, 2,000 and 10,000 ppm of DBP, 40, 400, 4,000 and 20,000 ppm of DINP, or 480, 2,400 and 12,000 ppm of DEHA from gestational day (GD) 15 to GD 3 or 7. At PND 3 and 7, perinatal exposure to these chemicals did not substantially affect serum concentrations of testosterone and estradiol. At PND 3, the expression of grn mRNA levels in males was decreased by DEHA, and that of p130 was decreased by DBP, DINP and DEHA, though the effects were not dosedependent. At PND 7, the expression of grn gene in female pups was increased by higher doses of DBP and all the doses, except for 4,000 ppm, of DINP, while that in male pups decreased by 480 and 12,000 ppm of DEHA. Hypothalamic expression of p130 mRNA in males was increased by lower doses of DBP and all the doses of DINP, whereas that of females was decreased by 480 and 2,400 ppm of DEHA. These results suggest that these chemicals may affect the expression of grn and p130 genes by directly acting on the hypothalamus, thus leading to inappropriate expression of these genes.

The present paper is a parameter study of zinc flake production using a Simoloyer CM01 horizontal high energy rotary ball mill. The manufactured flakes have a dimension in thickness (t) < 1μm and diameters (d) 5-100 μm, consequently a ratio d/t up to 200. The flake geometry is mainly controlled by the variation of process parameters such as rotary speed of the rotor, ratio of powder/ball charge, load ratio of the system, process temperature, operating model and the quantity of process control agent (PCA). The Zn flakes were characterized by SEM, tap densitometry, laser diffraction and water coverage measurement.