Galerkin-based quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME)method for anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry

The accurate and efficient analysis of anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites is crucial for structural design and performance evaluation. Traditional numerical methods, such as the finite element method(FEM), often face a trade-off between calculation accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME) method to address this challenge, and provide the accurate and efficient analysis of two-dimensional(2D) anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry. The QSME approach achieves high calculation precision by a high-order local approximation that ensures the first-order derivative continuity.The results demonstrate that the QSME method is robust and stable, offering both high accuracy and efficiency in the heat conduction analysis. With the same degrees of freedom(DOFs), the QSME method can achieve at least an order of magnitude higher calculation accuracy than the traditional FEM. Additionally, under the same level of calculation error, the QSME method requires 10 times fewer DOFs than the traditional FEM. The versatility of the proposed QSME method extends beyond anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites. The proposed QSME method can also be applied to other problems, including fluid flows, mechanical analyses, and other multi-field coupled problems, providing accurate and efficient numerical simulations.

Research on Value Evaluation Method of Investment Project Based on Fuzzy Composite Real Options

Venture capital investments are characterized by high input,high yield,and high risk.Due to the complexity of the market environment,stage-by-stage investment is becoming increasingly important.Traditional evaluation methods like comparison,proportion,maturity,internal rate of return,scenario analysis,decision trees,and net present value cannot fully consider the uncertainty and stage characteristics of the project.The fuzzy real options method addresses this by combining real option theory,fuzzy number theory,and composite option theory to provide a more accurate and objective evaluation of Public-Private Partnership(PPP)projects.It effectively considers the interaction of options and the ambiguity of project parameters,making it a valuable tool for project evaluation in the context of venture capital investment.

Preparation,Characterization and Photothermal Study of PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) Composite Films

In this work,flexible photothermal PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films with different amount(0 wt%,5 wt%,10 wt%,15 wt%)of Ti_(2)O_(3) particles modified by steric acid were prepared by a simple solution casting method.The microstructures,XRD patterns,FTIR spectra,UV-Vis-NIR spectra thermo-conductivity,thermo-stability and photothermal effects of these composite films were all characterized.These results indicated that Ti_(2)O_(3) particles were well dispersed throughout the polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)matrix in the PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films.And Ti_(2)O_(3) particles could also effectively improve the photothermal properties of the composite films which exhibited high light absorption and generated a high temperature(about 57.4℃for film with 15 wt%Ti_(2)O_(3) amount)on the surface when it was irradiated by a simulated sunlight source(1 kW/m^(2)).

Template synthesis of copper azide primary explosive through Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell composite prepared by “bottle around ship” method

Copper azide(CA), as a primary explosive with high energy density, has not been practically used so far because of its high electrostatic sensitivity. The Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell structure hybrid material was synthesized by the “bottle around ship” methodology in this research by regulating the dissolution rate of Cu2O and the generation rate of metal-organic framework(MOF) materials. Cu2O@HKUST-1 was carbonized to form a Cu O@porous carbon(CuO@PC) composite material. CuO@PC was synthesized into a copper azide(CA) @PC composite energetic material through a gas-solid phase in-situ azidation reaction.CA is encapsulated in PC framework, which acts as a nanoscale Faraday cage, and its excellent electrical conductivity prevents electrostatic charges from accumulating on the energetic material’s surface. The CA@PC composite energetic material has a CA content of 89.6%, and its electrostatic safety is nearly 30times that of pure CA(1.47 mJ compared to 0.05 mJ). CA@PC delivers an outstanding balance of safety and energy density compared to similar materials.

