The Shackling Effect in Cyclic Azobenzene Liquid Crystal

We demonstrate here a novel method for the design of liquid crystals (LCs) via the cyclization of mesogens by flexible chains. For two azobenzene-4,4′-dicarboxylate derivatives, the cyclic dimer, cyclic bis(tetraethylene glycol azobenzene-4,4′-dicarboxylate) (CBTAD), shows LC properties with smectic A phase, while its linear counterpart, bis(2-(2′-hydroxyethyloxy)ethyl azobenzene-4,4′-dicarboxylate (BHAD), has no LC phase. The difference is ascribed to the shackling effect from the cyclic topology, which leads to the much smaller entropy change during phase transitions and increases the isotropic temperature greatly for cyclics. In addition, the trans-to-cis isomerization of azobenzene groups under UV-light is also limited in CBTAD. With the reversible isomerization of azobenzene groups, CBTAD showed interesting isothermal phase transition behaviors, where the LC phase disappeared upon photoirradiation of 365 nm UV-light, and recovered when the UV-light was off. Combined with the smectic LC nature, a novel UV-light tuned visible light regulator was designed, by simply placing CBTAD in two glass plates. The scattered phase of smectic LC was utilized as the “OFF” state for light passage, while the UV-light induced isotropic phase was utilized as the “ON” state. The shackling effect outlined here should be applicable for the design of cyclic LC oligomers/polymers with special properties.

     

Cyclized oligomer of tetracyanoquinodimethane-tetrathiafulvalene (TCNQ-TTF): a versatile macrocyclic molecule by DFT calculations

Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry - The combination of the electron donor and acceptor into a donor–acceptor system can transform the intermolecular charge transfer...     

Characterization and properties of plywood bioadhesive derived from cottonseed protein and sawdust cellulose

Cellulose - The development of plant adhesive with good bonding strength, water resistance and thermal stability remains challenging to replace formaldehyde-based adhesive resins that usually...     

Experiments on crack identification in cantilever beams

In this paper we present an experimental investigation of the identification of crack location and size. By providing the first three natural frequencies through vibration measurements, curves of crack equivalent stiffness versus crack location are plotted, and the intersection of the three curves predicts the crack location and size. In the experiments, the cracked specimens were made using a wire-cut electrical discharge machine, and the cantilever beams were excited next to the free end by means of an impulse force hammer. In order to obtain the accurate natural frequencies from the transient signal measured, the method of zoom fast Fourier transform is adopted to improve frequency resolution. From experimental results, it is observed that the identification errors of crack location and size are less than 2% and 4%, respectively. The effectiveness of crack identification through vibration measurements is verified.     

The method of matched asymptotic expansions for the periodic solution of the van der pol equation

The purpose of this paper is to apply the method of intermediate matching for connecting the four local asymptotic solutions of the Van der Pol equation, given by Dorodnicyn [1]. It turns out that for the approximation of the periodic solution a fifth local solution is needed. The present approach results in a reduction of the computational work. The amplitude of the periodic solution is determined up to a higher order accuracy in v than has been done so far.     

Deformation und Stabilität windbeanspruchter Kühlturmschalen

Übersicht Nach der Formulierung des Deformations- und des Stabilitätsproblems auf der Grundlage ursprünglich nicht-konformer, dreiecksförmiger, gekrümmter finiter Elemente wird zunächst das Deformationsproblem für eine ausgeführte Kühlturmschale numerisch gelöst. Die nachfolgende Stabilitätsanalyse dieser Kühlturmschale zeigt gute Übereinstimmung der mittels der Methode der finiten Elemente errechneten Beulsicherheit mit dem aufgrund des Munganschen Beulkriteriums erhaltenen Kleinstwert der Beulsicherheit.

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Summary Following the formulation of the deformation and stability problem on the basis of originally non-conforming triangular curved finite elements with the help of a variational principle with subsidiary conditions, the deformation problem is solved numerically for an existing cooling tower shell. The subsequent stability analysis of this cooling tower shell shows relatively good agreement of the buckling safety computed by means of the finite element method and the minimum of buckling safety obtained with the help of Mungan's stability criterion.

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Diese Arbeit wurde mit Unterstützung der Cooling Tower Division von Zurn Industries, Tampa, Florida, USA, begonnen und mit Unterstützung Seitens des Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Wien, zu Ende geführt. Beiden Sponsoren Sei an dieser Stelle aufrichtig gedankt. Der erstgenannte Autor ist darüber hinaus der Max Kade Foundation, New York, N. Y., für die Finanzierung Seines Studienaufenthaltes an der Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., im Rahmen dessen er mit der Thematik dieses Aufsatzes konfrontiert wurde, zu Dank verpflichtet. Aus demselben Grund sagt der dritte Autor für ein NATO Fellowship Dank.     

Bond stresses for a composite material reinforced with various arrays of fibers

The problem treated here is that of an isotropic body having a doubly periodic rectangular or triangular array of perfectly bonded circular elastic inclusions. The body is in tension or compression. This simulates a composite material wherein a relatively weak matrix is reinforced by stronger (and more rigid) fibers. Bond stresses for both rectangular and triangular arrays have been calculated using either boundary point matching or boundary point least squares techniques. Numerical results based on a plane strain analysis are given in graphical form.     

Ten-deg off-axis test for shear properties in fiber composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10-deg off-axis tensile-test specimen for the intralaminar-shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion and a finiteelement analysis were used to determine theoretically the stress-strain variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10-deg plane. Strain gages were used to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy. T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10-deg off-axis tensile-test specimen is suitable for intralaminar-shear characterization and it, is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.