In this study, carbon blocks were fabricated using isotropic coke and coal tar pitch as raw materials, with a variation in pressure during cold isostatic pressing (CIP). The CIP pressure was set to 50, 100, 150, and 200 MPa, and the effect of the CIP pressure on the mechanical and electrical properties of the resulting carbon blocks was analyzed. Microstructural observations confirmed that after the kneading, the surface of isotropic coke was covered with the pitch components. Subsequently, after the CIP, granules, which were larger than isotropic coke and the kneaded particles, were observed. The formation of these granules was attributed to the coalescence of kneaded particles under the applied pressing pressure. This granule formation was accompanied by the development of pores, some remaining within the granules, while others were extruded, thereby existing externally. The increase in the applied pressing pressure facilitated the formation of granules, and this microstructural development contributed to enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. At a pressing pressure of 100 MPa, the maximum flexural strength was achieved at 33.3 MPa, and the minimum electrical resistivity was reached at 60.1 μΩm. The higher the pressing pressure, the larger the size of the granules. Pores around the granules tended to connect and grow larger, forming crack-like structures. This microstructural change led to degraded mechanical and electrical properties. The isotropic ratio of the carbon blocks obtained in this study was estimated based on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The results confirmed that all carbon blocks obtained proved to be isotropic. In this study, a specimen type named CIP-100 exhibited the best performance in every aspect as an isotropic carbon block.

The paper presents research results on biocomposites made from a combination of extruded apple pomace (EAP) and potato starch (SP). The products were manufactured by hot pressing using a hydraulic press with a mold for producing samples. The prepared biocomposites were subjected to strength tests, surface wettability was determined and color analysis was carried out. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and cross section observed in Scanning electron microscope (SEM) were also performed. The obtained test results showed that the combination of apple pomace (EAP) and starch (SP) enabled the production of compact bicomposite materials. At the same time, it was found that each increase in the share of starch in the mixture for producing biocomposites increased the strength parameters of the obtained materials. With the highest share of starch in the mixture, 40%, and a raw material moisture content of 14%, the material had the best strength parameters and was even characterized by hydrophobic properties. It was also found that materials with a high content of starch are characterized by increased temperature resistance. Analysis of SEM microscopic photos showed well-glued particles of apple pomace, pectin, gelatinized starch and a smooth external structure of the samples. Research and analyzes have shown that apple pomace reinforced only with the addition of starch can be a promising raw material for the production of simple, biodegradable biocomposite materials.

Advancements in 3D printing technologies have led to new implementations in rapid prototyping, microfluidics, tooling, dentistry, biomedical devices, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Stereolithography techniques, which are photopolymerization-based processes, contribute to the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of 3D printed materials using versatile polymer chemistry. This study used potassium titanate powder (K2Ti8O17) as an additive to enhance the mechanical strength of photocurable resins. PEG was selected as the stabilizer to optimize the dispersion and precipitation of potassium titanate. The flexural strength, hardness, and tensile strength were compared to assess the mechanical strength of the 3D printing resin. The flexural strengths of the printed specimens were in the range of 15–39 N/mm2. The measured surface hardness and tensile strength were 41–80 HV and 2.3–15 N/mm2, respectively. The output resolution of the potassium titanate/acrylate resin was tested using a line-pattern structure. 3D printing resin without stabilizers produced lines with a thickness of 0.3 mm, whereas 3D printing resin containing a stabilizer produced lines with a thickness of 0.2 mm. The flexural strength and pattern thickness results suggest that the potassium titanate/acrylate resin can be utilized as a 3D printer resin, suggesting new possibilities for potassium titanate materials.

This research aimed to determine the effect of alkaline treatment on zalacca midrib fiber (ZMF) concerning various aspects such as thermal stability, crystallinity index, interfacial bonding, interfacial shear strength, water absorption capacity, as well as conducting Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This investigation extended to evaluating the mechanical properties of composites enriched with microcrystalline cellulose with prosthetic socket materials available on the market. Subsequently, ZMF was obtained by splitting and soaking zalacca midrib for 12 hours. Each of ZMF was removed from the midrib and soaked in 5% sodium hydroxide for 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours. The composite material was molded by mixing 10% microcrystalline cellulose with a rotational speed of 150 rpm, maintaining a temperature of 40°C, and continuing the mixing process for 30 minutes. As a result of the alkaline treatment, several positive effects were observed, including increased fiber density, improved particle bonding, increased thermal compatibility, and cleaner fiber surfaces, attributed to reduced levels of hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, and other impurities as confirmed by SEM analysis. The microcrystalline cellulose added to the composite increased the interfacial shear strength, and tensile strength increased by 56.74%, composite flexural strength increased by 76.43%. The SEM analysis results showed that the composite with ZMF on the base fiber broke during the tensile test because fiber experienced an increase in interfacial bonding between fiber and the matrix. The water absorption test showed that untreated fiber had a higher level of absorption

The mechanical properties, structure, and morphology of milled and 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V alloys produced by selective laser melting were investigated in this study. The mechanical properties were investigated by means of nanoindentation, a tensile test, and a three-point bending test. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to study the surface topography and roughness of both titanium alloys. The surface structure and phase analysis were studied by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and through powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results from the nanoindentation experiments showed that the 3D-printed sample has higher indentation hardness and modulus than the milled one. The AFM observation of the surface topography of the samples showed that the milled sample has a higher roughness than the 3D-printed one. The tensile test results showed that the 3D printed sample by means of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology has about 26% higher tensile strength and smaller elongation than the milled one. The 3-point bending test revealed that the 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V sample has higher flexural strength than the milled one. It was found that the 3D-printed sample has a smaller crystal size than the milled one, which, according to the Hall-Petch relationship, leads to its higher indentation hardness.

The phosphogypsum (PG) pile of solid waste is of immense proportions and poses a grave threat to the ecological environment, with its reserves steadily increasing year after year. The urgent need for large-scale consumption and high-quality utilization of PG in industrial production has become apparent. The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the correlation be-tween the macroscopic mechanical properties and microstructure of PG, elucidating the crystal morphology characteristics in different phases and outlining the crystallization preparation pro-cess. By integrating the physical and chemical properties of diverse PG phases with the intricacies associated with its preparation process, it is imperative to explore avenues for its high-value utili-zation, investigate possibilities for industrial-scale production, and analyze and predict the appli-cation trends and developmental directions in comprehensive PG utilization. These endeavors hold immense significance in guiding the realization of resource utilization potential inherent in PG.

The educational and play-related activities of children are proceeded mainly indoors in a kin-dergarten. The exposure of children to high concentrations of PM2.5 and CO2 indoors have leaded to various harmful effects and negatively impact educational outcomes in a kindergarten. Therefore, this study presents a numerical model of CO2 and PM2.5 concentration based on two classrooms in a kindergarten. Using this numerical model, we present different scenarios of oper-ating mechanical ventilation and air purifiers in kindergartens with the aim of optimizing for reducing the concentrations of CO2 and PM2.5. We found that the amount of ventilation required to maintain good air quality, per child, was approximately 20.4 m3/h. However, we also found that as the amount of ventilation increased, so did the concentration of indoor PM2.5; we found that this issue can be resolved through the use of a high-grade filter (i.e., a MERV 13 grade filter with a collection efficiency of 75%). This study provides a scientific basis for reducing PM2.5concentrations in kindergartens, while keeping CO2 levels low.

Aluminum matrix nanocomposites have been the subject of much attention due to their extraordinary mechanical properties and thermal stability. This research focuses on producing and characterizing an aluminum matrix reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) nanometric particles. The conventional powder metallurgy route was used to produce the nanocomposites, and the dispersion and mixing process was carried out by ultrasonication. The conditions of the dispersion and the volume fraction of the SiC were evaluated in the production of the nanocomposites. Microstructural characterization was carried out using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Mechanical characterization was carried out using hardness and tensile tests. The dispersion agent was investigated, and isopropanol leads to better dispersion with fewer agglomerates. Increasing the volume fraction of the reinforcement improves the hardness of the nanocomposites. However, greater agglomeration of the reinforcement is observed for larger volume fractions. The greatest increase in hardness (77% increase compared to the hardness of the Al matrix) is obtained with 1.0 vol % of SiC, corresponding to the sample with the best dispersion. The mechanical characterization through tensile tests attests to the effect of the reinforcement on the Al matrix. The main strengthening mechanisms identified were the load transfer, the texture hardening, Orowan strengthening, and the increase in the density of dislocations in the nanocomposites.

In this study, the effects of various beryllium (Be) addition (Be-free, 0.1, 0.25, 0.50 wt.%) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion corrosion of the Al-Mg-Li alloys were systematically investigated. The best performance was obtained in alloy with 0.1 wt.% Be addition. Trace Be addition promotes the grain refinement of the as-cast alloy ingot and contributes positive effects to the recrystallization, bringing improvement of tensile property. Meanwhile, the best anti-corrosion behavior is also presented at 0.1 wt.% Be addition, due to its potential to reduce the width of precipitates free zone (PFZ). As the Be content increase to an excessive level, the comprehensive performance decreases. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that adding trace Be element into Al-Mg-Li alloys has a positive effect on the comprehensive service performance.

In recent times, the soft robotics field is gaining numerous research focus owing to its high level of manipulation capabilities unlike traditional rigid robots, which gives room for an increasing use in other areas. However, compared to traditional rigid gripper robots, being capable of controlling/obtaining overall body stiffness when required is yet to be further explored since soft gripper robots have inherently less rigid properties. unlike previous designs with very complex variable stiffness systems, this paper demonstrates a soft gripper design with minimum system complexity while being capable of varying the stiffness of a continuum soft robotic actuator and proves to have potential applications in gripping objects of various shapes, weights & sizes. The soft gripper actuator comprises two separate mechanisms; the pneumatic mechanism for bending control and the mechanical structure for stiffness variation by pulling tendons using stepper motors which compresses the actuator, thereby changing the overall stiffness. The pneumatic mechanism was first fabricated and then embedded into another silicon layer during which it was as well merged with the mechanical structure for stiffness control. By first pneumatically actuating the actuator which causes bending and then pulling the tendons, we found out that the actuator stiffness value can be increased up to 145 % its initial value, and the gripper can grasp & lift a weight of up to 2.075 kg.

Paper is a material whose mechanical properties are highly dependent on humidity and temperature. Which naturally also builds the relationship between the stiffness and strength of corrugated board and changing weather conditions. In this paper, attention is focused on the dependence of the physical properties of the cardboard on changes in humidity and temperature, which undergo dynamic fluctuations both during the production of corrugated board and during its storage. Two techniques were used to test this effect, namely numerical homogenization and global sensitivity analysis. Both methods were implemented to determine the theoretical relationships between the change in humidity and/or temperature in each layer of corrugated board and its global bending, compression and shear stiffness. The procedure was used to analyze different types of 5-ply and 3-ply cardboard. The obtained results allowed to build a complete map of the relationship between the change in humidity of selected layers and the strength characteristics of the full assembly.

The study of mechanical properties of rock mass can be effectively carried out through rock-like material model test. The similarity of mechanical properties between rock-like material and protolith is dependent on the appropriate selection of composition and content of rock-like materials. In this research, X-Ray diffraction test was conducted to analyze the composition of deep rock, which confirmed silica, quartz, and dolomite as the primary components of deep sandstone. An orthogonal design test was used to execute the ratio test of rock-like material. River sand was used as an aggregate, cement as a binder, gypsum powder as a regulator, and polystyrene foam (EPS) as rock damage simulation material. The influencing factors considered in the orthogonal mechanical tests were the proportion of aggregate and binder, ratio of binder and regulator, quantity of damage simulation material, and size of damage simulation material. Three levels were set for each factor, and mechanical parameters such as compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus, axial strain, and Poisson's ratio were tested for each group of samples. The changes of those parameters with the levels of the above four factors were studied. The study revealed that adjusting the size of polystyrene foam (EPS) can adjust the values of elastic modulus, tensile strength, and Poisson's ratio of rock-like material. Similarly, changing the ratio of binder and regulator can adjust the values of axial strain and compressive strength of rock-like material. The rock-like material developed in the study can simulate the mechanical properties of different rock masses such as granite, sandstone, shale, and limestone.

