Design of a Light, Foldable and Flexibility Lunar Base

In this paper, to meet the environmental requirements for the lunar surface, we outline the design of an intelligent shape memory polymer(SMP) capsule structure of lightweight using a flexible composite skin. Key breakthrough technology for manufacturing the high-performance multilayer composite is utilized to realize the requirements for folding and compressing during launching, and unfolding on the lunar surface, taking into account the current opposing requirements for launching and the space transportation mission of large equipment. Based upon the reduced constraints, better expansibility and easy assembly, this lunar base is suited to the initial and interim phases of a moon construction, and provides a national solution in the construction of lunar base on moon.

Flexible Polydimethylsiloxane Composite with Multi-Scale Conductive Network for Ultra-Strong Electromagnetic Interference Protection

Highly conductive polymer composites(CPCs) with excellent mechanical flexibility are ideal materials for designing excellent electromagnetic interference(EMI) shielding materials,which can be used for the electromagnetic interference protection of flexible electronic devices.It is extremely urgent to fabricate ultra-strong EMI shielding CPCs with efficient conductive networks.In this paper,a novel silver-plated polylactide short fiber(Ag@PL ASF,AAF) was fabricated and was integrated with carbon nanotubes(CNT) to construct a multi-scale conductive network in polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) matrix.The multi-scale conductive network endowed the flexible PDMS/AAF/CNT composite with excellent electrical conductivity of 440 S m-1and ultra-strong EMI shielding effectiveness(EMI SE) of up to 113 dB,containing only 5.0 vol% of AAF and 3.0 vol% of CNT(11.1wt% conductive filler content).Due to its excellent flexibility,the composite still showed 94% and 90% retention rates of EMI SE even after subjected to a simulated aging strategy(60℃ for 7 days) and 10,000 bending-releasing cycles.This strategy provides an important guidance for designing excellent EMI shielding materials to protect the workspace,environment and sensitive circuits against radiation for flexible electronic devices.

Assembly Unit Resource Balancing Strategy based on Discrete Production Mode

Aiming at the characteristics of obvious block division and strong discreteness in the assembly production mode of electronic products,this paper proposes a composite U-shaped flexible assembly line model,and establishes a multi-objective optimization mathematical model on this basis.According to the characteristics of the model,the improved ranked positional weight(RPW)method is used to adjust the generation process of the initial solution of the genetic algorithm,so that the genetic algorithm can be applied to the block task model.At the same time,the adaptive cross mutation factor is used on the premise that tasks between different blocks are not crossed during cross mutation,which effectively improves the probability of excellent individuals retaining.After that,the algorithm is used to iterate to obtain the optimal solution task assignment.Finally,the algorithm results are compared with actual production data,which verifies the validity and feasibility of the assembly line model for discrete production mode proposed in this paper.

A comprehensive review on material selection for polymer matrix composites subjected to impact load

Polymer matrix composites(PMC)are extensively been used in many engineering applications.Various natural fibers have emerged as potential replacements to synthetic fibers as reinforcing materials composites owing to their fairly better mechanical properties,low cost,environment friendliness and biodegradability.Selection of appropriate constituents of composites for a particular application is a tedious task for a designer/engineer.Impact loading has emerged as the serious threat for the composites used in structural or secondary structural application and demands the usage of appropriate fiber and matrix combination to enhance the energy absorption and mitigate the failure.The objective of the present review is to explore the composite with various fiber and matrix combination used for impact applications,identify the gap in the literature and suggest the potential naturally available fiber and matrix combination of composites for future work in the field of impact loading.The novelty of the present study lies in exploring the combination of naturally available fiber and matrix combination which can help in better energy absorption and mitigate the failure when subjected to impact loading.In addition,the application of multi attributes decision making(MADM)tools is demonstrated for selection of fiber and matrix materials which can serve as a benchmark study for the researchers in future.

