Bending fracture rule for 3D-printed curved continuous-fiber composite

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an attractive technology to produce complex structures without the need for expensive tools and molds. Additives are usually incorporated with the plastic materials used in 3D printing to increase their strength and rigidity. In particular, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) shows promise as a material for use in 3D printing. However, the strength of CFRP after printing is still unclear, although it is known that its strength is affected by the plastic melting during printing. In this study, we analyzed the fracture behavior of CFRP specimens before and after bending to different curvature radii. From the experimental results, a fracture criterion that described the behavior of the materials by considering tensile and compressive loads was developed. The fracture mechanism was the same for CFRP specimens with different curvature radii. These results increase our understanding of the mechanical properties of CFRP materials used in 3D printing.     

Syntheses and properties of tetramethyl-p-silphenylenesiloxanealkenylmethyl-siloxane copolymers and their derivatives

$\text{Tetramethyl}\text{-p-}\text{silphenylenesiloxane}\text{alkenylmethylsiloxane}$ (TMPS/AMS) copolymers were snyhtesized from p-bis-dimethylhydroxysilylbenzene and a series of alkenylmethyldichlorosilanes as the starting materials. The alkenyl groups of the copolymers were vinyl, allyl, 2-(3-cyclohexenyl)ethyl, methacryloxypropyl and 3-bicycloheptenyl groups. The composition ranged from TMPS/AMS mole% ratio of $\text{92}\text{8}$ to $\text{83}\text{17}$ and the molecular weights were in the range 10⁴ to 10⁵. These copolymers were confirmed to have two compositions, one a certain length of TMPS segment and the other an AMS monomer unit, and that they could form films on the basis of the crystallization character of the TMPS segment. The melting temperatures of these copolymers decreased as the TMPS mole content decreased and as the alkenyl group contents were increased. The epoxidation reactions of these copolymers with m-chloroperbenzoic acid were carried out and the proportions of conversions of the alkenyl groups into epoxy groups varied depending upon the types of alkenyl groups involved. Cyclic olefin groups such as the 2-(3-cyclohexenyl)ethyl or the 3-bicycloheptenyl group were more easily epoxidized than the vinyl or allyl groups. The TMPS/dimethylsiloxane (DMS) graft copolymer could also be synthesized by the reaction of TMPS/vinylmethylsiloxane copolymer with dimethylhydrosilyl-terminated DMS oligomer in the presence of chloroplatinic acid acting as the catalyst.     

Modification of poly(vinyl chloride). XIX. Electroplating of poly(vinyl chloride)

As a preliminary treatment in the PVC-electroplating procedure, treatment with dimethylformamide followed by sensitization leads to a finely roughened and a highly hydrophilic surface with reducing power. This is caused by the formation of an ionic complex compound between dimethylformamide and tin(II) chloride absorbed in the PVC surface. A much more finely and deeply etched surface which exhibits higher adhesion through the mechanical interlocking effect is obtained with the PVC blends containing the plasticizer with a low value of interaction parameter and with a solubility parameter approximate to that of PVC. Adhesion of the metal layer to the PVC surface thus obtained is improved about 1.5 times by thermal aging at 120°C for 20 min.     

Production of aluminum-matrix carbon nanotube composite using high pressure torsion

In this study, an Al-based composite containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was fabricated using a process of severe plastic deformation through high pressure torsion (HPT). Neither heating nor sintering was required with the HPT process so that an in situ consolidation was successfully achieved at ambient temperature with 98% of the theoretical density. A significant increase in hardness was recorded through straining by the HPT process. When the composite was pulled in tension, the tensile strength of more than 200 MPa was attained with reasonable ductility. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the grain size was reduced to 100 nm and this was much smaller than the grain size without CNTs and the grain size reported on a bulk sample. High resolution electron microscopy revealed that CNTs were present at grain boundaries. It was considered that the significant reduction in grain size is attributed to the presence of CNTs hindering the dislocation absorption and annihilation at grain boundaries.     