Radical prostatectomy (RP) is one of the recommended treatments to achieve oncological outcomes in localized prostate cancer. However, radical prostatectomy is a major abdominopelvic surgery. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a well-known complication associated with surgical procedures including RP. There is a lack of consensus regarding VTE prophylaxis in urological procedures. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate different aspects of VTE in post-Radical Prostatectomy patients. A comprehensive literature search was performed, and relevant data were extracted. The primary aim was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis (wherever possible) of VTE occurrence in post-RP patients in relation to surgical approach, pelvic lymph node dissection, and type of prophylaxis (mechanical or combined prophylaxis). The secondary aim was to investigate- the incidence and other risk factors of VTE in post-RP patients. A total of 16 studies were included for quantitative analysis. Statistical methods for analysis included the DerSimonian-Laird random effects. We were able to conclude that the overall incidence of VTE in post-radical prostatectomy is 1% and minimally invasive procedures (MIS), including laparoscopic as well as robotic procedures for radical prostatectomy and RP without pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) are associated with less risk of developing VTE. Additional pharmacological prophylaxis to mechanical methods may not be necessary in all cases and should be considered in high-risk patients only.

Polylactic acid (PLA) was modified with three types of MVOs, which are the epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO), maleinized sunflower oil (MSO) and maleinized olive oil (MOO), at different weight fractions. A co-rotating twin screw extruder was used to produce composite materials by melt mixing process. The effect of MVOs content, from 2.5% to 10%, on the morphology, mechanical properties, density and water absorption were investigated in detail. Addition of ESBO and maleinized vegetable oils leads to a slight decrease in density of PLA from 1.252 to 1.231 g/cm3. As the concentration of MVO in PLA increases, the amount of water absorption also increased and the highest water absorption value was observed in P10MSO. In general, the elastic modulus (EM) was slightly changed by the addition of MVO to PLA, while the tensile strength (TS) decreased. Due to the plasticizing effect of MVOs, an increase in the Izod impact strength was obtained.

conclusions. The blends of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene/polypropylene (UHMWPE/PP) possess excellent processability, but limited by its reduced mechnical properties. Herein, the high mechanical properties and wear—resistance UHMWPE/PP composites were fabricated by the addition of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles under a consecutive elongational flow without any other additives or solvents. The morphology and thermal properties, mechanical properties, wear resistance as well as scratch resistance of UHMWPE/PP/SiC composites were investigated . The mechanical properties and friction resistance of composites increase initially then decrease with the increase content of SiC. The optimum mechanical properties of UHMWPE/PP/SiC composites are achieved when the content of SiC is 3 phr. In addition, both the hardness and scratch resistance of composites improved upon increasing the content of SiC. These improved mechanical properties and wear resistance originate from the well disperison of SiC nanoparticles along with favourable interfacial adhesive under a consecutive elongational flow.

The effects of post-treatment temperature-based methods on 1D single PLA filaments after FFF have been studied. This lets to decouple the variables related to the 3D structure (layer height, raster angle, infill density, and others) from the variables solely related to the material (molecular weight, molecular orientation, crystallinity, and others). PLA 1D filaments have been aged at 20, 39, 42, 51, 65, 75 and 80 ºC in a water-bath-inspired process in which the hydrolytic degradation of the PLA has been minimised for the ageing temperatures of interest. The evolution of the thermal and mechanical properties of the PLA filaments at different temperatures was recorded. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to evaluate thermal and physical properties, in which the glass transition, enthalpic relaxation, crystallisation and melting reactions were analysed. Tensile tests were performed to evaluate the tensile strength and elastic modulus. The flow-induced molecular orientation, the degradation, the logistic fitting and the so-called summer effect –stabilisation of properties at higher temperatures– are discussed for assessing the safeness of accelerating ageing.

Magnesium and Aluminum alloys continue to be important in the context of modern and lightweight technologies. With the advancement of additive manufacturing (AM), components can be produced directly in a net shape, widen up the usage of magnesium and aluminum alloys as well as holding new ideas for the application of unique physical structures made feasible by 3D printing. Laser-based approach, one of the metal additive manufacturing (AM) methods, enables the formation of arbitrary 3D structures. With promising findings, research in this area is advancing quickly, bringing up a variety of potential applications in both the scientific and industrial sectors. Complex structures can now be manufactured easily utilizing AM technologies to meet the pre-requisite objectives like reduced part numbers, greater functionality, and lightweight, among others. AM has the ability to meet demands by lowering costs and speeding up the manufacturing process. Due to their popularity in numerous high-value applications, aluminum, and magnesium alloys are one of the key material systems being researched in the laser-based additive manufacturing approaches. The review here aims to comprehensively examine the additive manufacturing of magnesium and aluminum alloys, highlighting the influence of the laser-based additive manufacturing approach on the mechanical characteristics, microstructure, and tribological performance of magnesium and aluminum alloys.

The application of metal-matrix composite coatings for protecting and improving the service life of sliding components has demonstrated to have the potentials of meeting the requirements of a diverse range of engineering industries. Recently, a significant body of research has been devoted to study the mechanical and tribological performance of dispersion-strengthened MCrAlY coatings. These coatings belong to a class of emerging wear-resistant materials, offering improved properties and being considered as promising candidates for the protection of engineering structural materials exposed to tribological damage, especially at elevated temperature regimes. This paper attempts to comprehensively review the different reinforcements used in the processing of MCrAlY-based alloys and how they influence the mechanical and tribological properties of the corresponding coatings. Further, the major fabrication techniques together with their benefits and challenges are also reviewed. Discussion on the failure mechanisms of these coatings as well as the main determining factors are also included. In addition, a comprehensive survey of studies and investigations in recent times are summarized and elaborated to further substantiate the review.

Starch is a biopolymer with wide potential for the generation of new biodegradable packages due to its high availability and low price. However, due to its weak functional properties, it is necessary to limit the interaction of some hydroxyl, and to evaluate blends with other polymers to improve their performance. Glycerol plasticized acetylated corn starch films were developed by the casting method, and the impact of incorporating chitosan (TPS:CH) at various proportions (75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 v/v) was studied. The effect of the chitosan ratios on the films' physical, mechanical, water vapor barrier, and thermal properties was evaluated. Chitosan protonated amino groups promote the formation of intermolecular bonds, improving the tensile strength, the thermal stability, the water adsorption capacity, and the gas barrier of starch films. Where the film composed of TPS25-CH75 was the one that presented the best barrier to water vapor. These composite films are a good option for development of biodegradable packaging.

The effects of residual stress in a tungsten gate on a polysilicon channel in scaled 3D NAND flash memories were investigated using a technology computer-aided design simulation. The NAND strings with respect to the distance from the tungsten slit were also analyzed. The scaling of the spacer thickness and hole diameter induced compressive stress on the polysilicon channel. Moreover, the residual stress of polysilicon in the string near the tungsten slit had greater compressive stress than the string farther away. The increase in compressive stress in the polysilicon channel degraded the Bit-Line current (Ion) because of stress-induced electron mobility deterioration. Moreover, a threshold voltage shift (△Vth) occurred in the negative direction because of conduction band lowering.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a continuous channel through the body that consists of the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine, and the rectum. Its primary functions are to move the intake of food for digestion before storing and ultimately expulsion of feces from the rectum through the anal sphincter. The mechanical behavior of GI tissues thus plays a crucial role for GI function in health and disease. The mechanical properties are typically characterized by a constitutive biomechanical model, which is a mathematical representation of the relation between load and deformation in a tissue. Hence, validated biomechanical constitutive models are essential to characterize and simulate the mechanical behavior of the GI tract under physiological and pathological conditions. Numerous constitutive models have consequently been proposed over the past three decades, mainly inspired by work done in cardiovascular tissues. Here, a comprehensive review of these constitutive models is provided. This review is limited to studies where a model of the strain energy function is proposed to characterize the stress-strain relation of a GI tissue. Several needs are identified for more advanced modeling of GI biomechanics including: 1) Microstructural models that provide actual structure-function relations; 2) Validation of coupled electro-mechanical models accounting for active muscle contractions; 3) Human data under physiological and pathological conditions to develop and validate models. The findings from this review provide guidelines for using existing constitutive models as well as perspective and directions for future studies aimed at establishing new constitutive models for GI tissues.

An infestation of parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata) located on Alexandria Station, Northern Territory, Australia was successfully treated with a bioherbicide using stem implanted capsules. The bioherbicide containing three endemic endophytic fungi (Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Macrophomina phaseolina and Neoscytalidium novaehollan-diae) is the first Australian registered woody weed bioherbicide. The product was effectively administered to the plant stems using a mechanical device, resulting in subsequent development of a dieback event, which, after a period of establishment, has moved through the adjacent untreated plant population resulting in significant decline in infestation vigour and reduced recruitment. This is the first report of large-scale management of parkinsonia by this method.

Mechanical properties of tumor cytoskeleton are extremely vital for any phases of cancer, especially in tumor invasion and metastasis. However, in current category of anticancer drugs, the cytoskeleton-targeting drugs are limited and its role in tumor progression is unclear. Here, we present the mechanical characteristics of tumor stiffness are tightly regulated by cancer cytoskeleton including actin filaments and microtubule during tumor initiation, growth and metastasis, and review the natural drugs that target cancer cytoskeleton. We define cytoskeleton dynamics as target mechanisms for anticancer drug, and summary the plant, microbial and marine sources of natural products. Furthermore, the material approaches to active cancer mechanics are supplied in this review. We aim to promote the development of anticancer drugs that target tumor mechanics by using those material approaches in future and find its pharmacological application.

Over the years, leaked fluids from the aircraft caused severe deterioration of the airfield pavement. The combined effect of hot exhaust from the auxiliary power unit of military aircraft and spilt aviation oils caused rapid pavement spalling. If the disintegrated concreted pieces caused by spalling is sucked into the jet engine, it may cause catastrophic damage to the aircraft engine or physical injury to maintenance crews. This study investigates the effectiveness of incorporating hybrid fibres into ordinary concrete to improve the residual mechanical and thermal properties to prevent spalling damage of pavement. Three fibre reinforced concrete samples made with micro steel fibre and polyvinyl alcohol fibre with a fibre content of zero, 0.3%, 0.5% and 0.7% by volume fraction. These samples were exposed to recurring high temperature and aviation oils. Tests were conducted to measure the effects of repeated exposure on the concrete's mechanical, thermal and chemical characteristics. The results showed that polyvinyl alcohol fibre reinforced concrete suffered a significant loss of thermal properties and residual mechanical strength than the micro steel fibre reinforced concrete. However, hybrid fibre reinforced concrete performed better in retaining higher residual properties, and no spalling of concrete was observed.

This paper presents the values of several mechanical characteristics for two blends: H (60% PP + 12% PA6 + 8% EPDM + 20% Polybond 3200) and G (20% PP + 42% PA6 + 28% EPDM + 10% Polybond 3200) (%wt), comparing them to those of PP (polypropylene) and PA6 (polyamide 6). The adding of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) and Polybond 3200 help reducing the disadvantages of simple blends made of PP+PA6, when the PA6 concentration allows for having a PA6 matrix with droplets of PP. SEM analysis helps for understanding the performance of material G as compared to the neat polymers. EDX analysis proved that there was a matrix inversion, material H having a PP matrix and material G a matrix made of PA6 with droplets of PP. Strain at break for PP and material H were proved to be insensitive to test speed, but materials G and PA6 had large value for strain at break and energy at break for v = 10 mm/min. Taking at basis the values for polyamide 6 (PA6), material G has greater values for energy at break: with 97.8% for v = 10 mm/min, with 29.5% for v= 250 mm/min and with 98% for 1000 mm/min, without exhibiting the micro and macro cavitation of PA6. This means that the recipe, the technology and the mechanical characteristics make material G a potential candidate for applications where a low and moderate impact resistant material is required.

