A semi-analytical approach for linear and non-linear analysis of unstiffened laminated composite cylinders and cones under axial,torsion and pressure loads

A semi-analytical model for the non-linear analysis of simply supported, unstiffened laminated composite cylinders and cones using the Ritz method and the Classical Laminated Plate Theory is proposed. A matrix notation is used to formulate the problem using Donnell׳s and Sanders׳ non-linear equations. The approximation functions proposed are capable to simulate the elephant׳s foot effect, a common phenomenon and a common failure mode for cylindrical and conical structures under axial compression. Axial, torsion and pressure loads can be applied individually or combined, and solutions for linear static, linear buckling and non-linear buckling analyses are presented and verified using a commercial finite element software. The presented non-linear buckling analyses used perturbation loads to create the initial geometric imperfections, showing the capability of the method for arbitrary imperfection patterns. The linear stiffness matrices are integrated analytically and for the conical structures an approximation is proposed to overcome the non-integrable expressions.     

Improving sinterability of ceramics using hybrid microwave heating

Microwave processing, as a new method for sintering ceramics, has key advantages such as increased heating rate, uniform heating and reduced cost compared to conventional methods. It is generally accepted that microwave sintering can improve the macroscopic mechanical performances of ceramics, however, the performances of microwave-sintered ceramics on the microscopic scale are rarely investigated. In the present study, the ceramics are sintered by hybrid microwave sintering (HMS), which combines the characteristics of microwave heating and conventional heating. To evaluate the homogeneous performance of the sintered ceramics, the behaviors of thermal residual stress distribution in the microwave-sintered and conventionally sintered ceramics were investigated by X-ray diffraction technique. The thermal residual stress investigation shows microwaves can sinter ceramics in entire volume while offering improved mechanical properties. Subsequently, the distribution behaviors of pore ratio and hardness in the ceramics were investigated, respectively. The experiment results confirm that the sinterability of ceramics is homogenously improved by hybrid microwave sintering.     

Optimization and Mechanical Accuracy Reliability of a New Type of Forging Manipulator

Researches on forging manipulator have enormous influence on the development of the forging industry and national economy.Clamp device and lifting mechanism are the core parts of forging manipulator,and have been studied for longer time.However,the optimization and mechanical accuracy reliability of them are less analyzed.Based on General Function(G_F)set and parallel mechanism theory,proper configuration of 10t forging manipulator is selected firstly.A new type of forging manipulator driven by cylinders is proposed.After solved mechanical analysis of manipulator’s core mechanisms,expressions of force of cylinders are carried out.In order to achieve smaller force afforded by cylinders and better mechanical characteristics,some particular sizes of core mechanisms are optimized intuitively through the combined use of the genetic algorithms(GA)and GUI interface in MATLAB.Comparing with the original mechanisms,optimized clamp saves at least 8 percent efforts and optimized lifting mechanism 20 percent under maximum working condition.Finally,considering the existed manufacture error of components,mechanical accuracy reliability of optimized clamp,lifting mechanism and whole manipulator are demonstrated respectively based on fuzzy reliability theory.Obtained results show that the accuracy reliability of optimized clamp is bigger than 0.991 and that of optimized lifting mechanism is 0.995.To the whole manipulator under maximum working condition,that value exceeds 0.986 4,which means that optimized manipulator has high motion accuracy and is reliable.A new intuitive method is created to optimize forging manipulator sizes efficiently and more practical theory is utilized to analyze mechanical accuracy reliability of forging manipulator precisely.     

Broadband,high-sensitivity self-powered ferroelectric LuMnO3-based photodetector with large photocurrent output

The broadband spectrum detection from ultraviolet to near-infrared is hankered in the photoelectric applications of imaging, sensing and communication. Here, a new self-powered photodetector based on ferroelectric LuMnO₃ thin film with a narrow bandgap of 1.46 eV exhibits high-sensitivity ultraviolet–visible–near infrared photodetection properties. The responsivity (R) and detectivity (D*) in sunlight are 0.4 A/W and 7.05 × 10¹¹ Jones, which are much higher than that of other ferroelectric photodetectors. Moreover, under the monochromatic light (900 nm), the R and D* can reach 0.39 A/W and 6.89 × 10¹¹ Jones. The outstanding photodetection performances owed to the large photocurrent output, where the short-circuit current density can reach 10.5 mA/cm² under 1 sun illumination. The synergistic effect of ferroelectric photovoltaic effect and interface barrier effect demonstrates that the multi-driving forces can achieve high dissociation efficiency for photon-generated carriers. The excellent photodetection performances open up new application of ferroelectric materials in broadband self-powered photodetectors.     

