Optical stretching of giant unilamellar vesicles with an integrated dual-beam optical trap.

PubMed

Solmaz, Mehmet E; Biswas, Roshni; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Thompson, James R; Mejia, Camilo A; Malmstadt, Noah; Povinelli, Michelle L

2012-10-01

We have integrated a dual-beam optical trap into a microfluidic platform and used it to study membrane mechanics in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). We demonstrate the trapping and stretching of GUVs and characterize the membrane response to a step stress. We then measure area strain as a function of applied stress to extract the bending modulus of the lipid bilayer in the low-tension regime.

Optical stretching of giant unilamellar vesicles with an integrated dual-beam optical trap

PubMed Central

Solmaz, Mehmet E.; Biswas, Roshni; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Thompson, James R.; Mejia, Camilo A.; Malmstadt, Noah; Povinelli, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

We have integrated a dual-beam optical trap into a microfluidic platform and used it to study membrane mechanics in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). We demonstrate the trapping and stretching of GUVs and characterize the membrane response to a step stress. We then measure area strain as a function of applied stress to extract the bending modulus of the lipid bilayer in the low-tension regime. PMID:23082284

Electrostatics of lipid bilayer bending.

PubMed Central

Chou, T; Jarić, M V; Siggia, E D

1997-01-01

The electrostatic contribution to spontaneous membrane curvature is calculated within Poisson-Boltzmann theory under a variety of assumptions and emphasizing parameters in the physiological range. Asymmetrical surface charges can be fixed with respect to bilayer midplane area or with respect to the lipid-water area, but induce curvatures of opposite signs. Unequal screening layers on the two sides of a vesicle (e.g., multivalent cationic proteins on one side and monovalent salt on the other) also induce bending. For reasonable parameters, tubules formed by electrostatically induced bending can have radii in the 50-100-nm range, often seen in many intracellular organelles. Thus membrane associated proteins may induce curvature and subsequent budding, without themselves being intrinsically curved. Furthermore, we derive the previously unexplored effects of respecting the strict conservation of charge within the interior of a vesicle. The electrostatic component of the bending modulus is small under most of our conditions and is left as an experimental parameter. The large parameter space of conditions is surveyed in an array of graphs. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 10 PMID:9129807

Flickering analysis of erythrocyte mechanical properties: dependence on oxygenation level, cell shape, and hydration level.

PubMed

Yoon, Young-Zoon; Hong, Ha; Brown, Aidan; Kim, Dong Chung; Kang, Dae Joon; Lew, Virgilio L; Cicuta, Pietro

2009-09-16

Erythrocytes (red blood cells) play an essential role in the respiratory functions of vertebrates, carrying oxygen from lungs to tissues and CO(2) from tissues to lungs. They are mechanically very soft, enabling circulation through small capillaries. The small thermally induced displacements of the membrane provide an important tool in the investigation of the mechanics of the cell membrane. However, despite numerous studies, uncertainties in the interpretation of the data, and in the values derived for the main parameters of cell mechanics, have rendered past conclusions from the fluctuation approach somewhat controversial. Here we revisit the experimental method and theoretical analysis of fluctuations, to adapt them to the case of cell contour fluctuations, which are readily observable experimentally. This enables direct measurements of membrane tension, of bending modulus, and of the viscosity of the cell cytoplasm. Of the various factors that influence the mechanical properties of the cell, we focus here on: 1), the level of oxygenation, as monitored by Raman spectrometry; 2), cell shape; and 3), the concentration of hemoglobin. The results show that, contrary to previous reports, there is no significant difference in cell tension and bending modulus between oxygenated and deoxygenated states, in line with the softness requirement for optimal circulatory flow in both states. On the other hand, tension and bending moduli of discocyte- and spherocyte-shaped cells differ markedly, in both the oxygenated and deoxygenated states. The tension in spherocytes is much higher, consistent with recent theoretical models that describe the transitions between red blood cell shapes as a function of membrane tension. Cell cytoplasmic viscosity is strongly influenced by the hydration state. The implications of these results to circulatory flow dynamics in physiological and pathological conditions are discussed.

PECVD silicon-rich nitride and low stress nitride films mechanical characterization using membrane point load deflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagolini, Alvise; Picciotto, Antonino; Crivellari, Michele; Conci, Paolo; Bellutti, Pierluigi

2016-02-01

An analysis of the mechanical properties of plasma enhanced chemical vapor (PECVD) silicon nitrides is presented, using micro fabricated silicon nitride membranes under point load deflection. The membranes are made of PECVD silicon-rich nitride and low stress nitride films. The mechanical performance of the bended membranes is examined both with analytical models and finite element simulation in order to extract the elastic modulus and residual stress values. The elastic modulus of low stress silicon nitride is calculated using stress free analytical models, while for silicon-rich silicon nitride and annealed low stress silicon nitride it is estimated with a pre-stressed model of point-load deflection. The effect of annealing both in nitrogen and hydrogen atmosphere is evaluated in terms of residual stress, refractive index and thickness variation. It is demonstrated that a hydrogen rich annealing atmosphere induces very little change in low stress silicon nitride. Nitrogen annealing effects are measured and shown to be much higher in silicon-rich nitride than in low stress silicon nitride. An estimate of PECVD silicon-rich nitride elastic modulus is obtained in the range between 240-320 GPa for deposited samples and 390 GPa for samples annealed in nitrogen atmosphere. PECVD low stress silicon nitride elastic modulus is estimated to be 88 GPa as deposited and 320 GPa after nitrogen annealing.

The stress-free shape of the red blood cell membrane.

PubMed Central

Fischer, T M; Haest, C W; Stöhr-Liesen, M; Schmid-Schönbein, H; Skalak, R

1981-01-01

The two main proposals found in the literature for the stress-free shape of the red cell membrane are (a) the bioconcave shape and (b) the sphere of the same surface area. These possibilities are evaluated in this paper using theoretical modeling of equilibrium membrane shapes according to Zarda et al. (1977. J. Biomech. 10:211-221) and by comparison to experiments on red cells whose membrane shear modulus has been increased by treatment with diamide. Neither proposal is found to be compatible with all the experimental behaviour of native red cells. Neither proposal is found to be compatible with all the experimental behaviour of native red cells. To account for this discrepancy we propose that either the shear modulus of the native membrane is dependent on the membrane strain or that the bending stiffness is higher than estimated by Evans (1980. Biophys. J. 30:265-286). These studies suggest that the bioconcave disk is the more likely possibility for the stress-free shape. Images FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 PMID:7248469

Optical forces near micro-fabricated devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejia Prada, Camilo Andres

In this dissertation, I study optical forces near micro-fabricated devices for multi- particle manipulation. I consider particles of different sizes and compositions. In particular, I focus my study on both dielectric and gold particles as well as Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. First, I consider optical forces near a PhC and establish the feasibility of a technique which we term Light-Assisted Templated Self-assembly (LATS). In contrast to previous work on Fabry-Perot enhancement of trapping forces above a flat substrate, I exploit the guided resonance modes of a PhC to provide resonant enhancement of optical forces. Then, I explore optical forces near a Dual Beam Optical Trap (DBOT). I present a method to extract the bending modulus of the membrane from the area strain data. This method incorporates three-dimensional ray-tracing to calculate the applied stress in the DBOT within the ray optics approximation. I compare the optical force calculated using the ray optics approximation and Maxwell Stress Tensor method to ensure the approximation's accuracy. Next, we apply this method to 3 populations of GUVs to extract the bending modulus of membranes comprised of saturated and monounsaturated lipids in both gel and liquid phases.

How sterol tilt regulates properties and organization of lipid membranes and membrane insertions

PubMed Central

Khelashvili, George; Harries, Daniel

2013-01-01

Serving as a crucial component of mammalian cells, cholesterol critically regulates the functions of biomembranes. This review focuses on a specific property of cholesterol and other sterols: the tilt modulus χ that quantifies the energetic cost of tilting sterol molecules inside the lipid membrane. We show how χ is involved in determining properties of cholesterol-containing membranes, and detail a novel approach to quantify its value from atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Specifically, we link χ with other structural, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties of cholesterol-containing lipid membranes, and delineate how this useful parameter can be obtained from the sterol tilt probability distributions derived from relatively small-scale unbiased MD simulations. We demonstrate how the tilt modulus quantitatively describes the aligning field that sterol molecules create inside the phospholipid bilayers, and we relate χ to the bending rigidity of the lipid bilayer through effective tilt and splay energy contributions to the elastic deformations. Moreover, we show how χ can conveniently characterize the “condensing effect” of cholesterol on phospholipids. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of this cholesterol aligning field to the proper folding and interactions of membrane peptides. Given the relative ease of obtaining the tilt modulus from atomistic simulations, we propose that χ can be routinely used to characterize the mechanical properties of sterol/lipid bilayers, and can also serve as a required fitting parameter in multi-scaled simulations of lipid membrane models to relate the different levels of coarse-grained details. PMID:23291283

Free-standing thermalized graphene: a hard/soft hybrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, David

2015-03-01

Understanding deformations of macroscopic thin plates and shells has a long and rich history, culminating with the Foeppl-von Karman equations in 1904. These highly nonlinear equations are characterized by a dimensionless coupling constant (the ``Foeppl-von Karman number'') that can easily reach vK = 107 in an ordinary sheet of writing paper. Since the late 1980's, it has been clear that thermal fluctuations in microscopically thin elastic membranes fundamentally alter the long wavelength physics, leading to a negative thermal expansion coefficient, and a strongly scale-dependent bending energy and Young's modulus. Recent experiments from the McEuen group at Cornell that twist and bend individual atomically-thin free-standing graphene sheets (with vK = 1013!) call for a theory of the mechanical deformation of thermally excited membranes with large Foeppl-von Karman number. We present here results for the bending and pulling of thermalized graphene ribbons and tabs in the cantilever mode. Work done in collaboration with Andrej Kosmrlj.

Exploiting Lipid Permutation Symmetry to Compute Membrane Remodeling Free Energies.

PubMed

Bubnis, Greg; Risselada, Herre Jelger; Grubmüller, Helmut

2016-10-28

A complete physical description of membrane remodeling processes, such as fusion or fission, requires knowledge of the underlying free energy landscapes, particularly in barrier regions involving collective shape changes, topological transitions, and high curvature, where Canham-Helfrich (CH) continuum descriptions may fail. To calculate these free energies using atomistic simulations, one must address not only the sampling problem due to high free energy barriers, but also an orthogonal sampling problem of combinatorial complexity stemming from the permutation symmetry of identical lipids. Here, we solve the combinatorial problem with a permutation reduction scheme to map a structural ensemble into a compact, nondegenerate subregion of configuration space, thereby permitting straightforward free energy calculations via umbrella sampling. We applied this approach, using a coarse-grained lipid model, to test the CH description of bending and found sharp increases in the bending modulus for curvature radii below 10 nm. These deviations suggest that an anharmonic bending term may be required for CH models to give quantitative energetics of highly curved states.

Size-dependent bending modulus of nanotubes induced by the imperfect boundary conditions

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jin

2016-01-01

The size-dependent bending modulus of nanotubes, which was widely observed in most existing three-point bending experiments [e.g., J. Phys. Chem. B 117, 4618–4625 (2013)], has been tacitly assumed to originate from the shear effect. In this paper, taking boron nitride nanotubes as an example, we directly measured the shear effect by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and found that the shear effect is not the major factor responsible for the observed size-dependent bending modulus of nanotubes. To further explain the size-dependence phenomenon, we abandoned the assumption of perfect boundary conditions (BCs) utilized in the aforementioned experiments and studied the influence of the BCs on the bending modulus of nanotubes based on MD simulations. The results show that the imperfect BCs also make the bending modulus of nanotubes size-dependent. Moreover, the size-dependence phenomenon induced by the imperfect BCs is much more significant than that induced by the shear effect, which suggests that the imperfect BC is a possible physical origin that leads to the strong size-dependence of the bending modulus found in the aforementioned experiments. To capture the physics behind the MD simulation results, a beam model with the general BCs is proposed and found to fit the experimental data very well. PMID:27941866

Particle-based membrane model for mesoscopic simulation of cellular dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi, Mohsen; Weikl, Thomas R.; Noé, Frank

2018-01-01

We present a simple and computationally efficient coarse-grained and solvent-free model for simulating lipid bilayer membranes. In order to be used in concert with particle-based reaction-diffusion simulations, the model is purely based on interacting and reacting particles, each representing a coarse patch of a lipid monolayer. Particle interactions include nearest-neighbor bond-stretching and angle-bending and are parameterized so as to reproduce the local membrane mechanics given by the Helfrich energy density over a range of relevant curvatures. In-plane fluidity is implemented with Monte Carlo bond-flipping moves. The physical accuracy of the model is verified by five tests: (i) Power spectrum analysis of equilibrium thermal undulations is used to verify that the particle-based representation correctly captures the dynamics predicted by the continuum model of fluid membranes. (ii) It is verified that the input bending stiffness, against which the potential parameters are optimized, is accurately recovered. (iii) Isothermal area compressibility modulus of the membrane is calculated and is shown to be tunable to reproduce available values for different lipid bilayers, independent of the bending rigidity. (iv) Simulation of two-dimensional shear flow under a gravity force is employed to measure the effective in-plane viscosity of the membrane model and show the possibility of modeling membranes with specified viscosities. (v) Interaction of the bilayer membrane with a spherical nanoparticle is modeled as a test case for large membrane deformations and budding involved in cellular processes such as endocytosis. The results are shown to coincide well with the predicted behavior of continuum models, and the membrane model successfully mimics the expected budding behavior. We expect our model to be of high practical usability for ultra coarse-grained molecular dynamics or particle-based reaction-diffusion simulations of biological systems.

Bending stiffness and interlayer shear modulus of few-layer graphene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Xiaoming; Yi, Chenglin; Ke, Changhong, E-mail: cke@binghamton.edu

2015-03-09

Interlayer shear deformation occurs in the bending of multilayer graphene with unconstrained ends, thus influencing its bending rigidity. Here, we investigate the bending stiffness and interlayer shear modulus of few-layer graphene through examining its self-folding conformation on a flat substrate using atomic force microscopy in conjunction with nonlinear mechanics modeling. The results reveal that the bending stiffness of 2–6 layers graphene follows a square-power relationship with its thickness. The interlayer shear modulus is found to be in the range of 0.36–0.49 GPa. The research findings show that the weak interlayer shear interaction has a substantial stiffening effect for multilayer graphene.

Direct Measurements of Long-Range Repulsive Interactions in the L_α phase of Polymer-Coated Highly Flexible Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warriner, Heidi E.; Safinya, Cyrus R.

1997-03-01

Using two complimentary techniques, we have measured repulsive interactions in the L_α phase of very flexible membranes composed of the surfactant C12E5 and small amounts of polymer-lipids derived from polyethylene glycol (PEG-DMPE 5000, PEG-DMPE 2000 and PEG-DMPE 550). In the first method, the lamellar repeat distance of samples in equilibrium with a dextran solution of known osmotic pressure is determined, yielding a direct measurement of pressure versus distance. These data immediately differentiate the repulsive interaction between flexible polymer-decorated membranes from polymer-brush forces found in rigid lamellar systems. In the second method, fits to high-resolution x-ray data yield the η parameter, proportional to (κB)-1\\over2, where B is the layer compressional modulus and κ is the bending rigidity of a single membrane. Combining the two types of data to eliminate B, one can quantitatively determine the κ of a decorated membrane as a function of polymer-lipid concentration. For the bare C12E5 membrane, where κ is known , a direct comparison of the compressibility modulus values derived via the two methods is also possible. This work supported by NSF-DMR-9624091; PRF-31352-AC7 CULAR-STB/UC:96-118.

The Modulus of Rupture from a Mathematical Point of View

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quintela, P.; Sánchez, M. T.

2007-04-01

The goal of this work is to present a complete mathematical study about the three-point bending experiments and the modulus of rupture of brittle materials. We will present the mathematical model associated to three-point bending experiments and we will use the asymptotic expansion method to obtain a new formula to calculate the modulus of rupture. We will compare the modulus of rupture of porcelain obtained with the previous formula with that obtained by using the classic theoretical formula. Finally, we will also present one and three-dimensional numerical simulations to compute the modulus of rupture.

A Non Rigid Reusable Surface Insulation Concept for the Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, J. G.

1973-01-01

A reusable thermal protection system concept was developed for the space shuttle that utilizes a flexible, woven ceramic mat insulation beneath an aerodynamic skin and moisture barrier consisting of either a dense ceramic coating or a super alloy metallic foil. The resulting heat shield material has unique structural characteristics. The shear modulus of the woven mat is very low such that bending and membrane loads introduced into the underlying structural panel remain isolated from the surface skin.

A highly aromatic and sulfonated ionomer for high elastic modulus ionic polymer membrane micro-actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatipoglu, Gokhan; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Ran; Yoonessi, Mitra; Tigelaar, Dean M.; Tadigadapa, Srinivas; Zhang, Q. M.

2012-05-01

A high modulus, sulfonated ionomer synthesized from 4,6-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-N,N-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-amine and 4,4‧-biphenol with bis(4-fluorophenyl)sulfone (DPA-PS:BP) is investigated for ionic polymer actuators. The uniqueness of DPA-PS:BP is that it can have a high ionic liquid (IL) uptake and consequently generates a high intrinsic strain response, which is >1.1% under 1.6 V while maintaining a high elastic modulus (i.e. 600 MPa for 65 vol% IL uptake). Moreover, such a high modulus of the active ionomer, originating from the highly aromatic backbone and side-chain-free structure, allows for the fabrication of free-standing thin film micro-actuators (down to 5 µm thickness) via the solution cast method and focused-ion-beam milling, which exhibits a much higher bending actuation, i.e. 43 µm tip displacement and 180 kPa blocking stress for a 200 µm long and 5 µm thick cantilever actuator, compared with the ionic actuators based on traditional ionomers such as Nafion, which has a much lower elastic modulus (50 MPa) and actuation strain.

Coupling Field Theory with Mesoscopic Dynamical Simulations of Multicomponent Lipid Bilayers

PubMed Central

McWhirter, J. Liam; Ayton, Gary; Voth, Gregory A.

2004-01-01

A method for simulating a two-component lipid bilayer membrane in the mesoscopic regime is presented. The membrane is modeled as an elastic network of bonded points; the spring constants of these bonds are parameterized by the microscopic bulk modulus estimated from earlier atomistic nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations for several bilayer mixtures of DMPC and cholesterol. The modulus depends on the composition of a point in the elastic membrane model. The dynamics of the composition field is governed by the Cahn-Hilliard equation where a free energy functional models the coupling between the composition and curvature fields. The strength of the bonds in the elastic network are then modulated noting local changes in the composition and using a fit to the nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation data. Estimates for the magnitude and sign of the coupling parameter in the free energy model are made treating the bending modulus as a function of composition. A procedure for assigning the remaining parameters in the free energy model is also outlined. It is found that the square of the mean curvature averaged over the entire simulation box is enhanced if the strength of the bonds in the elastic network are modulated in response to local changes in the composition field. We suggest that this simulation method could also be used to determine if phase coexistence affects the stress response of the membrane to uniform dilations in area. This response, measured in the mesoscopic regime, is already known to be conditioned or renormalized by thermal undulations. PMID:15347594

Elastic behavior of a red blood cell with the membrane's nonuniform natural state: equilibrium shape, motion transition under shear flow, and elongation during tank-treading motion.

PubMed

Tsubota, Ken-Ichi; Wada, Shigeo; Liu, Hao

2014-08-01

Direct numerical simulations of the mechanics of a single red blood cell (RBC) were performed by considering the nonuniform natural state of the elastic membrane. A RBC was modeled as an incompressible viscous fluid encapsulated by an elastic membrane. The in-plane shear and area dilatation deformations of the membrane were modeled by Skalak constitutive equation, while out-of-plane bending deformation was formulated by the spring model. The natural state of the membrane with respect to in-plane shear deformation was modeled as a sphere ([Formula: see text]), biconcave disk shape ([Formula: see text]) and their intermediate shapes ([Formula: see text]) with the nonuniformity parameter [Formula: see text], while the natural state with respect to out-of-plane bending deformation was modeled as a flat plane. According to the numerical simulations, at an experimentally measured in-plane shear modulus of [Formula: see text] and an out-of-plane bending rigidity of [Formula: see text] of the cell membrane, the following results were obtained. (i) The RBC shape at equilibrium was biconcave discoid for [Formula: see text] and cupped otherwise; (ii) the experimentally measured fluid shear stress at the transition between tumbling and tank-treading motions under shear flow was reproduced for [Formula: see text]; (iii) the elongation deformation of the RBC during tank-treading motion from the simulation was consistent with that from in vitro experiments, irrespective of the [Formula: see text] value. Based on our RBC modeling, the three phenomena (i), (ii), and (iii) were mechanically consistent for [Formula: see text]. The condition [Formula: see text] precludes a biconcave discoid shape at equilibrium (i); however, it gives appropriate fluid shear stress at the motion transition under shear flow (ii), suggesting that a combined effect of [Formula: see text] and the natural state with respect to out-of-plane bending deformation is necessary for understanding details of the RBC mechanics at equilibrium. Our numerical results demonstrate that moderate nonuniformity in a membrane's natural state with respect to in-plane shear deformation plays a key role in RBC mechanics.

Determination of elastic modulus of ceramics using ultrasonic testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasmita, Firmansyah; Wibisono, Gatot; Judawisastra, Hermawan; Priambodo, Toni Agung

2018-04-01

Elastic modulus is important material property on structural ceramics application. However, bending test as a common method for determining this property require particular specimen preparation. Furthermore, elastic modulus of ceramics could vary because it depends on porosity content. For structural ceramics industry, such as ceramic tiles, this property is very important. This drives the development of new method to improve effectivity or verification method as well. In this research, ultrasonic testing was conducted to determine elastic modulus of soda lime glass and ceramic tiles. The experiment parameter was frequency of probe (1, 2, 4 MHz). Characterization of density and porosity were also done for analysis. Results from ultrasonic testing were compared with elastic modulus resulted from bending test. Elastic modulus of soda-lime glass based on ultrasonic testing showed excellent result with error 2.69% for 2 MHz probe relative to bending test result. Testing on red and white ceramic tiles were still contained error up to 41% and 158%, respectively. The results for red ceramic tile showed trend that 1 MHz probe gave better accuracy in determining elastic modulus. However, testing on white ceramic tile showed different trend. It was due to the presence of porosity and near field effect.

Elastic Moduli of Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Measured Using 3-Point Bending and Ultrasonic Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaforey, M. L.; Deeb, C. W.; Matthiesen, D. H.; Roth, D. J.

1999-01-01

Three-point bending and ultrasonic testing were performed on a flat plate of PBN. In the bending experiment, the deformation mechanism was believed to be shear between the pyrolytic layers, which yielded a shear modulus, c (sub 44), of 2.60 plus or minus .31 GPa. Calculations based on the longitudinal and shear wave velocity measurements yielded values of 0.341 plus or minus 0.006 for Poisson's ratio, 10.34 plus or minus .30 GPa for the elastic modulus (c (sub 33)), and 3.85 plus or minus 0.02 GPa for the shear modulus (c (sub 44)). Since free basal dislocations have been reported to affect the value of c (sub 44) found using ultrasonic methods, the value from the bending experiment was assumed to be the more accurate value.

Sulfonated Copper Phthalocyanine/Sulfonated Polysulfone Composite Membrane for Ionic Polymer Actuators with High Power Density and Fast Response Time.

PubMed

Kwon, Taehoon; Cho, Hyeongrae; Lee, Jang-Woo; Henkensmeier, Dirk; Kang, Youngjong; Koo, Chong Min

2017-08-30

Ionic polymer composite membranes based on sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) and copper(II) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (CuPCSA) are assembled into bending ionic polymer actuators. CuPCSA is an organic filler with very high sulfonation degree (IEC = 4.5 mmol H + /g) that can be homogeneously dispersed on the molecular scale into the SPAES membrane, probably due to its good dispersibility in SPAES-containing solutions. SPAES/CuPCSA actuators exhibit larger ion conductivity (102 mS cm -1 ), tensile modulus (208 MPa), strength (101 MPa), and strain (1.21%), exceptionally faster response to electrical stimuli, and larger mechanical power density (3028 W m -3 ) than ever reported for ion-conducting polymer actuators. This outstanding actuation performance of SPAES/CuPCSA composite membrane actuators makes them attractive for next-generation transducers with high power density, which are currently developed, e.g., for underwater propulsion and endoscopic surgery.

Dynamic and mechanical properties of supported lipid bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hsing-Lun; Tsao, Heng-Kwong; Sheng, Yu-Jane

2016-04-01

Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) offer an excellent model system for investigating the physico-chemical properties of the cell membrane. In this work, dynamic and mechanical properties of SLBs are explored by dissipative particle dynamics simulations for lipids with different architectures (chain length, kink, and asymmetry associated with lipid tails). It is found that the lateral diffusivity (Dx) and flip-flop rate (FF) grow with increasing temperature in both gel and liquid phases and can be described by an Arrhenius-like expression. Three regimes can be clearly identified for symmetric and asymmetric saturated lipids but only two regimes are observed for kinked lipids. Both Dx and FF grow with decreasing tail length and increasing number of kinks. The stretching (KA) and apparent bending (KB) moduli exhibit concave upward curves with temperature and the minima are attained at Tm. In general, the minima of KA and KB decrease with the chain length and increase with number of kinks. The typical relation among the bending modulus, area stretching modulus, and bilayer thickness is still followed, KB = βKAh2 and β is much smaller in the gel phase. The dynamic and mechanical properties of lipids with asymmetric tails are found to situate between their symmetric counterparts.

Entropic elasticity based coarse-grained model of lipid membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Shuo; Hu, Yucai; Liang, Haiyi

2018-04-01

Various models for lipid bilayer membranes have been presented to investigate their morphologies. Among them, the aggressive coarse-grained models, where the membrane is represented by a single layer of particles, are computationally efficient and of practical importance for simulating membrane dynamics at the microscopic scale. In these models, soft potentials between particle pairs are used to maintain the fluidity of membranes, but the underlying mechanism of the softening requires further clarification. We have analyzed the membrane area decrease due to thermal fluctuations, and the results demonstrate that the intraparticle part of entropic elasticity is responsible for the softening of the potential. Based on the stretching response of the membrane, a bottom-up model is developed with an entropic effect explicitly involved. The model reproduces several essential properties of the lipid membrane, including the fluid state and a plateau in the stretching curve. In addition, the area compressibility modulus, bending rigidity, and spontaneous curvature display linear dependence on model parameters. As a demonstration, we have investigated the closure and morphology evolution of membrane systems driven by spontaneous curvature, and vesicle shapes observed experimentally are faithfully reproduced.

Effects of silvicultural practice and moisture content level on lobolly pine veneer mechanical properties

Treesearch

Todd F. Shupe; Chung-Yun Hse; Elvin T. Choong; Leslie H. Groom

1998-01-01

Loblolly pine veneer specimens were obtained from five silviculturally different stands. Clear specimens were cut parallel to the grain from full size veneer sheets and tests were done at either air-dry or ovendry conditions to determine differences in bending modulus of rupture (MORb), bending modulus of elasticity (MOEb...

The shear modulus of metastable amorphous solids with strong central and bond-bending interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaccone, Alessio

2009-07-01

We derive expressions for the shear modulus of deeply quenched, glassy solids, in terms of a Cauchy-Born free energy expansion around a rigid (quenched) reference state, following the approach due to Alexander (1998 Phys. Rep. 296 65). Continuum-limit explicit expressions of the shear modulus are derived starting from the microscopic Hamiltonians of central and bond-bending interactions. The applicability of the expressions to dense covalent glasses as well as colloidal glasses involving strongly attractive or adhesive bonds is discussed.

Determining the Gaussian Modulus and Edge Properties of 2D Materials: From Graphene to Lipid Bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zelisko, Matthew; Ahmadpoor, Fatemeh; Gao, Huajian; Sharma, Pradeep

2017-08-01

The dominant deformation behavior of two-dimensional materials (bending) is primarily governed by just two parameters: bending rigidity and the Gaussian modulus. These properties also set the energy scale for various important physical and biological processes such as pore formation, cell fission and generally, any event accompanied by a topological change. Unlike the bending rigidity, the Gaussian modulus is, however, notoriously difficult to evaluate via either experiments or atomistic simulations. In this Letter, recognizing that the Gaussian modulus and edge tension play a nontrivial role in the fluctuations of a 2D material edge, we derive closed-form expressions for edge fluctuations. Combined with atomistic simulations, we use the developed approach to extract the Gaussian modulus and edge tension at finite temperatures for both graphene and various types of lipid bilayers. Our results possibly provide the first reliable estimate of this elusive property at finite temperatures and appear to suggest that earlier estimates must be revised. In particular, we show that, if previously estimated properties are employed, the graphene-free edge will exhibit unstable behavior at room temperature. Remarkably, in the case of graphene, we show that the Gaussian modulus and edge tension even change sign at finite temperatures.

Modeling and Experimental Evaluation of Bending Behavior of Soft Pneumatic Actuators Made of Discrete Actuation Chambers.

PubMed

Alici, Gursel; Canty, Taylor; Mutlu, Rahim; Hu, Weiping; Sencadas, Vitor

2018-02-01

In this article, we have established an analytical model to estimate the quasi-static bending displacement (i.e., angle) of the pneumatic actuators made of two different elastomeric silicones (Elastosil M4601 with a bulk modulus of elasticity of 262 kPa and Translucent Soft silicone with a bulk modulus of elasticity of 48 kPa-both experimentally determined) and of discrete chambers, partially separated from each other with a gap in between the chambers to increase the magnitude of their bending angle. The numerical bending angle results from the proposed gray-box model, and the corresponding experimental results match well that the model is accurate enough to predict the bending behavior of this class of pneumatic soft actuators. Further, by using the experimental bending angle results and blocking force results, the effective modulus of elasticity of the actuators is estimated from a blocking force model. The numerical and experimental results presented show that the bending angle and blocking force models are valid for this class of pneumatic actuators. Another contribution of this study is to incorporate a bistable flexible thin metal typified by a tape measure into the topology of the actuators to prevent the deflection of the actuators under their own weight when operating in the vertical plane.

Bending strength of water-soaked glued laminated beams

Treesearch

Ronald W. Wolfe; Russell C. Moody

1978-01-01

The effects of water soaking on the bending strength and stiffness of laminated timber were determined by deriving wet-dry ratios for these properties. Values for these ratios, when compared to currently recommended wet use factors, confirm the value now used for modulus of rupture. For modulus of elasticity, the reduction due to water soaking was found to be less than...

Development of a bending stiffness model for wet process fiberboard

Treesearch

Chris Turk; John F. Hunt

2007-01-01

In traditional mechanics of materials, the stiffness of a beam or plate in bending is described by its cross-sectional shape as well as its material properties, primarily the modulus of elasticity. Previous work at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, has shown that modulus of elasticity has a strong correlation to the density of the fiberboard....

Polymer loaded microemulsions: Changeover from finite size effects to interfacial interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuttich, B.; Ivanova, O.; Grillo, I.; Stühn, B.

2016-10-01

Form fluctuations of microemulsion droplets are observed in experiments using dielectric spectroscopy (DS) and neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE). Previous work on dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate based water in oil microemulsions in the droplet phase has shown that adding a water soluble polymer (Polyethylene glycol M = 1500 g mol-1) modifies these fluctuations. While for small droplet sizes (water core radius rc < 37 Å) compared to the size of the polymer both methods consistently showed a reduction in the bending modulus of the surfactant shell as a result of polymer addition, dielectric spectroscopy suggests the opposite behaviour for large droplets. This observation is now confirmed by NSE experiments on large droplets. Structural changes due to polymer addition are qualitatively independent of droplet size. Dynamical properties, however, display a clear variation with the number of polymer chains per droplet, leading to the observed changes in the bending modulus. Furthermore, the contribution of structural and dynamical properties on the changes in bending modulus shifts in weight. With increasing droplet size, we initially find dominating finite size effects and a changeover to a system, where interactions between the confined polymer and the surfactant shell dominate the bending modulus.

Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Membrane-Trehalose Interactions.

PubMed

Kapla, Jon; Stevensson, Baltzar; Maliniak, Arnold

2016-09-15

It is well established that trehalose (TRH) affects the physical properties of lipid bilayers and stabilizes biological membranes. We present molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations to investigate the interactions between lipid membranes formed by 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and TRH. Both atomistic and coarse-grained (CG) interaction models were employed, and the coarse graining of DMPC leads to a reduction in the acyl chain length corresponding to a 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipid (DLPC). Several modifications of the Martini interaction model, used for CG simulations, were implemented, resulting in different potentials of mean force (PMFs) for DMPC bilayer-TRH interactions. These PMFs were subsequently used in a simple two-site analytical model for the description of sugar binding at the membrane interface. In contrast to that in atomistic MD simulations, the binding in the CG model was not in agreement with the two-site model. Our interpretation is that the interaction balance, involving water, TRH, and lipids, in the CG systems needs further tuning of the force-field parameters. The area per lipid is only weakly affected by TRH concentration, whereas the compressibility modulus related to the fluctuations of the membrane increases with an increase in TRH content. In agreement with experimental findings, the bending modulus is not affected by the inclusion of TRH. The important aspects of lipid bilayer interactions with biomolecules are membrane curvature generation and sensing. In the present investigation, membrane curvature is generated by artificial buckling of the bilayer in one dimension. It turns out that TRH prefers the regions with the highest curvature, which enables the most favorable situation for lipid-sugar interactions.

High Temperature Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing HVOF CoNiCrAlY Coatings by Lateral Compression of Circular Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waki, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Kyousuke; Yamaguchi, Itsuki; Kobayashi, Akira

MCrAlY, M means Co and/or Ni, sprayed coating is used to protect a super alloy substrate from corrosion or oxidation in a gas turbine blade. However, the mechanical properties are not well-known, because there are few proper measurement methods for a thin coating at high temperature. Authors have developed the new easy method to measure the mechanical properties using the lateral compression of a circular tube. The method is useful to apply to a thin coating because it does not need chucking and manufacturing a test piece is very easy. The method is also easily applicable to high temperature measurement. In this study, high temperature mechanical properties, Young's modulus, bending strength and fracture strain, of CoNiCrAlY coatings by HVOF were systematically measured. The results obtained were as follows: Young's modulus and bending strength suddenly decreased beyond 400˜450°C. The Young's modulus and bending strength thermally treated at higher than 1050°C was significantly higher than that of virgin CoNiCrAlY coating. It was found that higher thermal treatment in atmosphere was the most effective in increasing the Young's modulus and bending strength. It was also found that the improvement of Young's modulus was primarily caused by not the effect of TGO but the sintering and diffusion of unfused particles. On the contrary, the fracture strain increased beyond 400°C differently from the bending strength. The fracture strains of CoNiCrAlY thermally treated in vacuum were higher than those of CoNiCrAlY treated in atmosphere. It was found that higher thermal treatment in vacuum was the most effective in increasing the fracture strain.

Graphene Statistical Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowick, Mark; Kosmrlj, Andrej; Nelson, David; Sknepnek, Rastko

2015-03-01

Graphene provides an ideal system to test the statistical mechanics of thermally fluctuating elastic membranes. The high Young's modulus of graphene means that thermal fluctuations over even small length scales significantly stiffen the renormalized bending rigidity. We study the effect of thermal fluctuations on graphene ribbons of width W and length L, pinned at one end, via coarse-grained Molecular Dynamics simulations and compare with analytic predictions of the scaling of width-averaged root-mean-squared height fluctuations as a function of distance along the ribbon. Scaling collapse as a function of W and L also allows us to extract the scaling exponent eta governing the long-wavelength stiffening of the bending rigidity. A full understanding of the geometry-dependent mechanical properties of graphene, including arrays of cuts, may allow the design of a variety of modular elements with desired mechanical properties starting from pure graphene alone. Supported by NSF grant DMR-1435794

Kinetic theory for DNA melting with vibrational entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sensale, Sebastian; Peng, Zhangli; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2017-10-01

By treating DNA as a vibrating nonlinear lattice, an activated kinetic theory for DNA melting is developed to capture the breakage of the hydrogen bonds and subsequent softening of torsional and bending vibration modes. With a coarse-grained lattice model, we identify a key bending mode with GHz frequency that replaces the hydrogen vibration modes as the dominant out-of-phase phonon vibration at the transition state. By associating its bending modulus to a universal in-phase bending vibration modulus at equilibrium, we can hence estimate the entropic change in the out-of-phase vibration from near-equilibrium all-atom simulations. This and estimates of torsional and bending entropy changes lead to the first predictive and sequence-dependent theory with good quantitative agreement with experimental data for the activation energy of melting of short DNA molecules without intermediate hairpin structures.

Mechanical properties of nano and bulk Fe pillars using molecular dynamics and dislocation dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, S. K. Deb

2017-10-01

Using molecular dynamics simulation, tension and bending tests of a Fe nanopillar are carried out to obtain its Young's modulus and yield strength. Then the comparative study of Young's modulus and yield strength of a Fe nanopillar under bending and tension are carried out varying its diameter in the range of diameter 1-15nm. We find out the reasons why bending Young's modulus and yield strength of a Fe nanopillar are higher than those of tension Young's modulus and yield strength of a Fe nanopillar. Using the mobility parameters of bulk Fe from the experimental study [N. Urabe and J. Weertman, Materials Science and Engineering 18, 41 (1975)], its temperature dependent stress-strain relationship, yield strength and strain hardening modulus are obtained from the dislocation dynamics simulations. Strain rate dependent yield strength and strain hardening modulus of bulk Fe pillars under tension are studied. Temperature dependent creep behaviors of bulk Fe pillars under tension are also studied. To verify the soundness of the present dislocation dynamics studies of the mechanical properties of bulk Fe pillars under tension, the stress vs. strain relationship and dislocation density vs. strain of bulk Fe pillars obtained by us are compared with the published results obtained by S. Queyreau, G. Monnet, and B. Devincre, International Journal of Plasticity 25, 361 (2009).

Sign Switch of Gaussian Bending Modulus for Microemulsions: A Self-Consistent Field Analysis Exploring Scale Invariant Curvature Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadharajan, Ramanathan; Leermakers, Frans A. M.

2018-01-01

Bending rigidities of tensionless balanced liquid-liquid interfaces as occurring in microemulsions are predicted using self-consistent field theory for molecularly inhomogeneous systems. Considering geometries with scale invariant curvature energies gives unambiguous bending rigidities for systems with fixed chemical potentials: the minimal surface I m 3 m cubic phase is used to find the Gaussian bending rigidity κ ¯, and a torus with Willmore energy W =2 π2 allows for direct evaluation of the mean bending modulus κ . Consistent with this, the spherical droplet gives access to 2 κ +κ ¯. We observe that κ ¯ tends to be negative for strong segregation and positive for weak segregation, a finding which is instrumental for understanding phase transitions from a lamellar to a spongelike microemulsion. Invariably, κ remains positive and increases with increasing strength of segregation.

Effect of acetylation treatment and soaking time to bending strength of sugar palm fiber composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diharjo, Kuncoro; Permana, Andy; Arsada, Robbi; Asmoro, Gundhi; Budiono, Herru Santosa; Firdaus, Yohanes

2017-01-01

The objective of this experiment is to investigate the maximum bending strength of sugar palm composite by optimizing acetylation treatment and soaking time of the fiber. In this research, the acetylation treatments were varied in acetic acid content (0-10%, in weight) and soaking time (30-150 minutes). The composite specimens were produced using a press mold method for 40% of fiber and 60% of bisphenolic matrix composition in weight. The bending testing was conducted using three point bending method according to ASTM D790. The composite with the treated fiber of 4% acetyl acid has maximum bending strength and modulus due to the effect of removing lignin and other polluters without degrading the fiber strength. The longer of soaking time in the acid solution can significantly enhance the bending strength and modulus. The composite with low strength has an opening fracture, and there is no opening fracture on the composite with high strength.

Effects of steam treatment on bending properties and chemical composition of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens)

Treesearch

R. J. Zhao; Z. H. Jiang; C. Hse; T. Shupe

2010-01-01

Effects of temperature (25, 160 and 200 °C) and time (15 and 30 min) of steam treatment on the mechanical and chemical characteristics of moso bamboo were studied. The modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the outer culm were at least 2.4 and 2.2 times respectively greater than those of the inner culm. Temperature and time had no effect on bending...

Assessment of a virtual functional prototyping process for the rapid manufacture of passive-dynamic ankle-foot orthoses.

PubMed

Schrank, Elisa S; Hitch, Lester; Wallace, Kevin; Moore, Richard; Stanhope, Steven J

2013-10-01

Passive-dynamic ankle-foot orthosis (PD-AFO) bending stiffness is a key functional characteristic for achieving enhanced gait function. However, current orthosis customization methods inhibit objective premanufacture tuning of the PD-AFO bending stiffness, making optimization of orthosis function challenging. We have developed a novel virtual functional prototyping (VFP) process, which harnesses the strengths of computer aided design (CAD) model parameterization and finite element analysis, to quantitatively tune and predict the functional characteristics of a PD-AFO, which is rapidly manufactured via fused deposition modeling (FDM). The purpose of this study was to assess the VFP process for PD-AFO bending stiffness. A PD-AFO CAD model was customized for a healthy subject and tuned to four bending stiffness values via VFP. Two sets of each tuned model were fabricated via FDM using medical-grade polycarbonate (PC-ISO). Dimensional accuracy of the fabricated orthoses was excellent (average 0.51 ± 0.39 mm). Manufacturing precision ranged from 0.0 to 0.74 Nm/deg (average 0.30 ± 0.36 Nm/deg). Bending stiffness prediction accuracy was within 1 Nm/deg using the manufacturer provided PC-ISO elastic modulus (average 0.48 ± 0.35 Nm/deg). Using an experimentally derived PC-ISO elastic modulus improved the optimized bending stiffness prediction accuracy (average 0.29 ± 0.57 Nm/deg). Robustness of the derived modulus was tested by carrying out the VFP process for a disparate subject, tuning the PD-AFO model to five bending stiffness values. For this disparate subject, bending stiffness prediction accuracy was strong (average 0.20 ± 0.14 Nm/deg). Overall, the VFP process had excellent dimensional accuracy, good manufacturing precision, and strong prediction accuracy with the derived modulus. Implementing VFP as part of our PD-AFO customization and manufacturing framework, which also includes fit customization, provides a novel and powerful method to predictably tune and precisely manufacture orthoses with objectively customized fit and functional characteristics.

Mechanics of Constriction during Cell Division: A Variational Approach

PubMed Central

Almendro-Vedia, Victor G.; Monroy, Francisco; Cao, Francisco J.

2013-01-01

During symmetric division cells undergo large constriction deformations at a stable midcell site. Using a variational approach, we investigate the mechanical route for symmetric constriction by computing the bending energy of deformed vesicles with rotational symmetry. Forces required for constriction are explicitly computed at constant area and constant volume, and their values are found to be determined by cell size and bending modulus. For cell-sized vesicles, considering typical bending modulus of , we calculate constriction forces in the range . The instability of symmetrical constriction is shown and quantified with a characteristic coefficient of the order of , thus evidencing that cells need a robust mechanism to stabilize constriction at midcell. PMID:23990888

Membrane position control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ji (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A membrane structure includes at least one electroactive bending actuator fixed to a supporting base. Each electroactive bending actuator is operatively connected to the membrane for controlling membrane position. Any displacement of each electroactive bending actuator effects displacement of the membrane. More specifically, the operative connection is provided by a guiding wheel assembly and a track, wherein displacement of the bending actuator effects translation of the wheel assembly along the track, thereby imparting movement to the membrane.

An elastic model of partial budding of retroviruses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Nguyen, Toan

2008-03-01

Retroviruses are characterized by their unique infection strategy of reverse transcription, in which the genetic information flows from RNA back to DNA. The most well known representative is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Unlike budding of traditional enveloped viruses, retrovirus budding happens together with the formation of spherical virus capsids at the cell membrane. Led by this unique budding mechanism, we proposed an elastic model of retrovirus budding in this work. We found that if the lipid molecules of the membrane are supplied fast enough from the cell interior, the budding always proceeds to completion. In the opposite limit, there is an optimal size of partially budded virions. The zenith angle of these partially spherical capsids, α, is given by α˜(2̂/κσ)^1/4, where κ is the bending modulus of the membrane, σ is the surface tension of the membrane, and τ characterizes the strength of capsid protein interaction. If τ is large enough such that α˜π, the budding is complete. Our model explained many features of retrovirus partial budding observed in experiments.

Correlation between length and tilt of lipid tails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopelevich, Dmitry I.; Nagle, John F.

2015-10-01

It is becoming recognized from simulations, and to a lesser extent from experiment, that the classical Helfrich-Canham membrane continuum mechanics model can be fruitfully enriched by the inclusion of molecular tilt, even in the fluid, chain disordered, biologically relevant phase of lipid bilayers. Enriched continuum theories then add a tilt modulus κθ to accompany the well recognized bending modulus κ. Different enrichment theories largely agree for many properties, but it has been noticed that there is considerable disagreement in one prediction; one theory postulates that the average length of the hydrocarbon chain tails increases strongly with increasing tilt and another predicts no increase. Our analysis of an all-atom simulation favors the latter theory, but it also shows that the overall tail length decreases slightly with increasing tilt. We show that this deviation from continuum theory can be reconciled by consideration of the average shape of the tails, which is a descriptor not obviously includable in continuum theory.

Elastic properties of graphene: A pseudo-beam model with modified internal bending moment and its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Z. M.; Wang, C. G.; Tan, H. F.

2018-04-01

A pseudo-beam model with modified internal bending moment is presented to predict elastic properties of graphene, including the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. In order to overcome a drawback in existing molecular structural mechanics models, which only account for pure bending (constant bending moment), the presented model accounts for linear bending moments deduced from the balance equations. Based on this pseudo-beam model, an analytical prediction is accomplished to predict the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of graphene based on the equation of the strain energies by using Castigliano second theorem. Then, the elastic properties of graphene are calculated compared with results available in literature, which verifies the feasibility of the pseudo-beam model. Finally, the pseudo-beam model is utilized to study the twisting wrinkling characteristics of annular graphene. Due to modifications of the internal bending moment, the wrinkling behaviors of graphene sheet are predicted accurately. The obtained results show that the pseudo-beam model has a good ability to predict the elastic properties of graphene accurately, especially the out-of-plane deformation behavior.

Competition between Bending and Internal Pressure Governs the Mechanics of Fluid Nanovesicles.

PubMed

Vorselen, Daan; MacKintosh, Fred C; Roos, Wouter H; Wuite, Gijs J L

2017-03-28

Nanovesicles (∼100 nm) are ubiquitous in cell biology and an important vector for drug delivery. Mechanical properties of vesicles are known to influence cellular uptake, but the mechanism by which deformation dynamics affect internalization is poorly understood. This is partly due to the fact that experimental studies of the mechanics of such vesicles remain challenging, particularly at the nanometer scale where appropriate theoretical models have also been lacking. Here, we probe the mechanical properties of nanoscale liposomes using atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation. The mechanical response of the nanovesicles shows initial linear behavior and subsequent flattening corresponding to inward tether formation. We derive a quantitative model, including the competing effects of internal pressure and membrane bending, that corresponds well to these experimental observations. Our results are consistent with a bending modulus of the lipid bilayer of ∼14k b T. Surprisingly, we find that vesicle stiffness is pressure dominated for adherent vesicles under physiological conditions. Our experimental method and quantitative theory represents a robust approach to study the mechanics of nanoscale vesicles, which are abundant in biology, as well as being of interest for the rational design of liposomal vectors for drug delivery.

Alamethicin in lipid bilayers: combined use of X-ray scattering and MD simulations.

PubMed

Pan, Jianjun; Tieleman, D Peter; Nagle, John F; Kucerka, Norbert; Tristram-Nagle, Stephanie

2009-06-01

We study fully hydrated bilayers of two di-monounsaturated phospholipids diC18:1PC (DOPC) and diC22:1PC with varying amounts of alamethicin (Alm). We combine the use of X-ray diffuse scattering and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the orientation of alamethicin in model lipids. Comparison of the experimental and simulated form factors shows that Alm helices are inserted transmembrane at high humidity and high concentrations, in agreement with earlier results. The X-ray scattering data and the MD simulations agree that membrane thickness changes very little up to 1/10 Alm/DOPC. In contrast, the X-ray data indicate that the thicker diC22:1PC membrane thins with added Alm, a total decrease in thickness of 4 A at 1/10 Alm/diC22:1PC. The different effect of Alm on the thickness changes of the two bilayers is consistent with Alm having a hydrophobic thickness close to the hydrophobic thickness of 27 A for DOPC; Alm is then mismatched with the 7 A thicker diC22:1PC bilayer. The X-ray data indicate that Alm decreases the bending modulus (K(C)) by a factor of approximately 2 in DOPC and a factor of approximately 10 in diC22:1PC membranes (P/L approximately 1/10). The van der Waals and fluctuational interactions between bilayers are also evaluated through determination of the anisotropic B compressibility modulus.

Influence of length and conformation of saccharide head groups on the mechanics of glycolipid membranes: Unraveled by off-specular neutron scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Akihisa; Abuillan, Wasim; Burk, Alexandra S.; Körner, Alexander; Ries, Annika; Werz, Daniel B.; Demé, Bruno; Tanaka, Motomu

2015-04-01

The mechanical properties of multilayer stacks of Gb3 glycolipid that play key roles in metabolic disorders (Fabry disease) were determined quantitatively by using specular and off-specular neutron scattering. Because of the geometry of membrane stacks deposited on planar substrates, the scattered intensity profile was analyzed in a 2D reciprocal space map as a function of in-plane and out-of-plane scattering vector components. The two principal mechanical parameters of the membranes, namely, bending rigidity and compression modulus, can be quantified by full calculation of scattering functions with the aid of an effective cut-off radius that takes the finite sample size into consideration. The bulkier "bent" Gb3 trisaccharide group makes the membrane mechanics distinctly different from cylindrical disaccharide (lactose) head groups and shorter "bent" disaccharide (gentiobiose) head groups. The mechanical characterization of membranes enriched with complex glycolipids has high importance in understanding the mechanisms of diseases such as sphingolipidoses caused by the accumulation of non-degenerated glycosphingolipids in lysosomes or inhibition of protein synthesis triggered by the specific binding of Shiga toxin to Gb3.

Influence of length and conformation of saccharide head groups on the mechanics of glycolipid membranes: Unraveled by off-specular neutron scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamamoto, Akihisa, E-mail: ayamamoto@icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: tanaka@uni-heidelberg.de; Tanaka, Motomu, E-mail: ayamamoto@icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: tanaka@uni-heidelberg.de; Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences

2015-04-21

The mechanical properties of multilayer stacks of Gb3 glycolipid that play key roles in metabolic disorders (Fabry disease) were determined quantitatively by using specular and off-specular neutron scattering. Because of the geometry of membrane stacks deposited on planar substrates, the scattered intensity profile was analyzed in a 2D reciprocal space map as a function of in-plane and out-of-plane scattering vector components. The two principal mechanical parameters of the membranes, namely, bending rigidity and compression modulus, can be quantified by full calculation of scattering functions with the aid of an effective cut-off radius that takes the finite sample size into consideration.more » The bulkier “bent” Gb3 trisaccharide group makes the membrane mechanics distinctly different from cylindrical disaccharide (lactose) head groups and shorter “bent” disaccharide (gentiobiose) head groups. The mechanical characterization of membranes enriched with complex glycolipids has high importance in understanding the mechanisms of diseases such as sphingolipidoses caused by the accumulation of non-degenerated glycosphingolipids in lysosomes or inhibition of protein synthesis triggered by the specific binding of Shiga toxin to Gb3.« less

Regional variation in wood modulus of elasticity (stiffness) and modulus of rupture (strength) of planted loblolly pine in the United States

Treesearch

Antony Finto; Lewis Jordan; Laurence R. Schimleck; Alexander Clark; Ray A. Souter; Richard F. Daniels

2011-01-01

Modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and specific gravity (SG) are important properties for determining the end-use and value of a piece of lumber. This study addressed the variation in MOE, MOR, and SG with physiographic region, tree height, and wood type. Properties were measured from two static bending samples (dimensions 25.4 mm × 25.4 mm × 406.4...

Electrically responsive materials based on polycarbazole/sodium alginate hydrogel blend for soft and flexible actuator application.

PubMed

Sangwan, Watchara; Petcharoen, Karat; Paradee, Nophawan; Lerdwijitjarud, Wanchai; Sirivat, Anuvat

2016-10-20

The electromechanical properties, namely the storage modulus sensitivity and bending, of sodium alginate (SA) hydrogels and polycarbazole/sodium alginate (PCB/SA) hydrogel blends under applied electric field was investigated. The electromechanical properties of the pristine SA were studied under effects of crosslinking types and SA molecular weights, whereas the PCB/SA hydrogel blends were studied under the effect of PCB concentrations. The storage modulus sensitivity and bending of the pristine SA as crosslinked by the ionic crosslinking agent were found to be higher than those of the covalent crosslinking. The storage modulus sensitivity and deflection of the SA increased monotonically with increasing molecular weight. The highest electromechanical response of the PCB/SA hydrogel blends was obtained from the blend with 0.10% v/v PCB as it provided surprisingly the highest ever storage modulus sensitivity, (G'-G'0)/G'0 where G'0 and G' are the storage modulus without and with applied electric field, respectively, at 18.5 under applied electric field strength of 800V/mm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a reduced section modulus model for determining effects of incising on bending strength and stiffness of structural lumber

Treesearch

Roland Hernandez; Jerrold E. Winandy

2005-01-01

A quantitative model is presented for evaluating the effects of incising on the bending strength and stiffness of structural dimension lumber. This model is based on the premise that bending strength and stiffness are reduced when lumber is incised, and the extent of this reduction is related to the reduction in moment of inertia of the bending members. Measurements of...

Experiment study and FEM simulation on erythrocytes under linear stretching of optical micromanipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ying; Song, Huadong; Zhu, Panpan; Lu, Hao; Tang, Qi

2017-08-01

The elasticity of erythrocytes is an important criterion to evaluate the quality of blood. This paper presents a novel research on erythrocytes' elasticity with the application of optical tweezers and the finite element method (FEM) during blood storage. In this work, the erythrocytes with different in vitro times were linearly stretched by trapping force using optical tweezers and the time dependent elasticity of erythrocytes was investigated. The experimental results indicate that the membrane shear moduli of erythrocytes increased with the increasing in vitro time, namely the elasticity was decreasing. Simultaneously, an erythrocyte shell model with two parameters (membrane thickness h and membrane shear modulus H) was built to simulate the linear stretching states of erythrocytes by the FEM, and the simulations conform to the results obtained in the experiment. The evolution process was found that the erythrocytes membrane thicknesses were decreasing. The analysis assumes that the partial proteins and lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membrane were decomposed during the in vitro preservation of blood, which results in thin thickness, weak bending resistance, and losing elasticity of erythrocyte membrane. This study implies that the FEM can be employed to investigate the inward mechanical property changes of erythrocyte in different environments, which also can be a guideline for studying the erythrocyte mechanical state suffered from different diseases.

Resilient modulus and the fatigue properties of Kansas hot mix asphalt mixes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-08-01

This research study aimed to determine the dynamic modulus, bending stiffness and fatigue properties of four representative Superpave Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) mixtures used in the construction of base layers of Kansas flexible pavements and to compare t...

