A micro-to-meso sublaminate model for the viscoelastic analysis of thick-section multi-layered FRP composite structures

Classical ply-by-ply analysis of multi-layered thick-section composite structures with tens of layers through the cross-section is often impractical, especially when material nonlinearity and time-dependent effects are included. This study introduces an integrated micromechanical-sublaminate modeling approach for the nonlinear viscoelastic analysis of thick-section and multi-layered composite structures. The sublaminate model is used to generate three-dimensional (3D) effective nonlinear responses at through-thickness material integration points with given spatial variations of strains determined from the trial strain increments of the standard displacement-based finite-element (FE). The number of material integration points is determined by the resolution of the FE discretization of the composite structure. The sublaminate model at a selected material point represents the effective nonlinear continuum behavior in its neighborhood using the 3D lamination theory with uniform in-plane strain and out-of-plane stress patterns through the representative layers. Therefore, the sublaminate has first-order stress and strain paths and cannot recognize the local sequence of the layers. While this approach is very effective approximation especially in the case of a very large number of repeating layers using relatively few elements (integration points) through the thickness, it cannot be used to represent the interlaminar stresses or bending/extension/twisting coupling effects within a sublaminate. A previously developed micromechanical model by the authors for a nonlinear viscoelastic unidirectional lamina is used for each layer in the sublaminate. The proposed modeling approach is first calibrated and verified against creep tests on off-axis glass/epoxy performed by Lou and Schapery (J. Compos. Mater. 5:208–271, 1971). Analyses for different thick-section laminated structures are presented using the integrated sublaminate with both shell and 3D continuum elements. The proposed 3D nonlinear time-dependent sublaminate model is computationally efficient and robust in analyzing multi-layered composite structures having large number of plies.     

Green Catalytic Process for Click Synthesis Promoted by Copper Oxide Nanocomposite Supported on Graphene Oxide

The catalytic activity of graphene oxide supported copper oxide (CuO–GO) has been investigated in Click synthesis of 1,2,3‐triazole derivatives under green reaction conditions. In the context of green approach, water is used as solvent under ligand free and aerobic conditions at room temperature, with low catalyst loading (0.2 mol %) while ensuring the recovery and reusability of the catalyst. The catalyst affords excellent selectivity in formation of the desired products in good to excellent yields. Further, the work‐up procedure adopted here is clean and simple, while recycling the organic solvents that one used for work‐up procedure. It is proposed that the functional groups present on the GO surface are effective for preventing the aggregation of the catalytically active copper oxide species during the reaction. Moreover, the excellent performance of CuO–GO nanocomposite is ascribed to the excellent dispersity of the catalyst in water, hydrophilic nature of the GO for the accumulation of organic substrates in water and the “Breslow effect.”

     

On the phenomenon of large photoluminescence red shift in GaN nanoparticles

We report on the observation of broad photoluminescence wavelength tunability from n-type gallium nitride nanoparticles (GaN NPs) fabricated using the ultraviolet metal-assisted electroless etching method. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy measurements performed on the nanoparticles revealed large size dispersion ranging from 10 to 100 nm. Nanoparticles with broad tunable emission wavelength from 362 to 440 nm have been achieved by exciting the samples using the excitation power-dependent method. We attribute this large wavelength tunability to the localized potential fluctuations present within the GaN matrix and to vacancy-related surface states. Our results show that GaN NPs fabricated using this technique are promising for tunable-color-temperature white light-emitting diode applications.     

Sonochemical formation of metal sponges

A novel sonochemical method for formation of mesoporous metal sponges is developed. Systematic investigation of ultrasound effects on various types of metal particles reveals the cavitation-induced oxidation of metal surface and etching of metal matrix as main factors in the ultrasound-driven metal modification. Beyond the specific examples, the findings provide guidelines for expansion of the concept towards a broad variety of metal systems and allow development of the sonochemical approaches to manipulation of the metal surface and inner structure.     

Development of a rapid, specific and efficient procedure for the determination of proteolytic activity in dry-cured ham: definition of a new proteolysis index

A method was adapted to determine proteolytic activity in dry-cured ham using fluorescamine-specific labelling of N-terminal α-amino groups of peptides and amino acids. Fluorescence of the complex was measured using a microplate procedure and optimum excitation and emission wavelengths of 375nm and 475nm, respectively. A new proteolysis index (PI) was defined as the percentage ratio of the N-terminal α-amino group content to the total protein content of the ham extract. The robustness of the method was evaluated by measuring PI in pork meat samples subjected to standardized processing conditions and in samples extracted from industrial hams taken at different stages of processing. For the industrial samples, a comparison with the classic nitrogen procedure of PI determination was performed and a formula relating the two PIs was established. The rapidity, sensitivity and specificity of the procedure make it a good candidate for a screening test to evaluate ham quality in industry.     

