Advances in memristor based artificial neuron fabrication-materials,models,and applications

Spiking neural network(SNN),widely known as the third-generation neural network,has been frequently investigated due to its excellent spatiotemporal information processing capability,high biological plausibility,and low energy consumption characteristics.Analogous to the working mechanism of human brain,the SNN system transmits information through the spiking action of neurons.Therefore,artificial neurons are critical building blocks for constructing SNN in hardware.Memristors are drawing growing attention due to low consumption,high speed,and nonlinearity characteristics,which are recently introduced to mimic the functions of biological neurons.Researchers have proposed multifarious memristive materials including organic materials,inorganic materials,or even two-dimensional materials.Taking advantage of the unique electrical behavior of these materials,several neuron models are successfully implemented,such as Hodgkin–Huxley model,leaky integrate-and-fire model and integrate-and-fire model.In this review,the recent reports of artificial neurons based on memristive devices are discussed.In addition,we highlight the models and applications through combining artificial neuronal devices with sensors or other electronic devices.Finally,the future challenges and outlooks of memristor-based artificial neurons are discussed,and the development of hardware implementation of brain-like intelligence system based on SNN is also prospected.

A thermodynamics-based three-scale constitutive model for partially saturated granular materials

A three-scale constitutive model for unsaturated granular materials based on thermodynamic theory is presented.The three-scale yield locus,derived from the explicit yield criterion for solid matrix,is developed from a series of discrete interparticle contact planes.The three-scale yield locus is sensitive to porosity changes;therefore,it is reinterpreted as a corresponding constitutive model without phenomenological parameters.Furthermore,a water retention curve is proposed based on special pore morphology and experimental observations.The features of the partially saturated granular materials are well captured by the model.Under wetting and isotropic compression,volumetric compaction occurs,and the degree of saturation increases.Moreover,the higher the matric suction,the greater the strength,and the smaller the volumetric compaction.Compared with the phenomenological Barcelona basic model,the proposed three-scale constitutive model has fewer parameters;virtually all parameters have clear physical meanings.

Finite Element Simulations on Failure Behaviors of Granular Materials with Microstructures Using a Micromechanics-Based Cosserat Elastoplastic Model

This paper presents a micromechanics-based Cosserat continuum model for microstructured granular materials.By utilizing this model,the macroscopic constitutive parameters of granular materials with different microstructures are expressed as sums of microstructural information.The microstructures under consideration can be classified into three categories:a medium-dense microstructure,a dense microstructure consisting of one-sized particles,and a dense microstructure consisting of two-sized particles.Subsequently,the Cosserat elastoplastic model,along with its finite element formulation,is derived using the extended Drucker-Prager yield criteria.To investigate failure behaviors,numerical simulations of granular materials with different microstructures are conducted using the ABAQUS User Element(UEL)interface.It demonstrates the capacity of the proposed model to simulate the phenomena of strain-softening and strain localization.The study investigates the influence of microscopic parameters,including contact stiffness parameters and characteristic length,on the failure behaviors of granularmaterials withmicrostructures.Additionally,the study examines themesh independence of the presented model and establishes its relationship with the characteristic length.A comparison is made between finite element simulations and discrete element simulations for a medium-dense microstructure,revealing a good agreement in results during the elastic stage.Somemacroscopic parameters describing plasticity are shown to be partially related to microscopic factors such as confining pressure and size of the representative volume element.

Constitutive Model for Rubberlike Materials

The isotropic continuum stored energy (CSE) functional, fully combined with the Poisson function, has been applied to constitutively model compressible as well as incompressible rubberlike materials. The isotropic CSE constitutive model fits uniaxial tension test and predicts unfitted pure shear and equibiaxial tension tests of incompressible S4035A thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Furthermore, the isotropic CSE model along with the Poisson function fits uniaxial tension test along with the kinematic relation test and predicts unfitted pure shear and equibiaxial tension tests along with the corresponding kinematic relation tests of a compressible synthetic rubber. The detailed procedures for uniquely identifying constitutive parameters are emphasized, the experimental characterization results are discussed, and the principles for constitutive models are summarized and augmented.

