Interconnected microstructure and flexural behavior of Ti_(2)C-Ti composites with superior Young’s modulus

To enhance the Young’s modulus(E)and strength of titanium alloys,we designed titanium matrix composites with intercon-nected microstructure based on the Hashin-Shtrikman theory.According to the results,the in-situ reaction yielded an interconnected microstructure composed of Ti_(2)C particles when the Ti_(2)C content reached 50vol%.With widths of 10 and 230 nm,the intraparticle Ti lamellae in the prepared composite exhibited a bimodal size distribution due to precipitation and the unreacted Ti phase within the grown Ti_(2)C particles.The composites with interconnected microstructure attained superior properties,including E of 174.3 GPa and ultimate flexural strength of 1014 GPa.Compared with that of pure Ti,the E of the composite was increased by 55% due to the high Ti_(2)C content and interconnected microstructure.The outstanding strength resulted from the strong interfacial bonding,load-bearing capacity of interconnected Ti_(2)C particles,and bimodal intraparticle Ti lamellae,which minimized the average crack driving force.Interrupted flexural tests revealed preferential crack initiation along the{001}cleavage plane and grain boundary of Ti_(2)C in the region with the highest tensile stress.In addition,the propagation can be efficiently inhibited by interparticle Ti grains,which prevented the brittle fracture of the composites.

PSO algorithm for Young's modulus reconstruction

To get the quantitive value of abnormal biological tissues, an inverse algorithm about the Young＇s modulus based on the boundary extraction and the image registration technologies is proposed. With the known displacements of boundary tissues and the force distribution, the Young＇s modulus is calculated by constructing the unit system and the inverse finite element method （IFEM）. Then a tough range of the modulus for the whole tissue is estimated referring the value obtained before. The improved particle swarm optimizer （PSO） method is adopted to calculate the whole Yong＇s modulus distribution. The presented algorithm overcomes some limitations in other Young＇s modulus reconstruction methods and relaxes the displacements and force boundary condition requirements. The repetitious numerical simulation shows that errors in boundary displacement are not very sensitive to the estimation of next process; a final feasible solution is obtained by the improved PSO method which is close to the theoretical values obtained during searching in an extensive range.

Experimental and Theoretical Study of Young Modulus in Micromachined Polysilicon Films

The elastic modulus is a very important mechanical property in micromachined structures. Several design issues such as resonant frequencies and stiffness in the micromachined structures are related to the elastic modulus. In addition, the accuracy of results from finite element models is highly dependent upon the elastic modulus. In this study, the Young modulus of micromachined thin polysilicon films has been investigated with a new tensile test machine using a magnetic-solenoid force actuator with linear response, low hysteresis, no friction and direct electrical control. The tensile test results show that the measured average value of Young modulus for a typical sample, (164±1.2) GPa, falls within the theoretical bounds of the texture model. These results will provide more reliable design of polysilicon microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

A method to determine Young's modulus of soft gels for cell adhesion

A convenient technique is reported in this note for measuring elastic modulus of extremely soft material for cellular adhesion. Specimens of bending cylinder under gravity are used to avoid contact problem between testing device and sample, and a beam model is presented for evaluating the curvatures of gel beams with large elastic deformation. A self-adaptive algorithm is also proposed to search for the best estimation of gels＇ elastic moduli by comparing the experimental bending curvatures with those computed from the beam model with preestimated moduli. Application to the measurement of the property of polyacrylamide gels indi- cates that the material compliance varies with the concentrations of bis-acrylamide, and the gels become softer after being immersed in a culture medium for a period of time, no matter to what extent they are polymerized.

Prediction and optimization of process variables to maximize the Young’s modulus of plasma sprayed alumina coatings on AZ31B magnesium alloy

Like other manufacturing techniques,plasma spraying has also a non-linear behavior because of the contribution of many coating variables.This characteristic results in finding optimal factor combination difficult.Subsequently,the issue can be solved through effective and strategic statistical procedures integrated with systematic experimental data.Plasma spray parameters such as power,stand-off distance and powder feed rate have significant influence on coating characteristics like Young’s modulus.This paper presents the use of statistical techniques in specifically response surface methodology(RSM),analysis of variance,and regression analysis to develop empirical relationship to predict Young’s modulus of plasma-sprayed alumina coatings.The developed empirical relationships can be effectively used to predict Young’s modulus of plasma-sprayed alumina coatings at 95%confidence level.Response graphs and contour plots were constructed to identify the optimum plasma spray parameters to attain maximum Young’s modulus in alumina coatings.A linear regression relationship was established between porosity and Young’s modulus of the alumina coatings.