Using Flowable Composite as Gingival Retraction Cord in Prosthodontics Dentistry: Two Case Reports: A Dental Technique

One of the most challenging factors affecting impression quality and good marginal fit is the gingival retraction method, which aims to separate the gingiva from the tooth to expose the finishing line of the prepared tooth. Bleeding and contamination from the crevicular fluid may compete for space with the impression material within the sulcus, leading to indistinct preparations and a lack of detail at the margin. In addition, such procedures might damage the PDL and cause permanent recession. Flowable composite cable, as opposed to traditional retraction cords, offers the proper marginal seal and visibility during the impression record because of its lower viscosity, improved adaptability, and elastic properties. The aim of this report is to present a brand-new, innovative method for controlling gingival hemorrhage in addition to the gingival retraction in restorative and prosthodontic treatment by utilizing a flowable composite during the final impression record procedure. In these case reports, the flowable composite cord technique is used instead of traditional gingival cords to modify and refine the gingival tissue before taking the traditional final impression or digital scan. Two cases were done for patients undergoing fixed prosthodontics and veneer treatment within a 2-year follow-up period. In addition, the flowable composite cord was used as temporary restoration before the final prosthetic cementation or under the provisional crowns. As a result, clean and healthy gingival tissues render cementation of the final prosthesis quicker and easier to perform. The patients in both cases claimed that their prosthodontic treatments, which involved the application of a flowable composite cord to temporarily retraction the gingiva, had produced good outcomes at the yearlong follow-up. In conclusion, the flowable composite cord technique is found to be a useful tool to improve the quality of impressions in fixed prosthodontics by providing excellent access for impression material to record fine details of the finish line of the prepared tooth structure, and to alter the inflamed tissue into a healthy tissue.

Construction of a High‑Performance Composite Solid Electrolyte Through In‑Situ Polymerization within a Self‑Supported Porous Garnet Framework

Composite solid electrolytes(CSEs)have emerged as promising candidates for safe and high-energy–density solid-state lithium metal batteries(SSLMBs).However,concurrently achieving exceptional ionic conductivity and interface compatibility between the electrolyte and electrode presents a significant challenge in the development of high-performance CSEs for SSLMBs.To overcome these challenges,we present a method involving the in-situ polymerization of a monomer within a self-supported porous Li_(6.4)La_(3)Zr_(1.4)Ta_(0.6)O_(12)(LLZT)to produce the CSE.The synergy of the continuous conductive LLZT network,well-organized polymer,and their interface can enhance the ionic conductivity of the CSE at room temperature.Furthermore,the in-situ polymerization process can also con-struct the integration and compatibility of the solid electrolyte–solid electrode interface.The synthesized CSE exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 1.117 mS cm^(-1),a significant lithium transference number of 0.627,and exhibited electrochemical stability up to 5.06 V vs.Li/Li+at 30℃.Moreover,the Li|CSE|LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) cell delivered a discharge capacity of 105.1 mAh g^(-1) after 400 cycles at 0.5 C and 30℃,corresponding to a capacity retention of 61%.This methodology could be extended to a variety of ceramic,polymer electrolytes,or battery systems,thereby offering a viable strategy to improve the electrochemical properties of CSEs for high-energy–density SSLMBs.

A Study of EM Algorithm as an Imputation Method: A Model-Based Simulation Study with Application to a Synthetic Compositional Data

Compositional data, such as relative information, is a crucial aspect of machine learning and other related fields. It is typically recorded as closed data or sums to a constant, like 100%. The statistical linear model is the most used technique for identifying hidden relationships between underlying random variables of interest. However, data quality is a significant challenge in machine learning, especially when missing data is present. The linear regression model is a commonly used statistical modeling technique used in various applications to find relationships between variables of interest. When estimating linear regression parameters which are useful for things like future prediction and partial effects analysis of independent variables, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is the method of choice. However, many datasets contain missing observations, which can lead to costly and time-consuming data recovery. To address this issue, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm has been suggested as a solution for situations including missing data. The EM algorithm repeatedly finds the best estimates of parameters in statistical models that depend on variables or data that have not been observed. This is called maximum likelihood or maximum a posteriori (MAP). Using the present estimate as input, the expectation (E) step constructs a log-likelihood function. Finding the parameters that maximize the anticipated log-likelihood, as determined in the E step, is the job of the maximization (M) phase. This study looked at how well the EM algorithm worked on a made-up compositional dataset with missing observations. It used both the robust least square version and ordinary least square regression techniques. The efficacy of the EM algorithm was compared with two alternative imputation techniques, k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) and mean imputation (), in terms of Aitchison distances and covariance.

Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow Strontium Carbonate Pompons by Composite Soft Template Method

The hollow strontium carbonate pompons was synthesized for the first time by a controlled reaction precipitation method with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS)and polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)work together as template.The sampled particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement,X-ray diffraction(XRD),Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy(EDX),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry(TGA-DSC),etc.It is shown that the assynthesized hollow strontium carbonate pompons with the size of about 2μm consist of flake-like particles under the optimal reaction conditions.The formation mechanism of hollow strontium carbonate pompons was preliminarily explored.

Adaptive Boundary and Semantic Composite Segmentation Method for Individual Objects in Aerial Images

There are two types of methods for image segmentation.One is traditional image processing methods,which are sensitive to details and boundaries,yet fail to recognize semantic information.The other is deep learning methods,which can locate and identify different objects,but boundary identifications are not accurate enough.Both of them cannot generate entire segmentation information.In order to obtain accurate edge detection and semantic information,an Adaptive Boundary and Semantic Composite Segmentation method(ABSCS)is proposed.This method can precisely semantic segment individual objects in large-size aerial images with limited GPU performances.It includes adaptively dividing and modifying the aerial images with the proposed principles and methods,using the deep learning method to semantic segment and preprocess the small divided pieces,using three traditional methods to segment and preprocess original-size aerial images,adaptively selecting traditional results tomodify the boundaries of individual objects in deep learning results,and combining the results of different objects.Individual object semantic segmentation experiments are conducted by using the AeroScapes dataset,and their results are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively.The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve more promising object boundaries than the original deep learning method.This work also demonstrates the advantages of the proposed method in applications of point cloud semantic segmentation and image inpainting.

Correlations between mineral composition and mechanical properties of granite using digital image processing and discrete element method

This study investigated the correlations between mechanical properties and mineralogy of granite using the digital image processing(DIP) and discrete element method(DEM). The results showed that the X-ray diffraction(XRD)-based DIP method effectively analyzed the mineral composition contents and spatial distributions of granite. During the particle flow code(PFC2D) model calibration phase, the numerical simulation exhibited that the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS) value, elastic modulus(E), and failure pattern of the granite specimen in the UCS test were comparable to the experiment. By establishing 351 sets of numerical models and exploring the impacts of mineral composition on the mechanical properties of granite, it indicated that there was no negative correlation between quartz and feldspar for UCS, tensile strength(σ_(t)), and E. In contrast, mica had a significant negative correlation for UCS, σ_(t), and E. The presence of quartz increased the brittleness of granite, whereas the presence of mica and feldspar increased its ductility in UCS and direct tensile strength(DTS) tests. Varying contents of major mineral compositions in granite showed minor influence on the number of cracks in both UCS and DTS tests.

Synthesis of CA_(6)/AlON composite with enhanced slag resistance

Different amounts of AlON have been introduced in calcium hexaaluminate(CA_(6)) using two approaches, that is, one-step and twostep methods, to improve the slag resistance of CA_(6). A one-step method can directly sinter the mixtures combining Al_(2)O_(3), CaCO_(3), and Al in flowing nitrogen, in which AlON clusters are always formed because of the poor wettability of Al by Al_(2)O_(3), leading to the high porosity of CA_(6)/AlON composite. In a two-step method, CA_(6)and AlON are prepared separately and then mixed and sintered in flowing nitrogen. Compared with the sample prepared by the one-step method, CA_(6)and AlON in composite by the two-step method are more uniformly distributed,and the optimized amount of AlON added is 10wt%. The slag corrosion and penetration test shows that the CA_(6)/AlON composite using the two-step method exhibits superior slag corrosion protection. The promoted effect of AlON on slag penetration and corrosion resistance is also discussed.

Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints

Al7075-Cu composite joints were prepared by the squeeze overcast process.The effects of melt temperature,die temperature,and squeeze pressure on hardness and ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints were studied.The experimental results depict that squeeze pressure is the most significant process parameter affecting the hardness and UTS.The optimal values of UTS(48 MPa)and hardness(76 HRB)are achieved at a melt temperature of 800℃,a die temperature of 250℃,and a squeeze pressure of 90 MPa.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)shows that fractured surfaces show flatfaced morphology at the optimal experimental condition.Energy-dispersive spectroscopy(EDS)analysis depicts that the atomic weight percentage of Zn decreases with an increase in melt temperature and squeeze pressure.The optimal mechanical properties of the Al7075-Cu overcast joint were achieved at the Al2Cu eutectic phase due to the large number of copper atoms that dispersed into the aluminum melt during the solidification process and the formation of strong intermetallic bonds.Gray relational analysis integrated with the Taguchi method was used to develop an optimal set of control variables for multi-response parametric optimization.Confirmatory tests were performed to validate the effectiveness of the employed technique.The manufacturing of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints at optimal process parameters delivers a great indication to acknowledge a new method for foundry practitioners to manufacture materials with superior mechanical properties.

Failure characteristics and the damage evolution of a composite bearing structure in pillar-side cemented paste backfilling

A backfilling body-coal pillar-backfilling body(BPB)structure formed by pillar-side cemented paste backfilling can bear overburden stress and ensure safe mining.However,the failure response of BPB composite samples must be investigated.This paper examines the deformation characteristics and damage evolution of six types of BPB composite samples using a digital speckle correlation method under uniaxial compression conditions.A new damage evolution equation was established on the basis of the input strain energy and dissipated strain energy at the peak stress.The prevention and control mechanisms of the backfilling body on the coal pillar instability were discussed.The results show that the deformation localization and macroscopic cracks of the BPB composite samples first appeared at the coal-backfilling interface,and then expanded to the backfilling elements,ultimately appearing in the coal elements.The elastic strain energy in the BPB composite samples reached a maximum at the peak stress,whereas the dissipated energy continued to accumulate and increase.The damage evolution curve and equation agree well with the test results,providing further understanding of instability prevention and the control mechanisms of the BPB composite samples.The restraining effect on the coal pillar was gradually reduced with decreasing backfilling body element's volume ratio,and the BPB composite structure became more vulnerable to failure.This research is expected to guide the design,stability monitoring,instability prevention,and control of BPB structures in pillar-side cemented paste backfilling mining.

A two-scale method for identifying mechanical parameters of composite materials with periodic configuration

In this paper, a two-scale method （TSM） is presented for identifying the mechanics parameters such as stiffness and strength of composite materials with small periodic configuration. Firstly, a formulation is briefly given for two-scale analysis （TSA） of the composite materials. And then a two-scale computation formulation of strains and stresses is developed by displacement solution with orthotropic material coefficients for three kinds of such composites structures, i.e., the tension column with a square cross section, the bending cantilever with a rectangular cross section and the torsion column with a circle cross section. The strength formulas for the three kinds of structures are derived and the TSM procedure is discussed. Finally the numerical results of stiffness and strength are presented and compared with experimental data. It shows that the TSM method in this paper is feasible and valid for predicting both the stiffness and the strength of the composite materials with periodic configuration.

Preparation of Al-Al_3Ti in situ composites by direct reaction method

Al-Al3Ti composites were prepared by a direct reaction method, in which Al3Ti was formed by the reaction of Ti and Al in aluminum alloy melt. The morphology of Al3Ti changes apparently from the fine particle, needle-like to large block with the increase of Al3Ti content. The addition of magnesium can markedly change the morphology of Al3Ti and reduce their size. Short rod-like Al3Ti was formed and homogeneous distribution was obtained with the addition of 3 wt.% Mg. The effect of Al3Ti and Mg on the microstructure of Al-Al3Ti composites and the mechanism were also discussed.

