Optimum design of laminated composite plates to maximize buckling load using MFD method

This paper presents optimal design of simply supported laminated composite plates subject to given in-plane static loads for which the critical failure mode is buckling. The objective function is to maximize the buckling load capacity of laminated plates and the fiber orientation is considered as design variable. The first-order shear deformation theory is used for the finite element analysis. In this paper, the effects of bending–twisting coupling are also included for the buckling optimization. The modified feasible direction method is used as an optimization method. Also, computer programs are coded in MATLAB and Golden Section method is adapted in this program for the optimal design of laminated plates for maximum buckling load. The effect of width-to-thickness ratio, aspect ratio, number of layers, material anisotropy, load ratios (N_y/N_x), uncertainties in material properties and functionally graded materials on the results is investigated and compared.     

Compatibilization of polypropylene/polystyrene blends with poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) block copolymer

The compatibilizing effect of the triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) on the morphology and mechanical properties of immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends were studied. Blends with three different weight ratios of PP and PS were prepared and three different concentrations of SBS were used for investigations of its compatibilizing effects. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that SBS reduced the diameter of the PS-dispersed particles as well as improved the adhesion between the matrix and the dispersed phase. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that in the PP matrix dispersed particles were complex “honeycomblike” aggregates of PS particles enveloped and joined together with the SBS compatibilizer. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis showed that the degree of crystallinity of PP/PS/SBS slightly exceeded the values given by the addition rule. At the same time, addition of SBS to pure PP and to PP/PS blends changed the orientation parameters A₁₁₀ and C significantly, indicating an obvious SBS influence on the crystallization process in the PP matrix. SBS interactions with PP and PS influenced the mechanical properties of the compatibilized PP/PS/SBS blends. Addition of SBS decreased the yield stress and the Young's modulus and improved the elongation at yield as well as the notched impact strength in comparison to the binary PP/PS blends. Some theoretical models for the determination of the Young's modulus of binary PP/PS blends were used for comparison with the experimental results. The experimental line was closest to the series model line. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 69: 2625–2639, 1998     

Synthesis of aromatic poly(ether ketone)s containing C36 aliphatic unsaturated groups in the main chain

Aromatic poly(ether ketone)s (PEKs) were modified with various amount of C36 dimer acid Pripol 1017 obtained from polymerization of unsaturated C18 fatty acids. To obtain modified PEKs, polycondensation was carried out using various dicarboxylic acids with diphenylether at 75°C in phosphorus pentoxide/methanesulfonic acid as condensing agent and solvent. The reduced viscosities of polymers are relatively low, up to 0.13 dL/g. PEK with a structure (molar ratio of aliphatic to aromatic segment: 0.33) is soluble in organic polar solvents and can be cast from a tetrahydrofuran solution with cobalt naphthenate air dryer in order to obtain crosslinked film at room temperature. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 1275–1278, 1997     

The association constant of macrocyclic ether–cation interactions in 1,4-dioxane/water mixtures. III. Effect of temperature on the binding

The association constant, K_a of Na⁺ with [12]crown-4, [15]crown-5 and [18]crown-6 crown ethers were determined in a binary mixture, 1,4-dioxane/water (50/50) using a Na⁺ ion selective electrode at different temperatures. K_a values were determined with the relationship, 1/K_a [L_o]^n+m–1 = (1–nP′)ⁿ(1–mP′)^m/P′, for various stoichiometries, (n:m), where P′ is the mole fraction of the complexed cation. The exothermic association constants and the thermodynamic data for cation–macrocycle complexes explained in terms of Eigen–Winkler binding mechanism are given. The binding power found for Na⁺, however, was the highest with [18] crown-6.     

Moisture sorption and the applicability of the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) equation for blanched and unblanched mushrooms

Moisture sorption isotherms of blanched and unblanched mushrooms over 0.11–0.75 a_w were determined at 27°C and 37°C by using the static gravimetric method. Adsorption and desorption behaviors of blanched and unblanched mushrooms were compared. The unblanched material adsorbed more water than that of the blanched. In desorption isotherms, the equilibrium moisture contents of the unblanched material were found to be higher than those of the blanched throughout the entire a_w range. The BET equation was tested to fit the experimental moisture sorption data over the 0.11–0.43 a_w, 0.11–0.55 a_w, 0.11–0.64 a_w, and 0.11–0.75 a_w. Nonlinear regression analysis was used for the determination of the parameters in the equation. The quality of the fit of the BET model over each a_w range was judged from the value of the relative percent root mean square (% RMS). The moisture sorption behavior over 0.11–0.43 a_w of mushrooms has indicated that the BET equation is applicable generally up to 0.43 a_w. Monolayer moisture contents and C constants in the BET equation obtained for each a_w interval were reported. The water activities corresponding to the monolayer values have been determined and discussed related to mushroom storage. The net isosteric heats of adsorption and desorption were estimated from equilibrium sorption data, using the integrated form of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The heats of adsorption/desorption decreased with increase in moisture content and approached to a constant value. It was concluded that moisture adsorption/desorption occurred by physical mechanisms at high moisture contents, but at low moisture contents, besides physical adsorption, chemisorption was also observed.     