Measurement of Young's Modulus and Poisson's Ratio of Thermal Barrier Coatings

In gas turbines, thermal barrier coatings （TBCs） applied by air plasma spraying are widely used to lower the temperature of hot components. To analyze the characteristics of TBCs such as residual stress, bond strength, fracture toughness, and crack propagation ratio, the Young＇s modulus and Poisson＇s ratio are important parameters. For TBC is a brittle and thin film, it is desirable to evaluate those properties while the coatings are bonded to a substrate. An atmospheric plasma spray MCrAIY bond coat and Yttria stabilized zirconia （YSZ） top coat are deposited onto a nickel-base superalloy GH150 substrate. The Young＇s modulus and Poisson＇s ratio are measured by cantilever beam bending with NDI. The method will be developed to test the Young＇ s modulus and Poisson ratio of other multilayer systems.

CALCULATION OF THE YOUNG'S MODULUS OF AN ADSORBED POLYMER LAYER

Polymer layers adsorbed to a surface or in a confined environment often change their mechanical properties. There is even the possibility of solidification of the confined layer. To judge the stiffness of such a layer, we used the Hertz model to calculate the Young＇s modulus of the polymer layer in the confinement of AFM experiments with silicon nitride tip with a radius of curvature ofR ≈ 50 nm and a glass sphere attached to the cantilever R =5 μm. Since there is no visible indentation of the layer in the AFM experiments, the layer is either penetrated very easily, or the indentation is too small to be seen in a force curve. The latter would be the case for a polymer layer with a Young＇s modulus above 4 × 10^8 Pa in case of an experiment with a silicon nitride tip and 4×10^5 Pa in case of a glass sphere.

Determination of reduced Young s modulus of thin films using indentation test

The flat cylindrical indentation tests with different sizes of punch radius were investigated using finite element method （FEM） aimed to reveal the effect of punch size on the indentation behavior of the film/substrate system. Based on the FEM results analysis, two methods was proposed to separate film＇s reduced Young＇s modulus from a film/substrate system. The first method was based on a new weight function that quantifies film＇s and substrate＇s contributions to the overall mechanical properties of the film/substrate system in the flat cylindrical indentation test. The second method, a numerical approach, including fitting and extrapolation procedures was put forward. Both of the results from the two methods showed a reasonable agreement with the one input FE model. At last, the effect of maximum indentation depth and the surface micro-roughness of the thin film on the reduced Young＇s modulus of the film/substrate system were discussed. The methods proposed in the present study provide some new conceptions on evaluating other properties of thin films, e.g. creep, for which a flat-ended punch is also employed.

Analysis of the elastic-plastic indentation properties of materials with varying ratio of hardness to Young’s modulus

The elastic-plastic indentation properties of materials with varying ratio of hardness to Young’s modulus(H/E) were analyzed with the finite element method. And the indentation stress fields of materials with varying ratio H/E on the surface were studied by the experiment. The results show that the penetration depth, contact radius, plastic pile-up and the degree of elastic recovery depend strongly on the ratio H/E. Moreover, graphs were established to describe the relationship between the elastic-plastic indentation parameters and H/E. The established graphs can be used to predict the H/E of materials when compared with experimental data.

Probing the effect of Young's modulus on the plugging performance of micro-nano-scale dispersed particle gels

The effect of mechanical strength of the dispersed particle gel(DPG)on its macro plugging performance is significant,however,little study has been reported.In this paper,DPG particles with different mechanical strengths were obtained by mechanical shearing of bulk gels prepared with different formula.Young’s moduli of DPG particles on the micro and nano scales were measured by atomic force microscope for the first time.The mapping relationship among the formula of bulk gel,the Young’s moduli of the DPG particles and the final plugging performance were established.The results showed that when the Young’s moduli of the DPG particles increased from 82 to 328 Pa,the plugging rate increased significantly from 91.46%to 97.10%due to the distinctly enhanced stacking density and strength at this range.While when the Young’s moduli of the DPG particles surpassed 328 Pa,the further increase of plugging rate with the Young’s moduli of the DPG particles became insignificant.These results indicated that the improvement of plugging rate was more efficient by adjusting the Young’s moduli of the DPG particles within certain ranges,providing guidance for improving the macroscopic application properties of DPG systems in reservoir heterogeneity regulation.

