scholarly journals Effect of the Elastomer Matrix on Thermoplastic Elastomer-Based Strain Sensor Fiber Composites

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 2399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Georgopoulou ◽  
Claudia Kummerlöwe ◽  
Frank Clemens

In this study, a thermoplastic elastomer sensor fiber was embedded in an elastomer matrix. The effect of the matrix material on the sensor properties and the piezoresistive behavior of the single fiber-matrix composite system was investigated. For all composites, cycling test (dynamic test) and the relaxation behavior at different strains (quasi-static test) were investigated. In all cases, dynamic properties and quasi-static significantly changed after embedding, compared to the pure fiber. The composite with the silicone elastomer PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) as matrix material exhibited deviation from linear response of the resistivity at low strains and proved an unsuitable choice compared to natural rubber. The addition of a spring construct in the embedded sensor fiber natural rubber composite improved the linearity at low strains but increased the mechanical and electrical hysteresis of the soft matter sensor composite. Using pre-vulcanized natural rubber improved linearity at low strains and reduced significantly the stress and relative resistance relaxation as well as the resistance hysteresis, especially if the resistance remained low. In both cases of the pre-vulcanized rubber and the spring structure, the piezoresistive behavior was improved, and at the same time, the stiffness of the system was increased indicating that using a stiffer matrix can be a strategy for improving the sensor properties.

Perception ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 26 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 75-75
Author(s):  
H Ashida ◽  
F A J Verstraten ◽  
S Nishida

The motion aftereffect (MAE) measured with a dynamic test pattern (eg a counterphase-flickering grating) is distinguishable by a number of properties from the classical MAE obtained with a static test pattern. For a dynamic MAE, however, it is not sufficient simply to introduce dynamic properties into the test pattern. In two experiments we attempted to determine the transition point in the temporal-frequency domain at which a dynamic MAE becomes distinguishable from the static MAE. First, we examined the interocular transfer (IOT) of the MAE with conventional first-order (luminance) gratings. The amount of IOT increased with temporal frequency, and was almost complete at 1 Hz and above. In addition, the IOT of a dynamic MAE shows a drastic reduction in the peripheral visual field, possibly reflecting difficulties in feature tracking or the loss of involuntary attention. Second, we examined the MAE with second-order motion as the adaptation stimulus (contrast modulation of two-dimensional static noise). Under these conditions, similar results were obtained for first-order and second-order test gratings: MAE was not observed at low temporal frequencies and a substantial MAE was observed only at 1 Hz and above. The results agree with recent findings which showed a gradual loss of spatial-frequency selectivity with increasing temporal frequency of the test pattern (Mareschal et al, 1997 Vision Research37 1755 – 1759). The present results support the idea that two mechanisms underlie the different kinds of MAE: a low-level mechanism responsible for the MAE observed at low temporal frequencies, and a high-level mechanism operating predominantly at high temporal frequencies with a transition point at about 1 Hz.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xincheng Song ◽  
Wenju Wang ◽  
Fufeng Yang ◽  
Guoping Wang ◽  
Xiaoting Rui

Magnetorheological elastomers are one kind of smart materials which consist of matrix materials and magnetic particles. The mechanical properties of magnetorheological elastomers were controllable under an external magnetic field. Applications of magnetorheological elastomers are limited as a result of their poor magnetorheological effect and mechanical performance, so enhancing the magnetorheological effect of them is critical for their application. Styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene based thermoplastic elastomer was added to natural rubber to fabricate hybrid matrix–based magnetorheological elastomers. Zero modulus of magnetorheological elastomers increased from 0.50 to 0.64 MPa and magnetorheological effect increased from 28.00% to 43.75% with the addition of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene based thermoplastic elastomer. The contact angle of carbonyl iron particles with the matrix showed that styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene based thermoplastic elastomer can improve the compatibility of carbonyl iron particles with the matrix. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis has been carried out to investigate the internal structure of hybrid matrix–based magnetorheological elastomers.


