Small Scale Models Subjected to Buried Blast Loading Part I: Floorboard Accelerations and Related Passenger Injury Metrics with Protective Hulls

Small scale models representing key vehicle structural elements, including both floorboards and bottom-mounted, downward V-shape hulls in various configurations, have been manufactured and subjected to a range of buried blast loading conditions. By varying surface stand-off distance and depth of burial for several hull and structure configurations, the input-scaled response of aluminum full-scale vehicle floorboards has been quantified using high speed stereo-vision. Specifically, the maximum vertical acceleration on the floorboard and the corresponding Head Injury Criterion (HIC₁₅) are quantified as metrics to assess the severity of the blast event. Results show standard V-shaped hulls provide essential blast mitigation, with reductions in floorboard measurements up to 47X in maximum acceleration and HIC₁₅. Though variations in protective hull geometry provide modest reductions in the severity of a floorboard blast event, results also show that personnel on typical floorboard structures during blast loading events will incur unacceptable shock loading conditions, resulting in either serious or fatal injury. A more appropriate design scenario would be to consider situations that employ frame-mounted passenger seating to reduce the potential for injury. A second set of experiments will be presented in Part II that focuses on frame motions and accelerations when steel frames and steel structures are employed with various frame connections and coatings for frame blast mitigation.     

Slow-rise and fast-drop current feature of ultraviolet response spectra for ZnO-nanowire film modulated by water molecules

This study describes the fabrication of ZnO-nanowire films by electro-chemical anodization of Zn foil.The ZnO films are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction patterns,and transmission electron microscopy,respectively.The ultraviolet(UV) photo-response properties of the surface-contacted ZnO film are studied through the current evolution processes under different relative humidities.Unlike the usually observed current spectra of the ZnO films,the drop time is shorter than the rise time.The photo-conductivity gain G and the response time τ are both increased with the increase of the applied bias.The photo-conductivity gain G is lowered with the increase of the environmental humidity,while the response time τ is increased.These results can be explained by considering three different surface processes:1) the electron-hole(e-p) pair generation by the UV light illumination,2) the following surface O2-species desorption,and 3) the photo-catalytic hydrolysis of water molecules adsorbed on the ZnO surface.The slow-rise and fast-drop current feature is suggested to originate from the sponge-like structure of the ZnO nanowires.     

A hidden rule in metal sulfide fullerenes: A case study of Sc2S@C88

To elucidate the structure of a compound is a necessary step for its practical applications. To study the structure and properties of metal sulfide fullerene Sc₂S@C₈₈ detected by mass spectrometry, 11 194 isomers of C₈₈ and 33 isomers of Sc₂S@C₈₈ were systematically examined by density functional theory calculations. The calculations show that the two lowest‐energy isomers are Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 738 (IPR‐35) and Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 735 (IPR‐32), followed by Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 729 (IPR‐26), Sc₂S@C_88:81 712 (IPR‐9), and Sc₂S@C_88:81 733 (IPR‐30). Structural analysis shows that the first two energetically favored isomers are bridged by the third and fifth energetically favored isomers, which can transfer into each other via direct Stone–Wales rotation. The calculations of temperature effect show that the first two favored isomers become dominant forms of Sc₂S@C₈₈ with decreasing temperature and may coexist in the soot. This structural convertibility among favored isomers of Sc₂S@C₈₈ suggest a hidden rule that birds of a feather flock together in metal sulfide fullerenes. This rule may decrease the range of candidate cages for the structural identification of a metal sulfide fullerene. IR spectra are simulated for helping the future experimental identification of Sc₂S@C₈₈.