This study aims to identify an optimal heat-treatment parameter set for an additively manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy in terms of increasing the hardness and eliminating the anisotropic microstructural characteristics of the alloy in as-built condition. Furthermore, the influence of these optimized parameters on the fatigue properties of the alloy investigated. In this respect, microstructural characteristics of an AlSi10Mg alloy manufactured by Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion in non-heat-treated and heat-treated conditions were investigated. Their static and dynamic mechanical properties were evaluated, and fatigue behavior was explained by a detailed examination of fracture surfaces. Much of the microstructure in the non-heat-treated condition was composed of columnar grains oriented parallel to the build direction. Further analysis revealed a high fraction of pro-eutectic α-Al. Through heat-treatment, the alloy was successfully brought to its peak-hardened condition, while eliminating the anisotropic microstructural features. Yield strength and ductility increased simultaneously after heat-treatment, which is due to the relief of residual stresses, preservation of refined grains, and introduction of precipitation strengthening. The fatigue strength, calculated at 10^7 cycles, improved as well after heat-treatment and finally detailed fractography reviled that a more ductile fracture mechanism has happened in the heat-treated condition compared to the non-heat-treated condition.

Currently, one of the biggest issues when developing an ODS alloy is the competition established between the different oxide precursors during the precipitation of oxides which nature depends on their chemical composition. In the presence of various precursors, usually the one with the highest affinity to oxygen leads to the absence of the other oxides. In this work, a new process to equilibrate the local concentration of species and to decrease the competition among them is explained. A unique compound, containing the diverse oxide precursors as one complex oxide, is introduced in a prealloyed 14Cr Steel powder via mechanical alloying. Thus, generating environments enriched in Y, Ti and Zr which, after consolidation, refine the oxides precipitation improving the thermal stability of the alloy. SPS were used as consolidation technique to guarantee shorter sintering times and to maintain the nanostructure obtained. Mechanical properties were tested by tensile tests and Vickers microhardness.

The study assessed the changes in the quality and physical and chemical parameters of apples of four cultivars (‘Gala’, ‘Idared’, ‘Topaz’, ‘Red Prince’) subjected to mechanical vibrations during transport under model conditions and after storage (shelf-life). Quality changes in apples were evaluated based on skin and flesh colour, total soluble solids, dry matter, firmness, titratable acidity, pH value, total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. The applied vibrations at a frequency of 28 Hz caused changes in the above parameters, which were visible also after storage and depended on cultivar, but did not show any clear trend or direction. Skin colour varied whereas flesh colour remained stable. Vibrations resulted in a decrease in firmness. The greatest stability of quality parameters, the highest content of bioactive compounds and the highest antioxidant capacity were observed for ‘Red Prince’ and ‘Topaz’ apples – this refers to the control and treated samples before and after storage. However, total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity increased in all studied cultivars as a result of vibrations and storage, which suggests that 28 Hz mechanical vibrations and short-term cold storage did not reduce the health promoting potential of the apples.

Background - Physiological helical flow in the ascending aorta has been well documented in the last two decades, accompanied by discussions on possible physiological benefits of such axial swirl. Recent 4D-MRI studies on healthy volunteers have shown indication of early generation of helical flow, early in the systole and already close to the valve plane. Objectives - Firstly, the aim of the study is to investigate the hypothesis of premature swirl existence in the ventricular outflow tract leading to already helical flow in the valve plane, and second to investigate the possible impact of two different mechanical valves design on the preservation of this early helical flow and its subsequent hemodynamic consequences. Methods - We use a pulse duplicator with an aortic arch and High Speed Particle Image Velocimetry to document the flow evolution in the systolic cycle. The pulse-duplicator is modified with a swirl-generating insert to generate early helical flow in the valve plane. Special focus is laid on the interaction of such helical flow with different designs of mechanical prosthetic heart valves, comparing a classical bileaflet mechanical heart valve, the St Jude Medical Regent valve (SJM Regent BMHV) with the Triflo trileaflet mechanical heart valve T2B version (Triflo TMHV). Results – When the swirl-generator is inserted, a vortex is generated in the core flow demonstrating early helical flow in the valve plane, similar as observed in the recent 4-D-MRI study taken for comparison. For the Triflo trileaflet valve, the early helical flow is not obstructed in the central orifice, similar as in the case of the natural valve. Conservation of angular momentum leads to radial expansion of the core flow and flattening of the axial flow profile downstream in the arch. Furthermore, the early helical flow helps to overcome separation at the outer and inner curvature. In contrast, the two parallel leaflets for the bileaflet valve impose a flow straightener effect, annihilating the angular momentum with negative impact on kinetic energy of the flow. Conclusion - The results imply better hemodynamics for the Triflo trileaflet valve based on hydrodynamic arguments under the discussed hypothesis. In addition, it makes the Triflo valve a better candidate for replacements in patients with pathological generation of nonaxial velocity in ventricle outflow tract.

The purpose of this study was to develop a mathematical model for non-contacting face seals to analyze how their performance is affected by thermoelastic phenomena. The model was used to solve thermal conductivity and thermoelasticity problems. The primary goal was to calculate the values of thermal deformations of the sealing rings in a non-contacting face seal with a flexibly mounted rotor (FMR) for a turbomachine. The model assumes conversion of mechanical energy into heat in the fluid film. The heat flux generated in the fluid film is transferred first to the sealing rings and then to the fluid surrounding them. An asymmetric distribution of temperature within the sealing rings leads to the occurrence of thermal stresses and, consequently, a change in the rings geometry. The model is solved analytically. The distributions of temperature fields for the sealing rings in the cross-sections are calculated using the Fourier-Bessel series as a superficial function of two variables (r,z). The thermoelasticity problems described by the Navier equations are solved by applying the Boussinesq harmonic functions and Goodier’s thermoelastic displacement potential function. The proposed method involves solving various theoretical and practical problems of thermoelasticity in FMR-type non-contacting face seals. The calculated thermal deformations of the sealing rings are used to determine the most important seal performance parameters such as the leakage rate and power loss.

Rationale: Examining trends in patient characteristics, processes of care and outcomes, across an epidemic, provides important opportunities for learning. Objectives: To report and explore changes in admission rates, patient characteristics, processes of care and outcomes for all patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Methods: Population cohort of 10,287 patients with COVID-19 in the Case Mix Programme national clinical audit from 1 February to 2 July, 2020. Analyses were stratified by time period (pre-peak, peak, post-peak) and geographical region. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate differences in 28-day mortality, adjusting for patient characteristics over time. Main results: Admissions to ICU peaked simultaneously across regions on 1 April, with ongoing admissions peaking ten days later. Compared with pre- and post-peak periods, patients admitted during the peak were slightly younger but had greater respiratory and renal dysfunction. Use of invasive ventilation and renal replacement reduced over time. Twenty-eight-day mortality reduced from 43.5% (95% CI 41.6% to 45.5%) pre-peak to 34.3% (95% CI 32.3% to 36.2%) post-peak; a difference of −8.8% (95% CI: −5.2%, −12.3%) after adjusting for patient characteristics. London experienced the highest admission rate and had higher mortality during the peak period but a greater reduction in post-peak mortality. Conclusion: This study highlights changes in patient characteristics, processes of care and outcomes, during the UK COVID-19 epidemic. After adjusting for the changes in patient characteristics and first 24-hour physiology, there was substantial improvement in 28-day mortality over the course of the epidemic.

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) has gained much attentions in recent years due to its advantages including geometric freedom and design complexity, appropriate to a wide range of potential industrial applications. However, conventional metal AM methods have high-cost barriers due to the initial cost of the capital equipment, support and maintenance, etc. This study presents a unique low-cost metal material extrusion (MME) technology. The filaments used have polylactic acid (PLA) as the matrix and metal powders (copper, bronze, stainless steel, high carbon iron, and aluminum) as reinforcements. Using the proposed fabrication technology, test specimens were built by extruding polymer/metal composite filaments, which were then sintered in an open-air furnace to produce solid metallic parts. In this research, the mechanical and thermal properties of the built parts are examined using tensile tests, thermogravimetric-, thermomechanical- and microstructural analysis.

In this study, fibers were extracted from different parts of the okra plant (Abelmoschus esculentus) via water- and dew-retting methods. The fibers were subjected to physical and thermal analyses. The fibers obtained from the upper part of the okra plant show higher breaking strength and lower linear density. Fibers obtained via water-retting exhibited higher breaking strength, elongation at break rates, and lower linear density values. The paper also presents the results of thermogravimetric analysis of the okra fibers. Tests were carried out in oxygen and inert gas atmospheres. The temperature range of the main thermal decomposition stage was in the 275–400°C for range thermo-oxidation and 300–425°C for pyrolysis investigation. Slight differences were found in the thermal resistances of the tested fibers, which was confirmed by an analysis using the alpha s- alpha r methodology. The calculated activation energy values show a large-spread range.

In this paper, we aim to assess the electric current parameters and report the analysis of the associated degree of ventricular recovery during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. An assumption was made there is a linear relationship between ventricular recovery degree and the pump electric current pulsatility index (PI). The experimental study was carried out using the ViVitro Pulse Duplicator System with Sputnik 1 LVAD connected. Cardiac output (CO) and cardiac power output (CPO) were used as a measure of ventricular recovery degree. Different heart rates (HR) (59, 73, 86 bpm) and pump speeds (7600–8400 rpm in 200 rpm steps) were investigated. Ventricular stroke volumes in the range of 30–80 ml for each heart rate at certain pump speed were used. The obtained relationships of CO and CPO vs. PI was linear as the coefficients of determination for each regression curve were more than 0.8. CO vs. PI: R2=0.9218; 0.9271; 0.9172 and CPO vs. PI: R2=0.8517; 0.841; 0.8244 for HR=59 bpm; 73 bpm; 86 bpm, respectively. Study findings suggest that adequate interpretation of parameters could potentially serve as a valuable clinical tool to assess ventricular recovery based on LVAD infrastructure without requiring any special hemodynamic assessment.

Extensive experimental and theoretical research over the past several decades has culminated in the understanding of the mechanisms behind nanoparticle-mediated enhancements on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. This information is not only crucial to realizing applications that directly benefit from developing hydrogels with high mechanical strength, but also to guide the development of strategies to further enhance hydrogel properties by combining different approaches. In our study, we investigated the effect of combining two approaches – addition of nanoparticles and crosslinking two different polymers (to create double-network hydrogels) – on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. Our studies revealed that these approaches may be combined to synthesize hydrogel composites with enhanced properties; however, both polymers in the double-network hydrogel must strongly interact with the nanoparticles to fully benefit from the addition of nanoparticles. Moreover, the concentration of hydrogel monomers used for the preparation of the double-network hydrogels had a significant effect on the extent of nanoparticle-mediated enhancements; double-network hydrogel nanocomposites prepared using lower monomer concentrations showed higher enhancements in elastic moduli compared to those prepared using high monomer concentrations. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the hypotheses previously developed to understand the role of nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of hydrogel nanocomposites may be extended to double-network hydrogel systems and guide the development of next generation hydrogels with extraordinary mechanical properties through a combination of orthogonal approaches.

The article presents a mathematical model to investigate the operability envelopes for subsea production tress (SPT) installation using drill pipe. The finite differential method was used to solve the established governing equations in which the ocean conditions were considered. Based on the evaluations of the ocean wave, ocean current, water depth, specification of drill pipe and SPT weight that might dominate the mechanical behaviors of the pipe, the operability envelopes with permissible ocean conditions for SPT installation were obtained. The results indicate that changes of depths in deep water and SPT weight have few effects on the operation conditions and it would be better to choose smaller pipe to obtain larger permissible ocean conditions during SPT installation.

In this paper, the effect of Bi₂O₃ doping on the mechanical properties of PbO ceramic pellets was studied. For this purpose, different ratios of Bi2O3/PbO (i.e., xBi2O3–(1-x)PbO, where x is 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 wt%) were fabricated and sintered at 570, 620, and 670°C. Mechanical properties including density, hardness, flexural strength, and sintering of PbO were studied for the aforementioned compositions. Phase compositions, microstructures, and worn surfaces of the composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD analysis revealed that a solid solution formed in the composite ceramic. The best suited conditions of temperature and doping of Bi₂O₃ for optimal sintering are 620°C and 3 wt%, respectively. The hardness of the 3 wt% Bi2O3–97 wt% PbO ceramic was 717 MPa, which is about four times higher than the hardness of pure PbO; in addition, the strength of the composites was 43 MPa, which is two times higher than that of pure PbO. The integrity of the composites was verified using the lead–bismuth eutectic alloy flushing experiment. Results of this research paper are important for future studies of oxygen control in the lead–bismuth eutectic alloy of lead-cooled fast reactors.