Effect of ultrafine grain refinement on hydrogen embrittlement of metastable austenitic stainless steel

Micro-tensile tests were performed on high-pressure-torsion-processed specimens of type 304 steel with grain sizes in the range of 0.1–0.5 μm to clarify the effect of ultrafine grain refinement on the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of metastable austenitic steel. The ultrafine-grained (UFG) specimens with average grain sizes < ～0.4 μm exhibited a limited uniform elongation followed by a steady-stress regime in the stress–strain curves, which was attributed to a martensitic transformation. A high yield stress and a moderate elongation to failure were attained for the UFG specimens with an average grain size of ～0.5 μm in the uncharged state. Hall–Petch relationships well hold between the yield stress and the average grain size for each uncharged and hydrogen-charged specimen. Hydrogen charging increased the friction stress by 40% but did not change the Hall–Petch coefficient. Hydrogen-induced ductility loss was mitigated by ultrafine grain refinement. Ductility loss due to hydrogen charging manifested in the local deformation after a martensitic transformation. This indicates that hydrogen does not significantly affect the martensitic transformation, but shortens the subsequent local deformation process.     

Classification of ground faults in distribution lines according to phase-plane trajectories of waveforms

Recently, a greater demand for stable supply of electric power has resulted from a higher standard of living. It becomes important that the causes and locations of ground faults in distribution lines be found early and defects be repaired as soon as possible. Therefore, a unit for recording the waveform I₀ of ground fault's current and the waveform V₀ of its voltage is installed in distribution substations. The establishment of a technology to distinguish fault causes automatically is being hastened. This paper presents a new classification method for ground fault waveforms, based on phase-plane trajectories for the current or voltage and their differential values. Examinations of ground fault waveforms based on real data show that the waveform of current I₀ is more suitable than that of voltage V₀ for the classification of waveforms at ground faults and that the trajectory of each of the three types of waveforms, such as sine waves, trapezoidal waves, and spikes, has all of the characteristics in its figure. It is also found from the distribution of 167 sampling points on the phase plane that any waveforms at a real ground fault may be classified into three characteristic point distributions, which gives the possibility of easy display for the classification of ground fault causes. © 1998 Scripta Technica. Electr Eng Jpn, 122(1): 8–16, 1998     

Development of a simulator to calculate an optimal slab heating pattern for reheat furnaces

To improve energy consumption and to meet quality requirements for the slab heating process of reheat furnaces in hot strip mills, a new optimal slab heat pattern calculation simulator has been developed. The simulator consists of the following functions; (1) two-dimensional (slab thickness direction and slab length direction) slab temperature calculation function, which is capable of calculating skidmarks along the length of a slab, (2) furnace heat balance calculation function, (3) optimizing calculation function of slab heat pattern using a linear programming method. The simulator developed has been installed into a furnace computer control system for an actual plant. This paper describes the functions of the simulator and simulation results using the simulator. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 120 (3): 42–53, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of 1,3,2-diazaboroine derivatives for organic thin-film transistor applications

2,2′-(1,4-Phenylene)bis(2,3-dihydro-1H-naphtho[1,8-de]-1,3,2-diazaboroine) [PND] and 2,2′-(4,4′-biphenylene)bis(2,3-dihydro-1H-naphtho[1,8-de]-1,3,2-diazaboroine) [BND] were synthesized and characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, single crystal X-ray structure analysis, UV–vis absorption and electrochemical measurements, thin-film X-ray diffraction (XRD) and AFM studies. Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) were fabricated by vacuum deposition with a bottom contact geometry using Au electrodes. Annealing treatment optimizes the organic active layer and increases the charge carrier mobility. Field-effect mobilities of 7.2 × 10^?3 for PND and 4.1 × 10^?4 cm² V^?1 s^?1 for BND were found.     

Synthesis of glucose-substituted poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-phenylene)s with twisted main-chain in one direction due to induced axial chirality

Summary The peracetylated and free glucose-substituted poly(p-phenylene)s were synthesized by the coupling polymerization of a dibromobenzene monomer using Ni complex and the subsequent deacetylation by hydrazine monohydrate. The polymerization was carried out using bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (Ni(COD)₂) as a coupling agent with 2,2’-bipyridyl (bpy) and 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) in a mixed solvent of DMF and toluene. The structure of the product was confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR measurements to be the poly(p-phenylene) having peracetylated glucose residues. The M_n values were estimated by GPC analysis with DMF as eluent to be 7300–9800. The fluorescence analysis of the polymer was carried out in comparison with that of the dimeric model compound. The CD spectrum of the polymer indicated that the main-chain was twisted and immobilized in one direction due to the chirality and bulkily of the peracetylated glucose residues. The deacetylation using hydrazine monohydrate completely took place to give the free glucose-substituted poly(p-phenylene).