Effect of the Fibre Orientation Distribution on the Mechanical and Preforming Behaviour of Nonwoven Preform Made of Recycled Carbon Fibres

Recycling carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and recovering high-cost carbon fibre (CF) is a preoccupation of scientific and industrial committees due to the environmental and economic concerns. A commercialised nonwoven mat, made of recycled carbon fibre and manufactured using carding and needle-punching technology, can promote second-life opportunities for carbon fibre. This paper aims to evaluate the mechanical and preforming behaviour of this nonwoven material. We focus on the influence that the fibre orientation distribution in the nonwoven material has on its mechanical and preforming behaviour at the preform scale, as well as the tensile properties at composite scale. The anisotropy index induced by fibre orientation is evaluated by analysing SEM micrographs using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method. Then, the anisotropy in the tensile, bending, and preforming behaviour of the preform is inspected, as well as in the tensile behaviour of the composite. Additionally, we evaluate the impact of the stacking order of multi-layers of the nonwoven material, associated with its preferred fibre orientation (nonwoven anisotropy), on its compaction behaviour. The nonwoven anisotropy, in terms of fibre orientation, induces a strong effect on the preform mechanical and preforming behaviour, as well as the tensile behaviour of the composite. The tensile behaviour of the nonwoven material is governed by the inter-fibre cohesion, which depends on the fibre orientation. The low inter-fibre cohesion, which characterises this nonwoven material, leads to poor resistance to tearing. This type of defect rapidly occurs during preforming, even at too-low membrane tension. Otherwise, the increase in nonwoven layer numbers leads to a decrease in the impact of the nonwoven anisotropy behaviour under compaction load.

Modeling of Anisotropy Dynamics of the Proton Pitch Angle Distribution in the Earth’s Magnetosphere

Last years the attention to research of anisotropy of the charged particle pitch angle distribution has considerably increased. Therefore for research of anisotropy dynamics of the proton pitch angle distribution is used the two-dimensional Phenomenological Model of the Ring Current (PheMRC 2-D), which includes the radial and pitch angle diffusions with consideration of losses due to wave-particle interactions. Experimental data are collected on the Polar/MICS satellite during the magnetic storm on October 21–22, 1999. Solving the non-stationary two-dimensional equation of pitch angle and radial diffusions, numerically was determined the proton pitch angle distribution anisotropy index (or parameter of the proton pitch angle distribution) for the pitch angle of 90 degrees during the magnetic storm, when the geomagnetic activity Kp-index changed from 2 in the beginning of a storm up to 7+ in the end of a storm. Dependence of the perpendicular proton pitch angle distribution anisotropy index with energy E = 90 keV during the different moments of time from the McIlwain parameter L (2.26 < L < 6.6) is received. It is certain at a quantitative level for the magnetic storm on October 21–22, 1999, when and where on the nightside of the Earth’s magnetosphere (MLT = 2300) to increase in the geomagnetic activity Kp-index there is a transition from normal (pancake) proton pitch angle distributions to butterfly proton pitch angle distributions. That has allowed to determine unequivocally and precisely the anisotropy dynamics of the proton pitch angle distribution in the given concrete case. It is shown, that with increase of the geomagnetic activity Kp-index the boundary of isotropic proton pitch angle distribution comes nearer to the Earth, reaching L ≈ 3.6 at Kp = 7+

Variation in Anisotropy with Dehydration in Layered Sandstone

Anisotropy in rock could significantly affect the stability and safety of rock engineering by differing physical and mechanical properties of rock in different directions. Another major factor for physical and mechanical properties of rock is moisture state, however, whether anisotropy can be altered by it remains unclear. This study investigated variation in anisotropy (by conduct-ing ultrasonic tests) with moisture state (measured by nuclear magnetic resonance) in layered sandstones, and interpreted the phenomenon from the perspective of linking dehydration with pore structure of rock. The results show that (1) sandstone with more obvious bedding bears stronger anisotropy, the P-wave velocity in the perpendicular direction is much lower than that in the parallel direction. (2) The anisotropy index fluctuates around 1 with dehydration of sandstone without obvious bedding, while the anisotropy in sandstone with obvious bedding was significantly enhanced be dehydration. (3) During dehydration bulk water escaped firstly then capillary water and bound water. (4) Dehydration is controlled by the bedding structure. The different dehydration rates of pore water in different directions inevitably lead to heterogeneity in moisture state that change the anisotropy of the rock, which is reflected by the non-synchronous changes in P-wave velocities in different directions.

