Stress wave propagation in adhesively bonded functionally graded cylinders: an improved model

This study presents an improved mathematical model to analyse the stress wave propagation in adhesively bonded functionally graded (FG) circular cylinders (butt joint) under an axial impulsive load. The volume fractions of the material constituents in the upper and lower cylinders were functionally tailored through the thickness of each cylinder using a power-law. The effective material properties of both cylinders, which are made of aluminum (Al) and silicon carbide (SiC), at any point were predicted by using the Mori–Tanaka homogenization scheme. In this improved model, the governing equations of the wave propagation include the spatial derivatives of local mechanical properties and were discretized by means of the finite difference method. The influence of these spatial derivatives and the compositional gradient exponent on the displacement and stress distributions of the joint was investigated. The material composition variations of both cylinders affected the displacement and stress fields whereas the compositional gradient exponent had a minor effect. The stress concentrations were alleviated in time, the displacement and stress distributions/variations around/along the upper and lower cylinder-adhesive interfaces were significantly affected by the adhesive layer. The spatial derivatives also affected the temporal histories of the displacement and stress components evaluated at the selected critical points of the upper cylinder, adhesive layer and lower cylinder. The consideration of the spatial local material derivatives provided a more accurate mathematical model of wave propagations through the graded layered structures.     

Review of electrospun hydrogel nanofiber system: Synthesis,Properties and Applications

Hydrogel-based nanofibers or vice versa are a relatively new class of nanomaterials, in which hydrogels are structured in nanofibrous form. Structure and size of the material directly governs its functionality, therefore, in hydrogel science, the nanofibrous form of hydrogels enables its usage in targeted applications. Hydrogel nanofiber system combines the desirable properties of both hydrogel and nanofiber like flexibility, soft consistency, elasticity, and biocompatibility due to high water content, large surface area to volume ratio, low density, small pore size and interconnected pores, high stiffness, tensile strength, and surface functionality. Swelling behavior is a critical property of hydrogels that is significantly increased in hydrogel nanofibers due to their small size. Electrospinning is the most popular method to fabricate “hydrogel nanofibers,” while other processes like self-assembly, solution blowing and template synthesis also exist. Merging the characteristics of both hydrogels and nanofibers in one system allows applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, actuation, wound dressing, photoluminescence, light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS), waterproof breathable membranes, and enzymatic immobilization. Treatment of wastewater, detection, and adsorption of metal ions are also emerging applications. In this review paper, we intend to summarize in detail about electrospun “hydrogel nanofiber” in relation to its synthesis, properties, and applications.     

Study on ice-melting performance of gradient gas diffusion layer in proton exchange membrane fuel cell

In this study, a three-dimensional model was established using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to study the internal ice melting process of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The single-point second-order curved boundary condition was adopted. The effects of GDL carbon fiber number, growth slope of the number of carbon fibers and carbon fiber diameter on ice melting were studied. The results were revealed that the temperature in the middle and lower part of the gradient distribution GDL is significantly higher than that of the no-gradient GDL. With the increase of the growth slope of the number of carbon fiber, the temperature and melting rate gradually increase, and the position of the solid-liquid interface gradually decreases. The decrease in the number of carbon fibers has a similar effect as the increase in the growth slope of the number of carbon fibers. In addition, as the diameter of the carbon fiber increases, the position of the solid-liquid interface gradually decreases first and then increases.     

A practical development of engineering simulation-assisted educational AR environments

Engineering simulations have opened several gates for today’s chemical engineers. They are powerful tools to provide technical content as physics-based numerical solvers. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), on the other hand, are already underway to digitize environments in many fields. The combination of AR/VR environments and simulations in engineering education has been attracting widespread interest. Literature has demonstrated a massive amount of digital educational environments in several contexts as being complementary to conventional educational methods. Nevertheless, hosting technical content produced by engineering simulations with educational AR/VR is still challenging and requires expertise from multiple disciplines throughout the technical development. Present work provides a facile and agile methodology for low-cost hardware but content-wise rich AR software development. Inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, a case study is developed to teach chemical-engineering concepts using a liquid-soap synthesis process. Accordingly, we assess and conclude the digital development process to guide inexperienced developers for the digitalization of teaching content. The present contribution serves as an example of the power of integrating AR/VR with traditional engineering simulations for educational purposes. The digital tool developed in this work is shared in the online version.     