Numerical Modelling of Coupled Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Materials: Application to Cinder Block Bricks

In this work, we present numerical modelling of coupled heat and mass transfer within porous materials. Our study focuses on cinder block bricks generally used in building construction. The material is assumed to be placed in air. Moisture content and temperature have been chosen as the main transfer drivers and the equations governing these transfer drivers are based on the Luikov model. These equations are solved by an implicit finite difference scheme. A Fortran code associated with the Thomas algorithm was used to solve the equations. The results show that heat and mass transfer depend on the temperature of the air in contact with the material. As this air temperature rises, the temperature within the material increases, and more rapidly at the material surface. Also, thermal conductivity plays a very important role in the thermal conduction of building materials and influences heat and mass transfer in these materials. Materials with higher thermal conductivity diffuse more heat.

A Generalized Gibbs Potential Model for Materials Degradation

It is well known that work done on a material by conservative forces (electrical, mechanical, chemical) will increase the Gibbs Potential of the material. The increase in Gibbs Potential can be stored in the material and is free/available to do work at some later time. However, it will be shown in this paper that while in this state of higher Gibbs potential, the material is metastable and the material will degrade spontaneously/naturally with time in an effort to reach a lower Gibbs Potential. A generalized Gibbs Potential Model is developed herein to better understand its impact on a materials degradation rate. Special attention will be given to dielectrics degradation.

An improved dynamic model for a silicone material beam with large deformation

Dynamic modeling for incompressible hyperelastic materials with large deformation is an important issue in biomimetic applications. The previously proposed lower-order fully parameterized absolute nodal coordinate formulation（ANCF） beam element employs cubic interpolation in the longitudinal direction and linear interpolation in the transverse direction, whereas it cannot accurately describe the large bending deformation. On this account, a novel modeling method for studying the dynamic behavior of nonlinear materials is proposed in this paper. In this formulation, a higher-order beam element characterized by quadratic interpolation in the transverse directions is used in this investigation. Based on the Yeoh model and volumetric energy penalty function, the nonlinear elastic force matrices are derived within the ANCF framework. The feasibility and availability of the Yeoh model are verified through static experiment of nonlinear incompressible materials. Furthermore,dynamic simulation of a silicone cantilever beam under the gravity force is implemented to validate the superiority of the higher-order beam element. The simulation results obtained based on the Yeoh model by employing three different ANCF beam elements are compared with the result achieved from a commercial finite element package as the reference result. It is found that the results acquired utilizing a higher-order beam element are in good agreement with the reference results,while the results obtained using a lower-order beam element are different from the reference results. In addition, the stiffening problem caused by volumetric locking can be resolved effectively by applying a higher-order beam element. It is concluded that the proposed higher-order beam element formulation has satisfying accuracy in simulating dynamic motion process of the silicone beam.

Blast response of continuous-density graded cellular material based on the 3D Voronoi model

One-dimensional blast response of continuous-density graded cellular rods was investigated theoretically and numerically. Analytical model based on the rigid-plastic hardening(R-PH) model was used to predict the blast response of density-graded cellular rods. Finite element(FE) analysis was performed using a new model based on the 3 D Voronoi technique. The FE results have a good agreement with the analytical predictions. The blast response and energy absorption of cellular rods with the same mass but different density distributions were examined under different blast loading. As a blast resistance structure, cellular materials with high energy absorption and low impulse transmit is attractive. However, high energy absorption and low impulse transmit cannot be achieved at the same time by changing the density distribution. The energy absorption capacity increases with the initial blast pressure and characteristic time of the exponentially decaying blast loading. By contract, when the blast loading exceeds the resistance capacity of cellular material, the transmitted stress will be enhanced which is detrimental to the structure being protected.