Author(s):  
C.T. Hu ◽  
C.W. Allen

One important problem in determination of precipitate particle size is the effect of preferential thinning during TEM specimen preparation. Figure 1a schematically represents the original polydispersed Ni3Al precipitates in the Ni rich matrix. The three possible type surface profiles of TEM specimens, which result after electrolytic thinning process are illustrated in Figure 1b. c. & d. These various surface profiles could be produced by using different polishing electrolytes and conditions (i.e. temperature and electric current). The matrix-preferential-etching process causes the matrix material to be attacked much more rapidly than the second phase particles. Figure 1b indicated the result. The nonpreferential and precipitate-preferential-etching results are shown in Figures 1c and 1d respectively.


Author(s):  
D. E. Luzzi ◽  
L. D. Marks ◽  
M. I. Buckett

As the HREM becomes increasingly used for the study of dynamic localized phenomena, the development of techniques to recover the desired information from a real image is important. Often, the important features are not strongly scattering in comparison to the matrix material in addition to being masked by statistical and amorphous noise. The desired information will usually involve the accurate knowledge of the position and intensity of the contrast. In order to decipher the desired information from a complex image, cross-correlation (xcf) techniques can be utilized. Unlike other image processing methods which rely on data massaging (e.g. high/low pass filtering or Fourier filtering), the cross-correlation method is a rigorous data reduction technique with no a priori assumptions.We have examined basic cross-correlation procedures using images of discrete gaussian peaks and have developed an iterative procedure to greatly enhance the capabilities of these techniques when the contrast from the peaks overlap.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7A) ◽  
pp. 960-966
Author(s):  
Aseel M. Abdullah ◽  
Hussein Jaber ◽  
Hanaa A. Al-Kaisy

In the present study, the impact strength, flexural modulus, and wear rate of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) with eggshell powder (ESP) composites have been investigated. The PMMA used as a matrix material reinforced with ESP at two different states (including untreated eggshell powder (UTESP) and treated eggshell powder (TESP)). Both UTESP and TESP were mixed with PMMA at different weight fractions ranged from (1-5) wt.%. The results revealed that the mechanical properties of the PMMA/ESP composites were enhanced steadily with increasing eggshell contents. The samples with 5 wt.% of UTESP and TESP additions give the maximum values of impact strength, about twice the value of the pure PMMA sample. The calcination process of eggshells powders gives better properties of the PMMA samples compared with the UTESP at the same weight fraction due to improvements in the interface bond between the matrix and particles. The wear characteristics of the PMMA composites decrease by about 57% with increases the weight fraction of TESP up to 5 wt.%. The flexural modulus values are slightly enhanced by increasing of the ESP contents in the PMMA composites.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1235
Author(s):  
Bidita Salahuddin ◽  
Rahim Mutlu ◽  
Tajwar A. Baigh ◽  
Mohammed N. Alghamdi ◽  
Shazed Aziz

Passive vibration control using polymer composites has been extensively investigated by the engineering community. In this paper, a new kind of vibration dampening polymer composite was developed where oriented nylon 6 fibres were used as the reinforcement, and 3D printed unoriented nylon 6 was used as the matrix material. The shape of the reinforcing fibres was modified to a coiled structure which transformed the fibres into a smart thermoresponsive actuator. This novel self-reinforced composite was of high mechanical robustness and its efficacy was demonstrated as an active dampening system for oscillatory vibration of a heated vibrating system. The blocking force generated within the reinforcing coiled actuator was responsible for dissipating vibration energy and increase the magnitude of the damping factor compared to samples made of non-reinforced nylon 6. Further study shows that the appropriate annealing of coiled actuators provides an enhanced dampening capability to the composite structure. The extent of crystallinity of the reinforcing actuators is found to directly influence the vibration dampening capacity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 809 ◽  
pp. 480-486
Author(s):  
Rohit George Sebastian ◽  
Christof Obertscheider ◽  
Ewald Fauster ◽  
Ralf Schledjewski

The growing use of composite materials has generated interest in improving and optimising composite manufacturing processes such as Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM). In LCM, dry preforms are placed in a mould and impregnated with the matrix material. The efficiency of filling the moulds can be improved by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) filling simulations during the design of the mould. As part of an on-going effort to develop a CFD tool for the simulation of LCM processes, a volume averaged energy balance equation has been derived and implemented in a custom OpenFOAM solver. The energy balance is implemented in a custom OpenFOAM solver with and without the pressure terms for comparison with results from RTM experiments. It is found that the pressure terms do not significantly influence the results for LCM processes.


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