Nonlinear elastic constitutive relations of residually stressed composites with stiff curved fibres

Applied Mathematics and Mechanics - Mechanical models of residually stressed fibre-reinforced solids, which do not resist bending, have been developed in the literature. However, in some residually...     

变刚度层叠梁的力学性能研究

为满足不同场景下的功能需求，变刚度结构得到越来越广泛的应用．以机器人手臂为例，在执行操作时，需要其手臂的结构刚度足够大，避免出现过大的扭曲和变形，而在与人交互时，又需要其结构足够柔软，以保证在此过程中与人交互的安全性．该类变刚度结构可根据需求通过外部激励在柔性和刚性状态之间自由切换．在该文章中，研究分析了层叠梁结构，通过理论推导和数值模拟，对其力学性能做出了很好的预测，同时为此类结构的研究提供了有效可靠的思路和方法．     

Rate sensitivity and deformation mechanism of semi-crystalline polymers during instrumented indentation

Instrumented indentation tests using both constant loading rate (CLR) and continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) operation modes were performed to investigate the deformation mechanism and their sensitivity to the deformation rate in semi-crystalline polymers through the quantitative analysis of load-depth loading and unloading curves. The strain rate was constant during the CSM tests, while the strain rate decreased with the increasing of loading time in CLR tests. The mechanical response mechanism of the semi-crystalline polymers to these tests was very complicated because of the combined effects of strain-hardening in the crystal phase and strain-softening in the amorphous phase. Results show that the loading index m reflects the strain-hardening or strain-softening response during indentation. When m > 2, the mechanical response was due to the strain-hardening, and when m < 2, the response was due to strain-softening. A method based on the measured contact hardness was proposed to obtain the unloading stiffness, and the other mechanical parameters could then be determined according to the unloading stiffness.     

Sub‐ and Supramolecular X‐Ray Characterization of Engineered Tissues from Equine Tendon,Bovine Dermis,and Fish Skin Type‐I Collagen

Collagen represents one of the most widely used biomaterial for scaffolds fabrication in tissue engineering as it represents the mechanical support of natural tissues. It also provides physical scaffolding for cells and it influences their attachment, growth, and tissue regeneration. Among all fibrillary collagens, type I is considered one of the gold standard for scaffolds fabrication, thanks to its high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and hemostatic properties. It can be extracted by chemical and enzymatic protocols from several collagen‐rich tissues, such as tendon and skin, of different animal species. Both the extraction processes and the manufacturing protocols for scaffolds fabrication provide structural and mechanical changes that can be tuned in order to deeply impact the properties of the final biomaterial. The aim of this review is to discuss the role of X‐rays to study structural changes of type I collagen from fresh collagen‐rich tissues (bovine, equine, fish) to the final scaffolds, with the aim to screen across available collagen sources and scaffolds fabrication protocols to be used in tissue regeneration.     

Molecular dynamic study of dielectric polarization and ferroelectricity in a model polar polymer

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to explore the polarization response of a lamellar crystal consisting of folded chains of a highly simplified model polar polymer. The system is based on a united atom model of polyethylene with constrained bond lengths and bond angles, and it is endowed with artificial partial charges placed on the united atoms to give it a simple polar character. Simulations performed with various temperatures, electric field directions, and electric field application histories reveal a complicated sequence of reorientation processes, including pronounced ferroelectric behavior. The sequence includes a weak, temperature‐independent prompt response, and a slow‐rising delay regime with stretched exponential behavior and thermally‐activated reorientation parameters consistent with trans‐gauche (TG) barrier crossings in the amorphous phase. When the delay regime has progressed sufficiently, a primary large‐amplitude response due to organized rotation of large subsegments in the crystalline phase occurs in a rapid manner that requires relatively few TG barrier crossings. A final, extremely slow rise in residual polarization completes the sequence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 740–759     

Mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of the twisted graphene nanoribbons

Molecular dynamics method was used to simulate the twists of four GNRs (graphene nanoribbons), two AGNRs (armchair GNRs), and two ZGNRs (zigzag GNRs). Thermal conductivity of the length-fixing GNRs under torsion and at high temperature was calculated. It is found that the ZGNRs have better torsional rigidity than the AGNRs; under the torsional deformation of 34.2°/nm local buckling occurs in the length-fixing GNRs, and under the deformation of 22.8°/nm overall buckling occurs in the ones with free-length. In the range of investigated twist-angle and temperature, the thermal conductivity of the length-fixing GNRs decreases with the increase of torsional deformation and temperature. The wider GNRs have better anti-torsion capability and thermal conductivity.     

