Fabrication of 3D structures via direct ink writing of kaolin/graphene oxide composite suspensions at ambient temperature

Kaolin/graphene oxide composite has been widely utilized in aero-space and architectural engineering applications due to its excellent mechanical property. Direct ink writing (DIW) is a freeform rapid prototyping technology that could be used to accurately fabricate the resulting size with complex shapes. In this study, we reported the DIW of kaolin/graphene oxide (GO) composite suspensions (KGCS) to assemble 3D structures at ambient temperature for the first time. The effects of GO on the chemical constitution and microstructure of kaolin suspensions were investigated. Rheology was characterized to ensure printability of KGCS. The addition of GO in kaolin suspensions quickened a flocculation structure, which dramatically changed their rheology properties. The DIW of 3D structures from the optimal KGCS sample maintained their initial shape without spreading. The flexural and compressive strengths of the dried optimal KGCS samples were obviously enhanced due to the improvement and reduction of the micro-defects compared from cured kaolin matrix.     

Electrochemical Aspects of Electroosmotic Dewatering of Clay Suspensions

An attempt is made to elucidate the electrochemical aspects of the electroosmotic dewatering (EOD) of clays as reported in some recent work, especially that on interrupted DC power electroosmotic dewatering published by Rabie, Mujumdar and Weber (2). These authors showed that the dewatering by EOD stops after the DC power has been on for several minutes or hours; on interruption of their power and on short-circuiting of the electrodes, conditions can be created again for some further dewatering by DC power EOD. This discovery, of Rabie et al. is interpreted as a fuel cell effect and it is shown that it affords clues to several other electrochemical strategies for the possible enhancement of the efficiency of the EOD by DC power.

Further, the open circuit potentials observed by Rabie et al. (2) on the interruption of DC power are given an electrochemical interpretation which leads to quantitative estimates in agreement with the experimental values.     

A comparison of leaf-spring with aircushion trailer suspensions in the transport environment

Packaging engineers need to be able to accurately determine the forces present in the shipping environment in order to protect packaged goods. The purpose of this study was to determine the vertical vibration levels measured in three separate truck-trailer suspension systems; conventional leaf-spring, conventional air-ride and damaged air-ride. The main conclusion reached in this study is that the air-ride suspension when maintained gives lower power density (PD) levels on all road surfaces studied. A damaged air-ride suspension and leaf-spring suspension are very similar in response frequencies, although the damaged air-ride produces higher vibration levels at lower frequencies.     

Structural Disruption of Toothpastes Under Deformation — An Easy Release of Active Ingredients

The author suggests a technological approach relevant to the optimization of toothpaste compositions with regard to the easy release of the therapeutic ingredients under shear deformation. It is based on the comparative assessment of the steady‐state viscous behaviour of placebo samples (mixtures containing all the components except the therapeutic ingredients) and the final products. It is presumed that the maximum beneficial effect of the toothpastes, as therapeutic agents, is achieved if the final products and the placebo blends display similar shear‐thinning characteristics.     

Rheological behaviour of concentrated yeast suspension

The effect of yeast cell volumetric concentration on the rheological properties of the suspensions was measured in a pipe-flow viscometer at 30°C: at low microbial concentrations the suspensions were Newtonian; however, non-Newtonian behaviour, which could be described by the power-law equation, was observed with suspensions at high microbial volumetric concentrations. At conditions of constant microbial morphology and growth rate, the results also indicated that a relationship could be developed between the power-law constants and the microbial volumetric concentration.     

Electrophoretic Deposition Behavior of Aqueous Nanosized Zinc Oxide Suspensions

The rheological behavior and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of ZnO nanopowder (nano-ZnO) in aqueous media have been described. A cationic polyelectrolyte (polyethylenimine, PEI) was used to disperse and modify the surfaces of the ZnO nanoparticles. The rheological properties of the ZnO aqueous suspension were investigated by measuring the viscosity versus the pH and amount of dispersant. The EPD processing was conducted via cathodic electrodeposition, using stable suspensions with low viscosity, and the depositional behavior was investigated. Bubble-free nano-ZnO deposits with uniform microstructures were successfully obtained, which was an indication of good sintering behavior.     