Effect of Bending Stiffness of the Electroactive Polymer Element on the Performance of a Hybrid Actuator System (HYBAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Tian-Bing; Su, Ji; Jiang, Xiaoning; Rehrig, Paul W.; Zhang, Shujun; Shrout, Thomas R.; Zhang, Qiming

2006-01-01

An electroactive polymer (EAP)-ceramic hybrid actuation system (HYBAS) was developed recently at NASA Langley Research Center. This paper focuses on the effect of the bending stiffness of the EAP component on the performance of a HYBAS, in which the actuation of the EAP element can match the theoretical prediction at various length/thickness ratios for a constant elastic modulus of the EAP component. The effects on the bending stiffness of the elastic modulus and length/thickness ratio of the EAP component were studied. A critical bending stiffness to keep the actuation of the EAP element suitable for a rigid beam theory-based modeling was found for electron irradiated P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer. For example, the agreement of experimental data and theoretical modeling for a HYBAS with the length/thickness ratio of EAP element at 375 times is demonstrated. However, the beam based theoretical modeling becomes invalid (i.e., the profile of the HYBAS movement does not follow the prediction of theoretical modeling) when the bending stiffness is lower than a critical value.

Membrane Bending by Protein Crowding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stachowiak, Jeanne

2014-03-01

From endosomes and synaptic vesicles to the cristae of the mitochondria and the annulus of the nuclear pore, highly curved membranes are fundamental to the structure and physiology of living cells. The established view is that specific families of proteins are able to bend membranes by binding to them. For example, inherently curved proteins are thought to impose their structure on the membrane surface, while membrane-binding proteins with hydrophobic motifs are thought to insert into the membrane like wedges, driving curvature. However, computational models have recently revealed that these mechanisms would require specialized membrane-bending proteins to occupy nearly 100% of a curved membrane surface, an improbable physiological situation given the immense density and diversity of membrane-bound proteins, and the low expression levels of these specialized proteins within curved regions of the membrane. How then does curvature arise within the complex and crowded environment of cellular membranes? Our recent work using proteins involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, as well as engineered protein-lipid interactions, has suggested a new hypothesis - that lateral pressure generated by collisions between membrane-bound proteins can drive membrane bending. Specifically, by correlating membrane bending with quantitative optical measurements of protein density on synthetic membrane surfaces and simple physical models of collisions among membrane-bound proteins, we have demonstrated that protein-protein steric interactions can drive membrane curvature. These findings suggest that a simple imbalance in the concentration of membrane-bound proteins across a membrane surface can drive a membrane to bend, providing an efficient mechanism by which essentially any protein can contribute to shaping membranes.

Synaptotagmin-mediated bending of the target membrane is a critical step in Ca2+-regulated fusion

PubMed Central

Hui, Enfu; Johnson, Colin P.; Yao, Jun; Dunning, F. Mark; Chapman, Edwin R.

2009-01-01

Summary Decades ago it was proposed that exocytosis involves invagination of the target membrane, resulting in a highly localized site of contact between the bilayers destined to fuse. The vesicle protein synaptotagmin-I (syt) bends membranes in response to Ca2+, but whether this drives localized invagination of the target membrane to accelerate fusion has not been determined; previous studies relied on reconstituted vesicles that were already highly curved and used mutations in syt that were not selective for membrane-bending activity. Here, we directly address this question by utilizing vesicles with different degrees of curvature. A tubulation-defective syt mutant was able to promote fusion between highly curved SNARE-bearing liposomes, but exhibited a marked loss of activity when the membranes were relatively flat. Moreover, bending of flat membranes by adding an N-BAR domain rescued the function of the tubulation-deficient syt mutant. Hence, syt-mediated membrane bending is a critical step in membrane fusion. PMID:19703397

Explicit formulation of an anisotropic Allman/DKT 3-node thin triangular flat shell elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ertas, A.; Krafcik, J. T.; Ekwaro-Osire, S.

A simple, explicit formulation of the stiffness matrix for an anisotropic, 3-node, thin triangular, flat shell element in global coordinates is presented. An Allman triangle is used for membrane stiffness. The membrane stiffness matrix is explicitly derived by applying an Allman transformation to a Felippa 6-node linear strain triangle (LST). Bending stiffness is incorporated by the use of a discrete Kirchhoff triangle (DKT) bending triangle. Stiffness terms resulting from anisotropic membrane-bending coupling are included by integrating, in area coordinates, membrane and bending strain-displacement matrices.

One-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Analytical Solutions for Functionally Graded Beams with Different Moduli in Tension and Compression

PubMed Central

Li, Xue; Dong, Jiao

2018-01-01

The material considered in this study not only has a functionally graded characteristic but also exhibits different tensile and compressive moduli of elasticity. One-dimensional and two-dimensional mechanical models for a functionally graded beam with a bimodular effect were established first. By taking the grade function as an exponential expression, the analytical solutions of a bimodular functionally graded beam under pure bending and lateral-force bending were obtained. The regression from a two-dimensional solution to a one-dimensional solution is verified. The physical quantities in a bimodular functionally graded beam are compared with their counterparts in a classical problem and a functionally graded beam without a bimodular effect. The validity of the plane section assumption under pure bending and lateral-force bending is analyzed. Three typical cases that the tensile modulus is greater than, equal to, or less than the compressive modulus are discussed. The result indicates that due to the introduction of the bimodular functionally graded effect of the materials, the maximum tensile and compressive bending stresses may not take place at the bottom and top of the beam. The real location at which the maximum bending stress takes place is determined via the extreme condition for the analytical solution. PMID:29772835

Damage formation, fatigue behavior and strength properties of ZrO{sub 2}-based ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kozulin, A. A., E-mail: kozulyn@ftf.tsu.ru; Kulkov, S. S.; Narikovich, A. S.

It is suggested that a non-destructive testing technique using a three-dimensional X-ray tomography be applied to detecting internal structural defects and monitoring damage formation in a ceramic composite structure subjected to a bending load. Three-point bending tests are used to investigate the fatigue behavior and mechanical and physical properties of medical-grade ZrO{sub 2}-based ceramics. The bending strength and flexural modulus are derived under static conditions at a loading rate of 2 mm/min. The fatigue strength and fatigue limit under dynamic loading are investigated at a frequency of 10 Hz in three stress ranges: 0.91–0.98, 0.8–0.83, and 0.73–0.77 MPa of themore » static bending strength. The average values of the bending strength and flexural modulus of sintered specimens are 43 MPa and 22 GPa, respectively. The mechanical properties of the ceramics are found to be similar to those of bone tissues. The testing results lead us to conclude that the fatigue limit obtained from 10{sup 5} stress cycles is in the range 33–34 MPa, i.e. it accounts for about 75% of the static bending strength for the test material.« less

46 CFR 32.59-1 - Minimum section modulus and plating thickness requirements-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... of that which is necessary to meet the bending moment developed under a full load condition in still water, using a permissible bending stress of 12.74 kN/cm2 (1.30 t/cm2, 8.25 Ltf/in2). (d) Within the 40...

46 CFR 32.59-1 - Minimum section modulus and plating thickness requirements-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... of that which is necessary to meet the bending moment developed under a full load condition in still water, using a permissible bending stress of 12.74 kN/cm2 (1.30 t/cm2, 8.25 Ltf/in2). (d) Within the 40...

46 CFR 32.59-1 - Minimum section modulus and plating thickness requirements-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... of that which is necessary to meet the bending moment developed under a full load condition in still water, using a permissible bending stress of 12.74 kN/cm2 (1.30 t/cm2, 8.25 Ltf/in2). (d) Within the 40...

46 CFR 32.59-1 - Minimum section modulus and plating thickness requirements-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... of that which is necessary to meet the bending moment developed under a full load condition in still water, using a permissible bending stress of 12.74 kN/cm2 (1.30 t/cm2, 8.25 Ltf/in2). (d) Within the 40...

46 CFR 32.59-1 - Minimum section modulus and plating thickness requirements-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... of that which is necessary to meet the bending moment developed under a full load condition in still water, using a permissible bending stress of 12.74 kN/cm2 (1.30 t/cm2, 8.25 Ltf/in2). (d) Within the 40...

Elastic modulus affects the growth and differentiation of neural stem cells

PubMed Central

Jiang, Xian-feng; Yang, Kai; Yang, Xiao-qing; Liu, Ying-fu; Cheng, Yuan-chi; Chen, Xu-yi; Tu, Yue

2015-01-01

It remains poorly understood if carrier hardness, elastic modulus, and contact area affect neural stem cell growth and differentiation. Tensile tests show that the elastic moduli of Tiansu and SMI silicone membranes are lower than that of an ordinary dish, while the elastic modulus of SMI silicone membrane is lower than that of Tiansu silicone membrane. Neural stem cells from the cerebral cortex of embryonic day 16 Sprague-Dawley rats were seeded onto ordinary dishes as well as Tiansu silicone membrane and SMI silicone membrane. Light microscopy showed that neural stem cells on all three carriers show improved adherence. After 7 days of differentiation, neuron specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and myelin basic protein expression was detected by immunofluorescence. Moreover, flow cytometry revealed a higher rate of neural stem cell differentiation into astrocytes on Tiansu and SMI silicone membranes than on the ordinary dish, which was also higher on the SMI than the Tiansu silicone membrane. These findings confirm that all three cell carrier types have good biocompatibility, while SMI and Tiansu silicone membranes exhibit good mechanical homogenization. Thus, elastic modulus affects neural stem cell differentiation into various nerve cells. Within a certain range, a smaller elastic modulus results in a more obvious trend of cell differentiation into astrocytes. PMID:26604916

Data basic to the engineering of reconstituted flakeboard

Treesearch

Robert L. Geimer

1979-01-01

Flakeboards made with uniform densities throughout their thickness and different degrees of flake alignment were used to establish relationships between bending, tension, and compression values of modulus of elasticity or modulus of rupture (or stress to maximum load) and the variables of specific gravity and flake alignment. An equation using sonic velocity as an...

Physics of HIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tristram-Nagle, Stephanie

2018-05-01

This review summarizes over a decade of investigations into how membrane-binding proteins from the HIV-1 virus interact with lipid membrane mimics of various HIV and host T-cell membranes. The goal of the work was to characterize at the molecular level both the elastic and structural changes that occur due to HIV protein/membrane interactions, which could lead to new drugs to thwart the HIV virus. The main technique used to study these interactions is diffuse x-ray scattering, which yields the bending modulus, K C, as well as structural parameters such as membrane thickness, area/lipid and position of HIV peptides (parts of HIV proteins) in the membrane. Our methods also yield information about lipid chain order or disorder caused by the peptides. This review focuses on three stages of the HIV-1 life cycle: (1) infection, (2) Tat membrane transport, and (3) budding. In the infection stage, our lab studied three different parts of HIV-1 gp41 (glycoprotein 41 fusion protein): (1) FP23, the N-terminal 23 amino acids that interact non-specifically with the T-cell host membrane to cause fusion of two membranes, and its trimer version, (2) cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus sequence, on the membrane proximal external region near the membrane-spanning domain, and (3) lentiviral lytic peptide 2 on the cytoplasmic C-terminal tail. For Tat transport, we used membrane mimics of the T-cell nuclear membrane as well as simpler models that varied charge and negative curvature. For membrane budding, we varied the myristoylation of the MA31 peptide as well as the negatively charged lipid. These studies show that HIV peptides with different roles in the HIV life cycle affect differently the relevant membrane mimics. In addition, the membrane lipid composition plays an important role in the peptides’ effects.

An Experimental Study of Fatigue Crack Growth in Aluminum Sheet Subjected to Combined Bending and Membrane Stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Edward P.

1997-01-01

An experimental study was conducted to determine the effects of combined bending and membrane cyclic stresses on the fatigue crack growth behavior of aluminum sheet material. The materials used in the tests were 0.040-in.- thick 2024-T3 alclad and 0.090-in.-thick 2024-T3 bare sheet. In the tests, the membrane stresses were applied as a constant amplitude loading at a stress ratio (minimum to maximum stress) of 0.02, and the bending stresses were applied as a constant amplitude deflection in phase with the membrane stresses. Tests were conducted at ratios of bending to membrane stresses (B/M) of 0, 0.75, and 1.50. The general trends of the results were for larger effects of bending for the higher B/M ratios, the lower membrane stresses, and the thicker material. The addition of cyclic bending stresses to a test with cyclic membrane stresses had only a small effect on the growth rates of through-thickness cracks in the thin material, but had a significant effect on the crack growth rates of through-thickness cracks in the thick material. Adding bending stresses to a test had the most effect on the initiation and early growth of cracks and had less effect on the growth of long through-thickness cracks.

Bulk Modulus Relaxation in Partially Molten Dunite?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, I.; Cline, C. J., II

2016-12-01

Synthetic solgel-derived Fo90 olivine was mixed with 3.5 wt % basaltic glass and hot-pressed within Ni/Fe foil to produce a dense aggregate expected to contain a small melt fraction at temperatures ≥ 1100°C. This specimen was precision ground and tested in both torsional and flexural forced oscillation to determine the relaxation behavior of both shear (G) and bulk (K) moduli at seismic frequencies. A recent upgrade of our experimental facility allows such measurements to be made without alteration of the driver/detector geometry, and uses an oscillating bending force rather than a bending moment, as previously described. The torsional and flexural tests were conducted in a gas apparatus at 200 MPa confining pressure, with oscillation periods ranging between 1 and 1000 s, during slow staged-cooling from 1300 to 25°C. Shear modulus and associated dissipation data are consistent with those for melt-bearing olivine specimens previously tested in torsion, with a pronounced dissipation peak superimposed on high-temperature background within the 1-1000 s observational window at temperatures of 1100-1200°C. A filament elongation model relates the observed flexural measurements to the variations along the experimental assembly of the complex Young's modulus (E*), bending moment and diametral moment of inertia. With E* given by 1/E*=1/(3G*) + 1/(9K*), and the complex shear modulus (G*) derived from torsional oscillation, any relaxation of K can be identified. Preliminary modeling shows that the viscoelastic properties in flexure are broadly consistent with those expected from the shear-mode viscoelasticity with anharmonic (real) values of K. However, some discrepancies between modeled results and flexure data at super-solidus temperatures require further investigation of possible differences in shear modulus relaxation between the torsional and flexural modes, and of potential relaxation of the bulk modulus through stress-induced changes in melt redistribution and/or proportions of coexisting crystalline and melt phases.

Two-dimensional membrane as elastic shell with proof on the folds revealed by three-dimensional atomic mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jiong; Deng, Qingming; Ly, Thuc Hue; Han, Gang Hee; Sandeep, Gorantla; Rümmeli, Mark H.

2015-11-01

The great application potential for two-dimensional (2D) membranes (MoS2, WSe2, graphene and so on) aroused much effort to understand their fundamental mechanical properties. The out-of-plane bending rigidity is the key factor that controls the membrane morphology under external fields. Herein we provide an easy method to reconstruct the 3D structures of the folded edges of these 2D membranes on the atomic scale, using high-resolution (S)TEM images. After quantitative comparison with continuum mechanics shell model, it is verified that the bending behaviour of the studied 2D materials can be well explained by the linear elastic shell model. And the bending rigidities can thus be derived by fitting with our experimental results. Recall almost only theoretical approaches can access the bending properties of these 2D membranes before, now a new experimental method to measure the bending rigidity of such flexible and atomic thick 2D membranes is proposed.

Elastic properties and fracture strength of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, T. L.

1977-01-01

A research program is described which was devised to determine experimentally the elastic properties in tension and bending of quasi-isotropic laminates made from high-modulus graphite fiber and epoxy. Four laminate configurations were investigated, and determinations were made of the tensile modulus, Poisson's ratio, bending stiffness, fracture strength, and fracture strain. The measured properties are compared with those predicted by laminate theory, reasons for scatter in the experimental data are discussed, and the effect of fiber misalignment on predicted elastic tensile properties is examined. The results strongly suggest that fiber misalignment in combination with variation in fiber volume content is responsible for the scatter in both elastic constants and fracture strength.

On the bending properties of porcine mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valve leaflets.

PubMed

Brazile, Bryn; Wang, Bo; Wang, Guangjun; Bertucci, Robbin; Prabhu, Raj; Patnaik, Sourav S; Butler, J Ryan; Claude, Andrew; Brinkman-Ferguson, Erin; Williams, Lakiesha N; Liao, Jun

2015-01-01

The atrioventricular valve leaflets (mitral and tricuspid) are different from the semilunar valve leaflets (aortic and pulmonary) in layered structure, ultrastructural constitution and organization, and leaflet thickness. These differences warrant a comparative look at the bending properties of the four types of leaflets. We found that the moment-curvature relationships in atrioventricular valves were stiffer than in semilunar valves, and the moment-curvature relationships of the left-side valve leaflets were stiffer than their morphological analog of the right side. These trends were supported by the moment-curvature curves and the flexural rigidity analysis (EI value decreased from mitral, tricuspid, aortic, to pulmonary leaflets). However, after taking away the geometric effect (moment of inertia I), the instantaneous effective bending modulus E showed a reversed trend. The overall trend of flexural rigidity (EI: mitral > tricuspid > aortic > pulmonary) might be correlated with the thickness variations among the four types of leaflets (thickness: mitral > tricuspid > aortic > pulmonary). The overall trend of the instantaneous effective bending modulus (E: mitral < tricuspid < aortic < pulmonary) might be correlated to the layered fibrous ultrastructures of the four types of leaflets, of which the fibers in mitral and tricuspid leaflets were less aligned, and the fibers in aortic and pulmonary leaflets were highly aligned. We also found that, for all types of leaflets, moment-curvature relationships are stiffer in against-curvature (AC) bending than in with-curvature bending (WC), which implies that leaflets tend to flex toward their natural curvature and comply with blood flow. Lastly, we observed that the leaflets were stiffer in circumferential bending compared with radial bending, likely reflecting the physiological motion of the leaflets, i.e., more bending moment and movement were experienced in radial direction than circumferential direction.

Bending moduli of microemulsions; comparison of results from small angle neutron scattering and neutron spin-echo spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monkenbusch, M.; Holderer, O.; Frielinghaus, H.; Byelov, D.; Allgaier, J.; Richter, D.

2005-08-01

The properties of bicontinuous microemulsions, consisting of water, oil and a surfactant, depend to a large extent on the bending moduli of the surfactant containing oil-water interface. In systems with CiEj as surfactant these moduli can be modified by the addition of diblock copolymers (boosting effect) and homopolymers (inverse boosting effect) or a combination of both. The influence of the addition of homopolymers (PEPX and PEOX, X = 5 or 10 kg/mol molecular weight) on the structure, bending modulus and dynamics of the surfactant layer is studied with small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE). Besides providing information on the microemulsion structure, neutron scattering is a microscopic probe that can be used to measure the local bending modulus κ. The polymer addition gives access to a homologous series of microemulsions with changing κ values. We relate the results obtained by analysis of SANS to those from NSE experiments. Comparison of the bending moduli obtained sheds light on the different renormalization length scales for NSE and SANS. Comparison of SANS and NSE derived κ values yields a consistent picture if renormalization properties are observed. Finally a ready to use method for converting NSE data into reliable values for κ is presented.

Simplified method for calculating shear deflections of beams.

Treesearch

I. Orosz

1970-01-01

When one designs with wood, shear deflections can become substantial compared to deflections due to moments, because the modulus of elasticity in bending differs from that in shear by a large amount. This report presents a simplified energy method to calculate shear deflections in bending members. This simplified approach should help designers decide whether or not...

Predicting bending stiffness of randomly oriented hybrid panels

Treesearch

Laura Moya; William T.Y. Tze; Jerrold E. Winandy

2010-01-01

This study was conducted to develop a simple model to predict the bending modulus of elasticity (MOE) of randomly oriented hybrid panels. The modeling process involved three modules: the behavior of a single layer was computed by applying micromechanics equations, layer properties were adjusted for densification effects, and the entire panel was modeled as a three-...

Improving the estimate of the effective elastic modulus derived from three-point bending tests of long bones.

PubMed

Kourtis, Lampros C; Carter, Dennis R; Beaupre, Gary S

2014-08-01

Three-point bending tests are often used to determine the apparent or effective elastic modulus of long bones. The use of beam theory equations to interpret such tests can result in a substantial underestimation of the true effective modulus. In this study three-dimensional, nonlinear finite element analysis is used to quantify the errors inherent in beam theory and to create plots that can be used to correct the elastic modulus calculated from beam theory. Correction plots are generated for long bones representative of a variety of species commonly used in research studies. For a long bone with dimensions comparable to the mouse femur, the majority of the error in the effective elastic modulus results from deformations to the bone cross section that are not accounted for in the equations from beam theory. In some cases, the effective modulus calculated from beam theory can be less than one-third of the true effective modulus. Errors are larger: (1) for bones having short spans relative to bone length; (2) for bones with thin vs. thick cortices relative to periosteal diameter; and (3) when using a small radius or "knife-edge" geometry for the center loading ram and the outer supports in the three-point testing system. The use of these correction plots will enable researchers to compare results for long bones from different animal strains and to compare results obtained using testing systems that differ with regard to length between the outer supports and the radius used for the loading ram and outer supports.

Effects of surface roughening of Nafion 117 on the mechanical and physicochemical properties of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yanjie; Zhu, Zicai; Liu, Jiayu; Chang, Longfei; Chen, Hualing

2016-08-01

In this paper, the surface of a Nafion membrane was roughened by the sandblasting method, mainly considering the change of sandblasting time and powder size. The roughened surfaces were characterized in terms of their topography from the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and SEM. The key surface parameters, such as Sa (the arithmetical mean deviation of the specified surface profile), SSA (the surface area ratio before and after roughening) and the area measurement on the histogram from the CLSM images, were extracted and evaluated from the roughened membranes. Also, the detailed change in surface and interfacial electrodes were measured and discussed together with the surface resistance, equivalent modulus, capacitance and performances of IPMC actuators based on the roughened membranes. The results show that a suitable sandblasting condition, resulting in the decrease in the bending stiffness and the increase in the interface area closely related to the capacitance, can effectively increase the electromechanical responses of IPMCs. Although the surface roughening by sandblasting caused a considerable lowering of mechanical strength, it was very effective for enlarging the interfacial area between Nafion membrane and the electrode layers, and for forming a penetrated electrode structure, which facilitated improvement of the surface resistance and capacitance characteristics of IPMCs. In this work, a quantitative relationship was built between the topography of Nafion membrane surface and electromechanical performance of IPMCs by means of sandblasting.

Flexural Vibration Test of a Cantilever Beam with a Force Sensor: Fast Determination of Young's Modulus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Digilov, Rafael M.

2008-01-01

We describe a simple and very inexpensive undergraduate laboratory experiment for fast determination of Young's modulus at moderate temperatures with the aid of a force sensor. A strip-shaped specimen rigidly bolted to the force sensor forms a clamped-free cantilever beam. Placed in a furnace, it is subjected to free-bending vibrations followed by…

Fine-pore aeration diffusers: accelerated membrane ageing studies.

PubMed

Kaliman, An; Rosso, Diego; Leu, Shao-Yuan; Stenstrom, Michael K

2008-01-01

Polymeric membranes are widely used in aeration systems for biological treatment. These membranes may degrade over time and are sensitive to fouling and scaling. Membrane degradation is reflected in a decline in operating performance and higher headloss, resulting in increased energy costs. Mechanical property parameters, such as membrane hardness, Young's modulus, and orifice creep, were used to characterize the performance of membranes over time in operation and to predict their failure. Used diffusers from municipal wastewater treatment plants were collected and tested for efficiency and headloss, and then dissected to facilitate measurements of Young's modulus, hardness, and orifice creep. Higher degree of membrane fouling corresponded consistently with larger orifice creep. A lab-scale membrane ageing simulation was performed with polyurethane and four different ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) membrane diffusers by subjecting them to chemical ageing cycles and periodic testing. The results confirmed full-scale plant results and showed the superiority of orifice creep over Young's modulus and hardness in predicting diffuser deterioration.

Model For Bending Actuators That Use Electrostrictive Graft Elastomers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costen, Robert C.; Su, Ji; Harrison, Joycelyn S.

2001-01-01

Recently, it was reported that an electrostrictive graft elastomer exhibits large electric field-induced strain (4%). Combined with its high mechanical modulus, the elastomer can offer very promising electromechanical properties, in terms of output mechanical energy density, for an electroactive polymeric material. Therefore, it has been considered as one of the candidates that can be used in high performance, low mass actuation devices in many aerospace applications. Various bilayer- based bending actuators have been designed and fabricated. An analytic model based on beam theory in the strength of materials has been derived for the transverse deflection, or curvature, and the longitudinal strain of the bi-layer beam. The curvature and strain are functions of the applied voltage and the thickness, width, and Young s modulus of the active and passive layers. The model can be used to optimize the performance of electrostrictive graft elastomer-based actuators to meet the requirements of various applications. In this presentation, optimization and sensitivity studies are applied to the bending performance of such actuators.

Electrical and mechanical characteristics of fully transparent IZO thin-film transistors on stress-relieving bendable substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sukhyung; Cho, Kyoungah; Oh, Hyungon; Kim, Sangsig

2016-10-01

In this study, we report the electrical and mechanical characteristics of fully transparent indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated on stress-relieving bendable substrates. An IZO TFT on a stress-relieving substrate can operate normally at a bending radius of 6 mm, while an IZO TFT on a normal plastic substrate fails to operate normally at a bending radius of 15 mm. A plastic island with high Young's modulus embedded on a soft elastomer layer with low Young's modulus plays the role of a stress-relieving substrate for the operation of the bent IZO TFT. The stress and strain distributions over the IZO TFT will be analyzed in detail in this paper.

Effect of cobalt doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vahtrus, Mikk; Šutka, Andris

In this work, we investigate the influence of doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires (NWs) by comparing the mechanical properties of pure and Co-doped ZnO NWs grown in similar conditions and having the same crystallographic orientation [0001]. The mechanical characterization included three-point bending tests made with atomic force microscopy and cantilever beam bending tests performed inside scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the Young's modulus of ZnO NWs containing 5% of Co was approximately a third lower than that of the pure ZnO NWs. Bending strength values were comparable for both materials and in both cases weremore » close to theoretical strength indicating high quality of NWs. Dependence of mechanical properties on NW diameter was found for both doped and undoped ZnO NWs. - Highlights: •Effect of Co doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires is studied. •Co substitutes Zn atoms in ZnO crystal lattice. •Co addition affects crystal lattice parameters. •Co addition results in significantly decreased Young's modulus of ZnO. •Bending strength for doped and undoped wires is close to the theoretical strength.« less

Thermal stiffening of clamped elastic ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Duanduan; Nelson, David R.; Bowick, Mark J.

2017-07-01

We use molecular dynamics to study the vibrations of a thermally fluctuating two-dimensional elastic membrane clamped at both ends. We directly extract the eigenmodes from resonant peaks in the frequency domain of the time-dependent height and measure the dependence of the corresponding eigenfrequencies on the microscopic bending rigidity of the membrane, taking care also of the subtle role of thermal contraction in generating a tension when the projected area is fixed. At finite temperatures we show that the effective (macroscopic) bending rigidity tends to a constant as the bare bending rigidity vanishes, consistent with theoretical arguments that the large-scale bending rigidity of the membrane arises from a strong thermal renormalization of the microscopic bending rigidity. Experimental realizations include covalently bonded two-dimensional atomically thin membranes such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide or soft matter systems such as the spectrin skeleton of red blood cells or diblock copolymers.

Mechanical properties of stemwood and limbwood of seed orchard loblolly pine

Treesearch

R. H. McAlister; H. R. Powers; W. D. Pepper

2000-01-01

Tests were made on micro-bending specimens prepared from stem and limb sections of 11 rust-resistant loblolly pines from a central Georgia seed orchard. A fair correlation (|r| = 0.45 to 0.55) emerged between the stemwood and limbwood modulus of elasticity (MOE) and stemwood and limbwood modulus ofrupture (MOR) values. An excellent correlation (|r| = 0.8 to 0.9)...

Effect of thermodisinfection on mechanic parameters of cancellous bone.

PubMed

Fölsch, Christian; Kellotat, Andreas; Rickert, Markus; Ishaque, Bernd; Ahmed, Gafar; Pruss, Axel; Jahnke, Alexander

2016-09-01

Revision surgery of joint replacements is increasing and raises the demand for allograft bone since restoration of bone stock is crucial for longevity of implants. Proceedings of bone grafts influence the biological and mechanic properties differently. This study examines the effect of thermodisinfection on mechanic properties of cancellous bone. Bone cylinders from both femoral heads with length 45 mm were taken from twenty-three 6-8 months-old piglets, thermodisinfected at 82.5 °C according to bone bank guidelines and control remained native. The specimens were stored at -20 °C immediately and were put into 21 °C Ringer's solution for 3 h before testing. Shear and pressure modulus were tested since three point bending force was examined until destruction. Statistical analysis was done with non-parametric Wilcoxon, t test and SPSS since p < 0.05 was significant. Shear modulus was significantly reduced by thermodisinfection to 1.02 ± 0.31 GPa from 1.28 ± 0.68 GPa for unprocessed cancellous bone (p = 0.029) since thermodisinfection reduced pressure modulus not significantly from 6.30 ± 4.72 GPa for native specimens to 4.97 ± 2.23 GPa and maximum bending force was 270.03 ± 116.68 N for native and 228.80 ± 70.49 N for thermodisinfected cancellous bone. Shear and pressure modulus were reduced by thermodisinfection around 20 % and maximum bending force was impaired by about 15 % compared with native cancellous bone since only the reduction of shear modulus reached significance. The results suggest that thermodisinfection similarly affects different mechanic properties of cancellous bone and the reduction of mechanic properties should not relevantly impair clinical use of thermodisinfected cancellous bone.

Interaction between bending and tension forces in bilayer membranes.

PubMed Central

Secomb, T W

1988-01-01

A theoretical analysis is presented of the bending mechanics of a membrane consisting of two tightly-coupled leaflets, each of which shears and bends readily but strongly resists area changes. Structures of this type have been proposed to model biological membranes such as red blood cell membrane. It is shown that when such a membrane is bent, anisotropic components of resultant membrane tension (shear stresses) are induced, even when the tension in each leaflet is isotropic. The induced shear stresses increase as the square of the membrane curvature, and become significant for moderate curvatures (when the radius of curvature is much larger than the distance between the leaflets). This effect has implications for the analysis of shape and deformation of freely suspended and flowing red blood cells. PMID:3224154

Elastic Properties of Pore-Spanning Apical Cell Membranes Derived from MDCK II Cells.

PubMed

Nehls, Stefan; Janshoff, Andreas

2017-10-17

The mechanical response of adherent, polarized cells to indentation is frequently attributed to the presence of an endogenous actin cortex attached to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Here, we scrutinized the elastic properties of apical membranes separated from living cells and attached to a porous mesh in the absence of intracellular factors originating from the cytosol, organelles, the substrate, neighbors, and the nucleus. We found that a tension-based model describes the data very well providing essentially the prestress of the shell generated by adhesion of the apical membrane patches to the pore rim and the apparent area compressibility modulus, an intrinsic elastic modulus modulated by the surface excess stored in membrane reservoirs. Removal of membrane-associated proteins by proteases decreases the area compressibility modulus, whereas fixation and cross-linking of proteins with glutaraldehyde increases it. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in Mechanical Properties of Rat Bones under Simulated Effects of Microgravity and Radiation†

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Azida H.; Perkins, Otis; Mehta, Rahul; Ali, Nawab; Dobretsov, Maxim; Chowdhury, Parimal

The aim of this study was to determine the changes in elasticity and lattice structure in leg bone of rats which were: 1) under Hind-Limb Suspension (HLS) by tail for 2 weeks and 2) exposed to a total radiation of 10 Grays in 10 days. The animals were sacrificed at the end of 2 weeks and the leg bones were surgically removed, cleaned and fixed with a buffered solution. The mechanical strength of the bone (elastic modulus) was determined from measurement of bending of a bone when under an applied force. Two methodologies were used: i) a 3-point bending technique and ii) classical bending where bending is accomplished keeping one end fixed. Three point bending method used a captive actuator controlled by a programmable IDEA drive. This allowed incremental steps of 0.047 mm for which the force is measured. The data is used to calculate the stress and the strain. In the second method a mirror attached to the free end of the bone allowed a reflected laser beam spot to be tracked. This provided the displacement measurement as stress levels changed. Analysis of stress vs. strain graph together with solution of Euler-Bernoulli equation for a cantilever beam allowed determination of the elastic modulus of the leg bone for (i) control samples, (ii) HLS samples and (iii) HLS samples with radiation effects. To ascertain changes in the bone lattice structure, the bones were cross-sectioned and imaged with a 20 keV beam of electrons in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). A backscattered detector and a secondary electron detector in the SEM provided the images from well-defined parts of the leg bones. Elemental compositions in combination with mechanical properties (elastic modulus and lattice structure) changes indicated weakening of the bones under space-like conditions of microgravity and radiation.

Characterization of bending EAP beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Chang, Zensheu; Sherrit, Stewart

2004-01-01

Electroactive polymers are attractive actuation materials because of their large deformation, flexibility, and lightweight. A CCD camera system was constructed to record the curved shapes of bending during the activation of EAP films and image-processing software was developed to digitize the bending curves. A computer program was developed to solve the invese problem of cantilever EAP beams with tip position limiter. using the developed program and acquired curves without tip position limiter as well as the corresponding tip force, the EAP material properties of voltage-strain sensitivity and Young's modulus were determined.

The flexural properties of endodontic post materials.

PubMed

Stewardson, Dominic A; Shortall, Adrian C; Marquis, Peter M; Lumley, Philip J

2010-08-01

To measure the flexural strengths and moduli of endodontic post materials and to assess the effect on the calculated flexural properties of varying the diameter/length (D/L) ratio of three-point bend test samples. Three-point bend testing of samples of 2mm diameter metal and fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) rods was carried out and the mechanical properties calculated at support widths of 16 mm, 32 mm and 64 mm. Weibull analysis was performed on the strength data. The flexural strengths of all the FRC post materials exceeded the yield strengths of the gold and stainless steel samples; the flexural strengths of two FRC materials were comparable with the yield strength of titanium. Stainless steel recorded the highest flexural modulus while the titanium and the two carbon fiber materials exhibited similar values just exceeding that of gold. The remaining glass fiber materials were of lower modulus within the range of 41-57 GPa. Weibull modulus values for the FRC materials ranged from 16.77 to 30.09. Decreasing the L/D ratio produced a marked decrease in flexural modulus for all materials. The flexural strengths of FRC endodontic post materials as new generally exceed the yield strengths of metals from which endodontic posts are made. The high Weibull modulus values suggest good clinical reliability of FRC posts. The flexural modulus values of the tested posts were from 2-6 times (FRC) to 4-10 times (metal) that of dentin. Valid measurement of flexural properties of endodontic post materials requires that test samples have appropriate L/D ratios. Copyright 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical characterization of metallic nanowires by using a customized atomic microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celik, Emrah

A new experimental method to characterize the mechanical properties of metallic nanowires is introduced. An accurate and fast mechanical characterization of nanowires requires simultaneous imaging and testing of nanowires. However, there exists no practical experimental procedure in the literature that provides a quantitative mechanical analysis and imaging of the nanowire specimens during mechanical testing. In this study, a customized atomic force microscope (AFM) is placed inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to locate the position of the nanowires. The tip of the atomic force microscope cantilever is utilized to bend and break the nanowires. The nanowires are prepared by electroplating of nickel ions into the nanoscale pores of the alumina membranes. Force versus bending displacement responses of these nanowires are measured experimentally and then compared against those of the finite element analysis and peridynamic simulations to extract their mechanical properties through an inverse approach. The average elastic modulus of nickel nanowires, which are extracted using finite element analysis and peridynamic simulations, varies between 220 GPa and 225 GPa. The elastic modulus of bulk nickel published in the literature is comparable to that of nickel nanowires. This observation agrees well with the previous findings on nanowires stating that the elastic modulus of nanowires with diameters over 100nm is similar to that of bulk counterparts. The average yield stress of nickel nanowires, which are extracted using finite element analysis and peridynamic simulations, is found to be between 3.6 GPa to 4.1 GPa. The average value of yield stress of nickel nanowires with 250nm diameter is significantly higher than that of bulk nickel. Higher yield stress of nickel nanowires observed in this study can be explained by the lower defect density of nickel nanowires when compared to their bulk counterparts. Deviation in the extracted mechanical properties is investigated by analyzing the major sources of uncertainty in the experimental procedure. The effects of the nanowire orientation, the loading position and the nanowire diameter on the mechanical test results are quantified using ANSYS simulations. Among all of these three sources of uncertainty investigated, the nanowire diameter has been found to have the most significant effect on the extracted mechanical properties.

Experimental shear strength of unchecked solid-sawn Douglas-fir

Treesearch

D. R. Rammer; L. A. Soltis; P. K. Lebow

This report presents experimental results of modulus of rupture and shear strength tests on unsplit, green, sawn Douglas-fir lumber. Five different size-matched specimens, ranging from nominal 2-by 4-in (standard 38- by 89-mm) to nominal 4- by 14-in (standard 95-by 343-mm), were tested in third-point bending and five-point beam shear. A total of 120 bending and 160...

Limited evaluation of physical and mechanical properties of Nepal alder grown in Hawaii

Treesearch

C. C. Gerhards

1964-01-01

Nepal alder (Alnus nepalensis ) grown in Hawaii was evaluated for shrinkage, strength in bending, and hardness. This Hawaii-grown wood was comparable in bending strength to wood of the same species grown in Bengal, India, but was lower in modulus of elasticity and exhibited greater hardness and shrinkage. It was also harder than such Mainland species as aspen (Populus...

Temperature corrections for mechanically graded lumber

Treesearch

David W. Green; James W. Evans; James D. Logan; Jim Allen

1999-01-01

The continuous lumber tester (CLT) is the most widely used grading machine in the world. With the CLT, the flatwise bending stiffness of lumber is measured as it passes through the machine. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) is calculated from the force required to bend the lumber to a fixed deflection of 7.94 mm (5/16 in.), and this MOE is used in assigning a machine...

Analysis of the variation in the determination of the shear modulus of the erythrocyte membrane: Effects of the constitutive law and membrane modeling

PubMed Central

Dimitrakopoulos, P.

2013-01-01

Despite research spanning several decades, the exact value of the shear modulus Gs of the erythrocyte membrane is still ambiguous, and a wealth of studies, using measurements based on micropipette aspirations, ektacytometry systems and other flow chambers, and optical tweezers as well as application of several models have found different average values in the range 2–10 µN/m. Our study shows that different methodologies have predicted the correct shear modulus for the specific membrane modeling employed, i.e. the variation in the shear modulus determination results from the specific membrane modeling. Available experimental findings from ektacytometry systems and optical tweezers suggest that the dynamics of the erythrocyte membrane is strain-hardening at both moderate and large deformations. Thus the erythrocyte shear modulus cannot be determined accurately using strain-softening models (such as the neo-Hookean and Evans laws) or strain-softening/strain-hardening models (such as the Yeoh law) which overestimate the erythrocyte shear modulus. According to our analysis, the only available strain-hardening constitutive law, the Skalak et al. law, is able to match well both deformation-shear rate data from ektacytometry and force-extension data from optical tweezers at moderate and large strains, using an average value of the shear modulus of Gs = 2.4–2.75 µN/m, i.e. very close to that found in the linear regime of deformations via force-extension data from optical tweezers, Gs = 2.5±0.4 µN/m. In addition, our analysis suggests that a standard deviation in Gs of 0.4–0.5 µN/m (owing to the inherent differences between erythrocytes within a large population) describes well the findings from optical tweezers at small and large strains as well as from micro-pipette aspirations. PMID:22680508

Membrane bending: the power of protein imbalance.

PubMed

Derganc, Jure; Antonny, Bruno; Copič, Alenka

2013-11-01

Many cellular processes require membrane deformation, which is driven by specialized protein machinery and can often be recapitulated using pure lipid bilayers. However, biological membranes contain a large amount of embedded proteins. Recent research suggests that membrane-bound proteins with asymmetric distribution of mass across the bilayer can influence membrane bending in a nonspecific manner due to molecular crowding. This mechanism is physical in nature and arises from collisions between such 'mushroom-shaped' proteins. It can either facilitate or impede the action of protein coats, for example COPII, during vesicle budding. We describe the physics of how molecular crowding can influence membrane bending and discuss the implications for other cellular processes, such as sorting of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) and production of intraluminal vesicles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioinspired model of mechanical energy harvesting based on flexoelectric membranes.

PubMed

Rey, Alejandro D; Servio, P; Herrera-Valencia, E E

2013-02-01

Membrane flexoelectricity is an electromechanical coupling process that describes membrane electrical polarization due to bending and membrane bending under electric fields. In this paper we propose, formulate, and characterize a mechanical energy harvesting system consisting of a deformable soft flexoelectric thin membrane subjected to harmonic forcing from contacting bulk fluids. The key elements of the energy harvester are formulated and characterized, including (i) the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency, (ii) the electromechanical shape equation connecting fluid forces with membrane curvature and electric displacement, and (iii) the electric power generation and efficiency. The energy conversion efficiency is cast as the ratio of flexoelectric coupling to the product of electric and bending elasticity. The device is described by a second-order curvature dynamics coupled to the electric displacement equation and as such results in mechanical power absorption with a resonant peak whose amplitude decreases with bending viscosity. The electric power generation is proportional to the conversion factor and the power efficiency decreases with frequency. Under high bending viscosity, the power efficiency increases with the conversion factor and under low viscosities it decreases with the conversion factor. The theoretical results presented contribute to the ongoing experimental efforts to develop mechanical energy harvesting from fluid flow energy through solid-fluid interactions and electromechanical transduction.

Effects of density, cellulose nanofibrils addition ratio, pressing method, and particle size on the bending properties of wet-formed particleboard

Treesearch

Weiqi Leng; John F. Hunt; Mehdi Tajvidi

2017-01-01

Wet-formed particleboard bonded with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) was prepared in this work. The effects of density, CNF addition ratio, pressing method, and particle size on the bending strength were evaluated. The results showed that density had the most important effect on the modulus of elasticity (MOE), while the CNF addition ratio had the most important effect on...

Estimation of the Young's modulus of the human pars tensa using in-situ pressurization and inverse finite-element analysis.

PubMed

Rohani, S Alireza; Ghomashchi, Soroush; Agrawal, Sumit K; Ladak, Hanif M

2017-03-01

Finite-element models of the tympanic membrane are sensitive to the Young's modulus of the pars tensa. The aim of this work is to estimate the Young's modulus under a different experimental paradigm than currently used on the human tympanic membrane. These additional values could potentially be used by the auditory biomechanics community for building consensus. The Young's modulus of the human pars tensa was estimated through inverse finite-element modelling of an in-situ pressurization experiment. The experiments were performed on three specimens with a custom-built pressurization unit at a quasi-static pressure of 500 Pa. The shape of each tympanic membrane before and after pressurization was recorded using a Fourier transform profilometer. The samples were also imaged using micro-computed tomography to create sample-specific finite-element models. For each sample, the Young's modulus was then estimated by numerically optimizing its value in the finite-element model so simulated pressurized shapes matched experimental data. The estimated Young's modulus values were 2.2 MPa, 2.4 MPa and 2.0 MPa, and are similar to estimates obtained using in-situ single-point indentation testing. The estimates were obtained under the assumptions that the pars tensa is linearly elastic, uniform, isotropic with a thickness of 110 μm, and the estimates are limited to quasi-static loading. Estimates of pars tensa Young's modulus are sensitive to its thickness and inclusion of the manubrial fold. However, they do not appear to be sensitive to optimization initialization, height measurement error, pars flaccida Young's modulus, and tympanic membrane element type (shell versus solid). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small Sample Properties of Asymptotically Efficient Estimators of the Parameters of a Bivariate Gaussian–Weibull Distribution

Treesearch

Steve P. Verrill; James W. Evans; David E. Kretschmann; Cherilyn A. Hatfield

2012-01-01

Two important wood properties are stiffness (modulus of elasticity or MOE) and bending strength (modulus of rupture or MOR). In the past, MOE has often been modeled as a Gaussian and MOR as a lognormal or a two or three parameter Weibull. It is well known that MOE and MOR are positively correlated. To model the simultaneous behavior of MOE and MOR for the purposes of...

Maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters of a bivariate Gaussian-Weibull distribution from machine stress-rated data

Treesearch

Steve P. Verrill; David E. Kretschmann; James W. Evans

2016-01-01

Two important wood properties are stiffness (modulus of elasticity, MOE) and bending strength (modulus of rupture, MOR). In the past, MOE has often been modeled as a Gaussian and MOR as a lognormal or a two- or threeparameter Weibull. It is well known that MOE and MOR are positively correlated. To model the simultaneous behavior of MOE and MOR for the purposes of wood...

Investigation of composite materials property requirements for sonic fatigue research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patrick, H. V. L.

1985-01-01

Experimental techniques for determining the extensional and bending stiffness characteristics for symmetric laminates are presented. Vibrational test techniques for determining the dynamic modulus and material damping are also discussed. Partial extensional stiffness results intially indicate that the laminate theory used for predicting stiffness is accurate. It is clearly shown that the laminate theory can only be as accurate as the physical characteristics describing the lamina, which may vary significantly. It is recommended that all of the stiffness characteristics in both extension and bending be experimentally determined to fully verify the laminate theory. Dynamic modulus should be experimentally evaluated to determine if static data adequately predicts dynamic behavior. Material damping should also be ascertained because laminate damping is an order of magnitude greater than found in common metals and can significantly effect the displacement response of composite panels.

Controlled multiple neutral planes by low elastic modulus adhesive for flexible organic photovoltaics.

PubMed

Kim, Wansun; Lee, Inhwa; Yoon Kim, Dong; Yu, Youn-Yeol; Jung, Hae-Yoon; Kwon, Seyeoul; Seo Park, Weon; Kim, Taek-Soo

2017-05-12

To protect brittle layers in organic photovoltaic devices, the mechanical neutral plane strategy can be adopted through placing the brittle functional materials close to the neutral plane where stress and strain are zero during bending. However, previous research has been significantly limited in the location and number of materials to protect through using a single neutral plane. In this study, multiple neutral planes are generated using low elastic modulus adhesives and are controlled through quantitative analyses in order to protect the multiple brittle materials at various locations. Moreover, the protection of multiple brittle layers at various locations under both concave and convex bending directions is demonstrated. Multilayer structures that have soft adhesives are further analyzed using the finite element method analysis in order to propose guidelines for structural design when employing multiple neutral planes.

Mechanical properties and cytocompatibility of oxygen-modified β-type Ti-Cr alloys for spinal fixation devices.

PubMed

Liu, Huihong; Niinomi, Mitsuo; Nakai, Masaaki; Cho, Ken; Narita, Kengo; Şen, Mustafa; Shiku, Hitoshi; Matsue, Tomokazu

2015-01-01

In this study, various amounts of oxygen were added to Ti-10Cr (mass%) alloys. It is expected that a large changeable Young's modulus, caused by a deformation-induced ω-phase transformation, can be achieved in Ti-10Cr-O alloys by the appropriate oxygen addition. This "changeable Young's modulus" property can satisfy the otherwise conflicting requirements for use in spinal implant rods: high and low moduli are preferred by surgeons and patients, respectively. The influence of oxygen on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the alloys was examined, as well as the bending springback and cytocompatibility of the optimized alloy. Among the Ti-10Cr-O alloys, Ti-10Cr-0.2O (mass%) alloy shows the largest changeable Young's modulus following cold rolling for a constant reduction ratio. This is the result of two competing factors: increased apparent β-lattice stability and decreased amounts of athermal ω phase, both of which are caused by oxygen addition. The most favorable balance of these factors for the deformation-induced ω-phase transformation occurred at an oxygen concentration of 0.2mass%. Ti-10Cr-0.2O alloy not only exhibits high tensile strength and acceptable elongation, but also possesses a good combination of high bending strength, acceptable bending springback and great cytocompatibility. Therefore, Ti-10Cr-0.2O alloy is a potential material for use in spinal fixture devices. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Membrane cholesterol removal changes mechanical properties of cells and induces secretion of a specific pool of lysosomes.

PubMed

Hissa, Barbara; Pontes, Bruno; Roma, Paula Magda S; Alves, Ana Paula; Rocha, Carolina D; Valverde, Thalita M; Aguiar, Pedro Henrique N; Almeida, Fernando P; Guimarães, Allan J; Guatimosim, Cristina; Silva, Aristóbolo M; Fernandes, Maria C; Andrews, Norma W; Viana, Nathan B; Mesquita, Oscar N; Agero, Ubirajara; Andrade, Luciana O

2013-01-01

In a previous study we had shown that membrane cholesterol removal induced unregulated lysosomal exocytosis events leading to the depletion of lysosomes located at cell periphery. However, the mechanism by which cholesterol triggered these exocytic events had not been uncovered. In this study we investigated the importance of cholesterol in controlling mechanical properties of cells and its connection with lysosomal exocytosis. Tether extraction with optical tweezers and defocusing microscopy were used to assess cell dynamics in mouse fibroblasts. These assays showed that bending modulus and surface tension increased when cholesterol was extracted from fibroblasts plasma membrane upon incubation with MβCD, and that the membrane-cytoskeleton relaxation time increased at the beginning of MβCD treatment and decreased at the end. We also showed for the first time that the amplitude of membrane-cytoskeleton fluctuation decreased during cholesterol sequestration, showing that these cells become stiffer. These changes in membrane dynamics involved not only rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, but also de novo actin polymerization and stress fiber formation through Rho activation. We found that these mechanical changes observed after cholesterol sequestration were involved in triggering lysosomal exocytosis. Exocytosis occurred even in the absence of the lysosomal calcium sensor synaptotagmin VII, and was associated with actin polymerization induced by MβCD. Notably, exocytosis triggered by cholesterol removal led to the secretion of a unique population of lysosomes, different from the pool mobilized by actin depolymerizing drugs such as Latrunculin-A. These data support the existence of at least two different pools of lysosomes with different exocytosis dynamics, one of which is directly mobilized for plasma membrane fusion after cholesterol removal.

Membrane Cholesterol Removal Changes Mechanical Properties of Cells and Induces Secretion of a Specific Pool of Lysosomes

PubMed Central

Roma, Paula Magda S.; Alves, Ana Paula; Rocha, Carolina D.; Valverde, Thalita M.; Aguiar, Pedro Henrique N.; Almeida, Fernando P.; Guimarães, Allan J.; Guatimosim, Cristina; Silva, Aristóbolo M.; Fernandes, Maria C.; Andrews, Norma W.; Viana, Nathan B.; Mesquita, Oscar N.; Agero, Ubirajara; Andrade, Luciana O.

2013-01-01

In a previous study we had shown that membrane cholesterol removal induced unregulated lysosomal exocytosis events leading to the depletion of lysosomes located at cell periphery. However, the mechanism by which cholesterol triggered these exocytic events had not been uncovered. In this study we investigated the importance of cholesterol in controlling mechanical properties of cells and its connection with lysosomal exocytosis. Tether extraction with optical tweezers and defocusing microscopy were used to assess cell dynamics in mouse fibroblasts. These assays showed that bending modulus and surface tension increased when cholesterol was extracted from fibroblasts plasma membrane upon incubation with MβCD, and that the membrane-cytoskeleton relaxation time increased at the beginning of MβCD treatment and decreased at the end. We also showed for the first time that the amplitude of membrane-cytoskeleton fluctuation decreased during cholesterol sequestration, showing that these cells become stiffer. These changes in membrane dynamics involved not only rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, but also de novo actin polymerization and stress fiber formation through Rho activation. We found that these mechanical changes observed after cholesterol sequestration were involved in triggering lysosomal exocytosis. Exocytosis occurred even in the absence of the lysosomal calcium sensor synaptotagmin VII, and was associated with actin polymerization induced by MβCD. Notably, exocytosis triggered by cholesterol removal led to the secretion of a unique population of lysosomes, different from the pool mobilized by actin depolymerizing drugs such as Latrunculin-A. These data support the existence of at least two different pools of lysosomes with different exocytosis dynamics, one of which is directly mobilized for plasma membrane fusion after cholesterol removal. PMID:24376622

Surface charges promote nonspecific nanoparticle adhesion to stiffer membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Shayandev; Jing, Haoyuan; Sachar, Harnoor Singh; Das, Siddhartha

2018-04-01

This letter establishes the manner in which the electric double layer induced by the surface charges of the plasma membrane (PM) enhances the nonspecific adhesion (NSA) of a metal nanoparticle (NP) to stiffer PMs (i.e., PMs with larger bending moduli). The NSA is characterized by the physical attachment of the NP to the membrane and occurs when the decrease in the surface energy (or any other mechanism) associated with the attachment process provides the energy for bending the membrane. Such an attachment does not involve receptor-ligand interactions that characterize the specific membrane-NP adhesion. Here, we demonstrate that a significant decrease in the electrostatic energy caused by the NP-attachment-induced destruction of the charged-membrane-electrolyte interface is responsible for providing the additional energy needed for bending the membrane during the NP adhesion to stiffer membranes. A smaller salt concentration and a larger membrane charge density augment this effect, which can help to design drug delivery to cells with stiffer membranes due to pathological conditions, fabricate NPs with biomimetic cholesterol-rich lipid bilayer encapsulation, etc.

Soft but Powerful Artificial Muscles Based on 3D Graphene-CNT-Ni Heteronanostructures.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehwan; Bae, Seok-Hu; Kotal, Moumita; Stalbaum, Tyler; Kim, Kwang J; Oh, Il-Kwon

2017-08-01

Bioinspired soft ionic actuators, which exhibit large strain and high durability under low input voltages, are regarded as prospective candidates for future soft electronics. However, due to the intrinsic drawback of weak blocking force, the feasible applications of soft ionic actuators are limited until now. An electroactive artificial muscle electro-chemomechanically reinforced with 3D graphene-carbon nanotube-nickel heteronanostructures (G-CNT-Ni) to improve blocking force and bending deformation of the ionic actuators is demonstrated. The G-CNT-Ni heteronanostructure, which provides an electrically conductive 3D network and sufficient contact area with mobile ions in the polymer electrolyte, is embedded as a nanofiller in both ionic polymer and conductive electrodes of the ionic actuators. An ionic exchangeable composite membrane consisting of Nafion, G-CNT-Ni and ionic liquid (IL) shows improved tensile modulus and strength of up to 166% and 98%, respectively, and increased ionic conductivity of 0.254 S m -1 . The ionic actuator exhibits enhanced actuation performances including three times larger bending deformation, 2.37 times higher blocking force, and 4 h durability. The electroactive artificial muscle electro-chemomechanically reinforced with 3D G-CNT-Ni heteronanostructures offers improvements over current soft ionic actuator technologies and can advance the practical engineering applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spatially Tailored and Functionally Graded Light-Weight Structures for Optimum Mechanical Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-15

grading scheme involves embedding particles only in the outer layers of a laminate , achieving maximal increases in bending stiffness with a minimum...by Eq. (19), with d=2. Longitudinal-transverse shear modulus The shear modulus for distortion of the laminate in axes with one direction aligned...The effective Poisson’s ratio νeLT is dictated by the other material constants of the laminate (Hill, 1964; Torquato, 2001): 12 νe LT = ν f + ν

Elastic modulus of single cellulose microfibrils from tunicate measured by atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Shinichiro; Kai, Weihua; Isogai, Akira; Iwata, Tadahisa

2009-09-14

The elastic modulus of single microfibrils from tunicate ( Halocynthia papillosa ) cellulose was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microfibrils with cross-sectional dimensions 8 x 20 nm and several micrometers in length were obtained by oxidation of cellulose with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) as a catalyst and subsequent mechanical disintegration in water and by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The nanocellulosic materials were deposited on a specially designed silicon wafer with grooves 227 nm in width, and a three-point bending test was applied to determine the elastic modulus using an AFM cantilever. The elastic moduli of single microfibrils prepared by TEMPO-oxidation and acid hydrolysis were 145.2 +/- 31.3 and 150.7 +/- 28.8 GPa, respectively. The result showed that the experimentally determined modulus of the highly crystalline tunicate microfibrils was in agreement with the elastic modulus of native cellulose crystals.

