A physically based method for triangulated surface flattening

This paper introduces a new method of generating 2D flat patterns from a 3D triangulated surface by opening the bending configuration of each winged triangle pair. The flattening can be divided into four steps. First, a 3D triangulated surface is modeled with a mass-spring system that simulates the surface deformation during the flattening. Second, an unwrapping force field is built to drive the mass-spring system to a developable configuration through the numerical integration. Third, a velocity redistribution procedure is initiated to average velocity variances among the particles. Finally, the mass-spring system is forced to collide with a plane, and the final 2D pattern is generated after all the winged triangle pairs are spread onto the colliding plane. To retain the size and area of the original 3D surface, a strain control mechanism is introduced to keep the springs from over-elongation or over-shrinkage at each time step.     

Matrix mediated alignment of single wall carbon nanotubes in polymer composite films

Alignment of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in liquid crystalline (LC) polymer matrix imparting orientation to the nanotubes along the nematic director was studied by atomic force microscopy, measurements of electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy of the composite in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the nematic director. The composites were prepared through dispersion of SWNT with LC monomer in a common solvent, their alignment in nematic monomer and consequent UV polymerization of the monomer. The anisotropy of electrical and optical properties of the system depends strongly on the concentration of the nanotubes in the range of 1-10% SWNT being especially strong for smaller concentrations and negligible at higher loads. A simple semi-quantitative model is suggested to account for the orientational behavior of nanotubes in nematic matrices. It successfully describes the observed anisotropy of physical properties at microscale (up to 200 μm) in terms of anchoring of the polymer chains to the nanotubes surface and adjustment of the nanotubes orientation to the nematic direction due to such coupling. The increasing disorientation of the nematic domains at higher nanotubes loads is explained as a development of larger number of LC defects induced by the nanotubes in the nematic matrix due to their intrinsic nature of aggregation. The anisotropy of physical properties at macro scale (several millimeters) is much smaller and less dependable on SWNT concentration because differently oriented LC domains effectively wash out the anisotropy.     

Hydrodynamic force between two hard spheres tangentially translating in a power-law fluid

The hydrodynamic interaction between two hard spheres tangentially translating in a power-law fluid is investigated. By considering the gap between the two spheres being sufficiently small such that the Reynolds’ lubrication theory applies, an analytical equation to the pressure in the gap is obtained using truncated Fourier series. To a good approximation, the pressure equation can be further simplified. The simplified approximate equation over-predicts the pressure for shear thickening fluid (n>1) but under-predicts the pressure for shear-thinning fluid (n<1). However, the errors in the predicted tangential force and moment are relatively small. In particular, for a Newtonian fluid, the accurate solution and the simplified approximate solution degenerate to the asymptotic solution of Goldman et al. [1967. Slow viscous motion of a sphere parallel to a plane wall-motion through a quiescent fluid. Chemical Engineering Science 22, 637-651.] and O’Neill and Stewartson [1967. On the slow motion of a sphere parallel to a nearby plane wall. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 27, 705-724.]. Both solutions predict that for shear thickening fluid (n>1), the hydrodynamic force converged in the inner region of the gap between the two spheres and the contribution from the outer region is sufficiently small. For shear thinning fluid (n<1), the contribution from the outer region is also significant.     

Organic‐acid‐catalyzed sol–gel route for preparing poly(methyl methacrylate)–silica hybrid materials

In this study, a series of organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel materials consisting of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix and dispersed silica (SiO₂) particles were successfully prepared through an organic‐acid‐catalyzed sol–gel route with N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone as the mixing solvent. The as‐synthesized PMMA–SiO₂ nanocomposites were subsequently characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The solid phase of organic camphor sulfonic acid was employed to catalyze the hydrolysis and condensation (i.e., sol–gel reactions) of tetraethyl orthosilicate in the PMMA matrix. The formation of the hybrid membranes was beneficial for the physical properties at low SiO₂ loadings, especially for enhanced mechanical strength and gas barrier properties, in comparison with the neat PMMA. The effects of material composition on the thermal stability, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, molecular permeability, optical clarity, and surface morphology of the as‐prepared hybrid PMMA–SiO₂ nanocomposites in the form of membranes were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, gas permeability analysis, ultraviolet–visible transmission spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Swelling properties of chemically modified oil palm empty fruit bunch based polyurethane composites