In this work 144 reinforcing bars of high-ductility steel named B500SD were subjected to an accelerated corrosion treatment and then tested under tension at different loading speeds in order to assess the effect of corrosion on the ductility properties of the rebars. Results showed that the bars with a corrosion level as low as the one reducing the steel mass by 1% gave rise to a significant degradation on the ductility properties with strain-stress curves losing the yield plateau and behaving practically as cold deformed steel bars. This effect took place at every tested loading speed. Thus, the research significance relies on the assessment of the influence of the loading speed at which the tensile test is performed given that it affects the ductility properties of the reinforcement bars.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposites processed with different morphologies, such as porous and non-porous films and fibres, have been prepared with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) of varying diameter (17, 100, 160 and 300 nm) which in turn have encapsulated perylenediimide (PDI), a fluorescent molecule. Structural, morphological, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, with SiNP filler concentration up to 16 wt% were evaluated. Further, cytotoxicity and cell proliferation studies were performed. All SiNPs are negatively charged independently of the pH and more stable from pH 5 upwards. The SiNPs introduction within the polymer matrix increases the contact angle independently of the nanoparticle diameters and the smallest ones (17 nm) improve the PVDF Young modulus from 0.94 ± 0.04 GPa for the pristine polymer film to 1.05 ± 0.06 GPa. Varying filler diameter, physico-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer matrix were not significantly affected. Finally, the SiNPs inclusion does not induce cytotoxicity in murine myoblasts (C2C12) after 72 h of contact and proliferation studies reveal that the prepared composites represent a suitable platform for tissue engineering applications, as they allow to combine the biocompatibility and piezoelectricity of the polymer with the possible functionalization and drug encapsulation and release of the SiNP.

In 2011 over 1.7 million people were hospitalized because of a fragility fracture, and direct costs associated with osteoporosis treatment exceeded 70 billion dollars in the United States. Failure to reach and maintain optimal peak bone mass during adulthood is a critical factor in determining fragility fracture risk later in life. Physical activity is a widely accessible, low cost, and highly modifiable contributor to bone health. Here, we will review the evidence linking exercise and physical activity to bone health in women. Bone structure and quality will be discussed, especially in the context of clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis. We will review the mechanisms governing bone metabolism in the context of physical activity and exercise. Questions such as, when during life is exercise most effective, and what specific types of exercises improve bone health, will be addressed. Finally, we will discuss some emerging areas of research on this topic, and will summarize areas of need and opportunity.

The improvement of mechanical properties of cantala fiber and its composites. Treatments including alkali, silane, and the combination of both were carried out to modify the fiber surface. The influence of chemical treatments on fiber properties such as the degree of crystallinity and tensile strength was investigated. A variety of short cantala fiber reinforced rHDPE composites were produced by hot press, and the effect of fiber treatment on the flexural strength of composites was observed. SEM observations also carried out to highlight these changes. The result shows that alkali treatment improves tensile strength and tensile modulus of alkali treated fiber (NF12) which was predicted as a result of the enhancement of the cellulose crystallinity. In contrast, the tensile strength and tensile modulus of silane (SF05) and alkali-silane treated fiber (NSF05) decreased compared to untreated fiber (UF) which is caused by the addition of amorphous material. The tensile strength of alkali-silane treated fiber (NSF05) was lower than alkali treated fiber (NF12), but the composites prepared with NSF05 showed the highest increment of flexural strength of 25.9%. This may be due the combination of alkali and silane treatment helped in the better formation of fiber-matrix interface adhesion.

The influence of short term water absorption on the mechanical properties of halloysite nanotubes-multi layer graphene reinforced polyester hybrid nanocomposites has been investigated. The addition of nano-fillers significantly increased the flexural strength; tensile strength and impact strength in dry and wet conditions. After short term water exposure; the maximum microhardness; tensile; flexural and impact toughness values were observed at 0.1 wt% MLG. The microhardness increased up to 50.3%; tensile strength increased up to 40% and flexural strength increased up to 44%. Compared to dry samples; the fracture toughness and surface roughness of all types of produced nanocomposites were increased that may be attributed to plasticization effect. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the main failure mechanism is caused by the weakening of nano-filler-matrix interface induced by water absorption. It was further observed that synergistic effects were not effective at concentration of 0.1 wt% to produce considerable improvement in mechanical properties of produced hybrid nanocomposites.

Aluminum alloy Al 2024-T3 were successfully joined using friction stir spot jwelding joining (FSSW). Satisfactory joint strengths were obtained at different welding parameters (tool rotational speed, tool plunge depth, dwell time) and tool pin profile (straight cylindrical, triangular and tapered cylindrical). Resulting joints were welded with welded zone. The different tools significantly influenced the evolution on the stir zone in the welds. Lap-shear tests were carried out to find the weld strength. Weld cross section appearance observations were also done. The macrostructure shows that the welding parameters have a determinant effect on the weld strength (x: the nugget thickness, y: the thickness of the upper sheet and SZ: stir zone). The main fracture mode was pull out fracture modes in the tensile shear test of joints. The results of tensile shear tests showed that the tensile-shear load increased with increasing rotational speed in the shoulder penetration depth of 0.2 mm. Failure joints were obrerved in the weld high shoulder penetration depth and insufficient tool rotation.

The effects of CO₂-water-rock interactions on the mechanical properties of shale are essential for estimating the possibility of sequestrating CO₂ in shale reservoirs. In this study, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests together with an acoustic emission (AE) system and SEM & EDS analysis were performed to investigate the mechanical properties and microstructural changes of black shales with different saturation times (10 days, 20 days and 30 days) in water dissoluted with sub-/super-critical CO₂. According to the experimental results, the values of UCS, Young’s modulus and brittleness index decrease gradually with increasing saturation time in water with sub-/super-critical CO₂. Compared to intact samples, 30-days’ saturation causes reductions of 56.43% in UCS and 54.21% in Young’s modulus for sub-critical saturated samples, and 66.05% in UCS and 56.32% in Young’s modulus for super-critical saturated samples, respectively. The brittleness index also decreases drastically from 84.3% for intact samples to 50.9% for samples saturated in water with sub-critical CO₂, to 47.9% for samples saturated in water with super-critical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂). SC-CO₂ causes a greater reduction of shale’s mechanical properties. The crack propagation results obtained from the AE system show that longer saturation time produces higher peak cumulative AE energy. SEM images show that many pores occur when shale samples are saturated in water with sub-/super-critical CO₂. The EDS results show that CO₂-water-rock interactions increase the percentages of C and Fe and decrease the percentages of Al and K on the surface of saturated samples when compared to intact samples.

The mechanical properties and microstructure of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) with carbon fibers (CF) and nano-SiO2 (NS) were investigated in this paper. The mechanical properties of RAC were enhanced by both single and hybrid addition of CF and NS, and the hybrid addition had a better strengthening effect. From the experimental results, it was found that the addition of CF could increase the 28d compressive strength and splitting strength of RAC by 9.05% and 22.36% respectively. Hybrid CF and NS were more conducive to improve the mechanical properties of RAC, and the enhancement effect increased first and then decreased with the increase of NS content. The optimal content of NS was 0.8wt%, which increased the 28d compressive strength and splitting strength of RAC by 20.51% and 14.53% respectively. The microstructure results indicated that the addition of CF had little effect on optimization pore structure of RAC, but the crack-inhibition action of the CF could improve the mechanical properties of RAC. The addition of NS reduced the content of CH and facilitated the formation of more (C–S–H) gel. The hydrated calcium silicate (C–S–H) gel significantly decreased the porosity and transformed harmful capillaries pores and harmful pores into harmless capillaries pores and gel pores, thus improving the mechanical properties of RAC. Therefore, the hybrid CF and NS was more conducive to enhance the performance of RAC for building materials.

Jute fiber reinforced composites have become a very promising alternative to synthetic fiber composites because of their favorable environmental characteristics, cost efficiency, and good mechanical properties. The present review provides a comprehensive examination of the manufacturing processes and mechanical properties of composites reinforced with jute fibers. This study investigates the influence of several fabrication methods, such as hand lay-up, compression molding, injection molding, pultrusion, etc. on the mechanical properties of the composites. It also provides the SWOT analysis of various manufacturing processes of jute fiber reinforced composites. The important aspects including fiber orientation, fiber-matrix adhesion, and the effects of different surface treatments on improving mechanical characteristics such as tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance are discussed. The difficulties associated with moisture absorption, degradation, and the lack of uniformity in jute fibers, as well as approaches to alleviate these problems are presented. The goal of this study is to establish a basis for future investigation and advancement in enhancing the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced composites.

In the realm of digitalization, data play a crucial role across various scientific fields, from physics to engineering. Analyzing data with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence enhances en-gineers' ability to make informed judgments on product quality. This study aligns with the digital-ization trend by implementing formula generation, generalization, and optimization using genetic algorithms and three machine learning approaches: support vector regression, Gaussian process regression, and artificial neural networks, on a grinding process dataset from a previous study on UNS S34700 steel. The study introduces new approaches by considering three different grinding wheels and four cooling and lubrication solutions as influential process parameters, previously considered qualitative and fixed in earlier literature. Additionally, seven different depths of cut were implemented to measure surface roughness and grinding forces (tangential and normal). Qualitative data were encoded into quantitative data using standard techniques. By enhancing genetic algorithm optimization, a relational formula with 25 coefficients was developed to describe the relationship between input parameters and outputs. Three machine learning algorithms were evaluated for predicting the relationship between predictors and responses. The flexibility and scalability of these methods, combined with the relational formula, provide a sophisticated ap-proach for future expansions. The formula evaluation achieved around 85% accuracy for surface roughness and 90% for grinding forces. In machine learning approaches, the GPR method reached model stability with an R² of around 0.98 and a mean accuracy of 93%, while the ANN reached an R² of around 0.96 and a mean accuracy of 90%. This shows that machine learning approaches are more suitable than formula generalization. The scalability and flexibility of machine learning help generalize with more data variety, while the formula evaluation only accepted current data sets. Furthermore, ML methods achieve high accuracy and are suitable for predicting future data, aligning with digitalization and trend prediction.

This study is focus on the petrographic properties and geo-mechanical properties of the Inzari formation rocks at Tar Khel Village, District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and whether they are suitable for use as building materials for structures like bridges, buildings, and roads. Five fresh and large samples have been taken from various areas of this formation. These rock samples were identified as siliciclastic mudstone through a careful petrographic analysis. The test result of physical properties (water absorption, specific gravity, and porosity) and mechanical properties (unconfined compression strength, unconfined tensile strength, Schmidt hammer test, and shear strength) of these rock samples shows as follows: their unconfined compressive strength with between 23 to 94 MPa, their specific gravity values being very high (≥2.78), and their porosity and water absorption values being very low (<1%), imply that the Inzari formation rock can be used as an excellent building material. The rock sample strength variations may be mainly caused by the presence and abundance of stylolite and fractures. Furthermore, the petrographic property analysis of these rock samples indicates that they have the significant amount of micrite and calcite, which are suitable to be use as both asphalt and concrete aggregate. According to this study, the Inzari formation rock is appropriate for use as fine aggregate in concrete, asphalt, and other building materials.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common respiratory disease in pre-term and is still associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The great interest lies in iden-tifying early biomarkers that can predict the development of BPD. Objectives: This pilot study explores the potential of e-nose for early identification of BPD risk in premature infants by analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the exhaled breath con-densate (EBC). Materials and Methods: Fourteen mechanically ventilated very preterm infants were included in the study. Clinical parameters and EBC were collected within the first 24 hours of life. The dis-criminative ability of breath-prints between preterms who did and did not develop BPD was in-vestigated by pattern recognition, machine learning algorithm, and standard statistical methods. Results: We found that e-nose probes can significantly predict the outcome of “no-BPD” vs “BPD”. Specifically, a subset of probes (S18, S24, S14, and S6) were found to be significantly predictive, with an AUC of 0.87, 0.89, 0.82, 0.8 and p=0.019, 0.009, 0.043, 0.047, respectively. Conclusion: The E-nose is an easy-to-use, handheld, non-invasive electronic device that quickly samples breath. Our preliminary study has shown that it has the potential for early prediction of BPD in preterms.

