Analysis of interfacial failure in a composite microbundle pull-out experiment

Modeling of the failure of polymer-matrix composites requires substantial information about the mechanisms of failure at the interface, and load redistribution around fiber breaks in the composite. Current interface experiments involving the use of ‘microcomposites’ of single embedded fibers in a matrix generally do not include all the key geometric features of the real composite; in particular, they do not include the effects of fiber volume fraction and the higher matrix shear resulting from closely neighboring fibers. A new experiment was recently devised to assess some of these effects: it is referred to as the single-fiber pull-out from microbundle (SFPOM) experiment. It consists of a hexagonal arrat of seven fibers in a matrix where the outer six fibers are restrained and the center fiber is pulled out. Recent experimental data from tests with this geometry are analyzed here using three mechanical models of the failure process, and parametric studies of the data are performed to assess the appropriateness of each model. Two of the models, based on fracture energy considerations as applied earlier to single embedded fibers in a matrix and adapted to our geometry, were found to model data from the SFPOM experiments poorly. The third model assumes the existence of three zones near a fiber break, including elastic, plastic and frictional debond zones, and was found to provide reasonable fit to the data under realistic assumptions.     

Diffusion of lignin macromolecules within the fibre walls of kraft pulp. Part I: Determination of the diffusion coefficient under alkaline conditions

The intrinsic rate of diffusion of soluble lignin from fibre walls to bulk liquor has never been determined previously because of experimental difficulties; for example, the diffusion rate determined in a stirred cell is affected by the mechanical action of stirring. In our work, the intrinsic rate of diffusion of lignin macromolecules from the fibre walls of a softwood kraft pulp was determined under alkaline conditions using a displacement cell which eliminated external heat and mass transfer resistances and pulp fibre disturbances. The effects of such experimental conditions as pulp bed height and liquid flow rate were studied. The diffusion rate can be described by a diffusion model for a hollow cylinder with a very wide range of diffusion coefficients. The diffusion rate increased with increasing pH. Our results provide a new understanding of the lignin diffusion process in fibre walls, which is affected by the size of lignin molecules and the pores, and by the electrostatic interactions between intrafibre pore walls and lignin.     

Multi-user Quantum Cryptography on Optical Networks

Abstract

Quantum cryptography has been shown to be an effective technology for the secure distribution of keys on point-to-point optical links. We show how the existing techniques can be extended to allow multi-user secure key distribution on optical networks. We demonstrate that using network configurations typical of those found in passive optical network architectures any of the current quantum key distribution protocols can be adapted to implement secure key distribution from any user to any other user. An important feature of these adapted protocols is that the broadcaster, or service provider on the network, does not have to be trusted by the two users who wish to establish a key.     

阳离子聚丙烯酰胺的助留助滤性能

将自制的阳离子聚丙烯酰胺用于麦草浆的助留助滤实验，并与进口产品进行了对比，探讨了阳离子聚丙烯酰胺的分子量、阳离子单体含量和用量等因素对助留助滤的影响，得出了较适宜的数值范围。     

Strength distributions and size effects for 2D and 3D composites with Weibull fibers in an elastic matrix

Monte Carlo simulation and theoretical modeling are used to study the statistical failure modes in unidirectional composites consisting of elastic fibers in an elastic matrix. Both linear and hexagonal fiber arrays are considered, forming 2D and 3D composites, respectively. Failure is idealized using the chain-of-bundles model in terms of -bundles of length , which is the length-scale of fiber load transfer. Within each -bundle, fiber load redistribution is determined by local load-sharing models that approximate the in-plane fiber load redistribution from planar break clusters, as predicted from 2D and 3D shear-lag models. As a result the -bundle failure models are 1D and 2D, respectively. Fiber elements have random strengths following either a Weibull or a power-law distribution with shape and scale parameters and , respectively. Under Weibull fiber strength, failure simulations for 2D -bundles, reveal two regimes: When fiber strength variability is low (roughly >2) the dominant failure mode is by growing clusters of fiber breaks, one of which becomes catastrophic. When this variability is high (roughly 0<<2) cluster formation is suppressed by a dispersed failure mode due to the blocking effects of a few strong fibers. For 1D -bundles or for 2D -bundles under power-law fiber strength, the transitional value of drops to 1 or lower, and overall, it may slowly decrease with increasing bundle size. For the two regimes, closed-form approximations to the distribution of -bundle strength are developed under the local load-sharing model and an equal load-sharing model of Daniels, respectively. The results compare favorably with simulations on -bundles with up to 1500 fibers.     

Matrix effects on lifetime statistics for carbon fibre-epoxy microcomposites in creep rupture

Experimental results are presented for the strength and lifetime in creep rupture of carbon-epoxy microcomposites consisting of seven carbon fibres (Hercules IM6) within an epoxy matrix (Dow DER 332 epoxy with Texaco Jeffamine T403 curing agent) in an approximately hexagonal configuration. Special attention was paid to clamping, specimen alignment, shock isolation and accurate lifetime measurement. The results were analysed using a previously developed model, which involves a Weibull distribution for fibre strength and micromechanical stress redistribution around fibre breaks where the matrix creeps in shear following a power law. The model yields Weibull distributions for both microcomposite strength and lifetime where the respective shape and scale parameters depend on model parameters such as the Weibull shape parameter for fibre strength, the exponent for matrix creep, and the effective load transfer length and critical cluster size for failed fibres. Experimental results were consistent with the theory, though a fractographic study suggested time-dependent debonding along the fibre-matrix interface as being a key mechanism. Arguments were given to suggest, however, that the overall analytical forms would essentially be preserved. The results were compared with earlier results using a different epoxy system (Dow DER 331 epoxy with DEH 26 curing agent). Values for the matrix creep exponent and the effective load transfer length were about double and triple respectively the values from the earlier study, leading to slightly reduced strength, about one-half the variability in lifetime, but almost one-half the value of the exponent for the power law relating microcomposite lifetime to stress level.     

另一个“红色13”——海因里希·巴特勒斯的Bf109G-6/R6战斗机

我本次制作的是巴特勒斯于在1943年秋,驻地中海战区希腊卡拉马基(Kalamaki)时驾驶的一架Bf109G-6/R6型"红色13号",此时他已经取得70个击落战果,翼下挂载R6武器套件MG151/20吊     

Mini-maximizing two qubit quantum computations

Two qubit quantum computations are viewed as two player, strictly competitive games and a game-theoretic measure of optimality of these computations is developed. To this end, the geometry of Hilbert space of quantum computations is used to establish the equivalence of game-theoretic solution concepts of Nash equilibrium and mini-max outcomes in games of this type, and quantum mechanisms are designed for realizing these mini-max outcomes.