Material Removal Model Considering Influence of Curvature Radius in Bonnet Polishing Convex Surface

The bonnet tool polishing is a novel, advanced and ultra-precise polishing process, by which the freeform surface can be polished. However, during the past few years, not only the key technology of calculating the dwell time and controlling the surface form in the bonnet polishing has been little reported so far, but also little attention has been paid to research the material removal function of the convex surface based on the geometry model considering the influence of the curvature radius. Firstly in this paper, for realizing the control of the freeform surface automatically by the bonnet polishing, on the basis of the simplified geometric model of convex surface, the calculation expression of the polishing contact spot on the convex surface considering the influence of the curvature radius is deduced, and the calculation model of the pressure distribution considering the influence of the curvature radius on the convex surface is derived by the coordinate transformation. Then the velocity distribution model is built in the bonnet polishing the convex surface. On the basis of the above research and the semi-experimental modified Preston equation obtained from the combination method of experimental and theoretical derivation, the material removal model of the convex surface considering the influence of the curvature radius in the bonnet polishing is established. Finally, the validity of the model through the simulation method has been validated. This research presents an effective prediction model and the calculation method of material removal for convex surface in bonnet polishing and prepares for the bonnet polishing the free surface numerically and automatically.

A MULTISCALE MECHANICAL MODEL FOR MATERIALS BASED ON VIRTUAL INTERNAL BOND THEORY

Only two macroscopic parameters are needed to describe the mechanical properties of linear elastic solids, i.e. the Poisson＇s ratio and Young＇s modulus. Correspondingly, there should be two microscopic parameters to determine the mechanical properties of material if the macroscopic mechanical properties of linear elastic solids are derived from the microscopic level. Enlightened by this idea, a multiscale mechanical model for material, the virtual multi-dimensional internal bonds （VMIB） model, is proposed by incorporating a shear bond into the virtual internal bond （VIB） model. By this modification, the VMIB model associates the macro mechanical properties of material with the microscopic mechanical properties of discrete structure and the corresponding relationship between micro and macro parameters is derived. The tensor quality of the energy density function, which contains coordinate vector, is mathematically proved. From the point of view of VMIB, the macroscopic nonlinear behaviors of material could be attributed to the evolution of virtual bond distribution density induced by the imposed deformation. With this theoretical hypothesis, as an application example, a uniaxial compressive failure of brittle material is simulated. Good agreement between the experimental results and the simulated ones is found.

Hybrid Data-Driven and Mechanistic Modeling Approaches for Multiscale Material and Process Design

The world’s increasing population requires the process industry to produce food,fuels,chemicals,and consumer products in a more efficient and sustainable way.Functional process materials lie at the heart of this challenge.Traditionally,new advanced materials are found empirically or through trial-and-error approaches.As theoretical methods and associated tools are being continuously improved and computer power has reached a high level,it is now efficient and popular to use computational methods to guide material selection and design.Due to the strong interaction between material selection and the operation of the process in which the material is used,it is essential to perform material and process design simultaneously.Despite this significant connection,the solution of the integrated material and process design problem is not easy because multiple models at different scales are usually required.Hybrid modeling provides a promising option to tackle such complex design problems.In hybrid modeling,the material properties,which are computationally expensive to obtain,are described by data-driven models,while the well-known process-related principles are represented by mechanistic models.This article highlights the significance of hybrid modeling in multiscale material and process design.The generic design methodology is first introduced.Six important application areas are then selected:four from the chemical engineering field and two from the energy systems engineering domain.For each selected area,state-ofthe-art work using hybrid modeling for multiscale material and process design is discussed.Concluding remarks are provided at the end,and current limitations and future opportunities are pointed out.

A new analytical model for thermal stresses in multi-phase materials and lifetime prediction methods

Based on the fundamental equations of the mechanics of solid continuum, the paper employs an analytical model for determination of elastic thermal stresses in isotropic continuum represented by periodically distributed spherical particles with different distributions in an infinite matrix, imaginarily divided into identical cells with dimensions equal to inter-particle distances, containing a central spherical particle with or without a spherical envelope on the particle surface. Consequently, the multi-particle-（envelope）- matrix system, as a model system regarding the analytical modelling, is applicable to four types of multi-phase materials. As functions of the particle volume fraction v, the inter-particle distances dl, d2, d3 along three mutually per- pendicular axes, and the particle and envelope radii, R1 and R2, respectively, the thermal stresses within the cell, are originated during a cooling process as a consequence of the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of phases rep- resented by the matrix, envelope and particle. Analytical-（experimental）-computational lifetime prediction methods for multi-phase materials are proposed, which can be used in engineering with appropriate values of parameters of real multi-phase materials.

