Topology optimization of flexure hinges with a prescribed compliance matrix based on the adaptive spring model and stress constraint

This paper focuses on the configuration design of flexure hinges with a prescribed compliance matrix and preset rotational center position. A new method for the topology optimization of flexure hinges is proposed based on the adaptive spring model and stress constraint. The hinge optimization model is formulated by maximizing the bending displacement with a spring while optimizing the compliance matrix to a prescribed value. To avoid numerical instability, an artificial spring is used as an auxiliary calculation, and a new strategy is developed for adaptively adjusting the spring stiffness according to the prescribed compliance matrix. The maximum stress of flexure hinge is limited by using a normalized P-norm of the effective von Mises stress, and a position constraint of rotational center is proposed to predetermine the position of the rotational center. In addition, to reduce the error of the stress measurement, a simple but effective filtering method is presented to obtain a complete black-and-white design. Numerical examples are used to verify the proposed method. Topology results show that the obtained flexure hinges have the prescribed compliance matrix and preset rotational center position while also meeting the stress requirements.     

Understanding the asymmetric perceptions of smartphone security from security feature perspective: A comparative study

Smartphones are being used and relied on by people more than ever before. The open connectivity brings with it great convenience and leads to a variety of risks that cannot be overlooked. Smartphone vendors, security policy designers, and security application providers have put a variety of practical efforts to secure smartphones, and researchers have conducted extensive research on threat sources, security techniques, and user security behaviors. Regrettably, smartphone users do not pay enough attention to mobile security, making many efforts futile. This study identifies this gap between technology affordance and user requirements, and attempts to investigate the asymmetric perceptions toward security features between developers and users, between users and users, as well as between different security features. These asymmetric perceptions include perceptions of quality, perceptions of importance, and perceptions of satisfaction. After scoping the range of smartphone security features, this study conducts an improved Kano-based method and exhaustively analyzes the 245 collected samples using correspondence analysis and importance satisfaction analysis. The 14 security features of the smartphone are divided into four Kano quality types and the perceived quality differences between developers and users are compared. Correspondence analysis is utilized to capture the relationship between the perceived importance of security features across different groups of respondents, and results of importance-satisfaction analysis provide the basis for the developmental path and resource reallocation strategy of security features. This article offers new insights for researchers as well as practitioners of smartphone security.     

Modeling Sialidosis with Neural Precursor Cells Derived from Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Sialidosis, caused by a genetic deficiency of the lysosomal sialidase gene (NEU1), is a systemic disease involving various tissues and organs, including the nervous system. Understanding the neurological dysfunction and pathology associated with sialidosis remains a challenge, partially due to the lack of a human model system. In this study, we have generated two types of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with sialidosis-specific NEU1^G227R and NEU1^V275A/R347Q mutations (sialidosis-iPSCs), and further differentiated them into neural precursor cells (iNPCs). Characterization of NEU1^G227R- and NEU1^V275A/R347Q- mutated iNPCs derived from sialidosis-iPSCs (sialidosis-iNPCs) validated that sialidosis-iNPCs faithfully recapitulate key disease-specific phenotypes, including reduced NEU1 activity and impaired lysosomal and autophagic function. In particular, these cells showed defective differentiation into oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, while their neuronal differentiation was not notably affected. Importantly, we found that the phenotypic defects of sialidosis-iNPCs, such as impaired differentiation capacity, could be effectively rescued by the induction of autophagy with rapamycin. Our results demonstrate the first use of a sialidosis-iNPC model with NEU1^G227R- and NEU1^V275A/R347Q- mutation(s) to study the neurological defects of sialidosis, particularly those related to a defective autophagy–lysosome pathway, and may help accelerate the development of new drugs and therapeutics to combat sialidosis and other LSDs.     

Water vapor volatilization and oxidation induced surface cracking of environmental barrier coating systems: A numerical approach

A numerical model is developed for surface crack propagation in brittle ceramic coatings, aiming at the intrinsic failure of rare-earth silicate environmental barrier coating systems (EBCs) under combustion conditions in advanced gas turbines. The main features of progressive degradation of EBCs in such conditions are captured, including selective silica vaporization in the top coat due to exposure to water vapor, diffusion path-dependent bond coat oxidation, as well as crack propagation during cyclic thermal loading. In light of these features, user-defined subroutines are implemented in finite element analysis, where surface crack growth is simulated by node separation. Numerical results are validated by existing experimental data, in terms of monosilicate layer thickening, thermal oxide growth, and fracture behaviors. The experimentally observed quasi-linear oxidation in the early stage is also elucidated. Furthermore, it is suggested that surface crack undergoes rapid propagation in the late stage of extended thermal cycling in water vapor and leads to catastrophic failure, driven by both thermal mismatch and oxide growth stresses. The latter is identified as the dominant mechanism of penetration. Based on detailed analyses of failure mechanisms, the optimization strategy of EBCs composition is proposed, balancing the trade-off between mechanical compliance and erosion resistance.     