Cell contact guidance via sensing anisotropy of network mechanical resistance

Despite the ubiquitous importance of cell contact guidance, the signal-inducing contact guidance of mammalian cells in an aligned fibril network has defied elucidation. This is due to multiple interdependent signals that an aligned fibril network presents to cells, including, at least, anisotropy of adhesion, porosity, and mechanical resistance. By forming aligned fibrin gels with the same alignment strength, but cross-linked to different extents, the anisotropic mechanical resistance hypothesis of contact guidance was tested for human dermal fibroblasts. The cross-linking was shown to increase the mechanical resistance anisotropy, without detectable change in network microstructure and without change in cell adhesion to the cross-linked fibrin gel. This methodology thus isolated anisotropic mechanical resistance as a variable for fixed anisotropy of adhesion and porosity. The mechanical resistance anisotropy |Y*|−1 − |X*|−1 increased over fourfold in terms of the Fourier magnitudes of microbead displacement |X*| and |Y*| at the drive frequency with respect to alignment direction Y obtained by optical forces in active microrheology. Cells were found to exhibit stronger contact guidance in the cross-linked gels possessing greater mechanical resistance anisotropy: the cell anisotropy index based on the tensor of cell orientation, which has a range 0 to 1, increased by 18% with the fourfold increase in mechanical resistance anisotropy. We also show that modulation of adhesion via function-blocking antibodies can modulate the guidance response, suggesting a concomitant role of cell adhesion. These results indicate that fibroblasts can exhibit contact guidance in aligned fibril networks by sensing anisotropy of network mechanical resistance.

Blending Proteins in High Moisture Extrusion to Design Meat Analogues: Rheological Properties, Morphology Development and Product Properties

High moisture extrusion (HME) of meat analogues is often performed with raw materials containing multiple components, e.g., blends of different protein-rich raw materials. For instance, blends of soy protein isolate (SPI) and another component, such as wheat gluten, are used particularly frequently. The positive effect of blending on product texture is well known but not yet well understood. Therefore, this work targets investigating the influence of blending in HME at a mechanistic level. For this, SPI and a model protein, whey protein concentrate (WPC), were blended at three different ratios (100:0, 85:15, 70:30) and extruded at typical HME conditions (55% water content, 115/125/133 °C material temperature). Process conditions, rheological properties, morphology development, product structure and product texture were analysed. With increasing WPC percentage, the anisotropic structures became more pronounced and the anisotropy index (AI) higher. The achieved AI from the extrudates with a ratio of 70:30 (SPI:WPC) were considerably higher than comparable extrudates reported in other studies. In all extrudates, a multiphase system was visible whose morphology had changed due to the WPC addition. The WPC led to the formation of a much smaller dispersed phase compared to the overlying multiphase structure, the size of which depends on the thermomechanical stresses. These findings demonstrate that targeted mixing of protein-rich raw materials could be a promising method to tailor the texture of extruded meat analogues.

Spontaneous Extension Wave for In Vivo Assessment of Arterial Wall Anisotropy

Another type of natural wave, traced from longitudinal wall motion and propagation along the artery, is unprecedentedly observed in our in vivo human carotid artery experiments. We coin it as extension wave (EW) and hypothesize that EW velocity (EWV) is associated with arterial longitudinal stiffness. The EW is thus assumed to complement the PW, whose velocity (PWV) is tracked from the radial wall displacement and linked to arterial circumferential stiffness through the Moens-Korteweg equation, as indicators for arterial mechanical anisotropy quantification by noninvasive high-frame-rate ultrasound. The relationship between directional arterial stiffnesses and the two natural wave speeds was investigated in wave theory, finite-element simulations based on isotropic and anisotropic arterial models, and in vivo human common carotid artery (N=10) experiments. Excellent agreement between the theory and simulations showed that EWV was 2.57 and 1.03 times higher than PWV in an isotropic and an anisotropic carotid artery model, respectively, while in vivo EWV was consistently lower than PWV in all 10 healthy human subjects. A strong linear correlation was substantiated in vivo between EWV and arterial longitudinal stiffness quantified by a well-validated vascular guided wave imaging technique (VGWI). We thereby proposed a novel index calculated as EWV2/PWV2 as an alternative to assess arterial mechanical anisotropy. Simulations and in vivo results corroborated the effect of mechanical anisotropy on the propagation of spontaneous waves along the arterial wall. The proposed anisotropy index demonstrated the feasibility of the concurrent EW and PW imaged by high frame-rate ultrasound in grading of arterial wall anisotropy.