Effect of bond enhancement using carbon nanotubes on flexural behavior of RC beams strengthened with externally bonded CFRP sheets

This paper studied the effect of incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) on strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The RC beams were prepared, strengthened in flexure by externally bonded CFRP or CNTs-modified CFRP sheets, and tested under four-point loading. The experimental results showed the ability of the CNTs to delay the initiation of the cracks and to enhance the flexural capacity of the beams strengthened with CFRP. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model was built, validated, and used to study the effect of various parameters on the strengthening efficiency of CNTs-modified CFRP. The studied parameters included concrete strength, flexural reinforcement ratio, and CFRP sheet configuration. The numerical results showed that utilization of CNTs in CFRP production improved the flexural capacity of the strengthened beams for U-shape and underside-strip configurations. The enhancement was more pronounced in the case of U-shape than in the case of use of sheet strip covers on the underside of the beam. In case of using underside-strip, the longer or the wider the sheet, the higher was the flexural capacity of the beams. The flexural enhancement of RC beams by strengthening with CNTs-modified CFRP decreased with increasing the rebar diameter and was not affected by concrete strength.     

Experimental investigation of bond-slip behavior of aluminum plates adhesively bonded to concrete

The main objective of this investigation is to assess the feasibility of using aluminum alloy (AA) plates as externally bonded strengthening material for reinforced concrete members. Consequently, the main aim of this paper is to experimentally investigate the bond stress-slip behavior of AA plates adhesively bonded to concrete surface. In addition, the effect of different AA surface roughness on the bond stress and bond behavior of AA-concrete interface was also investigated. Twelve specimens with six different surface roughnesses were instrumented and tested under single shear. The tested specimens have two bonded lengths – long bonded lengths (75% of prism length) and short bonded length (30% of prism length). It was observed that the bond shear stress, loading capacity, and failure modes vary with AA surface roughness and bonded length. The load capacity and maximum bond stress increased by 143.6 and 342.6%, respectively, for long bonded length (75%) of randomly grinded AA surface compared with those of normal AA surface. Such increase in load capacity and bond stress demonstrated the potential of using AA as externally bonded strengthening material. In addition, the bond-slip behavior of the AA plates was predicted, with reasonable level of accuracy, using existing bond-slip models that were originally developed for fiber-reinforced polymer materials. However, a more elaborate study is warranted to develop bond stress-slip models, specifically, for AA-concrete interface.     

Wound Healing Effect of Gintonin Involves Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Signaling Pathway in Keratinocytes

Gintonin, a novel compound of ginseng, is a ligand of the lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor. The in vitro and in vivo skin wound healing effects of gintonin remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of gintonin on wound healing-linked responses, especially migration and proliferation, in skin keratinocytes HaCaT. In this study, 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide assay, Boyden chamber migration assay, scratch wound healing assay, and Western blot assay were performed. A tail wound mouse model was used for the in vivo test. Gintonin increased proliferation, migration, and scratch closure in HaCaT cells. It also increased the release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in HaCaT cells. However, these increases, induced by gintonin, were markedly blocked by treatment with Ki16425, an LPA inhibitor, PD98059, an ERK inhibitor, 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (acetoxymethyl ester), a calcium chelator, and U73122, a PLC inhibitor. The VEGF receptor inhibitor axitinib also attenuated gintonin-enhanced HaCaT cell proliferation. Gintonin increased the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2 in HaCaT cells. In addition, gintonin improved tail wound healing in mice. These results indicate that gintonin may promote wound healing through LPA receptor activation and/or VEGF release-mediated downstream signaling pathways. Thus, gintonin could be a beneficial substance to facilitate skin wound healing.     

Source attribution of submicron organic aerosols during wintertime inversions by advanced factor analysis of aerosol mass spectra

Real-time measurements of submicrometer aerosol were performed using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) during three weeks at an urban background site in Zurich (Switzerland) in January 2006. A hybrid receptor model which incorporates a priori known source composition was applied to the AMS highly time-resolved organic aerosol mass spectra. Three sources and components of submicrometer organic aerosols were identified: the major component was oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), mostly representing secondary organic aerosol and accounting on average for 52-57% of the particulate organic mass. Radiocarbon (14C) measurements of organic carbon (OC) indicated that approximately 31 and approximately 69% of OOA originated from fossil and nonfossil sources, respectively. OOA estimates were strongly correlated with measured particulate ammonium. Particles from wood combustion (35-40%) and 3-13% traffic-related hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) accounted for the other half of measured organic matter (OM). Emission ratios of modeled HOA to measured nitrogen oxides (NOx) and OM from wood burning to levoglucosan from filter analyses were found to be consistent with literature values.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(amide–imide)s and their precursors as materials for membranes

Water soluble diamine amic acids (DAAs) were synthesized by reacting aliphatic diamines with pyromellitic dianhydride. Poly(amide–amic acid)s (PAAs) were prepared by interfacial polycondensation of DAAs in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution with isophthaloyl chloride in dichloromethane. Poly(amide–imide)s (PAIs) containing alternating (amide–amide)–(imide–imide) sequences were obtained by thermal cycloimidization of the PAA films at 175°C for 4 h in a forced air woven. The PAIs were readily soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone. The inherent viscosities of the polymers are in the range of 0.97–1.7 dL/g. The polymers were characterized by IR, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thin film composite membranes containing PAA ultrathin barrier layer were prepared by in situ interfacial polycondensation of DAA in water with trimesoyl chloride or isophthaloyl chloride in hexane on the surface of a porous polysulfone membrane. The membranes were characterized for water permeability and for the separation of NaCl and Na₂SO₄. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 1721–1727, 2000