Off-axis fatigue cracking behaviour in notched fibre metal laminates

The off‐axis fatigue cracking behaviour of notched fibre metal laminates under constant amplitude loading conditions was investigated experimentally and numerically. It was found that the off‐axis fatigue crack initiation life decreased as the off‐axis angles increased. This indicated that the off‐axis laminates raised the applied stress level in the aluminium (Al) layer and subsequently resulted in earlier cracking in the Al layer. The off‐axis fatigue crack initiation lives of notched fibre metal laminates were predicted using lamination theory and an energy‐based critical plane fatigue damage analysis from the literature. After a crack initiated in the Al layer, it was observed that the crack path angles of the off‐axis specimens were neither perpendicular to the fibre nor to the loading direction. A finite‐element model was established for predicting the crack path angles.     

Application of signal processing techniques to the detection of tip vortex cavitation noise in marine propeller

The tip vortex cavitation and its relevant noise has been the subject of extensive researches up to now. In most cases of experimental approaches, the accurate and objective decision of cavitation inception is primary, which is the main topic of this paper. Although the conventional power spectrum is normally adopted as a signal processing tool for the analysis of cavitation noise, a faithful exploration cannot be made especially for the cavitation inception. Alternatively, the periodic occurrence of bursting noise induced from tip vortex cavitation gives a diagnostic proof that the repeating frequency of the bursting contents can be exploited as an indication of the inception. This study, hence, employed the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) analysis and the Detection of Envelope Modulation On Noise (DEMON) spectrum analysis, both which are appropriate for finding such a repeating frequency. Through the acoustical measurement in a water tunnel, the two signal processing techniques show a satisfactory result in detecting the inception of tip vortex cavitation.     

EXPERIMENTAL ESTIMATION OF A SCALING EXPONENT FOR TIP VORTEX CAVITATION VIA ITS INCEPTION TEST IN FULL- ANDMODEL-SHIP

Tip vortex cavitation noise of marine propeller became primary concerns to reduce hazardous environmental impacts from commercial ship or to keep the underwater surveillance of naval ships. The investigations of the tip vortex and its induced noise are normally conducted through the model test in a water cavitation tunnel. However the Reynolds number of model-test is much smaller than that of the full-scale, which subsequently results in the difference of tip vortex cavitation inception. Hence, the scaling law between model-and full-scales needs to be identified prior to the prediction and assessment of propeller noise in full scale. From previous researches, it is generally known that the incipient caivtation number of tip vortex can be represented as a power of the Reynolds number. However, the power exponent for scaling, which is the main focus of this research, has not been clearly studied yet. This paper deals with the estimation of scaling exponent based on tip vortex cavitation inception test in both full-and model-scale ships. Acoustical measurements as well as several kind of signal processing technique for an inception criterion suggest the scaling exponent as 0.30. The scaling value proposed in this study shows slight difference to the one of most recent research. Besides, extrapolation of model-ship noise measurement using the proposed one predicts the full-scale noise measurement with an acceptable discrepancy.     

Far‐reaching geometrical artefacts due to thermal decomposition of polymeric coatings around focused ion beam milled pigment particles

Focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope (FIB‐SEM) instruments are extensively used to characterize nanoscale composition of composite materials, however, their application to analysis of organic corrosion barrier coatings has been limited. The primary concern that arises with use of FIB to mill organic materials is the possibility of severe thermal damage that occurs in close proximity to the ion beam impact. Recent research has shown that such localized artefacts can be mitigated for a number of polymers through cryogenic cooling of the sample as well as low current milling and intelligent ion beam control. Here we report unexpected nonlocalized artefacts that occur during FIB milling of composite organic coatings with pigment particles. Specifically, we show that FIB milling of pigmented polysiloxane coating can lead to formation of multiple microscopic voids within the substrate as far as 5 μm away from the ion beam impact. We use further experimentation and modelling to show that void formation occurs via ion beam heating of the pigment particles that leads to decomposition and vaporization of the surrounding polysiloxane. We also identify FIB milling conditions that mitigate this issue.     

Expansion microscopy

Super‐resolution optical microscopy techniques have revolutionized how we see and understand biology. In recent past, a new super‐resolution optical microscopy technique called expansion microscopy (ExM) was developed. Unlike other pre‐existing super‐resolution imaging techniques, this technique achieves super‐resolution by physically expanding biological specimens via a swellable hydrogel. After the development of ExM, various techniques based on ExM but with improved performance in various aspects, have been developed. In this review, we introduce the basic principles of ExM and its variants. and compare the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques. In addition, we present the applications of ExM techniques in various fields.     

Electrical Resistivity of Titanium-Containing Glasses

Titanium-containing glasses were prepared by fusion of a base glass (BaO·B₂O₃SiO₂) and TiO₂ and/or Ti₂O₃ in Ar. Their resistivities did not vary with melting time and temperature. Interaction of Ti⁴⁺ and Ti³⁺ in the glasses was deduced by spectroscopy, but the valence states in the batch compositions were preserved in the glasses, according to the chemical analysis. Glasses containing either Ti⁴⁺ or Ti³⁺ had very high resistivities, whereas the glass prepared by melting a mixture of a Ti⁴⁺-containing and a Ti³⁺-containing glass had much lower resistivity. All results confirmed the possibility of controlling the resistivity by batch composition for these glasses.     

Collapse behavior evaluation of hybrid thin-walled member by stacking condition

The recent trend of vehicle design aims at crash safety and environmentally-friendly aspect. For the crash safety aspect, the energy absorbing members should absorb collision energy sufficiently but for the environmentally-friendly aspect, the vehicle structure must be light weight in order to improve the fuel efficiency and reduce the tail gas emission. Therefore, the light weight of vehicle must be achieved in a securing safety status of crash. An aluminum or carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is representative one of the light-weight materials. Based on the respective collapse behavior of aluminum and CFRP member, the collapse behavior of hybrid thin-walled member was evaluated. The hybrid members were manufactured by wrapping CFRP prepreg sheets outside the aluminum hollow members in the autoclave. Because the CFRP is an anisotropic material whose mechanical properties, such as strength and elasticity, change with its stacking condition, the effects of the stacking condition on the collapse behavior evaluation of the hybrid thin-walled member were tested. The collapse mode and energy absorption capability of the hybrid thin-walled member were analyzed with the change of the fiber orientation angle and interface number.     

Collapse behavior evaluation of hybrid thin-walled member by stacking condition

The recent trend of vehicle design aims at crash safety and environmentally-friendly aspect. For the crash safety aspect, the energy absorbing members should absorb collision energy sufficiently but for the environmentally-friendly aspect, the vehicle structure must be light weight in order to improve the fuel efficiency and reduce the tail gas emission. Therefore, the light weight of vehicle must be achieved in a securing safety status of crash. An aluminum or carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is rep...