The processing–structure–property relationship using poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is explored. Specifically, both pre‐extension and preshear of amorphous PLA and PET above their glass transition temperatures Tg, carried out in the affine deformation limit, can induce a specific type of cold crystallization during annealing, i.e., nanoconfined crystallization (NCC) where crystal sizes are limited to a nanoscopic scale in all dimensions so as to render the processed PLA and PET optically transparent. The new polymer structure after premelt deformation can show considerably enhanced mechanical properties. For example, premelt stretching produces geometric condensation of the chain network. This structural alternation can profoundly change the mechanical characteristics, e.g., turning brittle PLA ductile. In contrast, after preshear of amorphous PLA above Tg, the NCC containing PLA remains brittle, showing the importance to have geometric condensation from processing. Both AFM imaging and SAXS measurements are performed to verify that premelt deformation of PLA and PET indeed results in NCC from annealing that permits the strain‐induced cold crystallization to take place on the length scale of the mesh size of the deformed chain network.

Zinc (Zn) in stormwater runoff have been found to be highly toxic to aquatic ecosystems. A pilot program was evaluated for the removal of Zn levels from stormwater runoff at a west coast airport facility showing high levels of Zn runoff in the stormwater drainage. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program by reviewing three aspects of the stormwater runoff: 1) water sampling from influent and effluent roof runoff; 2) whether Zn particles were absorbed into the oyster shell fragments; and 3) whether Zn particles were attached to fragmented oyster shells and/or compost materials. The use of fragmented oyster shells mixed into compost and sand served as a medium for the remediation of Zn from stormwater runoff from unpainted galvanized hangar roofing. Influent and effluent water samples determined the effectiveness of an oyster medium in the removal of Zn levels. Data obtained from the influent water samples showed excessive amounts of Zn particles in stormwater, whereas the effluent levels showed a capture rate of > 99% of Zn from the stormwater system. No signs of Zn particles were found inside the fragmented oyster shells, nor were there an abundant amount of Zn particles found in the other medium.