Actin growth profile in clathrin-mediated endocytosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tweten, D. J.; Bayly, P. V.; Carlsson, A. E.

2017-05-01

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis in yeast is driven by a protein patch containing close to 100 different types of proteins. Among the proteins are 5000 -10 000 copies of polymerized actin, and successful endocytosis requires growth of the actin network. Since it is not known exactly how actin network growth drives endocytosis, we calculate the spatial distribution of actin growth required to generate the force that drives the process. First, we establish the force distribution that must be supplied by actin growth, by combining membrane-bending profiles obtained via electron microscopy with established theories of membrane mechanics. Next, we determine the profile of actin growth, using a continuum mechanics approach and an iterative procedure starting with an actin growth profile obtained from a linear analysis. The profile has fairly constant growth outside a central hole of radius 45-50 nm, but very little growth in this hole. This growth profile can reproduce the required forces if the actin shear modulus exceeds 80 kPa, and the growing filaments can exert very large polymerization forces. The growth profile prediction could be tested via electron-microscopy or super-resolution experiments in which the turgor pressure is suddenly turned off.

Theory of coherent van der Waals matter.

PubMed

Kulić, Igor M; Kulić, Miodrag L

2014-12-01

We explain in depth the previously proposed theory of the coherent van der Waals (cvdW) interaction, the counterpart of van der Waals (vdW) force, emerging in spatially coherently fluctuating electromagnetic fields. We show that cvdW driven matter is dominated by many-body interactions, which are significantly stronger than those found in standard van der Waals (vdW) systems. Remarkably, the leading two- and three-body interactions are of the same order with respect to the distance (∝R(-6)), in contrast to the usually weak vdW three-body effects (∝R(-9)). From a microscopic theory we show that the anisotropic cvdW many-body interactions drive the formation of low-dimensional structures such as chains, membranes, and vesicles with very unusual, nonlocal properties. In particular, cvdW chains display a logarithmically growing stiffness with the chain length, while cvdW membranes have a bending modulus growing linearly with their size. We argue that the cvdW anisotropic many-body forces cause local cohesion but also a negative effective "surface tension." We conclude by deriving the equation of state for cvdW materials and propose experiments to test the theory, in particular the unusual three-body nature of cvdW.

Theory of coherent van der Waals matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulić, Igor M.; Kulić, Miodrag L.

2014-12-01

We explain in depth the previously proposed theory of the coherent van der Waals (cvdW) interaction, the counterpart of van der Waals (vdW) force, emerging in spatially coherently fluctuating electromagnetic fields. We show that cvdW driven matter is dominated by many-body interactions, which are significantly stronger than those found in standard van der Waals (vdW) systems. Remarkably, the leading two- and three-body interactions are of the same order with respect to the distance (∝R-6) , in contrast to the usually weak vdW three-body effects (∝R-9 ). From a microscopic theory we show that the anisotropic cvdW many-body interactions drive the formation of low-dimensional structures such as chains, membranes, and vesicles with very unusual, nonlocal properties. In particular, cvdW chains display a logarithmically growing stiffness with the chain length, while cvdW membranes have a bending modulus growing linearly with their size. We argue that the cvdW anisotropic many-body forces cause local cohesion but also a negative effective "surface tension." We conclude by deriving the equation of state for cvdW materials and propose experiments to test the theory, in particular the unusual three-body nature of cvdW.

Mechanical properties of monolayer graphene oxide.

PubMed

Suk, Ji Won; Piner, Richard D; An, Jinho; Ruoff, Rodney S

2010-11-23

Mechanical properties of ultrathin membranes consisting of one layer, two overlapped layers, and three overlapped layers of graphene oxide platelets were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging in contact mode. In order to evaluate both the elastic modulus and prestress of thin membranes, the AFM measurement was combined with the finite element method (FEM) in a new approach for evaluating the mechanics of ultrathin membranes. Monolayer graphene oxide was found to have a lower effective Young's modulus (207.6 ± 23.4 GPa when a thickness of 0.7 nm is used) as compared to the value reported for "pristine" graphene. The prestress (39.7-76.8 MPa) of the graphene oxide membranes obtained by solution-based deposition was found to be 1 order of magnitude lower than that obtained by others for mechanically cleaved graphene. The novel AFM imaging and FEM-based mapping methods presented here are of general utility for obtaining the elastic modulus and prestress of thin membranes.

High Cycle-life Shape Memory Polymer at High Temperature

PubMed Central

Kong, Deyan; Xiao, Xinli

2016-01-01

High cycle-life is important for shape memory materials exposed to numerous cycles, and here we report shape memory polyimide that maintained both high shape fixity (Rf) and shape recovery (Rr) during the more than 1000 bending cycles tested. Its critical stress is 2.78 MPa at 250 °C, and the shape recovery process can produce stored energy of 0.218 J g−1 at the efficiency of 31.3%. Its high Rf is determined by the large difference in storage modulus at rubbery and glassy states, while the high Rr mainly originates from its permanent phase composed of strong π-π interactions and massive chain entanglements. Both difference in storage modulus and overall permanent phase were preserved during the bending deformation cycles, and thus high Rf and Rr were observed in every cycle and the high cycle-life will expand application areas of SMPs enormously. PMID:27641148

Fracture Analysis of MWCNT/Epoxy Nanocomposite Film Deposited on Aluminum Substrate.

PubMed

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Chien, Pao-Chu

2017-04-13

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced epoxy films were deposited on an aluminum substrate by a hot-pressing process. Three-point bending tests were performed to determine the Young's modulus of MWCNT reinforced nanocomposite films. Compared to the neat epoxy film, nanocomposite film with 1 wt % of MWCNT exhibits an increase of 21% in the Young's modulus. Four-point-bending tests were conducted to investigate the fracture toughness of the MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposite film deposited on an aluminum substrate with interfacial cracks. Based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the strain energy in a film/substrate composite beam is derived. The difference of strain energy before and after the propagation of the interfacial crack are calculated, leading to the determination of the strain energy release rate. Experimental test results show that the fracture toughness of the nanocomposite film deposited on the aluminum substrate increases with the increase in the MWCNT content.

Effects of process variables on the encapsulation of oil in ca-alginate capsules using an inverse gelation technique.

PubMed

Abang, Sariah; Chan, Eng-Seng; Poncelet, Denis

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of process variables on the encapsulation of oil in a calcium alginate membrane using an inverse gelation technique. A dispersion of calcium chloride solution in sunflower oil (water-in-oil emulsion) was added dropwise to the alginate solution. The migration of calcium ions to the alginate solution initiates the formation of a ca-alginate membrane around the emulsion droplets. The membrane thickness of wet capsules and the elastic modulus of dry capsules increased following first-order kinetics with an increasing curing time. An increase in the calcium chloride concentration increased the membrane thickness of wet capsules and the elastic modulus of dry capsules. An increase in the alginate concentration decreased the mean diameter of wet capsules but increased the elastic modulus of dry capsules.

Performance of an anisotropic Allman/DKT 3-node thin triangular flat shell element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ertas, A.; Krafcik, J. T.; Ekwaro-Osire, S.

1992-05-01

A simple, explicit formulation of the stiffness matrix for an anisotropic, 3-node, thin triangular flat shell element in global coordinates is presented. An Allman triangle (AT) is used for membrane stiffness. The membrane stiffness matrix is explicitly derived by applying an Allman transformation to a Felippa 6-node linear strain triangle (LST). Bending stiffness is incorporated by the use of a discrete Kirchhoff triangle (DKT) bending element. Stiffness terms resulting from anisotropic membrane-bending coupling are included by integrating, in area coordinates, the membrane and bending strain-displacement matrices. Using the aforementioned approach, the objective of this study is to develop and test the performance of a practical 3-node flat shell element that could be used in plate problems with unsymmetrically stacked composite laminates. The performance of the latter element is tested on plates of varying aspect ratios. The developed 3-node shell element should simplify the programming task and have the potential of reducing the computational time.

Biocompatible Zr-Al-Fe bulk metallic glasses with large plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, NengBin; Li, Ran; Wang, JianFeng; Zhang, Tao

2012-09-01

In the present study, high-zirconium ternary Zr-Al-Fe bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) with low Young's modulus and good plasticity were developed. Zr75Al7.5Fe17.5 BMG exhibits a low Young's modulus of 70 GPa and high Poisson's ratio of 0.403. Pronounced plasticity was demonstrated under both compression and bending conditions for the BMGs. Furthermore, the alloys show high corrosion resistance in phosphate buffered solution. The combination of desirable mechanical and chemical properties implies potential for biomedical applications.

Numerical Analysis of the Bending Properties of Cathay Poplar Glulam

PubMed Central

Gao, Ying; Wu, Yuxuan; Zhu, Xudong; Zhu, Lei; Yu, Zhiming; Wu, Yong

2015-01-01

This paper presents the formulae and finite element analysis models for predicting the Modulus of Elastic (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of Cathay poplar finger-jointed glulam. The formula of the MOE predicts the MOE of Cathay poplar glulam glued with one-component polyurethane precisely. Three formulae are used to predict the MOR, and Equation (12) predicts the MOR of Cathay poplar glulam precisely. The finite element analysis simulation results of both the MOE and MOR are similar to the experimental results. The predicted results of the finite element analysis are shown to be more accurate than those of the formulae, because the finite element analysis considers the glue layers, but the formulae do not. Three types of typical failure modes due to bending were summarized. The bending properties of Cathay poplar glulam were compared to those of Douglas fir glulam. The results show that Cathay poplar glulam has a lower stiffness, but a marginally higher strength. One-component polyurethane adhesive is shown to be more effective than resorcinol formaldehyde resin adhesive for Cathay poplar glulam. This study shows that Cathay poplar has the potential to be a glulam material in China. PMID:28793619

Effect of wind-induced drag on leaf shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Louf, Jean-Francois; Ntoh Song, Pierre; Zehnbauer, Tim; Jung, Sunghwan

2016-11-01

Under windy conditions everyone can see leaves bending and twisting. From a geometrical point of view, a leaf is composed of two parts: a large flat plate called the lamina, and a small beam called the petiole, connecting the lamina to the branch/stem. While the wind is exerting forces (e.g. drag) on the lamina, the petiole undergoes twisting and bending stresses. To survive in harsh abiotic conditions, leaves might have evolved to form in many different shapes, resulting from a coupling between the lamina and the petiole. In this study we measure the twisting modulus (G) of the petiole using a twisting setup, and its Young modulus (E) by performing tensile tests. Micro-CT scan is used to precisely measure the cross section of the petiole allowing us to calculate the second moment of inertia (I) and the second moment of area (J). We then use the non-dimensional number EI/GJ and compare it to a geometrical non-dimensional number (Lpetiole +Llamina/2)/W, where Lpetiole is the length of the petiole, Llamina the length of the lamina, and W the width of the lamina. We found a linear relation between the ratio of the bending to twisting rigidity and the leaf geometry.

Enhancing wind turbines efficiency with passive reconfiguration of flexible blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cognet, Vincent P. A.; Thiria, Benjamin; Courrech Du Pont, Sylvain; MSC Team; PMMH Team

2015-11-01

Nature provides excellent examples where flexible materials are advantageous in a fluid stream. By folding, leaves decrease the drag caused by air stream; and birds' flapping is much more efficient with flexible wings. Motivated by this, we investigate the effect of flexible blades on the performance of a wind turbine. The effect of chordwise flexible blades is studied both experimentally and theoretically on a small wind turbine in steady state. Four parameters are varied: the wind velocity, the resisting torque, the pitch angle, and the blade's bending modulus. We find an optimum efficiency with respect to the bending modulus. By tuning our four parameters, the wind turbine with flexible blades has a high-efficiency range significantly larger than rigid blades', and, furthermore enhances the operating range. These results are all the more important as one of the current issues concerning wind turbines is the enlargement of their operating range. To explain these results, we propose a simple two-dimensional model by discretising the blade along the radius. We take into account the variation of drag and lift coefficients with the bending ability. This model matches experimental observations and demonstrates the contribution of the reconfiguration of the blade. Matiere et Systemes Complexes.

The Effect of Basis Selection on Thermal-Acoustic Random Response Prediction Using Nonlinear Modal Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Przekop, Adam

2004-01-01

The goal of this investigation is to further develop nonlinear modal numerical simulation methods for prediction of geometrically nonlinear response due to combined thermal-acoustic loadings. As with any such method, the accuracy of the solution is dictated by the selection of the modal basis, through which the nonlinear modal stiffness is determined. In this study, a suite of available bases are considered including (i) bending modes only; (ii) coupled bending and companion modes; (iii) uncoupled bending and companion modes; and (iv) bending and membrane modes. Comparison of these solutions with numerical simulation in physical degrees-of-freedom indicates that inclusion of any membrane mode variants (ii - iv) in the basis affects the bending displacement and stress response predictions. The most significant effect is on the membrane displacement, where it is shown that only the type (iv) basis accurately predicts its behavior. Results are presented for beam and plate structures in the thermally pre-buckled regime.

Model of human immunodeficiency virus budding and self-assembly: Role of the cell membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Nguyen, Toan T.

2008-11-01

Budding from the plasma membrane of the host cell is an indispensable step in the life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which belongs to a large family of enveloped RNA viruses, retroviruses. Unlike regular enveloped viruses, retrovirus budding happens concurrently with the self-assembly of the main retrovirus protein subunits (called Gag protein after the name of the genetic material that codes for this protein: Group-specific AntiGen) into spherical virus capsids on the cell membrane. Led by this unique budding and assembly mechanism, we study the free energy profile of retrovirus budding, taking into account the Gag-Gag attraction energy and the membrane elastic energy. We find that if the Gag-Gag attraction is strong, budding always proceeds to completion. During early stage of budding, the zenith angle of partial budded capsids, α , increases with time as α∝t1/2 . However, if the Gag-Gag attraction is weak, a metastable state of partial budding appears. The zenith angle of these partially spherical capsids is given by α0≃(τ2/κσ)1/4 in a linear approximation, where κ and σ are the bending modulus and the surface tension of the membrane, and τ is a line tension of the capsid proportional to the strength of Gag-Gag attraction. Numerically, we find α0<0.3π without any approximations. Using experimental parameters, we show that HIV budding and assembly always proceed to completion in normal biological conditions. On the other hand, by changing Gag-Gag interaction strength or membrane rigidity, it is relatively easy to tune it back and forth between complete budding and partial budding. Our model agrees reasonably well with experiments observing partial budding of retroviruses including HIV.

Peripheral Protein Unfolding Drives Membrane Bending.

PubMed

Siaw, Hew Ming Helen; Raghunath, Gokul; Dyer, R Brian

2018-06-20

Dynamic modulation of lipid membrane curvature can be achieved by a number of peripheral protein binding mechanisms such as hy-drophobic insertion of amphipathic helices and membrane scaffolding. Recently, an alternative mechanism was proposed in which crowding of peripherally bound proteins induces membrane curvature through steric pressure generated by lateral collisions. This effect was enhanced using intrinsically disordered proteins that possess high hydrodynamic radii, prompting us to explore whether membrane bending can be triggered by the folding-unfolding transition of surface-bound proteins. We utilized histidine-tagged human serum albumin bound to Ni-NTA-DGS containing liposomes as our model system to test this hypothesis. We found that reduction of the disulfide bonds in the protein resulted in unfolding of HSA, which subsequently led to membrane tubule formation. The frequency of tubule formation was found to be significantly higher when the proteins were unfolded while being localized to a phase-separated domain as opposed to randomly distributed in fluid phase liposomes, indicating that the steric pressure generated from protein unfolding is directly responsible for membrane deformation. Our results are critical for the design of peripheral membrane protein-immobilization strategies and open new avenues for exploring mechanisms of membrane bending driven by conformational changes of peripheral membrane proteins.

Stress Corrosion Cracking of Basalt/Epoxy Composites under Bending Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokrieh, Mahmood M.; Memar, Mahdi

2010-04-01

The purpose of this research is to study the stress corrosion behavior of basalt/epoxy composites under bending loading and submerged in 5% sulfuric acid corrosive medium. There are limited numbers of research in durability of fiber reinforced polymer composites. Moreover, studies on basalt fibers and its composites are very limited. In this research, mechanical property degradation of basalt/epoxy composites under bending loading and submerged in acidic corrosive medium is investigated. Three states of stress, equal to 30%, 50% and 70% of the ultimate strength of composites, are applied on samples. High stress states are applied to the samples to accelerate the testing procedure. Mechanical properties degradation consists of bending strength, bending modulus of elasticity and fracture energy of samples are examined. Also, a normalized strength degradation model for stress corrosion condition is presented. Finally, microscopic images of broken cross sections of samples are examined.

Development of topologically structured membranes of aluminum oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bankova, A.; Videkov, V.; Tzaneva, B.

2014-05-01

In recent years, nanomembranes have become one of the most widely used construction material for ultrasensitive and ultrathin applications in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and other sensor structures due to their remarkable mechanical properties. Among these, the mechanical stability is of particular importance. We present an approach to the analysis of the stability of nanostructured anodic aluminum oxide free membranes subjected to mechanical bending. The membranes tested were with a thickness of 500 nm to 15 urn in various topological shapes; we describe the technological schemes of their preparation. Bends were applied to membranes prepared by using a selective process of etching and anodizing. The results of the preparation of the membranes are discussed, together with the influence of the angle of deflection, and the number of bendings. The results obtained can be used in designing MEMS structures and sensors which use nanostructured anodic aluminum oxide.

Membrane vesiculation induced by proteins of the dengue virus envelope studied by molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

de Oliveira Dos Santos Soares, Ricardo; Bortot, Leandro Oliveira; van der Spoel, David; Caliri, Antonio

2017-12-20

Biological membranes are continuously remodeled in the cell by specific membrane-shaping machineries to form, for example, tubes and vesicles. We examine fundamental mechanisms involved in the vesiculation processes induced by a cluster of envelope (E) and membrane (M) proteins of the dengue virus (DENV) using molecular dynamics simulations and a coarse-grained model. We show that an arrangement of three E-M heterotetramers (EM 3 ) works as a bending unit and an ordered cluster of five such units generates a closed vesicle, reminiscent of the virus budding process. In silico mutagenesis of two charged residues of the anchor helices of the envelope proteins of DENV shows that Arg-471 and Arg-60 are fundamental to produce bending stress on the membrane. The fine-tuning between the size of the EM 3 unit and its specific bending action suggests this protein unit is an important factor in determining the viral particle size.

Membrane vesiculation induced by proteins of the dengue virus envelope studied by molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira dos Santos Soares, Ricardo; Oliveira Bortot, Leandro; van der Spoel, David; Caliri, Antonio

2017-12-01

Biological membranes are continuously remodeled in the cell by specific membrane-shaping machineries to form, for example, tubes and vesicles. We examine fundamental mechanisms involved in the vesiculation processes induced by a cluster of envelope (E) and membrane (M) proteins of the dengue virus (DENV) using molecular dynamics simulations and a coarse-grained model. We show that an arrangement of three E-M heterotetramers (EM3) works as a bending unit and an ordered cluster of five such units generates a closed vesicle, reminiscent of the virus budding process. In silico mutagenesis of two charged residues of the anchor helices of the envelope proteins of DENV shows that Arg-471 and Arg-60 are fundamental to produce bending stress on the membrane. The fine-tuning between the size of the EM3 unit and its specific bending action suggests this protein unit is an important factor in determining the viral particle size.

Achiral symmetry breaking and positive Gaussian modulus lead to scalloped colloidal membranes

PubMed Central

Gibaud, Thomas; Kaplan, C. Nadir; Sharma, Prerna; Zakhary, Mark J.; Ward, Andrew; Oldenbourg, Rudolf; Meyer, Robert B.; Kamien, Randall D.; Powers, Thomas R.; Dogic, Zvonimir

2017-01-01

In the presence of a nonadsorbing polymer, monodisperse rod-like particles assemble into colloidal membranes, which are one-rod-length–thick liquid-like monolayers of aligned rods. Unlike 3D edgeless bilayer vesicles, colloidal monolayer membranes form open structures with an exposed edge, thus presenting an opportunity to study elasticity of fluid sheets. Membranes assembled from single-component chiral rods form flat disks with uniform edge twist. In comparison, membranes composed of a mixture of rods with opposite chiralities can have the edge twist of either handedness. In this limit, disk-shaped membranes become unstable, instead forming structures with scalloped edges, where two adjacent lobes with opposite handedness are separated by a cusp-shaped point defect. Such membranes adopt a 3D configuration, with cusp defects alternatively located above and below the membrane plane. In the achiral regime, the cusp defects have repulsive interactions, but away from this limit we measure effective long-ranged attractive binding. A phenomenological model shows that the increase in the edge energy of scalloped membranes is compensated by concomitant decrease in the deformation energy due to Gaussian curvature associated with scalloped edges, demonstrating that colloidal membranes have positive Gaussian modulus. A simple excluded volume argument predicts the sign and magnitude of the Gaussian curvature modulus that is in agreement with experimental measurements. Our results provide insight into how the interplay between membrane elasticity, geometrical frustration, and achiral symmetry breaking can be used to fold colloidal membranes into 3D shapes. PMID:28411214

Erythrocyte membrane model with explicit description of the lipid bilayer and the spectrin network.

PubMed

Li, He; Lykotrafitis, George

2014-08-05

The membrane of the red blood cell (RBC) consists of spectrin tetramers connected at actin junctional complexes, forming a two-dimensional (2D) sixfold triangular network anchored to the lipid bilayer. Better understanding of the erythrocyte mechanics in hereditary blood disorders such as spherocytosis, elliptocytosis, and especially, sickle cell disease requires the development of a detailed membrane model. In this study, we introduce a mesoscale implicit-solvent coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) model of the erythrocyte membrane that explicitly describes the phospholipid bilayer and the cytoskeleton, by extending a previously developed two-component RBC membrane model. We show that the proposed model represents RBC membrane with the appropriate bending stiffness and shear modulus. The timescale and self-consistency of the model are established by comparing our results with experimentally measured viscosity and thermal fluctuations of the RBC membrane. Furthermore, we measure the pressure exerted by the cytoskeleton on the lipid bilayer. We find that defects at the anchoring points of the cytoskeleton to the lipid bilayer (as in spherocytes) cause a reduction in the pressure compared with an intact membrane, whereas defects in the dimer-dimer association of a spectrin filament (as in elliptocytes) cause an even larger decrease in the pressure. We conjecture that this finding may explain why the experimentally measured diffusion coefficients of band-3 proteins are higher in elliptocytes than in spherocytes, and higher than in normal RBCs. Finally, we study the effects that possible attractive forces between the spectrin filaments and the lipid bilayer have on the pressure applied on the lipid bilayer by the filaments. We discover that the attractive forces cause an increase in the pressure as they diminish the effect of membrane protein defects. As this finding contradicts with experimental results, we conclude that the attractive forces are moderate and do not impose a complete attachment of the filaments to the lipid bilayer. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Erythrocyte Membrane Model with Explicit Description of the Lipid Bilayer and the Spectrin Network

PubMed Central

Li, He; Lykotrafitis, George

2014-01-01

The membrane of the red blood cell (RBC) consists of spectrin tetramers connected at actin junctional complexes, forming a two-dimensional (2D) sixfold triangular network anchored to the lipid bilayer. Better understanding of the erythrocyte mechanics in hereditary blood disorders such as spherocytosis, elliptocytosis, and especially, sickle cell disease requires the development of a detailed membrane model. In this study, we introduce a mesoscale implicit-solvent coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) model of the erythrocyte membrane that explicitly describes the phospholipid bilayer and the cytoskeleton, by extending a previously developed two-component RBC membrane model. We show that the proposed model represents RBC membrane with the appropriate bending stiffness and shear modulus. The timescale and self-consistency of the model are established by comparing our results with experimentally measured viscosity and thermal fluctuations of the RBC membrane. Furthermore, we measure the pressure exerted by the cytoskeleton on the lipid bilayer. We find that defects at the anchoring points of the cytoskeleton to the lipid bilayer (as in spherocytes) cause a reduction in the pressure compared with an intact membrane, whereas defects in the dimer-dimer association of a spectrin filament (as in elliptocytes) cause an even larger decrease in the pressure. We conjecture that this finding may explain why the experimentally measured diffusion coefficients of band-3 proteins are higher in elliptocytes than in spherocytes, and higher than in normal RBCs. Finally, we study the effects that possible attractive forces between the spectrin filaments and the lipid bilayer have on the pressure applied on the lipid bilayer by the filaments. We discover that the attractive forces cause an increase in the pressure as they diminish the effect of membrane protein defects. As this finding contradicts with experimental results, we conclude that the attractive forces are moderate and do not impose a complete attachment of the filaments to the lipid bilayer. PMID:25099803

Effect of crosslink torsional stiffness on elastic behavior of semiflexible polymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatami-Marbini, H.

2018-02-01

Networks of semiflexible filaments are building blocks of different biological and structural materials such as cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix. The mechanical response of these systems when subjected to an applied strain at zero temperature is often investigated numerically using networks composed of filaments, which are either rigidly welded or pinned together at their crosslinks. In the latter, filaments during deformation are free to rotate about their crosslinks while the relative angles between filaments remain constant in the former. The behavior of crosslinks in actual semiflexible networks is different than these idealized models and there exists only partial constraint on torques at crosslinks. The present work develops a numerical model in which two intersecting filaments are connected to each other by torsional springs with arbitrary stiffness. We show that fiber networks composed of rigid and freely rotating crosslinks are the limiting case of the present model. Furthermore, we characterize the effects of stiffness of crosslinks on effective Young's modulus of semiflexible networks as a function of filament flexibility and crosslink density. The effective Young's modulus is determined as a function of the mechanical properties of crosslinks and is found to vanish for networks composed of very weak torsional springs. Independent of the stiffness of crosslinks, it is found that the effective Young's modulus is a function of fiber flexibility and crosslink density. In low density networks, filaments primarily bend and the effective Young's modulus is much lower than the affine estimate. With increasing filament bending stiffness and/or crosslink density, the mechanical behavior of the networks becomes more affine and the stretching of filaments depicts itself as the dominant mode of deformation. The torsional stiffness of the crosslinks significantly affects the effective Young's modulus of the semiflexible random fiber networks.

The mechanical properties of human dentin for 3-D finite element modeling: Numerical and analytical evaluation.

PubMed

Grzebieluch, Wojciech; Będziński, Romuald; Czapliński, Tomasz; Kaczmarek, Urszula

2017-07-01

The FEM is often used in investigations of dentin loading conditions; however, its anisotropy is mostly neglected. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the anisotropy and the elastic properties of an equivalent homogenous material model of human dentin as well as to compare isotropic and anisotropic dentin FE-models. Analytical and numerical dentin homogenization according to Luciano and Barbero was performed and E-modulus (E), Poisson's ratios (v) G-modulus (G) were calculated. The E-modulus of the dentin matrix was 28.0 GPa, Poisson's ratio (v) was 0.3; finite element models of orthotropic and isotropic dentin were created, loaded and compared using Ansys® 14.5 and CodeAster® 11.2 software. Anisotropy of the dentin ranged from 6.9 to 35.2%. E-modulus and G-modulus were as follows: E1 = 22.0-26.0 GPa, E2/E3 = 15.7-23.0 GPa; G12/G13 = 6.96-9.35 GPa and G23 = 6.08-8.09 GPa (highest values in the superficial layer). In FEM analysis of the displacement values were higher in the isotropic than in the orthotropic model, reaching up to 16% by shear load, 37% by compression and 23% in the case of shear with bending. Strain values were higher in the isotropic model, up to 35% for the shear load, 31% for compression and 35% in the case of shear with bending. The decrease in the volumetric fraction and diameter of tubules increased the G and E values. Anisotropy of the dentin applied during FEM analysis decreased the displacements and strain values. The numerical and analytical homogenization of dentin showed similar results.

Imperfection sensitivity of pressured buckling of biopolymer spherical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Ru, C. Q.

2016-06-01

Imperfection sensitivity is essential for mechanical behavior of biopolymer shells [such as ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) and spherical viruses] characterized by high geometric heterogeneity. In this work, an imperfection sensitivity analysis is conducted based on a refined shell model recently developed for spherical biopolymer shells of high structural heterogeneity and thickness nonuniformity. The influence of related parameters (including the ratio of radius to average shell thickness, the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus, and the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness) on imperfection sensitivity is examined for pressured buckling. Our results show that the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness has a major effect on the imperfection sensitivity, while the effect of the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus is usually negligible. For example, with physically realistic parameters for typical imperfect spherical biopolymer shells, the present model predicts that actual maximum external pressure could be reduced to as low as 60% of that of a perfect UCA spherical shell or 55%-65% of that of a perfect spherical virus shell, respectively. The moderate imperfection sensitivity of spherical biopolymer shells with physically realistic imperfection is largely attributed to the fact that biopolymer shells are relatively thicker (defined by smaller radius-to-thickness ratio) and therefore practically realistic imperfection amplitude normalized by thickness is very small as compared to that of classical elastic thin shells which have much larger radius-to-thickness ratio.

Oligomerization but Not Membrane Bending Underlies the Function of Certain F-BAR Proteins in Cell Motility and Cytokinesis.

PubMed

McDonald, Nathan A; Vander Kooi, Craig W; Ohi, Melanie D; Gould, Kathleen L

2015-12-21

F-BAR proteins function in diverse cellular processes by linking membranes to the actin cytoskeleton. Through oligomerization, multiple F-BAR domains can bend membranes into tubules, though the physiological importance of F-BAR-to-F-BAR assemblies is not yet known. Here, we investigate the F-BAR domain of the essential cytokinetic scaffold, Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdc15, during cytokinesis. Challenging a widely held view that membrane deformation is a fundamental property of F-BARs, we report that the Cdc15 F-BAR binds, but does not deform, membranes in vivo or in vitro, and six human F-BAR domains-including those from Fer and RhoGAP4-share this property. Nevertheless, tip-to-tip interactions between F-BAR dimers are critical for Cdc15 oligomerization and high-avidity membrane binding, stabilization of contractile ring components at the medial cortex, and the fidelity of cytokinesis. F-BAR oligomerization is also critical for Fer and RhoGAP4 physiological function, demonstrating its broad importance to F-BAR proteins that function without membrane bending. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular basis of endosomal-membrane association for the dengue virus envelope protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, David M.; Kent, Michael S.; Rempe, Susan B.

Dengue virus is coated by an icosahedral shell of 90 envelope protein dimers that convert to trimers at low pH and promote fusion of its membrane with the membrane of the host endosome. We provide the first estimates for the free energy barrier and minimum for two key steps in this process: host membrane bending and protein–membrane binding. Both are studied using complementary membrane elastic, continuum electrostatics and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The predicted host membrane bending required to form an initial fusion stalk presents a 22–30 kcal/mol free energy barrier according to a constrained membrane elastic model. Combined continuummore » and molecular dynamics results predict a 15 kcal/mol free energy decrease on binding of each trimer of dengue envelope protein to a membrane with 30% anionic phosphatidylglycerol lipid. The bending cost depends on the preferred curvature of the lipids composing the host membrane leaflets, while the free energy gained for protein binding depends on the surface charge density of the host membrane. The fusion loop of the envelope protein inserts exactly at the level of the interface between the membrane's hydrophobic and head-group regions. As a result, the methods used in this work provide a means for further characterization of the structures and free energies of protein-assisted membrane fusion.« less

Molecular basis of endosomal-membrane association for the dengue virus envelope protein

DOE PAGES

Rogers, David M.; Kent, Michael S.; Rempe, Susan B.

2015-01-02

Dengue virus is coated by an icosahedral shell of 90 envelope protein dimers that convert to trimers at low pH and promote fusion of its membrane with the membrane of the host endosome. We provide the first estimates for the free energy barrier and minimum for two key steps in this process: host membrane bending and protein–membrane binding. Both are studied using complementary membrane elastic, continuum electrostatics and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The predicted host membrane bending required to form an initial fusion stalk presents a 22–30 kcal/mol free energy barrier according to a constrained membrane elastic model. Combined continuummore » and molecular dynamics results predict a 15 kcal/mol free energy decrease on binding of each trimer of dengue envelope protein to a membrane with 30% anionic phosphatidylglycerol lipid. The bending cost depends on the preferred curvature of the lipids composing the host membrane leaflets, while the free energy gained for protein binding depends on the surface charge density of the host membrane. The fusion loop of the envelope protein inserts exactly at the level of the interface between the membrane's hydrophobic and head-group regions. As a result, the methods used in this work provide a means for further characterization of the structures and free energies of protein-assisted membrane fusion.« less

Extended fatigue life of a catalyst-free self-healing acrylic bone cement using microencapsulated 2-octyl cyanoacrylate

PubMed Central

Brochu, Alice B.W.; Matthys, Oriane B.; Craig, Stephen L.; Reichert, William M.

2014-01-01

The tissue adhesive 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (OCA) was encapsulated in polyurethane microshells and incorporated into bone cement to form a catalyst free, self-healing bone cement comprised of all clinically approved components. The bending strength, modulus, and fatigue lifetime were investigated in accordance with ASTM and ISO standards for the testing of PMMA bone cement. The bending strength of bone cement specimens decreased with increasing wt% capsules content for capsules without or with OCA, with specimens of < 5 wt% capsule content showing minimal effect. In contrast, bone cement bending modulus was insensitive to capsule content. Load controlled fatigue testing was performed in air at room temperature on capsule free bone cement (0 wt%), bone cement with 5 wt% OCA-free capsules (5 wt% No OCA), and 5 wt% OCA-containing capsules (5 wt% OCA). Specimens were tested at a frequency of 5 Hz at maximum stresses of 90%, 80%, 70% and 50% of each specimen's bending strength until failure. The 5 wt% OCA exhibited significant self-healing at 70% and 50% of its reference strength (p < 0.05). Fatigue testing of all three specimen types in air at 22 MPa (50% of reference strength of the 5 wt% OCA specimens) showed that the cycles to failure of OCA-containing specimens was increased by two-fold compared to the OCA-free and capsule-free specimens. This study represents the first demonstration of dynamic, catalyst-free self-healing in a biomaterial formulation. PMID:24825796

Theory and algorithms to compute Helfrich bending forces: a review.

PubMed

Guckenberger, Achim; Gekle, Stephan

2017-05-24

Cell membranes are vital to shield a cell's interior from the environment. At the same time they determine to a large extent the cell's mechanical resistance to external forces. In recent years there has been considerable interest in the accurate computational modeling of such membranes, driven mainly by the amazing variety of shapes that red blood cells and model systems such as vesicles can assume in external flows. Given that the typical height of a membrane is only a few nanometers while the surface of the cell extends over many micrometers, physical modeling approaches mostly consider the interface as a two-dimensional elastic continuum. Here we review recent modeling efforts focusing on one of the computationally most intricate components, namely the membrane's bending resistance. We start with a short background on the most widely used bending model due to Helfrich. While the Helfrich bending energy by itself is an extremely simple model equation, the computation of the resulting forces is far from trivial. At the heart of these difficulties lies the fact that the forces involve second order derivatives of the local surface curvature which by itself is the second derivative of the membrane geometry. We systematically derive and compare the different routes to obtain bending forces from the Helfrich energy, namely the variational approach and the thin-shell theory. While both routes lead to mathematically identical expressions, so-called linear bending models are shown to reproduce only the leading order term while higher orders differ. The main part of the review contains a description of various computational strategies which we classify into three categories: the force, the strong and the weak formulation. We finally give some examples for the application of these strategies in actual simulations.

Measurement error of Young’s modulus considering the gravity and thermal expansion of thin specimens for in situ tensile testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zhichao; Zhao, Hongwei; Ren, Luquan

2016-06-01

Most miniature in situ tensile devices compatible with scanning/transmission electron microscopes or optical microscopes adopt a horizontal layout. In order to analyze and calculate the measurement error of the tensile Young’s modulus, the effects of gravity and temperature changes, which would respectively lead to and intensify the bending deformation of thin specimens, are considered as influencing factors. On the basis of a decomposition method of static indeterminacy, equations of simplified deflection curves are obtained and, accordingly, the actual gage length is confirmed. By comparing the effects of uniaxial tensile load on the change of the deflection curve with gravity, the relation between the actual and directly measured tensile Young’s modulus is obtained. Furthermore, the quantitative effects of ideal gage length l o, temperature change ΔT and the density ρ of the specimen on the modulus difference and modulus ratio are calculated. Specimens with larger l o and ρ present more obvious measurement errors for Young’s modulus, but the effect of ΔT is not significant. The calculation method of Young’s modulus is particularly suitable for thin specimens.

Effect of 1.33 Mev gamma radiation and 0.5 Mev electrons on the mechanical properties of graphite fiber composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fornes, R. E.; Memory, J. D.; Naranong, N.

1982-01-01

Epoxy/graphite fiber, polyimide/graphite fiber, and polysulfone/graphite fiber composites were exposed to 1.33 Mev gamma irradiation and 0.5 Mev electron bombardment for varying periods of time. The effects of the irradiation treatments on the breaking stress and Young's modulus were studied by a three point bending test. Effects were small; both electron radiation up to 5000 Mrad and gamma radiation up to 350 Mrad resulted in slight increases in both stress and modulus.

Biomechanics and Thermodynamics of Nanoparticle Interactions with Plasma and Endosomal Membrane Lipids in Cellular Uptake and Endosomal Escape

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

To be effective for cytoplasmic delivery of therapeutics, nanoparticles (NPs) taken up via endocytic pathways must efficiently transport across the cell membrane and subsequently escape from the secondary endosomes. We hypothesized that the biomechanical and thermodynamic interactions of NPs with plasma and endosomal membrane lipids are involved in these processes. Using model plasma and endosomal lipid membranes, we compared the interactions of cationic NPs composed of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) modified with the dichain surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DMAB) or the single-chain surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) vs anionic unmodified NPs of similar size. We validated our hypothesis in doxorubicin-sensitive (MCF-7, with relatively fluid membranes) and resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/ADR, with rigid membranes). Despite their cationic surface charges, DMAB- and CTAB-modified NPs showed different patterns of biophysical interaction: DMAB-modified NPs induced bending of the model plasma membrane, whereas CTAB-modified NPs condensed the membrane, thereby resisted bending. Unmodified NPs showed no effects on bending. DMAB-modified NPs also induced thermodynamic instability of the model endosomal membrane, whereas CTAB-modified and unmodified NPs had no effect. Since bending of the plasma membrane and destabilization of the endosomal membrane are critical biophysical processes in NP cellular uptake and endosomal escape, respectively, we tested these NPs for cellular uptake and drug efficacy. Confocal imaging showed that in both sensitive and resistant cells DMAB-modified NPs exhibited greater cellular uptake and escape from endosomes than CTAB-modified or unmodified NPs. Further, paclitaxel-loaded DMAB-modified NPs induced greater cytotoxicity even in resistant cells than CTAB-modified or unmodified NPs or drug in solution, demonstrating the potential of DMAB-modified NPs to overcome the transport barrier in resistant cells. In conclusion, biomechanical interactions with membrane lipids are involved in cellular uptake and endosomal escape of NPs. Biophysical interaction studies could help us better understand the role of membrane lipids in cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of NPs. PMID:24911361

Comparisons of nanoindentation, 3-point bending, and tension tests for orthodontic wires.

PubMed

Iijima, Masahiro; Muguruma, Takeshi; Brantley, William A; Mizoguchi, Itaru

2011-07-01

The purposes of this study were to obtain information about mechanical properties with the nanoindentation test for representative wire alloys and compare the results with conventional mechanical tests. Archwires having 0.016 × 0.022-in cross sections were obtained of 1 stainless steel, 1 cobalt-chromium-nickel, 1 beta-titanium alloy, and 2 nickel-titanium products. Specimens of as-received wires were subjected to nanoindentation testing along the external surfaces and over polished cross sections to obtain values of hardness and elastic modulus. Other specimens of as-received wires were subjected to Vickers hardness, 3-point bending, and tension tests. All testing was performed at 25°C. Differences were found in hardness and elastic modulus obtained with the nanoindentation test at the external and cross-sectioned surfaces and with the conventional mechanical-property tests. Mechanical properties obtained with the nanoindentation test generally varied with indentation depth. The 3 testing methods did not yield identical values of hardness and elastic modulus, although the order among the 5 wire products was the same. Variations in results for the nanoindentation and conventional mechanical property tests can be attributed to the different material volumes sampled, different work-hardening levels, and an oxide layer on the wire surface. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Crack arrest within teeth at the dentinoenamel junction caused by elastic modulus mismatch.

PubMed

Bechtle, Sabine; Fett, Theo; Rizzi, Gabriele; Habelitz, Stefan; Klocke, Arndt; Schneider, Gerold A

2010-05-01

Enamel and dentin compose the crowns of human teeth. They are joined at the dentinoenamel junction (DEJ) which is a very strong and well-bonded interface unlikely to fail within healthy teeth despite the formation of multiple cracks within enamel during a lifetime of exposure to masticatory forces. These cracks commonly are arrested when reaching the DEJ. The phenomenon of crack arrest at the DEJ is described in many publications but there is little consensus on the underlying cause and mechanism. Explanations range from the DEJ having a larger toughness than both enamel and dentin up to the assumption that not the DEJ itself causes crack arrest but the so-called mantle dentin, a thin material layer close to the DEJ that is somewhat softer than the bulk dentin. In this study we conducted 3-point bending experiments with bending bars consisting of the DEJ and surrounding enamel and dentin to investigate crack propagation and arrest within the DEJ region. Calculated stress intensities around crack tips were found to be highly influenced by the elastic modulus mismatch between enamel and dentin and hence, the phenomenon of crack arrest at the DEJ could be explained accordingly via this elastic modulus mismatch. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formability and mechanical properties of porous titanium produced by a moldless process.

PubMed

Naito, Yoshihito; Bae, Jiyoung; Tomotake, Yoritoki; Hamada, Kenichi; Asaoka, Kenzo; Ichikawa, Tetsuo

2013-08-01

Tailor-made porous titanium implants show great promise in both orthopedic and dental applications. However, traditional powder metallurgical processes require a high-cost mold, making them economically unviable for producing unique devices. In this study, a mixture of titanium powder and an inlay wax binder was developed for moldless forming and sintering. The formability of the mixture, the dimensional changes after sintering, and the physical and mechanical properties of the sintered porous titanium were evaluated. A 90:10 wt % mixture of Ti powder and wax binder was created manually at 70°C. After debindering, the specimen was sintered in Ar at 1100°C without any mold for 1, 5, and 10 h. The shrinkage, porosity, absorption ratio, bending and compressive strength, and elastic modulus were measured. The bending strength (135-356 MPa), compression strength (178-1226 MPa), and elastic modulus (24-54 GPa) increased with sintering time; the shrinkage also increased, whereas the porosity (from 37.1 to 29.7%) and absorption ratio decreased. The high formability of the binder/metal powder mixture presents a clear advantage for fabricating tailor-made bone and hard tissue substitution units. Moreover, the sintered compacts showed high strength and an elastic modulus comparable to that of cortical bone. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental observation of the asymmetric instability of intermediate-reduced-volume vesicles in extensional flow.

PubMed

Dahl, Joanna B; Narsimhan, Vivek; Gouveia, Bernardo; Kumar, Sanjay; Shaqfeh, Eric S G; Muller, Susan J

2016-04-20

Vesicles provide an attractive model system to understand the deformation of living cells in response to mechanical forces. These simple, enclosed lipid bilayer membranes are suitable for complementary theoretical, numerical, and experimental analysis. A recent study [Narsimhan, Spann, Shaqfeh, J. Fluid Mech., 2014, 750, 144] predicted that intermediate-aspect-ratio vesicles extend asymmetrically in extensional flow. Upon infinitesimal perturbation to the vesicle shape, the vesicle stretches into an asymmetric dumbbell with a cylindrical thread separating the two ends. While the symmetric stretching of high-aspect-ratio vesicles in extensional flow has been observed and characterized [Kantsler, Segre, Steinberg, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 048101] as well as recapitulated in numerical simulations by Narsimhan et al., experimental observation of the asymmetric stretching has not been reported. In this work, we present results from microfluidic cross-slot experiments observing this instability, along with careful characterization of the flow field, vesicle shape, and vesicle bending modulus. The onset of this shape transition depends on two non-dimensional parameters: reduced volume (a measure of vesicle asphericity) and capillary number (ratio of viscous to bending forces). We observed that every intermediate-reduced-volume vesicle that extends forms a dumbbell shape that is indeed asymmetric. For the subset of the intermediate-reduced-volume regime we could capture experimentally, we present an experimental phase diagram for asymmetric vesicle stretching that is consistent with the predictions of Narsimhan et al.

Elastic-mathematical theory of cells and mitochondria in swelling process. II. Effect of temperature upon modulus of elasticity of membranous material of egg cells of sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and of oyster, Crassostrea virginica.

PubMed

Mela, M J

1968-01-01

The elastic behavior of the cell wall as a function of the temperature has been studied with particular attention being given to the swelling of egg cells of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Crassostrea virginica in different sea water concentrations at different temperatures. It was found that the modulus of elasticity is a nonlinear function of temperature. At about 12-13 degrees C the modulus of elasticity (E) is constant, independent of the stress (sigma) and strain (epsilon(nu)) which exist at the cell wall; the membranous material follows Hooke's law, and E approximately 3 x 10(7) dyn/cm(2) for S. purpuratus and C. virginica. When the temperature is higher or lower than 12-13 degrees C, the modulus of elasticity increases, and the membranous material does not follow Hooke's law, but is almost directly proportional to the stresses existing at the cell wall. On increasing the stress, the function E(sigma) = E(sigma) approaches saturation. The corresponding stress-strain diagrams, sigma = sigma(epsilon(nu)), and the graphs, E(sigma) = E(sigma) and E(sigma) = E(t) are given. The cyto-elastic phenomena at the membrane are discussed.

Porous calcium polyphosphate bone substitutes: additive manufacturing versus conventional gravity sinter processing-effect on structure and mechanical properties.

PubMed

Hu, Youxin; Shanjani, Yaser; Toyserkani, Ehsan; Grynpas, Marc; Wang, Rizhi; Pilliar, Robert

2014-02-01

Porous calcium polyphosphate (CPP) structures proposed as bone-substitute implants and made by sintering CPP powders to form bending test samples of approximately 35 vol % porosity were machined from preformed blocks made either by additive manufacturing (AM) or conventional gravity sintering (CS) methods and the structure and mechanical characteristics of samples so made were compared. AM-made samples displayed higher bending strengths (≈1.2-1.4 times greater than CS-made samples), whereas elastic constant (i.e., effective elastic modulus of the porous structures) that is determined by material elastic modulus and structural geometry of the samples was ≈1.9-2.3 times greater for AM-made samples. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that samples made by either method displayed the same crystal structure forming β-CPP after sinter annealing. The material elastic modulus, E, determined using nanoindentation tests also showed the same value for both sample types (i.e., E ≈ 64 GPa). Examination of the porous structures indicated that significantly larger sinter necks resulted in the AM-made samples which presumably resulted in the higher mechanical properties. The development of mechanical properties was attributed to the different sinter anneal procedures required to make 35 vol % porous samples by the two methods. A primary objective of the present study, in addition to reporting on bending strength and sample stiffness (elastic constant) characteristics, was to determine why the two processes resulted in the observed mechanical property differences for samples of equivalent volume percentage of porosity. An understanding of the fundamental reason(s) for the observed effect is considered important for developing improved processes for preparation of porous CPP implants as bone substitutes for use in high load-bearing skeletal sites. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determining a membrane's shear modulus, independent of its area-dilatation modulus, via capsule flow in a converging micro-capillary.

PubMed

Dimitrakopoulos, P; Kuriakose, S

2015-04-14

Determination of the elastic properties of the membrane of artificial capsules is essential for the better design of the various devices that are utilized in their engineering and biomedical applications. However this task is complicated owing to the combined effects of the shear and area-dilatation moduli on the capsule deformation. Based on computational investigation, we propose a new methodology to determine a membrane's shear modulus, independent of its area-dilatation modulus, by flowing strain-hardening capsules in a converging micro-capillary of comparable size under Stokes flow conditions, and comparing the experimental measurements of the capsule elongation overshooting with computational data. The capsule prestress, if any, can also be determined with the same methodology. The elongation overshooting is practically independent of the viscosity ratio for low and moderate viscosity ratios, and thus a wide range of capsule fluids can be employed. Our proposed experimental device can be readily produced via glass fabrication while owing to the continuous flow in the micro-capillary, the characterization of a large number of artificial capsules is possible.

Molecular dynamics simulations of salicylate effects on the micro- and mesoscopic properties of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer†

PubMed Central

Song, Yuhua; Guallar, Victor; Baker, Nathan A.

2008-01-01

Salicylate, an amphiphilic molecule and a popular member of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug family, is known to affect hearing through reduction of the electromechanical coupling in the outer hair cells of the ear. This reduction of electromotility by salicylate has been widely studied but the molecular mechanism of the phenomenon is still unknown. In this study, we investigated one aspect of salicylate’s action; namely, the perturbation of electrical and mechanical membrane properties by salicylate in the absence of cytoskeletal or membrane-bound motor proteins such as prestin. In particular, we simulated the interaction of salicylate with a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer via atomically-detailed molecular dynamics simulations to observe the effect of salicylate on the microscopic and mesoscopic properties of the bilayer. The results demonstrate that salicylate interacts with the bilayer by associating at the water-DPPC interface in a nearly perpendicular orientation and penetrating more deeply into the bilayer than either sodium or chloride. This association has several affects on the membrane properties. First, binding of salicylate to the membrane displaces chloride from the bilayer-water interface. Second, salicylate influences the electrostatic potential and dielectric properties of the bilayer, with significant changes at the water-lipid bilayer interface. Third, salicylate association results in structural changes including decreased head group area per lipid and increased lipid tail order. However, salicylate does not significantly alter the mechanical properties of the DPPC bilayer; bulk compressibility, area compressibility, and bending modulus were only perturbed by small, statistically-insignificant amounts, by the presence of salicylate. The observations from these simulations are in qualitative agreement with experimental data and support the conclusion that salicylate influences the electrical but not the mechanical properties of DPPC membranes. PMID:16216066

Controlling coupled bending-twisting vibrations of anisotropic composite wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryabov, Victor; Yartsev, Boris

2018-05-01

The paper discusses the possibility to control coupled bending-twisting vibrations of anisotropic composite wing by means of the monoclinic structures in the reinforcement of the plating. Decomposing the potential straining energy and kinetic energy of natural vibration modes into interacting and non-interacting parts, it became possible to introduce the two coefficients that integrally consider the effect of geometry and reinforcement structure upon the dynamic response parameters of the wing. The first of these coefficients describes the elastic coupling of the natural vibration modes, the second coefficient describes the inertial one. The paper describes the numerical studies showing how the orientation of considerably anisotropic CRP layers in the plating affects natural frequencies, loss factors, coefficients of elastic and inertial coupling for several lower tones of natural bending-twisting vibrations of the wing. Besides, for each vibration mode, partial values of the above mentioned dynamic response parameters were determined by means of the relationships for orthotropic structures where instead of "free" shearing modulus in the reinforcement plant, "pure" shearing modulus is used. Joint analysis of the obtained results has shown that each pair of bending-twisting vibration modes has its orientation angle ranges of the reinforcing layers where the inertial coupling caused by asymmetry of the cross-section profile with respect to the main axes of inertia decreases, down to the complete extinction, due to the generation of the elastic coupling in the plating material. These ranges are characterized by the two main features: 1) the difference in the natural frequencies of the investigated pair of bending-twisting vibration modes is the minimum and 2) natural frequencies of bending-twisting vibrations belong to a stretch restricted by corresponding partial natural frequencies of the investigated pair of vibration modes. This result is of practical importance because it enables approximate analysis of real composite wings with complex geometry in the existing commercial software packages.

Membrane curvature and its generation by BAR proteins

PubMed Central

Mim, Carsten; Unger, Vinzenz M

2012-01-01

Membranes are flexible barriers that surround the cell and its compartments. To execute vital functions such as locomotion or receptor turnover, cells need to control the shapes of their membranes. In part, this control is achieved through membrane-bending proteins, such as the bin/amphiphysin/rvs domain (BAR) proteins. Many open questions remain about the mechanisms by which membrane-bending proteins function. Addressing this shortfall, recent structures of BAR protein:membrane complexes support existing mechanistic models, but also produced novel insights into how BAR-domain proteins sense, stabilize and generate curvature. Here we review these recent findings, focusing on how BAR proteins interact with the membrane, and how the resulting scaffold structures might aid the recruitment of other proteins to the sites where membranes are bent. PMID:23058040

Influence of cell shape on mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V meshes fabricated by electron beam melting method.

PubMed

Li, S J; Xu, Q S; Wang, Z; Hou, W T; Hao, Y L; Yang, R; Murr, L E

2014-10-01

Ti-6Al-4V reticulated meshes with different elements (cubic, G7 and rhombic dodecahedron) in Materialise software were fabricated by additive manufacturing using the electron beam melting (EBM) method, and the effects of cell shape on the mechanical properties of these samples were studied. The results showed that these cellular structures with porosities of 88-58% had compressive strength and elastic modulus in the range 10-300MPa and 0.5-15GPa, respectively. The compressive strength and deformation behavior of these meshes were determined by the coupling of the buckling and bending deformation of struts. Meshes that were dominated by buckling deformation showed relatively high collapse strength and were prone to exhibit brittle characteristics in their stress-strain curves. For meshes dominated by bending deformation, the elastic deformation corresponded well to the Gibson-Ashby model. By enhancing the effect of bending deformation, the stress-strain curve characteristics can change from brittle to ductile (the smooth plateau area). Therefore, Ti-6Al-4V cellular solids with high strength, low modulus and desirable deformation behavior could be fabricated through the cell shape design using the EBM technique. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental validation of more realistic computer models for stent-graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms, including pre-load assessment.

PubMed

Roy, David; Lerouge, Sophie; Inaekyan, Karina; Kauffmann, Claude; Mongrain, Rosaire; Soulez, Gilles

2016-12-01

Although the endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms is a less invasive alternative than classic open surgery, complications such as endoleak and kinking still need to be addressed. Numerical simulation of endovascular repair is becoming a valuable tool in stent-graft (SG) optimization, patient selection and surgical planning. The experimental and numerical forces required to produce SG deformations were compared in a range of in vivo conditions in the present study. The deformation modes investigated were: bending as well as axial, transversal and radial compressions. In particular, an original method was developed to efficiently account for radial pre-load because of the pre-compression of stents to match the graft dimensions during manufacturing. This is important in order to compute the radial force exerted on the vessel after deployment more accurately. Variations of displacement between the experimental and numerical results ranged from 1.39% for simple leg bending to 5.93% for three-point body bending. Finally, radial pre-load was modeled by increasing Young's modulus of each stent. On average, it was found that Young's modulus had to be augmented by a factor of 2. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Determination of mechanical stiffness of bone by pQCT measurements: correlation with non-destructive mechanical four-point bending test data.

