Collaborative Distribution Alignment for 2D image-based 3D shape retrieval

Retrieving 3D shapes with 2D images has become a popular research area nowadays, and a great deal of work has been devoted to reducing the discrepancy between 3D shapes and 2D images to improve retrieval performance. However, most approaches ignore the semantic information and decision boundaries of the two domains, and cannot achieve both domain alignment and category alignment in one module. In this paper, a novel Collaborative Distribution Alignment (CDA) model is developed to address the above existing challenges. Specifically, we first adopt a dual-stream CNN, following a similarity guided constraint module, to generate discriminative embeddings for input 2D images and 3D shapes (described as multiple views). Subsequently, we explicitly introduce a joint domain-class alignment module to dynamically learn a class-discriminative and domain-agnostic feature space, which can narrow the distance between 2D image and 3D shape instances of the same underlying category, while pushing apart the instances from different categories. Furthermore, we apply a decision boundary refinement module to avoid generating class-ambiguity embeddings by dynamically adjusting inconsistencies between two discriminators. Extensive experiments and evaluations on two challenging benchmarks, MI3DOR and MI3DOR-2, demonstrate the superiority of the proposed CDA method for 2D image-based 3D shape retrieval task.     

CNT-interconnected iron-doped NiP2/Ni2P heterostructural nanoflowers as high-efficiency electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a decisive role in electrolytic water splitting. However, it is still challengeable to develop low-cost and efficient OER electrocatalysts. Herein, we present a combination strategy via heteroatom doping, hetero-interface engineering and introducing conductive skeleton to synthesize a hybrid OER catalyst of CNT-interconnected iron-doped NiP₂/Ni₂P (Fe-(NiP₂/Ni₂P)@CNT) heterostructural nanoflowers by a simple hydrothermal reaction and subsequent phosphorization process. The optimized Fe-(NiP₂/Ni₂P)@CNT catalyst delivers an ultralow Tafel slope of 46.1 mV dec^?1 and overpotential of 254 mV to obtain 10 mA cm^?2, which are even better than those of commercial OER catalyst RuO₂. The excellent OER performance is mainly attributed to its unique nanoarchitecture and the synergistic effects: the nanoflowers constructed by a 2D-like nanosheets guarantee large specific area and abundant active sites; the highly conductive CNT skeleton and the electronic modulation by the heterostructural NiP₂/Ni₂P interface and the hetero-atom doping can improve the catalytic activity; porous nanostructure benefits electrolyte penetration and gas release; most importantly, the rough surface and rich defects caused by phosphorization process can further enhance the OER performance. This work provides a deep insight to boost catalytic performance by heteroatom doping and interface engineering for water splitting.     

Investigation of liquid water heterogeneities in large area proton exchange membrane fuel cells using a Darcy two-phase flow model in a multiphysics code

Proper management of the liquid water and heat produced in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells remains crucial to increase both its performance and durability. In this study, a two-phase flow and multicomponent model, called two-fluid model, is developed in the commercial COMSOL Multiphysics® software to investigate the liquid water heterogeneities in large area PEM fuel cells, considering the real flow fields in the bipolar plate. A macroscopic pseudo-3D multi-layers approach has been chosen and generalized Darcy's relation is used both in the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and in the channel. The model considers two-phase flow and gas convection and diffusion coupled with electrochemistry and water transport through the membrane. The numerical results are compared to one-fluid model results and liquid water measurements obtained by neutron imaging for several operating conditions. Finally, according to the good agreement between the two-fluid and experimentation results, the numerical water distribution is examined in each component of the cell, exhibiting very heterogeneous water thickness over the cell surface.     

Topological homogenization of metamaterial variability

With the proliferation of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, a broader palette of material properties can be elicited from cellular solids, also known as metamaterials, architected foams, programmable materials, or lattice structures. Metamaterials are designed and optimized under the assumption of perfect geometry and a homogeneous underlying base material. Yet in practice real lattices contain thousands or even millions of complex features, each with imperfections in shape and material constituency. While the role of these defects on the mean properties of metamaterials has been well studied, little attention has been paid to the stochastic properties of metamaterials, a crucial next step for high reliability aerospace or biomedical applications. In this work we show that it is precisely the large quantity of features that serves to homogenize the heterogeneities of the individual features, thereby reducing the variability of the collective structure and achieving effective properties that can be even more consistent than the monolithic base material. In this first statistical study of additive lattice variability, a total of 239 strut-based lattices were mechanically tested for two pedagogical lattice topologies (body centered cubic and face centered cubic) at three different relative densities. The variability in yield strength and modulus was observed to exponentially decrease with feature count (to the power −0.5), a scaling trend that we show can be predicted using an analytic model or a finite element beam model. The latter provides an efficient pathway to extend the current concepts to arbitrary/complex geometries and loading scenarios. These results not only illustrate the homogenizing benefit of lattices, but also provide governing design principles that can be used to mitigate manufacturing inconsistencies via topological design.     