Model Estimation of Volatilization of Ammonia Appliedwith Surface Film-Forming Material

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the ammonia volatilization loss with or withoutapplication of surface film-forming material (SFFM). Ammonia volatilization loss was estimated by the modeldeveloped by Jayaweera and Mikkelsen. The results showed that the model could estimate and predict wellammonia volatilization loss also in case of SFFM addition. There was an emended factor B introduced tothe model calculation when SFPM was used. Simulated calculation showed that the effect of factor B onNHa loss was obvious. The value of B was governed by SFFM and the environmental conditions. Sensitivityanalysis suggested that pH was the main factor coatrolling NH3 volatilization loss from the floodwater.

A damage constitutive model of rock-like materials containing a single crack under the action of chemical corrosion and uniaxial compression

To describe the deformation and strength characteristics of the corroded rock-like specimens containing a single crack under uniaxial compression,a damage constitutive model combining hydro-chemical damage with coupling damage of micro-flaws and macro-cracks is proposed.Firstly,based on phenomenological theory,the damage variable of the rock-like specimens subjected to water environment erosion and chemical corrosion is obtained.Secondly,a coupled damage variable for cracked rock-like specimens is derived based on the Lemaitre strain equivalence hypothesis,which combines the Weibull statistical damage model for micro-flaws and the fracture mechanics model for a macro single crack.Then,considering the residual strength characteristics of the rock-like materials,the damage variable is modified by introducing the correction coefficient,and the damage constitutive model of the corroded rock-like specimens with a single crack under uniaxial compression is established.The model is verified by comparing the experimental stress−strain curves,and the results are in good agreement with those provided in the literature.Finally,the correction coefficient of the damage variable proposed in this paper is discussed.The damage constitutive model developed in this paper provides an effective method to describe the stress−strain relationship and residual strength characteristics of the corroded rock-like specimens with a single crack under uniaxial compression.

Timoshenko beam model for chiral materials

Natural and artificial chiral materials such as deoxyribonucleic acid （DNA）, chromatin fibers, flagellar filaments, chiral nanotubes, and chiral lattice materials widely exist. Due to the chirality of intricately helical or twisted microstructures, such materials hold great promise for use in diverse applications in smart sensors and actuators, force probes in biomedical engineering, structural elements for absorption of microwaves and elastic waves, etc. In this paper, a Timoshenko beam model for chiral materials is developed based on noncentrosymmetric micropolar elasticity theory. The governing equations and boundary conditions for a chiral beam problem are derived using the variational method and Hamilton＇s principle. The static bending and free vibration problem of a chiral beam are investigated using the proposed model. It is found that chirality can significantly affect the mechanical behavior of beams, making materials more flexible compared with nonchiral counterparts, inducing coupled twisting deformation, relatively larger deflection, and lower natural frequency. This study is helpful not only for understanding the mechanical behavior of chiral materials such as DNA and chromatin fibers and characterizing their mechanical properties, but also for the design of hierarchically structured chiral materials.

A comparative study of 85 hyperelastic constitutive models for both unfilled rubber and highly filled rubber nanocomposite material

Nonlinear finite element analysis is widely used for structural optimization of the design and the reliability analysis of complex elastomeric components.However,high-precision numerical results cannot be achieved without reliable strain energy functions(SEFs)of the rubber or rubber nanocomposite material.Although hyperelastic constitutive models have been studied for nearly 80 years,selecting one that accurately describes rubber's mechanical response is still a challenge.This work reviews 85 isotropic SEFs based on both the phenomenological theory and the micromechanical network theory proposed from the 1940s to 2019.A fitting algorithm which can realize the automatic fitting optimization and determination of the parameters of all SEFs reviewed is developed.The ability of each SEF to reproduce the experimental data of both the unfilled and highly filled rubber nanocomposite is quantitatively assessed based on a new proposed evaluation index.The top 30 SEFs for the unfilled rubber and the top 14 SEFs for the highly filled rubber nanocomposite are presented in the ranking lists.Finally,some suggestions on how to select an appropriate hyperelastic constitutive model are given,and the perspective on the future progress of constitutive models is summarized.