Highly Flexible Fabrics/Epoxy Composites with Hybrid Carbon Nanofillers for Absorption-Dominated Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Epoxy-based nano-composites can be ideal electromagnetic interference(EMI)-shielding materials owing to their lightness,chemical inertness,and mechanical durability.However,poor conductivity and brittleness of the epoxy resin are challenges for fast-growing portable and flexible EMI-shielding applications,such as smart wristband,medical cloth,aerospace,and military equipment.In this study,we explored hybrid nanofillers of single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNT)/reduced graphene oxide(rGO)as conductive inks and polyester fabrics(PFs)as a substrate for flexible EMI-shielding composites.The highest electrical conductivity and fracture toughness of the SWCNT/rGO/PF/epoxy composites were 30.2 S m^(−1)and 38.5 MPa m^(1/2),which are~270 and 65%enhancement over those of the composites without SWCNTs,respectively.Excellent mechanical durability was demonstrated by stable electrical conductivity retention during 1000 cycles of bending test.An EMI-shielding effectiveness of~41 dB in the X-band frequency of 8.2-12.4 GHz with a thickness of 0.6 mm was obtained with an EM absorption-dominant behavior over a 0.7 absorption coefficient.These results are attributed to the hierarchical architecture of the macroscale PF skeleton and nanoscale SWCNT/rGO networks,leading to superior EMI-shielding performance.We believe that this approach provides highly flexible and robust EMI-shielding composites for next-generation wearable electronic devices.

Damage mechanics and energy absorption capabilities of natural fiber reinforced elastomeric based bio composite for sacrificial structural applications

The present study deals with the experimental,finite element(FE)and analytical assessment of low ballistic impact response of proposed flexible‘green’composite make use of naturally available jute and rubber as the constituents of the composite with stacking sequences namely jute/rubber/jute(JRJ),jute/rubber/rubber/jute(JRRJ)and jute/rubber/jute/rubber/jute(JRJRJ).Ballistic impact tests were carried out by firing a conical projectile using a gas gun apparatus at lower range of ballistic impact regime.The ballistic impact response of the proposed flexible composites are assesses based on energy absorption and damage mechanism.Results revealed that inclusion of natural rubber aids in better energy absorption and mitigating the failure of the proposed composite.Among the three different stacking sequences of flexible composites considered,JRJRJ provides better ballistic performance compared to its counterparts.The damage study reveals that the main mechanism of failure involved in flexible composites is matrix tearing as opposed to matrix cracking in stiff composites indicating that the proposed flexible composites are free from catastrophic failure.Results obtained from experimental,FE and analytical approach pertaining to energy absorption and damage mechanism agree well with each other.The proposed flexible composites due to their exhibited energy absorption capabilities and damage mechanism are best suited as claddings for structural application subjected to impact with an aim of protecting the main structural component from being failed catastrophically.

Influence of thickness and projectile shape on penetration resistance of the compliant composite

The present study deals with development of conceptual proof for jute rubber based flexible composite block to completely arrest the projectile impacting the target at high velocity impact of 400 m/s through numerical simulation approach using finite element(FE)method.The proposed flexible composite blocks of repeating jute/rubber/jute(JRJ)units are modelled with varying thickness from 30 mm to 120 mm in increments of 30 mm and impacted by flat(F),ogival(O)and hemispherical(HS)shaped projectiles.All the considered projectiles are impacted with proposed flexible composite blocks of different thicknesses and the penetration behaviour of the projectile in each case is studied.The penetration depth of the projectile in case of partially penetrated cases are considered and the effect of thickness and projectile shape on percentage of penetration depth is statistically analyzed using Taguchi’s design of experiments(DOE).Results reveal that the though proposed flexible composite block with thickness of 90 mm is just sufficient to arrest the complete penetration of the projectile,considering the safety issues,it is recommended to use the flexible composite with thickness of 120 mm.The nature of damage caused by the projectile in the flexible composite is also studied.Statistical studies show that thickness of the block plays a prominent role in determining the damage resistance of the flexible composite.