The influence of defects on the effective Young's modulus of a defective solid

It is difficult to establish structure-property relationships in a defective solid because of its inhomogeneous-geometry microstructure caused by defects. In the present research, the effects of pores and cracks on the Young’s modulus of a defective solid are studied. Based on the law of the conservation of energy, mathematical formulations are proposed to indicate how the shape, size, and distribution of defects affect the effective Young’s modulus. In this approach, detailed equations are illustrated to represent the shape and size of defects on the effective Young’s modulus. Different from the results obtained from the traditional empirical analyses, mixture law or statistical method, for the first time, our results from the finite element method （FEM） and strict analytical calculation show that the influence of pore radius and crack length on the effective Young’s modulus can be quantified. It is found that the longest crack in a typical microstructure of ceramic coating dominates the contribution of the effective Young’s modulus in the vertical direction of the crack.

Influence of Temperature Conditions on Dynamic Young’s Modulus Testing

The Young’s modulus was measured at high temperatures by impulse excitation of vibration method,and the effects of heating rate,holding time and temperature cycle on the test results were analyzed.The results show that the heating rate has obvious effect on the high temperature Young’s modulus of the green body,but has no obvious effect on that of the sintered products;the holding time of the heating process has no regular effect on the Young’s modulus,and the effect varies with the different products at a certain temperature;the method can also be used to test the Young’s modulus during cooling process.

An improved model for predicting effective Young's modulus of the twisted structure under cyclic loading:taking into account the untwisting effect

Twist structures have diverse applications, ranging from dragline, electrical cable, and intelligent structure. Among these applications, tension deformation can＇t be avoided during the fabrication and working processes, which often leads to the twist structure rotation （called untwisting effect） and twist pitch increasing. As a consequence, this untwisting behavior has a large effect on the effective Young＇s modulus. In this paper, we present an improved model based on the classical Costello＇s theory to predict the effective Young＇s modulus of the basic structure, twisted by three same copper strands under cyclic loading. Series of experiments were carried out to verify the present model taking into account the untwisting effect. The experimental results have better agreements with the presented model than the common Costello＇s model.

Application of real-time shear wave elastography to Achilles tendon hardness evaluation in older adults

BACKGROUND Real-time shear wave elastography(SWE)is a non-invasive imaging technique used to measure tissue stiffness by generating and tracking shear waves in real time.This advanced ultrasound-based method provides quantitative information regarding tissue elasticity,offering valuable insights into the mechanical properties of biological tissues.However,the application of real-time SWE in the musculoskeletal system and sports medicine has not been extensively studied.AIM To explore the practical value of real-time SWE for assessing Achilles tendon hardness in older adults.METHODS A total of 60 participants were enrolled in the present study,and differences in the elastic moduli of the bilateral Achilles tendons were compared among the following categories:(1)Age:55-60,60-65,and 65-70-years-old;(2)Sex:Male and female;(3)Laterality:Left and right sides;(4)Tendon state:Relaxed and tense state;and(5)Tendon segment:Proximal,middle,and distal.RESULTS There were no significant differences in the elastic moduli of the bilateral Achilles tendons when comparing by age or sex(P>0.05).There were,however,significant differences when comparing by tendon side,state,or segment(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Real-time SWE plays a significant role compared to other examination methods in the evaluation of Achilles tendon hardness in older adults.

ELECTRIC FIELD EFFECTS ON YOUNG'S MOLULUS OF NANOWIRES

As an important component of nanodevices and nanomachine constructions, the mechanical performance of nanowires （NWs） has been a subject of intense research efforts due to gaining relevance in controlling functionality of nanoelectromechanical systems （NEMS）; meanwhile, one of the characteristics of the NEMS is the dependence of the functionality of the systems upon the applied electric field. The study of the electric effects on the Young＇s modulus of nanostructures is of certain usefulness in the design of NEMS and the precise measurement of mechanical properties of one-dimensional nanostructures. This paper reviews the origin of the size-dependence of the elastic property of NWs and the factors influencing the discrepancies and inconsistencies in the measured values of the Young＇s modulus for the NW, besides the surface effects, nonlinear effects, the electromechanical coupling effects as a possible effect responsible for the differences in quantitative and qualitative performance of the measured Young＇s modulus for the NWs versus the diameter are clarified.

Physical and Mechanical Features of the Quaternary Basanites of the Cap-Vert Peninsula of Dakar (Senegal, West Africa)

This work presents the results of geotechnical tests carried out in the laboratory on specimens of Quaternary olivine basanites from the Cap-Vert peninsula of Dakar. The samples were taken following geotechnical investigations in the Fann-PE, Mermoz-Ouakam, Yoff and Ngor areas respectively. The results obtained show a dry density between 20.45 and 29.30 kN/m3 which corresponds to medium to high density basanites. The porosity varies between 0.33% and 4.20%. For microlitic basanites, the porosity remains low, on the other hand, for micrograined basanites;a slight increase in porosity is noticed. As for the methylene blue adsorption test value measured, it is between 0.25 and 1.10. The uniaxial compression strength (Rc) and Young’s modulus (E) vary respectively from 12.19 MPa to 41.748 MPa and from 1477.6 MPa to 7699.1 MPa. The low strength values are recorded in altered and vesicular basanites. Also, a correlation was made between uniaxial compression strength and porosity and showed a gradual decrease in strength with increasing porosity.