THEORETICAL MODEL OF EFFECTIVE STRESS COEFFICIENT FOR ROCK/SOIL-LIKE POROUS MATERIALS

Physical mechanisms and influencing factors on the effective stress coefficient for rock/soil-like porous materials are investigated, based on which equivalent connectivity index is proposed. The equivalent connectivity index, relying on the meso-scale structure of porous material and the property of liquid, denotes the connectivity of pores in Representative Element Area （REA）. If the conductivity of the porous material is anisotropic, the equivalent connectivity index is a second order tensor. Based on the basic theories of continuous mechanics and tensor analysis, relationship between area porosity and volumetric porosity of porous materials is deduced. Then a generalized expression, describing the relation between effective stress coefficient tensor and equivalent connectivity tensor of pores, is proposed, and the expression can be applied to isotropic media and also to anisotropic materials. Furthermore, evolution of porosity and equivalent connectivity index of the pore are studied in the strain space, and the method to determine the corresponding functions in expressions above is proposed using genetic algorithm and genetic programming. Two applications show that the results obtained by the method in this paper perfectly agree with the test data. This paper provides an important theoretical support to the coupled hydro-mechanical research.

Theoretical characterization of the temperature-dependent saturation magnetization of magnetic metallic materials

Based on the force-heat equivalence energy density principle,a theoretical model for magnetic metallic materials is developed,which characterizes the temperature-dependent magnetic anisotropy energy by considering the equivalent relationship between magnetic anisotropy energy and heat energy;then the relationship between the magnetic anisotropy constant and saturation magnetization is considered.Finally,we formulate a temperature-dependent model for saturation magnetization,revealing the inherent relationship between temperature and saturation magnetization.Our model predicts the saturation magnetization for nine different magnetic metallic materials at different temperatures,exhibiting satisfactory agreement with experimental data.Additionally,the experimental data used as reference points are at or near room temperature.Compared to other phenomenological theoretical models,this model is considerably more accessible than the data required at 0 K.The index included in our model is set to a constant value,which is equal to 10/3 for materials other than Fe,Co,and Ni.For transition metals(Fe,Co,and Ni in this paper),the index is 6 in the range of 0 K to 0.65T_(cr)(T_(cr) is the critical temperature),and 3 in the range of 0.65T_(cr) to T_(cr),unlike other models where the adjustable parameters vary according to each material.In addition,our model provides a new way to design and evaluate magnetic metallic materials with superior magnetic properties over a wide range of temperatures.

Effect of contact materials on the transient characteristics of vacuum arc plasma and anode erosion

In this study, the mechanisms of the anode phenomena and anode erosion with various contact materials were investigated. Arc parameters were calculated, and the anode temperature was predicted with a transient self-consistent model. The simulation results predicted a constricted arc column and obvious anode phenomena in Cu–Cr alloy contacts than in W–Cu alloy contacts.This observation could be the reason for the concentrated anode erosion in Cu–Cr alloys. For the contacts made by pure tungsten(W) and W–Cu alloy, the anode temperature increased rapidly because of the low specific heat of W. However, the maximum energy flux from the arc column to the anode surface was lower than in other cases. The simulation results were compared with experimental results.

Development of Mathematical Model on Preparation of Functionally Graded Material by Co-sedimentation

From the process of sedimentation the mathematical relationships among deposition Volume and powder properties as well as sedimentation parameters were deduced. Based on the formula a mathematical model was set up and simulated through the computer. At last the validity of mathematical model was supported by the representative experiment on Ti-Mo system FGM prepared by co-sedimentation.