PubMed

Martin, Daniel E; Severns, Anne E; Kabo, J M J Michael

2004-08-01

Mechanical tests of bone provide valuable information about material and structural properties important for understanding bone pathology in both clinical and research settings, but no previous studies have produced applicable non-invasive, quantitative estimates of bending stiffness. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) data to accurately compute the bending stiffness of bone. Normal rabbit humeri (N=8) were scanned at their mid-diaphyses using pQCT. The average bone mineral densities and the cross-sectional moments of inertia were computed from the pQCT cross-sections. Bending stiffness was determined as a function of the elastic modulus of compact bone (based on the local bone mineral density), cross-sectional moment of inertia, and simulated quasistatic strain rate. The actual bending stiffness of the bones was determined using four-point bending tests. Comparison of the bending stiffness estimated from the pQCT data and the mechanical bending stiffness revealed excellent correlation (R2=0.96). The bending stiffness from the pQCT data was on average 103% of that obtained from the four-point bending tests. The results indicate that pQCT data can be used to accurately determine the bending stiffness of normal bone. Possible applications include temporal quantification of fracture healing and risk management of osteoporosis or other bone pathologies.

Defects controlled wrinkling and topological design in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Teng; Li, Xiaoyan; Gao, Huajian

2014-07-01

Due to its atomic scale thickness, the deformation energy in a free standing graphene sheet can be easily released through out-of-plane wrinkles which, if controllable, may be used to tune the electrical and mechanical properties of graphene. Here we adopt a generalized von Karman equation for a flexible solid membrane to describe graphene wrinkling induced by a prescribed distribution of topological defects such as disclinations (heptagons or pentagons) and dislocations (heptagon-pentagon dipoles). In this framework, a given distribution of topological defects in a graphene sheet is represented as an eigenstrain field which is determined from a Poisson equation and can be conveniently implemented in finite element (FEM) simulations. Comparison with atomistic simulations indicates that the proposed model, with only three parameters (i.e., bond length, stretching modulus and bending stiffness), is capable of accurately predicting the atomic scale wrinkles near disclination/dislocation cores while also capturing the large scale graphene configurations under specific defect distributions such as those leading to a sinusoidal surface ruga2

Effect of gamma radiation on the mechanical properties of natural silk fiber and synthetic E-glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shubhra, Quazi T. H.; Alam, A. K. M. M.

2011-11-01

Silk is a strong natural proteinous fiber and E-glass is a very strong synthetic fiber. Compression molding method was used to fabricate B. mori silk fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix composites. The tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM), bending strength (BS), bending modulus (BM) and impact strength (IS) of prepared composites were 55.1 MPa, 780 MPa, 56.3 MPa, 3450 MPa and 17 kJ/m 2, respectively. Synthetic E-glass fiber reinforced PP based composites were fabricated in the same way and TS, TM, BS, BM, IS of E-glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites were found to be 128.7 MPa, 4350 MPa, 141.6 MPa, 6300 MPa and 19 kJ/m 2, respectively. Gamma radiation is high energy ionizing radiation and was applied to increase the mechanical properties of the composites. Application of gamma ray increases the mechanical properties of silk/PP composites to a greater extent than that of E-glass/PP composites.

Confined semiflexible polymers suppress fluctuations of soft membrane tubes.

PubMed

Mirzaeifard, Sina; Abel, Steven M

2016-02-14

We use Monte Carlo computer simulations to investigate tubular membrane structures with and without semiflexible polymers confined inside. At small values of membrane bending rigidity, empty fluid and non-fluid membrane tubes exhibit markedly different behavior, with fluid membranes adopting irregular, highly fluctuating shapes and non-fluid membranes maintaining extended tube-like structures. Fluid membranes, unlike non-fluid membranes, exhibit a local maximum in specific heat as their bending rigidity increases. The peak is coincident with a transition to extended tube-like structures. We further find that confining a semiflexible polymer within a fluid membrane tube reduces the specific heat of the membrane, which is a consequence of suppressed membrane shape fluctuations. Polymers with a sufficiently large persistence length can significantly deform the membrane tube, with long polymers leading to localized bulges in the membrane that accommodate regions in which the polymer forms loops. Analytical calculations of the energies of idealized polymer-membrane configurations provide additional insight into the formation of polymer-induced membrane deformations.

Three-dimensional ionic conduction in the strained electrolytes of solid oxide fuel cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Yupei; Zou, Minda; Lv, Weiqiang

2016-05-07

Flexible power sources including fuel cells and batteries are the key to realizing flexible electronic devices with pronounced foldability. To understand the bending effects in these devices, theoretical analysis on three-dimensional (3-D) lattice bending is necessary. In this report, we derive a 3-D analytical model to analyze the effects of electrolyte crystal bending on ionic conductivity in flexible solid-state batteries/fuel cells. By employing solid oxide fuel cells as a materials' platform, the intrinsic parameters of bent electrolyte materials, including lattice constant, Young's modulus, and Poisson ratio, are evaluated. Our work facilitates the rational design of highly efficient flexible electrolytes formore » high-performance flexible device applications.« less

Feeding strategies as revealed by the section moduli of the humerus bones in bipedal theropod dinosaurs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Scott; Richards, Zachary

2015-03-01

The section modulus of a bone is a measure of its ability to resist bending torques. Carnivorous dinosaurs presumably had strong arm bones to hold struggling prey during hunting. Some theropods are believed to have become herbivorous and such animals would not have needed such strong arms. In this work, the section moduli of the humerus bones of bipedal theropod dinosaurs (from Microvenator celer to Tyrannosaurus rex) are studied to determine the maximum bending loads their arms could withstand. The results show that bending strength is not of uniform importance to these magnificent animals. The predatory theropods had strong arms for use in hunting. In contrast, the herbivorous dinosaurs had weaker arms.

A mechanism of protein-mediated fusion: coupling between refolding of the influenza hemagglutinin and lipid rearrangements.

PubMed Central

Kozlov, M M; Chernomordik, L V

1998-01-01

Although membrane fusion mediated by influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is the best characterized example of ubiquitous protein-mediated fusion, it is still not known how the low-pH-induced refolding of HA trimers causes fusion. This refolding involves 1) repositioning of the hydrophobic N-terminal sequence of the HA2 subunit of HA ("fusion peptide"), and 2) the recruitment of additional residues to the alpha-helical coiled coil of a rigid central rod of the trimer. We propose here a mechanism by which these conformational changes can cause local bending of the viral membrane, priming it for fusion. In this model fusion is triggered by incorporation of fusion peptides into viral membrane. Refolding of a central rod exerts forces that pull the fusion peptides, tending to bend the membrane around HA trimer into a saddle-like shape. Elastic energy drives self-assembly of these HA-containing membrane elements in the plane of the membrane into a ring-like cluster. Bulging of the viral membrane within such cluster yields a dimple growing toward the bound target membrane. Bending stresses in the lipidic top of the dimple facilitate membrane fusion. We analyze the energetics of this proposed sequence of membrane rearrangements, and demonstrate that this simple mechanism may explain some of the known phenomenological features of fusion. PMID:9726939

Material nonlinear analysis via mixed-iterative finite element method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutjahjo, Edhi; Chamis, Christos C.

1992-01-01

The performance of elastic-plastic mixed-iterative analysis is examined through a set of convergence studies. Membrane and bending behaviors are tested using 4-node quadrilateral finite elements. The membrane result is excellent, which indicates the implementation of elastic-plastic mixed-iterative analysis is appropriate. On the other hand, further research to improve bending performance of the method seems to be warranted.

Spatially Resolved Measurement of the Stress Tensor in Thin Membranes Using Bending Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waitz, Reimar; Lutz, Carolin; Nößner, Stephan; Hertkorn, Michael; Scheer, Elke

2015-04-01

The mode shape of bending waves in thin silicon and silicon-carbide membranes is measured as a function of space and time, using a phase-shift interferometer with stroboscopic light. The mode shapes hold information about all the relevant mechanical parameters of the samples, including the spatial distribution of static prestress. We present a simple algorithm to obtain a map of the lateral tensor components of the prestress, with a spatial resolution much better than the wavelength of the bending waves. The method is not limited to measuring the stress of bending waves. It is applicable in almost any situation, where the fields determining the state of the system can be measured as a function of space and time.

The Effect of Basis Selection on Static and Random Acoustic Response Prediction Using a Nonlinear Modal Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Przekop, Adam

2005-01-01

An investigation of the effect of basis selection on geometric nonlinear response prediction using a reduced-order nonlinear modal simulation is presented. The accuracy is dictated by the selection of the basis used to determine the nonlinear modal stiffness. This study considers a suite of available bases including bending modes only, bending and membrane modes, coupled bending and companion modes, and uncoupled bending and companion modes. The nonlinear modal simulation presented is broadly applicable and is demonstrated for nonlinear quasi-static and random acoustic response of flat beam and plate structures with isotropic material properties. Reduced-order analysis predictions are compared with those made using a numerical simulation in physical degrees-of-freedom to quantify the error associated with the selected modal bases. Bending and membrane responses are separately presented to help differentiate the bases.

Nanomechanical properties of phospholipid microbubbles.

PubMed

Buchner Santos, Evelyn; Morris, Julia K; Glynos, Emmanouil; Sboros, Vassilis; Koutsos, Vasileios

2012-04-03

This study uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) force-deformation (F-Δ) curves to investigate for the first time the Young's modulus of a phospholipid microbubble (MB) ultrasound contrast agent. The stiffness of the MBs was calculated from the gradient of the F-Δ curves, and the Young's modulus of the MB shell was calculated by employing two different mechanical models based on the Reissner and elastic membrane theories. We found that the relatively soft phospholipid-based MBs behave inherently differently to stiffer, polymer-based MBs [Glynos, E.; Koutsos, V.; McDicken, W. N.; Moran, C. M.; Pye, S. D.; Ross, J. A.; Sboros, V. Langmuir2009, 25 (13), 7514-7522] and that elastic membrane theory is the most appropriate of the models tested for evaluating the Young's modulus of the phospholipid shell, agreeing with values available for living cell membranes, supported lipid bilayers, and synthetic phospholipid vesicles. Furthermore, we show that AFM F-Δ curves in combination with a suitable mechanical model can assess the shell properties of phospholipid MBs. The "effective" Young's modulus of the whole bubble was also calculated by analysis using Hertz theory. This analysis yielded values which are in agreement with results from studies which used Hertz theory to analyze similar systems such as cells.

Shaping the Flavivirus Replication Complex: It's Curvaceous!

PubMed

Aktepe, Turgut E; Mackenzie, Jason M

2018-06-22

Flavivirus replication is intimately involved with remodelled membrane organelles that are compartmentalised for different functions during their life cycle. Recent advances in lipid analyses and gene depletion have identified a number of host components that enable efficient virus replication in infected cells. Here we describe the current understanding on the role and contribution of host lipids and membrane bending proteins to flavivirus replication, with a particular focus on the components that bend and shape the membrane bilayer to induce the flavivirus-induced organelles characteristic of infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Characterization and dynamic charge dependent modeling of conducting polymer trilayer bending

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farajollahi, Meisam; Sassani, Farrokh; Naserifar, Naser; Fannir, Adelyne; Plesse, Cédric; Nguyen, Giao T. M.; Vidal, Frédéric; Madden, John D. W.

2016-11-01

Trilayer bending actuators are charge driven devices that have the ability to function in air and provide large mechanical amplification. The electronic and mechanical properties of these actuators are known to be functions of their charge state making prediction of their responses more difficult when they operate over their full range of deformation. In this work, a combination of state space representation and a two-dimensional RC transmission line model are used to implement a nonlinear time variant model for conducting polymer-based trilayer actuators. Electrical conductivity and Young’s modulus of electromechanically active PEDOT conducting polymer containing films as a function of applied voltage were measured and incorporated into the model. A 16% drop in Young’s modulus and 24 times increase in conductivity are observed by oxidizing the PEDOT. A closed form formulation for radius of curvature of trilayer actuators considering asymmetric and location dependent Young’s modulus and conductivity in the conducting polymer layers is derived and implemented in the model. The nonlinear model shows the capability to predict the radius of curvature as a function of time and position with reasonable consistency (within 4%). The formulation is useful for general trilayer configurations to calculate the radius of curvature as a function of time. The proposed electrochemical modeling approach may also be useful for modeling energy storage devices.

Holographic study of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio metallic foams - Elasticity, yield and micro-deformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. P.; Lakes, R. S.

1991-01-01

An experimental study by holographic interferometry is reported of the following material properties of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio copper foams: Young's moduli, Poisson's ratios, yield strengths and characteristic lengths associated with inhomogeneous deformation. The Young's modulus and yield strength of the conventional copper foam were comparable to those predicted by microstructural modeling on the basis of cellular rib bending. The reentrant copper foam exhibited a negative Poisson's ratio, as indicated by the elliptical contour fringes on the specimen surface in the bending tests. Inhomogeneous, non-affine deformation was observed holographically in both foam materials.

Temperature effects on nanostructure and mechanical properties of single-nanoparticle thick membranes.

DOE PAGES

Salerno, Kenneth Michael; Grest, Gary S.

2015-04-30

In this study, the properties of mechanically stable single-nanoparticle (NP)-thick membranes have largely been studied at room temperature. How these membranes soften as nanoparticle ligands disorder with increasing temperature is unknown. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to probe the temperature dependence of the mechanical and nanostructural properties of nanoparticle membranes made of 6 nm diameter Au nanoparticles coated with dodecanethiol ligands and terminated with either methyl (CH 3) or carboxyl (COOH) terminal groups. For methyl-terminated ligands, interactions along the alkane chain provide mechanical stiffness, with a Young's modulus of 1.7 GPa at 300 K. For carboxyl-terminated chains, end-group interactions aremore » significant, producing stiffer membranes at all temperatures, with a Young's modulus of 3.8 GPa at 300 K. For both end-group types, membrane stiffness is reduced to zero at about 400 K. Ligand structure and mechanical properties of membranes at 300 K that have been annealed at 400 K are comparable to samples that do not undergo thermal annealing.« less

Mechanical properties of sol–gel derived SiO2 nanotubes

PubMed Central

Antsov, Mikk; Vlassov, Sergei; Dorogin, Leonid M; Vahtrus, Mikk; Zabels, Roberts; Lange, Sven; Lõhmus, Rünno

2014-01-01

Summary The mechanical properties of thick-walled SiO2 nanotubes (NTs) prepared by a sol–gel method while using Ag nanowires (NWs) as templates were measured by using different methods. In situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) cantilever beam bending tests were carried out by using a nanomanipulator equipped with a force sensor in order to investigate plasticity and flexural response of NTs. Nanoindentation and three point bending tests of NTs were performed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) under ambient conditions. Half-suspended and three-point bending tests were processed in the framework of linear elasticity theory. Finite element method simulations were used to extract Young’s modulus values from the nanoindentation data. Finally, the Young’s moduli of SiO2 NTs measured by different methods were compared and discussed. PMID:25383292

Determination of elastic modulus and residual stress of plasma-sprayed tungsten coating on steel substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, J. H.; Höschen, T.; Lindig, S.

2006-01-01

Plasma-sprayed tungsten, which is a candidate material for the first wall armour, shows a porous, heterogeneous microstructure. Due to its characteristic morphology, the properties are significantly different from those of its dense bulk material. Measurements of the elastic modulus of this coating have not been reported in the literature. In this work Young's modulus of highly porous plasma-sprayed tungsten coatings deposited on steel (F82H) substrates was measured. For the fabrication of the coating system the vacuum plasma-spray process was applied. Measurements were performed by means of three-point and four-point bending tests. The obtained modulus values ranged from 53 to 57 GPa. These values could be confirmed by the test result of a detached coating strip, which was 54 GPa. The applied methods produced consistent results regardless of testing configurations and specimen sizes. The errors were less than 1%. Residual stress of the coating was also estimated.

Optimization of ceramic strength using elastic gradients

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yu; Ma, Li

2009-01-01

We present a new concept for strengthening ceamics by utilizing a graded structure with a low elastic modulus at both top and bottom surfaces sandwiching a high-modulus interior. Closed-form equations have been developed for stress analysis of simply supported graded sandwich beams subject to transverse center loads. Theory predicts that suitable modulus gradients at the ceramic surface can effectively reduce and spread the maximum bending stress from the surface into the interior. The magnitude of such stress dissipation is governed by the thickness ratio of the beam to the graded layers. We test our concept by infiltrating both top and bottom surfaces of a strong class of zirconia ceramic with an in-house prepared glass of similar coefficient of thermal expansion and Poisson’s ratio to zirconia, producing a controlled modulus gradient at the surface without significant long-range residual stresses. The resultant graded glass/zirconia/glass composite exhibits significantly higher load-bearing capacity than homogeneous zirconia. PMID:20161019

Numerical optimization of open-porous bone scaffold structures to match the elastic properties of human cortical bone.

PubMed

Wieding, Jan; Wolf, Andreas; Bader, Rainer

2014-09-01

Treatment of large segmental bone defects, especially in load bearing areas, is a complex procedure in orthopedic surgery. The usage of additive manufacturing processes enables the creation of customized bone implants with arbitrary open-porous structure satisfying both the mechanical and the biological requirements for a sufficient bone ingrowth. Aim of the present numerical study was to optimize the geometrical parameters of open-porous titanium scaffolds to match the elastic properties of human cortical bone with respect to an adequate pore size. Three different scaffold designs (cubic, diagonal and pyramidal) were numerically investigated by using an optimization approach. Beam elements were used to create the lattice structures of the scaffolds. The design parameters strut diameter and pore size ranged from 0.2 to 1.5mm and from 0 to 3.0mm, respectively. In a first optimization step, the geometrical parameters were varied under uniaxial compression to obtain a structural modulus of 15GPa (Young׳s modulus of cortical bone) and a pore size of 800µm was aimed to enable cell ingrowth. Furthermore, the mechanical behavior of the optimized structures under bending and torsion was investigated. Results for bending modulus were between 9.0 and 14.5GPa. In contrast, shear modulus was lowest for cubic and pyramidal design of approximately 1GPa. Here, the diagonal design revealed a modulus of nearly 20GPa. In a second step, large-sized bone scaffolds were created and placed in a biomechanical loading situation within a 30mm segmental femoral defect, stabilized with an osteosynthesis plate and loaded with physiological muscle forces. Strut diameter for the 17 sections of each scaffold was optimized independently in order to match the biomechanical stability of intact bone. For each design, highest strut diameter was found at the dorsal/medial site of the defect and smallest strut diameter in the center. In conclusion, we demonstrated the possibility of providing optimized open-porous scaffolds for bone regeneration by considering both mechanical and biological aspects. Furthermore, the results revealed the need of the investigation and comparison of different load scenarios (compression, bending and torsion) as well as complex biomechanical loading for a profound characterization of different scaffold designs. The usage of a numerical optimization process was proven to be a feasible tool to reduce the amount of the required titanium material without influencing the biomechanical performance of the scaffold negatively. By using fully parameterized models, the optimization approach is adaptable to other scaffold designs and bone defect situations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Multi-modality Approach Towards Elucidation of the Mechanism for Human Achilles Tendon Bending During Passive Ankle Rotation.

PubMed

Kinugasa, Ryuta; Taniguchi, Keigo; Yamamura, Naoto; Fujimiya, Mineko; Katayose, Masaki; Takagi, Shu; Edgerton, V Reggie; Sinha, Shantanu

2018-03-12

The in vitro unconstrained Achilles tendon is nearly straight, while in vivo experiments reveal that the proximal region of the Achilles tendon, adjacent to Kager's fat pad, bends ventrally during plantarflexion but remains nearly straight during dorsiflexion. Tendon bending is an important factor in determining the displacement of the foot compared to the shortening of the muscle fibers. The objective of this study was to elucidate the various mechanisms that could cause tendon bending, which currently remain unknown. Examination of Thiel-embalmed cadavers, with preservation of native articular joint mobility, revealed that the Achilles tendon still bent ventrally even when its surrounding tissues, including the skin surface, Kager's fat pad, and distal portions of the soleus muscle were removed. Shear modulus and collagen fiber orientation were distributed homogeneously with respect to the longitudinal line of the tendon, minimizing their causative contributions to the bending. Given that tendon bending is not caused by either the nature of the deformations of the tissues surrounding the Achilles tendon or its physical properties, we conclude that it results from the geometric architecture of the Achilles tendon and its configuration with respect to the surrounding tissues.

Algorithms for Determining Physical Responses of Structures Under Load

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, W. Lance; Ko, William L.

2012-01-01

Ultra-efficient real-time structural monitoring algorithms have been developed to provide extensive information about the physical response of structures under load. These algorithms are driven by actual strain data to measure accurately local strains at multiple locations on the surface of a structure. Through a single point load calibration test, these structural strains are then used to calculate key physical properties of the structure at each measurement location. Such properties include the structure s flexural rigidity (the product of the structure's modulus of elasticity, and its moment of inertia) and the section modulus (the moment of inertia divided by the structure s half-depth). The resulting structural properties at each location can be used to determine the structure s bending moment, shear, and structural loads in real time while the structure is in service. The amount of structural information can be maximized through the use of highly multiplexed fiber Bragg grating technology using optical time domain reflectometry and optical frequency domain reflectometry, which can provide a local strain measurement every 10 mm on a single hair-sized optical fiber. Since local strain is used as input to the algorithms, this system serves multiple purposes of measuring strains and displacements, as well as determining structural bending moment, shear, and loads for assessing real-time structural health. The first step is to install a series of strain sensors on the structure s surface in such a way as to measure bending strains at desired locations. The next step is to perform a simple ground test calibration. For a beam of length l (see example), discretized into n sections and subjected to a tip load of P that places the beam in bending, the flexural rigidity of the beam can be experimentally determined at each measurement location x. The bending moment at each station can then be determined for any general set of loads applied during operation.

Mechanical properties of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, H. Richard; Cornwell, L. R.

1993-01-01

A composite material incorporates high strength, high modulus fibers in a matrix (polymer, metal, or ceramic). The fibers may be oriented in a manner to give varying in-plane properties (longitudinal, transverse-stress, strain, and modulus of elasticity). The lay-up of the composite laminates is such that a center line of symmetry and no bending moment exist through the thickness. The laminates are tabbed, with either aluminum or fiberglass, and are ready for tensile testing. The determination of the tensile properties of resin matrix composites, reinforced by continuous fibers, is outlined in ASTM standard D 3039, Tensile Properties of Oriented Fiber Composites. The tabbed flat tensile coupons are placed into the grips of a tensile machine and load-deformation curves plotted. The load-deformation data are translated into stress-strain curves for determination of mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength and modulus of elasticity).

Rigidity-tuning conductive elastomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Wanliang; Diller, Stuart; Tutcuoglu, Abbas; Majidi, Carmel

2015-06-01

We introduce a conductive propylene-based elastomer (cPBE) that rapidly and reversibly changes its mechanical rigidity when powered with electrical current. The elastomer is rigid in its natural state, with an elastic (Young’s) modulus of 175.5 MPa, and softens when electrically activated. By embedding the cPBE in an electrically insulating sheet of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), we create a cPBE-PDMS composite that can reversibly change its tensile modulus between 37 and 1.5 MPa. The rigidity change takes ˜6 s and is initiated when a 100 V voltage drop is applied across the two ends of the cPBE film. This magnitude of change in elastic rigidity is similar to that observed in natural skeletal muscle and catch connective tissue. We characterize the tunable load-bearing capability of the cPBE-PDMS composite with a motorized tensile test and deadweight experiment. Lastly, we demonstrate the ability to control the routing of internal forces by embedding several cPBE-PDMS ‘active tendons’ into a soft robotic pneumatic bending actuator. Selectively activating the artificial tendons controls the neutral axis and direction of bending during inflation.

Quantifying the Relationship between Curvature and Electric Potential in Lipid Bilayers.

PubMed

Bruhn, Dennis S; Lomholt, Michael A; Khandelia, Himanshu

2016-06-02

Cellular membranes mediate vital cellular processes by being subject to curvature and transmembrane electrical potentials. Here we build upon the existing theory for flexoelectricity in liquid crystals to quantify the coupling between lipid bilayer curvature and membrane potentials. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that headgroup dipole moments, the lateral pressure profile across the bilayer, and spontaneous curvature all systematically change with increasing membrane potentials. In particular, there is a linear dependence between the bending moment (the product of bending rigidity and spontaneous curvature) and the applied membrane potentials. We show that biologically relevant membrane potentials can induce biologically relevant curvatures corresponding to radii of around 500 nm. The implications of flexoelectricity in lipid bilayers are thus likely to be of considerable consequence both in biology and in model lipid bilayer systems.

Piezoelectric Response of Aligned Electrospun Polyvinylidene Fluoride/Carbon Nanotube Nanofibrous Membranes.

PubMed

Wu, Chang-Mou; Chou, Min-Hui; Zeng, Wun-Yuan

2018-06-10

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) shows piezoelectricity related to its β-phase content and mechanical and electrical properties influenced by its morphology and crystallinity. Electrospinning (ES) can produce ultrafine and well-aligned PVDF nanofibers. In this study, the effects of the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and optimized ES parameters on the crystal structures and piezoelectric properties of aligned PVDF/CNT nanofibrous membranes were examined. The optimal β content and piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) of the aligned electrospun PVDF reached 88% and 27.4 pC/N; CNT addition increased the β-phase content to 89% and d 33 to 31.3 pC/N. The output voltages of piezoelectric units with aligned electrospun PVDF/CNT membranes increased linearly with applied loading and showed good stability during cyclic dynamic compression and tension. The sensitivities of the piezoelectric units with the membranes under dynamic compression and tension were 2.26 mV/N and 4.29 mV/%, respectively. In bending tests, the output voltage increased nonlinearly with bending angle because complicated forces were involved. The output of the aligned membrane-based piezoelectric unit with CNT was 1.89 V at the bending angle of 100°. The high electric outputs indicate that the aligned electrospun PVDF/CNT membranes are potentially effective for flexible wearable sensor application with high sensitivity.

In-situ micro bend testing of SiC and the effects of Ga+ ion damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, S.; Doak, SS; Zhou, Z.; Wu, H.

2017-09-01

The Young’s modulus of 6H single crystal silicon carbide (SiC) was tested with micro cantilevers that had a range of cross-sectional dimensions with surfaces cleaned under different accelerating voltages of Ga+ beam. A clear size effect is seen with Young’s modulus decreasing as the cross-sectional area reduces. One of the possible reasons for such size effect is the Ga+ induced damage on all surfaces of the cantilever. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to analyse the degree of damage, and the measurements of damage is compared to predictions by SRIM irradiation simulation.

The effect of ionic membrane properties on the performance of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jho, Jae Y.; Han, Man J.; Park, Jong H.; Lee, Jang Y.; Wang, Hyuck S.

2005-05-01

On purpose to overcome the limit of conventional ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) using the commercial ionic membranes, novel IPMCs with radiation-grafted ion-exchange membranes were prepared. Poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-co-HFP) and poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) were radiation-grafted with styrene, and then sulfonated. The properties of the membranes were modulated by controlling the amount of polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA) groups in the membranes. The amount of PSSA groups were tuned by controlling the total absorbed dose of γ-ray. The membranes were characterized by measuring the water-uptake, the ion-exchange capacity, and the ion conductivity. The performance of the IPMCs using these membranes were analyzed with laser displacement meter. They exhibited much larger bending displacement in comparison with Nafion-based IPMC. With increasing the amount of PSSA groups, the maximum displacement and the bending speed were remarkably increased. The results made sure that the property of ion-exchange membrane was the key element affecting the actuation performance of IPMC.

The effects of heat treatment on some technological properties of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood.

PubMed

Korkut, Süleyman; Akgül, Mehmet; Dündar, Turker

2008-04-01

Heat treatment is often applied to wood species to improve their dimensional stability. This study examined the effect of heat treatment on certain mechanical properties of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), which has industrially high usage potential and large plantations in Turkey. Wood specimens obtained from Bolu, Turkey, were subjected to heat treatment under atmospheric pressure at varying temperatures (120, 150 and 180 degrees C) for varying durations (2, 6 and 10h). The test results of heat-treated Scots pine and control samples showed that technological properties including compression strength, bending strength, modulus of elasticity in bending, janka-hardness, impact bending strength and tension strength perpendicular to grain suffered with heat treatment, and increase in temperature and duration further diminished technological strength values of the wood specimens.

Stress Modulus of Cancer Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonin, Keith; Guthold, Martin; Guo, Xinyi; Sigley, Justin

2012-02-01

Our main goal is to study the different physical and mechanical properties of cells as they advance through different stages of neoplastic transformation from normal to the metastatic state. Since recent reports indicate there is significant ambiguity about how these properties change for different cancer cells, we plan to measure these properties for a single line of cells, and to determine whether the changes vary for different cellular components: i.e. whether the change in physical properties is due to a change in the cytoskeleton, the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, or a combination of these elements. Here we expect to present data on the stress modulus of cancer cells at different stages: normal, mortal cancerous, immortal cancerous, and tumorigenic. The cells are Weinberg cell line Human Mammary Epithelial (HME) cells. Atomic force microscope (AFM) probes with different diameters are used to push on the cell membrane to measure the local, regional and global cell stress modulus. Preliminary results on normal HME cells suggests a stress modulus of 1.5 ± 0.8 kPa when pushing with 7 μm spherical probes. We anticipate reporting an improved value for the modulus as well as results for some of the Weinberg cancer cells.

Mechanical properties of 3D printed warped membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmrlj, Andrej; Xiao, Kechao; Weaver, James C.; Vlassak, Joost J.; Nelson, David R.

2015-03-01

We explore how a frozen background metric affects the mechanical properties of solid planar membranes. Our focus is a special class of ``warped membranes'' with a preferred random height profile characterized by random Gaussian variables h (q) in Fourier space with zero mean and variance < | h (q) | 2 > q-m . It has been shown theoretically that in the linear response regime, this quenched random disorder increases the effective bending rigidity, while the Young's and shear moduli are reduced. Compared to flat plates of the same thickness t, the bending rigidity of warped membranes is increased by a factor hv / t while the in-plane elastic moduli are reduced by t /hv , where hv =√{< | h (x) | 2 > } describes the frozen height fluctuations. Interestingly, hv is system size dependent for warped membranes characterized with m > 2 . We present experimental tests of these predictions, using warped membranes prepared via high resolution 3D printing.

Effect of gas adsorption on acoustic wave propagation in MFI zeolite membrane materials: experiment and molecular simulation.

PubMed

Manga, Etoungh D; Blasco, Hugues; Da-Costa, Philippe; Drobek, Martin; Ayral, André; Le Clezio, Emmanuel; Despaux, Gilles; Coasne, Benoit; Julbe, Anne

2014-09-02

The present study reports on the development of a characterization method of porous membrane materials which consists of considering their acoustic properties upon gas adsorption. Using acoustic microscopy experiments and atomistic molecular simulations for helium adsorbed in a silicalite-1 zeolite membrane layer, we showed that acoustic wave propagation could be used, in principle, for controlling the membranes operando. Molecular simulations, which were found to fit experimental data, showed that the compressional modulus of the composite system consisting of silicalite-1 with adsorbed He increases linearly with the He adsorbed amount while its shear modulus remains constant in a large range of applied pressures. These results suggest that the longitudinal and Rayleigh wave velocities (VL and VR) depend on the He adsorbed amount whereas the transverse wave velocity VT remains constant.

Effect of crumb-rubber particle size on mechanical response of polyurethane foam composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanjay, Omer Sheik

The compression properties of foam are governed by by three factors: i) cell edge bending ii) compression of cell fluid iii) membrane stresses in the cell faces. The effect of reinforcement, granular form of scrap tire rubber on contribution of each of these effects along with the physical properties of polyurethane foam is investigated. It is seen that the addition of crumb-rubber hinders the formation of cell membranes during the foaming process. Four different sizes of particles were chosen to closely study the effect of particle size on the physical properties of the foam composite. There is a definite pattern seen in each of the physical property of the composite with change in the particle size. Addition of crumb-rubber decreases the compressive strength but in turn increases the elastic modulus of the composite. The rubber particles act as the sites for stress concentration and hence the inclusion of rubber particles induces the capability to transfer the axial load laterally along the surface of the foam. Also, the filler material induces porosity into the foam, which is seen in the SEM images, and hence the addition of rubber particles induces brittleness, which makes the foam composites extensively applicable for structural application in sandwich components. The lightweight composite therefore is a potential substitute to the heavier metal foams and honeycombs as a protective layer.

Fullerene reinforced ionic polymer transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, J. H.; Cheng, T. H.; Oh, I. K.

2009-07-01

Novel fullerene reinforced nano-composite transducers based on nafion were developed inorder to improve the ionic polymer metal composite transducer. The fullerene reinforced nano-composite membranes were fabricated by recasting method with 0.1 and 0.5 weight percentage of a Fullerenes. Stress-Strain tests showed tremendous increase in stiffness and modulus of the nano-composite membranes even at these minute concentrations of Fullerenes. Ionic exchange capacity analysis and proton conductivity test were performed to calculate the electrical property of the composite films. Water uptake was measured to understand the liquid adsorbing characteristics of the membranes. Also, tip displacement of the nano-composite membrane transducer was investigated under AC excitations with various magnitudes and frequencies. Furthermore, the generated energy was measured from external sinusoidal physical input vibration with several displacements and frequencies by using a mechanical shaker. As a result, the fullerene reinforced nanocomposite membrane based on nafion shows higher stiffness and Young's modulus than that of pure nafion membrane. Also, the nano-composite membrane had better water uptake and proton conductivity than the pure membrane. Fullerene reinforced nano-composite membrane transducer actuates to a much larger deformations than pure nafion membrane transducer. The developed membrane transducer dissipates more energy from the physical input vibration than that of unfilled(or virgin) Nafion membrane transducer.

Elastic modulus of nanomaterials: resonant contact-AFM measurement and reduced-size effects (Invited Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nysten, Bernard; Fretigny, Christian; Cuenot, Stephane

2005-05-01

Resonant contact atomic force microscopy (resonant C-AFM) is used to quantitatively measure the elastic modulus of polymer nanotubes and metallic nanowires. To achieve this, an oscillating electric field is applied between the sample holder and the microscope head to excite the oscillation of the cantilever in contact with the nanostructures suspended over the pores of a membrane. The resonance frequency of the cantilever with the tip in contact with a nanostructure is shifted to higher values with respect to the resonance frequency of the free cantilever. It is demonstrated that the system can simply be modeled by a cantilever with the tip in contact with two springs. The measurement of the frequency shift enables the direct determination of the spring stiffness, i.e. the nanowires or nanotube stiffness. The method also enables the determination of the boundary conditions of the nanobeam on the membrane. The tensile elastic modulus is then simply determined using the classical theory of beam deflection. The obtained results for the larger nanostructures fairly agree to the values reported in the literature for the macroscopic elastic modulus of the corresponding materials. The measured modulus of the nanomaterials with smaller diameters is significantly higher than that of the larger ones. The increase of the apparent elastic modulus for the smaller diameters is attributed to the surface tension effects. It is thus demonstrated that resonant C-AFM enables the measurement of the elastic modulus and of the surface tension of nanomaterials.

Temperature dependence of structure, bending rigidity, and bilayer interactions of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers.

PubMed

Pan, Jianjun; Tristram-Nagle, Stephanie; Kucerka, Norbert; Nagle, John F

2008-01-01

X-ray diffuse scattering was measured from oriented stacks and unilamellar vesicles of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine lipid bilayers to obtain the temperature dependence of the structure and of the material properties. The area/molecule, A, was 75.5 A(2) at 45 degrees C, 72.4 A(2) at 30 degrees C, and 69.1 A(2) at 15 degrees C, which gives the area expansivity alpha(A) = 0.0029/deg at 30 degrees C, and we show that this value is in excellent agreement with the polymer brush theory. The bilayer becomes thinner with increasing temperature; the contractivity of the hydrocarbon portion was alpha(Dc) = 0.0019/deg; the difference between alpha(A) and alpha(Dc) is consistent with the previously measured volume expansivity alpha(Vc) = 0.0010/deg. The bending modulus K(C) decreased as exp(455/T) with increasing T (K). Our area compressibility modulus K(A) decreased with increasing temperature by 5%, the same as the surface tension of dodecane/water, in agreement again with the polymer brush theory. Regarding interactions between bilayers, the compression modulus B as a function of interbilayer water spacing D'(W) was found to be nearly independent of temperature. The repulsive fluctuation pressure calculated from B and K(C) increased with temperature, and the Hamaker parameter for the van der Waals interaction was nearly independent of temperature; this explains why the fully hydrated water spacing, D'(W), that we obtain from our structural results increases with temperature.

Some strength and related properties of yagrumo hembra (Cecropia peltata) from Puerto Rico

Treesearch

B. A. Bendtsen

1964-01-01

Evaluations of several mechanical and physical properties were conducted on specimens from five yagrumo hembra (Cecropia peltata) trees from Puerto Rico. With the exception of toughness and modulus of elasticity in both bending and compression parallel to grain, these specimens were lower in specific gravity and in strength properties than material reported previously...

Density profile and fiber alignment in fiberboard from three southern hardwoods

Treesearch

George E. Woodson

1977-01-01

Density profile and fiber orientation were evaluated for their effects on selected mechanical properties of medium density fiberboard. Bending MOE and modulus of rigidity were predicted from density profiles established by x-ray radiography. Orthotropic ratios ranged from 1.19 to 2.32 for electrically aligned fiberboards from three southern hardwoods. Off-axis tensile...

Analysis of K-factor for five-ply plywood

Treesearch

F.F. Wangarrd; George E. Woodson; William R. Wilcox

1973-01-01

K-factor has long been used as a modifier of section modulus in the calculation of bending moment for plywood beams. No comparable modification of moment of intertia is included in current recommendations for calculating plywood deflection at span-depth ratios of 30:1 or greater. Results of limited testing lend support to the authors' contention that, where "...

Analysis of K-factor for five-ply plywood

Treesearch

F. F. Wangaard; G. E. Woodson; W. R. Wilcox

1973-01-01

K-factor has long been used as a modifier of section modulus in the calculation of bending moment for plywood beams. No comparable modification of moment ot inertia is included in current reoommendations for calculating plywood deflection at span-depth ratios of 30:1 or greater. Results of limited testing lend support to the authors' contention...

Reinforcement of single-walled carbon nanotube bundles by intertube bridging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kis, A.; Csányi, G.; Salvetat, J.-P.; Lee, Thien-Nga; Couteau, E.; Kulik, A. J.; Benoit, W.; Brugger, J.; Forró, L.

2004-03-01

During their production, single-walled carbon nanotubes form bundles. Owing to the weak van der Waals interaction that holds them together in the bundle, the tubes can easily slide on each other, resulting in a shear modulus comparable to that of graphite. This low shear modulus is also a major obstacle in the fabrication of macroscopic fibres composed of carbon nanotubes. Here, we have introduced stable links between neighbouring carbon nanotubes within bundles, using moderate electron-beam irradiation inside a transmission electron microscope. Concurrent measurements of the mechanical properties using an atomic force microscope show a 30-fold increase of the bending modulus, due to the formation of stable crosslinks that effectively eliminate sliding between the nanotubes. Crosslinks were modelled using first-principles calculations, showing that interstitial carbon atoms formed during irradiation in addition to carboxyl groups, can independently lead to bridge formation between neighbouring nanotubes.

Mechanical properties of a biodegradable bone regeneration scaffold

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, B. D.; Oldham, J. B.; He, S. L.; Zobitz, M. E.; Payne, R. G.; An, K. N.; Currier, B. L.; Mikos, A. G.; Yaszemski, M. J.

2000-01-01

Poly (Propylene Fumarate) (PPF), a novel, bulk erosion, biodegradable polymer, has been shown to have osteoconductive effects in vivo when used as a bone regeneration scaffold (Peter, S. J., Suggs, L. J., Yaszemski, M. J., Engel, P. S., and Mikos, A. J., 1999, J. Biomater. Sci. Polym. Ed., 10, pp. 363-373). The material properties of the polymer allow it to be injected into irregularly shaped voids in vivo and provide mechanical stability as well as function as a bone regeneration scaffold. We fabricated a series of biomaterial composites, comprised of varying quantities of PPF, NaCl and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP), into the shape of right circular cylinders and tested the mechanical properties in four-point bending and compression. The mean modulus of elasticity in compression (Ec) was 1204.2 MPa (SD 32.2) and the mean modulus of elasticity in bending (Eb) was 1274.7 MPa (SD 125.7). All of the moduli were on the order of magnitude of trabecular bone. Changing the level of NaCl from 20 to 40 percent, by mass, did not decrease Ec and Eb significantly, but did decrease bending and compressive strength significantly. Increasing the beta-TCP from 0.25 g/g PPF to 0.5 g/g PPF increased all of the measured mechanical properties of PPF/NVP composites. These results indicate that this biodegradable polymer composite is an attractive candidate for use as a replacement scaffold for trabecular bone.

Influence of Global and Local Membrane Curvature on Mechanosensitive Ion Channels: A Finite Element Approach

PubMed Central

Bavi, Omid; Cox, Charles D.; Vossoughi, Manouchehr; Naghdabadi, Reza; Jamali, Yousef; Martinac, Boris

2016-01-01

Mechanosensitive (MS) channels are ubiquitous molecular force sensors that respond to a number of different mechanical stimuli including tensile, compressive and shear stress. MS channels are also proposed to be molecular curvature sensors gating in response to bending in their local environment. One of the main mechanisms to functionally study these channels is the patch clamp technique. However, the patch of membrane surveyed using this methodology is far from physiological. Here we use continuum mechanics to probe the question of how curvature, in a standard patch clamp experiment, at different length scales (global and local) affects a model MS channel. Firstly, to increase the accuracy of the Laplace’s equation in tension estimation in a patch membrane and to be able to more precisely describe the transient phenomena happening during patch clamping, we propose a modified Laplace’s equation. Most importantly, we unambiguously show that the global curvature of a patch, which is visible under the microscope during patch clamp experiments, is of negligible energetic consequence for activation of an MS channel in a model membrane. However, the local curvature (RL < 50) and the direction of bending are able to cause considerable changes in the stress distribution through the thickness of the membrane. Not only does local bending, in the order of physiologically relevant curvatures, cause a substantial change in the pressure profile but it also significantly modifies the stress distribution in response to force application. Understanding these stress variations in regions of high local bending is essential for a complete understanding of the effects of curvature on MS channels. PMID:26861405

Large Deformation and Adhesive Contact Studies of Axisymmetric Membranes

PubMed Central

Laprade, Evan J.; Long, Rong; Pham, Jonathan; Lawrence, Jimmy; Emrick, Todd; Crosby, Alfred; Hui, Chung-Yuen; Shull, Kenneth R.

2013-01-01

A model membrane contact system consisting of an acrylic copolymer membrane and polydimethyl-siloxane substrate was utilized to evaluate a recently developed nonlinear large-deformation adhesive contact analysis. Direct measurements of the local membrane apex strain during non-contact inflation indicated that the neo-Hookean model provides an accurate measure of membrane strain and supports its use as the strain energy function for the analysis. A time dependent modulus emerges from the analysis, with principal tensions obtained from a comparison of predicted and experimental membrane profiles. A displacement controlled geometry was more easily modeled than the pressure controlled geometry, the applicability of the analysis was limited by wrinkling instabilities. The substantial viscoelastic behavior of these membranes made it difficult to describe the entire membrane with a single modulus, given the nonuniform deformation history of the membranes. Given the difficulty in determining membrane tension from the measured pressure and profile fits using the model, the peel energy was used as a simpler measure of adhesion. Using an analytical balance in the displacement controlled geometry, the membrane tension at the contact line was directly measured. Coupled with contact angle imaging, the peel energy was determined. For the model membranes studied, this peel energy described the membrane/substrate adhesive interactions quite well, giving well-defined peel energies that were independent of the detailed strain state of the membrane. PMID:23289644

Stalk Phase Formation: Effects of Dehydration and Saddle Splay Modulus

PubMed Central

Kozlovsky, Yonathan; Efrat, Avishay; Siegel, David A.; Kozlov, Michael M.

2004-01-01

One of the earliest lipid intermediates forming in the course of membrane fusion is the lipid stalk. Although many aspects of the stalk hypothesis were elaborated theoretically and confirmed by experiments it remained unresolved whether stalk formation is always an energy consuming process or if there are conditions where the stalks are energetically favorable and form spontaneously resulting in an equilibrium stalk phase. Motivated by a recent breakthrough experiments we analyze the physical factors determining the spontaneous stalk formation. We show that this process can be driven by interplay between two factors: the elastic energy of lipid monolayers including a contribution of the saddle splay deformation and the energy of hydration repulsion acting between apposing membranes. We analyze the dependence of stalk formation on the saddle splay (Gaussian) modulus of the lipid monolayers and estimate the values of this modulus based on the experimentally established phase boundary between the lamellar and the stalk phases. We suggest that fusion proteins can induce stalk formation just by bringing the membranes into close contact, and accumulating, at least locally, a sufficiently large energy of the hydration repulsion. PMID:15454446

Elastic-Mathematical Theory of Cells and Mitochondria in Swelling Process

PubMed Central

Mela, M. J.

1968-01-01

The elastic behavior of the cell wall as a function of the temperature has been studied with particular attention being given to the swelling of egg cells of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Crassostrea virginica in different sea water concentrations at different temperatures. It was found that the modulus of elasticity is a nonlinear function of temperature. At about 12-13°C the modulus of elasticity (E) is constant, independent of the stress (σ) and strain (εν) which exist at the cell wall; the membranous material follows Hooke's law, and E ≈ 3 × 107 dyn/cm2 for S. purpuratus and C. virginica. When the temperature is higher or lower than 12-13°C, the modulus of elasticity increases, and the membranous material does not follow Hooke's law, but is almost directly proportional to the stresses existing at the cell wall. On increasing the stress, the function Eσ = E(σ) approaches saturation. The corresponding stress-strain diagrams, σ = σ(εν), and the graphs, Eσ = E(σ) and Eσ = E(t) are given. The cyto-elastic phenomena at the membrane are discussed. PMID:5689191

Correlated fluorescence-atomic force microscopy studies of the clathrin mediated endocytosis in SKMEL cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hor, Amy; Luu, Anh; Kang, Lin; Scott, Brandon; Bailey, Elizabeth; Hoppe, Adam; Smith, Steve

2017-02-01

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is one of the central pathways for cargo transport into cells, and plays a major role in the maintenance of cellular functions, such as intercellular signaling, nutrient intake, and turnover of plasma membrane in cells. The clathrin-mediated endocytosis process involves invagination and formation of clathrin-coated vesicles. However, the biophysical mechanisms of vesicle formation are still debated. Currently, there are two models describing membrane bending during the formation of clathrin cages: the first involves the deposition of all clathrin molecules to the plasma membrane, forming a flat lattice prior to membrane bending, whereas in the second model, membrane bending happens simultaneously as the clathrin arrives to the site to form a clathrin-coated cage. We investigate clathrin vesicle formation mechanisms through the utilization of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy for high resolution topographical imaging in neutral buffer solution of unroofed cells exposing the inner membrane, combined with fluorescence imaging to definitively label intracellular constituents with specific fluorophores (actin filaments labeled with green phalloidin and clathrin coated vesicles with the fusion protein Tq2) in SKMEL (Human Melanoma) cells. An extensive statistical survey of many hundreds of CME events, at various stages of progression, are observed via this method, allowing inferences about the dominant mechanisms active in CME in SKMEL cells. Results indicate a mixed model incorporating aspects of both the aforementioned mechanisms for CME.

Effect of bending on the dynamics and wrinkle formation for a capsule in shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salsac, Anne-Virginie; Dupont, Claire; Barthes-Biesel, Dominique; Vidrascu, Marina; Le Tallec, Patrick

2014-11-01

When microcapsules are subjected to an external flow, the droplets enclosed within a thin hyperelastic wall undergo large deformations, which often lead to buckling of the thin capsule wall. The objective is to study numerically an initially spherical capsule in shear flow and analyze the influence of the membrane bending rigidity on the capsule dynamics and wrinkle formation. The 3D fluid-structure interactions are modeled coupling a boundary integral method to solve for the internal and external Stokes flows with a thin shell finite element method to solve for the wall deformation. Hyperelastic constitutive laws are implemented to model the deformation of the capsule mid-surface and the generalized Hooke's law for the bending effects. We show that the capsule global motion and deformation are mainly governed by in-plane membrane tensions and are marginally influenced by the bending stiffness Ks. The bending stiffness, however, plays a role locally in regions of compressive tensions. The wrinkle wavelength depends on Ks following a power law, which provides an experimental technique to determine the value of Ks through inverse analysis.

Somersault of Paramecium in extremely confined environments.

PubMed

Jana, Saikat; Eddins, Aja; Spoon, Corrie; Jung, Sunghwan

2015-08-19

We investigate various swimming modes of Paramecium in geometric confinements and a non-swimming self-bending behavior like a somersault, which is quite different from the previously reported behaviors. We observe that Paramecia execute directional sinusoidal trajectories in thick fluid films, whereas Paramecia meander around a localized region and execute frequent turns due to collisions with adjacent walls in thin fluid films. When Paramecia are further constrained in rectangular channels narrower than the length of the cell body, a fraction of meandering Paramecia buckle their body by pushing on the channel walls. The bucking (self-bending) of the cell body allows the Paramecium to reorient its anterior end and explore a completely new direction in extremely confined spaces. Using force deflection method, we quantify the Young's modulus of the cell and estimate the swimming and bending powers exerted by Paramecium. The analysis shows that Paramecia can utilize a fraction of its swimming power to execute the self-bending maneuver within the confined channel and no extra power may be required for this new kind of self-bending behavior. This investigation sheds light on how micro-organisms can use the flexibility of the body to actively navigate within confined spaces.

Somersault of Paramecium in extremely confined environments

PubMed Central

Jana, Saikat; Eddins, Aja; Spoon, Corrie; Jung, Sunghwan

2015-01-01

We investigate various swimming modes of Paramecium in geometric confinements and a non-swimming self-bending behavior like a somersault, which is quite different from the previously reported behaviors. We observe that Paramecia execute directional sinusoidal trajectories in thick fluid films, whereas Paramecia meander around a localized region and execute frequent turns due to collisions with adjacent walls in thin fluid films. When Paramecia are further constrained in rectangular channels narrower than the length of the cell body, a fraction of meandering Paramecia buckle their body by pushing on the channel walls. The bucking (self-bending) of the cell body allows the Paramecium to reorient its anterior end and explore a completely new direction in extremely confined spaces. Using force deflection method, we quantify the Young’s modulus of the cell and estimate the swimming and bending powers exerted by Paramecium. The analysis shows that Paramecia can utilize a fraction of its swimming power to execute the self-bending maneuver within the confined channel and no extra power may be required for this new kind of self-bending behavior. This investigation sheds light on how micro-organisms can use the flexibility of the body to actively navigate within confined spaces. PMID:26286234

Somersault of Paramecium in extremely confined environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jana, Saikat; Eddins, Aja; Spoon, Corrie; Jung, Sunghwan

2015-08-01

We investigate various swimming modes of Paramecium in geometric confinements and a non-swimming self-bending behavior like a somersault, which is quite different from the previously reported behaviors. We observe that Paramecia execute directional sinusoidal trajectories in thick fluid films, whereas Paramecia meander around a localized region and execute frequent turns due to collisions with adjacent walls in thin fluid films. When Paramecia are further constrained in rectangular channels narrower than the length of the cell body, a fraction of meandering Paramecia buckle their body by pushing on the channel walls. The bucking (self-bending) of the cell body allows the Paramecium to reorient its anterior end and explore a completely new direction in extremely confined spaces. Using force deflection method, we quantify the Young’s modulus of the cell and estimate the swimming and bending powers exerted by Paramecium. The analysis shows that Paramecia can utilize a fraction of its swimming power to execute the self-bending maneuver within the confined channel and no extra power may be required for this new kind of self-bending behavior. This investigation sheds light on how micro-organisms can use the flexibility of the body to actively navigate within confined spaces.

Lowered pH Alters Decay but Not Speed of Tectorial Membrane Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrahi, Shirin; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Freeman, Dennis M.

2011-11-01

Tectorial membrane (TM) traveling waves and mechanical shear impedances were measured in artificial endolymph baths at neutral and acidic pHs. Lowering pH from 7 to 4 significantly decreases the spatial extent of TM waves but has a relatively minor effect on wave speed. At pH 4, the imaginary component of TM shear impedance, which relates to the shear modulus, drops significantly; whereas, the real component, which relates to viscosity, is reduced less. These results suggest that shear modulus, and not viscosity, controls the extent of TM waves at lower pH.

Utilization of the waste from the marble industry for application in transport infrastructure: mechanical properties of cement pastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prošek, Zdeněk; Trejbal, Jan; Topič, Jaroslav; Plachý, Tomáš; Tesárek, Pavel

2017-09-01

This article is focused on the mechanical testing of cement-based samples containing a micronized waste marble powder used as replacement of standard binders. Tested materials consisted of cement CEM I 42.5 R (Radotín, Czech Republic) and three different amounts of the marbles (25, 50 and 70 wt. %). Standard bending and compressive tests of the prismatic samples having dimensions equal to 40 × 40 × 160 mm were done in order to reveal an influence of marble amount on flexural and compressive strength, respectively. Moreover, the dynamic modulus of elasticity and dynamic shear modulus were examined and compared after 7 and 28 days of mixture curing.

Investigating fold structures of 2D materials by quantitative transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Zengming; Liu, Wei; Wang, Zhong Lin

2017-04-01

We report an approach developed for deriving 3D structural information of 2D membrane folds based on the recently-established quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Systematic multislice simulations reveal that the membrane folding leads to sufficiently strong electron scattering which enables a precise determination of bending radius. The image contrast depends also on the folding angles of 2D materials due to the variation of projection potentials, which however exerts much smaller effect compared with the bending radii. DFT calculations show that folded edges are typically characteristic of (fractional) nanotubes with the same curvature retained after energy optimization. Owing to the exclusion of Stobbs factor issue, numerical simulations were directly used in comparison with the experimental measurements on an absolute contrast scale, which results in a successful determination of bending radius of folded monolayer MoS 2 films. The method should be applicable to characterizing all 2D membranes with 3D folding features. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

OSB as substrate for engineered wood flooring

Treesearch

Costel Barbuta; Pierre Blanchet; Alain Cloutier; Vikram Yadama; Eini Lowell

2012-01-01

Oriented strand board (OSB) is a commodity product subject to market fluctuation. Development of a specialty OSB could lead to a better, and more stable, market segment for OSB. It was demonstrated in a previous study (Barbuta et al. in Eur. 1. Wood Prod. 2010), that OSB may be designed to obtain a high bending modulus of elasticity in the parallel direction, close to...

Structural Performance of COM-Ply Studs Made with Hardwood Veneers

Treesearch

Robert H. McAlister

1979-01-01

COM-PLY 2 x 4 studs made with veneers of yellow-poplar, sweetgum, and white oak were tested for strength and stiffness, nail-holding properties, modulus of elasticity of component parts, static bending, and compression parallel and perpendicular to the grain. All tests were conducted according to performance standards for composite studs used in exterior walls or ASTM...