This research aims to explore the use of sodium benzoate C6H5-COOH as corrosion inhibitor added to the mixing water of concrete, and test the mechanical performances of five types of concretes over several time periods, 7, 28, 56 and 90 days, in the absence and in the presence of limestone fillers. Hence the results confirm the increase in this resistance over time. Through this, tests were carried out cement paste after addition of sodium benzoate and limestone fillers, we see clearly that the start and the and setting time of cement shift out considerably which indicates that sodium benzoate aims to delay start and end setting time of cement. In addition, Abrams cone slump tests on concrete in the fresh state were carried out in order to see the influence of the addition of sodium benzoate and tests on the cement consistencies in the absence and presence of superplasticizing adjuvant “ORAFLOW THM 17200” which has the main role of improving the workability and quality of the concrete while comparing with ordinary concrete.

The effect of Al or Cu content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of continuous casting and extrusion Zn alloys has been studied by room temperature tensile test, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. With the increase of Al content, the microstructure of continuous casting and extrusion Zn alloys slightly coarsens and the lamellar eutectic structure increases. The changes in the above structural factors result in a slight decrease in strength and a significant increase in elongation of Zn-Al alloys. The strength of Zn alloys increases as the Cu content increases, due to the increased content and size of the second phase in the Zn alloys. This means that the mechanical properties of Zn alloys can be adjusted by continuous casting and extrusion process, and the improvement of equipment capacity can improve the structure and morphology of the alloys.

The continuous casting process of helical fiber reinforced metal matrix composites was proposed, and the experimental equipment was designed and manufactured. The relationship model be-tween the process parameters and the helical shape of the fibers in the metal matrix is analyzed by differential geometry. Helical carbon fiber reinforced lead matrix composites were prepared under different conditions. When the melting temperature and cooling intensity were increased, the helical radius of helical carbon fiber in lead matrix was increased. When the fiber rotation speed was increased, the helical radius was decreased, and the helical pitch was de-creased proportionally. The experimental results are consistent with the process model. Carbon fiber rein-forced aluminum composites were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the infiltration between the aluminum matrix and the carbon fiber was not complete. As the volume fraction of carbon fiber which was added in composites is too small, the mechanical properties of the composites have not been significantly improved.

The main motive of this study was to find an auxiliary application of the discarded agricultural remnants and poultry waste. Rice straw and chicken feathers are disposed off as landfills or incinerated causing pollution and environmental threats after their primary consumption. In this study epoxy composites were made using varying proportions of these raw and alkali treated materials. Flexural strength of the composites decreased till 35% fiber loading, followed by an increase. Chicken feather composites showed increased impact strength with fiber addition. Alkali treatment improved the mechanical properties of rice straw composites. Alkali treated chicken feather composites showed better impact strength but no significant change in flexural strength. Hybrid composites explicated enhanced properties both before and after alkali treatment corroborating noteworthy interfacial adhesion and synergistic effect of these fibers as ascertained from SEM images. The study evinced a better option for averting environmental problems by recycling these disposed materials.

This research explores the development of thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) blends derived from natural rubber (NR) and ethylene-butene copolymer (EBC) using a specific blend ratio and melt mixing technique. A comprehensive full factorial design of experiments (DOE) methodology is employed to optimize the processing parameters. TPVs are produced through dynamic vulcanization, combining rubber crosslinking and melt blending within a thermoplastic matrix under high temperatures and shear. The physico-mechanical properties of these TPVs are then analyzed. The objective is to enhance the mechanical performance by assessing the influence of blend ratio, mixing temperature, rotor speed, and mixing time on crucial properties, including tensile strength, elongation at break, compression set, tear strength, and hardness. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identifies the optimal processing conditions that significantly improve material performance. Validation is achieved through atomic force microscopy (AFM), confirming the phase-separated structure and thus a success of dynamic vulcanization. Rubber process analyzer (RPA) and dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) assessments provide insights into the viscoelastic behavior and dynamic mechanical responses. Deconvolution analysis of temperature-dependent tanδ peaks reveals intricate microstructural interactions influencing the glass transition temperature (Tg). The optimized TPVs exhibit enhanced stiffness and effective energy dissipation capabilities across a wide temperature range, making them suitable for applications demanding thermal and mechanical load resistance. This study underscores the pivotal role of precise processing control in tailoring the properties of NR/EBC TPVs for specialized industrial uses. It highlights the indispensable contribution of the DOE methodology to TPV optimization, advancing material science and engineering, particularly for industries requiring robust and flexible materials.

Abstract: Comorbidities of patients may be related to the duration of mechanical ventilation, survival, and Candida isolation during intensive care unit (ICU) stay. To examine the frequency of Candida isolation and significant comorbidities in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Osijek University Hospital, Croatia, the data from the electronic database from May 2016 to June 30, 2023, were analyzed. In a cross-sectional study examining 15,790 microbiological samples, different strains of Candida were observed in 581 samples from 236 patients. The control group was 160 consecutive patients from March-May 2019, and 161 in the same months of 2020 (pre- and post-COVID-19). Comorbidities, duration of mechanical ventilation and survival were compared. Patients with isolated Candida were more often non-elective, had significantly more heart, kidney, liver diseases and sepsis (P<0.001). The duration of mechanical ventilation was 9.2 [2.2-9.24], 96 [24-146], 160 [19.5-343] and 224 [73.5-510] hours in controls, and patients with Candida albicans, non-albicans, and in patients with ³2 Candidas isolated. The mortality was significantly higher and reached 42% in patients with Candida isolated, while in the control group, it was 19% (P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis adjusted for patient’s age, SAPS II score, days of ICU, and type of admission, only sepsis was independent predictor of mortality (OR = 2.27).

Cell-to-cell distant mechanical communication has been demonstrated by using in-vitro and in-vivo models. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying long-range cell mechanoresponsive interactions remain to be more elucidated. This study further examined the roles of α-Catenin and Piezo in traction force-induced rapid branch assembly of airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells on Matrigel hydrogel containing type I collagen. Our findings demonstrate that siRNA-mediated downregulation of α-Catenin or chemical inhibition of Piezo activity significantly reduced both cell directional movement and branching assembly. In regarding the role of N-cadherin in regulating branch assembly but not directional migration, our results further confirmed that siRNA downregulation of α-Catenin caused a remarked reduction of focal adhesion formation, as assessed by focal Paxillin and Integrin α5 localization. These observations implied that mechanosensitive α-Catenin was involved in both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions. Additionally, Piezo showed partial localization with Paxillin in focal adhesions, which was inhibited by α-Catenin downregulation with siRNA. This provides a plausible clue for Piezo mechanosensing traction force in the hydrogel. Collectively, our findings highlight the significance of α-Catenin in regulating cell-matrix interactions along with possible interpretation for Piezo mechanosensation at focal adhesions during cell-cell distant mechanical communication.

This paper mainly explores the feasibility of using desert sand (DS) and recycled aggregate in cement stabilized base. Recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and DS serve as the substitutes of natural coarse and fine aggregates, respectively, in cement stabilized base. A four-factor and four-level orthogonal test is designed to analyze the unconfined compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and compressive resilient modulus. Furthermore, this paper investigates the effects of cement content, fly ash (FA) replacement rate, RCA replacement rate, and DS replacement rate on the road performance of cement stabilized base composing of RCA and DS. The test results reveal that the performance of cement stabilized base with partial RCA instead of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) and partial DS instead of natural fine aggregate satisfy the road use. Meanwhile, DS is beneficial to improve the strength of cement stabilized base. The correlation and microscopic analyses of the test results imply the feasibility of applying DS and recycled aggregate to cement stabilized base. It is hoped that this paper can offer a solid theoretical foundation for promoting the application of DS and recycled aggregate in road engineering.

Abstract. Graphene family (GF)-Calcium phosphate (CaP) composites, holds great potential as components of bone regeneration materials. GF nanomaterials can be modified physically as well as chemically, which are to be biomimetic, mechanically to be hard due to their capability to support exceptional mechanical, thermal and electronic properties. These biocompatible GF composites coated on the calcium phosphate can enhance and tolerate stem cell growth and differentiation, proliferation into various lineages or interact with bioorganisms. The development in CF-CaP materials and their physicochemical/biointeractions and strategies towards osteoblasts is a great concern to promote faster healing and reconstructions of large bone imperfections or defects. In this review, we explain the influence of the CF-CaP and summarize recent developments on designing CF-CaP architectures as multifunctional bone regeneration platforms. We have also explored the typical biological applications concerning these CF-CaP based bioactive nanocomposites. Furthermore, the future viewpoints and evolving challenges will also be emphasized. Due to the shortage of full-length reviews in this emerging research field, this review would be caught great attention and encourage various new chances across a wider range of disciplines.

The high demand for lithium (Li) relates to clean renewable storage devices and the advent of electric vehicles (EVs). The extraction of Li ions from aqueous media calls for efficient adsorbent materials with various characteristics, such as good adsorption capacity, good selectivity, easy isolation of the Li-loaded adsorbent, and good recovery of the adsorbed Li ions. The widespread use of metal-based adsorbent materials for Li ions extraction relates to various factors: (i) the ease of preparation via inexpensive and facile templation techniques, (ii) excellent selectivity for Li ions in a matrix, (iii) high recovery of the adsorbed ions, and (iv) good cycling performance of the adsorbents. However, the use of nano-sized metal-based LISs is limited due to challenges associated with isolating the loaded adsorbent material from the aqueous media. Adsorbent granulation process employing various binding agents (e.g., biopolymers, synthetic polymers, and inorganic materials) affords functional particles with modified morphological and surface properties that support easy isolation from the aqueous phase upon adsorption of Li ions. Biomaterials (e.g., chitosan, cellulose, alginate, and agar) are of particular interest because their structural diversity renders them amenable to coordination interactions with metal-based LISs to form 3D microcapsules. The current review highlights recent progress in the use of biopolymer binding agents for the granulation of metal-based LISs, along with various crosslinking strategies employed to improve the mechanical stability of the granules. The study reviews the effects of granulation and crosslinking on adsorption capacity, selectivity, isolation, recovery, cycling performance and the stability of the LISs. Adsorbent granulation using biopolymer binders has been reported to modify the uptake properties of the bio-adsorbent materials to varying degrees, in accordance with the surface and textural properties of the binding agent. The review further highlights the importance of granulation and crosslinking for improving the extraction process of Li ions from aqueous media. This review contributes to manifold areas related to industrial application of LISs, as follows: 1) to highlight recent progress in the granulation and crosslinking of metal-based adsorbents for Li ions recovery, 2) to highlight the advantages, challenges, and knowledge gaps of using biopolymer-based binders for granulation of LISs, and finally, 3) to catalyze further research interest into the use of biopolymer binders and various crosslinking strategies to engineer functional adsorbent materials for application in Li extraction industry. Properly engineered extractants for Li ions are expected to offer various cost benefits in terms of capital expenditure, percent Li recovery, and reduced environmental footprint.

Exploring the fundamental mechanisms of locomotion extends beyond mere simulation and modeling. It necessitates the utilization of physical test benches to validate hypotheses regarding real-world applications of locomotion. This study introduces cost-effective modular robotic platforms designed specifically for investigating the intricacies of locomotion and control strategies. Expanding upon our prior research in Electric-Pneumatic Actuation (EPA), we present the mechanical and electrical designs of the latest developments in the EPA robot series. These include EPA Jumper, a human-sized segmented monopod robot, and its extension EPA Walker, a human-sized bipedal robot. Both replicate the human weight and inertia distributions, featuring co-actuation through electrical motors and pneumatic artificial muscles. These low-cost modular platforms, with considerations for degrees of freedom and redundant actuation, 1) provide opportunities to study different locomotor subfunctions— stance, swing, and balance; 2) help investigate the role of actuation schemes in tasks such as hopping and walking; and 3) allow testing hypotheses regarding biological locomotors in real-world physical test benches.

