Mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membrane and PEM fuel cell durability

The life of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is currently limited by the mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membranes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). In this paper, the authors report recent experimental and modeling work toward understanding the mechanisms of delayed mechanical failures of polymer electrolyte membranes and MEAs under relevant PEMFC operating conditions. Mechanical breach of membranes/MEAs in the form of pinholes and tears has been frequently observed after long‐term or accelerated testing of PEMFC cells/stacks. Catastrophic failure of cell/stack due to rapid gas crossover shortly follows the mechanical breach. Ex situ mechanical characterizations were performed on MEAs after being subjected to the accelerated chemical aging and relative humidity (RH) cycling tests. The results showed significant reduction of MEA ductility manifested as drastically reduced strain‐to‐failure of the chemically aged and RH‐cycled MEAs. Postmortem analysis revealed the formation and growth of mechanical defects such as cracks and crazing in the membranes and MEAs. A finite element model was used to estimate stress/strain states of an edge‐constrained MEA under rapid RH variations. Damage metrics for accelerated testing and life prediction of PEMFCs are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2346–2357, 2006     

Preparation and characterization of rigid poly(vinyl chloride)/MMT nanocomposites. II. XRD,morphological and mechanical characteristics

A Haake torque rheometer equipped with an internal mixer is used to study the influence of the amount of sodium montmorillonite (Na⁺‐MMT) and organically modified MMT (O‐MMT) on X‐ray diffraction (XRD), morphology, and mechanical characteristics of rigid poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC)/Na⁺‐MMT and PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites, respectively. Results of XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate that MMT is partially encapsulated and intercalated in the rigid PVC/Na⁺‐MMT nanocomposites. However, results of XRD and TEM show MMT is partially intercalated and exfoliated in the rigid PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites. Tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation at break of the rigid PVC/MMT nanocomposites were improved simultaneously with adding 1–3 wt % Na⁺‐MMT or O‐MMT with respect to that of pristine PVC. However, the addition of Na⁺‐MMT or O‐MMT should be kept as not more than 3 wt % to optimize the mechanical properties and the processing stability of the rigid PVC/MMT nanocomposites. SEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces of the rigid PVC/Na⁺‐MMT and PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites both before and after tensile tests were also illustrated and compared. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2145–2154, 2006     

Meshless simulation of equilibrium swelling/deswelling of pH‐sensitive hydrogels

Hydrogels have been widely used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio‐MEMS devices. In this article, the equilibrium swelling/deswelling of the pH‐stimulus cylindrical hydrogel in the microchannel is studied and simulated by the meshless method. The multi‐field coupling model, called multi‐effect‐coupling pH‐stimulus (MECpH) model, is presented and used to describe the chemical field, electric field, and the mechanical field involved in the problem. The partial differential equations (PDEs) describing these three fields are either nonlinear or coupled together. This multi‐field coupling and high nonlinear characteristics produce difficulties for the conventional numerical methods (e.g., the finite element method or the finite difference method), so an alternative—meshless method is developed to discretize the PDEs, and the efficient iteration technique is adopted to solve the nonlinear problem. The computational results for the swelling/deswelling diameter of the hydrogel under the different pH values are firstly compared with experimental results, and they have a good agreement. The influences of other parameters on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel are also investigated in detail. It is shown that the multi‐field coupling model and the developed meshless method are efficient, stable, and accurate for simulation of the properties of the stimuli‐sensitive hydrogel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 326–337, 2006     

SMA智能复合材料结构的力学分析与建模

介绍了SMA智能复合材料结构力学建模在弯曲变形及振动控制方面的研究现状,论述了连续型和有限元建模方法,分析了SMA智能复合材料结构大变形问题及温度影响问题,并就SMA智能复合材料结构的力学建模提出几点建议。     

滚动轴承疲劳故障的在线监视和诊断技术

本文研究振动诊断方法在滚动轴承疲劳故障在线监视和诊断中的应用。 文中指出:通过在轴承寿命试验机上所作的大量试验发现,当轴承疲劳后,在作为其二次效应的振动信号中,除存在已为国内外学者指出并广为使用的“通过频率(又称冲击振动发生间隔频率)”和“高频冲击脉冲”两种信息特征外,还存在另一种位于中高频段的鲜为人知的重要信息特征——某“高频峰群”。 本文对该高频峰群的形成机理、影响因素及检测方法进行了初步研究,并利用这种新的信息特征研制了“以带通滤波器或以精化信息特征DDS模型谱分析法为主体的两种轴承疲劳故障在线监视和诊断装置。     