Electrical Stimulation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Conductive Substrates Promotes Neural Priming

Electrical stimulation (ES) within a conductive scaffold is potentially beneficial in encouraging the differentiation of stem cells toward a neuronal phenotype. To improve stem cell-based regenerative therapies, it is essential to use electroconductive scaffolds with appropriate stiffnesses to regulate the amount and location of ES delivery. Herein, biodegradable electroconductive substrates with different stiffnesses are fabricated from chitosan-grafted-polyaniline (CS-g-PANI) copolymers. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on soft conductive scaffolds show a morphological change with significant filopodial elongation after electrically stimulated culture along with upregulation of neuronal markers and downregulation of glial markers. Compared to stiff conductive scaffolds and non-conductive CS scaffolds, soft conductive CS-g-PANI scaffolds promote increased expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and neurofilament heavy chain (NF-H) after application of ES. At the same time, there is a decrease in the expression of the glial markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin after ES. Furthermore, the elevation of intracellular calcium [Ca²⁺] during spontaneous, cell-generated Ca²⁺ transients further suggests that electric field stimulation of hMSCs cultured on conductive substrates can promote a neural-like phenotype. The findings suggest that the combination of the soft conductive CS-g-PANI substrate and ES is a promising new tool for enhancing neuronal tissue engineering outcomes.     

Bioactive Phenylboronic Acid-Functionalized Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels Induce Chondro-Aggregates and Promote Chondrocyte Phenotype

Hydrogels are extensively investigated as biomimetic extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds in tissue engineering. The physiological properties of ECM affect cellular behaviors, which is an inspiration for cell-based therapies. Photocurable hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel (AHAMA-PBA) modified with 3-aminophenylboronic acid, sodium periodate, and methacrylic anhydride simultaneously is constructed in this study. Chondrocytes are then cultured on the surface of the hydrogels to evaluate the effect of the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels on modulating cellular behaviors. Cell viability assays demonstrate that the hydrogel is non-toxic to chondrocytes. The existence of phenylboronic acid (PBA) moieties enhances the interaction of chondrocytes and hydrogel, promoting cell adhesion and aggregation through filopodia. RT-PCR indicates that the gene expression levels of type II collagen, Aggrecan, and Sox9 are significantly up-regulated in chondrocytes cultured on hydrogels. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the hydrogels have a significant effect on the cell phenotype, with soft gels (≈2 kPa) promoting chondrocytes to exhibit a hyaline phenotype. Overall, PBA-functionalized HA hydrogel with low stiffness exhibits the best effect on promoting the chondrocyte phenotype, which is a promising biomaterial for cartilage regeneration.     

具有弹性支座杆件的动力稳定性研究

研究了杆件具有弹性支座时直杆的动力稳定性问题，推导出了杆件的临界频率和动力不稳定边界，分析了弹簧刚度和阻尼对杆件动力稳定性的影响，研究表明杆件的侧向刚度愈大其结构的动力稳定性愈好，阻尼对杆的振动起有利作用，并提出了在实际工程中减小杆件振动的一些措施．     

轮胎钢丝帘线拉伸力学性能的实验研究

对两种结构类型的钢丝帘线在单向拉伸和循环加载下的力学性能进行了实验研究。结果表明：帘线的结构形式对拉伸力学性能（包括摩擦能量损耗）有显著影响。不考虑载荷很小的情况时，普通结构帘线可近似为弹脆性材料，高伸长结构帘线却可以产生较大的塑性变形；循环载荷下，普通结构帘线几乎没有摩擦能量损耗，而高伸长结构帘线不仅有明显的摩擦能量损耗，而且随着循环应力幅值的增加，摩擦能量损耗呈加速增加的趋势；在循环应力幅值较大时高伸长结构帘线还出现了类似于高温下循环硬化金属材料的循环蠕变现象。文章还讨论了高伸长结构帘线由于塑性变形而引起循环蠕变现象的机理。