3D printing Si3N4-bonded SiC refractories fabricated using colloidal films-containing slurries based on non-spherical SiC and Si powders

Stable slurries for Si₃N₄-bonded SiC refractories for direct ink writing (DIW) were successfully prepared from a mixture of non-spherical silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) powders with an average particle size of D₅₀ = 41.98 μm. The rheological properties and printability of slurries prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA; 4–16 wt %) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC, 0.5–2 wt.%) were investigated with the effect of sintering temperature on the mechanical performance, phase, and microstructure of Si₃N₄-bonded SiC refractory products. The results indicated that slurries prepared with the HPMC solution showed better printability than those prepared with the PVA solution because colloidal films formed by HPMC in slurries play a role in encasing particles, preventing solid−liquid separation and contributing to plasticity and lubrication, which guarantees the smooth extrusion and homogeneity of slurries. The successful printing of SiC–Si slurries is not only related to proper viscosity, yield value, and shear thinning characteristics but it is also crucial for maintaining the homogeneity of slurries under extrusion pressure. Optimal SiC–Si slurries containing 52 vol % SiC–Si and 1.5 wt% HPMC exhibited proper viscosity, shear thinning, and homogeneity characteristics during printing. The obtained specimens achieved the best printing performance with height and section retention rates of 98.7% and 97.6%, respectively. When sintered at 1450 °C, Si₃N₄ fibres grow further and reach a diameter of 342.5 nm, the nitriding rate is 92.43%, the fibres tend to form a full network structure, and the mechanical properties of Si₃N₄-bonded SiC products are the best.     

Improved dielectric energy storage performance of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-based lead-free relaxation ferroelectric ceramics achieved by domain structural regulation and enhanced densification

There is still a problem of low energy storage density in dielectric capacitors which is a core component of power systems. For the improvement of the energy storage density, the linear dielectric material CaTiO₃ (CT) was introduced in Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ (NBT) ceramics in this paper. By modifying the A site, a new relaxor ferroelectric ceramic was successfully synthesized and attained a recoverable density (W_rec) of 2.34 J/cm³ at x = 0.18. Moreover, the preparation process was optimized in this paper. Through the viscous polymer process (VPP) route, the energy density (W_A) of 82NBT-18CT_VPP ceramic further reaches 6.45 J/cm³ at 340 kV/cm, with efficiency (η) up to 75% and a W_rec of 4.82 J/cm³. At the same time, the change of W_rec is small at temperature (30–150 °C) and frequency (1 Hz–300 Hz), which demonstrates its excellent stability. The discharge power density reaches about 180 MW/cm³ and the discharge time is 0.117 μs, which indicates its excellent pulse discharge performance. The results show that 82NBT-18CT lead-free relaxation ferroelectric material is expected to become ideal for high-energy storage applications.     

Investigating the thermal,mechanical and thermal cyclic properties of plasma-sprayed Al2O3-7YSZ/7YSZ double ceramic layer TBCs

Double ceramic layer (DCL) TBCs consisting of a top 20 wt.% Al₂O₃-7YSZ layer and a bottom 7YSZ layer were desirably designed to achieve preferable performance while the thermal, mechanical and thermal cyclic properties were comprehensively investigated. Compared to the conventional 7YSZ TBCs, the thermal insulation properties of the DCL coating were significantly improved due to the increased oxygen vacancy concentration induced by Al₂O₃ addition while the thickness of the thermally grown oxides was diminished by the decreased oxygen diffusion rate. Furthermore, the improved fracture toughness of the DCL coating also prolonged the thermal cyclic life.     