Ab initio predictions of structure and physical properties of the Zr2GaC and Hf2GaC MAX phases under pressure

The electronic structure, structural stability, mechanical, phonon, and optical properties of Zr2GaC and Hf2GaC MAX phases have been investigated under high pressure using first-principles calculations. Formation enthalpy of competing phases, elastic constants, and phonon calculations revealed that both compounds are thermodynamically, mechanically, and dynamically stable under pressure. The compressibility of Zr2GaC is higher than that of Hf2GaC along the c-axis, and pressure enhanced the resistance to deformation. The electronic structure calculations reveal that M2GaC is metallic in nature, and the metallicity of Zr2GaC increased more than that of Hf2GaC at higher pressure. The mechanical properties, including elastic constants, elastic moduli, Vickers hardness, Poisson’s ratio anisotropy index, and Debye temperature, are reported with fundamental insights. The elastic constants C11 and C33 increase rapidly compared with other elastic constants with an increase in pressure, and the elastic anisotropy of Hf2GaC is higher than that of the Zr2GaC. The optical properties revealed that Zr2GaC and Hf2GaC MAX phases are suitable for optoelectronic devices in the visible and UV regions and can also be used as a coating material for reducing solar heating at higher pressure up to 50 GPa.

First-Principles Study of Ag3Sn, AgZn3 and Ag5Zn8 Intermetallic Compounds

The first-principles calculations by CASTEP program based on the density functional theory is applied to calculate the cohesive energy, enthalpy of formation, elastic constant, density of states and Mulliken population of Ag3Sn、AgZn3 and Ag5Zn8. Furthermore, the elastic properties, bonding characteristics, and intrinsic connections of different phases are investigated. The results show that Ag3Sn、AgZn3 and Ag5Zn8 have stability structural, plasticity characteristics and different degrees of elastic anisotropy; Ag3Sn is the most stable structural, has the strongest alloying ability and the best plasticity. AgZn3 is the most unstable structure, has the worst plasticity; The strength of Ag5Zn8 is strongest, AgZn3 has the weakest strength, the largest shear resistance, and the highest hardness. Ag5Zn8 has the maximum Anisotropy index and Ag3Sn has the minimum Anisotropy index. Ag3Sn、AgZn3 and Ag5Zn8 are all have covalent bonds and ionic bonds, the ionic bonds decrease in the order Ag3Sn>Ag5Zn8>AgZn3 and covalent bonds decreases in the order Ag5Zn8>Ag3Sn>AgZn3.

A Predictive Model for the Anisotropy Index of Semi-Coke Derived from the Properties of Colombia's Eastern Cordillera Coals

This study developed a theoretical model for the determination of the Coke Anisotropy Quotient (CAQ) of semi-coke from the properties of its precursor coal. This is an useful parameter to define the resistance and reactivity of semi-coke in the blast furnace. For 36 semi-coke samples, a textural analysis was performed alongside a fluidity test to determine the real CAQ. The main textures observed were: isotropic and circular for high volatile bituminous coals (HVB); lenticular and fine ribbons for the medium volatile bituminous coals (MVB); and medium and thick ribbons for the low volatile bituminous coals (LVB). The CAQ varied in a range from 1 to 11. A principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression allowed to discriminated the importance of certain coal properties, in determining the CAQ to be recognized and to estimate parameters of the mathematical model. The statistical analysis suggested that CAQ can be best predicted from the fluidity, volatile matter, and Ro of the parent coals. The veracity of this model result was then tested using a second dataset from Poland. This work optimizes the usefulness of standard datasets in the prediction of CAQ's offering a means of quality control that could be implemented in Colombian coke production.