This study concentrates on assessing the insecticidal attributes of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles derived from remnants of Mentha pulegium, which include essential oil, ethanolic extract, and plant waste. The synthesis of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was executed via a direct sol-gel procedure, affirming the crystal structure through extensive physicochemical analyses such as UV-VIS, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The evaluation of insecticidal activity in vitro was conducted against Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a pest that infests carob wood, utilizing strains from diverse forests in the Khenifra region, situated in the Moroccan Middle Atlas. The lethal doses 50 ranged from 40 mg/g to 68 mg/g, indicating moderate effectiveness compared to the commercial insecticide Permethrin. The optimization of the conditions for the efficiency of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was determined by experimental plans, revealing that time, humidity, and temperature were influential factors in the lethal dose 50 of these nanomaterials. Moreover, this study encompasses the establishment of correlations through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Classification (AHC) among various geographic, biological, and physical data, amalgamating geographic altitude, γ-Al2O3 nanoparticle insecticide parameters, as well as the attributes of mechanical tests conducted on carob wood affected by insects. The correlation highlights a close connection between the effectiveness of the insecticide, mountain altitude, and the mechanical parameters that were examined. Ultimately, these nanoparticles demonstrate promising potential as alternative insecticides, thus opening encouraging prospects for safeguarding against carob wood pests.

The effects of different pulse frequencies on the microstructure grain size and solid solubility of Al-9Si alloy were systematically investigated using OM, SEM, and EDS. The effects on the mechanical properties of the alloy were analyzed using micro-Vickers hardness tester and multifunctional friction tester. During the solidification process, the Al-9Si alloy is exposed to high-frequency electric current pulses with a current density of 300A/cm2 and frequencies of 0Hz, 500Hz, 1 000Hz, and 2 000Hz. The experimental results show that as the high-frequency pulse frequency increases, the Lorentz force also increases. The intense electromagnetic stirring leads to grain refinement. However, as the pulse frequency continues to increase, the combined effect of Joule heating and Lorentz force results in an enlargement of the melt zone and an increase in grain size. At a pulse frequency of 1 000Hz, the eutectic structure size of the Al-9Si alloy is optimal, with the average size reduced to 13.87μm and a dense distribution, effectively eliminating primary Si. The EDS results revealed that the high-frequency pulse led to a more uniform distribution of Si elements within the matrix, and the solid solubility of Si in the α-Al matrix increased to a maximum value of 1.99%, representing a 39.2% increase. At a pulse frequency of 1 000Hz, the sample demonstrates the most favorable mechanical properties, with the friction coefficient reaching a minimum value of 0.302, representing a 37.7% decrease in the average friction coefficient. The results demonstrate that high-frequency pulsing is an effective method for enhancing the mechanical properties of Al-9Si alloy.

The material undergoes high temperature and high strain rate deformation process during cutting process, may induce the dynamic recrystallization behavior and result the evolution of dynamic mechanical properties of the material to be machined. In this paper, the modified Johnson-Cook(J-C) model for Nickel based powder metallurgy superalloy considering dynamic recrystallization behavior in high strain rate and temperature is proposed. The dynamic mechanical properties of the material under different strain rates and temperature conditions are obtained by quasi-static compression test and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test. The coefficients of the modified J-C model are obtained by linear regression method. The modified model is verified by comparison with experimental and model prediction results. The results show that the modified J-C model proposed in this paper can accurately describe the mechanical properties of nickel-based powder metallurgy superalloys at high temperature and high strain rate. Which provides help for studying the cutting mechanism and finite element simulation of nickel-based powder metallurgy superalloy.

Structural evolution, mechanical and tribological properties of Al-Mg alloy admixed with 5, 10 and 15 vol.% of iron powder using multi-pass friction stir processing (FSP) have been studied. Homogeneous distribution of intermetallic compound (IMC) particles were achieved after 4 FSP passes what resulted in increasing the stir zone hardness and ultimate tensile stress with simultaneous loss in the ductility. The reinforcement of the aluminum alloy matrix with IMCs allowed reducing wear at the same magnitude of friction. Subsurface composite tribological layer was formed on the FSPed samples as a result of rubbing against a steel counterbody.

Statistical analysis of mechanical properties of thin-walled samples (~500 microns) obtained by selective laser melting from AlSi10Mg material and subjected to heat treatment for 1 hour at temperatures from 260 °C to 440 °C (step of aging temperature change 30 °C) has shown that the maximum strain hardening in the stretching diagram section from yield strength to tensile strength is achieved at the heat treatment temperature equal to 290 °C. At carrying out of correlation analysis statistically significant positive correlation between deformation corresponding to yield strength and the sum of heights of the largest protrusions and depths of the largest depressions of the surface roughness profile within the basic length of the sample (Rz) and the full height of the surface roughness profile (Rmax) was established. It was found that the reason for the correlation is the presence of cohesive states between the extreme values of the surface roughness profile that persist along the entire length of the specimen.

Chemical and mechanical properties of plasma-assisted nitrided (PAN), TiN cathodic arc coated, and PAN with TiN coated samples were thoroughly evaluated on tool steel samples of 1.2379. The evaluation involved SEM, nano-indentation, profilometer, micro scratch, and corrosion tests. The results revealed that PAN treatment alters the roughness of the surface, while it has minimal impact on the coefficient of friction. However, it increases the substrate's hardness, making it twice as hard and three times more resilient against scratch tests, along with improved corrosion resistance. TiN-coated samples are four times harder than untreated ones, but they exhibit a higher elastic modulus (E), leading to a lower H/E index. The most promising results were obtained with PAN+TiN treatment, combining high hardness (H) with lower E, resulting in a high H/E index, a crucial criterion for wear resistance. These samples also demonstrated superior scratch hardness and corrosion resistance, despite being thinner and rougher.

Modification of Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) with heterocyclic compounds, imidazole and succinimide, was investigated. Pressure-impregnation with aqueous solutions containing imidazole, imidazole + citric acid, succinimide, succinimide + citric acid, and citric acid + sorbitol (CIOL®) at 5%, 10%, and 15% solid content was followed by oven-curing at 220 °C for 1 hour. Mass changes during treatment steps, bending properties, and anti-swelling efficiency (ASE) were examined. Results indicate that solid concentrations within the range of 5% to 10% were optimal. Results seem to show there are two differing mechanisms in the modification of imidazole and succinimide, respectively. Mass loss due to the heat treatment was highest in imidazole-treated specimens, whereas it remained low and concentration-independent in succinimide-treated specimens. ASE after three cycles reached 31% for imidazole-treated specimens and improved to 38% with the addition of citric acid. For succinimide, ASE increased from 17% to 41%. Bending properties generally showed improvement, except for succinimide + citric acid and CIOL®, which displayed a reduced modulus of rupture. Chemical analyses are warranted to fully understand the reaction mechanisms of the treatments. Imidazole treatment's positive effects are suggested to stem from a thermal reaction between the chemical and wood, indicated by substantial mass loss during leaching and specimen darkening. Succinimide and citric acid might exhibit polymerization with each other and wood components, akin to the CIOL® process. Further research should delve into reaction mechanisms and the impact of imidazole and succinimide on biological durability.

In 1911, A. Einstein suggested that gravity affects at the electromagnetic radiation originating from the distant sources, namely, it shifts the spectral lines in the red side of the spectrum and derived the gravitational redshift formula. A modern science claims that Einstein’s formula is mathematically immaculate. We show that this is not true: in fact, this formula is approximate. Using the law of conservation of mechanical energy, we derived two exact formulas оf the gravitational redshift.

A CoCrFeNiNb0.65 eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs) prepared by arc melting were irradiated with a 100 keV He+ ion beam. Swelling, helium bubbles and mechanical response induced by irradiation were evaluated. When the ion fluence reached 1.0×1018 ions/cm2, the irradiation-induced swelling occurred on the sample surface, and as the ion fluence increasing, the swelling became increasingly severe and the surface of Nb-rich phase appeared peeling and shedding. Meanwhile, along the boundaries of matrix and Nb-rich phase there was a neat line of helium bubbles. The size of these helium bubbles decreased with distance from the center of the helium bubble layer. This result indicated that the phase boundaries were favorable sites for the nucleation and gathering of helium bubbles. Nanoindentaion results indicated that hardening and softening induced by He+ ion irradiation occurred in various ion fluences. At ion fluence of 5.0×1017 ions/cm2, the CoCrFeNiNb0.65 EHEAs exhibited an obvious hardening behavior, which can be explained by dislocation-dominated hardening effect. When the ion fluence reached 1.0×1018 ions/cm2 and 2.0×1018 ions/cm2, the hardening effect decreased probably due to the helium bubble aggregation and growth, as well as helium bubbles induced noncompact structures. The results of this study provide insights into the effect of helium bubbles on mechanical evolution and pave the way for designing EHEAs suitable for the nuclear industry.

The welding and construction processes of H-type thick-plate-bridge steel involve complex multi-pass welding processes, which is difficulty to ensure its welding performance. Accordingly, it is crucial to explore the inherent correlation among the welding processes parameters and welding quality, and applied it into the welding robots, eliminating the instability from manual welding. In order to improve the welding quality, the GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) welding process parameters are simulated using the Q345qD bridge steel flat joint model. Four welds with X-shaped grooves are designed to optimize the parameters of welding current, welding voltage, and welding speed. The optimal welding process parameters are investigated through thermal-elastic-plastic simulation analysis and experimental verification. The results indicate that when the welding current is set to 230A, the welding voltage to 32V, and the welding speed to 0.003m/s, the maximum deformation of the welded plate is 0.52mm, with a maximum welding residual stress of 345MPa. Both the simulation results of multi-pass welding and experimental tests meet the welding requirements, as they show no excessive stress or strain. These parameters can be applied into building large steel frame bridges with welding robots, improving the quality of welded joints.

This study investigates the influence of the porous structure, on the density and the mechanical behaviour of new foam concretes incorporating hemp shives. A total of eight batches of foam concretes were manufactured and tested, made with a protein-based foam agent, containing cement, ground granulated blast furnace slag and Metakaolin as binder and hemp shives as natural aggregate. The effect of several parameters is studied, elaboration method (direct and preformed), amount of pozzolanic additions (0% and 30%) and incorporation of hemp shives (5 and 15 vol%) on the resulting physical properties, microstructure, porous structure and mechanical behaviour of the concretes. Hemp shives incorporation results in increased concrete porosity and air bubble radius, decreased uniformity and mechanical strength, and lower cohesion with the cement matrix compared to standard concretes.

Ultra-high temperature oxidation-resistant alloys (UTORAs) have received a lot of attention due to the increased research demand for deep space exploration around the world. But UTORAs have the disadvantages of easy oxidation and chalking. So, in this study, a UTORA was prepared by hot-press sintering on VZrHfNbTa (HEA) substrate coated with hafnium. The bonding mechanism, resistance to high-temperature oxidation, and hardness of the sample tests were carried out. The results show that zirconium in the matrix will diffuse into the hafnium coating during the high-temperature sintering process and form the HfZr alloy transition layer, the coating thickness of the composite is about 120 μm, and the diffusion distance of zirconium in the hafnium coating is about 60 μm, this transition layer chemically combines the hafnium coating and the HEA substrate into a monolithic alloy composite. The results of high-temperature oxidation experiments show that the oxidation degree of the hafnium-coated VZrHfNbTa composite material was significantly lower than that of the VZrHfNbTa HEA after oxidation in air at 1600 °C for 5 h. The weight gain of the coated sample after oxidation is 56.56 mg/cm2, which was only 57.7 % compared to the weight gain of the uncoated sample (98.09 mg/cm2 for uncoated), and the surface of the uncoated HEA showed obvious dents, oxidation, and pulverization occurred on the surface and interior of the sample. In contrast, the coated composite alloy sample mainly underwent surface oxidation sintering to form a dense HfO2 protective layer, and the internal oxidation of the hafnium-coated VZrHfNbTa composite alloy was significantly lower than that of the uncoated VZrHfNbTa HEA.

