Soft lithography microfabrication of functionalized thermoplastics by solvent casting

A soft lithographic method is described for casting functional thermoplastic devices with microscale features without the need for specialized tools or equipment. In the thermoplastic soft lithography process, termed solvent casting, low temperature supersaturated solutions of thermoplastic are poured over solvent permeable PDMS molds which allow omnidirectional solvent removal as they template functional microstructures into the thermoplastic layers. Rapid gelation of supersaturated solutions enables the deposition of multiple patterned layers of varying composition, with self‐adhesion of the solvent‐laden thermoplastic ensuring intimate bonding between adjacent layers. This latter feature is further used in this work to realize sealed thermoplastic microfluidic devices with high fidelity replication of microchannel features with negligible channel deformation. The incorporation of functional dopants into patterned thermoplastic layers allows the fabrication of thermoplastic devices with embedded fluorescent sensors and integrated conductive elements. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1315–1323     

Influence of pineapple leaf fiber and it's surface treatment on molecular orientation in,and mechanical properties of,injection molded nylon composites

The objective of his work is to show that pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) can be used successfully to reinforce a high melting polymer such as nylon. One of the most important barriers to the utilization of lignocellulosic materials in polymer matrix composites is their limited temperature resistance. As a consequence, they are mostly used to reinforce low melting temperature polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene as well as polystyrene. However, this work reveals that PALF can be used to reinforce nylon. This is because of its very low lignin content. Nylon 6/66 composites containing a fixed amount of 20 wt % PALF in the form of short and fine fibers were prepared with a laboratory twin screw extruder and then injection molded. The mechanical properties of three types of PALF, i.e. untreated, alkaline- and silane-treated, were studied. Significant improvements in modulus and heat distortion temperature were obtained. The crystalline structure and orientation in the injected composites were investigated with synchrotron wide angle x-ray scattering (WAXS). It was found that both PALF and nylon crystallites oriented well along the flow direction and this is the key factor for the improvements observed.     

Molecular Dynamics of Polymer Composites Using Rheology and Combined RheoNMR on the Example of TiO2-Filled Poly(n-Alkyl Methacrylates) and Trans-1,4-Polyisoprene

The determination of the interplay between polymeric matrices and filler particles in composites is of great interest to understand structure-property relationships and develop predictive theories. To study the molecular dynamics of polymers in composites, model systems based on poly(n-alkyl methacrylates), trans-1,4-polyisoprene (gutta percha), and titania (TiO₂) were prepared and characterized using rheometry and a combined RheoNMR technique. Apparent entanglement molecular weights were obtained from small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) experiments, which are related to the increasing physical cross-link density as a function of the filler content. Large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) experiments were performed and analyzed within the FT-rheometry framework. The filler had a strong impact on the scaling behavior of the normalized third harmonic. A combined RheoNMR technique was used to simultaneously study the molecular dynamics via NMR and the corresponding mechanical response via rheometry. A strong correlation between the macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic molecular dynamics was found, which might lead to a new understanding of polymer melt dynamics.     

Analysis of plane and cylindrical nonlinear hyperelastic waves in materials with internal structure

A comparative analysis of two types of hyperelastic waves—plane waves (with plane front) and cylindrical waves (with curved front)—is offered. The propagation of the waves is studied theoretically for quadratically nonlinear hyperelastic media and numerically for a class of unidirectional fibrous composite materials. Hyperelasticity is described using the classical Murnaghan potential and a structural model of the first order—the model of effective constants. The internal structure of materials is described by this model and is at the micro-or nanolevels in numerical analysis. Particular attention is given to the evolution of the wave profile. It is studied in three stages: (i) derivation of nonlinear wave equations, (ii) construction of solutions in the form of plane and cylindrical waves, and (iii) numerical analysis of the evolution of these waves in composites with microlevel (Thornel) or nanolevel (Z-CNT) fibers. The main similarities and differences between plane longitudinal and cylindrical waves are shown. The most unexpected result is the striking difference between the evolution patterns numerically observed for plane and cylindrical wave profiles __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 21–46, October 2006.     

Local time—Temperature-dependent deformation of a woven composite

Moiré interferometry is utilized to investigate the time-temperature-dependent deformation of a woven composite substrate used in multilayer circuit board applications. Creep tests are performed at temperatures ranging from 27 to 70°C, and the resulting longitudinal and transverse displacement fields are measured via moiré interferometry. Measured displacement fields reveal the influence of fabric architecture on woven composite response. The deformation fields in the plane of the composite for loading along both warp and fill directions consist of a periodic arrangement of high-strain and low-strain regions in accordance to the interlacing bundle architecture. The deformation fields over the cross-section of the composite indicate that neighboring unit cells are subjected to equal and opposite bending moment even when the composite is loaded in uniaxial tension.     

Mode III fracture behavior of laminated composite with edge crack in torsion

A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analysis was performed on a [90,(+45/−45)_n,(−45/+45)_n,90]_s class of laminated composites under the edge crack torsion (ECT) test configuration. Finite element delamination models were established and formulas for calculating the Mode III fracture toughness from 3-D finite element models were developed. The relations between the interlaminar fracture behavior and various configuration parameters were investigated and the effects of point loads, ends, geometry, Mode II interference, and friction were evaluated. Results showed that with proper selection of ECT specimen configuration and layup, the delamination could grow in pure Mode III in the middle region of the specimen. Specimen end effect played an important role in the ECT test. A Mode II component occurred in the end regions but it did not interfere significantly with the Mode III delamination state. Specimen dimension ratio, layup, and crack length exhibited significant effect on the interlaminar fracture behavior and the calculated strain energy release rates. However, friction between crackfaces was found to have negligible effect on the interlaminar properties.     

On the Size of RVE in Finite Elasticity of Random Composites

This paper presents a quantitative study of the size of representative volume element (RVE) of random matrix-inclusion composites based on a scale-dependent homogenization method. In particular, mesoscale bounds defined under essential or natural boundary conditions are computed for several nonlinear elastic, planar composites, in which the matrix and inclusions differ not only in their material parameters but also in their strain energy function representations. Various combinations of matrix and inclusion phases described by either neo-Hookean or Ogden function are examined, and these are compared to those of linear elastic types.     

高速干摩擦条件下铝基复合材料的摩擦磨损行为研究

在MMS-1G型高速干滑动摩擦磨损试验机上,采用铝基复合材料和蠕墨铸铁作为销试样,研究了速度和接触压力对摩擦副摩擦磨损特性的影响.结果表明:摩擦副的摩擦磨损特性受控于所产生的摩擦热、材料的导热能力以及材料保持一定塑性变形抗力的温度条件三者之间的耦合作用;随着速度与接触压力的增加,摩擦副的摩擦系数显著降低;不同材料表现出不同的磨损行为;接触压力愈高,材料的摩擦磨损性能差异愈小;在本文试验条件下,当摩擦速度较低(＜100 m/s)时,蠕墨铸铁表现出良好的摩擦磨损特性,而速度较高(＞100 m/s)时, 铝基复合材料表现出较优良的摩擦磨损性能.     

聚四氟乙烯及其复合材料的转移与磨损

本文对聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)的分子特征与结构特性、PTFE的转移行为及对其磨损的影响、影响转移膜生成的因素、PTFE转移膜与底材相互作用的本质,转移膜剥落形成磨屑的考察、PTFE结晶度对粘着磨损及摩擦的影响和PTFE基复合材料的特性及其摩擦学性能等进行了综述介绍。