Bionic Design and Simulation Analysis of Energy⁃Efficient and Vibration⁃Damping Walking Mechanism

African ostrich can run for 30 min at a speed of 60 km/h in the desert,and its hindlimb has excellent energy saving and vibration damping performance.In order to realize the energy⁃efficient and vibration⁃damping design of the leg mechanism of the legged robot,the principle of engineering bionics was applied.According to the passive rebound characteristic of the intertarsal joint of the ostrich foot and the characteristic of variable output stiffness of the ostrich hindlimb,combined with the proportion and size of the structure of the ostrich hindlimb,the bionic rigid⁃flexible composite legged robot single⁃leg structure was designed.The locomotion of the bionic mechanical leg was simulated by means of ADAMS.Through the motion simulation analysis,the influence of the change of the inner spring stiffness coefficient within a certain range on the vertical acceleration of the body centroid and the motor power consumption was studied,and the optimal stiffness coefficient of the inner spring was obtained to be 200 N/mm,and it was further verified that the inner and outer spring mechanism could effectively reduce the energy consumption of the mechanical leg.Simulation results show that the inner and outer spring mechanism could effectively reduce the motor energy consumption by about 72.49%.

An efficient stiffness analysis model based on shear deformation theory for flexible skin shear variable-sweep wing

Fixed-wing aircraft cannot maintain optimal aerodynamic performance at different flight speeds.As a type of morphing aircraft,the shear variable-sweep wing(SVSW)can dramatically improve its aerodynamic performance by altering its shape to adapt to various flight conditions.In order to achieve smooth continuous shear deformation,SVSW’s skin adopts a flexible composite skin design instead of traditional aluminum alloy materials.However,this also brings about the non-linear difficulty in stiffness modeling and calculation.In this research,a new SVSW design and efficient stiffness modeling method are proposed.Based on shear deformation theory,the flexible composite skin is equivalently modeled as diagonally arranged nonlinear springs,simulating the elastic force interaction between the skin and the mechanism.By shear loading tests of flexible composite skin,the accuracy of this flexible composite skin modeling method is verified.The SVSW stiffness model was established,and its accuracy was verified through static loading tests.The effects of root connection,sweep angles,and flexible composite skin on the SVSW stiffness are analyzed.Finally,considering three typical flight conditions of SVSW:low-speed flow(Ma=0.3,Re=5.82
10^(6)),transonic flow(Ma=0.9,Re=3.44
10^(6)),and supersonic flow(Ma=3,Re=7.51
10^(6)),the stiffness characteristics of SVSW under flight conditions were evaluated.The calculated results guide the application of SVSW.

A comparative study on rigid and flexible magnetoelectric composites:Review

This review reports the latest trends in the ceramic composite matrix used for the magnetoelectric(ME)effect.In the last few years,ME composite has become the center of attraction for use in various electrically and magnetically coupled devices.The growth and use of electronic components everywhere have propulsively accelerated the exploration of self-powered electronic and sensor network devices.ME is a feasible technique for addressing difficulties of traditional batteries such as short life span and fre­quent recharge difficulties.Self-charging multiferroic components have been found for the constant working of mobile electronics that use multiferroic composites in response to magnetoelectric energy transformation.Researchers have rigorously studied the rigid and flexible magnetoelectric composites for their suitability in applications.This paper gives a comparative study between rigid and flexible magnetoelectric composites based on their properties and provides knowledge about the materials for such types of composites.It reviews the latest polymer-based ME materials as well as the related fabrication and polarization methods.The review finally encapsulates the applications in biomedicine,ranging from mechanical energy harvesters to sensors and actuators.