Fabrication of alumina ceramics with functional gradient structures by digital light processing 3D printing technology

Alumina ceramics with different unit numbers and gradient modes were prepared by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology. The side length of each functional gradient structure was 10 mm, the porosity ratio was controlled to 70%, and the number of units were (1 × 1 × 1 unit) and (2 × 2 × 2 unit) respectively. The different gradient modes were named FCC, GFCC-1, GFCC-2 and GFCC-3. SEM, XRD, and other characterization methods proved that these gradient structures of alumina ceramics had only α-Al2O3 phase and good surface morphology. The mechanical properties and energy absorption properties of alumina ceramics with different functional gradient structures were studied by compression test. The results show that the gradient structure with 1 × 1 × 1 unit has better mechanical properties and energy absorption properties when the number of units is different. When the number of units is the same, GFCC-2 and GFCC-3 gradient structures have better compressive performance and energy absorption potential than FCC structures. The GFCC-2 gradient structure with 1 × 1 × 1 unit has a maximum compressive strength of 19.62 MPa and a maximum energy absorption value of 2.72 × 105 J/m3. The good performance of such functional gradient structures can provide new ideas for the design of lightweight and compressive energy absorption structures in the future.     

Thermal properties of hierarchical YSZ and LZO ceramic microspheres with multi-scaled voids investigated by using theoretical,experimental and simulation methods

Heat transfer within ceramic feedstock powders is still unclear, which impedes optimization of the thermal and mechanical properties of the thermal sprayed coatings. The microspheres (yttria-stabilized zirconia YSZ and lanthanum zirconate LZO) were prepared via the electro-spraying assisted phase inversion method (ESP). The thermal properties of the two ESP microspheres and a commercial hollow spherical powder (HOSP) were investigated by using theoretical, experimental, and simulation methods. Thermal conductivity of the single microsphere was estimated via a novel nest model that was derived from the Maxwell-Eucken 1 and the EMT model. Thermal conductivity of a single YSZ/LZO-ESP microsphere prepared at 1100–1200 °C was within 0.36–0.75 W/m K, which was ～ 20 % lower than that of a single YSZ-HOSP microsphere with a similar porosity. Heat flux simulation showed that high tortuosity around the multi-scaled voids of the ESP microsphere led to a more efficient decrease in thermal conductivity compared with total porosity.     

基于FLAC3D的破碎围岩巷道支护效果分析

为了解破碎围岩分别采用锚杆支护、锚喷支护以及锚喷+锚索耦合三种支护方式下的支护效果,进而为破碎围岩巷道选择合理的支护方式提供参考。通过借助FLAC^3D软件建立数值模型,分析不同支护条件下的破碎围岩巷道位移量、应力分布以及塑性区的时空演化特征。结果表明,采用锚喷+锚索耦合支护时,可以较好的控制巷道围岩的位移量、减小应力集中效应、缩小塑性区的影响范围。     

饱和块状混合回填土地基的一维固结分析

用块状渣土置换软弱地基和回填低洼谷地等是处置工程渣土的有效途径。为了分析饱和块状混合回填土地基的固结性状，运用混合物理论建立了其一维固结模型。首先，假定块状土固相和充填土固相之间满足等应变条件，获得了饱和块状混合回填土中各相应变与块状土孔隙变形和充填土孔隙变形的关系式。其次，在小应变条件下，根据自由能势函数方程建立了饱和块状混合回填土的一维线弹性本构方程，再结合达西定律和应力平衡方程获得了一维固结控制方程。再次，利用分离变量法得到一维固结解析解，通过退化本文模型与已有模型进行对比，验证了本文模型的正确性。最后，基于所得解析解，分析了充填土孔隙渗透系数、块状土孔隙渗透系数以及流体交换参数等因素对饱和块状混合回填土地基固结性状的影响。分析结果表明：充填土孔隙渗透系数对饱和块状混合回填土地基整体固结性状起主导作用；在固结初期，块状土超孔压会有一定程度的上升，且3个参数具有相似的作用机理。