There is an international concern for reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment in the construction industry. The energy efficiency of a building depends on the thermal resistance of concrete, and utilizing concrete products with elevated thermal resistance can enhance this aspect. This study analyzes the impact of perlite, as an addition, on the physico-mechanical properties of concrete, with the aim of identifying perlite concrete products that will respond to the improvement of the heat transfer resistance of the building envelope. The study examines the effect of replacing different amounts of concrete aggregates with perlite in percentages of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 100%. The results show that substituting sand with perlite improves the thermal performance of concrete, but its mechanical properties are negatively affected. The research carried out highlighted that perlite can be successfully introduced in the production of concrete blocks used for external non-bearing wall panels, the outstanding feature being the reduction of energy consumption in buildings. Overall, the paper identifies an efficient and environmentally friendly way of using perlite in the construction industry, enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings while minimizing the environmental footprint caused by the construction industry.

The main objective of this work is to study the effects of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the strength and electrical properties of cement mortar. Molecular dynamic simulations (MDS) were carried out for the mechanical and electrical properties of the cementitious composite and the associated mechanisms. To model the atomic structure of the Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates (C-S-H) gel, tobermorite 11Å was chosen. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) embedded in tobermorite structure were tested numerically. In particular, the effect of the concentration of CNT in cement paste was studied. An innovative experiment of electrical characterization of a cementitious composite of carbon nanotubes has been developed.

In this paper, a new method by combining cold drawing and martensitic transformation was proposed to produce ultrahigh-strength steel wire, and the effect of austenitizing heating rate on microstructure and mechanical properties was studied. Compared with Muffle furnace heating, salt bath heating has a much higher austenitizing heating rate, which is beneficial to obtain ultrafine-grained martensite for steel wire with a larger section. By salt bath hardening and low-temperature tempering, an ultrahigh strong (strength of 2.48 GPa) and tough (elongation of 6.0%) steel wire was produced. Moreover, to explore whether is it possible to replace long-time low-temperature tempering with short-time tempering at elevated temperatures to improve the tempering efficiency, the effect of tempering time on the evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties of the steel wires tempered at 350 °C was systematically studied. The results demonstrate that tempering at 350 °C for 30 s can endow the steel wire with comparable mechanical properties to that of the one tempered at 250 °C for 2 h. With tempering time prolonging, the strength decreases gradually with the precipitated phase transition from χ-Fe5C2 carbide into θ-Fe3C carbide and coarsening, which plays a major role in the strength decrease.

Background: For the treatment of bone defects, biodegradable compressive biomaterials are needed as a substitute, which degrade at the same rate as the bone regenerates. In this study, the compressive strength of CPC ceramics (with a layer thickness of more than 12 layers) should be compared with sintered ceramics. Methods: Round scaffolds with 20, 25, 30 and 45 layers were 3D printed the 3D Bioplotter, solidified in a water-saturated atmosphere for 3 days and then tested for compressive strength together with a sintered ceramic using a Zwick universal testing machine. Results: The 3D printed scaffolds are more compressive at 41.56 ± 7.12 MPa than the sintered ceramic at 24.16 ± 4.44. Conclusions: The round geometry sintered ceramics approach or exceed the upper limit of the compressive strength of cancellous bone in the direction of compacta (depending on the author).

To prolong the fatigue life of a product handled by machine, parametric accelerated life testing (ALT) is mentioned as an organized technique to pinpoint design flaws and minimize fatigue-connected failures. It requires (1) an ALT procedure, (2) fatigue model, (3) parametric ALTs with adjustment, and (4) an approximate of whether present product complete the BX life. The use of a quantum-transported time-to-failure archetype and a sample size are advised. The improvements in the reliability of a refrigerator ice-maker, comprising an auger motor with bearing, were utilized as a case investigation. In the 1st ALT, a steel rolling bearing cracked due to repeated loads under cold circumstances (below −20 C) in the freezer compartment. The bearing was altered by adjusting the matter from AISI 52100 alloy steel with 1.30-1.60% chromium to lubricated sliding bearing with sintered and hardened steel (FLC 4608-110HT) because of its high fatigue strength at lower temperatures. In the 2nd ALT, a helix made of polycarbonates (PCs) fractured. As an adjustment, a reinforced rib of the helix was thickened. As no troubles in the 3rd ALT occur, the lifetime of an ice-maker was proved to be B1 life 10 years.

The density functional theory was used to explore the structural, electronic, dynamical, and thermoelectric properties of a VIrSi Half-Heulser (HH) alloy. The minimum lattice constant of 5.69 ( ̊A) was obtained for VIrSi alloy. Besides, the band structure and the projected density of states for this HH alloy were calculated, and the gap between the valence and conduction bands was noted to be 0.2 eV. Also, the quasi-harmonic approximation was used to predict the dynamical stability of the VIrSi HH alloy. At 300 K, the Seebeck Coefficient of 370 and -270 μV.K−1., respectively, was achieved for the p and n-type doping. From the power factor result, the highest peak of 18 X 1011W/cm.K2 is obtained in the n-type doping. The Figure of Merit (ZT) result revealed that VIrSi alloy possesses a high ZT at room temperature, which would make VIrSi alloy applicable for thermoelectric performance.

In order to understand the impact of lithologic heterogeneity of continental mixed fine-grained sedimentary rocks on reservoir brittleness in western Qaidam basin, the mechanical properties of the rocks and their correlation with mineral composition and petrographic characteristics were studied by measns of mineralogy, petrography and triaxial stress test. The results show that the reservoir rocks can be divided into 5 different types according to the mechanical properties of the reservoir (characteristics of stress-strain curves), among them Type I and III belong to similar elastoplastic failure model, type II shows a special pulse failure mode for plastic material, type IV shows a failure mode of mixed characteristics, and type V exhibits a typical plastic failure model. The correlation between minerals and mechanical properties indicates that quartz and feldspar, which are often considered brittle minerals, do not contribute much to the brittleness of continental fine-grained sedimentary rocks. The main minerals affecting reservoir brittleness are dolomite and clay minerals, and their contributions to reservoir brittleness are positive and negative, respectively. The petrographic analysis results prove that the abnormal correlation between rock mechanical properties and quartz and feldspar is caused by the different rock fabrics. When dolomite forms a rock skeleton, it typically exhibits greater strength, brittleness and physical properties than other minerals. Based on the results, a brittleness evaluation standard for continental fine-grained sedimentary rock reservoir is proposed, and the validity of the standard is verified by the spatial correlation between the lithology probability model and the micro-seismic monitoring data, indicating that the spatial heterogeneity of dolomite-rich rock is the main controlling factor for the development of ‘sweet spot’ in the Cenozoic continental fine-grained sedimentary rock reservoir in the Western Qaidam Basin.

The high entropy alloy (HEA) of equiatomic composition CrNiFeCoMn and with FCC crystal structure was additively manufactured with a selective laser melting (SLM) process starting from mechanically alloyed powders. The as produced alloy shows finenitride and  phase pre-cipitates, which are Cr-rich and stable up to about 900 K. The precipitates increase in number and dimensions after long-period annealing at 900-1300 K, with a change in the HEA mechanical properties. Higher aging temperatures in furnace, above 1300 K, turn the alloy in a single FCC structure, with disappearance of the nitrate and  phase precipitates inside the grains and at the grain boundaries, but with still a presence of a finer Cr-rich nitride precipitation phase. These re-sults suggest that the as-produced HEA is a supersatured solid solution at low and intermediate temperature with nitrides and  nanostructures.

The mechanical properties and stability of hydrophobic surface structures prepared by traditional methods are still the main technical bottlenecks restricting the broad application of hydrophobic systems on workpiece surfaces. In this contribution, we propose a technique called selective laser shock peening (SLSP) to enable large-scale high efficient, low-cost manufacturing of hydrophobic metal surfaces with enhanced mechanical properties for durable applications. Using the method of experimental investigation combined with numerical calculation, the hydrophobic properties, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of the samples prepared under SLSP, all-laser shock peening (ALSP), and non-laser shock peening (NLSP) are studied. The SLSP process could prepare a 3D gradient structure material with surface structures, a two-phase (strong phase, soft phase) distribution on the surface, and a multi-level gradient distribution in the thickness direction. Compared with the 2D gradient structure prepared by the traditional process, 3D gradient structures by SLSP have more significant advantages in improving the wetting behavior and the mechanical properties of the material, which proves SLSP to be a novel method to fabricate functional metal surface structures, with highly high engineering application value.

The present study utilizes a metal inert gas welding (MIG) to make a dissimilar weld joint of different stainless steel grades AISI 304, 314, 316L, 420 and a standard structural steel S355MC to estimate the correlation of a microstructure and the mechanical properties. The microstructure of the base metals (BM), the heat affected zone (HAZ), the fusion zone (FZ) and the weld seam were analyzed using optical microscopy. Optical microscopy did not reveal any presence of weld defects such as porosity or cracks. The analysis of microstructure showed that both the austenitic and martensitic stainless steel weld structures contain some retained delta ferrite and coarse Me23C6 carbides in the HAZ, while the FZ exhibits delta ferrite and some retained austenite. The hardness profiles revealed difference between austenitic and martensitic steel welds that the later showed extremely high values in the HAZ (~500 HV/0.1) which causes fracture in this zone. The welds of all austenitic steel grades withstood tensile test, showing the average tensile strength of 472 MPa with fracture observed in the base metal zone. It made clear that the use of a filler rod 308LSI is suitable only for the austenitic stainless and structural steel dissimilar welds, and not appropriate for martensitic-structural steel welds. The achieved results revealed that the higher hardness of the martensitic phase in the HAZ of AISI 420 is closely related with the formation of untempered coarse martensitic structure and higher carbon content.

Conventional pervious pavement materials (PPM) consist of cement and aggregate materials and are known for poor durability due to their brittle behavior. Herein, we fabricated polymeric PPMs from durable and abundant polyurethane (PU) to enhance the durability of the material and undertook mechanical and microscopic characterizations. PU-based PPM samples with varying aggregate sizes were produced and the compressive strength and water permeability of each were examined. The pore and tortuosity characteristics of the specimens were analyzed using X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Through the micro-CT analysis, the morphological characteristics of the internal structures of PPM were identified and the correlations between the pore size distribution, connectivity, and tortuosity within the specimen were quantitatively analyzed. The microstructures derived from micro-CT were generated as a finite element model and the stress distribution generated inside was numerically determined.

The paper describes the research findings on dynamic and mechanical properties of composite elastomers with high permeability magnetic filling agent capable of rapidly and reversibly changing its properties when exposed to an external magnetic field, which makes it a perspective material for application in a wide range of engineering areas. The research has analyzed the trends in the strength properties of the materials obtained through the use of filling agents of different fineness, content, and structural organization in the final polymer, under different conditions. This allowed to obtain the correlations between the influence of the filler's relative fineness on the dynamic and mechanical properties of composite polymers, and to estimate the trends in the parameters describing the material strength under the complex magnetic and thermal influence. The results obtained by the authors allowed to ground the composition and structural organization of the final material with the best set of dynamic and mechanical properties.

To investigate the effect of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) addition and consequently porosity, two different sets of membranes are manufactured, since PVP is a widely used poring agent which has an impact on the mechanical properties of the membrane material. The first set (PAN 1) includes PAN and the necessary solvent while the second set (PAN 2) is made of PAN and PVP. These membranes are put through several characterisation processes including tensile testing. The obtained data are used to model the static behaviour of the membranes with different geometries, but similar loading and boundary conditions that represent their operating conditions. This modelling process is undertaken by using finite element method. The main idea is to investigate how geometry affects the load-carrying capacity of the membranes. Alongside membrane modelling, their materials are modelled with representative elements with hexagonal and rectangular pore arrays (RE) to understand the impact of porosity on the mechanical properties. Exploring the results, the best geometry is found as the elliptic membrane with the aspect ratio 4 and the better RE as the hexagonal array which can predict the elastic properties with an approximate error of 12%.