Preparation and microwave absorption properties of flexible composites containing Ag decorated polystyrene powders

Polystyrene(PS)microspheres have the advantages of good stability,corrosion resistance and low density,which have a broad application prospect.In this paper,PS composite microspheres with 20%silver plating content were prepared by chemical plating method and incorporated into polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)flexible matrix to prepare Ag@PS/PDMS flexible wave-absorbing materials.The electromagnetic parameters were adjusted to optimize the dielectric and wave-absorbing properties by varying the additional amount of Ag@PS composite microspheres in Ag@PS/PDMS composites.The X-ray diffraction(XRD)results proved the successful preparation of Ag@PS composite microspheres.The SEM and EDS images indicated that the Ag particles were attached to the external surface of PS.The presence of Ag particles in the Ag@PS composite microspheres enhances their electrical conductivity and enables the formation of a conductive network.This,in turn,improves the composites’dielectric constant.The optimal wave-absorbing capability of the composites was achieved when the Ag@PS composite microspheres were added at a weight percentage of 50%.When the sample attains a thickness of 1.8 mm,a reflection loss of at least-39.8 dB is attained at 10.4 GHz,along with a bandwidth of 1.6 GHz(9.1–10.7 GHz)for the effective absorption bandwidth(EAB).The pressure-sensitive properties of the pliable composites were investigated as well.The optimal pressure-sensitive performance of Ag@PS/PDMS composites was achieved with a 60 wt.%addition of Ag@PS composite microspheres.The resistance undergoes significant changes when subjected to pressure with a sensitivity of 9.7.The results indicate that the flexible composites’wave-absorption and pressuresensitivity properties can be modulated by adjusting the amount of Ag@PS composite microspheres added.

Dynamic Analysis and Optimal Parameter Design of FlexibleComposite Structures via Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation

The composite structure with the dielectric elastomer and soft materials is the main form of theactuators in soft robots. However, the theoretical model is hard to obtain due to the nonlinear large deformationof materials. In this paper, a new composite element model is established based on the absolute nodal coordinateformulation. The consistent deformation conditions at the contact interface between two thin plates are deduced.The hyperelastic constitutive model and the dielectric elastomer constitutive model are introduced for the twothin plates. Then the dynamic model is established to study the dynamic behaviors of the composite flexiblestructure with various parameters. The results show that the nonlinear deformation appears obviously whenthe flexible composite plate structure is driven by various voltages, and the warping deformation becomes moreobvious with the increase of the voltage. The width and thickness of the driven thin plate influence the stabilityof the whole structure. With the decrease of the width or thickness, the deformation of the structure is moreconsistent with obvious periodicity, and the control performance is improved. Finally, the structural parametersof the composite structures are optimized to improve the control performance based on the dynamic performance.Additionally, smaller width and thickness parameters are preferred to obtain better performance in the design offlexible actuator of soft robot.

Advanced flexible humidity sensors:structures,techniques,mechanisms and performances

Flexible humidity sensors are widely used in many fields,such as environmental monitoring,agricultural soil moisture content determination,food quality monitoring and healthcare services.Therefore,it is essential to measure humidity accurately and reliably in different conditions.Flexible materials have been the focusing substrates of humidity sensors because of their rich surface chemical properties and structural designability.In addition,flexible materials have superior ductility for different conditions.In this review,we have summarized several sensing mechanisms,processing techniques,sensing layers and substrates for specific humidity sensing requirements.Aadditionally,we have sorted out some cases of flexible humidity sensors based on different functional materials.We hope this paper can contribute to the development of flexible humidity sensors in the future.

Flexible conductive polymer composites for smart wearable strain sensors

Wearable strain sensors based on flexible conductive polymer composites(FCPCs)have attracted great attention due to their applications in the fields of human–machine interaction,disease diagnostics,human motion detection,and soft robotic skin.In recent decades,FCPC‐based strain sensors with high stretchability and sensitivity,short response time,and excellent stability have been developed,which are expected to be more versatile and intelligent.Smart strain sensors are required to provide wearable comfort,such as breathability,selfcooling ability,and so forth.To adapt to the harsh environment,wearable strain sensors should also be highly adaptive to protect the skin and the sensor itself.In addition,portable power supply system,multisite sensing capability,and multifunctionality are crucial for the next generation of FCPC‐based strain sensor.