An Object-Based Shale Permeability Model: Non-Darcy Gas Flow,Sorption, and Surface Diffusion Effects

Shale samples consist of two major components: organic matter (OM) and inorganic mineral component (iOM). Each component has its distinct pore network topology and morphology, which necessitates generating a model capable of distinguishing the two media. We constructed an object-based model using the OM and iOM composition of shale samples. In the model, we integrated information such as OM population and size distribution, as well as its associated pore-size distribution. For the iOM part, we used mineralogy and pore-size information derived from X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen sorption measurements. Our proposed model results in millimeter-scale 2D realizations of shale samples by honoring OM and mineral types, their compositions, shapes, and size distributions. The model can capture heterogeneities smaller than 1 mm. We studied the effects of different gas flow processes and found that Knudsen diffusion and gas slippage dominate the flow, but surface diffusion has little impact on total gas flow.     

High precision refractometry based on Fresnel diffraction from phase plates

When a transparent plane-parallel plate is illuminated at a boundary region by a monochromatic parallel beam of light, Fresnel diffraction occurs because of the abrupt change in phase imposed by the finite change in refractive index at the plate boundary. The visibility of the diffraction fringes varies periodically with changes in incident angle. The visibility period depends on the plate thickness and the refractive indices of the plate and the surrounding medium. Plotting the phase change versus incident angle or counting the visibility repetition in an incident-angle interval provides, for a given plate thickness, the refractive index of the plate very accurately. It is shown here that the refractive index of a plate can be determined without knowing the plate thickness. Therefore, the technique can be utilized for measuring plate thickness with high precision. In addition, by installing a plate with known refractive index in a rectangular cell filled with a liquid and following the described procedures, the refractive index of the liquid is obtained. The technique is applied to measure the refractive indices of a glass slide, distilled water, and ethanol. The potential and merits of the technique are also discussed.     

Solid‐State 1H NMR Studies of Degradable Poly(ethylene oxide) Based Hydrogels

Summary: Hydrogels, the elastic chains of which are constituted of a short central poly(1,3‐dioxolane) (PDXL) block surrounded by two hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks, were obtained by free radical homopolymerization of α,ω–methacryloyloxy PEO‐block‐1,3‐PDXL‐block‐PEO macromonomers. The central PDXL block is known to be sensitive to acidic degradation due to the presence of acetal groups. Once swollen to equilibrium, these hydrogels were characterized for their equilibrium swelling degree and their mechanical properties and network degradation studies were carried out.

Representation proposed for the breaking of a PEO‐block‐PDXL‐block‐PEO block copolymer.     

Size-dependent Creep Master Curve of Individual Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers

Experimental Mechanics - While there is great interest in polymer nanofibers due to their high strength, methods to measure their time-temperature superposition (TTS) curves are lacking. The...     

Graphene Size and Morphology: Peculiar Effects on Damping Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

Experimental Mechanics - Nanomaterials with their extremely high free surfaces can effectively augment damping in nanocomposites via frictional sliding along the interface of nanomaterials and a...     

Functionalizable branched poly(ethylene oxide)s grafted from poly(1,3‐diisopropenylbenzene) backbones

A new method to synthesize functionalizable branched poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is presented. Soluble linear poly(1,3‐diisopropenylbenzene) (1,3‐DIB) samples exhibiting one unsaturation per DIB unit in the chain were obtained through anionic polymerization. These unsaturations served, after reaction with a stoichiometric amount of cumyl‐potassium, as efficient initiators for the anionic polymerization of oxirane. Accurate characterization of these samples demonstrated that a far better control of the functionality is reached as compared to the case of poly(DVB) cores.     

Modeling of downstream heating in melt electrospinning of polymers

In this study, both modeling and experimental approaches are used to demonstrate that downstream volumetric heating of electrospun fibers during melt electrospinning can result in markedly decreased fiber diameters. Previous melt electrospinning techniques were limited to production of micron‐sized fibers. This is because high viscosity and low electrical conductivity of the polymer melt coupled with rapid heat loss to the surroundings resulted in solidification of the jet before it had been significantly stretched by the electric field. In our study, we utilize a model for non‐isothermal melt electrospinning in the presence of a volumetric heat source. Our simulation results demonstrate that downstream heating does reduce the fiber diameter, and is therefore a feasible approach for resolving the limitations of melt electrospinning. In addition, our model has also been used to capture the effect of the surrounding temperature, which affects the thinning of the fiber through surface rather than volumetric interactions. Finally, melt electrospinning experiments are utilized to validate the model predictions for downstream heating. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1393–1405     

A passive-biped model with multiple routes to chaos

This paper presents a new passive-biped model consisting of a simplest walking model beneath an upper body, with no kinematic constraint. The upper body is attached to the legs with a linear torsional spring. The model is a passive dynamic walker, so it walks down a slope without energy input. The governing equations of motion are derived and simulated for the parameter analysis purposes. Simulation results reveal some different routes to chaos that have not been observed in previous models.