Design and evaluation of an active electromechanical wheel suspension system

This paper presents an electromechanical wheel suspension, where the upper arm of the suspension has been provided with an electric levelling and a damper actuator, both are allowed to work in a fully active mode. A control structure for the proposed suspension is described. The complex design task involving the control of the electric damper and its machine parameters is tackled by genetic optimisation. During this process, these parameters are optimised to keep the power dissipation of the electric damper as low as possible, while maintaining acceptable comfort and road-holding capabilities. The results of the evaluations carried out demonstrate that the proposed suspension can easily adopt its control parameters to obtain a better compromise of performance than that offered by passive suspensions. If the vehicle is to maintain acceptable performance during severe driving conditions, the damper has to be unrealistically large. However, if the electric damper is combined with a hydraulic damper, the size of the electric damper is significantly reduced. In addition, the design of the electric damper with the suggested control structure, including how it regenerates energy, is discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of surfactant‐free stimuli‐sensitive microgel dispersions

A surfactant‐free method to produce responsive polymer microgels is introduced. As an example, poly(methacrylic acid) hydrogels with varying crosslinking density have been synthesized in bulk and then chopped using a high shear mechanical cutter to form microgel particles dispersed in water. The mechanical cutting technique enables the concentration and particle size distribution of the microgel suspensions to be easily controlled, therefore making the rheology of the suspensions tuneable. The particle size distribution of the dispersions, characterized using light scattering, was dependent on the speed and duration of mechanical cutting. The particle size distribution also depended on the degree of crosslinking of the hydrogel. The higher the crosslinking density, the lower the average mean diameter of the resulting microgel particles. The lower the crosslinking density of the hydrogel, the larger the difference between the maximum and minimum particle size. The time to complete swelling of the particles upon change in pH was measured to be up to 45 s, depending on the particle size. The rheology of the resulting suspensions as a function of pH was investigated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 104: 1912–1919, 2007     

Rheological properties of bitumen in water emulsions with added solids

Experimental work was carried out to investigate the rheological properties of bitumen in water emulsions containing solids of different shape and size. The bitumen volumetric concentration was varied up to 60%, solids free basis, and the solids volume fraction (total volume basis) was varied up to 0.2. Irregular-shaped silica sand (average diameter: 9 and 33 μm) and smooth spherical glass beads (average diameter: 27 and 44 μm) were used as the added solids. In the low shear stress range, shear thinning behavior was observed for bitumen in water emulsions. At high shear stress, the viscosity of the emulsions became fairly independent of the shear stress. The addition of solids to the bitumen emulsions increased the mixture viscosity. The addition of irregular-shaped silica sand gave a higher viscosity than a similar addition of the spherical glass beads. The viscosity of the emulsion/solids mixtures was influenced by the solids size as well; the smaller size particles gave a higher viscosity. The addition of solids to the bitumen emulsions also induced shear thickening (dilatancy) behavior at high solids volume fraction. The degree of the shear thickening increased with the oil concentration.     

Ignition and Combustion of Dust-Gas Suspensions

The ignition and combustion of dust-gas suspensions are considered. It is shown that the ability of these systems to accumulate heat is determined not only by their kinetic and thermal properties but also by the relation between their reaction surface and the heat-removal surface (f). Experimental information on flame temperatures, ignition delays, and flame propagation over gas suspensions is processed using the parameter f, and the postulate on the stimulating role of the developed reaction surface in activating these processes is validated. It is shown that during overall burning, diffusion combustion of particles occurs only for rather small values of f. The ambiguous effect of the parameter f on the ignition and combustion processes leads to the necessity of optimizing the fuel size distribution and concentration for the effective operation of the power devices. The role of the macroparameters of two-phase flames of refractory metals in the synthesis of combustion nanoproducts is analyzed. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp. 3–14, November–December, 2005.