Numerical Study on the Stress–Strain Cycle of Thermal Self-Compressing Bonding

Thermal self-compressing bonding(TSCB) is a new solid-state bonding method pioneered by the authors. With electron beam as the non-melted heat source, previous experimental study performed on titanium alloys has proved the feasibility of TSCB. However, the thermal stress–strain process during bonding, which is of very important significance in revealing the mechanism of TSCB, was not analysed. In this paper, finite element analysis method is adopted to numerically study the thermal elasto-plastic stress–strain cycle of thermal self-compressing bonding. It is found that due to the localized heating, a non-uniform temperature distribution is formed during bonding, with the highest temperature existed on the bond interface. The expansion of high temperature materials adjacent to the bond interface are restrained by surrounding cool materials and rigid restraints, and thus an internal elasto-plastic stress–strain field is developed by itself which makes the bond interface subjected to thermal compressive action. This thermal self-compressing action combined with the high temperature on the bond interface promotes the atom diffusion across the bond interface to produce solid-state joints. Due to the relatively large plastic deformation, rigid restraint TSCB obtains sound joints in relatively short time compared to diffusion bonding.

A Smart Procedure for the Femtosecond Laser-Based Fabrication of a Polymeric Lab-on-a-Chip for Capturing Tumor Cell

Rapid prototyping methods for the design and fabrication of polymeric labs-on-a-chip are on the rise,as they allow high degrees of precision and flexibility.For example,a microfluidic platform may require an optimization phase in which it could be necessary to continuously modify the architecture and geometry;however,this is only possible if easy,controllable fabrication methods and low-cost materials are available.In this paper,we describe the realization process of a microfluidic tool,from the computer-aided design(CAD)to the proof-of-concept application as a capture device for circulating tumor cells(CTCs).The entire platform was realized in polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA),combining femtosecond(fs)laser and micromilling fabrication technologies.The multilayer device was assembled through a facile and low-cost solvent-assisted method.A serpentine microchannel was then directly biofunctionalized by immobilizing capture probes able to distinguish cancer from non-cancer cells without labeling.The low material costs,customizable methods,and biological application of the realized platform make it a suitable model for industrial exploitation and applications at the point of care.

Effect of TiO2 on the Photodegradation Mechanism of Poly(butylene succinate)

The photodegradation behaviors of poly（butylene succinate）（PBS） and TiO2/PBS nanocomposite were monitored over a period of six months. Material properties and aging mechanisms were studied and explored by various characterizations including 1HNMR, FTIR, XRD, mass spectrum, and TGA. The TiO2/PBS nanocomposite was found to be more thermally stable and mechanically robust than the PBS. During aging, crystal formation and the final crystal structure changed notably. Based on the characterization results, it is proposed that the polymer chains have cleaved at the ester linkage by the dissociation of O–H groups and the conversion of C=O to C–O bonds. It was also believed that polymer chain transfer took place, which resulted in the formation of C=C bonds and O–H groups, and the polyester changed to enol or polyether.