In this study, the diffusion of various types of solvent in oil palm empty fruit bunch/polyurethane composites, produced from chemically modified empty fruit bunches, was investigated. The solubility parameters and polymer–solvent interaction parameters of the produced composites were determined. The void contents of the composites were also determined before swelling tests to eliminate the free solvent present in the system. From the results obtained, we found that the diffusion of the solvents was dependent on the compatible group available and the voids present in the system. The solubility parameters of the empty fruit bunch/polyurethane composites with different degrees of chemical modification were 11.6 and 11.7 (cal/cm^?3)^1/2. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Novel approach in investigation of the poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel swelling kinetics in water

The swelling kinetics curves of structurally defined poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel in bidistilled water at temperatures: 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45°C were determined. The possibility of kinetically explaining the isothermal swelling process by applying the following models: reaction controlled by diffusion, first order chemical reaction kinetics, and second order chemical reaction kinetics, was investigated. It was found that kinetically explaining the swelling process using these methods was limited to only certain parts of the process. The swelling process in bidistilled water was described in full range assuming that the hydrogel's swelling rate was a kinetically controlled reaction by the rate of the movement of reactive interface of hydrogel. Based on that model, the kinetic parameters, activation energy (E_a) and preexponential factor (A), of the swelling process were determined to be E_a = 35 kJ/mol and lnA = 8.6. A possible mechanism of the investigated swelling process was discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Effects and properties of poly(arylene ether benzonitrile)s of various molecular weights blended with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)

Poly(arylene ether benzonitrile) (PAEBN) was synthesized with 2,6‐dichlorobenzonitrile and biphenol. PAEBNs with various molecular weights (MWs), 1,640,000 and 185,000 g/mol, were synthesized by control of the stoichiometry of the monomers and were blended with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). The effects of MW on the water uptake, swelling, methanol permeability, and proton conductivity of the SPEEK/PAEBN blend membranes were investigated. The molecular mobility of the SPEEK/PAEBN blends was also examined in this study. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Measuring interdiffusion at an interface between two elastomers with tapping-mode and contact-resonance atomic force microscopy imaging

Despite the common use of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy to image composites or polymer blends, very few studies have focused on the measurement of the interdiffusion at an interface between two polymers in contact. In this study, we show how to assess the interphase between two polymers with two methods. First, stable and robust tapping conditions are established, and the problem of the phase contrast is discussed. Second, a contact-resonance method is presented: the tip in contact with the sample is electrostatically excited at its resonance frequency by a self-controlled oscillator. The gain and frequency images allow us to measure the interdiffusion width. Both methods (using high and weak mechanical solicitation) give the same assessment of the interdiffusion width. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Wave drift force in a two-layer fluid of finite depth

Based on the momentum and energy conservation principles, a compact calculation formula is analytically derived for the wave-drift force on a 2-D body floating in a two-layer fluid of finite depth. In a two-layer fluid, two different wave modes (the surface-wave mode with longer wavelength and the internal-wave mode with shorter wavelength) exist not only in the incident wave but also in the body-scattered wave, and these wave characteristics are properly incorporated in the obtained formula. It is noted that, unlike the single-layer case, the wave-drift force can be negative in the incident wave of surface-wave mode, if the transmitted wave with internal-wave mode is large. Numerical computations are implemented for a Lewis-form body by means of the boundary-integral-equation method with Green’s function for the two-layer fluid problem. The effects of density ratio, interface position, and body motions on the wave-drift force are studied, and some important features are found for two-layer fluids.     

技术进步经济效益评价——中国长城铝业公司水泥厂产出增长中技术进步作用的评价

本文通过运用“生产函数法”、“增长速度方程”来定量分析技术进步在长城铝业公司水泥厂产出增长中的作用,从中找出该水泥厂生产经营过程中存在的问题及未来发展方向。