Wollastonite‐reinforced polypropylene composites modified with novel metallocene EPR copolymers. II. Mechanical properties and adhesion

Mechanical properties and adhesion phenomena of isotactic polypropylene/wollastonite/metallocene propylene‐ethylene copolymers (iPP/W/EPR) composites were studied as a function of metallocene propylene‐based copolymers content from 0 to 20 vol%. The composites with different surface treated wollastonites and two types of EPR have shown similar behavior of most mechanical properties except elongation at break and impact strength respective of the difference in some characteristics of used EPR elastomers. The increase and the difference in elongation at break could be explained by renewed spherulitic morphology of the iPP matrix. Stronger interactions between EPR‐1 and two used types of wollastonites than between EPR‐2 and corresponding wollastonites concluded from the surface properties led to the difference in impact strength behavior. The determined mechanical properties confirm the assumption coming out of structural investigations that metallocene EPR elastomers are rather efficient impact modifiers than encapsulation compatibilizers for the iPP/wollastonite composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

APPLICATION OF SPECTRAL METHODS TO THERMAL ANALYSIS OF NANOSCALE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

The transient thermal characteristics of nanoscale electronic devices operating at very high frequencies are studied by spectral methods. At such scales microscopic phenomena resulting from phonon collisions and phonon scattering become important. A device, consisting of an array of MOSFET transistors on silicon substrate, is considered as a test case. Thermal transport is represented by a reduced form of the Boltzmann transport equation: the thermal wave model or hyperbolic heat equation. The results indicate that spectral methods can be used effectively for the accurate prediction of the short-time transient effects in nanoscale devices. Such effects are amplified by a sharp increase in the operating voltage and the corresponding heat generation rate.     

Measurements of Thermal Conductivity Variations with Temperature for the Organic Analog of the Nonmetal–Nonmetal System: Urea–4-Bromo-2-Nitroaniline

Thermal conductivity variations with temperature for solid phases in the Urea (U)–[X] mol pct 4-bromo-2-nitroaniline (BNA) system (X = 0, 2, 45, 89.9, and 100) were measured using the radial heat flow method. From graphs of thermal conductivity variations with temperature, the thermal conductivities of the solid phases at their melting temperature and temperature coefficients for the U–[X] mol pct BNA system (X  =  0, 2, 45, 89.9, and 100) were found to be 0.26, 0.55, 0.46, 0.38, and 0.23 W/Km and 0.007781, 0.005552, 0.002058, 0.002188, and 0.002811 K^?1, respectively. The ratios of thermal conductivity of the liquid phase to thermal conductivity of the solid phase in the U–[X] mol pct BNA system (X  =  0, 2, 45, 89.9, and 100) were also measured to be 0.30, 0.44, 0.46, 0.49, and 0.51, respectively, with a Bridgman-type directional solidification apparatus at their melting temperature.     

Solid–Liquid Interfacial Energy of Solid Neopentylglycol Solution in Equilibrium with Neopentylglycol–Aminomethylpropanediol Eutectic Liquid

The grain boundary groove shapes for solid neopentylglycol solution (NPG-40 mol pct AMPD) in equilibrium with the neopentylglycol (NPG)–aminomethylpropanediol (AMPD) eutectic liquid (NPG-42.2 mol pct AMPD) have been directly observed using a horizontal linear temperature gradient apparatus. From the observed grain boundary groove shapes, the Gibbs–Thomson coefficient (Г) and solid–liquid interfacial energy (σ _SL) of solid NPG solution have been determined to be (7.4 ± 0.7) × 10^?8 K m and (6.4 ± 1.0) × 10^?3 J m^?2, respectively. The grain boundary energy of solid NPG solution has been determined to be (12.5 ± 1.0) × 10^?3 J m^?2 from the observed grain boundary groove shapes. The ratio of thermal conductivity of equilibrated eutectic liquid to thermal conductivity of solid NPG solution has also been determined to be 0.48.     

An exploratory study of disaggregated clearing functions for production systems with multiple products

Clearing functions (CFs) have shown considerable promise for representing production capacity in production planning models due to their ability to capture the non-linear relationships between throughput, order releases and lead times. Most CFs developed to date use the total work in progress of all products, in units of processing time, as the state variable. In this paper, we investigate CFs for multi-product systems where the overall throughput of the system is affected by the product mix. We show that the aggregate work in process (WIP) variable used in the previous CF literature may lead to inaccurate estimates of expected throughput for individual products. To address this issue, we explore the use of multi-dimensional CFs (MDCFs) that use an extended definition of resource state based on the disaggregated WIP levels for individual products. Several new functional forms for MDCFs are postulated for single machine multi-product systems and their ability to represent system behaviour is assessed using simulation experiments. Results reveal that MDCFs are better able to predict system performance in the presence of mix-dependent capacity losses. We also discuss the extension of the MDCF approach to multi-stage production systems.