Towards Electron-Beam-Driven Soft / Polymer Fiber Microrobotics for Vacuum Conditions

The possibility of creating vacuum robotics based on the polymer structures irradiated by an electron beam, in particular, polymer fibers, which provide high functional flexibility and a variety of states, is discussed. The possibility of using polymer fibers as different types of MEMS-like electromechanical elements is demonstrated - from elastic cantilevers to springs that change their state under the electron beam. Experimentally proved the presence of different functional types of fibers, correlating with their thickness, as well as the phenomenon of the fiber break. A number of exotic forms of dynamics have been demonstrated and a method for their detection has been developed using 2D Fourier spectra, integral spatial characteristics, time resolved correlograms and wavelet transforms (visualized as the scaleograms / scalograms). Access barcodes for the full video records of the corresponding experiments are provided.

Pineapple leaf fibers as a reinforcement of biocomposites - an overview

Based on 87 references, a literature review was presented on PLA reinforced with pineapple leaf fibers (PALF). The properties of PALF were compared with those of other natural fibers. Mechanical properties of PLA composites and factors influencing them, such as filler content, adhesion at the interface between polymer fiber and matrix, as well as fiber length and their modification were discussed. Potential applications of PLA/PALF composites were also presented.

Pump-controlled RGB single-mode polymer lasers based on a hybrid 2D–3D μ-cavity for temperature sensing

Single mode lasers, particularly red-green-blue (RGB) colors, have attracted wide attention due to their potential applications in the photonic field. Here, we realize the RGB single mode lasing in a hybrid two-dimension and three-dimension (2D–3D) hybrid microcavity (μ-cavity) with a low threshold. The hybrid 2D–3D μ-cavity consists of a polymer fiber and a microsphere. Typical RGB polymer film consisting gain materials are cladded on a fiber. To achieve single mode lasing, the polymer fiber therein serves as an excellent gain cavity to provide multiple lasing modes while the microsphere acts as a loss channel to suppress most of the lasing modes. Mode switching can be realized by adjusting the pump position. It can be attributed to the change of coupled efficiency between gain μ-cavity and loss μ-cavity. Our work will provide a platform for the rational design of nanophotonic devices and on-chip communication.

Analysis of the screw press mouthpiece parameters for 3D extrusion of peat pieces of tubular type

The results of theoretical and experimental studies on the creation of a screw press composite mouthpiece screw press for 3D-forming of peat pieces of a tubular type in the field for intensifying the process of field drying of material in a complex mechanized pit are presented. The main purpose of the study was to substantiate the geometric and design parameters of the screw press composite mouthpiece of the spread machine for the production of peat-agglomerated products of the tubular type. The parameters of the mouthpiece are selected based on the geometric characteristics of the peat pieces. An increase in moisture loss during drying of peat-agglomerated products is provided by forming a peat piece in the form of a thick-walled pipe made of a peat raw materials composed of low and high decomposition degrees in a ratio of 1:3. Additive production of polymer-fiber peat composites by extrusion allows to produce products with improved mechanical properties in comparison with non-reinforced raw materials. The vertical arrangement of the peat tubular piece on the drying field allows to increase the loading of the field area by 10 %, increase the convective heat supply to the piece and reduce the contact coefficient of the piece with the field by three times in comparison with the peat spreading of the pieces in the form of a horizontal tape. Based on the analysis of the shape and size of the agglomerated products, the design of a screw press composite mouthpiece consisting of two conditional molding zones of various configurations has been developed. The article presents a parametric analysis of the volumetric productivity of a screw press with a composite mouthpiece of a tubular type, the energy intensity of mechanical processing is determined, the degree of mechanical processing of peat raw materials is estimated with the optimization of the screw parameters for the production of agglomerated products of a tubular type.

Strengthening of Fibrous Composites with Nanoparticles

Ways and mechanisms of strengthening polymer fiber composites by modifying matrices with nanoparticles and grafting the latter onto fibers are considered: chemical vapor deposition, electrophoretic and chemical interaction.

NOA61-Polymer Fiber Fizeau Interferometer with a Flexible NOA65-Polymer Taper for Simultaneous Measurement of Tilt Angle and Temperature

This study proposes and experimentally demonstrates a NOA61-polymer fiber Fizeau interferometer (PFFI) connected to a flexible NOA65-polymer taper (PT) for simultaneous measurement of tilt angle and temperature (T). The PT/PFFI fiber sensor consists of a taper-shaped flexible NOA65 polymer and single-mode fiber with an endface that is attached to a NOA61-polymer. The NOA61-polymer of PFFI is highly sensitive to variations of T with high repeatability and enables the simultaneous measurement of tilt angle by connecting with the highly flexible NOA65-PT. the interference fringe visibility of optical spectra in the PFFI can be highly controlled by the tilt angle of the PT and is thus capable of measuring tilt angles with high sensitivity. On the other hand, wavelength shifts of the spectra in the PFFI only occur when T varies. The proposed PT/PFFI can simultaneously detect the tilt state and the variation of surrounding T by measuring the optical spectral responses and eliminating cross sensitivity. Experimental results demonstrate the PT/PFFI can simultaneously measure tilt angles and T with good sensitivities and obtain averages of 0.4 dB/° and 0.17 nm/°C, respectively.