Biomechanics and functional morphology of a climbing monocot

PubMed Central

Hesse, Linnea; Wagner, Sarah T.; Neinhuis, Christoph

2016-01-01

Plants with a climbing growth habit possess unique biomechanical properties arising from adaptations to changing loading conditions connected with close attachment to mechanical supports. In monocot climbers, mechanical adaptation is restricted by the absence of a bifacial vascular cambium. Flagellaria indica was used to investigate the mechanical properties and adaptations of a monocot climber that, uniquely, attaches to the surrounding vegetation via leaf tendrils. Biomechanical methods such as three-point bending and torsion tests were used together with anatomical studies on tissue development, modification and distribution. In general, the torsional modulus was lower than the bending modulus; hence, torsional stiffness was less than flexural stiffness. Basal parts of mature stems showed the greatest stiffness while that of more apical stem segments levelled off. Mechanical properties were modulated via tissue maturation processes mainly affecting the peripheral region of the stem. Peripheral vascular bundles showed a reduction in the amount of conducting tissue while the proportion and density of the bundle sheath increased. Furthermore, adjacent bundle sheaths merged resulting in a dense ring of fibrous tissue. Although F. indica lacks secondary cambial growth, the climbing habit is facilitated by a complex interaction of tissue maturation and attachment. PMID:26819259

The study of stiffness modulus values for AC-WC pavement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, AS; Muis, Z. A.; Iskandar, T. D.

2018-02-01

One of the parameters of the asphalt mixture in order for the strength and durability to be achieved as required is the stress-and-strain showing the stiffness of a material. Stiffness modulus is a very necessary factor that will affect the performance of asphalt pavements. If the stiffness modulus value decreases there will be a cause of aging asphalt pavement crack easily when receiving a heavy load. The high stiffness modulus asphalt concrete causes more stiff and resistant to bending. The stiffness modulus value of an asphalt mixture material can be obtained from the theoretical (indirect methods) and laboratory test results (direct methods). For the indirect methods used Brown & Brunton method, and Shell Bitumen method; while for the direct methods used the UMATTA tool. This study aims to determine stiffness modulus values for AC-WC pavement. The tests were conducted in laboratory that used 3 methods, i.e. Brown & Brunton Method, Shell Bitumen Method and Marshall Test as a substitute tool for the UMATTA tool. Hotmix asphalt made from type AC-WC with pen 60/70 using a mixture of optimum bitumen content was 5.84% with a standard temperature variation was 60°C and several variations of temperature that were 30, 40, 50, 70 and 80°C. The stiffness modulus value results obtained from Brown & Brunton Method, Shell Bitumen Method and Marshall Test which were 1374,93 Mpa, 235,45 Mpa dan 254,96 Mpa. The stiffness modulus value decreases with increasing temperature of the concrete asphalt. The stiffness modulus value from the Bitumen Shell method and the Marshall Test has a relatively similar value.The stiffness modulus value from the Brown & Brunton method is greater than the Bitumen Shell method and the Marshall Test, but can not measure the stiffness modulus value at temperature above 80°C.

Membrane tension feedback on shape and motility of eukaryotic cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winkler, Benjamin; Aranson, Igor S.; Ziebert, Falko

2016-04-01

In the framework of a phase field model of a single cell crawling on a substrate, we investigate how the properties of the cell membrane affect the shape and motility of the cell. Since the membrane influences the cell dynamics on multiple levels and provides a nontrivial feedback, we consider the following fundamental interactions: (i) the reduction of the actin polymerization rate by membrane tension; (ii) area conservation of the cell’s two-dimensional cross-section vs. conservation of the circumference (i.e. membrane inextensibility); and (iii) the contribution from the membrane’s bending energy to the shape and integrity of the cell. As inmore » experiments, we investigate two pertinent observables — the cell’s velocity and its aspect ratio. We find that the most important effect is the feedback of membrane tension on the actin polymerization. Bending rigidity has only minor effects, visible mostly in dynamic reshaping events, as exemplified by collisions of the cell with an obstacle.« less

Mechanical properties of kenaf composites using dynamic mechanical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveless, Thomas A.

Natural fibers show potential to replace glass fibers in thermoset and thermoplastic composites. Kenaf is a bast-type fiber with high specific strength and great potential to compete with glass fibers. In this research kenaf/epoxy composites were analyzed using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). A three-point bend apparatus was used in the DMA testing. The samples were tested at 1 hertz, at a displacement of 10 ?m, and at room temperature. The fiber volume content of the kenaf was varied from 20% - 40% in 5% increments. Ten samples of each fiber volume fraction were manufactured and tested. The flexural storage modulus, the flexural loss modulus, and the loss factor were reported. Generally as the fiber volume fraction of kenaf increased, the flexural storage and flexural loss modulus increased. The loss factor remained relatively constant with increasing fiber volume fraction. Woven and chopped fiberglass/epoxy composites were manufactured and tested to be compared with the kenaf/epoxy composites. Both of the fiberglass/epoxy composites reported higher flexural storage and flexural loss modulus values. The kenaf/epoxy composites reported higher loss factor values. The specific flexural storage and specific flexural loss modulus were calculated for both the fiberglass and kenaf fiber composites. Even though the kenaf composites reported a lower density, the fiberglass composites reported higher specific mechanical properties.

The structural behavior of a graphite-polymide honeycomb sandwich panel with quasi-isotropic face sheets and an orthotropic core

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyer, M. W.; Hagaman, J. A.

1979-01-01

The results of a series of tests of graphite-polyimide honeycomb sandwich panels are presented. The panels were 1.22 m long, 0.508 m wide, and approximately 13.3 m thick. The face sheets were a T-300/PMR-15 fabric in a quasi-isotropic layup and were 0.279 mm thick. The core was Hexcel HRH 327-3/16 - 4.0 glass reinforced polyimide honeycomb, 12.7 mm thick. Three panels were used in the test: one was cut into smaller pieces for testing as beam, compression, and shear specimens; a second panel was used for plate bending tests; the third panel was used for in-plane stability tests. Presented are the experimental results of four point bending tests, short block compression tests, core transverse shear modulus, three point bending tests, vibration tests, plate bending tests, and panel stability tests. The results of the first three tests are used to predict the results of some of the other tests. The predictions and experimental results are compared, and the agreement is quite good.

The piezoelectric gating effect in a thin bent membrane with a two-dimensional electron gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevyrin, Andrey A.; Pogosov, Arthur G.

2018-05-01

Thin suspended nanostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas can be used as nanoelectromechanical systems in which electron transport is piezoelectrically coupled to mechanical motion and vibrations. Apart from practical applications, these systems are interesting for studying electron transport under unusual conditions, namely, in the presence of additional mechanical degrees of freedom. In the present paper, we analyze the influence of the bending on the density of a gated two-dimensional electron gas contained in a suspended membrane using the Thomas–Fermi approach and the model of pure electrostatic screening. We show that a small bending is analogous to a small change in gate voltages. Our calculations demonstrate that the density change is most prominent near the edges of the conductive channel created by negatively biased gates. When moving away from these edges, the bending-induced density change rapidly decays. We propose several methods to increase the magnitude of the effect, with the largest benefit obtained from coverage of the conductive channel with an additional grounded gate. It is shown that, for a conductive channel under a bare surface, the largest effect can be achieved if the two-dimensional electron gas is placed near the middle of the membrane thickness, despite the bending-induced strain is zero there.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heffernan, Karina M.; Ross, Nancy L., E-mail: nross@vt.edu; Spencer, Elinor C.

Accurate elastic constants for gadolinium phosphate (GdPO{sub 4}) have been measured by single-crystal high-pressure diffraction methods. The bulk modulus of GdPO{sub 4} determined under hydrostatic conditions, 128.1(8) GPa (K′=5.8(2)), is markedly different from that obtained with GdPO{sub 4} under non-hydrostatic conditions (160(2) GPa), which indicates the importance of shear stresses on the elastic response of this phosphate. High pressure Raman and diffraction analysis indicate that the PO{sub 4} tetrahedra behave as rigid units in response to pressure and that contraction of the GdPO{sub 4} structure is facilitated by bending/twisting of the Gd–O–P links that result in increased distortion in themore » GdO{sub 9} polyhedra. - Graphical abstract: A high-pressure single crystal diffraction study of GdPO{sub 4} with the monazite structure is presented. The elastic behaviour of rare-earth phosphates are believed to be sensitive to shear forces. The bulk modulus of GdPO{sub 4} measured under hydrostatic conditions is 128.1(8) GPa. Compression of the structure is facilitated by bending/twisting of the Gd−O−P links that result in increased distortion in the GdO{sub 9} polyhedra. Display Omitted - Highlights: • The elastic responses of rare-earth phosphates are sensitive to shear forces. • The bulk modulus of GdPO{sub 4} measured under hydrostatic conditions is 128.1(8) GPa. • Twisting of the inter-polyhedral links allows compression of the GdPO{sub 4} structure. • Changes to the GdO{sub 9} polyhedra occur in response to pressure (<7.0 GPa).« less

Advantages of statistical analysis of giant vesicle flickering for bending elasticity measurements.

PubMed

Méléard, P; Pott, T; Bouvrais, H; Ipsen, J H

2011-10-01

We show how to greatly improve precision when determining bending elasticity of giant unilamellar vesicles. Taking advantage of the well-known quasi-spherical model of liposome flickering, we analyze the full probability distributions of the configurational fluctuations instead of limiting the analysis to the second moment measurements only as usually done in previously published works. This leads to objective criteria to reject vesicles that do not behave according to the model. As a result, the confidence in the bending elasticity determination of individual vesicles that fit the model is improved and, consequently, the reproducibility of this measurement for a given membrane system. This approach uncovers new possibilities for bending elasticity studies like detection of minute influences by solutes in the buffer or into the membrane. In the same way, we are now able to detect the inhomogeneous behavior of giant vesicle systems such as the hazardous production of peroxide in bilayers containing fluorescent dyes. © EDP Sciences / Società Italiana di Fisica / Springer-Verlag 2011

Mechanical Excitation of IHC Stereocilia: An Attempt to Fit Together Diverse Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guinan, John J.

2011-11-01

The output of the cochlea is controlled by the bending of inner-hair-cell (IHC) stereocilia, but the mechanisms that produce this bending are poorly understood. Relevant evidence comes from several sources: measurements of cochlear motion from in-vitro and live preparations, as well as inferences about cochlear motions from responses of auditory-nerve fibers. The common conception that IHC excitation is due to shearing between the reticular lamina (RL) and the tectorial membrane (TM) does not explain the data. A hypothesis is presented that fits many of the observations into a coherent picture of how IHCs are excited. The key new concept is that stretching of outer-hair-cell (OHC) stereocilia (defined broadly) changes the RL-TM gap and produces fluid flow within the gap that bends the IHC stereocilia. Changes in the RL-TM gap and the resulting bending of IHC stereocilia provide a mechanism by which OHC active processes can enhance cochlear output without a corresponding enhancement of basilar-membrane motion.

Curvature of Double-Membrane Organelles Generated by Changes in Membrane Size and Composition

PubMed Central

Knorr, Roland L.; Dimova, Rumiana; Lipowsky, Reinhard

2012-01-01

Transient double-membrane organelles are key players in cellular processes such as autophagy, reproduction, and viral infection. These organelles are formed by the bending and closure of flat, double-membrane sheets. Proteins are believed to be important in these morphological transitions but the underlying mechanism of curvature generation is poorly understood. Here, we describe a novel mechanism for this curvature generation which depends primarily on three membrane properties: the lateral size of the double-membrane sheets, the molecular composition of their highly curved rims, and a possible asymmetry between the two flat faces of the sheets. This mechanism is evolutionary advantageous since it does not require active processes and is readily available even when resources within the cell are restricted as during starvation, which can induce autophagy and sporulation. We identify pathways for protein-assisted regulation of curvature generation, organelle size, direction of bending, and morphology. Our theory also provides a mechanism for the stabilization of large double-membrane sheet-like structures found in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the Golgi cisternae. PMID:22427874

Feedback Interactions of Polymerized Actin with the Cell Membrane: Waves, Pulses, and Oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlsson, Anders

Polymerized filaments of the protein actin have crucial functions in cell migration, and in bending the cell membrane to drive endocytosis or the formation of protrusions. The nucleation and polymerization of actin filaments are controlled by upstream agents in the cell membrane, including nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) that activate the Arp2/3 complex to form new branches on pre-existing filaments. But polymerized actin (F-actin) also feeds back on the assembly of NPFs. We explore the effects of the resulting feedback loop of F-actin and NPFs on two phenomena: actin pulses that drive endocytosis in yeast, and actin waves traveling along the membrane of several cell types. In our model of endocytosis in yeast, the actin network is grown explicitly in three dimensions, exerts a negative feedback interaction on localized patch of NPFs in the membrane, and bends the membrane by exerting a distribution of forces. This model explains observed actin and NPF pulse dynamics, and the effects of several interventions including i) NPF mutations, ii) inhibition of actin polymerization, and iii) deletion of a protein that allows F-actin to bend the cell membrane. The model predicts that mutation of the active region of an NPF will enhance the accumulation of that NPF, and we confirm this prediction by quantitative fluorescence microscopy. For actin waves, we treat a similar model, with NPFs distributed over a larger region of the cell membrane. This model naturally generates actin waves, and predicts a transition from wave behavior to spatially localized oscillations when NPFs are confined to a small region. We also predict a transition from waves to static polarization as the negative-feedback coupling between F-actin and the NPFs is reduced. Supported by NIGMS Grant R01 GM107667.

Structure-property relationship of cast Ti-Nb alloys.

PubMed

Lee, C M; Ju, C P; Chern Lin, J H

2002-04-01

The present work is a study of the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of a series of binary Ti-Nb alloys with Nb contents up to 35 wt%, with emphasis placed on the structure-property relationship of the alloys. The results indicate that crystal structure and morphology of the Ti-Nb alloys are sensitive to the Nb content. The cast c.p. Ti has a hexagonal alpha phase with a lath type morphology. The alloys containing 15 wt% or less Nb are dominated by a hexagonal alpha' phase with an acicular, martensitic structure. When containing 17.5-25 wt% Nb, the alloys are primarily comprised of an orthorhombic alpha" phase. With 27.5 wt% Nb, metastable beta phase starts to be retained. With Nb contents higher than 30 wt%, the equi-axed beta phase is almost entirely retained. Small amounts of omega phase are detected in alloys containing 27.5 and 30 wt% Nb. Among all present alloys, Ti-10Nb and Ti-27.5Nb exhibit the highest strengths, while the alpha"-dominated (17.5 and 20Nb) and beta-dominated (> 30Nb) alloys have the lowest moduli. All Ti-Nb alloys show excellent corrosion resistance in Hank's solution at 37 degrees C. From the present data, the microhardness, bending strength and modulus of the various phases in Ti-Nb alloys are compared and tentatively summarized as follows: Microhardness: omega > alpha' > alpha" > beta > alpha (c.p. Ti) Bending strength: omega > alpha' > alpha" > beta > alpha (c.p. Ti) Bending modulus: omega > alpha (c.p. Ti) > alpha' > alpha" > beta

Strength of log bridge stringers after several year’s use in southeast Alaska

Treesearch

Russell C. Moody; R.L. Tuomi; W.E. Eslyn; F.W. Muchmore

1979-01-01

Bending tests of 28 untreated log stringers from 12-year-old native timber bridges in southeast Alaska showed significant reductions in strength due to decay. Compared to results on fresh logs, strength reduction was about 25 percent, and could be predicted based on the loss in section modulus due to decay. Log stiffness was not significantly affected. Results will be...

Estimation of strength parameters of small-bore metal-polymer pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaydakov, V. V.; Chernova, K. V.; Penzin, A. V.

2018-03-01

The paper presents results from a set of laboratory studies of strength parameters of small-bore metal-polymer pipes of type TG-5/15. A wave method was used to estimate the provisional modulus of elasticity of the metal-polymer material of the pipes. Longitudinal deformation, transverse deformation and leak-off pressure were determined experimentally, with considerations for mechanical damage and pipe bend.

Effect of High Energy Radiation on Mechanical Properties of Graphite Fiber Reinforced Composites. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naranong, N.

1980-01-01

The flexural strength and average modulus of graphite fiber reinforced composites were tested before and after exposure to 0.5 Mev electron radiation and 1.33 Mev gamma radiation by using a three point bending test (ASTM D-790). The irradiation was conducted on vacuum treated samples. Graphite fiber/epoxy (T300/5208), graphite fiber/polyimide (C6000/PMR 15) and graphite fiber/polysulfone (C6000/P1700) composites after being irradiated with 0.5 Mev electron radiation in vacuum up to 5000 Mrad, show increases in stress and modulus of approximately 12% compared with the controls. Graphite fiber/epoxy (T300/5208 and AS/3501-6), after being irradiated with 1.33 Mev gamma radiation up to 360 Mrads, show increases in stress and modulus of approximately 6% at 167 Mrad compared with the controls. Results suggest that the graphite fiber composites studied should withstand the high energy radiation in a space environment for a considerable time, e.g., over 30 years.

Study on titanium-magnesium composites with bicontinuous structure fabricated by powder metallurgy and ultrasonic infiltration.

PubMed

Jiang, S; Huang, L J; An, Q; Geng, L; Wang, X J; Wang, S

2018-05-01

Titanium-magnesium (Ti-Mg) composites with bicontinuous structure have been successfully fabricated by powder metallurgy and ultrasonic infiltration for biomaterial potential. In the composites, Ti phase is distributed continuously by sintering necks, while Mg phase is also continuous, distributing at the interconnected pores surrounding the Ti phase. The results showed that the fabricated Ti-Mg composites exhibited low modulus and high strength, which are very suitable for load bearing biomedical materials. The composites with 100 µm and 230 µm particle sizes exhibited Young's modulus of 37.6 GPa and 23.4 GPa, 500.7 MPa and 340 MPa of compressive strength and 631.5 MPa and 375.2 MPa of bending strength, respectively. Moreover, both of the modulus and strength of the composites increase with decreasing of Ti particle sizes. In vitro study has been done for the preliminary evaluation of the Ti-Mg composites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geometrical and material parameters to assess the macroscopic mechanical behaviour of fresh cranial bone samples.

PubMed

Auperrin, Audrey; Delille, Rémi; Lesueur, Denis; Bruyère, Karine; Masson, Catherine; Drazétic, Pascal

2014-03-21

The present study aims at providing quantitative data for the personalisation of geometrical and mechanical characteristics of the adult cranial bone to be applied to head FE models. A set of 351 cranial bone samples, harvested from 21 human skulls, were submitted to three-point bending tests at 10 mm/min. For each of them, an apparent elastic modulus was calculated using the beam's theory and a density-dependant beam inertia. Thicknesses, apparent densities and percentage of ash weight were also measured. Distributions of characteristics among the different skull bones show their symmetry and their significant differences between skull areas. A data analysis was performed to analyse potential relationship between thicknesses, densities and the apparent elastic modulus. A specific regression was pointed out to estimate apparent elastic modulus from the product of thickness by apparent density. These results offer quantitative tools in view of personalising head FE models and thus improve definition of local injury criteria for this body part. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the thermodynamics of particle-stabilized emulsions: curvature effects and catastrophic phase inversion.

PubMed

Kralchevsky, P A; Ivanov, I B; Ananthapadmanabhan, K P; Lips, A

2005-01-04

The flexural properties of a particle adsorption monolayer are investigated theoretically. If the particles are not densely packed, the interfacial bending moment and the spontaneous curvature (due to the particles) are equal to zero. The situation changes if the particles are closely packed. Then the particle adsorption monolayer possesses a significant bending moment, and the interfacial energies of bending and dilatation become comparable. In this case, the bending energy can either stabilize or destabilize the Pickering emulsion, depending on whether the particle contact angle is smaller or greater than 90 degrees . Theoretical expressions are derived for the bending moment, for the curvature elastic modulus, and for the work of interfacial deformation and emulsification. The latter is dominated by the work for creation of a new oil-water interface and by the work for particle adsorption. The curvature effects give a contribution of second order, which is significant only for emulsification at 50:50 water/oil volume fractions. A thermodynamic criterion for the type of the formed emulsion is proposed. It predicts the existence of a catastrophic phase inversion in particle-stabilized emulsions, in agreement with the experimental observations. The derived theoretical expressions could find application for interpretation of experimental data on production and stability of Pickering emulsions.

Computer program to compute buckling loads of simply supported anisotropic plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.

1973-01-01

Program handles several types of composites and several load conditions for each plate, both compressive or tensile membrane loads, and bending-stretching coupling via the concept of reduced bending rigidities. Vibration frequencies of homogeneous or layered anisotropic plates can be calculated by slightly modifying the program.

Diatomite reinforced chitosan composite membrane as potential scaffold for guided bone regeneration.

PubMed

Tamburaci, Sedef; Tihminlioglu, Funda

2017-11-01

In this study, natural silica source, diatomite, incorporated novel chitosan based composite membranes were fabricated and characterized for bone tissue engineering applications as possible bone regeneration membrane. The effect of diatomite loading on the mechanical, morphological, chemical, thermal and surface properties, wettability and in vitro cytotoxicity and cell proliferation on of composite membranes were investigated and observed by tensile test, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), protein adsorption assay, air/water contact angle analysis and WST-1 respectively. Swelling studies were also performed by water absorption capacity determination. Results showed that incorporation of diatomite to the chitosan matrix increased the surface roughness, swelling capacity and tensile modulus of membranes. An increase of about 52% in Young's modulus was achieved for 10wt% diatomite composite membranes compared with chitosan membranes. High cell viability results were obtained with indirect extraction method. Besides, in vitro cell proliferation and ALP activity results showed that diatom incorporation significantly increased the ALP activity of Saos-2 cells cultured on chitosan membranes. The novel composite membranes prepared in the present study with tunable properties can be considered as a potential candidate as a scaffold in view of its enhanced physical & chemical properties as well as biological activities for bone tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NafionxAE-based polymer actuators with ionic liquids as solvent incorporated at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Kunitomo; Tsuchitani, Shigeki

2009-09-01

Nafion®-based ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs), with ionic liquids as solvent, were fabricated by exchanging counterions to ionic liquids at room temperature. Ion exchange is performed by only immersing IPMC in a mixture of de-ionized water and ionic liquids at room temperature for 48 h. The fabricated IPMCs exhibited a bending curvature the same as or larger than that of conventional IPMCs with ionic liquids, formed by ion exchange to ionic liquids at an elevated temperature up to about 100 °C, and also had long-term stability in operation in air, with a fluctuation smaller than 21% in bending curvature during a 180 min operation. The effective ion exchange to ionic liquids in the present method is probably due to an increase in diffusion speed of ionic liquids into IPMC by adsorption of water in a Nafion® membrane. It is a surprise that among IPMCs with ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-buthyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIBF4), and 1-buthyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIPF6), IPMC with water-insoluble BMIPF6 exhibited a larger bending curvature than that IPMC with water-miscible BMIBF4. This might be due to effective incorporation of BMIPF6 into IPMC, since BMIPF6 has a higher affinity with IPMC than with water in the mixture of water and BMIPF6. From measurements of complex impedance and step voltage response of the driving current of IPMCs with ionic liquid, they are expressed by an equivalent circuit of a parallel combination of a serial circuit of membrane resistance of Nafion® and electric double layer capacitance at metal electrodes, with membrane capacitance of Nafion®, in a frequency range higher than about 0.1 Hz. The difference in magnitude of bending curvature in three kinds of IPMCs with ionic liquids is mainly due to the difference in bending response speed coming from the difference in the membrane resistance.

Development of composite membrane materials for fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedeva, O. V.; Chesnokova, A. N.; Pozhidaev, Yu N.; Maksimenko, S. D.; Malakhova, E. A.; Raskulova, T. V.

2018-03-01

This study is devoted to the development and investigation of composite membrane materials for fuel cells. Proton conductive membranes consisting of silica and various low- and high-molecular organic compounds have been prepared by the sol-gel method. The synthesized membranes are characterized by proton conductivity (up to 10-2 S/cm), ion-exchange capacity (1.84-3.5 meq/g), thermal stability (260 – 400 °C), and tensile modulus (128 - 322 MPa).

Stiffening of fluid membranes due to thermal undulations: density-matrix renormalization-group study.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Yoshihiro

2002-12-01

It has been considered that the effective bending rigidity of fluid membranes should be reduced by thermal undulations. However, recent thorough investigation by Pinnow and Helfrich revealed the significance of measure factors for the partition sum. Accepting the local curvature as a statistical measure, they found that fluid membranes are stiffened macroscopically. In order to examine this remarkable idea, we performed extensive ab initio simulations for a fluid membrane. We set up a transfer matrix that is diagonalized by means of the density-matrix renormalization group. Our method has an advantage, in that it allows us to survey various statistical measures. As a consequence, we found that the effective bending rigidity flows toward strong coupling under the choice of local curvature as a statistical measure. On the contrary, for other measures such as normal displacement and tilt angle, we found a clear tendency toward softening.

Mechanical properties and motion of the cupula of the human semicircular canal.

PubMed

Selva, Pierre; Oman, Charles M; Stone, Howard A

2009-01-01

The mathematical model for the dynamics of the cupula-endolymph system of the inner ear semicircular canal, as elaborated by numerous investigators, remains a foundational tool in all of vestibular physiology. Most models represent the cupula as a linear spring-like element of stiffness K=DeltaP/DeltaV, where DeltaV is the volume displaced upon application of a pressure difference DeltaP. The parameter K directly influences the long time constant of the cupula-endolymph system. Given estimates of K based on experiments, we use thick and thin bending membrane theory, and also finite-element simulations based on more realistic cupula morphologies, to estimate the human cupula's Young's modulus E approximately 5.4 Pa. We show that for a model morphology, thick bending membrane theory and finite-element predictions are in good agreement, and conclude that the morphology of the attachment of the cupula to the slope of the crista should not greatly influence the volume displacement. We note, however, that other biological materials with very low E are hydrogels that have significant viscoelastic properties. Experiments to directly measure E and investigate potential viscoelastic behavior ultimately may be needed. In addition, based on experimental images we study two other different shapes for the cupula and quantify their impact on the deflection of the cupula. We also use a three-dimensional finite-element model to analyze both the shear strain distribution and its time evolution near the sensory epithelium. We conclude that stimulation of sensory hair cells probably begins at the centre of the crista and spreads toward the periphery of the cupula and down the sides of the crista. Thus, spatio-temporal variations in the shearing stimulus are predicted to impact subsequent transduction and encoding. Finally, modeling the fluid-filled vertical channels believed to lie within the cupula, we investigate the impact of different tube diameters on the transverse displacement field. We show that, for the assumed diameters and grid spacing, cupula displacements should be highly sensitive to the diameter of the tubes. Experiments to verify the existence of cupular channels and accurately measure their diameter and spacing are needed.

Model lipid bilayers mimic non-specific interactions of gold nanoparticles with macrophage plasma membranes.

PubMed

Montis, Costanza; Generini, Viola; Boccalini, Giulia; Bergese, Paolo; Bani, Daniele; Berti, Debora

2018-04-15

Understanding the interaction between nanomaterials and biological interfaces is a key unmet goal that still hampers clinical translation of nanomedicine. Here we investigate and compare non-specific interaction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with synthetic lipid and wild type macrophage membranes. A comprehensive data set was generated by systematically varying the structural and physicochemical properties of the AuNPs (size, shape, charge, surface functionalization) and of the synthetic membranes (composition, fluidity, bending properties and surface charge), which allowed to unveil the matching conditions for the interaction of the AuNPs with macrophage plasma membranes in vitro. This effort directly proved for the first time that synthetic bilayers can be set to mimic and predict with high fidelity key aspects of nanoparticle interaction with macrophage eukaryotic plasma membranes. It then allowed to model the experimental observations according to classical interface thermodynamics and in turn determine the paramount role played by non-specific contributions, primarily electrostatic, Van der Waals and bending energy, in driving nanoparticle-plasma membrane interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Part I Southern Pine In-Grade Program Data

Treesearch

James W. Evans; David E Kretschmann; Cherilyn A. Hatfield; David W. Green

2013-01-01

It has been suggested that within- and between-mill variability of samples may have changed since the original North American In-Grade Program and a new sampling method may be required. The cooperative research “In-Grade Program” was conducted in the late 1970s to the late 1980s to establish allowable properties (modulus of elasticity (MOE), allowable bending stress (...

Basic properties of full-size st ructural flakeboards fabricated with flakes on a shaping lathe

Treesearch

Eddie W. Prie

1977-01-01

Structural exterior flakeboards manufactured in 4 by 8 ft (1.22 by 2.44 m ) size with phenolic resin and flakes produced on a shaping-lathe headrig were evaluated for plate shear modulus, internal bond, bending properties, and 24-hour water soak stability. Both mixed and single species flakeboards were produced. Panels with mixed flakes had 20% by weight of hickory,...

Bone Geometry as a Predictor of Tissue Fragility and Stress Fracture Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

WidthML/2) directions. Moment of inertia and section modulus were assessed because these geometric measures are related to the bending and...mandible: Thomas; 1963. Ferretti JL, Capozza RF, Mondelo N, Zanchetta JR. Interrelationships between densitometric, geometric , and mechanical...fractures. Am J Sports Med, 28:245-251, 2000. Miller GJ, Purkey WW, Jr. The geometric properties of paired human tibiae. J Biomech, 13:1-8, 1980

HVOF coatings of Diamalloy 2002 and Diamalloy 4010 onto steel: Tensile and bending response of coatings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Shehri, Y. A.; Hashmi, M. S. J.; Yilbas, B. S.

HVOF coating of Diamalloy 2002 powders and Diamalloy 4010 powders as well as two-layered coatings consisting of these powders is carried out. In the two-layered structure, Diamalloy 4010 is sprayed at the substrate surface while Diamalloy 2002 is sprayed on the top of Diamalloy 4010 coating. The mechanical properties of the coatings are examined through tensile and three-point bending tests. The coating microstructure and morphology are examined using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It is found that the coating produced is free from defects including voids and cracks. The failure mechanism ofmore » coating during tensile and three-point bending tests is mainly crack formation and propagation in the coating. The elastic modulus of coating produced from Diamalloy 2002 is higher than that of Diamalloy 4010 coating, which is due to the presence of 12% WC in the coating.« less

The effects of heat treatment on technological properties in Red-bud maple (Acer trautvetteri Medw.) wood.

PubMed

Korkut, Süleyman; Kök, M Samil; Korkut, Derya Sevim; Gürleyen, Tuğba

2008-04-01

Heat treatment is often used to improve the dimensional stability of wood. In this study, the effects of heat treatment on technological properties of Red-bud maple (Acer trautvetteri Medw.) wood were examined. Samples obtained from Düzce Forest Enterprises, Turkey, were subjected to heat treatment at varying temperatures (120 degrees C, 150 degrees C and 180 degrees C) and for varying durations (2h, 6h and 10h). The technological properties of heat-treated wood samples and control samples were tested. Compression strength parallel to grain, bending strength, modulus of elasticity in bending, janka-hardness, impact bending strength, and tension strength perpendicular to grain were determined. The results showed that technological strength values decreased with increasing treatment temperature and treatment times. Red-bud maple wood could be utilized by using proper heat treatment techniques with minimal losses in strength values in areas where working, and stability such as in window frames, are important factors.

Stress-strain state of reinforced bimodulus beam on an elastic foundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beskopylny, A. N.; Kadomtseva, E. E.; Strelnikov, G. P.; Berdnik, Y. A.

2017-10-01

The paper provides the calculation theory of an arbitrary supported and arbitrary loaded reinforced beam filled with bimodulus material. The formulas determining normal stresses, bending moments, shear forces, rotation angles and a deflection of a rectangular crosssection beam reinforced with any number of bars aligned parallel to the beam axis have been obtained. The numerical study has been carried out to investigate an influence of a modulus of subgrade reaction on values of maximum normal stresses, maximum bending moments and a maximum deflection of a hinged supported beam loaded with a point force or uniform distributed load. The estimation is based on the method of initial parameters for a beam on elastic foundation and the Bubnov-Galerkin method. Values of maximum deflections, maximum bending moments and maximum stresses obtained by these methods coincide. The numerical studies show that taking into consideration the bimodulus of material leads to the necessity to calculate the strength analysis of both tensile stresses and compressive stresses.

Springback evaluation of friction stir welded TWB automotive sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Junehyung; Lee, Wonoh; Chung, Kyung-Hwan; Kim, Daeyong; Kim, Chongmin; Okamoto, Kazutaka; Wagoner, R. H.; Chung, Kwansoo

2011-02-01

Springback behavior of automotive friction stir welded TWB (tailor welded blank) sheets was experimentally investigated and the springback prediction capability of the constitutive law was numerically validated. Four automotive sheets, aluminum alloy 6111-T4, 5083-H18, 5083-O and dual-phase DP590 steel sheets, each having one or two different thicknesses, were considered. To represent mechanical properties, the modified Chaboche type combined isotropic-kinematic hardening law was utilized along with the non-quadratic orthogonal anisotropic yield function, Yld2000-2d, while the anisotropy of the weld zone was ignored for simplicity. For numerical simulations, mechanical properties previously characterized [1] were applied. For validation purposes, three springback tests including the unconstrained cylindrical bending, 2-D draw bending and OSU draw-bend tests were carried out. The numerical method performed reasonably well in analyzing all verification tests and it was confirmed that the springback of TWB as well as of base samples is significantly affected by the ratio of the yield stress with respect to Young's modulus and thickness.

Free energies of stable and metastable pores in lipid membranes under tension.

PubMed

den Otter, Wouter K

2009-11-28

The free energy profile of pore formation in a lipid membrane, covering the entire range from a density fluctuation in an intact bilayer to a large tension-stabilized pore, has been calculated by molecular dynamics simulations with a coarse-grained lipid model. Several fixed elongations are used to obtain the Helmholtz free energy as a function of pore size for thermodynamically stable, metastable, and unstable pores, and the system-size dependence of these elongations is discussed. A link to the Gibbs free energy at constant tension, commonly known as the Litster model, is established by a Legendre transformation. The change of genus upon pore formation is exploited to estimate the saddle-splay modulus or Gaussian curvature modulus of the membrane leaflets. Details are provided of the simulation approach, which combines the potential of mean constraint force method with a reaction coordinate based on the local lipid density.

Liquid Between Macromolecules in Protein Crystals: Static Versus Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chernov, A. A.

2005-01-01

Protein crystals are so fragile that they often can not be handled by tweezers. Indeed, measurements of the Young modulus, E, of lysozyme crystals resulted in E approx. equals 0.1 - 1 GPa, the lower figures, 0.1 - 0.5 GPa, being obtained from triple point bending of as-grown and not cross-linked crystals sitting in solution. The bending strength was found to be approx.10(exp -2) E. On the other hand, ultrasound speed and Mandelstam-Raman-Brilloin light scattering experiments led to much higher figures, E approx. equals 2.7 GPa. The lower figures for E were found from static or low frequency crystal deformations measurements, while the higher moduli are based on high frequency lattice vibrations, 10(exp 7) - 10(exp 10) 1/s. The physical reason for the about an order of magnitude discrepancy is in different behavior of water filling space between protein molecules. At slow lattice deformation, the not-bound intermolecular water has enough time to flow from the compressed to expanded regions of the deformed crystal. At high deformation frequencies in the ultra- and hypersound waves, the water is confined in the intermolecular space and, on that scale, behaves like a solid, thus contributing to the elastic crystal moduli. In this case, the reciprocal crystal modulus is expected to be an average of the water protein and water compressibilities (reciprocal compressibilities): the bulk modulus for lysozyme is 26 GPa, for water it is 7 GPa. Anisotropy of the crystal moduli comes from intermolecular contacts within the lattice while the high frequency hardness comes from the bulk of protein molecules and water bulk moduli. These conclusions are based on the analysis of liquid flow in porous medium to be presented.

Macroscopic anisotropic bone material properties in children with severe osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Albert, Carolyne; Jameson, John; Tarima, Sergey; Smith, Peter; Harris, Gerald

2017-11-07

Children with severe osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) typically experience numerous fractures and progressive skeletal deformities over their lifetime. Recent studies proposed finite element models to assess fracture risk and guide clinicians in determining appropriate intervention in children with OI, but lack of appropriate material property inputs remains a challenge. This study aimed to characterize macroscopic anisotropic cortical bone material properties and investigate relationships with bone density measures in children with severe OI. Specimens were obtained from tibial or femoral shafts of nine children with severe OI and five controls. The specimens were cut into beams, characterized in bending, and imaged by synchrotron radiation X-ray micro-computed tomography. Longitudinal modulus of elasticity, yield strength, and bending strength were 32-65% lower in the OI group (p<0.001). Yield strain did not differ between groups (p≥0.197). In both groups, modulus and strength were lower in the transverse direction (p≤0.009), but anisotropy was less pronounced in the OI group. Intracortical vascular porosity was almost six times higher in the OI group (p<0.001), but no differences were observed in osteocyte lacunar porosity between the groups (p=0.086). Volumetric bone mineral density was lower in the OI group (p<0.001), but volumetric tissue mineral density was not (p=0.770). Longitudinal OI bone modulus and strength were correlated with volumetric bone mineral density (p≤0.024) but not volumetric tissue mineral density (p≥0.099). Results indicate that cortical bone in children with severe OI yields at the same strain as normal bone, and that their decreased bone material strength is associated with reduced volumetric bone mineral density. These results will enable the advancement of fracture risk assessment capability in children with severe OI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnic Differences in Bending Stiffness of the Ulna and Tibia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnaud, S. B.; Liang, M. T. C.; Bassin, S.; Braun, W.; Dutto, D.; Plesums, K.; Huvnh, H. T.; Cooper, D.; Wong, N.

2004-01-01

There is considerable information about the variations in bone mass associated with different opportunity to compare a mechanical property of bone in young college women of Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian descent who gave informed consent to participate in an exercise study. The subjects were sedentary, in good health, eumenorrheic, non-smokers and had body mass indices (BMI) less than 30. Measurements acquired were body weight, kg, and height, cm, calcaneal and wrist bone density, g/square cm (PIXI, Lunar GE) and bending stiffness (EI, Nm(exp 2)) in the ulna and tibia. E1 was determined non-invasively with an instrument called the Mechanical Response Tissue Analyzer (MRTA) that delivers a vibratory stimulus to the center of the ulna or tibia and analyzes the response curve based on the equation E1 = k(sub b) L(exp 3)/48 where k, is lateral bending stiffness, L is the length of the bone, E is Young's modulus of elasticity and I, the bending moment of inertia. The error of the test (CV) based on measurements of an aluminum rod with a known E1 was 4.8%, of calcaneal BMD, 0.54%, and of wrist bone density, 3.45%.

Hydrodynamic and elastic interactions of sedimenting flexible fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekiel-Jezewska, Maria L.; Bukowicki, Marek

2017-11-01

Dynamics of flexible micro and nano filaments in fluids is intensively investigated in many laboratories, with a perspective of numerous applications in biology, medicine or modern technology. In the literature, different theoretical models of elastic interactions between flexible fiber segments are applied. The task of this work is to examine the impact of a chosen elastic model on the dynamics of fibers settling in a viscous fluid under low Reynolds number. To this goal, we construct two trumbbells, each made of three beads connected by springs and with a bending resistance, and we describe hydrodynamic interactions of the beads in terms of the Rotne-Prager mobility tensors. Using the harmonic bending potential, and coupling it to the spring potential by the Young's modulus, we find simple benchmark solutions: stable stationary configurations of a single elastic trumbbell and a fast horizontal attraction of two elastic trumbbells towards a periodic long-lasting orbit. We show that for sufficiently large bending angles, other models of bending interactions can lead to qualitatively and quantitatively different spurious effects. We also demonstrate examples of essential differences between the dynamics of elastic dumbbells and trumbbells. This work was supported in part by Narodowe Centrum Nauki under Grant No. 2014/15/B/ST8/04359.

An Investigation of a Vertical Test Method for Large Deformation Bending of High Strain Composite Laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Kelsey M.

Research to date indicates that traditional composite material failure analysis methods are not appropriate for thin laminates in flexure. Thin composite structures subjected to large bending deformations often attain significantly higher strain-to-failure than previously anticipated tensile and compression coupon test data and linear material model assumption predict. At NASA Langley Research Center, a new bend test method is being developed for High Strain Composite (HSC) structures. This method provides an adequate approximation of a pure moment, large deformation bend test for thin-ply, high strain composites to analyze the large strain flexure response of the laminates. The objective of this research was to further develop this new test method to measure the true bending stiffness and strain-to-failure of high strain composite materials. Of primary importance is the ability to characterize composite laminates that are of interest for current NASA deployable structures in both materials and layups. Two separate testing campaigns were performed for the development of the testing procedure. Initially six laminates were bend tested in three different fiber orientations. These laminates were some combination of unidirectional intermediate modulus (IM) carbon, high tenacity (HT) carbon plain weave, and astroquartz plain weave composite materials. The second test campaign was performed as a more detailed look into the simplest composite laminates at thicknesses that better represented deployable boom structures. The second campaign tested three basic, thinner laminates, again in three different fiber orientations. All testing was monotonic loading to failure. The thickness of the laminates tested ranged from 0.166mm (campaign 2) to 0.45mm (campaign 1). The measured strains at failure for the unidirectional material were approximately 2.1% and 1.4% at the compression and tension sides, respectively, failing as fiber tensile fracture. Both of these values differ from what would be expected from considering much thicker coupons tested under pure compression and tension, that show a strain-to-failure of 1.0-1.1% and 1.6-1.7%, respectively. The significant differences in strain values obtained at the outer surfaces of the coupon is thought to be related to the shift in neutral axis that the specimen experiences during the large deformation bending test as a result of fiber material nonlinearities at higher strains. The vertical test nature of the CBT when compared to other test methods proves to be helpful for visually capturing with Digital Image Correlation the distinct behavior of the flexure on both the compressive and tensile sides. It was found that the thinner the laminate tested, the more confirmation of a nonlinear response of this classification of composites. The moment versus curvature curves were predominantly nonlinear resulting in a near linear bending stiffness versus curvature response. At these large strains, carbon fibers are highly nonlinear resulting in the laminate flexure modulus increasing by up to 5x. The theoretical bending stiffness values calculated using Classical Lamination Theory analysis are within small differences with respect to the experimentally measured values: errors of approximately 5-10% for both D11 and D22. The error between the finite element model computed strain response and the experimental values was on average around 22%, with 35% of the laminates and orientation having errors less than 7%. Comparison between CLT, FEA, and experimentation show that the Column Bend Test appears to be a promising candidate for characterization of large deformation bending behavior of thin-ply high strain composite laminates.

The pH-dependent elastic properties of nanoscale DNA films and the resultant bending signals for microcantilever biosensors.

PubMed

Zhou, Mei-Hong; Meng, Wei-Lie; Zhang, Cheng-Yin; Li, Xiao-Bin; Wu, Jun-Zheng; Zhang, Neng-Hui

2018-04-25

The diverse mechanical properties of nanoscale DNA films on solid substrates have a close correlation with complex detection signals of micro-/nano-devices. This paper is devoted to formulating several multiscale models to study the effect of pH-dependent ionic inhomogeneity on the graded elastic properties of nanoscale DNA films and the resultant bending deflections of microcantilever biosensors. First, a modified inverse Debye length is introduced to improve the classical Poisson-Boltzmann equation for the electrical potential of DNA films to consider the inhomogeneous effect of hydrogen ions. Second, the graded characteristics of the particle distribution are taken into consideration for an improvement in Parsegian's mesoscopic potential for both attraction-dominated and repulsion-dominated films. Third, by the improved interchain interaction potential and the thought experiment about the compression of a macroscopic continuum DNA bar, we investigate the diversity of the elastic properties of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) films due to pH variations. The relevant theoretical predictions quantitatively or qualitatively agree well with the relevant DNA experiments on the electrical potential, film thickness, condensation force, elastic modulus, and microcantilever deflections. The competition between attraction and repulsion among the fixed charges and the free ions endows the DNA film with mechanical properties such as a remarkable size effect and a non-monotonic behavior, and a negative elastic modulus is first revealed in the attraction-dominated ssDNA film. There exists a transition between the pH-sensitive parameter interval and the pH-insensitive one for the bending signals of microcantilevers, which is predominated by the initial stress effect in the DNA film.

Mechanical properties of glass fiber-reinforced endodontic posts.

PubMed

Cheleux, Nicolas; Sharrock, Patrick J

2009-10-01

Five types of posts from three different manufacturers (RTD, France, Carbotech, France and Ivoclar-Vivadent, Liechenstein) were subjected to three-point bending tests in order to obtain fatigue results, flexural strength and modulus. Transverse and longitudinal polished sections were examined by scanning electron microscopy and evaluated by computer-assisted image analysis. Physical parameters, including volume % of fibers, their dispersion index and coordination number, were calculated and correlated with mechanical properties. The weaker posts showed more fiber dispersion, higher resin contents, larger numbers of visible defects and reduced fatigue resistance. The flexural strength was inversely correlated with fiber diameter and the flexural modulus was weakly related to coordination number, volume % of fibers and dispersion index. The interfacial adhesion between the silica fibers and the resin matrix was observed to be of paramount importance.

Magnetomechanical properties of composites and fibers made from thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and carbonyl iron powder (CIP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrödner, Mario; Pflug, Günther

2018-05-01

Magnetoactive elastomers (MAE) made from composites of five thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) of different stiffness with carbonyl iron powder (CIP) as magnetic component were investigated. The composites were produced by melt blending of the magnetic particles with the TPEs in a twin-screw extruder. The resulting materials were characterized by ac permeability testing, stress-strain measurements with and without external magnetic field and magnetically controlled bending of long cylindrical rods in a homogenous magnetic field. The magnetic field necessary for deflection of the rods decreases with decreasing modulus and increasing iron particle content. This effect can be used e.g. for magnetically controlled actuation. Some highly filled MAE show a magnetic field induced increase of Young's modulus. Filaments could be spun from some of the composites.

Morphological properties of the last primaries, the tail feathers, and the alulae of Accipiter nisus, Columba livia, Falco peregrinus, and Falco tinnunculus.

PubMed

Schmitz, Anke; Ponitz, Benjamin; Brücker, Christoph; Schmitz, Helmut; Herweg, Jan; Bleckmann, Horst

2015-01-01

We investigated the mechanical properties (Young's modulus, bending stiffness, barb separation forces) of the tenth primary of the wings, of the alulae and of the middle tail feathers of Falco peregrinus. For comparison, we also investigated the corresponding feathers in pigeons (Columba livia), kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), and sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). In all four species, the Young's moduli of the feathers ranged from 5.9 to 8.4 GPa. The feather shafts of F. peregrinus had the largest cross-sections and the highest specific bending stiffness. When normalized with respect to body mass, the specific bending stiffness of primary number 10 was highest in F. tinnunculus, while that of the alula was highest in A. nisus. In comparison, the specific bending stiffness, measured at the base of the tail feathers and in dorso-ventral bending direction, was much higher in F. peregrinus than in the other three species. This seems to correlate with the flight styles of the birds: F. tinnunculus hovers and its primaries might therefore withstand large mechanical forces. A. nisus has often to change its flight directions during hunting and perhaps needs its alulae for this maneuvers, and in F. peregrinus, the base of the tail feathers might need a high stiffness during breaking after diving. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Echinocyte shapes: bending, stretching, and shear determine spicule shape and spacing.

PubMed Central

Mukhopadhyay, Ranjan; Lim H W, Gerald; Wortis, Michael

2002-01-01

We study the shapes of human red blood cells using continuum mechanics. In particular, we model the crenated, echinocytic shapes and show how they may arise from a competition between the bending energy of the plasma membrane and the stretching/shear elastic energies of the membrane skeleton. In contrast to earlier work, we calculate spicule shapes exactly by solving the equations of continuum mechanics subject to appropriate boundary conditions. A simple scaling analysis of this competition reveals an elastic length Lambda(el), which sets the length scale for the spicules and is, thus, related to the number of spicules experimentally observed on the fully developed echinocyte. PMID:11916836

Micro/Nanomechanical characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced epoxy composite.

PubMed

Cui, Peng; Wang, Xinnan; Tangpong, X W

2012-11-01

In this paper, the mechanical properties of 1 wt.% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) reinforced epoxy nanocomposites were characterized using a self-designed micro/nano three point bending tester that was on an atomic force microscope (AFM) to in situ observe MWCNTs movement on the sample surface under loading. The migration of an individual MWCNT at the surface of the nanocomposite was tracked to address the nanomechanical reinforcing mechanism of the nanocomposites. Through morphology analysis of the nanocomposite via scanning electron microscopy, AFM, and digital image correlation technique, it was found that the MWCNTs agglomerate and the bundles were the main factors for limiting the bending strength of the composites. The agglomeration/bundle effect was included in the Halpin-Tsai model to account for the elastic modulus of the nanocomposites.

Curvature-induced stiffening of a fish fin.

PubMed

Nguyen, Khoi; Yu, Ning; Bandi, Mahesh M; Venkadesan, Madhusudhan; Mandre, Shreyas

2017-05-01

How fish modulate their fin stiffness during locomotive manoeuvres remains unknown. We show that changing the fin's curvature modulates its stiffness. Modelling the fin as bendable bony rays held together by a membrane, we deduce that fin curvature is manifested as a misalignment of the principal bending axes between neighbouring rays. An external force causes neighbouring rays to bend and splay apart, and thus stretches the membrane. This coupling between bending the rays and stretching the membrane underlies the increase in stiffness. Using three-dimensional reconstruction of a mackerel ( Scomber japonicus ) pectoral fin for illustration, we calculate the range of stiffnesses this fin is expected to span by changing curvature. The three-dimensional reconstruction shows that, even in its geometrically flat state, a functional curvature is embedded within the fin microstructure owing to the morphology of individual rays. As the ability of a propulsive surface to transmit force to the surrounding fluid is limited by its stiffness, the fin curvature controls the coupling between the fish and its surrounding fluid. Thereby, our results provide mechanical underpinnings and morphological predictions for the hypothesis that the spanned range of fin stiffnesses correlates with the behaviour and the ecological niche of the fish. © 2017 The Author(s).

Curvature-induced stiffening of a fish fin

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

How fish modulate their fin stiffness during locomotive manoeuvres remains unknown. We show that changing the fin's curvature modulates its stiffness. Modelling the fin as bendable bony rays held together by a membrane, we deduce that fin curvature is manifested as a misalignment of the principal bending axes between neighbouring rays. An external force causes neighbouring rays to bend and splay apart, and thus stretches the membrane. This coupling between bending the rays and stretching the membrane underlies the increase in stiffness. Using three-dimensional reconstruction of a mackerel (Scomber japonicus) pectoral fin for illustration, we calculate the range of stiffnesses this fin is expected to span by changing curvature. The three-dimensional reconstruction shows that, even in its geometrically flat state, a functional curvature is embedded within the fin microstructure owing to the morphology of individual rays. As the ability of a propulsive surface to transmit force to the surrounding fluid is limited by its stiffness, the fin curvature controls the coupling between the fish and its surrounding fluid. Thereby, our results provide mechanical underpinnings and morphological predictions for the hypothesis that the spanned range of fin stiffnesses correlates with the behaviour and the ecological niche of the fish. PMID:28566508

Role of polymeric binders on mechanical behavior and cracking resistance of silicon composite electrodes during electrochemical cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dawei; Wang, Yikai; Hu, Jiazhi; Lu, Bo; Dang, Dingying; Zhang, Junqian; Cheng, Yang-Tse

2018-05-01

This work focuses on understanding the role of various binders, including sodium alginate (SA), Nafion, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), on the mechanical behavior and cracking resistance of silicon composite electrodes during electrochemical cycling. In situ curvature measurement of bilayer electrodes, consisting of a silicon-binder-carbon black composite layer on a copper foil, is used to determine the effects of binders on bending deformation, elastic modulus, and stress on the composite electrodes. It is found that the lithiation induced curvature and the modulus of the silicon/SA electrodes are larger than those of electrodes with Nafion and PVDF as binders. Although the modulus of Nafion is smaller than that of PVDF, the curvature and the modulus of silicon/Nafion composite are larger than those of silicon/PVDF electrodes. The moduli of all three composites decrease not only during lithiation but also during delithiation. Based on the measured stress and scanning electron microscopy observations of cracking in the composite electrodes, we conclude that the stress required to crack the composite electrodes with SA and Nafion binders is considerably higher than that of the silicon/PVDF electrode during electrochemical cycling. Thus, the cracking resistance of silicon/SA and silicon/Nafion composite electrodes is higher than that of silicon/PVDF electrodes.

Structural features of blood lymphocytes according to data of atomic force microscopy in alloxan induced diabetic rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolbovskaya, Olga V.; Khayrullin, Radik M.; Kostishko, Boris B.; Bakhtiyarov, Rinat I.

2018-04-01

Structural changes in blood lymphocytes during the development of alloxan induced diabetes in rats were revealed. The changes were characterized by decreased volume, surface area, flatness coefficient of cells in comparison with normal lymphocytes. A consistent increase in the Young's modulus of rat lymphocytes during the development of diabetes in comparison with the Young's modulus of normal lymphocytes has been established, which indicates a decrease of the elastic-viscous properties of the cell membrane, changes in the molecular structure of its and in the organization of the lymphocyte cytoskeleton. It was found that during the development of induced diabetes the roughness and adhesiveness of the cytoplasmic membrane of blood lymphocytes decrease.

Effects of three different preservation methods on the mechanical properties of human and bovine cortical bone.

PubMed

Unger, Stefan; Stefan, Unger; Blauth, Michael; Michael, Blauth; Schmoelz, Werner; Werner, Schmoelz

2010-12-01

In the development of new strategies for fracture fixation, new methods have to be tested biomechanically under in vitro conditions before clinical trials can be performed. The gold standard for laboratory evaluations is fresh-frozen specimen. As the availability of fresh-frozen specimens is limited and since their use bears infectious risks, specimens treated with various chemical embalming fluids are also used. These preservation methods may alter the mechanical properties of the specimens used. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to determine the effects of three different preservation methods (formalin fixation (FO), Thiel-fixation (TH), and alcohol-glycerine fixation (AG)) on the elastic and postyield mechanical properties of cortical bone and to compare these properties to those of fresh-frozen (FF) specimens. Cylindrical cortical specimens (diameter 3mm, length 60 mm) were obtained from human femurs (n=48) and bovine tibiae (n=40). Before specimen immersion in different fixation fluids, bone mineral density (BMD) as well as the initial Young's modulus was determined. The Young's modulus was determined in a nondestructive bending test, and measurements were repeated after 6 months of immersion in fixative solution. Subsequent to the nondestructive test, a destructive 3-point bending test was conducted to assess the postyield and fracture properties. The BMD as well as the initial Young's modulus showed no significant differences between the four test groups. After 6 months in fixative solution, the Young's modulus was significantly lowered in human Thiel specimens and only showed minor changes in formalin- and alcohol-glycerine-treated specimens. The plastic energy absorption of human and bovine specimens was altered significantly. Formalin as well as alcohol-glycerine fixation yielded a significant decrease in plastic energy absorption, whereas Thiel fixation significantly increased the plastic energy absorption. Because of the significantly altered plastic mechanical properties of cortical bone, the use fresh-frozen bone specimens is recommended in biomechanical studies investigating failure loads of orthopaedic implants. The use of embalmed specimens should be restricted to pilot tests. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A low cost adaptive silicone membrane lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, F.; Müller, C.; Wallrabe, U.