High temperature formability of graphene nanoplatelets-AZ31 composites fabricated by stir-casting method

Outstanding mechanical properties of graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)make them ideal reinforcement for mass production of composites.In this research,the composites were fabricated by stir-casting method.GNPs were added in 1.5 and 3.0 wt.%into Mg–3wt.%Al–1wt.%Zn(AZ31)magnesium alloy.As cast ingots were preheated for one hour and extruded at 350℃ with extrusion ratio of 5.2:1.As extruded AZ31-GNPs composites were micro-structurally characterized with X-ray diffraction,optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Vickers microhardness of synthesized materials was investigated both in parallel and perpendicular to extrusion directions.Room temperature mechanical testing revealed that with increasing GNP’s content,tensile fracture strain was remarkably increased without significant compromise in tensile strength.Furthermore,as extruded AZ31-3GNPs composites were subjected to tensile testing at temperatures ranging from 75℃ to 300℃ with initial strain rate of 2×10^(−3)s^(−1) to evaluate high temperature formability of composite.It was found that like CNTs,GNPs also have the potential to sustain tensile strength at high temperatures.

Characterization of Calcined Kaolin/TiO_2 Composite Particle Material Prepared by Mechano-Chemical Method

Calcined kaolin/TiO2 composite particle material （CK/TCPM） was prepared with TiO2 coating on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by the mechano-chemical method. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscope （SEM） were used to investigate the microstructures and morphologies, respectively. The mechanism of the mechano-chemical reaction between calcined kaolin and TiO2 was studied by infrared spectra （IR）. The results show that TiO2 coats evenly on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by Si-O-Ti and Al-O-Ti bonds on their interfaces. The hiding power and whiteness of CK/TCPM are 17.12 g/m^2 and 95.7%, respectively, presenting its similarity to TiO2 in pigment properties.

SiC nanoparticles reinforced magnesium matrix composites fabricated by ultrasonic method

SiC nanoparticles reinforced magnesium matrix composites were fabricated by ultrasonic method.The AZ91 alloy and SiC nanoparticles with the average diameter of 50 nm were used as the matrix alloy and the reinforcement,respectively.The addition of nanoparticles was 0.1%,0.3%,and 0.5%(mass fraction) of the composites.The results of microstructural evaluation and mechanical properties indicate that the nanoparticles can be dispersed into magnesium alloys efficiently and uniformly with the aid of ultrasonic vibration.As compared with the matrix alloys,the grains of composites were refined and the mechanical properties of composites were improved significantly.The SEM and DSC analyses show that the SiC nanoparticles can act as the heterogeneous nucleation of α-Mg.Also,the strengthening mechanism responsible for the composites reinforced with SiC nanoparticles was discussed.

Numerical-experimental method for elastic parameters identification of a composite panel

A hybrid numerical-experimental approach to identify elastic modulus of a textile composite panel using vibration test data is proposed and investi- gated. Homogenization method is adopted to predict the initial values of elastic parameters of the composite, and parameter identification is transformed to an optimization problem in which the objective function is the minimization of the discrepancies between the experimental and numerical modal data. Case study is conducted employing a woven fabric reinforced composite panel. Three parameters （Ell, E22, G12） with higher sensitivities are selected to be identified. It is shown that the elastic parameters can be accurately identified from experimental modal data.

Theoretical study on dynamic effective electroelastic properties of random piezoelectric composites with aligned inhomogeneities

The closed-form solutions of the dynamic problem of heterogeneous piezoelectric materials are formulated by introducing polarizations into a reference medium and using the generalized reciprocity theorem.These solutions can be reduced to the ones of an elastodynamic problem.Based on the effective medium method,these closedform solutions can be used to establish the self-consistent equations about the frequencydependent effective parameters,which can be numerically solved by iteration.Theoretical predictions are compared with the experimental results,and good agreement can be found.Furthermore,the analyses on the effects of microstructure and wavelength on the effective properties,resonance frequencies,and attenuation are also presented,which may provide some guidance for the microstructure design and analysis of piezoelectric composites.