4D Printing of Shape Memory Materials for Textiles: Mechanism,Mathematical Modeling,and Challenges

Shape memory materials (SMMs) in 3D printing (3DP) technology garnered much attention due to their ability to respond to external stimuli, which direct this technology toward an emerging area of research, “4D printing (4DP) technology.” In contrast to classical 3D printed objects, the fourth dimension, time, allows printed objects to undergo significant changes in shape, size, or color when subjected to external stimuli. Highly precise and calibrated 4D materials, which can perform together to achieve robust 4D objects, are in great demand in various fields such as military applications, space suits, robotic systems, apparel, healthcare, sports, etc. This review, for the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, focuses on recent advances in SMMs (e.g., polymers, metals, etc.) based wearable smart textiles and fashion goods. This review integrates the basic overview of 3DP technology, fabrication methods, the transition of 3DP to 4DP, the chemistry behind the fundamental working principles of 4D printed objects, materials selection for smart textiles and fashion goods. The central part summarizes the effect of major external stimuli on 4D textile materials followed by the major applications. Lastly, prospects and challenges are discussed, so that future researchers can continue the progress of this technology.     

Unusual Two-Step Assembly of a Minimalistic Dipeptide-Based Functional Hypergelator

Self-assembled peptide hydrogels represent the realization of peptide nanotechnology into biomedical products. There is a continuous quest to identify the simplest building blocks and optimize their critical gelation concentration (CGC). Herein, a minimalistic, de novo dipeptide, Fmoc-Lys(Fmoc)-Asp, as an hydrogelator with the lowest CGC ever reported, almost fourfold lower as compared to that of a large hexadecapeptide previously described, is reported. The dipeptide self-assembles through an unusual and unprecedented two-step process as elucidated by solid-state NMR and molecular dynamics simulation. The hydrogel is cytocompatible and supports 2D/3D cell growth. Conductive composite gels composed of Fmoc-Lys(Fmoc)-Asp and a conductive polymer exhibit excellent DNA binding. Fmoc-Lys(Fmoc)-Asp exhibits the lowest CGC and highest mechanical properties when compared to a library of dipeptide analogues, thus validating the uniqueness of the molecular design which confers useful properties for various potential applications.     

Identifying crop water stress using deep learning models

Neural Computing and Applications - The identification of water stress is a major challenge for timely and effective irrigation to ensure global food security and sustainable agriculture. Several...     

A Distributed Routing Method for Dynamic Multicasting

Single point, sender based control does not scale well for multicast delivery. For applications, such as group video or teleconferencing a low total cost multicast tree is required. In this article we present a destination driven algorithm to minimize the total tree cost of multicast tree in a dynamic situation for the whole session duration. In this heuristic approach we considered the staying duration of participants are available at the time of joining. The performance of our algorithm is analyzed through extensive simulation and evaluated against several other existing dynamic multicast routing and also against one well known near optimum heuristic algorithm used for solving Steiner tree problem. We have further tested our algorithm using erroneous information given by the joining participants. Simulation results show that its performance does not degrade that much even when the range of error is considerably high, which proves the robustness of our algorithm.     

Transport phenomena in laser surface alloying

A three dimensional, transient model is developed for studying heat transfer, fluid flow and mass transfer for the case of a single-pass laser surface alloying process. The numerical study is performed in a co-ordinate system fixed to the laser which moves with a constant scanning speed. The coupled momentum, energy and species conservation equations are solved using a finite volume technique. Phase change processes are modelled using a fixed-grid enthalpy-porosity technique, which is capable of predicting the continuously evolving solid-liquid interface. The three-dimensional model is able to predict the species concentration distribution inside the molten pool during alloying, as well as in the entire cross section of the solidified alloy. Corresponding experimental results show a good qualitative agreement with the numerical predictions with regard to pool shape and final composition distribution.     

Studies on turbulent momentum, heat and species transport during binary alloy solidification in a top-cooled rectangular cavity

A two-dimensional transient fixed-grid enthalpy-based numerical method is developed to analyze the effects of turbulent transport during a binary alloy solidification process. Turbulence effects are introduced through standard k-ε equations, where coefficients are appropriately modified to account for phase-change. Microscopically-consistent estimates are made regarding temperature-solute coupling in a non-equilibrium solidification situation. The model is tested against laboratory experiments performed using an NH₄Cl-H₂O system in a rectangular cavity cooled and solidified from the top. Particular emphasis is laid on studying the interaction between Rayleigh-Benard type convection and directional solidification in the presence of turbulent transport. Numerical predictions are subsequently compared with experimental results regarding flow patterns, interface growth and evolution of the temperature field, and the agreement is found to be good.     

Numerical models of creep and boundary sliding mechanisms in single-phase, dual-phase, and fully lamellar titanium aluminide

Finite element simulations of the high-temperature behavior of single-phase γ, dual-phase α₂+γ, and fully lamellar (FL) α₂+γTiAl intermetallic alloy microstructures have been performed. Nonlinear viscous primary creep deformation is modeled in each phase based on published creep data. Models were also developed that incorporate grain boundary and lath boundary sliding in addition to the dislocation creep flow within each phase. Overall strain rates are compared to gain an understanding of the relative influence each of these localized deformation mechanisms has on the creep strength of the microstructures considered. Facet stress enhancement factors were also determined for the transverse grain facets in each model to examine the relative susceptibility to creep damage. The results indicate that a mechanism for unrestricted sliding of γ lath boundaries theorized by Hazzledine and co-workers leads to unrealistically high strain rates. However, the results also suggest that the greater creep strength observed experimentally for the lamellar microstructure is primarily due to inhibited former grain boundary sliding (GBS) in this microstructure compared to relatively unimpeded GBS in the equiaxed microstructures. The serrated nature of the former grain boundaries generally observed for lamellar TiAl alloys is consistent with this finding.     

Program- and method-related determinants of first DMPA use duration in rural Bangladesh

This article examines the determinants of first-time use durations of the injectable contraceptive Depo Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (DMPA) for rural Bangladeshi women. The method's side effects were defined by 200 first-time users in Matlab district during lengthy, open-ended interviews. Women with many children used the method longer than did women of low parity. Those who experienced side effects had shorter use durations than those who did not, and those who cited heavy bleeding as their main problem discontinued use soonest. Women whose husbands approved of family planning had significantly longer use durations than those whose husbands disapproved. Respondents who adopted DMPA because of perceived positive aspects of the drug used it longer than those who chose it for other reasons. Results of the study underscore the importance of viewing side effects in a specific social and cultural context. Expanded side-effects counseling for women and their husbands is needed.