2008-04-01

This article introduces adaptive liquid lenses with thick silicone membranes of 5 mm diameter. These membranes are produced by means of casting in a batch process. The lenses feature an integrated piezo-bending actuator, which is also embedded in silicone. The lenses presented comprise areas of application which are not covered by the electrowetting lenses (diameter <3 mm) already established on the market.

Nano- and microparticles at fluid and biological interfaces.

PubMed

Dasgupta, S; Auth, T; Gompper, G

2017-09-20

Systems with interfaces are abundant in both technological applications and biology. While a fluid interface separates two fluids, membranes separate the inside of vesicles from the outside, the interior of biological cells from the environment, and compartmentalize cells into organelles. The physical properties of interfaces are characterized by interface tension, those of membranes are characterized by bending and stretching elasticity. Amphiphilic molecules like surfactants that are added to a system with two immiscible fluids decrease the interface tension and induce a bending rigidity. Lipid bilayer membranes of vesicles can be stretched or compressed by osmotic pressure; in biological cells, also the presence of a cytoskeleton can induce membrane tension. If the thickness of the interface or the membrane is small compared with its lateral extension, both can be described using two-dimensional mathematical surfaces embedded in three-dimensional space. We review recent work on the interaction of particles with interfaces and membranes. This can be micrometer-sized particles at interfaces that stabilise emulsions or form colloidosomes, as well as typically nanometer-sized particles at membranes, such as viruses, parasites, and engineered drug delivery systems. In both cases, we first discuss the interaction of single particles with interfaces and membranes, e.g. particles in external fields, non-spherical particles, and particles at curved interfaces, followed by interface-mediated interaction between two particles, many-particle interactions, interface and membrane curvature-induced phenomena, and applications.

Nano- and microparticles at fluid and biological interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasgupta, S.; Auth, T.; Gompper, G.

2017-09-01

Systems with interfaces are abundant in both technological applications and biology. While a fluid interface separates two fluids, membranes separate the inside of vesicles from the outside, the interior of biological cells from the environment, and compartmentalize cells into organelles. The physical properties of interfaces are characterized by interface tension, those of membranes are characterized by bending and stretching elasticity. Amphiphilic molecules like surfactants that are added to a system with two immiscible fluids decrease the interface tension and induce a bending rigidity. Lipid bilayer membranes of vesicles can be stretched or compressed by osmotic pressure; in biological cells, also the presence of a cytoskeleton can induce membrane tension. If the thickness of the interface or the membrane is small compared with its lateral extension, both can be described using two-dimensional mathematical surfaces embedded in three-dimensional space. We review recent work on the interaction of particles with interfaces and membranes. This can be micrometer-sized particles at interfaces that stabilise emulsions or form colloidosomes, as well as typically nanometer-sized particles at membranes, such as viruses, parasites, and engineered drug delivery systems. In both cases, we first discuss the interaction of single particles with interfaces and membranes, e.g. particles in external fields, non-spherical particles, and particles at curved interfaces, followed by interface-mediated interaction between two particles, many-particle interactions, interface and membrane curvature-induced phenomena, and applications.

The deformation behavior of the cervical spine segment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolmakova, T. V.; Rikun, Yu. A.

2017-09-01

The paper describes the model of the cervical spine segment (C3-C4) and the calculation results of its deformation behavior at flexion. The segment model was built based on the experimental literature data taking into account the presence of the cortical and cancellous bone tissue of vertebral bodies. Degenerative changes of the intervertebral disk (IVD) were simulated through a reduction of the disc height and an increase of Young's modulus. The construction of the geometric model of the cervical spine segment and the calculations of the stress-strain state were carried out in the ANSYS software complex. The calculation results show that the biggest protrusion of the IVD in bending direction of segment is observed when IVD height is reduced. The disc protrusion is reduced with an increase of Young's modulus. The largest protrusion in the direction of flexion of the segment is the intervertebral disk with height of 4.3 mm and elastic modulus of 2.5 MPa. The results of the study can be useful to specialists in the field of biomechanics, medical materials science and prosthetics.

Load transfer of nanocomposite film on aluminum substrate.

PubMed

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Chien, Pao-Chu

2018-01-01

Nanocomposite films have attracted much attention in recent years. Depending on the composition of the film and fabrication method, a large range of applications has been employed for nanocomposite films. In this study, nanocomposite films reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were deposited on the aluminum substrate through hot press processing. A shear lag model and Euler beam theory were employed to evaluate the stress distribution and load carrying capability of the nanocomposite film subjected to tensile load and bending moment. The influence of MWCNT on the Young's modulus and load carrying capability of the nanocomposite film was investigated through a parametric study. The theoretical predictions were verified by comparison with experimental tests. A close agreement with difference less than 6% was achieved between the theoretical prediction and experimental measurements. The Young's modulus and load transfer of the nanocomposite film reinforced with MWCNTs increases with the increase of the MWCNT loading. Compared to the neat epoxy film, nanocomposite film with 1 wt % of MWCNT exhibits an increase of 20% in both the Young's modulus and load carrying capability.

Fabrication of Composite Material Using Gettou Fiber by Injection Molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setsuda, Roy; Fukumoto, Isao; Kanda, Yasuyuki

This study investigated the mechanical properties of composite using gettou (shell ginger) fiber as reinforcement fabricated from injection molding. Gettou fiber is a natural fiber made from gettou, a subtropical plant that is largely abundant in Okinawa, Japan. We used the stem part of gettou plant and made the gettou fiber by crushing the stem. The composite using gettou fiber contributed to low shrinkage ratio, high bending strength and high flexural modulus. The mechanical strength of composite using long gettou fiber showed higher value than composite using short gettou fiber. Next, because gettou is particularly known for its anti-mold characteristic, we investigated the characteristic in gettou plastic composite. The composite was tested against two molds: aspergillius niger and penicillium funiculosum. The 60% gettou fiber plastic composite was found to satisfy the JISZ2801 criterion. Finally, in order to predict the flexural modulus of composite using gettou fiber by Halpin-Tsai equation, the tensile elastic modulus of single gettou fiber was measured. The tendency of the experimental results of composite using gettou fiber was in good agreement with Halpin-Tsai equation.

Surface and through crack problems in orthotropic plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erdogan, F.; Wu, B.-H.

1988-01-01

The present treatment of the general mode I crack problem in bending- and membrane-loaded orthotropic plates proceeds by formulating the bending problem for a series of planar and through-cracks; by independently varying the six independent constants, the effect of material orthotropy on the stress intensity factor is determined. The surface-crack problem is then formulated by means of the line-spring model, using a transverse-shear theory of plate bending. Attention is given to composite laminates with through-cracks or semielliptic surface cracks. A significant effect is noted for material orthotropy.

Effect OF NaOH Treatment on Bending Strength Of The Polyester Composite Reinforce By Sugar Palm Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arif Irfai, Mochamad; Wulandari, Diah; Sutriyono; Marsyahyo, Eko

2018-04-01

The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of NaOH treatment on bending strength of lamina composite reinforced by sugar palm fiber. To know of mechanism fracture can be done with visual inspection of the fracture surface. The Materials used are random sugar palm fibers that have been in the treatment of NaOH, polyester resin and hardener. Sugar palm fibers after washed and dried then soaked NaOH with a long time soaking 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours. The bending test specimens were produced according to ASTM D 790. All specimens were post cured at 62°C for 4 hours. The Bending test was carried out on a universal testing machine. The SEM analysis has conducted to provide the analysis on interface adhesion between the surfaces of fiber with the matrix. The result shows that polyester composite reinforced by sugar palm fiber has highest bending stress 176.77 N/mm2 for 2 hours of a long time soaking NaOH, the highest flexural strain 0.27 mm for 2 hours of a long time soaking NaOH, elongation 24.05% for 2 hours of a long time soaking NaOH and the highest bending modulus 1.267 GPa for 2 hours of a long time soaking NaOH. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the polyester composite reinforced by sugar palm fiber has the optimum bending properties for a long time soaking 2 hours. The fracture surface shows that the polyester composite reinforced by sugar palm fiber pull out that indicate weakens the bond between fiber and matrix.

Bending behaviors of fully covered biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stent for human body by finite element method.

PubMed

Liu, Yanhui; Zhu, Guoqing; Yang, Huazhe; Wang, Conger; Zhang, Peihua; Han, Guangting

2018-01-01

This paper presents a study of the bending flexibility of fully covered biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stents (FCBPBs) developed for human body. To investigate the relationship between the bending load and structure parameter (monofilament diameter and braid-pin number), biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stents derived from braiding method were covered with membrane prepared via electrospinning method, and nine FCBPBSs were then obtained for bending test to evaluate the bending flexibility. In addition, by the finite element method, nine numerical models based on actual biliary stent were established and the bending load was calculated through the finite element method. Results demonstrate that the simulation and experimental results are in good agreement with each other, indicating that the simulation results can be provided a useful reference to the investigation of biliary stents. Furthermore, the stress distribution on FCBPBSs was studied, and the plastic dissipation analysis and plastic strain of FCBPBSs were obtained via the bending simulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect and mechanism of inhibiting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity on the proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiqiang; Chen, Xiaodan; Jiang, Chengrui; Fang, Zishui; Feng, Yi; Jiang, Weiying

2017-05-01

We screened >40,000 patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and found that the G6PD Kaiping allele was under the most positive selection for fighting against malaria in the Chinese population. However, the mechanism is unknown. The current study was designed to investigate the anti-malarial effect and mechanism of G6PD deficiency. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was utilised for inhibiting the G6PD activity of erythrocytes. Giemsa staining of blood smears and quantitative real-time PCR were used for the detection and quantification of Plasmodium falciparum infection. A transmission electron microscope was used to observe the structural changes of P. falciparum. An atomic force microscopy was used for the analyses of morphology, roughness and Young's Modulus of the infective erythrocyte membrane. When G6PD activity was inhibited by DHEA, the infection rate of P. falciparum decreased, its cell nucleus shrank, the cell organelles and metabolites were reduced gradually and the Young's Modulus of the erythrocyte membrane increased with increasing DHEA concentrations. These data indicated that Plasmodium multiplication would be inhibited in G6PD deficient erythrocytes because the Plasmodium organelles could not obtain enough nutrients, including ribose-5-phosphate and the reducing equivalent, NADPH. Moreover, the Young's Modulus of the erythrocyte membrane increased, which resulted in an increased membrane stiffness and decreased deformation. It was difficult for the merozoites to invade erythrocytes through endocytosis. Understanding these points will have a major effect on searching for new anti-malarial drug targets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Viscoelastic deformation of lipid bilayer vesicles.

PubMed

Wu, Shao-Hua; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Biswas, Roshni; Wu, Shuyang; Povinelli, Michelle L; Malmstadt, Noah

2015-10-07

Lipid bilayers form the boundaries of the cell and its organelles. Many physiological processes, such as cell movement and division, involve bending and folding of the bilayer at high curvatures. Currently, bending of the bilayer is treated as an elastic deformation, such that its stress-strain response is independent of the rate at which bending strain is applied. We present here the first direct measurement of viscoelastic response in a lipid bilayer vesicle. We used a dual-beam optical trap (DBOT) to stretch 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Upon application of a step optical force, the vesicle membrane deforms in two regimes: a fast, instantaneous area increase, followed by a much slower stretching to an eventual plateau deformation. From measurements of dozens of GUVs, the average time constant of the slower stretching response was 0.225 ± 0.033 s (standard deviation, SD). Increasing the fluid viscosity did not affect the observed time constant. We performed a set of experiments to rule out heating by laser absorption as a cause of the transient behavior. Thus, we demonstrate here that the bending deformation of lipid bilayer membranes should be treated as viscoelastic.

Viscoelastic deformation of lipid bilayer vesicles†

PubMed Central

Wu, Shao-Hua; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Biswas, Roshni; Wu, Shuyang; Povinelli, Michelle L.

2015-01-01

Lipid bilayers form the boundaries of the cell and its organelles. Many physiological processes, such as cell movement and division, involve bending and folding of the bilayer at high curvatures. Currently, bending of the bilayer is treated as an elastic deformation, such that its stress-strain response is independent of the rate at which bending strain is applied. We present here the first direct measurement of viscoelastic response in a lipid bilayer vesicle. We used a dual-beam optical trap (DBOT) to stretch 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Upon application of a step optical force, the vesicle membrane deforms in two regimes: a fast, instantaneous area increase, followed by a much slower stretching to an eventual plateau deformation. From measurements of dozens of GUVs, the average time constant of the slower stretching response was 0.225 ± 0.033 s (standard deviation, SD). Increasing the fluid viscosity did not affect the observed time constant. We performed a set of experiments to rule out heating by laser absorption as a cause of the transient behavior. Thus, we demonstrate here that the bending deformation of lipid bilayer membranes should be treated as viscoelastic. PMID:26268612

Hot forming of composite prepreg : Experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardif, Xavier; Duthille, Bertrand; Bechtel, Stephane; le Pinru, Louis; Campagne, Benjamin; Destombes, Gautier; Deshors, Antoine; Marchand, Christophe; Azzouzi, Khalid El; Moro, Tanguy

2017-10-01

The hot forming of thermoset prepreg consists in bending an uncured composite part by applying a mechanical constrain on the hot laminate. Most of the time, the mold is inserted in a vacuum box and the mechanical constrain is applied on the composite laminate by a single membrane or a double-membrane. But the performance improvement products resulted in forming increasingly complex parts with advanced materials having a less formability. These new complex parts require a finer comprehension of the process and an optimization of the key parameters to get acceptable quality. In this work, an experimental study has been carried out to identify the process conditions that do not lead to unacceptable defaults: undulations of fibers. In the present study, downward-bending has been evaluated with an original light mechanical forming concept, for a given stacking sequence. The influence of the part's temperature and the part's bending speed are investigated. To carry this study out, a hot forming test bench has been designed and manufactured to have a precise supervision of the process conditions. It is able to bend parts of 1500 mm length x 600 mm width x 20 mm thick.

Biomechanical properties of a structurally optimized carbon-fibre/epoxy intramedullary nail for femoral shaft fracture fixation.

PubMed

Samiezadeh, Saeid; Fawaz, Zouheir; Bougherara, Habiba

2016-03-01

Intramedullary nails are the golden treatment option for diaphyseal fractures. However, their high stiffness can shield the surrounding bone from the natural physiologic load resulting in subsequent bone loss. Their stiff structure can also delay union by reducing compressive loads at the fracture site, thereby inhibiting secondary bone healing. Composite intramedullary nails have recently been introduced to address these drawbacks. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mechanical properties of a previously developed composite IM nail made of carbon-fibre/epoxy whose structure was optimized based on fracture healing requirements using the selective stress shielding approach. Following manufacturing, the cross-section of the composite nail was examined under an optical microscope to find the porosity of the structure. Mechanical properties of the proposed composite intramedullary nail were determined using standard tension, compression, bending, and torsion tests. The failed specimens were then examined to obtain the modes of failure. The material showed high strength in tension (403.9±7.8MPa), compression (316.9±10.9MPa), bending (405.3±8.1MPa), and torsion (328.5±7.3MPa). Comparing the flexural modulus (41.1±0.9GPa) with the compressive modulus (10.0±0.2GPa) yielded that the material was significantly more flexible in compression than in bending. This customized flexibility along with the high torsional stiffness of the nail (70.7±2.0Nm(2)) has made it ideal as a fracture fixation device since this unique structure can stabilize the fracture while allowing for compression of fracture ends. Negligible moisture absorption (~0.5%) and low porosity of the laminate structure (< 3%) are other advantages of the proposed structure. The findings suggested that the carbon-fibre/epoxy intramedullary nail is flexible axially while being relatively rigid in bending and torsion and is strong enough in all types of physiologic loading, making it a potential candidate for use as an alternative to the conventional titanium-alloy intramedullary nails. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Membranes Dream of Electric Tubes? Advanced Membranes Using Carbon Nanotube - Polymer Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Lannoy, Charles-Francois Pedro Claude Karolek Ghislain

Membrane technologies represent an energy efficient, effective solution for treating municipal and commercial waters/wastewaters. Membranes are predominantly polymer-based and despite steady advances in polymeric materials, they continue to suffer from operational problems including biofouling and breakages. This work addresses these two disparate problems by developing novel CNT-polymer nanocomposite materials that contain variously functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) in low quantities (<0.5wt%). Several strategies have been employed to achieve highly functional CNT-polymer nanocomposite membranes including blend mixing, ionic charge association, and covalent cross-linking with monomer and oligomer constituents. These CNT-polymer nanocomposite membranes were compared to traditional polymer membranes across various properties including increased Young's Modulus, changes in surface hydrophilicity, fine control over molecular weight cut-off and flux, and surface electrical conductivity. Membranes with high surface electrical conductivity were further tested for their anti-biofouling properties. Finally, CNT stability and polymer compatibility were evaluated throughout membrane manufacture, use, and cleaning. The incorporation of CNTs mixed in bulk phase and linked through ionic associations in polymer matrices showed significant (50%) increases in Young's modulus for certain CNT functionalizations and derivatization percent. Membranes formed with high surface electrical conductivity demonstrated almost complete resistance to biofouling (> 95%) in long-term bacterially challenged experiments. CNTs and polymer mixtures that lacked covalent or ionic bonds were susceptible to significant (up to 10%) loss of CNTs during membrane non-solvent gelation and aggressive chemical cleaning treatment. Functionalized carbon nanotubes endow polymer membranes with their unique strength and electrically conductive properties. These added properties were demonstrated to greatly improve membrane operational efficiency and membrane longevity. CNT-polymer nanocomposite membranes offer low-energy, high-efficiency, and long-lifetime alternatives to traditional polymer membranes. With further advances in polymeric nanomaterials, membrane technology has the potential for wide applicability across many fields outside of water filtration and desalination.

Mechanical response of CH3NH3PbI3 nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćirić, L.; Ashby, K.; Abadie, T.; Spina, M.; Duchamp, M.; Náfrádi, B.; Kollár, M.; Forró, L.; Horváth, E.

2018-03-01

We report a systematic study of the mechanical response of methylammonium lead triiodide CH3NH3PbI3 nanowires by employing bending measurements using atomic force microscope on suspended wires over photo-lithographically patterned channels. Force-deflection curves measured at room temperature give a Young's modulus between 2 and 14 GPa. This broad range of values is attributed to the variations in the microcrystalline texture of halide perovskite nanowires. The mechanical response of a highly crystalline nanowire is linear with force and has a brittle character. The braking modulus of 48 ± 20 MPa corresponds to 100 μm of radius of curvature of the nanowires, rendering them much better structures for flexible devices than spin coated films. The measured moduli decrease rapidly if the NW is exposed to water vapor.

Elastic properties and fracture strength of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, T. L.

1977-01-01

The layups of the studied laminates are (0, + or - 60) sub s, (0, + or - 45, 90) sub s, (0, + or - 30, + or - 60, 90) sub s (0, + or - 22 1/2, + or - 45, + or - 67 1/2, 90) sub s. The properties determined were tensile modulus, Poisson's ratio, bending stiffness, fracture strength and fracture strain. Measured properties and properties predicted using laminate theory were found to be in reasonable agreement. Reasons for data scatter were determined.

Modification of fast-growing Chinese Fir wood with unsaturated polyester resin: Impregnation technology and efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Qing; Zhao, Zijian; Yi, Songlin; Wang, Tianlong

In this study, Chinese Fir was impregnated with unsaturated polyester resin to enhance its properties. Samples 20 mm × 20 mm × 20 mm in size were split into different sections with epoxy resin and tinfoil and subjected to an impregnation experiment under various parameters. Vacuum degree was -0.04 MPa, -0.06 MPa or -0.08 MPa and vacuum duration was 15 min, 30 min, or 45 min. The results indicated that impregnation weight percent gain is linearly dependent on curing weight percent gain. Vacuum duration appears to have less influence on the curing weight percent gain than vacuum degree, and impregnation was most successful at the transverse section compared to other sections. The optimal impregnation parameters were 30 min modification under -0.08 MPa vacuum followed by 120 min at atmospheric pressure for samples 200 mm × 100 mm × 20 mm in size. Uneven distribution of weight percent gain and cracking during the curing process suggested that 30 min post-processing at -0.09 MPa vacuum was the most effective way to complete the impregnation process. The sample's bending strength and modulus of elasticity increased after impregnation treatment. Bending strength after impregnation without post-processing reached 112.85%, but reached 71.65% with vacuum-processing; modulus of elasticity improved 67.13% and 58.28% without and with post-processing, respectively.

Monte Carlo studies on the interfacial properties and interfacial structures of ternary symmetric blends with gradient copolymers.

PubMed

Sun, Dachuan; Guo, Hongxia

2012-08-09

Using Monte Carlo simulation methods, the effects of the comonomer sequence distribution on the interfacial properties (including interfacial tension, interfacial thickness, saturated interfacial area per copolymer, and bending modulus) and interfacial structures (including chain conformations and comonomer distributions of the simulated copolymers at the interfaces) of a ternary symmetric blend containing two immiscible homopolymers and one gradient copolymer are investigated. We find that copolymers with a larger composition gradient width have a broader comonomer distribution along the interface normal, and hence more pronouncedly enlarge the interfacial thickness and reduce the interfacial tension. Furthermore, the counteraction effect, which arises from the tendency of heterogeneous segments in gradient copolymers to phase separate and enter their miscible phases to reduce the local enthalpy, decreases the stretching of copolymers along the interface normal direction. As a result, copolymers with a larger width of gradient composition can occupy a larger interfacial area and form softer monolayers at saturation and are more efficient in facilitating the formation of bicontinuous microemulsions. Additionally, chain length ratio, segregation strength, and interactions between homopolymers and copolymers can alter the interfacial character of gradient copolymers. There exists a strong coupling between the comonomer sequence distribution, chain conformation, and interfacial properties. Especially, bending modulus is mainly determined by the complicated interplay of interfacial copolymer density and interfacial chain conformation.

Computer Simulations of Bottlebrush Melts and Soft Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Zhen; Carrillo, Jan-Michael; Sheiko, Sergei; Dobrynin, Andrey

We have studied dense bottlebrush systems in a melt and network state using a combination of the molecular dynamics simulations and analytical calculations. Our simulations show that the bottlebrush macromolecules in a melt behave as ideal chains with the effective Kuhn length bK. The bottlebrush induced bending rigidity is due to redistribution of the side chains upon backbone bending. Kuhn length of the bottlebrushes increases with increasing the side-chain degree of polymerization nsc as bK ~nsc0 . 46 . This model of bottlebrush macromolecules is extended to describe mechanical properties of bottlebrush networks in linear and nonlinear deformation regimes. In the linear deformation regime, the network shear modulus scales with the degree of polymerization of the side chains as G0 ~nsc + 1 - 1 as long as the ratio of the Kuhn length to the size of the fully extended bottlebrush backbone between crosslinks, Rmax, is smaller than unity, bK /Rmax < < 1 . Bottlebrush networks with bK /Rmax ~ 1 demonstrate behavior similar to that of networks of semiflexible chains with G0 ~nsc- 0 . 5 . In the nonlinear deformation regime, the deformation dependent shear modulus is a universal function of the first strain invariant I1 and bottlebrush backbone deformation ratio β describing stretching ability of the bottlebrush backbone between crosslinks. Nsf DMR-1409710 DMR-1436201.

Decrumpling membranes by quantum effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borelli, M. E. S.; Kleinert, H.

2001-02-01

The phase diagram of an incompressible fluid membrane subject to quantum and thermal fluctuations is calculated exactly in a large number of dimensions of configuration space. At zero temperature, a crumpling transition is found at a critical bending rigidity 1/αc. For membranes of fixed lateral size, a crumpling transition occurs at nonzero temperatures in an auxiliary mean field approximation. As the lateral size L of the membrane becomes large, the flat regime shrinks with 1/ln L.

Novel scanning electron microscope bulge test technique integrated with loading function

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Chuanwei; Xie, Huimin, E-mail: liuzw@bit.edu.cn, E-mail: xiehm@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn; Liu, Zhanwei, E-mail: liuzw@bit.edu.cn, E-mail: xiehm@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

2014-10-15

Membranes and film-on-substrate structures are critical elements for some devices in electronics industry and for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems devices. These structures are normally at the scale of micrometer or even nanometer. Thus, the measurement for the mechanical property of these membranes poses a challenge over the conventional measurements at macro-scales. In this study, a novel bulge test method is presented for the evaluation of mechanical property of micro thin membranes. Three aspects are discussed in the study: (a) A novel bulge test with a Scanning Electron Microscope system realizing the function of loading and measuring simultaneously; (b) a simplifiedmore » Digital Image Correlation method for a height measurement; and (c) an imaging distortion correction by the introduction of a scanning Moiré method. Combined with the above techniques, biaxial modulus as well as Young's modulus of the polyimide film can be determined. Besides, a standard tensile test is conducted as an auxiliary experiment to validate the feasibility of the proposed method.« less

The effect of 8.25% sodium hypochlorite on dental pulp dissolution and dentin flexural strength and modulus.

PubMed

Cullen, James K T; Wealleans, James A; Kirkpatrick, Timothy C; Yaccino, John M

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), including 8.25%, on dental pulp dissolution and dentin flexural strength and modulus. Sixty dental pulp samples and 55 plane parallel dentin bars were retrieved from extracted human teeth. Five test groups (n = 10) were formed consisting of a pulp sample and dentin bar immersed in various NaOCl solutions. The negative control group (n = 5) consisted of pulp samples and dentin bars immersed in saline. The positive control group (n = 5) consisted of pulp samples immersed in 8.25% NaOCl without a dentin bar. Every 6 minutes for 1 hour, the solutions were refreshed. The dentin bars were tested for flexural strength and modulus with a 3-point bend test. The time until total pulp dissolution and any changes in dentin bar flexural strength and modulus for the different NaOCl solutions were statistically analyzed. An increase in NaOCl concentration showed a highly significant decrease in pulp dissolution time. The pulp dissolution property of 8.25% NaOCl was significantly faster than any other tested concentration of NaOCl. The presence of dentin did not have a significant effect on the dissolution capacity of NaOCl if the solutions were refreshed. NaOCl concentration did not have a statistically significant effect on dentin flexural strength or modulus. Dilution of NaOCl decreases its pulp dissolution capacity. Refreshing the solution is essential to counteract the effects of dentin. In this study, NaOCl did not have a significant effect on dentin flexural strength or modulus. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Structural analysis and sizing of stiffened, metal matrix composite panels for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collier, Craig S.

1992-01-01

The present method for strength and stability analyses of stiffened, fiber-reinforced composite panels to be used in hypersonic vehicle structures is of great generality, and can be linked with planar finite-element analysis (FEA). Nonlinear temperature and load-dependent material data for each laminate are used to 'build-up' the stiffened panel's membrane, bending, and membrane-bending coupling stiffness terms, as well as thermal coefficients. The resulting, FEA-solved thermomechanical forces and moments are used to calculate strain at any location in the panel; this allows an effective ply-by-ply orthotropic strength analysis to be conducted, together with orthotropic instability checks for each laminated segment of the cross-section.

Properties of a porous Ti-6Al-4V implant with a low stiffness for biomedical application.

PubMed

Li, X; Wang, C-T; Zhang, W-G; Li, Y-C

2009-02-01

Porous Ti-6Al-4V alloy was fabricated using the electron beam melting (EBM) process. The phases of the as-received powder and fabricated samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The XRD peaks of both diffraction patterns agree well, which indicated that the EBM process has not changed the composition of Ti-6Al-4V. The fabricated samples exhibited a Vickers microhardness value of around 428 HV. The compression and three-point bending tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of the porous Ti-6Al-4V implant with a porosity of around 60 per cent. The compressive yield strength, Young's modulus, and ultimate compressive strength were 194.6 MPa, 4.25 GPa, and 222.6 MPa respectively. The bending stiffness and bending strength were 3.7 GPa and 126.3 MPa respectively. These results demonstrated that the porous Ti-6Al-4V implant with a low stiffness and high porosity could be a promising biomaterial for biomedical applications.

Branch breakage under snow and ice loads.

PubMed

Cannell, M G; Morgan, J

1989-09-01

Measurements were made on branches and trunks of Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. to determine the relationship between (i) the bending moment at the bases of branches that cause breakage, and (ii) midpoint diameter cubed. The theory for cantilever beams was then used to calculate the basal bending moments and midpoint diameters of branches with different numbers of laterals and endpoint deflections, given previously measured values of Young's modulus, taper and weights of foliage and wood. Snow and ice loads (equal to 2 and 4 g cm(-1) of shoot, respectively) were then included in the calculation to determine whether the basal bending moments exceeded the breakage values. The likelihood of breakage increased with an increase in (i) number of laterals, and (ii) endpoint deflection under self weight (without snow or ice)-features that had previously been shown to lessen the amount of branch wood required to support a unit of foliage. However, branches which deflected moderately (> 10% of their length) under their own weight deflected greatly under snow or ice loads and might shed powdery snow before breakage occurs.

Design of Raft Foundations for High-Rise Buildings on Jointed Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Justo, J. L.; García-Núñez, J.-C.; Vázquez-Boza, M.; Justo, E.; Durand, P.; Azañón, J. M.

2014-07-01

This paper presents calculations of displacements and bending moments in a 2-m-thick reinforced-concrete foundation slab using three-dimensional finite-element software. A preliminary paper was presented by Justo et al. (Rock Mech Rock Eng 43:287-304, 2010). The slab is the base of a tower of 137 m height above foundation, supported on jointed and partly weathered basalt and scoria. Installation of rod extensometers at different depths below foundation allowed comparison between measured displacements and displacements calculated using moduli obtained from rock classification systems and three material models: elastic, Mohr-Coulomb and hardening (H). Although all three material models can provide acceptable results, the H model is preferable when there are unloading processes. Acceptable values of settlement may be achieved with medium meshing and an approximate distribution of loads. The absolute values of negative bending moments (tensions below) increase as the rock mass modulus decreases or when the mesh is refined. The paper stresses the importance of adequately representing the details of the distribution of loads and the necessity for fine meshing to obtain acceptable values of bending moments.

Mechanical behavior of M-Wire and conventional NiTi wire used to manufacture rotary endodontic instruments.

PubMed

Pereira, Erika S J; Gomes, Renata O; Leroy, Agnès M F; Singh, Rupinderpal; Peters, Ove A; Bahia, Maria G A; Buono, Vicente T L

2013-12-01

Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of one conventional and a new NiTi wire, which had received an additional thermomechanical treatment. Specimens of both conventional (NiTi) and the new type of wire, called M-Wire (MW), were subjected to tensile and three-point bending tests, Vickers microhardness measurements, and to rotating-bending fatigue tests at a strain-controlled level of 6%. Fracture surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy and the non-deformed microstructures by transmission electron microscopy. The thermomechanical treatment applied to produce the M-Wire apparently increased the tensile strength and Vickers microhardness of the material, but its apparent Young modulus was smaller than that of conventionally treated NiTi. The three-point bending tests showed a higher flexibility for MW which also exhibited a significantly higher number of cycles to failure. M-Wire presented mechanical properties that can render endodontic instruments more flexible and fatigue resistant than those made with conventionally processed NiTi wires. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental study of optical fibers influence on composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Rong-Mei; Liang, Da-Kai

2010-03-01

Bending strength and elasticity modulus of composite, with and without embedded optical fibers, were experimentally studied. Two kinds of laminates, which were denoted as group 1 and group 2, were fabricated from an orthogonal woven glass/epoxy prepreg. Since the normal stress value becomes the biggest at the surface of a beam, the optical fibers were embedded at the outmost layer and were all along the loading direction. Four types of materials, using each kind of laminated prepreg respectively, were manufactured. The embedded optical fibers for the 4 material types were 0, 10, 30 and 50 respectively. Three-point bending tests were carried out on the produced specimens to study the influence of embedded optical fiber on host composite. The experimental results indicated that the materials in group 2 were more sensitive to the embedded optical fibers.

Experimental investigation of fatigue behavior of carbon fiber composites using fully-reversed four-point bending test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiri, Ali

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) have become an increasingly notable material for use in structural engineering applications. Some of their advantages include high strength-to-weight ratio, high stiffness-to-weight ratio, and good moldability. Prediction of the fatigue life of composite laminates has been the subject of various studies due to the cyclic loading experienced in many applications. Both theoretical studies and experimental tests have been performed to estimate the endurance limit and fatigue life of composite plates. One of the main methods to predict fatigue life is the four-point bending test. In most previous works, the tests have been done in one direction (load ratio, R, > 0). In the current work, we have designed and manufactured a special fixture to perform a fully reversed bending test (R = -1). Static four-point bending tests were carried out on three (0°/90°)15 and (± 45°)15 samples to measure the mechanical properties of CFRP. Testing was displacement-controlled at the rate of 10 mm/min until failure. In (0°/90°)15 samples, all failed by cracking/buckling on the compressive side of the sample. While in (± 45°)15 all three tests, no visual fracture or failure of the samples was observed. 3.4 times higher stresses were reached during four-point static bending test of (0° /90°)15 samples compared to (± 45°)15. Same trend was seen in literature for similar tests. Four-point bending fatigue tests were carried out on (0° /90°)15 sample with stress ratio, R = -1 and frequency of 5 Hz. Applied maximum stresses were approximately 45%, 56%, 67%, 72% and 76% of the measured yield stress for (0° /90°)15 samples. There was visible cracking through the thickness of the samples. The expected downward trend in fatigue life with increasing maximum applied stress was observed in S-N curves of samples. There appears to be a threshold for ‘infinite’ life, defined as 1.7 million cycles in the current work, at a maximum stress of about 200 MPa. The decay in flexural modulus of the beam as it goes under cyclic loading was calculated and it was seen that flexural modulus shows an exponential decay which can be expressed as: E = E0e AN. Four-point bending fatigue tests were carried out on three (±45°)15 samples with stress ratio, R = -1 and frequency of 5 Hz. Maximum applied stress was 85% of the measured yield stress of (±45°)15 samples. None of the samples failed, nor any sign of crack was seen. Tests were stopped once the number of cycles passed 1.7×106. In general, current study provided additional insight into the fatigue and static behavior of polymer composites and effect of fiber orientation in their mechanical behavior.

Comparative study of bending characteristics of ionic polymer actuators containing ionic liquids for modeling actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Kunitomo; Sakamoto, Takumi; Tsuchitani, Shigeki; Asaka, Kinji

2011-04-01

Ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) that can operate in air have recently been developed by incorporating an ionic liquid in ionic polymers. To understand transduction in these composites, it is important to determine the role of the ionic liquid in the ionic polymer (Nafion®), to identify the counter cation, and to investigate the interaction of IPMCs with water vapor in the air. We used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to analyze three Nafion® membranes, which were soaked in mixtures of water and an ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4), 1-buthyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIBF4), and 1-buthyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIPF6)). The results demonstrate that only cations (EMI+ and BMI+) in the ionic liquids are taken into the Nafion® membranes as counter ions and that the water content of the membranes in air is less than ˜4% that of Nafion® swollen with water. Based on the experimental results, a transduction model is proposed for an IPMC with an ionic liquid. In this model, bending is caused by local swelling due to the volume effect of the bulky counter cations. This model can explain 30-50% of the experimentally observed bending curvature.

Static bending deflection and free vibration analysis of moderate thick symmetric laminated plates using multidimensional wave digital filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Chien-Hsun

2018-06-01

This paper aims to develop a multidimensional wave digital filtering network for predicting static and dynamic behaviors of composite laminate based on the FSDT. The resultant network is, thus, an integrated platform that can perform not only the free vibration but also the bending deflection of moderate thick symmetric laminated plates with low plate side-to-thickness ratios (< = 20). Safeguarded by the Courant-Friedrichs-Levy stability condition with the least restriction in terms of optimization technique, the present method offers numerically high accuracy, stability and efficiency to proceed a wide range of modulus ratios for the FSDT laminated plates. Instead of using a constant shear correction factor (SCF) with a limited numerical accuracy for the bending deflection, an optimum SCF is particularly sought by looking for a minimum ratio of change in the transverse shear energy. This way, it can predict as good results in terms of accuracy for certain cases of bending deflection. Extensive simulation results carried out for the prediction of maximum bending deflection have demonstratively proven that the present method outperforms those based on the higher-order shear deformation and layerwise plate theories. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that shows an optimal selection of SCF can significantly increase the accuracy of FSDT-based laminates especially compared to the higher order theory disclaiming any correction. The highest accuracy of overall solution is compared to the 3D elasticity equilibrium one.

Charge Dynamics and Bending Actuation in Aquivion Membrane Swelled with Ionic Liquids.

PubMed

Lin, Junhong; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Q M

2011-01-21

The actuation strain and speed of ionic electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators are mainly determined by the charge transport through the actuators and excess ion storage near the electrodes. We employ a recently developed theory on ion transport and storage to investigate the charge dynamics of short-side-chain Aquivion® (Hyflon®) membranes with different uptakes of ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (EMI-Tf). The results reveal the existence of a critical uptake of ionic liquids above which the membrane exhibit a high ionic conductivity (σ>5×10(-2) mS/cm). Especially, we investigate the charge dynamics under voltages which are in the range for practical device operation (~1 volts and higher). The results show that the ionic conductivity, ionic mobility, and mobile ion concentration do not change with the applied voltage below 1 volt (and for σ below 4 volts). The results also show that bending actuation of the Aquivion membrane with 40 wt% EMI-Tf is much larger than that of Nafion, indicating that the shorter flexible side chains improve the electromechanical coupling between the excess ions and the membrane backbones, while not affect the actuation speed.

Charge Dynamics and Bending Actuation in Aquivion Membrane Swelled with Ionic Liquids

PubMed Central

Lin, Junhong; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Q. M.

2011-01-01

The actuation strain and speed of ionic electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators are mainly determined by the charge transport through the actuators and excess ion storage near the electrodes. We employ a recently developed theory on ion transport and storage to investigate the charge dynamics of short-side-chain Aquivion® (Hyflon®) membranes with different uptakes of ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (EMI-Tf). The results reveal the existence of a critical uptake of ionic liquids above which the membrane exhibit a high ionic conductivity (σ>5×10−2 mS/cm). Especially, we investigate the charge dynamics under voltages which are in the range for practical device operation (~1 volts and higher). The results show that the ionic conductivity, ionic mobility, and mobile ion concentration do not change with the applied voltage below 1 volt (and for σ below 4 volts). The results also show that bending actuation of the Aquivion membrane with 40 wt% EMI-Tf is much larger than that of Nafion, indicating that the shorter flexible side chains improve the electromechanical coupling between the excess ions and the membrane backbones, while not affect the actuation speed. PMID:21339839

Manufacture and optimization of low-cost tubular ceramic supports for membrane filtration: application to algal solution concentration.

PubMed

Issaoui, Mansour; Limousy, Lionel; Lebeau, Bénédicte; Bouaziz, Jamel; Fourati, Mohieddine

2017-04-01

Low-cost tubular macroporous supports for ceramic membranes were elaborated using the extrusion method, followed by curing, debinding, and sintering processes, from a powder mixture containing kaolin, starch, and sand. The obtained substrates were characterized using mercury intrusion porosimetry, water absorption test, water permeability, scanning electron microscopy, and three-point bending test to evaluate the effects of the additives on the relevant characteristics. According to experimental results, adding the starch ratio to the kaolin powder shows a notable impact on the membrane porosity and consequently on the water permeability of the tubular supports, whereas their mechanical strength decreased compared to those prepared from kaolin alone. It has been shown that the addition of an appropriate amount of starch to the ceramic paste leads to obtaining membrane supports with the desired porosity. Indeed, the water permeability increased significantly from 20 to 612 L h -1  m -2  bar -1 for samples without and with 20 wt% of starch, respectively, as well as the open porosity, the apparent porosity, and the pore size distribution. The bending strength decreased slightly and reached about 4 MPa for samples with the highest starch amounts. On the other hand, the incorporation of sand in a mixture of kaolin + 10 wt% starch increased the mechanical strength and the water permeability. The samples containing 3 wt% of sand exhibited a bending strength four times higher than the supports without sand; the water permeability measured was about 221 L h -1  m -2  bar -1 . These elaborated tubular supports for membrane are found to be suitable for solution concentration; they were applied for algal solution and are also easily cleaned by water.

An Isogeometric Design-through-analysis Methodology based on Adaptive Hierarchical Refinement of NURBS, Immersed Boundary Methods, and T-spline CAD Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-22

Computational Mechanics, 2008; 43:3–37. [15] Bazilevs Y, Hsu MC, Kiendl J, Wuechner R, Bletzinger KU. 3D Simulation of Wind Turbine Rotors at Full Scale. Part II...0 and Ψy = 0 on the left, right and bottom boundaries (“no slip ” requirement), Ψx = 0 and Ψx = 1 on the top boundary (the driven surface). At all...superposition of tensile membrane and bending stress, the maximum von Mises stress occurs at the sharp reentrant bend, where the loaded boundary ring bends

Computational Modeling of Electrochemical-Poroelastic Bending Behaviors of Conducting Polymer (PPy) Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toi, Yutaka; Jung, Woosang

The electrochemical-poroelastic bending behavior of conducting polymer actuators has an attractive feature, considering their potential applications such as artificial muscles or MEMS. In the present study, a computational modeling is presented for the bending behavior of polypyrrole-based actuators. The one-dimensional governing equation for the ionic transportation in electrolytes given by Tadokoro et al. is combined with the finite element modeling for the poroelastic behavior of polypyrroles considering the effect of finite deformation. The validity of the proposed model has been illustrated by comparing the computed results with the experimental results in the literatures.

Continuous-Flow Production of Injectable Liposomes via a Microfluidic Approach

PubMed Central

Zizzari, Alessandra; Bianco, Monica; Perrone, Elisabetta; Amato, Francesco; Maruccio, Giuseppe; Rendina, Filippo; Arima, Valentina

2017-01-01

Injectable liposomes are characterized by a suitable size and unique lipid mixtures, which require time-consuming and nonstraightforward production processes. The complexity of the manufacturing methods may affect liposome solubility, the phase transition temperatures of the membranes, the average particle size, and the associated particle size distribution, with a possible impact on the drug encapsulation and release. By leveraging the precise steady-state control over the mixing of miscible liquids and a highly efficient heat transfer, microfluidic technology has proved to be an effective and direct methodology to produce liposomes. This approach results particularly efficient in reducing the number of the sizing steps, when compared to standard industrial methods. Here, Microfluidic Hydrodynamic Focusing chips were produced and used to form liposomes upon tuning experimental parameters such as lipids concentration and Flow-Rate-Ratios (FRRs). Although modelling evidenced the dependence of the laminar flow on the geometric constraints and the FRR conditions, for the specific formulation investigated in this study, the lipids concentration was identified as the primary factor influencing the size of the liposomes and their polydispersity index. This was attributed to a predominance of the bending elasticity modulus over the vesiculation index in the lipid mixture used. Eventually, liposomes of injectable size were produced using microfluidic one-pot synthesis in continuous flow. PMID:29232873

Molecular theory of lipid-protein interaction and the Lalpha-HII transition.

PubMed Central

May, S; Ben-Shaul, A

1999-01-01

We present a molecular-level theory for lipid-protein interaction and apply it to the study of lipid-mediated interactions between proteins and the protein-induced transition from the planar bilayer (Lalpha) to the inverse-hexagonal (HII) phase. The proteins are treated as rigid, membrane-spanning, hydrophobic inclusions of different size and shape, e.g., "cylinder-like," "barrel-like," or "vase-like." We assume strong hydrophobic coupling between the protein and its neighbor lipids. This means that, if necessary, the flexible lipid chains surrounding the protein will stretch, compress, and/or tilt to bridge the hydrophobic thickness mismatch between the protein and the unperturbed bilayer. The system free energy is expressed as an integral over local molecular contributions, the latter accounting for interheadgroup repulsion, hydrocarbon-water surface energy, and chain stretching-tilting effects. We show that the molecular interaction constants are intimately related to familiar elastic (continuum) characteristics of the membrane, such as the bending rigidity and spontaneous curvature, as well as to the less familiar tilt modulus. The equilibrium configuration of the membrane is determined by minimizing the free energy functional, subject to boundary conditions dictated by the size, shape, and spatial distribution of inclusions. A similar procedure is used to calculate the free energy and structure of peptide-free and peptide-rich hexagonal phases. Two degrees of freedom are involved in the variational minimization procedure: the local length and local tilt angle of the lipid chains. The inclusion of chain tilt is particularly important for studying noncylindrical (for instance, barrel-like) inclusions and analyzing the structure of the HII lipid phase; e.g., we find that chain tilt relaxation implies strong faceting of the lipid monolayers in the hexagonal phase. Consistent with experiment, we find that only short peptides (large negative mismatch) can induce the Lalpha --> HII transition. At the transition, a peptide-poor Lalpha phase coexists with a peptide-rich HII phase. PMID:9929479

A small punch test technique for characterizing the elastic modulus and fracture behavior of PMMA bone cement used in total joint replacement.

PubMed

Giddings, V L; Kurtz, S M; Jewett, C W; Foulds, J R; Edidin, A A

2001-07-01

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is used in total joint replacements to anchor implants to the underlying bone. Establishing and maintaining the integrity of bone cement is thus of critical importance to the long-term outcome of joint replacement surgery. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of a novel testing technique, the small punch or miniaturized disk bend test, to characterize the elastic modulus and fracture behavior of PMMA. We investigated the hypothesis that the crack initiation behavior of PMMA during the small punch test was sensitive to the test temperature. Miniature disk-shaped specimens, 0.5 mm thick and 6.4 mm in diameter, were prepared from PMMA and Simplex-P bone cement according to manufacturers' instructions. Testing was conducted at ambient and body temperatures, and the effect of test temperature on the elastic modulus and fracture behavior was statistically evaluated using analysis of variance. For both PMMA materials, the test temperature had a significant effect on elastic modulus and crack initiation behavior. At body temperature, the specimens exhibited "ductile" crack initiation, whereas at room temperature "brittle" crack initiation was observed. The small punch test was found to be a sensitive and repeatable test method for evaluating the mechanical behavior of PMMA. In light of the results of this study, future small punch testing should be conducted at body temperature.

Modeling Membrane Deformations and Lipid Demixing upon Protein-Membrane Interaction: The BAR Dimer Adsorption

PubMed Central

Khelashvili, George; Harries, Daniel; Weinstein, Harel

2009-01-01

We use a self-consistent mean-field theory, designed to investigate membrane reshaping and lipid demixing upon interaction with proteins, to explore BAR domains interacting with large patches of lipid membranes of heterogeneous compositions. The computational model includes contributions to the system free energy from electrostatic interactions and elastic energies of the membrane, as well as salt and lipid mixing entropies. The results from our simulation of a single adsorbing Amphiphysin BAR dimer indicate that it is capable of stabilizing a significantly curved membrane. However, we predict that such deformations will occur only for membrane patches that have the inherent propensity for high curvature, reflected in the tendency to create local distortions that closely match the curvature of the BAR dimer itself. Such favorable preconditioning for BAR-membrane interaction may be the result of perturbations such as local lipid demixing induced by the interaction, or of a prior insertion of the BAR domain's amphiphatic N-helix. From our simulations it appears that local segregation of charged lipids under the influence of the BAR dimer cannot produce high enough asymmetry between bilayer leaflets to induce significant bending. In the absence of additional energy contributions that favor membrane asymmetry, the membrane will remain nearly flat upon single BAR dimer adsorption, relative to the undulation expected from thermal fluctuations. Thus, we conclude that the N-helix insertions have a critical mechanistic role in the local perturbation and curving of the membrane, which is then stabilized by the electrostatic interaction with the BAR dimer. We discuss how these results can be used to estimate the tendency of BARs to bend membranes in terms of a spatially nonisotropic spontaneous curvature. PMID:19751667

Method for obtaining structure and interactions from oriented lipid bilayers

PubMed Central

Lyatskaya, Yulia; Liu, Yufeng; Tristram-Nagle, Stephanie; Katsaras, John; Nagle, John F.

2009-01-01

Precise calculations are made of the scattering intensity I(q) from an oriented stack of lipid bilayers using a realistic model of fluctuations. The quantities of interest include the bilayer bending modulus Kc , the interbilayer interaction modulus B, and bilayer structure through the form factor F(qz). It is shown how Kc and B may be obtained from data at large qz where fluctuations dominate. Good estimates of F(qz) can be made over wide ranges of qz by using I(q) in q regions away from the peaks and for qr≠0 where details of the scattering domains play little role. Rough estimates of domain sizes can also be made from smaller qz data. Results are presented for data taken on fully hydrated, oriented DOPC bilayers in the Lα phase. These results illustrate the advantages of oriented samples compared to powder samples. PMID:11304287

Carbon fiber reinforced root canal posts. Mechanical and cytotoxic properties.

PubMed

Torbjörner, A; Karlsson, S; Syverud, M; Hensten-Pettersen, A

1996-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of a prefabricated root canal post made of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC) with metal posts and to assess the cytotoxic effects elicited. Flexural modulus and ultimate flexural strength was determined by 3 point loading after CRFC posts had been stored either dry or in water. The bending test was carried out with and without preceding thermocycling of the CFRC posts. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by an agar overlay method after dry and wet storage. The values of flexural modulus and ultimate flexural strength were for dry stored CFRC post 82 +/- 6 GPa and 1154 +/- 65 MPa respectively. The flexural values decreased significantly after water storage and after thermocycling. No cytotoxic effects were observed adjacent to any CFRC post. Although fiber reinforced composites may have the potential to replace metals in many clinical situations, additional research is needed to ensure a satisfying life-span.

A novel multilayer model with controllable mechanical properties for magnesium-based bone plates.

PubMed

Zhou, Juncen; Huang, Wanru; Li, Qing; She, Zuxin; Chen, Funan; Li, Longqin

2015-04-01

Proper mechanical properties are essential for the clinical application of magnesium-based implants. In the present work, a novel multilayer model composed of three layers with desirable features was developed. The modulus of the multilayer model can be adjusted by changing the thickness of each layer. To combine three layers and improve the corrosion resistance of the whole multilayer model, the polycaprolactone coating was employed. In the immersion test, pH values, the concentration of released magnesium ions, and weight loss indicate that the corrosion rate of multilayer models is considerable lower than that of the one-layer bare substrate. The three-point bending test, which is used to examine models' mechanical properties, shows that the flexural modulus of multilayer models is reduced effectively. In addition, the mechanical degradation of multilayer models is more stable, compared to the one-layer substrate.

Measurement of elastic and thermal properties of composite materials using digital speckle pattern interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Manoj; Khan, Gufran S.; Shakher, Chandra

2015-08-01

In the present work, application of digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) was applied for the measurement of mechanical/elastic and thermal properties of fibre reinforced plastics (FRP). Digital speckle pattern interferometric technique was used to characterize the material constants (Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus) of the composite material. Poisson ratio based on plate bending and Young's modulus based on plate vibration of material are measured by using DSPI. In addition to this, the coefficient of thermal expansion of composite material is also measured. To study the thermal strain analysis, a single DSPI fringe pattern is used to extract the phase information by using Riesz transform and the monogenic signal. The phase extraction from a single DSPI fringe pattern by using Riesz transform does not require a phase-shifting system or spatial carrier. The elastic and thermal parameters obtained from DSPI are in close agreement with the theoretical predictions available in literature.

Palaeo-adaptive properties of the xylem of Metasequoia: mechanical/hydraulic compromises.

PubMed

Jagels, Richard; Visscher, George E; Lucas, John; Goodell, Barry

2003-07-01

The xylem of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng is characterized by very low density (average specific gravity = 0.27) and tracheids with relatively large dimensions (length and diameter). The microfibril angle in the S2 layer of tracheid walls is large, even in outer rings, suggesting a cambial response to compressive rather than tensile stresses. In some cases, this compressive stress is converted to irreversible strain (plastic deformation), as evidenced by cell wall corrugations. The heartwood is moderately decay resistant, helping to prevent Brazier buckling. These xylem properties are referenced to the measured bending properties of modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity, and compared with other low-to-moderate density conifers. The design strategy for Metasequoia is to produce a mechanically weak but hydraulically efficient xylem that permits rapid height growth and crown development to capture and dominate a wet site environment. The adaptability of these features to a high-latitude Eocene palaeoenvironment is discussed.

Elasticity of bilayers containing PEG lipids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bivas, I.; Winterhalter, M.; Méléard, P.; Bothorel, P.

1998-02-01

The addition of lipids with a poly(ethylene glycol) head group (Stealth or grafted or PEG lipids) to a phosphatidylcholine bilayer changes the mechanical properties of the membrane. We calculate the dependences of the bending and stretching elasticities of the bilayer on the PEG lipid concentration and on the monomer number in its polymer chain. The role of the bending elasticity at blocked flip-flop of the pure bilayer is revealed.

Biomechanical properties of the atlantoaxial joint with naturally-occurring instability in a toy breed dog. A comparative descriptive cadaveric study.

PubMed

Forterre, F; Precht, C; Riedinger, B; Bürki, A

2015-01-01

The biomechanical properties of the atlanto-axial joint in a young Yorkshire Terrier dog with spontaneous atlantoaxial instability were compared to those of another young toy breed dog with a healthy atlantoaxial joint. The range-of-motion was increased in flexion and lateral bending in the unstable joint. In addition, lateral bending led to torsion and dorsal dislocation of the axis within the atlas. On gross examination, the dens ligaments were absent and a longitudinal tear of the tectorial membrane was observed. These findings suggest that both ventral and lateral flexion may lead to severe spinal cord compression, and that the tectorial membrane may play a protective role in some cases of atlantoaxial instability.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Interfacial Mechanics of Crystalline Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Qingquan

Nanowires (NWs) and nanotubes (NTs) are critical building blocks of nanotechnologies. The operation and reliability of these nanomaterials based devices depend on their mechanical properties of the nanomaterials, which is therefore important to accurately measure the mechanical properties. Besides, the NW--substrate interfaces also play a critical role in both mechanical reliability and electrical performance of these nanodevices, especially when the size of the NW is small. In this thesis, we focus on the mechanical properties and interface mechanics of three important one dimensional (1D) nanomaterials: ZnO NWs, Ag NWs and Si NWs. For the size effect study, this thesis presents a systematic experimental investigation on the elastic and failure properties of ZnO NWs under different loading modes: tension and buckling. Both tensile modulus (from tension) and bending modulus (from buckling) were found to increase as the NW diameter decreased from 80 to 20 nm. The elastic modulus also shows loading mode dependent; the bending modulus increases more rapidly than the tensile modulus. The tension experiments showed that fracture strain and strength of ZnO NWs increase as the NW diameter decrease. A resonance testing setup was developed to measure elastic modulus of ZnO NWs to confirm the loading mode dependent effect. A systematic study was conducted on the effect of clamping on resonance frequency and thus measured Young's modulus of NWs via a combined experiment and simulation approach. A simple scaling law was provided as guidelines for future designs to accurate measure elastic modulus of a cantilevered NW using the resonance method. This thesis reports the first quantitative measurement of a full spectrum of mechanical properties of five-fold twinned Ag NWs including Young's modulus, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. In situ tensile testing of Ag NWs with diameters between 34 and 130 nm was carried out inside a SEM. Young's modulus, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were found to all increased as the NW diameter decreased. For the temperature effect study, a brief review on brittle-to-ductile transition (BDT) of silicon (Si) is presented. BDT temperature shows decreasing trend as size of the sample decrease. However, controversial results have been reported in terms of brittle or ductile behaviors for Si NWs at room temperature. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) thermal actuator (ETA) was designed to test NW without involving external heating. To circumvent undesired heating of the end effector, heat sink beams that can be co-fabricated with the thermal actuator were introduced. A combined modeling and experimental study was conducted to access the effect of such heat sink beams. Temperature distribution was measured and simulated using Raman scattering and multiphysics finite element method, respectively. Our results demonstrated that heat sink beams are effective in reducing the temperature of the thermal actuator. To get elevated temperature in a controllable fashion, a comb drive actuator was designed with separating actuation and heating mechanisms. Multiphysics finite element analysis (coupled electrical-thermal-mechanical) was used to optimize structure design and minimize undesired thermal loading/unloading. A Si NW with diameter of 50 nm was tested on the device under different temperatures. Stress strain curves at different temperatures revealed that plastic deformation occurs at temperature of 55 °C. For interfacial mechanics, we report an experimental study on the friction between Ag and ZnO NW tips (ends) and a gold substrate. An innovative experimental method based on column buckling theory was developed for the friction measurements. Direct measurements of the static friction force and interfacial shear strength between Si NWs and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is reported. The static friction and shear strength were found to increase rapidly and then decrease with the increasing ultraviolet/ozone (UVO) treatment of PDMS.