The effect of SnO2 on enhancing electrocatalytic property of palladium toward formic acid oxidation

Although palladium (Pd) based materials are considered the best catalyst for formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR), they are still confronted with a lot of barriers, such as the growth/sintering of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) and the accumulation of adsorbed poisoning intermediates. Herein, tin dioxide (SnO₂) decorated carbon black was utilized as the catalyst carrier to synthesize Pd/SnO₂/C for FAOR. The introduction of SnO₂ significantly reduced the particle size of Pd NPs and forming the Pd–O–Sn structure. Compared with Pd/C, Pd/SnO₂/C owned higher concentration of O_ads and less adsorption amount of poisoning intermediates. The oxygen atoms adsorbed on Pd surface were rapidly transferred to SnO₂ due to the spillover effect. The FAOR reaction kinetic results showed that the introduction of SnO₂ accelerated the diffusion rate of formic acid on the electrode surface. Pd/SnO₂/C exhibited high specific activity (5.97 mA cm⁻²), excellent durability, and high anti-CO poisoning ability toward FAOR due to the introduction of SnO₂.     

Surface modification of Co3O4 nanostructures using wide range of natural compounds from rotten apple juice for the efficient oxygen evolution reaction

In this study, a new strategy has been produced to use a rotten apple juice as a source for the surface modification of Co₃O₄ nanostructures, giving rise to efficient electro-catalysts for driving oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at relatively low over potential. We have studied the morphology, chemical composition, and crystalline aspects of Co₃O₄ nanostructures using different analytical techniques. The Co₃O₄ nanostructures grown with rotten apple juice were observed with low impurity of Fe and P, surface modification, reduced particle size, high concentration of oxygen vacancies, defects and cubic phase of Co₃O₄. Furthermore, we have used the surface modified Co₃O₄ nanostructures for water electrolysis and noticed the significant performance towards OER in alkaline conditions. The electrochemical characterization revealed that the Co₃O₄ nanostructure prepared with 20 mL of rotten apple juice exhibits an overpotential value of 269 mV at 20 mA/cm² current density. The charge transport resistance (Rct) at the interface was estimated around 118.9 Ω, confirming an excellent reaction kinetics on the Co₃O₄ nanostructures and highly supported efficient performance towards OER. The Co₃O₄ nanostructures prepared with 20 mL of rotten apple juice has shown an acceptable durability for 40 h, verifying the long-term use. The performance of Co₃O₄ nanostructures with apple juice could be attributed to high oxygen vacancies due to high density of Co²⁺ ions on the surface, impurities of Fe and P, reduced nanoparticle size, defects in the structures, and favorable chemical composition. At the end, surface modified Co₃O₄ nanostructures was observed as an outperformed electrocatalyst when prepared with rotten apple juice. Therefore, this can be used in diverse purposes including energy conversion and storage applications.     

Nanofiber-based Sm0.5Sr0.5Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ/N-MWCNT composites as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst towards OER/ORR

It is of significance to search non-noble metal OER/ORR catalysts with perfect performance. The introduction of carbon into perovskite can significantly enhance oxygen electrocatalytic activity. Herein, nanofiber-based Sm_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ/rGO (SSCF28/rGO) and Sm_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ/N-MWCNT (SSCF28/N-MWCNT) hybrids with various mass ratios were synthesized successfully by a facile ultrasonic mixing method and their oxygen evolution reaction (OER)/oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) properties were compared and studied. In 0.1 M KOH, SSCF28/N-MWCNT = 1.3 with optimal mass ratio shows better OER/OER bifuntional catalytic activity than SSCF28/rGO = 2:1. After 1000 CV cycles, SSCF28/N-MWCNT = 1.3 remains stable. Compared to SSCF28/rGO = 2:1, SSCF28/N-MWCNT = 1:3 shows promising practical applicability in metal-air batteries. The excellent OER/ORR activity of SSCF28/N-MWCNT = 1:3 can be attributed to the component optimization of perovskite and carbon and the synergistic effect between nanofiber-structured SSCF28 and N-functionalized MWCNT (N-MWCNT).