Achieving highest Young’s modulus in Al-Li by tracing the size and bonding evolution of Li-rich precipitates

For decades,it has been well accepted that every 1 wt.%Li addition to Al will reduce Al alloy’s density by 3%and increase its Young’s modulus by 6%.However,the fundamental mechanism of modulus improve-ments stays controversial though all studies agreed that the contribution of such a substantial boosting comes from Li-rich clusters either in solid solution or precipitations.In this study,we experimentally produce nano-sized Li-rich clusters by non-equilibrium solidification using centrifugal casting and trace their evolutions as a function of subsequent heat treatments.High-resolution transmission electron mi-croscopy(HRTEM)reveals a further decrease in the lattice constants of Li-rich regions from the as-cast(0.406 nm),solid solution(0.405 nm)to the aged state(0.401 nm),while Young’s modulus of the Al-Li al-loy reaches 89.16 GPa.Small-angle neutron scattering(SANS)experiments and first-principle calculations based on density functional theory have shown both the bond strength around precipitates and the size of those Li-rich region dominate Young’s modulus.At the beginning,it is volumetric compression due to Li addition that increases modulus,tightening the Al-Al potential curves.In the end,it is the Al-Al and Al-Li valence bonds in Al 3 Li at large size and high-volume fraction which increase its second derivative of internal energy and thus Young’s modulus.

Various admixtures to mitigate the long-term strength retrogression of Portland cement cured under high pressure and high temperature conditions

In order to investigate the problem of long-term strength retrogression in oil well cement systems exposed to high pressure and high temperature(HPHT)curing conditions,various influencing factors,including cement sources,particle sizes of silica flour,and additions of silica fume,alumina,colloidal iron oxide and nano-graphene,were investigated.To simulate the environment of cementing geothermal wells and deep wells,cement slurries were directly cured at 50 MPa and 200?C.Mineral compositions(as determined by X-ray diffraction Rietveld refinement),water permeability,compressive strength and Young’s modulus were used to evaluate the qualities of the set cement.Short-term curing(2e30 d)test results indicated that the adoption of 6 m m ultrafine crystalline silica played the most important role in stabilizing the mechanical properties of oil well cement systems,while the addition of silica fume had a detrimental effect on strength stability.Long-term curing(2e180 d)test results indicated that nano-graphene could stabilize the Young’s modulus of oil well cement systems.However,none of the ad-mixtures studied here can completely prevent the strength retrogression phenomenon due to their inability to stop the conversion of amorphous to crystalline phases.

Fabrication of porous TiZrNbTa high-entropy alloys/Ti composite with high strength and low Young’s modulus using a novel MgO space holder

Stress shielding is caused by the mismatch of stiffness between bone and implant materials,which may give rise to bone resorption and loosening,thereby causing implantation failure.There is a huge gap between Young’s modulus of human bone and low Young’s modulusβTi alloys.A porous structure design can achieve the target of low Young’s modulus,and thus achieve the matching between human bone and implant materials.However,a suitable space holder(SH)that can be applied at high temperatures and sintering pressure has not been reported.In this study,the TiZrNbTa/Ti titanium matrix composite(TMC)with high strength and large ductility was used as scaffold materials and combined the SH technique with the spark plasma sintering(SPS)technique to obtain a porous structure.A novel space holder,i.e.,MgO particles was adopted,which can withstand high-temperature sintering accompanied by a sintering pressure.The porous TiZrNbTa/Ti with 40 vol.%MgO added exhibits a maximum strength of 345.9±10.4 MPa and Young’s modulus of 24.72±0.20 GPa,respectively.It possesses higher strength compared with human bone and matches Young’s modulus of human bone,which exhibits great potential for clinical application.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Mechanical Behaviour of Fired Clay Bricks after Exposure to High Temperatures

This paper reports the modeling of residual compressive strength of fired clay bricks submitted to elevated temperature. Five formulations were used and the explored temperatures were 95˚C, 200˚C, 550˚C, 700˚C and 950˚C. The stress–strain relationships and the mechanical properties (including Young’s modulus and compressive strength) were assessed using a uniaxial compressive strength machine. A proposed model equation was established and found satisfying. The elastic modulus was evaluated and tested with one existing model together with two proposed models. The proposed model was both satisfying and even more precise than the existing one. The overall results show that the effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of clays can be accurately described through the definition of thermal damage using elastic modulus.