Mechanical properties of resin cements with different activation modes.

PubMed

Braga, R R; Cesar, P F; Gonzaga, C C

2002-03-01

Dual-cured cements have been studied in terms of the hardness or degree of conversion achieved with different curing modes. However, little emphasis is given to the influence of the curing method on other mechanical properties. This study investigated the flexural strength, flexural modulus and hardness of four proprietary resin cements. Materials tested were: Enforce and Variolink II (light-, self- and dual-cured), RelyX ARC (self- and dual-cured) and C & B (self-cured). Specimens were fractured using a three-point bending test. Pre-failure loads corresponding to specific displacements of the cross-head were used for flexural modulus calculation. Knoop hardness (KHN) was measured on fragments obtained after the flexural test. Tests were performed after 24 h storage at 37 degrees C. RelyX ARC dual-cured showed higher flexural strength than the other groups. RelyX ARC and Variolink II depended upon photo-activation to achieve higher hardness values. Enforce showed similar hardness for dual- and self-curing modes. No correlation was found between flexural strength and hardness, indicating that other factors besides the degree of cure (e.g. filler content and monomer type) affect the flexural strength of composites. No statistical difference was detected in the flexural modulus among the different groups.

Influence of nanofillers on the thermal and mechanical behavior of DGEBA-based adhesives for bonded-in timber connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Z.; Ansell, M. P.; Smedley, D.

2006-09-01

Results of an experimental investigation into the thermal behavior and mechanical properties of a room-temperature-cured epoxy adhesive (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA) cross-linked with polyetheramines and filled with different fillers, namely nanosilica, liquid rubber (CTBN), and clay, are reported. The nanosilica and liquid rubber increased the flexural strength and elastic modulus of the adhesive systems; the addition of clay particles raised the elastic modulus significantly, but embrittled the adhesive. Establishing a correct cure time is very important for bonded-in timber structures, as it will affect the bond strength. A study on the effect of cure time on the flexural strength was carried out, from which it follows that the adhesives should be cured for at least 20 days at room temperature. The damping characteristics and the glass-transition temperature of the adhesives were determined by using a dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The results showed that the filled adhesives had a higher storage modulus, which was in agreement with the elastic moduli determined from static bending tests. The introduction of the fillers increased its glass-transition temperature considerably.

Thermal-mechanical properties of a graphitic-nanofibers reinforced epoxy.

PubMed

Salehi-Khojin, Amin; Jana, Soumen; Zhong, Wei-Hong

2007-03-01

We previously developed a series of reactive graphitic nanofibers (r-GNFs) reinforced epoxy (nano-epoxy) as composite matrices, which have shown good wetting and adhesion properties with continuous fiber. In this work, the thermal-mechanical properties of the nano-epoxy system containing EponTM Resin 828 and Epi-cure Curing Agent W were characterized. Results from three-point bending tests showed that the flexural strength and flexural modulus of this system with 0.30 wt% of reactive nanofibers were increased by 16%, and 21% respectively, over pure epoxy. Fracture toughness increased by ca. 40% for specimens with 0.50 wt% of r-GNFs. By dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) test, specimens with 0.30 wt% of r-GNFs showed a significant increase in storage modulus E' (by ca. 122%) and loss modulus E" (by ca. 111%) with respect to that of pure epoxy. Also thermo-dilatometry analysis (TDA) was used to measure dimensional change of specimens as a function of temperature, and then, coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) before and after glass transition temperature (Tg) were obtained. Results implied that nano-epoxy materials had good dimensional stability and reduced CTE values when compared to those of pure epoxy.

Mechanical characterization of TiO{sub 2} nanofibers produced by different electrospinning techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vahtrus, Mikk; Šutka, Andris; Institute of Silicate Materials, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, Riga LV-1048

2015-02-15

In this work TiO{sub 2} nanofibers produced by needle and needleless electrospinning processes from the same precursor were characterized and compared using Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in situ SEM nanomechanical testing. Phase composition, morphology, Young's modulus and bending strength values were found. Weibull statistics was used to evaluate and compare uniformity of mechanical properties of nanofibers produced by two different methods. It is shown that both methods yield nanofibers with very similar properties. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} nanofibers were produced by needle and needleless electrospinning processes. •more » Structure was studied by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy methods. • Mechanical properties were measured using advanced in situ SEM cantilevered beam bending technique. • Both methods yield nanofibers with very similar properties.« less

Mechanical properties of natural chitosan/hydroxyapatite/magnetite nanocomposites for tissue engineering applications.

PubMed

Heidari, Fatemeh; Razavi, Mehdi; E Bahrololoom, Mohammad; Bazargan-Lari, Reza; Vashaee, Daryoosh; Kotturi, Hari; Tayebi, Lobat

2016-08-01

Chitosan (CS), hydroxyapatite (HA), and magnetite (Fe3O4) have been broadly employed for bone treatment applications. Having a hybrid biomaterial composed of the aforementioned constituents not only accumulates the useful characteristics of each component, but also provides outstanding composite properties. In the present research, mechanical properties of pure CS, CS/HA, CS/HA/magnetite, and CS/magnetite were evaluated by the measurements of bending strength, elastic modulus, compressive strength and hardness values. Moreover, the morphology of the bending fracture surfaces were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an image analyzer. Studies were also conducted to examine the biological response of the human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) on different composites. We conclude that, although all of these composites possess in-vitro biocompatibility, adding hydroxyapatite and magnetite to the chitosan matrix can noticeably enhance the mechanical properties of the pure chitosan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Local Deplanation Of Double Reinforced Beam Cross Section Under Bending

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltov, Anguel; Yanakieva, Ana

2015-12-01

Bending of beams, double reinforced by means of thin composite layers, is considered in the study. Approximate numerical solution is proposed, considering transitional boundary areas, where smooth quadratic transition of the elasticity modulus and deformations take place. Deplanation of the cross section is also accounted for in the areas. Their thickness is found equalizing the total stiffness of the cross section and the layer stiffness. Deplanation of the cross section of the transitional area is determined via the longitudinal deformation in the reinforcing layer, accounting for the equilibrium between the internal and the external moment, generated by the longitudinal stresses in the cross section. A numerical example is given as an illustration demonstrating model's plausibility. The model allows the design and the calculation of recycled concrete beams double reinforced by means of thin layers. The approach is in agreement with modern design of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB).

The phase behavior of cationic lipid-DNA complexes.

PubMed Central

May, S; Harries, D; Ben-Shaul, A

2000-01-01

We present a theoretical analysis of the phase behavior of solutions containing DNA, cationic lipids, and nonionic (helper) lipids. Our model allows for five possible structures, treated as incompressible macroscopic phases: two lipid-DNA composite (lipoplex) phases, namely, the lamellar (L(alpha)(C)) and hexagonal (H(II)(C)) complexes; two binary (cationic/neutral) lipid phases, that is, the bilayer (L(alpha)) and inverse-hexagonal (H(II)) structures, and uncomplexed DNA. The free energy of the four lipid-containing phases is expressed as a sum of composition-dependent electrostatic, elastic, and mixing terms. The electrostatic free energies of all phases are calculated based on Poisson-Boltzmann theory. The phase diagram of the system is evaluated by minimizing the total free energy of the three-component mixture with respect to all the compositional degrees of freedom. We show that the phase behavior, in particular the preferred lipid-DNA complex geometry, is governed by a subtle interplay between the electrostatic, elastic, and mixing terms, which depend, in turn, on the lipid composition and lipid/DNA ratio. Detailed calculations are presented for three prototypical systems, exhibiting markedly different phase behaviors. The simplest mixture corresponds to a rigid planar membrane as the lipid source, in which case, only lamellar complexes appear in solution. When the membranes are "soft" (i.e., low bending modulus) the system exhibits the formation of both lamellar and hexagonal complexes, sometimes coexisting with each other, and with pure lipid or DNA phases. The last system corresponds to a lipid mixture involving helper lipids with strong propensity toward the inverse-hexagonal phase. Here, again, the phase diagram is rather complex, revealing a multitude of phase transitions and coexistences. Lamellar and hexagonal complexes appear, sometimes together, in different regions of the phase diagram. PMID:10733951

Assessment of the apparent bending stiffness and damping of multilayer plates; modelling and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ege, Kerem; Roozen, N. B.; Leclère, Quentin; Rinaldi, Renaud G.

2018-07-01

In the context of aeronautics, automotive and construction applications, the design of light multilayer plates with optimized vibroacoustical damping and isolation performances remains a major industrial challenge and a hot topic of research. This paper focuses on the vibrational behavior of three-layered sandwich composite plates in a broad-band frequency range. Several aspects are studied through measurement techniques and analytical modelling of a steel/polymer/steel plate sandwich system. A contactless measurement of the velocity field of plates using a scanning laser vibrometer is performed, from which the equivalent single layer complex rigidity (apparent bending stiffness and apparent damping) in the mid/high frequency ranges is estimated. The results are combined with low/mid frequency estimations obtained with a high-resolution modal analysis method so that the frequency dependent equivalent Young's modulus and equivalent loss factor of the composite plate are identified for the whole [40 Hz-20 kHz] frequency band. The results are in very good agreement with an equivalent single layer analytical modelling based on wave propagation analysis (model of Guyader). The comparison with this model allows identifying the frequency dependent complex modulus of the polymer core layer through inverse resolution. Dynamical mechanical analysis measurements are also performed on the polymer layer alone and compared with the values obtained through the inverse method. Again, a good agreement between these two estimations over the broad-band frequency range demonstrates the validity of the approach.

Bendability optimization of flexible optical nanoelectronics via neutral axis engineering

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The enhancement of bendability of flexible nanoelectronics is critically important to realize future portable and wearable nanoelectronics for personal and military purposes. Because there is an enormous variety of materials and structures that are used for flexible nanoelectronic devices, a governing design rule for optimizing the bendability of these nanodevices is required. In this article, we suggest a design rule to optimize the bendability of flexible nanoelectronics through neutral axis (NA) engineering. In flexible optical nanoelectronics, transparent electrodes such as indium tin oxide (ITO) are usually the most fragile under an external load because of their brittleness. Therefore, we representatively focus on the bendability of ITO which has been widely used as transparent electrodes, and the NA is controlled by employing a buffer layer on the ITO layer. First, we independently investigate the effect of the thickness and elastic modulus of a buffer layer on the bendability of an ITO film. Then, we develop a design rule for the bendability optimization of flexible optical nanoelectronics. Because NA is determined by considering both the thickness and elastic modulus of a buffer layer, the design rule is conceived to be applicable regardless of the material and thickness that are used for the buffer layer. Finally, our design rule is applied to optimize the bendability of an organic solar cell, which allows the bending radius to reach about 1 mm. Our design rule is thus expected to provide a great strategy to enhance the bending performance of a variety of flexible nanoelectronics. PMID:22587757

Bendability optimization of flexible optical nanoelectronics via neutral axis engineering.

PubMed

Lee, Sangmin; Kwon, Jang-Yeon; Yoon, Daesung; Cho, Handong; You, Jinho; Kang, Yong Tae; Choi, Dukhyun; Hwang, Woonbong

2012-05-15

The enhancement of bendability of flexible nanoelectronics is critically important to realize future portable and wearable nanoelectronics for personal and military purposes. Because there is an enormous variety of materials and structures that are used for flexible nanoelectronic devices, a governing design rule for optimizing the bendability of these nanodevices is required. In this article, we suggest a design rule to optimize the bendability of flexible nanoelectronics through neutral axis (NA) engineering. In flexible optical nanoelectronics, transparent electrodes such as indium tin oxide (ITO) are usually the most fragile under an external load because of their brittleness. Therefore, we representatively focus on the bendability of ITO which has been widely used as transparent electrodes, and the NA is controlled by employing a buffer layer on the ITO layer. First, we independently investigate the effect of the thickness and elastic modulus of a buffer layer on the bendability of an ITO film. Then, we develop a design rule for the bendability optimization of flexible optical nanoelectronics. Because NA is determined by considering both the thickness and elastic modulus of a buffer layer, the design rule is conceived to be applicable regardless of the material and thickness that are used for the buffer layer. Finally, our design rule is applied to optimize the bendability of an organic solar cell, which allows the bending radius to reach about 1 mm. Our design rule is thus expected to provide a great strategy to enhance the bending performance of a variety of flexible nanoelectronics.

DNA cytoskeleton for stabilizing artificial cells.

PubMed

Kurokawa, Chikako; Fujiwara, Kei; Morita, Masamune; Kawamata, Ibuki; Kawagishi, Yui; Sakai, Atsushi; Murayama, Yoshihiro; Nomura, Shin-Ichiro M; Murata, Satoshi; Takinoue, Masahiro; Yanagisawa, Miho

2017-07-11

Cell-sized liposomes and droplets coated with lipid layers have been used as platforms for understanding live cells, constructing artificial cells, and implementing functional biomedical tools such as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems. However, these systems are very fragile, which results from the absence of cytoskeletons in these systems. Here, we construct an artificial cytoskeleton using DNA nanostructures. The designed DNA oligomers form a Y-shaped nanostructure and connect to each other with their complementary sticky ends to form networks. To undercoat lipid membranes with this DNA network, we used cationic lipids that attract negatively charged DNA. By encapsulating the DNA into the droplets, we successfully created a DNA shell underneath the membrane. The DNA shells increased interfacial tension, elastic modulus, and shear modulus of the droplet surface, consequently stabilizing the lipid droplets. Such drastic changes in stability were detected only when the DNA shell was in the gel phase. Furthermore, we demonstrate that liposomes with the DNA gel shell are substantially tolerant against outer osmotic shock. These results clearly show the DNA gel shell is a stabilizer of the lipid membrane akin to the cytoskeleton in live cells.

Cholesterol orientation and tilt modulus in DMPC bilayers

PubMed Central

Khelashvili, George; Pabst, Georg; Harries, Daniel

2010-01-01

We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of hydrated bilayers containing mixtures of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and Cholesterol at various ratios, to study the effect of cholesterol concentration on its orientation, and to characterize the link between cholesterol tilt and overall phospholipid membrane organization. The simulations show a substantial probability for cholesterol molecules to transiently orient perpendicular to the bilayer normal, and suggest that cholesterol tilt may be an important factor for inducing membrane ordering. In particular, we find that as cholesterol concentration increases (1%–40% cholesterol) the average cholesterol orientation changes in a manner strongly (anti)correlated with the variation in membrane thickness. Furthermore, cholesterol orientation is found to be determined by the aligning force exerted by other cholesterol molecules. To quantify this aligning field, we analyzed cholesterol orientation using, to our knowledge, the first estimates of the cholesterol tilt modulus χ from MD simulations. Our calculations suggest that the aligning field that determines χ is indeed strongly linked to sterol composition. This empirical parameter (χ) should therefore become a useful quantitative measure to describe cholesterol interaction with other lipids in bilayers, particularly in various coarse-grained force fields. PMID:20518573

The morphological characterization of the forewing of the Manduca sexta species for the application of biomimetic flapping wing micro air vehicles.

PubMed

O'Hara, R P; Palazotto, A N

2012-12-01

To properly model the structural dynamics of the forewing of the Manduca sexta species, it is critical that the material and structural properties of the biological specimen be understood. This paper presents the results of a morphological study that has been conducted to identify the material and structural properties of a sample of male and female Manduca sexta specimens. The average mass, area, shape, size and camber of the wing were evaluated using novel measurement techniques. Further emphasis is placed on studying the critical substructures of the wing: venation and membrane. The venation cross section is measured using detailed pathological techniques over the entire venation of the wing. The elastic modulus of the leading edge veins is experimentally determined using advanced non-contact structural dynamic techniques. The membrane elastic modulus is randomly sampled over the entire wing to determine global material properties for the membrane using nanoindentation. The data gathered from this morphological study form the basis for the replication of future finite element structural models and engineered biomimetic wings for use with flapping wing micro air vehicles.

Rice straw-wood particle composite for sound absorbing wooden construction materials.

PubMed

Yang, Han-Seung; Kim, Dae-Jun; Kim, Hyun-Joong

2003-01-01

In this study, rice straw-wood particle composite boards were manufactured as insulation boards using the method used in the wood-based panel industry. The raw material, rice straw, was chosen because of its availability. The manufacturing parameters were: a specific gravity of 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8, and a rice straw content (10/90, 20/80, and 30/70 weight of rice straw/wood particle) of 10, 20, and 30 wt.%. A commercial urea-formaldehyde adhesive was used as the composite binder, to achieve 140-290 psi of bending modulus of rupture (MOR) with 0.4 specific gravity, 700-900 psi of bending MOR with 0.6 specific gravity, and 1400-2900 psi of bending MOR with a 0.8 specific gravity. All of the composite boards were superior to insulation board in strength. Width and length of the rice straw particle did not affect the bending MOR. The composite boards made from a random cutting of rice straw and wood particles were the best and recommended for manufacturing processes. Sound absorption coefficients of the 0.4 and 0.6 specific gravity boards were higher than the other wood-based materials. The recommended properties of the rice straw-wood particle composite boards are described, to absorb noises, preserve the temperature of indoor living spaces, and to be able to partially or completely substitute for wood particleboard and insulation board in wooden constructions.

In situ strain profiling of elastoplastic bending in Ti-6Al-4V alloy by synchrotron energy dispersive x-ray diffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Croft, M.; National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973; Shukla, V.

Elastic and plastic strain evolution under four-point bending has been studied by synchrotron energy dispersive x-ray diffraction. Measured strain profiles across the specimen thickness showed an increasing linear elastic strain gradient under increasing four-point bending load up to approx2 kN. The bulk elastic modulus of Ti-6Al-4V was determined as 118 GPa. The onset of plastic deformation was found to set in at a total in-plane strain of approx0.008, both under tension and compression. Plastic deformation under bending is initiated in the vicinity of the surface and at a stress of 1100 MPa, and propagates inward, while a finite core regionmore » remains elastically deformed up to 3.67 kN loading. The onset of the plastic regime and the plastic regime itself has been verified by monitoring the line broadening of the (100) peak of alpha-Ti. The effective compression/tension stress-strain curve has been obtained from the scaling collapse of strain profile data taken at seven external load levels. A similar multiple load scaling collapse of the plastic strain variation has also been obtained. The level of precision in strain measurement reported herein was evaluated and found to be 1.5x10{sup -5} or better.« less

Modeling the Flexural Rigidity of Rod Photoreceptors

PubMed Central

Haeri, Mohammad; Knox, Barry E.; Ahmadi, Aphrodite

2013-01-01

In vertebrate eyes, the rod photoreceptor has a modified cilium with an extended cylindrical structure specialized for phototransduction called the outer segment (OS). The OS has numerous stacked membrane disks and can bend or break when subjected to mechanical forces. The OS exhibits axial structural variation, with extended bands composed of a few hundred membrane disks whose thickness is diurnally modulated. Using high-resolution confocal microscopy, we have observed OS flexing and disruption in live transgenic Xenopus rods. Based on the experimental observations, we introduce a coarse-grained model of OS mechanical rigidity using elasticity theory, representing the axial OS banding explicitly via a spring-bead model. We calculate a bending stiffness of ∼105 nN⋅μm2, which is seven orders-of-magnitude larger than that of typical cilia and flagella. This bending stiffness has a quadratic relation to OS radius, so that thinner OS have lower fragility. Furthermore, we find that increasing the spatial frequency of axial OS banding decreases OS rigidity, reducing its fragility. Moreover, the model predicts a tendency for OS to break in bands with higher spring number density, analogous to the experimental observation that transgenic rods tended to break preferentially in bands of high fluorescence. We discuss how pathological alterations of disk membrane properties by mutant proteins may lead to increased OS rigidity and thus increased breakage, ultimately contributing to retinal degeneration. PMID:23442852

Generalized Boussinesq-Scriven surface fluid model with curvature dissipation for liquid surfaces and membranes.

PubMed

Aguilar Gutierrez, Oscar F; Herrera Valencia, Edtson E; Rey, Alejandro D

2017-10-01

Curvature dissipation is relevant in synthetic and biological processes, from fluctuations in semi-flexible polymer solutions, to buckling of liquid columns, tomembrane cell wall functioning. We present a micromechanical model of curvature dissipation relevant to fluid membranes and liquid surfaces based on a parallel surface parameterization and a stress constitutive equation appropriate for anisotropic fluids and fluid membranes.The derived model, aimed at high curvature and high rate of change of curvature in liquid surfaces and membranes, introduces additional viscous modes not included in the widely used 2D Boussinesq-Scriven rheological constitutive equation for surface fluids.The kinematic tensors that emerge from theparallel surface parameterization are the interfacial rate of deformation and the surface co-rotational Zaremba-Jaumann derivative of the curvature, which are used to classify all possibledissipative planar and non-planar modes. The curvature dissipation function that accounts for bending, torsion and twist rates is derived and analyzed under several constraints, including the important inextensional bending mode.A representative application of the curvature dissipation model to the periodic oscillation in nano-wrinkled outer hair cells show how and why curvature dissipation decreases with frequency, and why the 100kHz frequency range is selected. These results contribute to characterize curvature dissipation in membranes and liquid surfaces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced sensitivity of a microfabricated resonator using a graphene-polystyrene bilayer membrane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yun, Minhyuk; Lee, Eunho; Cho, Kilwon

2014-08-18

A graphene layer was synthesized using chemical vapor deposition methods and a polystyrene solution was spin-cast onto the graphene film. The graphene-polystyrene bilayer membrane was attached between the two tines of a microfabricated quartz tuning fork (QTF). The modulus of the graphene-polystyrene bilayer was measured to be twice that of a pristine polystyrene membrane. Exposure of the membrane-coated QTF to ethanol vapor decreased the resonance frequency of the microresonator. The bilayer membrane-coated QTF produced a frequency change that was three times the change obtained using a polystyrene membrane-coated QTF, with a lower degree of degradation in the Q factor. Themore » limit of detection of the bilayer membrane-coated QTF to ethanol vapor was determined to be 20 ppm.« less

Synthesis and Development of Gold Polypyrrole Actuator for Underwater Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, S. K.; Bandopadhya, D.

2018-02-01

Electro-active polymer (EAP) such as Polypyrrole has gained much attention in the category of functional materials for fabrication of both active actuator and sensor. Particularly, PPy actuator has shown potential in fluid medium application because of high strain, large bending displacement and work density. This paper focuses on developing a low cost active actuator promising in delivering high performance in underwater environment. The proposed Au-pyrrole actuator is synthesized by adopting the layer-by-layer electrochemical polymerization technique and is fabricated as strip actuator from aqueous solution of Pyrrole and NaDBS in room temperature. In the follow-up, topographical analysis has been carried out using SEM and FESEM instruments showing surface morphology and surface integrity of chemical components of the structure. Several experiments have been conducted under DC input voltage evaluating performance effectiveness such as underwater bending displacement and tip force etc. This is observed that the actuator exhibits quite similar stress profile as of natural muscle, endowed with high modulus makes them effective in working nearly 10,000 cycles underwater environment. In addition, the bending displacement up to 5.4 mm with a low input voltage 1.3 V makes the actuator suitable for underwater micro-robotics applications.

Elasticity of biomembranes studied by dynamic light scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujime, Satoru; Miyamoto, Shigeaki

1991-05-01

Combination of osmotic swelling and dynamic light scattering makes it possible to measure the elastic modulus of biomembranes. By this technique we have observed a drastic increase in membrane flexibility on activation of Na/glucose cotransporters in membrane vesicles prepared from brush-borders of rat small intestine and on activation by micromolar [Ca2] of exocytosis in secretory granules isolated from rat pancreatic acinar cells and bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. 1 .

Probing Mechanics of Crumpled Two-Dimensional Membranes and Cantilevers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholl, Ryan; Conley, Hiram; Lavrik, Nickolay; Vlassiouk, Ivan; Puzyrev, Yevgeniy; Sreenivas, Vijayashree Parsi; Pantelides, Sokrates; Bolotin, Kirill

Two-dimensional materials (2DMs) are inevitably crumpled in the out-of-plane direction due to both static wrinkling associated with uneven stresses and dynamic wrinkling resulting from flexural phonons. Here, we investigate the effect of this crumpling on mechanical properties of 2DMs - in-plane stiffness and bending rigidity. To carry out these measurements, we developed techniques to fabricate graphene membranes and singly clamped graphene cantilevers that are stable in vacuum and air. The measurements are performed by actuating these devices electrostatically and monitoring their displacement via sensitive interferometric profilometry both at room and low temperatures. We find that crumpling lowers the in-plane stiffness and strongly increases the bending rigidity of 2DMs. Furthermore, we unravel the relative contribution of static and dynamic wrinkling to observed renormalization of the effective mechanical constants.

Combined binary collision and continuum mechanics model applied to focused ion beam milling of a silicon membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobler, Gerhard

2015-06-01

Many experiments indicate the importance of stress and stress relaxation upon ion implantation. In this paper, a model is proposed that is capable of describing ballistic effects as well as stress relaxation by viscous flow. It combines atomistic binary collision simulation with continuum mechanics. The only parameters that enter the continuum model are the bulk modulus and the radiation-induced viscosity. The shear modulus can also be considered but shows only minor effects. A boundary-fitted grid is proposed that is usable both during the binary collision simulation and for the spatial discretization of the force balance equations. As an application, the milling of a slit into an amorphous silicon membrane with a 30 keV focused Ga beam is studied, which demonstrates the relevance of the new model compared to a more heuristic approach used in previous work.

A dendrite-suppressing composite ion conductor from aramid nanofibres.

PubMed

Tung, Siu-On; Ho, Szushen; Yang, Ming; Zhang, Ruilin; Kotov, Nicholas A

2015-01-27

Dendrite growth threatens the safety of batteries by piercing the ion-transporting separators between the cathode and anode. Finding a dendrite-suppressing material that combines high modulus and high ionic conductance has long been considered a major technological and materials science challenge. Here we demonstrate that these properties can be attained in a composite made from Kevlar-derived aramid nanofibres assembled in a layer-by-layer manner with poly(ethylene oxide). Importantly, the porosity of the membranes is smaller than the growth area of the dendrites so that aramid nanofibres eliminate 'weak links' where the dendrites pierce the membranes. The aramid nanofibre network suppresses poly(ethylene oxide) crystallization detrimental for ion transport, giving a composite that exhibits high modulus, ionic conductivity, flexibility, ion flux rates and thermal stability. Successful suppression of hard copper dendrites by the composite ion conductor at extreme discharge conditions is demonstrated, thereby providing a new approach for the materials engineering of solid ion conductors.

Do xylem fibers affect vessel cavitation resistance?

PubMed

Jacobsen, Anna L; Ewers, Frank W; Pratt, R Brandon; Paddock, William A; Davis, Stephen D

2005-09-01

Possible mechanical and hydraulic costs to increased cavitation resistance were examined among six co-occurring species of chaparral shrubs in southern California. We measured cavitation resistance (xylem pressure at 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity), seasonal low pressure potential (P(min)), xylem conductive efficiency (specific conductivity), mechanical strength of stems (modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture), and xylem density. At the cellular level, we measured vessel and fiber wall thickness and lumen diameter, transverse fiber wall and total lumen area, and estimated vessel implosion resistance using (t/b)(h)(2), where t is the thickness of adjoining vessel walls and b is the vessel lumen diameter. Increased cavitation resistance was correlated with increased mechanical strength (r(2) = 0.74 and 0.76 for modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture, respectively), xylem density (r(2) = 0.88), and P(min) (r(2) = 0.96). In contrast, cavitation resistance and P(min) were not correlated with decreased specific conductivity, suggesting no tradeoff between these traits. At the cellular level, increased cavitation resistance was correlated with increased (t/b)(h)(2) (r(2) = 0.95), increased transverse fiber wall area (r(2) = 0.89), and decreased fiber lumen area (r(2) = 0.76). To our knowledge, the correlation between cavitation resistance and fiber wall area has not been shown previously and suggests a mechanical role for fibers in cavitation resistance. Fiber efficacy in prevention of vessel implosion, defined as inward bending or collapse of vessels, is discussed.

The effect on the flexural strength, flexural modulus and compressive strength of fibre reinforced acrylic with that of plain unfilled acrylic resin - an in vitro study.

PubMed

Thomas, Tony C; K, Aswini Kumar; Mohamed, Shamaz; Krishnan, Vinod; Mathew, Anil; V, Manju

2015-03-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the flexural strength, the flexural modulus and compressive strength of the acrylic polymer reinforced with glass, carbon, polyethylene and Kevlar fibres with that of plain unfilled resin. A total of 50 specimens were prepared and divided into 10 specimens each under 5 groups namely group 1- control group without any fibres, group 2 - carbon fibres, group 3- glass fibres, group 4 - polyethylene, group 5- Kevlar. Universal testing machine (Tinius olsen, USA) was used for the testing of these specimens. Out of each group, 5 specimens were randomly selected and testing was done for flexural strength using a three point deflection test and three point bending test for compressive strength and the modulus was plotted using a graphical method. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software. The respective mean values for samples in regard to their flexural strength for PMMA plain, PMMA+ glass fibre, PMMA+ carbon, PMMA+ polyethylene and PMMA+ Kevlar were 90.64, 100.79, 102.58, 94.13 and 96.43 respectively. Scheffes post hoc test clearly indicated that only mean flexural strength values of PMMA + Carbon, has the highest mean value. One-way ANOVA revealed a non-significant difference among the groups in regard to their compressive strength. The study concludes that carbon fibre reinforced samples has the greatest flexural strength and greatest flexural modulus, however the compressive strength remains unchanged.

Numerical simulations of elastic capsules with nucleus in shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizad Banaei, Arash; Loiseau, Jean-Christophe; Lashgari, Iman; Brandt, Luca

2017-03-01

The shear-induced deformation of a capsule with a stiff nucleus, a model of eukaryotic cells, is studied numerically. The membrane of the cell and of its nucleus are modelled as a thin elastic material obeying a Neo-Hookean constitutive law. The fluid-structure coupling is obtained using an immersed boundary method. The variations induced by the presence of the nucleus on the cell deformation are investigated when varying the viscosity ratio between the inner and outer fluids, the membrane elasticity and its bending stiffness. The deformation of the eukaryotic cell is smaller than that of the prokaryotic one. The reduction in deformation increases for larger values of the capillary number. The eukaryotic cell remains thicker in its middle part compared to the prokaryotic one, thus making it less flexible to pass through narrow capillaries. For a viscosity ratio of 5, the deformation of the cell is smaller than in the case of uniform viscosity. In addition, for non-zero bending stiffness of the membrane, the deformation decreases and the shape is closer to an ellipsoid. Finally, we compare the results obtained modelling the nucleus as an inner stiffer membrane with those obtained using a rigid particle.

Hydrodynamic mobility of a sphere moving on the centerline of an elastic tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daddi-Moussa-Ider, Abdallah; Lisicki, Maciej; Gekle, Stephan

2017-11-01

Elastic channels are an important component of many soft matter systems, in which hydrodynamic interactions with confining membranes determine the behavior of particles in flow. In this work, we derive analytical expressions for Green's functions associated with a point-force (Stokeslet) directed parallel or perpendicular to the axis of an elastic cylindrical channel exhibiting resistance against shear and bending. We then compute the leading order self- and pair mobility functions of particles on the cylinder axis, finding that the mobilities are primarily determined by membrane shear and that bending does not play a significant role. In the quasi-steady limit of vanishing frequency, the particle self- and pair mobilities near a no-slip hard cylinder are recovered only if the membrane possesses a non-vanishing shear rigidity. We further compute the membrane deformation, finding that deformation is generally more pronounced in the axial (radial) directions, for the motion along (perpendicular to) the cylinder centerline, respectively. Our analytical calculations for Green's functions in an elastic cylinder can serve as a fundamental building block for future studies and are verified by fully resolved boundary integral simulations where very good agreement is obtained.

Nanomechanics of Microtubules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kis, A.; Kasas, S.; Babić, B.; Kulik, A. J.; Benoît, W.; Briggs, G. A.; Schönenberger, C.; Catsicas, S.; Forró, L.

2002-11-01

We have determined the mechanical anisotropy of a single microtubule by simultaneously measuring the Young's and the shear moduli in vitro. This was achieved by elastically deforming the microtubule deposited on a substrate tailored by electron-beam lithography with a tip of an atomic force microscope. The shear modulus is 2orders of magnitude lower than the Young's, giving rise to a length-dependent flexural rigidity of microtubules. The temperature dependence of the microtubule's bending stiffness in the (5-40) °C range shows a strong variation upon cooling coming from the increasing interaction between the protofilaments.

The biomechanics of human ribs: material and structural properties from dynamic tension and bending tests.

PubMed

Kemper, Andrew R; McNally, Craig; Pullins, Clayton A; Freeman, Laura J; Duma, Stefan M; Rouhana, Stephen M

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify both the tensile material properties and structural response of human ribs in order to determine which variables contribute to regional variation in the strength of human ribs. This was done by performing 94 matched tests on human rib specimens; 46 tension coupon tests, 48 three-point bending tests. Contralateral matched specimens were dissected from anterior and lateral regions of ribs 4 through 7 of six male fresh frozen post mortem human subjects ranging from 42 to 81 years of age. Tension coupons were taken from one side of the thorax, while three-point bending specimens were taken from the opposite side as the tension coupons at corresponding anatomical locations. The results of the tension coupon testing showed that there were no significant differences with respect to region or rib level: ultimate stress (p=0.90; p=0.53), ultimate strain (p=0.49; p=0.86), or modulus (p=0.72; p=0.81). In contrast, lateral three-point bending specimens were found to have a significantly higher peak bending moment (p<0.01), peak strain (p=0.03), modulus (p=0.05), and stiffness (p<0.01) than anterior specimens. The lateral three-point bending specimens also had a significantly larger area moment of inertia (p<0.01), larger distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), smaller ratio of distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p<0.01), larger cortical bone area (p<0.01), and larger radius of gyration (p<0.01) than the anterior specimens. In addition, the peak moment (Ant p=0.20; Lat p=0.02), peak strain (Ant p=0.05; Lat p=0.15), and stiffness (Ant p<0.01; Lat p<0.01) were found to vary significantly with respect to rib level. Similar to anatomical region, the changes in the structural response with respect to rib level were also accompanied by significant changes in geometry. For anterior specimens, distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), ratio of the distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p=0.02) and radius of gyration (p=0.04) were found to be significantly different with respect to rib level. For lateral specimens, the area moment of inertia (p<0.01), distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), ratio of the distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p<0.01), the cortical bone area (p=0.01), and radius of gyration (p=0.03) were found to be significantly different with respect to rib level. These results clearly illustrate that there is variation in the structural response of human ribs with respect to anatomical region and rib level and this variation is due to changes in local geometry of each rib while the material properties remain constant.

Simulation of Forming and Wrinkling of Textile Composite Reinforcements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamila, N.; Wang, P.; Vidal-Salle, E.

Because of the very weak textile bending stiffness, wrinkles are frequent during composite reinforcement forming. The simulation of the shape of these wrinkles during the forming process permits to verify there is no wrinkle in the useful part of the preform. In this paper the role of tensions, in-plane shear and bending rigidities in wrinkling development are analyzed. In-plane shear plays a main role for onset of wrinkles in double-curved shape forming but wrinkling is a global phenomenon depending on all strains and stiffnesses and on boundary conditions. The bending stiffness mainly determines the shape of the wrinkles and amore » membrane approach it is not sufficient to simulate wrinkles.« less

Membrane-Mediated Cooperativity of Proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weikl, Thomas R.

2018-04-01

Besides direct protein-protein interactions, indirect interactions mediated by membranes play an important role for the assembly and cooperative function of proteins in membrane shaping and adhesion. The intricate shapes of biological membranes are generated by proteins that locally induce membrane curvature. Indirect curvature-mediated interactions between these proteins arise because the proteins jointly affect the bending energy of the membranes. These curvature-mediated interactions are attractive for crescent-shaped proteins and are a driving force in the assembly of the proteins during membrane tubulation. Membrane adhesion results from the binding of receptor and ligand proteins that are anchored in the apposing membranes. The binding of these proteins strongly depends on nanoscale shape fluctuations of the membranes, leading to a fluctuation-mediated binding cooperativity. A length mismatch between receptor-ligand complexes in membrane adhesion zones causes repulsive curvature-mediated interactions that are a driving force for the length-based segregation of proteins during membrane adhesion.

Mechanical characterization of matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI®) grafts in an equine model at 53 weeks.

PubMed

Griffin, Darvin J; Bonnevie, Edward D; Lachowsky, Devin J; Hart, James C A; Sparks, Holly D; Moran, Nance; Matthews, Gloria; Nixon, Alan J; Cohen, Itai; Bonassar, Lawrence J

2015-07-16

There has been much interest in using autologous chondrocytes in combination with scaffold materials to aid in cartilage repair. In the present study, a total of 27 animals were used to compare the performance of matrix-assisted chondrocyte implantation (MACI®) using a collagen sponge as a chondrocyte delivery vehicle, the sponge membrane alone, and empty controls. A total of three distinct types of mechanical analyses were performed on repaired cartilage harvested from horses after 53 weeks of implantation: (1) compressive behavior of samples to measure aggregate modulus (HA) and hydraulic permeability (k) in confined compression; (2) local and global shear modulus using confocal strain mapping; and (3) boundary friction coefficient using a custom-built tribometer. Cartilage defects receiving MACI® implants had equilibrium modulus values that were 70% of normal cartilage, and were not statistically different than normal tissue. Defects filled with Maix™ membrane alone or left empty were only 46% and 51-63% of control, respectively. The shear modulus of tissue from all groups of cartilage defects were between 4 and 10 times lower than control tissue, and range from 0.2 to 0.4 MPa. The average values of boundary mode friction coefficients of control tissue from all groups ranged from 0.42 to 0.52. This study represents an extensive characterization of the mechanical performance of the MACI® grafts implant in a large animal model at 53 weeks. Collectively, these data demonstrate a range of implant performance, revealing similar compressive and frictional properties to native tissue, with inferior shear properties. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Asymptotic approximations for pure bending of thin cylindrical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coman, Ciprian D.

2017-08-01

A simplified partial wrinkling scenario for in-plane bending of thin cylindrical shells is explored by using several asymptotic strategies. The eighth-order boundary eigenvalue problem investigated here originates in the Donnel-Mushtari-Vlasov shallow shell theory coupled with a linear membrane pre-bifurcation state. It is shown that the corresponding neutral stability curve is amenable to a detailed asymptotic analysis based on the method of multiple scales. This is further complemented by an alternative WKB approximation that provides comparable information with significantly less effort.

Issues associated with the use of Yoshida nonlinear isotropic/kinematic hardening material model in Advanced High Strength Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Ming F.; Zhang, Li; Zhu, Xinhai

2016-08-01

The Yoshida nonlinear isotropic/kinematic hardening material model is often selected in forming simulations where an accurate springback prediction is required. Many successful application cases in the industrial scale automotive components using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) have been reported to give better springback predictions. Several issues have been raised recently in the use of the model for higher strength AHSS including the use of two C vs. one C material parameters in the Armstrong and Frederick model (AF model), the original Yoshida model vs. Original Yoshida model with modified hardening law, and constant Young's Modulus vs. decayed Young's Modulus as a function of plastic strain. In this paper, an industrial scale automotive component using 980 MPa strength materials is selected to study the effect of two C and one C material parameters in the AF model on both forming and springback prediction using the Yoshida model with and without the modified hardening law. The effect of decayed Young's Modulus on the springback prediction for AHSS is also evaluated. In addition, the limitations of the material parameters determined from tension and compression tests without multiple cycle tests are also discussed for components undergoing several bending and unbending deformations.

Transverse shear effects on the stress-intensity factor for a circumferentially cracked, specially orthotropic cylindrical shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delale, F.; Erdogan, F.

1977-01-01

The problem of a cylindrical shell containing a circumferential through crack is considered by taking into account the effect of transverse shear deformations. The formulation is given for a specially orthotropic material within the confines of a linearized shallow shell theory. The particular theory used permits the consideration of all five boundary conditions regarding moment and stress resultants on the crack surface. Consequently, aside from multiplicative constants representing the stress intensity factors, the membrane and bending components of the asymptotic stress fields near the crack tip are found to be identical. The stress intensity factors are calculated separately for a cylinder under a uniform membrane load, and that under a uniform bending moment. Sample results showing the nature of the out-of-plane crack surface displacement and the effect of the Poisson's ratio are presented.

Electrohydrodynamics of a compound vesicle under an AC electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priti Sinha, Kumari; Thaokar, Rochish M.

2017-07-01

Compound vesicles are relevant as simplified models for biological cells as well as in technological applications such as drug delivery. Characterization of these compound vesicles, especially the inner vesicle, remains a challenge. Similarly their response to electric field assumes importance in light of biomedical applications such as electroporation. Fields lower than that required for electroporation cause electrodeformation in vesicles and can be used to characterize their mechanical and electrical properties. A theoretical analysis of the electrohydrodynamics of a compound vesicle with outer vesicle of radius R o and an inner vesicle of radius λ {{R}o} , is presented. A phase diagram for the compound vesicle is presented and elucidated using detailed plots of electric fields, free charges and electric stresses. The electrohydrodynamics of the outer vesicle in a compound vesicle shows a prolate-sphere and prolate-oblate-sphere shape transitions when the conductivity of the annular fluid is greater than the outer fluid, and vice-versa respectively, akin to single vesicle electrohydrodynamics reported in the literature. The inner vesicle in contrast shows sphere-prolate-sphere and sphere-prolate-oblate-sphere transitions when the inner fluid conductivity is greater and smaller than the annular fluid, respectively. Equations and methodology are provided to determine the bending modulus and capacitance of the outer as well as the inner membrane, thereby providing an easy way to characterize compound vesicles and possibly biological cells.

Patterns through elastic instabilities, from thin sheets to twisted ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damman, Pascal

Sheets embedded in a given shape by external forces store the exerted work in elastic deformations. For pure tensile forces, the work is stored as stretching energy. When the forces are compressive, several ways to store the exerted work, combining stretching and bending deformations can be explored. For large deflections, the ratio of bending, Eh3ζ2 /L4 and stretching, Ehζ4 /L4 energies, suggests that strain-free solutions should be favored for thin sheets, provided ζ2 >>h2 (where E , ζ , Land h are the elastic modulus, the deflection, a characteristic sheet size and its thickness). For uniaxially constrained sheets deriving from the Elastica, strain-free solutions are obvious, i.e., buckles, folds or wrinkles grow to absorb the stress of compression. In contrast, crumpled sheets exhibit ``origami-like'' solutions usually described as an assembly of flat polygonal facets delimitated by ridges focusing strains are observed. This type of solutions is particularly interesting since a faceted morphology is isometric to the undeformed sheet, except at those narrow ridges. In some cases however, the geometric constraints imposed by the external forces do not allow solutions with negligible strain in the deformed state. For instance, considering a circular sheet on a small drop, so thin that bending becomes negligible, i.e., Eh3 / γL2 << 1 . The capillary tension, γ at the edge forces the sheet to follow the spherical shape of the drop. Depending on the magnitude of the capillary tension with respect to the stretching modulus, such a sheet on a sphere can be in full tension or subjected to azimuthal compression. These spherical solutions could generate a hoop stress of compression within a small strip at the sheet's edge. The mechanical response of the sheet will generate tiny wrinkles decorating the edge to relax the compression stress while keeping its spherical shape. Finally, twisting a paper ribbon under high tension spontaneously produces helicoidal shapes that also reflect stretching and bending deformations. When the tension is progressively relieved, longitudinal and transverse compressive stresses build. To relax the longitudinal stress while keeping the helicoid shape, the ribbons produce wrinkles that ultimately becomes sharp folds similar to the ridge singularities observed in crumpled paper. The relaxation of the transverse compression stress produces cylindrical solutions. All these examples illustrates the natural tendency of an elastic sheet to stay as close as possible to the imposed shape, i.e. flat, spherical, helicoid. The mechanical response of the elastic sheet aims to relieve the compressive stress by growing a given micro-structure, i.e. wrinkles, singularities. In this talk, we will explore the general mechanisms at work, based on geometry and a competition between various energy terms, involving stretching and bending modes.

Biomaterial shell bending with 3D-printed templates in vertical and alveolar ridge augmentation: a technical note.

PubMed

Draenert, Florian G; Gebhart, Florian; Mitov, Gergo; Neff, Andreas

2017-06-01

Alveolar ridge and vertical augmentations are challenging procedures in dental implantology. Even material blocks with an interconnecting porous system are never completely resorbed. Shell techniques combined with autologous bone chips are therefore the gold standard. Using biopolymers for these techniques is well documented. We applied three-dimensional (3-D) techniques to create an individualized bending model for the adjustment of a plane biopolymer membrane made of polylactide. Two cases with a vertical alveolar ridge defect in the maxilla were chosen. The cone beam computed tomography data were processed with a 3-D slicer and the Autodesk Meshmixer to generate data about the desired augmentation result. STL data were used to print a bending model. A 0.2-mm poly-D, L-lactic acid membrane (KLS Matin Inc., Tuttlingen, Germany) was bended accordingly and placed into the defect via a tunnel approach in both cases. A mesh graft of autologous bone chips and hydroxylapatite material was augmented beneath the shell, which was fixed with osteosynthesis screws. The operative procedure was fast and without peri- or postoperative complications or complaints. The panoramic x-ray showed correct fitting of the material in the location. Bone quality at the time of implant placement was type II, resulting in good primary stability. A custom-made 3-D model for bending confectioned biomaterial pieces is an appropriate method for individualized adjustment in shell techniques. The advantages over direct printing of the biomaterial shell and products on the market, such as the Xyoss shell (Reoss Inc., Germany), include cost-efficiency and avoidance of regulatory issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of coating on properties of esthetic orthodontic nickel-titanium wires.

PubMed

Iijima, Masahiro; Muguruma, Takeshi; Brantley, William; Choe, Han-Cheol; Nakagaki, Susumu; Alapati, Satish B; Mizoguchi, Itaru

2012-03-01

To determine the effect of coating on the properties of two esthetic orthodontic nickel-titanium wires. Woowa (polymer coating; Dany Harvest) and BioForce High Aesthetic Archwire (metal coating; Dentsply GAC) with cross-section dimensions of 0.016 × 0.022 inches were selected. Noncoated posterior regions of the anterior-coated Woowa and uncoated Sentalloy were used for comparison. Nominal coating compositions were determined by x-ray fluorescence (JSX-3200, JOEL). Cross-sectioned and external surfaces were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM; SSX-550, Shimadzu) and an atomic force microscope (SPM-9500J2, Shimadzu). A three-point bending test (12-mm span) was carried out using a universal testing machine (EZ Test, Shimadzu). Hardness and elastic modulus of external and cross-sectioned surfaces were obtained by nanoindentation (ENT-1100a, Elionix; n  =  10). Coatings on Woowa and BioForce High Aesthetic Archwire contained 41% silver and 14% gold, respectively. The coating thickness on Woowa was approximately 10 µm, and the coating thickness on BioForce High Aesthetic Archwire was much smaller. The surfaces of both coated wires were rougher than the noncoated wires. Woowa showed a higher mean unloading force than the noncoated Woowa, although BioForce High Aesthetic Archwire showed a lower mean unloading force than Sentalloy. While cross-sectional surfaces of all wires had similar hardness and elastic modulus, values for the external surface of Woowa were smaller than for the other wires. The coating processes for Woowa and BioForce High Aesthetic Archwire influence bending behavior and surface morphology.

Computer Simulations of Bottle Brushes: From Melts to Soft Networks

DOE PAGES

Cao, Zhen; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; Sheiko, Sergei S.; ...

2015-07-13

We use a combination of Molecular dynamics simulations and analytical calculations, and study dens bottle-brush systems in a melt and network State. Analysis of our simulation results shows that bottle-brush macromolecules in melt behave as ideal chains with effective Kuhn length b K. Simulations show that the bottle-brush-induced bending rigidity is due to an entropy decrease caused by redistribution of the side chains upon backbone bending. The Kuhn length of the bottle:brushes increases with increasing the side-chain degree of polymerization n sc as b K proportional to n sc 0.46. Moreover, this model of bottle brush macromolecules is extended tomore » describe mechanical properties of bottle brush networks in linear and nonlinear deformation regimes. In the linear deformation regime, the network shear modulus scales with the degree of polymerization of the side chains as G 0 proportional to (n sc + 1) -1 as long as the ratio of the Kuhn length, b K, to the size of the fully extended bottle-brush backbone between cross-links, R-max, is smaller than unity, b K/R max << 1. Bottle-brush networks With b K/R max proportional to 1 demonstrate behavior similar to that of networks Of semiflexible chains with G 0 proportional to n sc -0.5. Finally, in the nonlinear network deformation regime, the deformation-dependent shear modulus is a universal function of the first strain invariant I 1 and bottle-brush backbone deformation ratio beta describing stretching ability of the bottle-brush backbone between cross-links.« less

Design Study for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) Composite Primary Bulkhead

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cressman, Thomas O.; Paddock, David A.

2017-01-01

A design study was undertaken of a carbon fiber primary bulkhead for a large solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft. The bulkhead design, supporting up to 16 t of xenon propellant, progressed from one consisting of many simple parts with many complex joints, to one consisting of a few complex parts with a few simple joints. The unique capabilities of composites led to a topology that transitioned loads from bending to in-plane tension and shear, with low part count. This significantly improved bulkhead manufacturability, cost, and mass. The stiffness-driven structure utilized high-modulus M55J fiber unidirectional prepregs. A full-scale engineering demonstration unit (EDU) of the concept was used to demonstrate manufacturability of the concept. Actual labor data was obtained, which could be extrapolated to a full bulkhead. The effort demonstrated the practicality of using high-modulus fiber (HMF) composites for unique shape topologies that minimize mass and cost. The lessons are applicable to primary and secondary aerospace structures that are stiffness driven.

Tensile behaviors of three-dimensionally free-formable titanium mesh plates for bone graft applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Jianmei

2017-11-01

Present metal artificial bones for bone grafts have the problems like too heavy and excessive elastic modulus compared with natural bones. In this study, three-dimensionally (3D) free-formable titanium mesh plates for bone graft applications was introduced to improve these problems. Fundamental mesh shapes and patterns were designed under different base shapes and design parameters through three dimensional CAD tools from higher flexibility and strength points of view. Based on the designed mesh shape and patterns, sample specimens of titanium mesh plates with different base shapes and design variables were manufactured through laser processing. Tensile properties of the sample titanium mesh plates like volume density, tensile elastic modulus were experimentally and analytically evaluated. Experimental results showed that such titanium mesh plates had much higher flexibility and their mechanical properties could be controlled to close to the natural bones. More details on the mechanical properties of titanium mesh plates including compression, bending, torsion and durability will be carried out in future study.

Mechanical properties of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer/magnesium alloy hybrid laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Pengpeng; Wu, Xuan; Pan, Yingcai; Tao, Ye; Wu, Guoqing; Huang, Zheng

2018-04-01

In this study, we prepared fibre metal laminates (FMLs) consisting of high-modulus carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) prepregs and thin AZ31 alloy sheets by using hot-pressing technology. Tensile and low-velocity impact tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties and fracture behaviour of the magnesium alloy-based FMLs (Mg-FMLs) and to investigate the differences in the fracture behaviour between the Mg-FMLs and traditional Mg-FMLs. Results show that the Mg-FMLs exhibit higher specific tensile strength and specific tensile modulus than traditional Mg-FMLs and that the tensile behaviour of the Mg-FMLs is mainly governed by the CFRP because of the combination of high interlaminar shear properties and thin magnesium alloy layers. The Mg-FMLs exhibit excellent bending stiffness. Hence, no significant difference between the residual displacement d r and indentation depth d i , and the permanent deformation is mainly limited to a small zone surrounding the impact location after the impact tests.

Palaeo‐adaptive Properties of the Xylem of Metasequoia: Mechanical/Hydraulic Compromises

PubMed Central

JAGELS, RICHARD; VISSCHER, GEORGE E.; LUCAS, JOHN; GOODELL, BARRY

2003-01-01

The xylem of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng is characterized by very low density (average specific gravity = 0·27) and tracheids with relatively large dimensions (length and diameter). The microfibril angle in the S2 layer of tracheid walls is large, even in outer rings, suggesting a cambial response to compressive rather than tensile stresses. In some cases, this compressive stress is converted to irreversible strain (plastic deformation), as evidenced by cell wall corrugations. The heartwood is moderately decay resistant, helping to prevent Brazier buckling. These xylem properties are referenced to the measured bending properties of modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity, and compared with other low‐to‐moderate density conifers. The design strategy for Metasequoia is to produce a mechanically weak but hydraulically efficient xylem that permits rapid height growth and crown development to capture and dominate a wet site environment. The adaptability of these features to a high‐latitude Eocene palaeoenvironment is discussed. PMID:12763758

Characterization of the bioactive and mechanical behavior of dental ceramic/sol-gel derived bioactive glass mixtures.

PubMed

Abbasi, Zahra; Bahrololoum, Mohammad E; Bagheri, Rafat; Shariat, Mohammad H

2016-02-01

Dental ceramics can be modified by bioactive glasses in order to develop apatite layer on their surface. One of the benefits of such modification is to prolong the lifetime of the fixed dental prosthesis by preventing the formation of secondary caries. Dental ceramic/sol-gel derived bioactive glass mixture is one of the options for this modification. In the current study, mixtures of dental ceramic/bioactive glass with different compositions were successfully produced. To evaluate their bioactive behavior, prepared samples were immersed in a simulated body fluid at various time intervals. The prepared and soaked specimens were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. Since bioactive glasses have deleterious effects on the mechanical properties of dental ceramics, 3-point bending tests were used to evaluate the flexural strength, flexural strain, tangent modulus of elasticity and Weibull modulus of the specimens in order to find the optimal relationship between mechanical and bioactive properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amyloid-β peptide on sialyl-Lewis(X)-selectin-mediated membrane tether mechanics at the cerebral endothelial cell surface.