Metal 3D printing technology is a promising manufacturing method. The quality of the printed product can pass for mechanical application, if the anisotropy of the microstructure, imperfections, deformation, and residual stress of the printed sample could be lower than the appropriate level or if they are fully illuminated. Thermal stress is one of the significant reasons for deformation in the 3D printed samples. Thermal stresses are the direct consequence of the local temperature gradient. In this research, the effect of the temperature printer’s chamber (from room temperature to 900 C) was studied on thermal stress and subsequent total deformation in the printed sample. The printed sample is a six-layers-printed walk, which could be considered as a building block of other complex shapes and give us inside about deformation. The computational results show a meaningful reduction in thermal stress and deformation at the higher temperature of the printer’s chamber. The lower final deformation of the printed sample is an important subject, especially for samples with complex shapes.

Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) titanium alloy parts were successfully fabricated by laser melting deposition (LMD)technology in this study. Proper normalizing temperatures were presented in detailed for bulk LMD specimens. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electronic universal testing machine were used to characterize the microstructures, phase compositions, the tensile properties and hardness of the TC4 alloy parts treated using different normalizing temperature. The experimental results showed that the as-fabricated LMD speceimens microstructures mainly consisted of α-Ti phase with a small amount of β-Ti phase. After normalizing treatment, in the area of α-Ti phase, the recrystallized length and width of α-Ti phase both increased. When normalizing in the (α+β) phase field, the elongated primary α-Ti phase in the as-deposited state was truncated due to the precipitation of β-Ti phase and became a short rod-like primary α-Ti phase. In as-fabricated microstructure, the β-Ti phase was precipitated between different short rod-shaped α-Ti phases distributed as basketweave. After normalizing treatment at 990 for two hours with subsequent air cooling, the TC4 titanium alloy had significant different microstructures from original sample produced by LMD. Moreover, the mismatch of tensile and hardness property was mitigated in this heat treatment. So the normalizing treatment methods and temperature can be qualified as a prospective heat treatment of titanium alloy fabricating by laser melting deposition.

Existing rammed earth construction methods have disadvantages such as increased initial costs for manufacturing the large formwork and increased labor costs owing to the labor-intensive construction techniques involved. To address the limitations of existing rammed earth construction methods, an autonomous rammed earth construction method is introduced herein. As this autonomous rammed earth construction method uses a modular formwork, alternative materials must be used in the construction to satisfy the requirements for the early-age binder performance. Accordingly, this study evaluates the use of an epoxy emulsion composed of epoxy and a hardener to enhance the performance of the binder. Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the optimal formulation of the epoxy emulsion, following which the compressive strength, water loosening, shrinkage, rate of mass change, and microstructure of several red clay binder specimens with and without epoxy emulsion were analyzed at early ages. The results confirmed that the epoxy emulsion can be applied to satisfy the performance requirements for autonomous rammed earth construction by improving the durability and strength of the binder at early ages.

Expansion tube is ideal energy absorber which dissipates kinetic energy through plastic deformation and friction. There is an urgent need to understand the influence of key parameter, e.g. semi angle, tube material, and friction coefficient, on the mechanical response and energy absorption characteristics of expansion tube. In the present work, the material properties of the tubes were tested under quasi-static loading condition, and the numerical simulations were carried out by using commercial software ABAQUS. Based on the validated finite element simulation, all the semi angle, tube material, and friction have significant effects on the energy absorption capacity of expansion tube. The expansion tube with high tensile stress of parent material have high energy absorption capacity, while the specific energy absorption is linear with the tensile stress/density of tube material. This work would give a guidance to the structural design and parent materials selection for expansion tubes.

Mucosal irritation caused by cusps of upper and lower teeth represents a source of persistent, low grade mechanical trauma. This type of trauma can initiate and/or perpetuate oral lichen planus in a few susceptible patients. Here, we report a rare case of bilateral white linear striations in the buccal mucosa of a young patient, associated with sharp cusps. Oral lesions demonstrated a unique cuspal signature highlighting the causal role of subtle mucosal trauma in the genesis of reticular-oral lichen planus. Lesions appeared to be exacerbated by significant psychological distress experienced by the patient. Although the Koebner phenomenon is well reported in the cutaneous lichen planus literature, such presentations are relatively rare in the oral cavity. This report emphasizes the potential role of low-grade cuspal trauma/irritation in conjunction with psychological distress in the genesis of oral lichen planus.

In this work, the Ni/Ti/Nb multilayer composite was successfully manufactured by accumulative pack-roll bonding. The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the composite during the accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process were investigated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), micro-hardness and tensile tests. The results showed that after 5 passes of the ARB process, the deformations of layers were relatively uniform, and no large number of interlayer fractures occurred. The microstructures of Ni and Ti were both equiaxed grains with a grain size of 200 nm and 150 nm, respectively, and finer equiaxed grains of the Ni layer were observed at the interface. The laminar structure of Nb layer was observed. The tensile strength and micro-hardness increased significantly as the number of ARB increased. After 5 passes of the ARB process, the tensile strength of the composite reached 792.3 MPa, and the micro-hardness of Ni, Ti, and Nb were increased to 270.2, 307.4, and 243.4 HV, respectively.

There is currently an interest in “active” implantable biomedical devices that include mechanical stimulation as an integral part of their design. This paper reports the experimental use of a porous scaffold made of interconnected networks of slender ferromagnetic fibres that can be actuated in vivo by an external magnetic field applying strains to in-growing cells. Such scaffolds have been previously characterized in terms of their mechanical and cellular responses. In this study, it is shown that the shape changes induced in the scaffolds can be used to promote osteogenesis in vitro. In particular, immunofluorescence, gene and protein analyses reveal that the actuated networks exhibit higher mineralization and extracellular matrix production, and express higher levels of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, collagen type 1a1, runt-related transcription factor 2 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 than the static controls at the 3-week time point. The results suggest that the cells filling the inter-fibre spaces are able to sense and react to the magneto-mechanically induced strains facilitating osteogenic differentiation and maturation. This work provides evidence in support of using this approach to stimulate bone ingrowth around a device implanted in bone and can pave the way for further applications in bone tissue engineering.

By using hydrogen quench continuous annealing technology, Stelco Inc. has developed a suite of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) grades with tensile strength greater than 1000MPa to meet standard automotive specifications and for unique customer requirements. These grades were optimized by correlating chemical composition and processing parameters with microstructures and mechanical properties. Dual-Phase 980 (Stelco trademarked STELMAXTM 980DP), Multi-Phase 1180 (STELMAXTM 1180MP), Martensitic Steel 1300 (STELMAXTM 1300M) and 1500 (STELMAXTM 1500M) products met strength and formability requirements with excellent flatness and surface quality. Hydrogen quench continuous annealing technology not only ensures all developed AHSS grades have consistent mechanical properties across the entire strip length (from strip head to tail) and width (from edge to edge), but also produces high product yield compared with other continuous annealing processes.

We demonstrate fabrication of single-mode optical waveguides on lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) by optical patterning combined with chemo-mechanical polishing. The fabricated LNOI waveguides have a nearly symmetric mode profile of a mode field size of ~2.5 µm (full-width at half maximum). We develop a high-precision measurement approach by which the single mode waveguides are characterized to have a propagation loss of ~0.042 dB/cm.

We report fabrication of a multifunctional photonic integrated chip on lithium niobate on insulate (LNOI), which is achieved by femtosecond laser assisted chemo-mechanical polish. We demonstrate a high extinction ratio beam splitter, a 1 × 6 optical switch, and a balanced 3 × 3 interferometer on the fabricated chip by reconfiguring the microelectrode array integrated with the multifunctional photonic circuit.

Molecular dynamics(MD) simulations are carried out to characterize the mechanicalproperties and failure behavior of van der Waals heterostructures composed ofgraphene and hexagonal boron nitride(hBN) single layer sheets. The graphene–hBNand hBN–graphene–hBN heterostructures simulations are carried out under tensileand shear deformation. Accordingly, stress versus strain curves of each systemare plotted and various properties of heterostructures, namely elastic modulusand shear modulus as well as failure stress and failure strain, are evaluatedand compared with one another as well as with the pristine graphene and hBNsheets. Subsequently, the failure mechanism/characterization of each sheet in theheterostructures is described. Alternatively, the elastic and shear modulus of eachheterostructure are computed by means of rule of mixture(ROM) which are in goodagreement with results that are obtained from MD simulations.

Lightweight composite sandwich structures are laminated composite structures that are composed of thin stiff face sheets bonded to a thicker lightweight core in between. These structures have high potential to be used in marine, aerospace, defense and civil engineering applications due to their high strength to weight ratios and energy absorption capacity.In this study, composite sandwich structures were developed with carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite face sheets and aluminum honeycomb core materials with various thicknesses. Carbon fiber/epoxy composite face sheets were fabricated with lamination of [0/90]_s carbon fabrics by vacuum infusion technique. Al honeycomb layers were sandwiched together with the face sheets using a thermosetting adhesive. Mechanical tests were carried out to determine the mechanical behavior of face sheets, Al cores and the composite structure. Effect of core thickness on the mechanical properties of the sandwich was investigated.

Structural DNA nanotechnology provides an excellent foundation for diverse nanoscale shapes that can be used in various bioapplications and materials research. From all existing DNA assembly techniques, DNA origami has proven to be the most robust one for creating custom nanoshapes. Since its invention in 2006, building from the bottom up using DNA has drastically advanced, and therefore, more and more complex DNA-based systems have become accessible. So far, vast majority of the demonstrated DNA origami frameworks are static by nature, but interestingly, there also exist dynamic DNA origami devices that are increasingly coming into view. In this review, we discuss DNA origami nanostructures that perform controlled translational or rotational movement triggered by predefined DNA strands, various molecular interactions and/or other external stimuli such as light, pH, temperature and electromagnetic fields. The rapid evolution of such dynamic DNA origami tools will undoubtedly have a significant impact on molecular scale precision measurements, targeted drug delivery and diagnostics, but they can also play a role in development of optical/plasmonic sensors, nanophotonic devices and nanorobotics for numerous different tasks.

Cylindrical Fe-6.5wt.% Si bars with 7.5 mm in diameter were successfully fabricated from as cast ingot through three rolling stages within 10 passes: rough rolling at 850–900 °C and 8–10 m/min, medium rolling at 800–850 °C and 10–15 m/min, and finish rolling at 800–850 °C and 12–18 m/min. The evolution of microstructure, texture and ordered structure, and the mechanical property are investigated. The results showed that the grains were refined by the hot bar rolling. Area fractions of the {100}<011> oriented grains and the {011}<100> oriented grains decreased to 0 during the hot bar rolling. Whereas, the {100}<001> component, the {011}<211> component and the {112}<110> component increased, and γ fiber with {111}<110> component was dominant. DO₃ ordered phase were suppressed, and B2 ordered domains were refined after the hot bar rolling. Ductility of the as rolled bar was higher than that of the rotary swaged bar, due to the absence of the DO₃ ordered phase and the fine grains in the rolled bar. Hence, the hot bar rolling technology is an excellent process to fabricate the Fe-6.5wt.% Si bars.

Mixtures of methacrylic polymers are the most common materials for making composites to be used as resins for dental and cosmetic applications. Some of these mixtures are composed by poly (ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which constitute a solid component to be mixed with a liquid component made out of methacrylate monomers. The reaction between the thermal initiator benzoyl peroxyde (BPO) present in the solid component and the activator of the polymerization process, N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMT) present in the liquid component, gives rise to thermoset materials. In the present study, different liquid formulations composed by a mixture of two methacrylic monomers, ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) for cosmetic applications, were prepared and characterized, using a commercial powder (POW) composed by PEMA and PMMA. With the aim of improving workability during final application of the material, it was necessary to slow down the polymerization rate of liquid formulations. Their thermal behaviour was investigated by DSC in order to check the polymerization rate. Thermal stability of final materials was determined by TGA. DMTA, microindentation hardness and impact tests were performed on final materials, to assess their performance with respect to standard formulation. The combination of thermal and mechanical properties allows choosing which formulations could be suitable for use in cosmetics.