PHASE INVERSION AND ITS MECHANICAL MODEL STUDIES FOR THE TWO-PHASE POLYMER BLEND SYSTEMS (Ⅱ)——DYNAMIC VISCOELASTIC RESPONSE

The dynamic viscoelastic response of the two-phase polymer blend systems shows the characteristics of the thermorheologically complex materials. In this paper theoretical equations for describing the dynamic viscoelastic response of such polymer blend systems have been established by means of the mechanical modeling technique. The dynamic viscoelastic response of the blend systems at any blend composition can be predicted theoretically by using the equations established, provided that the dynamic viscoelastic response of the two pure components and the mechanical model parameters are known in advance. Thus, we provide an effective method for studying the dynamic mechanical properties and the molecular relaxation characteristics of the two-phase polymer blend systems.     

纳米Sb2O3的制备与性能研究

由于Sb2O3是一种性能优良的无机阻燃剂,并与卤素阻燃剂有很好的协效作用[1],1998年,全球用于阻燃的Sb2O3达80kt以上,占阻燃剂总耗量的7%[2]。但由于其本身的极性特点,加入到纤维、塑料等高分子材料中,材料的力学性能受到很大损失[3],因此对传统的微米级的Sb2O3进行超细、表面处     

Macroporous poly(methyl methacrylate) produced by phase separation during polymerisation in solution

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sponges were obtained by polymerization in a solution with monomer/ethanol ratios up to 20:80. The material obtained after the elimination of the solvent present a homogeneous distribution of dispersed pores up to a monomer/ethanol ratio lower than 40:60. For higher ethanol contents in the reacting mixture, the morphology of the sponge corresponds to a network of PMMA microparticles, leaving large empty spaces leading to highly porous structure. The monomer/ethanol ratio during polymerization has a large influence on the porosity, thermal, and mechanical properties of the material and, for large solvent contents, on the size of the polymer microparticles.     

机械球磨与反应烧结合成Sr2CeO4发光体的研究

Sr₂CeO₄ phosphor was synthesized by mechanical milling and reactive sintering in this work. The solid state reaction of SrCO₃and CeO₂ (2∶1) started at about 850 ℃ and completed at 1 000 ℃ for about 4 h. Two types of formation mechanism of Sr₂CeO₄ were proposed. When the starting powder mixture was fired above 1 000 ℃, the unstable intermediate phase SrCeO₃was developed, which then reacted with SrCO₃to form the final product Sr₂CeO₄, however, SrCO₃and CeO₂ converted directly to Sr₂CeO₄ at a lower temperature. The XRD results showed the crystal structure of Sr₂CeO₄ was orthorhombic. The emission spectra displayed a broad band with maximum at about 465 nm. The mechanical milling of starting power mixture and the sintering temperature had no effect on this emission spectra.     

Fibers and 3D mesh scaffolds from biodegradable starch-based blends: production and characterization

The aim of this work is the production of fibers from biodegradable polymers to obtain 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering of hard tissues. The scaffolds required for this highly demanding application need to have, as well as the biological and mechanical characteristics, a high degree of porosity with suitable dimensions for cell seeding and proliferation. Furthermore, the open cell porosity should have adequate interconnectivity for a continuous flow of nutrients and outflow of cell metabolic residues as well as to allow cell growth into confluent layers. Blends of corn starch, a natural biodegradable polymer, with other synthetic polymers (poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), poly(epsilon-caprolactone), poly(lactic acid)) were selected for this work because of their good balance of properties, namely biocompatibility, processability and mechanical properties. Melt spinning was used to produce fibers from all the blends and 3D meshes from one of the starch-poly(lactic acid) blends. The experimental characterization included the evaluation of the tensile mechanical properties and thermal properties of the fibers and the compression stiffness, porosity and degradation behavior of the 3D meshes. Light microscopy picture of 3D meshes.