Engineered polymer matrix composite materials with designer electrical properties are important for a myriad of engineering applications including flexible electronics, electromagnetic shielding, and materials with embedded electrical wiring. However, existing fabrication methods are limited by material choice and dimensional scalability. We use the acoustic radiation force associated with a standing

This study investigates the synthesis and application of boron nitride quantum dot (BNQD) covalently bonded reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid materials as a novel electrode material for supercapacitors. Because of the p-doping as well as the enhanced hydrophilicity and interfacial bonding force enabled by the hybridization of amine-functionalized boron nitride quantum dot (A-BNQD) with rGO via the

In this paper, properties of glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymers (GFRTP) were evaluated using recycled polyester (rPET) for injection molding bicycle frame. The effect on thermal and mechanical properties of rPET reinforced glass chop fiber according to fiber cross section and fiber content ratio were studied. The crystallization temperature of glass fiber (GF)/rPET, a glass fiber added thermoplastic

This paper aims to present an experimental investigation on the behavior of web-flange junctions (WFJs) rotational stiffness of pultruded fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRP). Channels and I-sections were tested using a simple set-up, which was developed in order to experimentally characterize the junctions in a direct manner. The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique was used, allowing overall

Cold spray is a promising solid-state additive manufacturing process for the fabrication of metal matrix composites in the forms of coatings, and more recently, bulk materials, particularly when deposition of two phases is needed with minimal alterations of the chemistry and phase composition. While prior studies have reported improved mechanical performance in cold sprayed composites, a fundamental

In the present research, the self-heating phenomenon in laminated composites under fatigue loading was studied. The generated-dissipated energy (GDE) model was developed to calculate the generated energy due to the viscoelastic nature of the matrix, and the dissipated energy through the convection and conduction mechanisms. To consider the effects of irreversible fatigue failure modes in laminated

The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanical behavior of a soft matrix reinforced by a single family of parallel fibers subjected to simple shear. Specimens with fibers oriented at −45° with respect to the applied shear load were tested. The shear and normal stress components as well as the amount of shear were simultaneously measured. Due to the initial orientation, fibers were subjected

Scaffold degradation regulation has become the key aspects in promoting bone regeneration and reconstruction. In the study, a novel stepwise-degraded PLGA/PCL/HA:Yb/Ho/Zn (PPHZ) scaffold was designed to compare with the fast-degradable PLGA/HA:Yb/Ho/Zn (PLHZ) scaffold to investigate the effects of scaffold degradation regulation on osteogenesis and to trace the scaffold degradation process. Micro-CT

The additive manufacturing research confides in developing three-dimensional (3D) printing routes for the fabrication of devices with multifunctional materials in various interesting application areas such as self-healing, energy conversion/storage/harvesting, and sensing platforms. This paper reports the design optimization, fabrication, and characterization of a multi-axis pressure sensor with temperature

We used supersonic aerosol deposition to fabricate transparent flexible thin “glass” films, comprising SiO2 and ZnO, with antibacterial, superhydrophilic, and anti-fog properties. A polystyrene solution, which was supersonically sprayed onto the glass film to augment the superhydrophobicity, endowed the film with self-cleaning and anti-frost characteristics. The glass films have a thickness of 2–2

For this study, a series of isoprenol ether (IPEG) based PCE superplasticizers with specially designed molecular architectures (molecular weight, side chain length, anionicity) was successfully synthesized. All synthesized PCEs exhibited high macromonomer conversion rates as well as relatively low PDIs indicating high quality. Dispersing efficiency of the synthesized IPEG PCEs was captured via spread

The large-scale synthesis of catalysts with promising performance and durability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is essential to the industrialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Pt-based alloys prepared using the co-doping strategy have shown great promise. Herein, we report a co-doping tactic for producing high-performance Pt–Cu–Co ternary alloy catalysts on a mass scale

A hybrid model of nonlinear homogenisation of anisotropic composites was developed, based on the secant Eshelby's model of the second order. At first a scaling factor was determined between constrained strains of matrices of finite and infinite dimensions for an isotropic composite. The scaling factor was then used to calculate the constrained strain of the matrix and the macrostress of the anisotropic

Epoxy, which exhibits tunable mechanical properties, has been investigated to overcome its inherent brittleness and extend its application range. Herein, various epoxy composites, including a toughened polymer, elastomer, and pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), with tunable mechanical properties were prepared by adjusting the ratio of a rigid aromatic epoxy and flexible aliphatic epoxy. A flexible aliphatic

The emergence of drug-resistant bacterial strains has challenged the use of traditional antibiotic therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel antibacterial materials or methods to effectively eradicate bacteria. Herein, we demonstrated a novel antibacterial system consisting of cupric oxide nanoparticles combined with ascorbic acid (CuO NPs/AA), which could act as a potent nanoantibiotic

