Characterization of PA-12 specimens fabricated by projection sintering at various sintering parameters

Large area projection sintering (LAPS) promises to be a new method in the field of additive manufacturing. Developed in the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of South Florida, LAPS uses long exposure times over a broad area of powder to fuse into dense, reproducible materials. In contrast, LS, a common powder-based additive manufacturing, uses a focused beam of light scanned quickly over the material. Local regions of concentrated high-energy bursts of light lead to higher peak temperatures and differing cooling dynamics and overall crystallinity. The mechanical properties of laser sintered specimens suffer because of uneven particle fusion. LAPS offers the capacity to fine-tune fusion properties through enhanced thermodynamic control of the heating and cooling profiles for sintering. Further research is required to identify the relationship between LAPS build settings and part properties to enable the fabrication of custom parts with desired properties. This study examines the influence of LAPS sintering parameters on chemical structures, crystallinity, mechanical, and thermal properties of polyamide-12 specimens using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. It was observed that higher crystallinity was imparted to specimens that were sintered for a shorter time and vice versa.     

The Pupal Parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae Is Attracted to the Same Yeast Volatiles as Its Adult Host

Journal of Chemical Ecology - There is increasing evidence that microorganisms, particularly fungi and bacteria, emit volatile compounds that mediate the foraging behaviour of insects and therefore...     

侧吹气流方向对大功率CO2激光焊缝成形的影响

激光深熔焊过程中会在熔池上方产生等离子体云，若该等离子体云过密，将降低激光入射到工件表面能量密度。在工业应用中，常采用侧吹辅助气体来减弱等离子体云的影响。本文通过试验，研究了在不同气体流量下，侧吹气体方向不同对焊接过程稳定性和焊缝成形的影响。结果发现：使用大功率CO2激光焊接AH32时。侧吹气体方向对焊缝成形有着明显的影响。从熔池和等离子体两个方面，解释了侧吹气体方向的影响机制。     

Effect of joint design on mechanical properties of AL7075 weldment

The effects of joint design on the mechanical properties of AL7075-T6 aluminum sheet were studied on the latest automated gas-tungsten arc-welding system. Using ER5356 filler metal, full-penetration welds were made on workpieces with various included joint angles. Testing of the mechanical properties of the joints was done in the as-welded, naturally aged, and postweld heat-treated conditions. The results show that by using crack-resistant filler, and by selecting the proper joint design and postweld heat treatment, strong, dependable welds can be produced on thin AL7075 sheet material. An elasticity model of the weld joint was established to help understand the mechanical behavior of the joints. An undermatched joint design is shown to be capable of achieving a joint strength that matches the strength of the base alloy.     

Thin‐film transistor mobility limits considerations

The mobility limiting scattering mechanisms for amorphous semiconductors and polar polycrystalline semiconductors are studied in the context of developing new high‐performance thin‐film transistor (TFT) channel layer materials for large‐area electronics. A physics‐based model for carrier transport in an amorphous semiconductor is developed to estimate the mobility limits of amorphous semiconductor TFTs. The model involves band tail state trapping of a diffusive mobility. Simulation reveals a strong dependence on the band tail density of states. This consideration makes it difficult to realize a high‐performance p‐type oxide TFT. A polar crystalline semiconductor may offer a higher mobility but is fundamentally limited by polar optical phonon scattering. Any crystalline TFT channel layer for practical large‐area applications will not be a single crystal but polycrystalline, and therefore, grain size and grain boundary‐dependent scattering will further degrade the transport properties.     

Viscoelastic flow in an obstructed microchannel at high Weissenberg number

Detailed measurements of the flow instability of dilute shear-thinning viscoelastic aqueous solutions, with relatively low zero-shear viscosities, in an obstructed microchannel flow are reported. We examine the flow behaviour resulting from a 100 μm post placed in the channel centreline over a range of Reynolds numbers (\(5<Re<300\)) and Weissenberg numbers (\(20<Wi<10^3\)). Micro-particle image velocimetry measurements show the onset of an upstream instability within a Reynolds number range and at a critical elasticity number corresponding to polymer concentrations above 25 ppm of long-chain polyacrylamide. The instability results in significant local fluctuations in the flow field approaching 30 % of the mean velocity. The magnitude of the local viscosity ratio in the region upstream of the post is proposed as a driving mechanism for the instability which resembles a buckling flow. Additionally, the classical instability owing to separation and vortex formation downstream of the post in Newtonian flow is suppressed and a very long stable wake is observed extending over 10 post-diameters downstream.     

ExoPranayama: a biofeedback-driven actuated environment for supporting yoga breathing practices

Both breathing and internal self-awareness are an integral part of any yoga practice. We describe and discuss the development of ExoPranayama, an actuated environment that physically manifests users’ breathing in yoga. Through a series of trials with yoga practitioners and expert teachers, we explore its role in the practice of yoga. Our interview results reveal that biofeedback through the environment supported teaching and improved self-awareness, but it impacted group cohesion. Two practical uses of the technology emerged for supporting breath control in yoga: (1) biofeedback can provide new information about users’ current internal states; (2) machine-driven feedback provides users with a future state or goal and leads to improved cohesiveness.