Identification of the elastic stiffness of composites using the virtual fields method and digital image correlation

This paper presents an effective methodology for characterizing the mechanical parameters of composites using digital image correlation combined with the virtual fields method.By using a three-point bending test configuration,this method can identify all mechanical parameters of the material with merely a single test.Successful results verified that this method is especially effective for characterizing composite materials.In this study,the method is applied to measure the orthotropic elastic parameters of fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composites before and after the hygrothermal aging process.The results indicate that the hygrothermal aging environment significantly influences the mechanical property of a composite.The components of the parameters in the direction of the fiber bundle decreased significantly.From the accuracy analysis,we found that the actual measurement accuracy is sensitive to a shift of the horizontal edges and rotation of the vertical edges.

Contemporary strategies and approaches for characterizing composition and enhancing biofilm penetration targeting bacterial extracellular polymeric substances

Extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)constitutes crucial elements within bacterial biofilms,facili-tating accelerated antimicrobial resistance and conferring defense against the host's immune cells.Developing precise and effective antibiofilm approaches and strategies,tailored to the specific charac-teristics of EPS composition,can offer valuable insights for the creation of novel antimicrobial drugs.This,in turn,holds the potential to mitigate the alarming issue of bacterial drug resistance.Current analysis of EPS compositions relies heavily on colorimetric approaches with a significant bias,which is likely due to the selection of a standard compound and the cross-interference of various EPS compounds.Considering the pivotal role of EPS in biofilm functionality,it is imperative for EPS research to delve deeper into the analysis of intricate compositions,moving beyond the current focus on polymeric materials.This ne-cessitates a shift from heavy reliance on colorimetric analytic methods to more comprehensive and nuanced analytical approaches.In this study,we have provided a comprehensive summary of existing analytical methods utilized in the characterization of EPS compositions.Additionally,novel strategies aimed at targeting EPS to enhance biofilm penetration were explored,with a specific focus on high-lighting the limitations associated with colorimetric methods.Furthermore,we have outlined the challenges faced in identifying additional components of EPS and propose a prospective research plan to address these challenges.This review has the potential to guide future researchers in the search for novel compounds capable of suppressing EPS,thereby inhibiting biofilm formation.This insight opens up a new avenue for exploration within this research domain.

Carbon nanotubes/TiO_2 nanotubes composite photocatalysts for efficient degradation of methyl orange dye

A series of carbon nanotubes/TiO2 nanotubes （CNTs/TNTs） composite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by incorporation of CNTs in HNO3 washing process. These photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 physical adsorption, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, TEM and Raman spectroscopy, respectively, and their photocatalytic activities were tested by using methyl orange （MO） as a model compound. Also, the effects of amount of CNTs incorporated, calcination temperature and amount of catalyst on the photocatalytic activity of the composite photocatalyst were systematically investigated. The results show that the CNTs/TNTs composite exhibits much higher photocatalytic activity than that of the TNTs or CNTs alone.

Determination of microcapsule physicochemical, structural, and mechanical properties

Research into the fundamental properties of microcapsules and use of the results to develop a wide variety of products in industries such as printing, fast-moving consumer goods, construction, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals is a dynamic and ever-progressing field of study. For microcapsules to be effective in providing protection from harsh environments or delivering large payloads, it is essential to have a good understanding of their properties to enable quality control during formulation, storage, and applications. This review aims to outline the commonly used techniques for determining the physicochemical, struc- tural, and mechanical properties of microcapsules, and highlights the interlinked nature of these three areas with respect to the end-use industrial application. This review provides information on techniques that are well supported in the literature, and also examines microcapsule analytical techniques that will become more prevalent as a result of new technological developments or extensions from other areas of study.

Preparation of ZnO/GO composite material with highly photocatalytic performance via an improved two-step method

ZnO/graphene oxide（ZnO/GO） composite material,in which ZnO nanoparticles were densely coated on the GO nanosheets,was successfully prepared by an improved two-step method and characterized by IR, XRD,TEM,and UV-vis techniques.The improved photocatalytic property of the ZnO/GO composite material,evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange（MO） under UV irradiation,is ascribed to the intimate contact between ZnO and GO,the enhanced adsorption of MO,the quick electron transfer from excited ZnO particles to GO sheets and the activation of MO molecules viaπ-πinteraction between MO and GO.

Low frequency ultrasonic multi-mode Lamb wave method for characterizing the ultra-thin transversely isotropic laminate composite: Theory and experiment

A low-frequency multi-mode ultrasonic Lamb wave method suitable for character- izing the thickness, the density and the elastic constants of the ultra-thin transversely isotropic laminate composite is presented. The 'ultra-thin' here means that the thickness of the plate is much less than the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave so that the echoes from the front and back faces of the plate can't be separated in the time domain. The dispersion equations for the low frequency ultrasonic Lamb waves with the propagation directions parallel and vertical to the fiber direction are derived. In conjunction with the least square algorithm method, the secant algorithm is used to estimate the parameters of the ultra-thin fiber-reinforced composite layer. The evaluation errors and the sensitivity of the method to different paramters of the thin composite are analyzed. The technique has been used to characterize the ultra-thin grass fiber reinforced PES composite with thickness down to ten percents of the ultrasonic wavelength. It is observed that the agreement between the nominal and the estimation values is reasonably good.

Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Properties of VB_2/A390 Composite Alloy

In this work, we make the best use of the vanadium element; a series of A1-V-B alloys and VB2/A390 composite alloys were fabricated. For Ak-10V-6B alloy, the grain size of VB2 can be controlled within about 1 μm and is distributed uniformly in the AI matrix. Further, it can be found that VB2 promises to be a useful reinforcement particle for piston alloy. The addition of VB2 can improve the mechanical properties of the A390 composite alloys significantly. The results show that with 1 % VB2 addition, A390 composite alloy exhibits the best performance. Compared with the A390 alloy, the coefficient of thermal expansion is 13.2 × 10^-6 K-1, which decreased by 12.6%; the average Brinell hardness can reach 156.5 HB, wear weight loss decreased by 28.9% and ultimate tensile strength at 25℃ （UTS25 ℃） can reach 355 MPa, which increased by 36.5%.