Lightweight aluminum matrix composites with excellent mechanical and thermal properties are urgently required in applications of aerospace, electronics and military industries owning dimensional stability and long-life span. Antiperovskite manganese nitrides can be regarded as ideal reinforcements due to their high mechanical properties, low negative thermal expansion and wide temperature ranges. In

Transportation agencies regularly seek innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly approaches to help manage winter maintenance operations during snow and ice events. The use of an electrically-conductive concrete (ECON) heated pavement system (HPS) is a smart and promising alternative to conventional snow and ice removal methods using de-icing chemicals and snow-removal equipment. ECON

This article deals with the development of a new intralaminar interface in order to extend the semi-continuous strategy already developed by the authors for impacts on thin composite laminates to thicker ones. Based on medium experimental observations scale, the new interface introduced aims at capturing transverse resin cracks occurring between fibre bundles of a unidirectional ply. The new element

Designing multifunctional medical adhesives with strong adhesiveness under water is of great significance to achieve desirable therapeutic effects for promoting wound healing. However, its design is still challenging since most of existing hydrogel adhesive cannot work in wet environments. Here we proposed a tissue adhesive made from a combination of hydrogel matrix and nanocrystal fillers. The adhesion

It is a great challenge to develop a feasible strategy for reconciling barrier performance and mechanical ductility of environmentally friendly poly(lactic acid) (PLA) in the application of packaging industry. In the current study, the combination of manipulating the amorphous chain entanglement network of PLA and constructing “dual barrier walls” of highly aligned GONSs and well-defined PLA crystals

The simultaneous achievement of ultrafast water vapor transport and evaporation, robust mechanical properties, rapid heat dissipation, and excellent antibacterial activity is still highly challenging for advanced bio-based degradable textile composites. Herein, multifunctional biodegradable composite fibers were designed via converting the cellulose powder into solvent-free spherical cellulose crystal

This work examines the influence of a kerosene flame on the residual mechanical tensile properties of composite laminates manufactured by thermo-consolidation process from unidirectional (UD) carbon fibers and a Polyether Ketone Ketone (PEKK) thermoplastic. Considering laminates with two stacking sequences (orthotropic or quasi-isotropic - QI), the influence of a kerosene flame exposure (116 kW/m2

This research investigates the fire resistance of novel geopolymer (GP) foams, based on alkali-activated metakaolin and silica fume (SF). Fresh GP foams are applied as coatings on steel plates. After one week curing, the foams are subjected to a flame burn-through test. Changes in their physico-chemical properties are characterized before and after fire test, mainly with XRD, quantitative MAS NMR,

Past commercial and clinical research on wound dressings generally only focused on their therapeutic activities, however, how to make products environmentally friendly with reduced production of hazardous waste while ensuring product functionality is becoming a crucial and burning issue in the manufacturing industry. To address this problem, we developed a natural, degradable and environmentally friendly

Nose-shaped ZrC-C composites with gradient pore structure (ZrC-CGS) were successfully prepared by isothermal chemical vapor infiltration using ZrC skeleton as preform. Pyrolytic carbon with medium texture was deposited around ZrC skeleton. From the top to back, the porosity of the ZrC-CGS composites increased gradually from 0% to 62.9%. Compared with the ZrC-C composites with dense structure (ZrC-CDS)

This study aimed to improve the interfacial bond and tensile performance of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) containing steel fibers by modifying the fiber surface using an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) electrolyte solution, cold gas plasma, and nanosilica (SiO2) coating. The test results indicate that the surface roughness of the steel fiber significantly increased because of the chelate

Recycled carbon fiber has historically proven challenging to integrate into composite manufacturing due in no small part to the low-density, randomly oriented, discontinuous fiber format that results from typical recycling. Discontinuous fiber requires the use of alternative technologies than those traditionally applied to continuous fiber (e.g., hand lay-up, winding). Extrusion compounding is one

Composite deployable structures are becoming increasingly important for the space industry, emerging as an alternative to conventional metallic mechanical systems in space applications. In most cases, the life-cycle of these structures includes a single deployment sequence, once the spacecraft is in orbit. So long as reliability is ensured, this fact opens the possibility of using the materials past

The ballistic performance of a bi-layer armor encapsulated with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite laminate was investigated using a combined experimental and numerical approach. Three series of test specimens were examined: (A) bare and encapsulated aluminum (Al) plates, (B) bare and encapsulated bi-layer mosaic armors, and (C) bi-layer mosaic armors having identical areal

The investigation of renewable and recyclable materials becomes more critical every day due to the high levels of waste and carbon emissions and their impact on the environment. The use of eco-friendly materials, such as natural fibers and bioplastics, is increasingly important, and their use is always more popular. The aim of this research is to evaluate the changes in properties of composite materials

Fiber-reinforced composites are increasingly used as an outer shell of sporting helmets as an alternative to conventional thermoplastic shells like Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polyurethane (PU), and polycarbonate (PC) for improved protection. The current research presents a detailed study to manufacture novel woven carbon/Elium® (WEL) thermoplastic composite helmets and investigate the details