基准平面垂直断面法在爆破漏斗试验中的应用

系统阐述了基准平面垂直断面法在爆破漏斗试验中测量爆破漏斗体积的基本原理,并将隧道激光断面仪应用于金厂河矿1 750 m水平15^#采场底部切割巷道爆破漏斗试验爆破漏斗体积测量中。通过与传统体重法等计算法所得漏斗体积分析比较,结果表明基于隧道激光断面仪与3D Mine软件分析的基准平面垂直断面法实用性强、操作方便、结果直观可靠,达到试验预期目的。     

Mathematical law of size effect on the flexural property of ceramics

Brittle materials generally exhibit size effects, and the mechanical properties of these materials degrade significantly with an increase in size. However, the mathematical law governing the attenuation degree of mechanical properties with the increase in size is still unknown. In this study, maximum loads of differently sized ceramic test strips were subjected to three point bending tests under two working conditions of equal spans and span amplifications, respectively. Subsequently, the theoretical maximum loads of materials were calculated using the finite element method (FEM). By calculating the difference between the calculated values and the actual maximum loads, the attenuation of mechanical properties of ceramic samples were observed. The results show that the theoretical mechanical properties and the performance attenuation caused by the size effect tend to increase according to the following equation: y=ax³+bx²+cx+d. Therefore, mechanical properties and performance attenuation of any sample exhibiting a size within the experimental range can be predicted by a mathematical law, which was obtained through mechanical tests results of four samples with different sizes. The obtained mathematical law holds great significance for predicting the mechanical properties of materials under size effects.     

基于概率法的电力系统安全分析

为应对电力系统安全分析中的停机问题，基于概率法的方式，将常用的确定停机计算与加入了概率法的概率停机进行比较，研究了二者的区别与其在长期投资方向的不同。在进行电力系统停机分析时，通常会分别从确定停机与概率停机的角度出发，对其应急状态下的潮流进行计算。但前者的方法可能导致极低概率的停机事件被忽略，进而影响长期的资金投资。通过加入概率法的计算，使得对单个停机事件的判定由其具体的频率来确定，增加了系统运行的稳定性。     

Structural Aspects and Prediction of Calmodulin-Binding Proteins

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular protein that binds Ca²⁺ and functions as a critical second messenger involved in numerous biological activities through extensive interactions with proteins and peptides. CaM’s ability to adapt to binding targets with different structures is related to the flexible central helix separating the N- and C-terminal lobes, which allows for conformational changes between extended and collapsed forms of the protein. CaM-binding targets are most often identified using prediction algorithms that utilize sequence and structural data to predict regions of peptides and proteins that can interact with CaM. In this review, we provide an overview of different CaM-binding proteins, the motifs through which they interact with CaM, and shared properties that make them good binding partners for CaM. Additionally, we discuss the historical and current methods for predicting CaM binding, and the similarities and differences between these methods and their relative success at prediction. As new CaM-binding proteins are identified and classified, we will gain a broader understanding of the biological processes regulated through changes in Ca²⁺ concentration through interactions with CaM.     

Use of a smartphone-based Student Response System in large active-learning Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics classrooms

Smartphones are a promising tool as student response systems (SRS) for interactive teaching due to their widespread diffusion. Here, the main purpose is to assess the efficacy of smartphone-based SRS in large classroom settings of undergraduate Thermodynamics, as representative of engineering courses requiring high-level cognitive skills for problem solving. Four sets of multiple-choice questions were presented during the course. Overall, the results refer to 1055 students between control and SRS classes, each corresponding to a3 years period.One of the main results of this work is the strong linear correlation between the average questionnaire score and the final exam grade (R² = 0.91). A similar correlation, although with a lower value of R², is already found in the first questionnaire, thus showing the SRS high predictive power of class performance. The results of this study provide guidance for a quantitative use of smartphone-based SRS in teaching basic disciplines. The SRS monitoring capability allows early detection of struggling students, thus paving the way to personalized tutoring and improved student engagement in active learning practices. This approach is especially important in emergency situations, such as the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, when distance learning is widely adopted, and remote interactive tools are highly needed.     

印刷电路板缺陷检测的实际应用

电路板在我们的日常生活中非常常见,这就使得印刷电路板的缺陷检测显得尤为重要。AOI作为新兴的检测PCB板缺陷的系统,在生产实际中正在被大家熟知并且应用。相较于传统的检测方式,AOI系统比较灵活,无论是在检测时间还是系统运算上,或者是对相关技术人员的要求相较于传统方式都比较有优势,本文就AOI系统在实际中的应用展开讨论,分析并且介绍了在实际应用中的具体细则。