An ultrasonic study on ternary xPbO–(45-x)CuO–55B2O3 glasses

A series of xPbO–(45-x)CuO–55B₂O₃ glasses (5 ≤ x ≥ 40 mol %) were prepared by the melt-quenching technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the prepared glasses are found to have amorphous structure. An extensive ultrasonic study has been made to explore the structural role of PbO and CuO in the borate network. Various elastic properties were calculated from the measured data of density and ultrasonic velocity. Ultrasonic velocity and elastic moduli revealed broad humps at about 20 mol % PbO, which are attributed to the borate anomaly. Below 20 mol % PbO, all Pb²⁺ ions are considered to be entering the borate network as a glass modifier. This results in the transforms the borate network from an open structure to a denser three-dimensional structure due to BO₃ → BO₄ conversion. Beyond 20 mol, addition of PbO results in the formation of metaborate, pyroborate, and orthoborate units with NBOs. This weakness the glass structure and decrease both ultrasonic velocity and elastic moduli. The elastic properties were predicted and quantitatively analyzed by taking into account the effect of boron coordination number on the compositional and structural parameters involved in Makishima–Mackenzie's theory, ring deformation model and bond compression model. An excellent agreement between the computed theoretical and experimental elastic moduli, micro-harness and Poisson's ratio was achieved for majority of samples.     

辊速差对连铸连轧7075铝板显微组织、织构及力学性能的影响

研究辊速差对连铸连轧7075铝板显微组织、织构及力学性能的影响。采用3种不同上辊/下辊转速比(ω/ω0,ω为上辊转速,ω0为下辊转速)1:1、1:1.2及1:1.4进行多次试验。结果显示,在最大辊速差条件下(ω/ω0=1:1.4),7075铝板在轧制方向的屈服强度和极限抗拉强度分别提高41.5%和21.9%。此外,当辊速比ω/ω0为1:1.4时,成品轧制板的平均晶粒尺寸减小36%,横剖面平均硬度增加约9.2%。织构研究结果显示,辊速差越大,成品各向同性及硬度越大。然而,采用不同辊速度的连铸连轧会导致变形板伸长率降低约6%。     

Speciation of copper in high chloride concentrations,in the context of corrosion of copper canisters

Canisters with a cast iron insert for mechanical strength and a 50-mm thick copper shell as corrosion protection are planned to be used for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden and Finland. Chloride can be considered “beneficial”, as it promotes active dissolution of copper rather than passivation (which might result in pitting), but a high concentration of chloride in solution would increase the driving force for corrosion through the formation of soluble copper chloro complexes. Thermodynamic calculations are performed in this study with the PHREEQC software and three of its accompanying databases, and a comparison with experimental data is performed to select the database to be used when evaluating repository performance. The activity coefficient models are given special attention. For the assessment of chloride-assisted corrosion of a KBS-3 canister, chloride concentrations pessimistically up to 5 mol/kg are used (in Finland and Sweden, the groundwater and bentonite porewater chloride concentrations are not expected to exceed 1 mol/kg). The resulting copper solubilities are then considered in different mass transport cases.     

Tuning of shear thickening behavior and elastic strength of polyvinylidene fluoride via doping of ZnO-graphene

ZnO rice like nonarchitects are grafted on the graphene carbon core via a rapid microwave synthesis route. The prepared grafted systems are characterized via XRD, SEM, RAMAN, and XPS to examined the structural and morphological parameters. Zinc oxide grafted graphene sheets (ZnO-G) are further doped in β-phase of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to prepare the polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) via mixed solvent approach (THF/DMF). β-phase confirmation of PVDF PNCs is done by FTIR studies. It is observed that ZnO-G filler enhances the β-phase content in the PNCs. Non-doped PVDF and PNCs are further studied for rheological behavior under the shear rate of 1–100 s⁻¹. Doping of ZnO-G dopant to the PVDF matrix changes its discontinuous shear thickening (DST) behavior to continues shear thickening behavior (CST). Hydrocluster formation and their interaction with the dopant could be the reason for this striking DST to CST behavioral change. Strain amplitude sweep (10⁻³% -10%) oscillatory test reveals that the PNCs shows extended linear viscoelastic region with high elastic modulus and lower viscous modulus. Effective shear thickening behavior and strong elastic strength of these PNCs present their candidature for various fields including mechanical and soft body armor applications.     

5A06-O aluminium–magnesium alloy sheet warm hydroforming and optimization of process parameters

The uniaxial tensile test of the 5A06-O aluminium–magnesium (Al–Mg) alloy sheet was performed in the temperature range of 20–300 °C to obtain the true stress–true strain curves at different temperatures and strain rates. The constitutive model of 5A06-O Al–Mg alloy sheet with the temperature range from 150 to 300°C was established. Based on the test results, a unique finite element simulation platform for warm hydroforming of 5A06-O Al–Mg alloy was set up using the general finite element software MSC.Marc to simulate warm hydroforming of classic specimen, and a coupled thermo-mechanical finite element model for warm hydroforming of cylindrical cup was built up. Combined with the experiment, the influence of the temperature field distribution and loading conditions on the sheet formability was studied. The results show that the non-isothermal temperature distribution conditions can significantly improve the forming performance of the material. As the temperature increases, the impact of the punching speed on the forming becomes particularly obvious; the optimal values of the fluid pressure and blank holder force required for forming are reduced.