PubMed

Askarova, Sholpan; Sun, Zhe; Sun, Grace Y; Meininger, Gerald A; Lee, James C-M

2013-01-01

Increased deposition of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) at the cerebral endothelial cell (CEC) surface has been implicated in enhancement of transmigration of monocytes across the brain blood barrier (BBB) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy (QIM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) with cantilevers biofunctionalized by sialyl-Lewis(x) (sLe(x)) were employed to investigate Aβ-altered mechanics of membrane tethers formed by bonding between sLe(x) and p-selectin at the CEC surface, the initial mechanical step governing the transmigration of monocytes. QIM results indicated the ability for Aβ to increase p-selectin expression at the cell surface and promote actin polymerization in both bEND3 cells (immortalized mouse CECs) and human primary CECs. AFM data also showed the ability for Aβ to increase cell stiffness and adhesion probability in bEND3 cells. On the contrary, Aβ lowered the overall force of membrane tether formation (Fmtf ), and produced a bimodal population of Fmtf , suggesting subcellular mechanical alterations in membrane tethering. The lower Fmtf population was similar to the results obtained from cells treated with an F-actin-disrupting drug, latrunculin A. Indeed, AFM results also showed that both Aβ and latrunculin A decreased membrane stiffness, suggesting a lower membrane-cytoskeleton adhesion, a factor resulting in lower Fmtf . In addition, these cerebral endothelial alterations induced by Aβ were abrogated by lovastatin, consistent with its anti-inflammatory effects. In sum, these results demonstrated the ability for Aβ to enhance p-selectin expression at the CEC surface and induce cytoskeleton reorganization, which in turn, resulted in changes in membrane-cytoskeleton adhesion and membrane tethering, mechanical factors important in transmigration of monocytes through the BBB.

Amyloid-β Peptide on Sialyl-LewisX-Selectin-Mediated Membrane Tether Mechanics at the Cerebral Endothelial Cell Surface

PubMed Central

Askarova, Sholpan; Sun, Zhe; Sun, Grace Y.; Meininger, Gerald A.; Lee, James C-M.

2013-01-01

Increased deposition of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) at the cerebral endothelial cell (CEC) surface has been implicated in enhancement of transmigration of monocytes across the brain blood barrier (BBB) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy (QIM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) with cantilevers biofunctionalized by sialyl-Lewisx (sLex) were employed to investigate Aβ-altered mechanics of membrane tethers formed by bonding between sLex and p-selectin at the CEC surface, the initial mechanical step governing the transmigration of monocytes. QIM results indicated the ability for Aβ to increase p-selectin expression at the cell surface and promote actin polymerization in both bEND3 cells (immortalized mouse CECs) and human primary CECs. AFM data also showed the ability for Aβ to increase cell stiffness and adhesion probability in bEND3 cells. On the contrary, Aβ lowered the overall force of membrane tether formation (Fmtf), and produced a bimodal population of Fmtf, suggesting subcellular mechanical alterations in membrane tethering. The lower Fmtf population was similar to the results obtained from cells treated with an F-actin-disrupting drug, latrunculin A. Indeed, AFM results also showed that both Aβ and latrunculin A decreased membrane stiffness, suggesting a lower membrane-cytoskeleton adhesion, a factor resulting in lower Fmtf. In addition, these cerebral endothelial alterations induced by Aβ were abrogated by lovastatin, consistent with its anti-inflammatory effects. In sum, these results demonstrated the ability for Aβ to enhance p-selectin expression at the CEC surface and induce cytoskeleton reorganization, which in turn, resulted in changes in membrane-cytoskeleton adhesion and membrane tethering, mechanical factors important in transmigration of monocytes through the BBB. PMID:23593361

Antifungal activity of fluconazole-loaded natural rubber latex against Candida albicans.

PubMed

Yonashiro Marcelino, Mônica; Azevedo Borges, Felipe; Martins Costa, Ana Flávia; de Lacorte Singulani, Junya; Ribeiro, Nathan Vinícius; Barcelos Costa-Orlandi, Caroline; Garms, Bruna Cambraia; Soares Mendes-Giannini, Maria José; Herculano, Rondinelli Donizetti; Fusco-Almeida, Ana Marisa

2018-03-01

This work aimed to produce a membrane based on fluconazole-loaded natural rubber latex (NRL), and study their interaction, drug release and antifungal susceptibility against Candida albicans. Fluconazole-loaded NRL membrane was obtained by casting method. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed no modifications either in NRL or fluconazole after the incorporation. Mechanical test presented low Young's modulus and high strain, indicating the membranes have sufficient elasticity for biomedical application. The bio-membrane was able to release the drug and inhibit the growth of C. albicans as demonstrated by disk diffusion and macrodilution assays. The biomembrane was able to release fluconazole and inhibit the growth of C. albicans, representing a promising biomaterial for skin application.

Particle aggregation during receptor-mediated endocytosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Sheng; Kosmrlj, Andrej

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of particles is driven by large binding energy between ligands on particles and receptors on a membrane, which compensates for the membrane bending energy and for the cost due to the mixing entropy of receptors. While the receptor-mediated endocytosis of individual particle is well understood, much less is known about the joint entry of multiple particles. Here, we demonstrate that the endocytosis of multiple particles leads to a kinetically driven entropic attraction, which may cause the aggregation of particles observed in experiments. During the endocytosis particles absorb nearby receptors and thus produce regions, which are depleted of receptors. When such depleted regions start overlapping, the corresponding particles experience osmotic-like attractive entropic force. If the attractive force between particles is large enough to overcome the repulsive interaction due to membrane bending, then particles tend to aggregate provided that they are sufficiently close, such that they are not completely engulfed before they come in contact. We discuss the necessary conditions for the aggregation of cylindrical particles during receptor-mediated endocytosis and comment on the generalization to spherical particles.

Rheological properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) derived composite membranes for fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remiš, T.

2017-01-01

Rheological properties of new anhydrous proton conducting membrane based on PVA, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS),sulfosuccinic acid (SSA), titanium dioxide (TiO2)was examined at various stoichiometric ratios. SSA was used as sulfonating agents to form a crosslinked structure and as proton source, whereas TEO Sand TiO2were utilized to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of the membrane. In order to verify that all the substances were immobilized into the matrix, the membranes were analysed by means of FT-IR. The rheological, mechanical and thermal properties of the membranes were investigated using rheometer ARES G2 and thermogravimetic analyser (TGA).The analysis of mixed PVA solutions exhibited a unique behaviour of viscosity with increased crosslink density. The dynamic storage modulus G´ of dried composite membranes shows better mechanical resistance and increased tolerance to pressure applied during membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

Viability and Biomechanics of Diced Cartilage Blended With Platelet-Rich Plasma and Wrapped With Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic) Acid Membrane.

PubMed

Liao, Jun-Lin; Chen, Jia; He, Bin; Chen, Yong; Xu, Jia-Qun; Xie, Hong-Ju; Hu, Feng; Wang, Ai-Jun; Luo, ChengQun; Li, Qing-Feng; Zhou, Jian-Da

2017-09-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the viability and biomechanics of diced cartilage blended with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and wrapped with poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) membrane in a rabbit model. A total of 10 New Zealand rabbits were used for the study. Cartilage grafts were harvested from 1 side ear. The grafts were divided into 3 groups for comparison: bare diced cartilage, diced cartilage wrapped with PLGA membrane, and diced cartilage blended with PRP and wrapped with PLGA membrane. Platelet-rich plasma was prepared using 8 mL of auricular blood. Three subcutaneous pockets were made in the backs of the rabbits, and the grafts were placed in these pockets. The subcutaneous implant tests were conducted for safety assessment of the PLGA membrane in vivo. All of the rabbits were sacrificed at the end of 3 months, and the specimens were collected. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, toluidin blue, and collagen II immunohistochemical. Simultaneously, biomechanical properties of grafts were assessed. This sample of PLGA membrane was conformed to the current standard of biological evaluation of medical devices. Moderate resorption was seen at the end of 3 months in the gross assessment in diced cartilage wrapped with PLGA membrane, while diced cartilage blended with PRP had no apparent resorption macroscopically and favorable viability in vivo after 3 months, and the histological parameters supported this. Stress-strain curves for the compression test indicated that the modulus of elasticity of bare diced cartilage was 7.65 ± 0.59 MPa; diced cartilage wrapped with PLGA membrane was 5.98 ± 0.45 MPa; and diced cartilage blended with PRP and wrapped with PLGA membrane was 7.48 ± 0.55 MPa, respectively. Diced cartilage wrapped with PLGA membrane had moderate resorption macroscopically after 3 months. However, blending with PRP has beneficial effects in improving the viability of diced cartilages. Additionally, the compression modulus of diced cartilage blended with PRP and wrapped with PLGA membrane was similar to bare diced cartilage.

[Influence of sterilization treatments on continuous carbon-fiber reinforced polyolefin composite].

PubMed

Guan, Shi-bing; Hou, Chun-lin; Chen, Ai-min; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Ji-e

2007-08-21

To evaluate the influence of sterilization treatment on continuous carbon-fiber reinforced polyolefin composite (CFRP) so as to provide experimental reference for selection of sterilization method for CFRP. Seventy bars of CFRP were divided into 7 equal groups to undergo sterilization by autoclave, 2% glutaraldehyde soaking, 75% alcohol soaking, ethylene oxide sterilization, and Co-60 gamma ray irradiation of the dosages 11 kGy, 25 kGy, and 18 kGy respectively, and another 10 bars were used as blank controls. Then the bars underwent three-point bending test and longitudinal compression test so as to measure the biomechanical changes after sterilization treatment, including the maximum load, ultimate strength, and elastic modulus. Three-point bending test showed that the levels of maximum load of the all experimental groups were lower than that of the control group, however, only those of the 3 Co-60 irradiation groups were significantly lower than that of the control group and that Co-60 radiation lowered the level of maximum load dose-dependently; and that the levels of ultimate strength of all the all experimental groups were lower than that of the control group, however, only those of the 3 Co-60 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group and that the higher the dosage of Co-60 radiation the lower the level of ultimate strength, however, not dose-dependently. The elastic modulus of the Co-60 25 KGy group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and there was no significant difference in the level of ultimate strength among the other groups. Longitudinal compression test showed that the levels of maximum load and ultimate strength of the 3 Co-60 irradiation groups, autoclave group, and circular ethylene groups were significantly lower than that of the control group, and there was no significant difference in elastic modulus among different groups. During sterilized package of CFRP products produced in quantity autoclave sterilization and Co-60 gamma ray irradiation sterilization should be avoided. Ethylene oxide is proposed as the best sterilization method. If gamma ray irradiation is to be used further technology improvement is necessary.

Dynamic analysis of bulk-fill composites: Effect of food-simulating liquids.

PubMed

Eweis, Ahmed Hesham; Yap, Adrian U-Jin; Yahya, Noor Azlin

2017-10-01

This study investigated the effect of food simulating liquids on visco-elastic properties of bulk-fill restoratives using dynamic mechanical analysis. One conventional composite (Filtek Z350 [FZ]), two bulk-fill composites (Filtek Bulk-fill [FB] and Tetric N Ceram [TN]) and a bulk-fill giomer (Beautifil-Bulk Restorative [BB]) were evaluated. Specimens (12 × 2 × 2mm) were fabricated using customized stainless steel molds. The specimens were light-cured, removed from their molds, finished, measured and randomly divided into six groups. The groups (n = 10) were conditioned in the following mediums for 7 days at 37°C: air (control), artificial saliva (SAGF), distilled water, 0.02N citric acid, heptane, 50% ethanol-water solution. Specimens were assessed using dynamic mechanical testing in flexural three-point bending mode and their respective mediums at 37°C and a frequency range of 0.1-10Hz. The distance between the supports were fixed at 10mm and an axial load of 5N was employed. Data for elastic modulus, viscous modulus and loss tangent were subjected to ANOVA/Tukey's tests at significance level p < 0.05. Significant differences in visco-elastic properties were observed between materials and mediums. Apart from bulk-fill giomer, elastic modulus was the highest after conditioning in heptane. No apparent trends were noted for viscous modulus. Generally, loss tangent was the highest after conditioning in ethanol. The effect of food-simulating liquids on the visco-elastic properties of bulk-fill composites was material and medium dependent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Osteonal effects on elastic modulus and fatigue life in equine bone.

PubMed

Gibson, V A; Stover, S M; Gibeling, J C; Hazelwood, S J; Martin, R B

2006-01-01

We hypothesized that recently formed, incompletely mineralized, and thus, relatively deformable osteons in the equine third metacarpus enhance in vitro load-controlled fatigue life in two ways. Macroscopically, there is a compliance effect, because reduced tissue elastic modulus diminishes the stress required to reach a given strain. Microscopically, there is a cement line effect, in which new osteons and their cement lines more effectively serve as barriers to crack propagation. We studied 18 4 x 10 x 100 mm beams from the medial, lateral, and dorsal cortices of metacarpal bones from 6 thoroughbred racehorses. Following load-controlled fatigue testing to fracture in 4 point bending, a transverse, 100 microm thick, basic fuchsin-stained cross-section was taken from the load-bearing region. The number and diameter of all intact (and thus recently formed/compliant) secondary osteons in a 3.8 x 3.8 mm region in the center of the section were determined. The associated area fraction and cement line length of intact osteons were calculated, and the relationships between these variables, elastic modulus (E), and the logarithm of fatigue life (logN(F)) were analyzed. As expected, logN(F) was negatively correlated with E, which was in turn negatively correlated with intact osteon area fraction and density. (LogN(F))/E increased in proportion to intact osteon density and nonlinearly with cement line density (mm/mm(2)). These results support the hypothesis that remodeling extends load-controlled fatigue life both through the creation of osteonal barriers to microdamage propagation and modulus reduction.

The Effect on the Flexural Strength, Flexural Modulus and Compressive Strength of Fibre Reinforced Acrylic with That of Plain Unfilled Acrylic Resin – An in Vitro Study

PubMed Central

Thomas, Tony C; K, Aswini Kumar; Krishnan, Vinod; Mathew, Anil; V, Manju

2015-01-01

Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the flexural strength, the flexural modulus and compressive strength of the acrylic polymer reinforced with glass, carbon, polyethylene and Kevlar fibres with that of plain unfilled resin. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 specimens were prepared and divided into 10 specimens each under 5 groups namely group 1- control group without any fibres, group 2 – carbon fibres, group 3- glass fibres, group 4 – polyethylene, group 5- Kevlar. Universal testing machine (Tinius olsen, USA) was used for the testing of these specimens. Out of each group, 5 specimens were randomly selected and testing was done for flexural strength using a three point deflection test and three point bending test for compressive strength and the modulus was plotted using a graphical method. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software. Results: The respective mean values for samples in regard to their flexural strength for PMMA plain, PMMA+ glass fibre, PMMA+ carbon, PMMA+ polyethylene and PMMA+ Kevlar were 90.64, 100.79, 102.58, 94.13 and 96.43 respectively. Scheffes post hoc test clearly indicated that only mean flexural strength values of PMMA + Carbon, has the highest mean value. One-way ANOVA revealed a non-significant difference among the groups in regard to their compressive strength. Conclusion: The study concludes that carbon fibre reinforced samples has the greatest flexural strength and greatest flexural modulus, however the compressive strength remains unchanged. PMID:25954696

Cell shape can mediate the spatial organization of the bacterial cytoskeleton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Siyuan; Wingreen, Ned

2013-03-01

The bacterial cytoskeleton guides the synthesis of cell wall and thus regulates cell shape. Since spatial patterning of the bacterial cytoskeleton is critical to the proper control of cell shape, it is important to ask how the cytoskeleton spatially self-organizes in the first place. In this work, we develop a quantitative model to account for the various spatial patterns adopted by bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, especially the orientation and length of cytoskeletal filaments such as FtsZ and MreB in rod-shaped cells. We show that the combined mechanical energy of membrane bending, membrane pinning, and filament bending of a membrane-attached cytoskeletal filament can be sufficient to prescribe orientation, e.g. circumferential for FtsZ or helical for MreB, with the accuracy of orientation increasing with the length of the cytoskeletal filament. Moreover, the mechanical energy can compete with the chemical energy of cytoskeletal polymerization to regulate filament length. Notably, we predict a conformational transition with increasing polymer length from smoothly curved to end-bent polymers. Finally, the mechanical energy also results in a mutual attraction among polymers on the same membrane, which could facilitate tight polymer spacing or bundling. The predictions of the model can be verified through genetic, microscopic, and microfluidic approaches.

Machinable glass-ceramics forming as a restorative dental material.

PubMed

Chaysuwan, Duangrudee; Sirinukunwattana, Krongkarn; Kanchanatawewat, Kanchana; Heness, Greg; Yamashita, Kimihiro

2011-01-01

MgO, SiO(2), Al(2)O(3), MgF(2), CaF(2), CaCO(3), SrCO(3), and P(2)O(5) were used to prepare glass-ceramics for restorative dental materials. Thermal properties, phases, microstructures and hardness were characterized by DTA, XRD, SEM and Vickers microhardness. Three-point bending strength and fracture toughness were applied by UTM according to ISO 6872: 1997(E). XRD showed that the glass crystallized at 892°C (second crystallization temperature+20°C) for 3 hrs consisted mainly of calcium-mica and fluorapatite crystalline phases. Average hardness (3.70 GPa) closely matched human enamel (3.20 GPa). The higher fracture toughness (2.04 MPa√m) combined with the hardness to give a lower brittleness index (1.81 µm(-1/2)) which indicates that they have exceptional machinability. Bending strength results (176.61 MPa) were analyzed by Weibull analysis to determine modulus value (m=17.80). Machinability of the calcium mica-fluorapatite glass-ceramic was demonstrated by fabricating with CAD/CAM.

Effect of MUF/Epoxy Microcapsules on Mechanical Properties and Fractography of Epoxy Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Zhuo; Lin, Yuhao; Du, Xuexiao

2017-12-01

Melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) microcapsules were synthesized, morphology, shell thickness, average diameter and interface morphology were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The spherical MUF microcapsules are size normal distribution without adhesion and accumulation, being compact, rough and uneven with a thickness of 3.2μm and a core contents is approximate 70%. A latent imidazoleas the curing agent for a cross-linking chemical reaction for cracking repairing. A good dispersion of MUF microcapsules and a good interfacial bonding are obtained. Effects of MUF microcapsule size and content on bending property and dynamic mechanical propertywere investigated. Both bending strength and storage modulus of the composite are considerably reduced with an increasing addition of the microcapsules whereas the glass transition temperatures are almost not influenced. Significant toughening effects of MUF microcapsules on the epoxy composites are observed at the conditions of different content and size of microcapsule especially at low microcapsule contents and small microcapsule sizes.

Impact of Wetting/Oven-Drying Cycles on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Birch Plywood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sooru, M.; Kasepuu, K.; Kask, R.; Lille, H.

2015-11-01

The objective of this study was to explore some physical and mechanical properties and the dimensional stability of birch (Betula sp.) nine-ply veneers glued with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) after 10 cycles of soaking/oven-drying. The properties to be determined were bending strength (BS), modulus of elasticity in bending (MOE), Janka hardness (JH) and thickness swelling (TS), which were tested according to the European Standards (EN). An analytical equation was used for approximation of the change in the physical and mechanical properties of the samples depending on the number of cycles. It was shown that the values of the studied properties were affected most by the first soaking and drying cycles after which BS and MOE decreased continuously while the values of JH and TS stabilized. After 10 cycles the final values of BS, MOE, JH and TS accounted for 75-81%, 95%, 82% and 98.5% of the initial values, respectively.

Sensitivity studies of pediatric material properties on juvenile lumbar spine responses using finite element analysis.

PubMed

Jebaseelan, D Davidson; Jebaraj, C; Yoganandan, Narayan; Rajasekaran, S; Kanna, Rishi M

2012-05-01

The objective of the study was to determine the sensitivity of material properties of the juvenile spine to its external and internal responses using a finite element model under compression, and flexion-extension bending moments. The methodology included exercising the 8-year-old juvenile lumbar spine using parametric procedures. The model included the vertebral centrum, growth plates, laminae, pedicles, transverse processes and spinous processes; disc annulus and nucleus; and various ligaments. The sensitivity analysis was conducted by varying the modulus of elasticity for various components. The first simulation was done using mean material properties. Additional simulations were done for each component corresponding to low and high material property variations. External displacement/rotation and internal stress-strain responses were determined under compression and flexion-extension bending. Results indicated that, under compression, disc properties were more sensitive than bone properties, implying an elevated role of the disc under this mode. Under flexion-extension moments, ligament properties were more dominant than the other components, suggesting that various ligaments of the juvenile spine play a key role in modulating bending behaviors. Changes in the growth plate stress associated with ligament properties explained the importance of the growth plate in the pediatric spine with potential implications in progressive deformities.

Softened and flexible biodegradable poly(lactic acid) and its electromechanical properties for actuator application.

PubMed

Thummarungsan, Natlita; Pattavarakorn, Datchanee; Sirivat, Anuvat

2016-12-01

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer with high stiffness presenting a limitation for using in actuator applications. Adding a plasticizer is one way to solve this problem to enhance flexibility and improve electromechanical properties of pristine PLA. In this work, the PLA films were prepared via a simple solvent casting method. The influences of plasticizer type and electric field strength on electromechanical behavior of PLA films were investigated by the melt rheometer and bending measurement. For the PLA films filled with dibutyl phthalate (DBP), the storage modulus, G', immediately increased towards its steady state and rapidly recovered to its original value with and without electric field, respectively, which can be referred to a reversible system. On the other hand, the PLA film with Tween 20 processed the highest ∆G׳/G׳0 of 1.34 due to the available amount of polarized groups. In the bending measurement, the dielectrophoresis forces of plasticized PLA films were found to increase with increasing electric field where the deflections occurred towards anode side as the polarized groups generated negative charges. The DBP_PLA1.5D film exhibited the greatest bending and dielectrophoresis force. Thus, the biodegradable PLA along with DBP combine to have a great potential towards actuator application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible gas sensor based on graphene/ethyl cellulose nanocomposite with ultra-low strain response for volatile organic compounds rapid detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiankun; An, Chunhua; Fan, Shuangqing; Shi, Sigang; Zhang, Rongjie; Zhang, Jing; Li, Quanning; Zhang, Daihua; Hu, Xiaodong; Liu, Jing

2018-07-01

Minimizing the strain-induced undesirable effects is one of the major efforts to be made for flexible electronics. This work demonstrates a highly sensitive flexible gas sensor with ultra-low strain response, which is potentially suitable for wearable electronics applications. The gas sensing material is a free-standing and flexible thin film made of graphene/ethyl cellulose (EC) nanocomposite, which is then integrated with flexible substrate of polyethylene terephthalate. The sensor exhibits relative resistance change within 0.3% at a minimum bending radius of 3.18 mm and 0.2% at the bending radius of 5 mm after 400 bending cycles. The limited strain response attributes to several applied strategies, including using EC with high Young’s modulus as the matrix material, maintaining high graphene concentration and adopting suspended device structure. In contrast to the almost negligible strain sensitivity, the sensor presents large and rapid responses toward volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature. Specifically, the sensor resistance rapidly increases upon the exposure to VOCs with detection limits ranging from 37 to 167 ppm. A preliminary demo of wearable gas sensing capability is also implemented by wearing the sensor on human hand, which successfully detects several VOCs, instead of normal hand gestures.

In vivo assessment of forearm bone mass and ulnar bending stiffness in healthy men

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myburgh, K. H.; Zhou, L. J.; Steele, C. R.; Arnaud, S.; Marcus, R.

1992-01-01

The cross-sectional bending stiffness EI of the ulna was measured in vivo by mechanical resistance tissue analysis (MRTA) in 90 men aged 19-89 years. MRTA measures the impedance response of low-frequency vibrations to determine EI, which is a reflection of elastic modulus E and moment of inertia I for the whole ulna. EI was compared to conventional estimates of bone mineral content (BMC), bone width (BW), and BMC/BW, which were all measured by single-photon absorptiometry. Results obtained from the nondominant ulna indicate that BW increases (r = 0.27, p = 0.01) and ulnar BMC/BW decreases (r = -0.31, p < or = 0.005) with age. Neither BMC nor EI declined with age. The single best predictor of EI was BW (r2 = 0.47, p = 0.0001), and further small but significant contributions were made by BMC (r2 = 0.53, p = 0.0001) and grip strength (r2 = 0.55, p = 0.0001). These results suggest that the resistance of older men to forearm fracture is related to age-associated changes in the moment of inertia achieved by redistributing bone mineral farther from the bending axis. We conclude that the in vivo assessment of bone geometry offers important insights to the comprehensive evaluation of bone strength.

A mathematical model for describing the mechanical behaviour of root canal instruments.

PubMed

Zhang, E W; Cheung, G S P; Zheng, Y F

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish a general mathematical model for describing the mechanical behaviour of root canal instruments by combining a theoretical analytical approach with a numerical finite-element method. Mathematical formulas representing the longitudinal (taper, helical angle and pitch) and cross-sectional configurations and area, the bending and torsional inertia, the curvature of the boundary point and the (geometry of) loading condition were derived. Torsional and bending stresses and the resultant deformation were expressed mathematically as a function of these geometric parameters, modulus of elasticity of the material and the applied load. As illustrations, three brands of NiTi endodontic files of different cross-sectional configurations (ProTaper, Hero 642, and Mani NRT) were analysed under pure torsion and pure bending situation by entering the model into a finite-element analysis package (ANSYS). Numerical results confirmed that mathematical models were a feasible method to analyse the mechanical properties and predict the stress and deformation for root canal instruments during root canal preparation. Mathematical and numerical model can be a suitable way to examine mechanical behaviours as a criterion of the instrument design and to predict the stress and strain experienced by the endodontic instruments during root canal preparation. © 2010 International Endodontic Journal.

Flexible gas sensor based on graphene/ethyl cellulose nanocomposite with ultra-low strain response for volatile organic compounds rapid detection.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiankun; An, Chunhua; Fan, Shuangqing; Shi, Sigang; Zhang, Rongjie; Zhang, Jing; Li, Quanning; Zhang, Daihua; Hu, Xiaodong; Liu, Jing

2018-04-18

Minimizing the strain-induced undesirable effects is one of the major efforts to be made for flexible electronics. This work demonstrates a highly sensitive flexible gas sensor with ultra-low strain response, which is potentially suitable for wearable electronics applications. The gas sensing material is a free-standing and flexible thin film made of graphene/ethyl cellulose (EC) nanocomposite, which is then integrated with flexible substrate of polyethylene terephthalate. The sensor exhibits relative resistance change within 0.3% at a minimum bending radius of 3.18 mm and 0.2% at the bending radius of 5 mm after 400 bending cycles. The limited strain response attributes to several applied strategies, including using EC with high Young's modulus as the matrix material, maintaining high graphene concentration and adopting suspended device structure. In contrast to the almost negligible strain sensitivity, the sensor presents large and rapid responses toward volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature. Specifically, the sensor resistance rapidly increases upon the exposure to VOCs with detection limits ranging from 37 to 167 ppm. A preliminary demo of wearable gas sensing capability is also implemented by wearing the sensor on human hand, which successfully detects several VOCs, instead of normal hand gestures.

In-Plane Correlations in a Polymer-Supported Lipid Membrane Measured by Off-Specular Neutron Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jablin, Michael S.; Zhernenkov, Mikhail; Toperverg, Boris P.; Dubey, Manish; Smith, Hillary L.; Vidyasagar, Ajay; Toomey, Ryan; Hurd, Alan J.; Majewski, Jaroslaw

2011-04-01

Polymer-supported single lipid bilayers are models to study configurations of cell membranes. We used off-specular neutron scattering to quantify in-plane height-height correlations of interfacial fluctuations of such a lipid bilayer. As temperature decreased from 37°C to 25°C, the polymer swells and the polymer-supported lipid membrane deviates from its initially nearly planar structure. A correlation length characteristic of capillary waves changes from 30μm at 37°C to 11μm at 25°C, while the membrane bending rigidity remains roughly constant in this temperature range.

Influence of sickle hemoglobin polymerization and membrane properties on deformability of sickle erythrocytes in the microcirculation.

PubMed Central

Dong, C; Chadwick, R S; Schechter, A N

1992-01-01

The rheological properties of normal erythrocytes appear to be largely determined by those of the red cell membrane. In sickle cell disease, the intracellular polymerization of sickle hemoglobin upon deoxygenation leads to a marked increase in intracellular viscosity and elastic stiffness as well as having indirect effects on the cell membrane. To estimate the components of abnormal cell rheology due to the polymerization process and that due to the membrane abnormalities, we have developed a simple mathematical model of whole cell deformability in narrow vessels. This model uses hydrodynamic lubrication theory to describe the pulsatile flow in the gap between a cell and the vessel wall. The interior of the cell is modeled as a Voigt viscoelastic solid with parameters for the viscous and elastic moduli, while the membrane is assigned an elastic shear modulus. In response to an oscillatory fluid shear stress, the cell--modeled as a cylinder of constant volume and surface area--undergoes a conical deformation which may be calculated. We use published values of normal and sickle cell membrane elastic modulus and of sickle hemoglobin viscous and elastic moduli as a function of oxygen saturation, to estimate normalized tip displacement, d/ho, and relative hydrodynamic resistance, Rr, as a function of polymer fraction of hemoglobin for sickle erythrocytes. These results show the transition from membrane to internal polymer dominance of deformability as oxygen saturation is lowered. More detailed experimental data, including those at other oscillatory frequencies and for cells with higher concentrations of hemoglobin S, are needed to apply fully this approach to understanding the deformability of sickle erythrocytes in the microcirculation. The model should be useful for reconciling the vast and disparate sets of data available on the abnormal properties of sickle cell hemoglobin and sickle erythrocyte membranes, the two main factors that lead to pathology in patients with this disease. PMID:1420913

Composite-Material Point-Stress Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spears, F., S.

1982-01-01

PSANAL computes composite-laminate elastic and thermal properties and allowable load levels for any combination of applied membrane and bending loads occurring at a point. Basic linear orthotropic stress/ strain relationships and standard composite-laminate theory formulas are utilized.

Deformation analysis of vesicles in an alternating-current electric field.

PubMed

Tang, Yu-Gang; Liu, Ying; Feng, Xi-Qiao

2014-08-01

In this paper the shape equation for axisymmetric vesicles subjected to an ac electric field is derived on the basis of the liquid-crystal model. The equilibrium morphology of a lipid vesicle is determined by the minimization of its free energy in coupled mechanical and ac electric fields. Besides elastic bending, the effects of the osmotic pressure difference, surface tension, Maxwell pressure, and flexoelectric and dielectric properties of phospholipid membrane as well are taken into account. The influences of elastic bending, osmotic pressure difference, and surface tension on the frequency-dependent behavior of a vesicle membrane in an ac electric field are examined. The singularity of the ac electric field is also investigated. Our theoretical results of vesicle deformation agree well with previous experimental and numerical results. The present study provides insights into the physical mechanisms underpinning the frequency-dependent morphological evolution of vesicles in the electric and mechanical fields.

A dendrite-suppressing composite ion conductor from aramid nanofibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tung, Siu-On; Ho, Szushen; Yang, Ming; Zhang, Ruilin; Kotov, Nicholas A.

2015-01-01

Dendrite growth threatens the safety of batteries by piercing the ion-transporting separators between the cathode and anode. Finding a dendrite-suppressing material that combines high modulus and high ionic conductance has long been considered a major technological and materials science challenge. Here we demonstrate that these properties can be attained in a composite made from Kevlar-derived aramid nanofibres assembled in a layer-by-layer manner with poly(ethylene oxide). Importantly, the porosity of the membranes is smaller than the growth area of the dendrites so that aramid nanofibres eliminate ‘weak links’ where the dendrites pierce the membranes. The aramid nanofibre network suppresses poly(ethylene oxide) crystallization detrimental for ion transport, giving a composite that exhibits high modulus, ionic conductivity, flexibility, ion flux rates and thermal stability. Successful suppression of hard copper dendrites by the composite ion conductor at extreme discharge conditions is demonstrated, thereby providing a new approach for the materials engineering of solid ion conductors.

Dynamic Properties of Human Tympanic Membrane Based on Frequency-Temperature Superposition

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiangming; Gan, Rong Z.

2012-01-01

The human tympanic membrane (TM) transfers sound in the ear canal into the mechanical vibration of the ossicles in the middle ear. The dynamic properties of TM directly affect the middle ear transfer function. The static or quasi-static mechanical properties of TM were reported in the literature, but the dynamic properties of TM over the auditory frequency range are very limited. In this paper, a new method was developed to measure the dynamic properties of human TM using the Dynamic-Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). The test was conducted at the frequency range of 1 to 40 Hz at three different temperatures: 5°, 25° and 37°C. The frequency-temperature superposition was applied to extend the testing frequency range to a much higher level (at least 3800 Hz). The generalized linear solid model was employed to describe the constitutive relation of the TM. The storage modulus E’ and the loss modulus E” were obtained from 11 specimens. The mean storage modulus was 15.1 MPa at 1 Hz and 27.6 MPa at 3800 Hz. The mean loss modulus was 0.28 MPa at 1 Hz and 4.1 MPa at 3800 Hz. The results show that the frequency-temperature superposition is a feasible approach to study the dynamic properties of the ear soft tissues. The dynamic properties of human TM obtained in this study provide a better description of the damping behavior of ear tissues. The properties can be transferred into the finite element (FE) model of the human ear to replace the Rayleigh type damping. The data reported here contribute to the biomechanics of the middle ear and improve the accuracy of the FE model for the human ear. PMID:22820983

Protein adsorption capability on polyurethane and modified-polyurethane membrane for periodontal guided tissue regeneration applications.

PubMed

Sheikh, Zeeshan; Khan, Abdul Samad; Roohpour, Nima; Glogauer, Michael; Rehman, Ihtesham U

2016-11-01

Periodontal disease if left untreated can result in creation of defects within the alveolar ridge. Barrier membranes are frequently used with or without bone replacement graft materials for achieving periodontal guided tissue regeneration (GTR). Surface properties of barrier membranes play a vital role in their functionality and clinical success. In this study polyetherurethane (PEU) membranes were synthesized by using 4,4'-methylene-diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO) and 1,4-butane diol (BDO) as a chain extender via solution polymerization. Hydroxyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) due to having inherent surface orientation towards air was used for surface modification of PEU on one side of the membranes. This resulting membranes had one surface being PEU and the other being PDMS coated PEU. The prepared membranes were treated with solutions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in de-ionized water at 37°C at a pH of 7.2. The surface protein adsorptive potential of PEU membranes was observed using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and Confocal Raman spectroscopy. The contact angle measurement, tensile strength and modulus of prepared membranes were also evaluated. PEU membrane (89.86±1.62°) exhibited less hydrophobic behavior than PEU-PDMS (105.87±3.16°). The ultimate tensile strength and elastic modulus of PEU (27±1MPa and 14±2MPa) and PEU-PDMS (8±1MPa and 26±1MPa) membranes was in required range. The spectral analysis revealed adsorption of BSA proteins on the surface of non PDMS coated PEU surface. The PDMS modified PEU membranes demonstrated a lack of BSA adsorption. The non PDMS coated side of the membrane which adsorbs proteins could potentially be used facing towards the defect attracting growth factors for periodontal tissue regeneration. Whereas, the PDMS coated side could serve as an occlusive barrier for preventing gingival epithelial cells from proliferating and migrating into the defect space by facing the soft tissue flaps. This study demonstrates the potential of a dual natured PEU barrier membrane for use in periodontal tissue engineering applications and further investigations are required. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonperturbative Renormalization Group Approach to Polymerized Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Essafi, Karim; Kownacki, Jean-Philippe; Mouhanna, Dominique

2014-03-01

Membranes or membrane-like materials play an important role in many fields ranging from biology to physics. These systems form a very rich domain in statistical physics. The interplay between geometry and thermal fluctuations lead to exciting phases such flat, tubular and disordered flat phases. Roughly speaking, membranes can be divided into two group: fluid membranes in which the molecules are free to diffuse and thus no shear modulus. On the other hand, in polymerized membranes the connectivity is fixed which leads to elastic forces. This difference between fluid and polymerized membranes leads to a difference in their critical behaviour. For instance, fluid membranes are always crumpled, whereas polymerized membranes exhibit a phase transition between a crumpled phase and a flat phase. In this talk, I will focus only on polymerized phantom, i.e. non-self-avoiding, membranes. The critical behaviour of both isotropic and anisotropic polymerized membranes are studied using a nonperturbative renormalization group approach (NPRG). This allows for the investigation of the phase transitions and the low temperature flat phase in any internal dimension D and embedding d. Interestingly, graphene behaves just as a polymerized membrane in its flat phase.

Experiments to demonstrate piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erhart, Jiří

2013-07-01

Piezoelectric and pyroelectric materials are used in many current applications. The purpose of this paper is to explain the basic properties of pyroelectric and piezoelectric effects and demonstrate them in simple experiments. Pyroelectricity is presented on lead zirconium titanate (PZT) ceramics as an electric charge generated by the temperature change. The direct piezoelectric effect is demonstrated by the electric charge generated from the bending of the piezoelectric ceramic membrane or from the gas igniter. The converse piezoelectric effect is presented in the experiments by the deflection of the bending piezoelectric element (piezoelectric bimorph).

Reinforcement of poly-l-lactic acid electrospun membranes with strontium borosilicate bioactive glasses for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Fernandes, João S; Gentile, Piergiorgio; Martins, Margarida; Neves, Nuno M; Miller, Cheryl; Crawford, Aileen; Pires, Ricardo A; Hatton, Paul; Reis, Rui L

2016-10-15

Herein, for the first time, we combined poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) with a strontium borosilicate bioactive glass (BBG-Sr) using electrospinning to fabricate a composite bioactive PLLA membrane loaded with 10% (w/w) of BBG-Sr glass particles (PLLA-BBG-Sr). The composites were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microcomputer tomography (μ-CT), and the results showed that we successfully fabricated smooth and uniform fibres (1-3μm in width) with a homogeneous distribution of BBG-Sr microparticles (<45μm). Degradation studies (in phosphate buffered saline) demonstrated that the incorporation of BBG-Sr glass particles into the PLLA membranes increased their degradability and water uptake with a continuous release of cations. The addition of BBG-Sr glass particles enhanced the membrane's mechanical properties (69% higher Young modulus and 36% higher tensile strength). Furthermore, cellular in vitro evaluation using bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) demonstrated that PLLA-BBG-Sr membranes promoted the osteogenic differentiation of the cells as demonstrated by increased alkaline phosphatase activity and up-regulated osteogenic gene expression (Alpl, Sp7 and Bglap) in relation to PLLA alone. These results strongly suggest that the composite PLLA membranes reinforced with the BBG-Sr glass particles have potential as an effective biomaterial capable of promoting bone regeneration. PLLA membranes were reinforced with 10% (w/w) of strontium-bioactive borosilicate glass microparticles, and their capacity to induce the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was evaluated. These membranes presented an increased: degradability, water uptake, Young modulus and tensile strength. We also demonstrated that these membranes are non-cytotoxic and promote the attachment of BM-MSCs. The addition of the glass microparticles into the PLLA membranes promoted the increase of ALP activity (under osteogenic conditions), as well as the BM-MSCs osteogenic differentiation as shown by the upregulation of Alpl, Sp7 and Bglap gene expression. Overall, we demonstrated that the reinforcement of PLLA with glass microparticles results in a biomaterial with the appropriate properties for the regeneration of bone tissue. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. All rights reserved.

Static, free vibration and thermal analysis of composite plates and shells using a flat triangular shell element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapania, R. K.; Mohan, P.

1996-09-01

Finite element static, free vibration and thermal analysis of thin laminated plates and shells using a three noded triangular flat shell element is presented. The flat shell element is a combination of the Discrete Kirchhoff Theory (DKT) plate bending element and a membrane element derived from the Linear Strain Triangular (LST) element with a total of 18 degrees of freedom (3 translations and 3 rotations per node). Explicit formulations are used for the membrane, bending and membrane-bending coupling stiffness matrices and the thermal load vector. Due to a strong analogy between the induced strain caused by the thermal field and the strain induced in a structure due to an electric field the present formulation is readily applicable for the analysis of structures excited by surface bonded or embedded piezoelectric actuators. The results are presented for (i) static analysis of (a) simply supported square plates under doubly sinusoidal load and uniformly distributed load (b) simply supported spherical shells under a uniformly distributed load, (ii) free vibration analysis of (a) square cantilever plates, (b) skew cantilever plates and (c) simply supported spherical shells; (iii) Thermal deformation analysis of (a) simply supported square plates, (b) simply supported-clamped square plate and (c) simply supported spherical shells. A numerical example is also presented demonstrating the application of the present formulation to analyse a symmetrically laminated graphite/epoxy laminate excited by a layer of piezoelectric polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF). The results presented are in good agreement with those available in the literature.

Measurement of Young's modulus and residual stress of thin SiC layers for MEMS high temperature applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pabst, Oliver; Schiffer, Michael; Obermeier, Ernst; Tekin, Tolga; Lang, Klaus Dieter; Ngo, Ha-Duong

2011-06-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for applications in harsh environments. Standard silicon (Si) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are limited in operating temperature to temperatures below 130 °C for electronic devices and below 600 °C for mechanical devices. Due to its large bandgap SiC enables MEMS with significantly higher operating temperatures. Furthermore, SiC exhibits high chemical stability and thermal conductivity. Young's modulus and residual stress are important mechanical properties for the design of sophisticated SiC-based MEMS devices. In particular, residual stresses are strongly dependent on the deposition conditions. Literature values for Young's modulus range from 100 to 400 GPa, and residual stresses range from 98 to 486 MPa. In this paper we present our work on investigating Young's modulus and residual stress of SiC films deposited on single crystal bulk silicon using bulge testing. This method is based on measurement of pressure-dependent membrane deflection. Polycrystalline as well as single crystal cubic silicon carbide samples are studied. For the samples tested, average Young's modulus and residual stress measured are 417 GPa and 89 MPa for polycrystalline samples. For single crystal samples, the according values are 388 GPa and 217 MPa. These results compare well with literature values.

Preparation and characterizations of EGDE crosslinked chitosan electrospun membranes.

PubMed

Aqil, A; Tchemtchoua, V T; Colige, A; Atanasova, G; Poumay, Y; Jérôme, C

2015-01-01

Composite Crosslinked nanofibrous membranes of chitosan, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and polyethylene oxide was successfully prepared with bead free morphology via electrospinning technique followed by heat mediated chemical crosslinking. Architectural stability of nanofiber mat in aqueous medium was achieved by chemical crosslinking of only 1% EGDE, and tensile strength tests revealed that increasing EGDE content has considerably enhance the elastic modulus of nanofibers. The structure, morphology and mechanical properties of nanofibers were characterized by Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Instron machine, respectively. Skin fibroblasts and endothelial cells showed good attachment, proliferation and viability on crosslinked electrospun membranes. The results indicate a good biocompatibility and non-toxic nature of the resulted membrane.

A BAR domain in the N terminus of the Arf GAP ASAP1 affects membrane structure and trafficking of epidermal growth factor receptor.

PubMed

Nie, Zhongzhen; Hirsch, Dianne S; Luo, Ruibai; Jian, Xiaoying; Stauffer, Stacey; Cremesti, Aida; Andrade, Josefa; Lebowitz, Jacob; Marino, Michael; Ahvazi, Bijan; Hinshaw, Jenny E; Randazzo, Paul A

2006-01-24

Arf GAPs are multidomain proteins that function in membrane traffic by inactivating the GTP binding protein Arf1. Numerous Arf GAPs contain a BAR domain, a protein structural element that contributes to membrane traffic by either inducing or sensing membrane curvature. We have examined the role of a putative BAR domain in the function of the Arf GAP ASAP1. ASAP1's N terminus, containing the putative BAR domain together with a PH domain, dimerized to form an extended structure that bound to large unilamellar vesicles containing acidic phospholipids, properties that define a BAR domain. A recombinant protein containing the BAR domain of ASAP1, together with the PH and Arf GAP domains, efficiently bent the surface of large unilamellar vesicles, resulting in the formation of tubular structures. This activity was regulated by Arf1*GTP binding to the Arf GAP domain. In vivo, the tubular structures induced by ASAP1 mutants contained epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Rab11, and ASAP1 colocalized in tubular structures with EGFR during recycling of receptor. Expression of ASAP1 accelerated EGFR trafficking and slowed cell spreading. An ASAP1 mutant lacking the BAR domain had no effect. The N-terminal BAR domain of ASAP1 mediates membrane bending and is necessary for ASAP1 function. The Arf dependence of the bending activity is consistent with ASAP1 functioning as an Arf effector.

Antimicrobial and Physicochemical Characterization of Biodegradable, Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nanocellulose-Chitosan Packaging Membranes.

PubMed

Sundaram, Jaya; Pant, Jitendra; Goudie, Marcus J; Mani, Sudhagar; Handa, Hitesh

2016-06-29

Biodegradable composite membranes with antimicrobial properties consisting of nanocellulose fibrils (CNFs), chitosan, and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-d-penicillamine (SNAP) were developed and tested for food packaging applications. As a nitric oxide donor, SNAP was encapsulated into completely dispersed chitosan in 100 mL of 0.1 N acetic acid and was thoroughly mixed with CNFs to produce a composite membrane. The fabricated membranes had a uniform dispersion of chitosan and SNAP within the CNFs, which was confirmed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs and a chemiluminescence nitric oxide analyzer. The membranes prepared without SNAP showed lower water vapor permeability than that of the membranes with SNAP. The addition of SNAP resulted in a decrease in Young's modulus for both two- and three-layer membrane configurations. Antimicrobial property evaluation of SNAP-incorporated membranes showed an effective zone of inhibition against bacterial strains of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes and demonstrated its potential applications for food packaging.

Bending efficiency through property gradients in bamboo, palm, and wood-based composites.

PubMed

Wegst, Ulrike G K

2011-07-01

Nature, to a greater extent than engineering, takes advantage of hierarchical structures. These allow for optimization at each structural level to achieve mechanical efficiency, meaning mechanical performance per unit mass. Palms and bamboos do this exceptionally well; both are fibre-reinforced cellular materials in which the fibres are aligned parallel to the stem or culm, respectively. The distribution of these fibres is, however, not uniform: there is a density and modulus gradient across the section. This property gradient increases the flexural rigidity of the plants per unit mass, mass being a measure of metabolic investment made into an organism's construction. An analytical model is presented with which a 'gradient shape factor' can be calculated that describes by how much a plant's bending efficiency is increased through gradient structures. Combining the 'gradient shape factor' with a 'microstructural shape factor' that captures the efficiency gained through the cellular nature of the fibre composite's matrix, and a 'macroscopical shape factor' with which the tubular shape of bamboo can be described, for example, it is possible to explore how much each of these three structural levels of the hierarchy contributes to the overall bending performance of the stem or culm. In analogy, the bending efficiency of the commonly used wood-based composite medium-density fibreboard can be analysed; its property gradient is due to its manufacture by hot pressing. A few other engineered materials exist that emulate property gradients; new manufacturing routes to prepare them are currently being explored. It appears worthwhile to pursue these further. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Biomechanical properties of an advanced new carbon/flax/epoxy composite material for bone plate applications.

PubMed

Bagheri, Zahra S; El Sawi, Ihab; Schemitsch, Emil H; Zdero, Rad; Bougherara, Habiba

2013-04-01

This work is part of an ongoing program to develop a new carbon fiber/flax/epoxy (CF/flax/epoxy) hybrid composite material for use as an orthopaedic long bone fracture plate, instead of a metal plate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties of this new novel composite material. The composite material had a "sandwich structure", in which two thin sheets of CF/epoxy were attached to each outer surface of the flax/epoxy core, which resulted in a unique structure compared to other composite plates for bone plate applications. Mechanical properties were determined using tension, three-point bending, and Rockwell hardness tests. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the failure mechanism of specimens in tension and three-point bending tests. The results of mechanical tests revealed a considerably high ultimate strength in both tension (399.8MPa) and flexural loading (510.6MPa), with a higher elastic modulus in bending tests (57.4GPa) compared to tension tests (41.7GPa). The composite material experienced brittle catastrophic failure in both tension and bending tests. The SEM images, consistent with brittle failure, showed mostly fiber breakage and fiber pull-out at the fractured surfaces with perfect bonding at carbon fibers and flax plies. Compared to clinically-used orthopaedic metal plates, current CF/flax/epoxy results were closer to human cortical bone, making the material a potential candidate for use in long bone fracture fixation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anomalous interface adhesion of graphene membranes

PubMed Central

He, Y.; Chen, W. F.; Yu, W. B.; Ouyang, G.; Yang, G. W.

2013-01-01

In order to understand the anomalous interface adhesion properties between graphene membranes and their substrates, we have developed a theoretical method to calibrate the interface adhesion energy of monolayer and multilayer graphene on substrates based on the bond relaxation consideration. Four kinds of interfaces, including graphene/SiO2, graphene/Cu, graphene/Cu/Ni and Cu/graphene/Ni, were taken into account. It was found that the membrane thickness and the interface confinement condition determine the adhesion energy. The relationship between the critical interface separation and the graphene thickness showed that the interface separation in the self-equilibrium state drops with decreasing membrane thickness. The size-dependent Young's modulus of graphene membrane and the interfacial condition were responsible for the novel interface adhesion energy. The proposed theory was expected to be applied to the design of graphene-based devices. PMID:24036502

Relationships among the structural topology, bond strength, and mechanical properties of single-walled aluminosilicate nanotubes.

PubMed

Liou, Kai-Hsin; Tsou, Nien-Ti; Kang, Dun-Yen

2015-10-21

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are regarded as small but strong due to their nanoscale microstructure and high mechanical strength (Young's modulus exceeds 1000 GPa). A longstanding question has been whether there exist other nanotube materials with mechanical properties as good as those of CNTs. In this study, we investigated the mechanical properties of single-walled aluminosilicate nanotubes (AlSiNTs) using a multiscale computational method and then conducted a comparison with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). By comparing the potential energy estimated from molecular and macroscopic material mechanics, we were able to model the chemical bonds as beam elements for the nanoscale continuum modeling. This method allowed for simulated mechanical tests (tensile, bending, and torsion) with minimum computational resources for deducing their Young's modulus and shear modulus. The proposed approach also enabled the creation of hypothetical nanotubes to elucidate the relative contributions of bond strength and nanotube structural topology to overall nanotube mechanical strength. Our results indicated that it is the structural topology rather than bond strength that dominates the mechanical properties of the nanotubes. Finally, we investigated the relationship between the structural topology and the mechanical properties by analyzing the von Mises stress distribution in the nanotubes. The proposed methodology proved effective in rationalizing differences in the mechanical properties of AlSiNTs and SWCNTs. Furthermore, this approach could be applied to the exploration of new high-strength nanotube materials.

Mechanisms governing the visco-elastic responses of living cells assessed by foam and tensegrity models.

PubMed

Cañadas, P; Laurent, V M; Chabrand, P; Isabey, D; Wendling-Mansuy, S

2003-11-01

The visco-elastic properties of living cells, measured to date by various authors, vary considerably, depending on the experimental methods and/or on the theoretical models used. In the present study, two mechanisms thought to be involved in cellular visco-elastic responses were analysed, based on the idea that the cytoskeleton plays a fundamental role in cellular mechanical responses. For this purpose, the predictions of an open unit-cell model and a 30-element visco-elastic tensegrity model were tested, taking into consideration similar properties of the constitutive F-actin. The quantitative predictions of the time constant and viscosity modulus obtained by both models were compared with previously published experimental data obtained from living cells. The small viscosity modulus values (10(0)-10(3) Pa x s) predicted by the tensegrity model may reflect the combined contributions of the spatially rearranged constitutive filaments and the internal tension to the overall cytoskeleton response to external loading. In contrast, the high viscosity modulus values (10(3)-10(5) Pa x s) predicted by the unit-cell model may rather reflect the mechanical response of the cytoskeleton to the bending of the constitutive filaments and/or to the deformation of internal components. The present results suggest the existence of a close link between the overall visco-elastic response of micromanipulated cells and the underlying architecture.

Unconditionally energy stable numerical schemes for phase-field vesicle membrane model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillén-González, F.; Tierra, G.

2018-02-01

Numerical schemes to simulate the deformation of vesicles membranes via minimizing the bending energy have been widely studied in recent times due to its connection with many biological motivated problems. In this work we propose a new unconditionally energy stable numerical scheme for a vesicle membrane model that satisfies exactly the conservation of volume constraint and penalizes the surface area constraint. Moreover, we extend these ideas to present an unconditionally energy stable splitting scheme decoupling the interaction of the vesicle with a surrounding fluid. Finally, the well behavior of the proposed schemes are illustrated through several computational experiments.

Insight into mitochondrial structure and function from electron tomography.

PubMed

Frey, T G; Renken, C W; Perkins, G A

2002-09-10

In recent years, electron tomography has provided detailed three-dimensional models of mitochondria that have redefined our concept of mitochondrial structure. The models reveal an inner membrane consisting of two components, the inner boundary membrane (IBM) closely apposed to the outer membrane and the cristae membrane that projects into the matrix compartment. These two components are connected by tubular structures of relatively uniform size called crista junctions. The distribution of crista junction sizes and shapes is predicted by a thermodynamic model based upon the energy of membrane bending, but proteins likely also play a role in determining the conformation of the inner membrane. Results of structural studies of mitochondria during apoptosis demonstrate that cytochrome c is released without detectable disruption of the outer membrane or extensive swelling of the mitochondrial matrix, suggesting the formation of an outer membrane pore large enough to allow passage of holo-cytochrome c. The possible compartmentation of inner membrane function between the IBM and the cristae membrane is also discussed.

Mechanics of Fluctuating Elastic Plates and Fiber Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xiaojun

Lipid membranes and fiber networks in biological systems perform important mechanical functions at the cellular and tissue levels. In this thesis I delve into two detailed problems--thermal fluctuation of membranes and non-linear compression response of fiber networks. Typically, membrane fluctuations are analysed by decomposing into normal modes or by molecular simulations. In the first part of my thesis, I propose a new semi-analytic method to calculate the partition function of a membrane. The membrane is viewed as a fluctuating von Karman plate and discretized into triangular elements. Its energy is expressed as a function of nodal displacements, and then the partition function and co-variance matrix are computed using Gaussian integrals. I recover well-known results for the dependence of the projected area of a lipid bilayer membrane on the applied tension, and recent simulation results on the ependence of membrane free energy on geometry, spontaneous curvature and tension. As new applications I use this technique to study a membrane with heterogeneity and different boundary conditions. I also use this technique to study solid membranes by taking account of the non-linear coupling of in-plane strains with out-of-plane deflections using a penalty energy, and apply it to graphene, an ultra-thin two-dimensional solid. The scaling of graphene fluctuations with membrane size is recovered. I am able to capture the dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient of graphene on temperature. Next, I study curvature mediated interactions between inclusions in membranes. I assume the inclusions to be rigid, and show that the elastic and entropic forces between them can compete to yield a local maximum in the free energy if the membrane bending modulus is small. If the spacing between the inclusions is less than this local maximum then the attractive entropic forces dominate and the separation between the inclusions will be determined by short range interactions; if the spacing is more than the local maximum then the elastic repulsive forces dominate and the inclusions will move further apart. This technique can be extended to account for entropic effects in other methods which rely on quadratic energies to study the interactions of inclusions in membranes. In the second part of this thesis I study the compression response of two fiber network materials--blood clots and carbon nanotube forests. The stress-strain curve of both materials reveals four characteristic regions, for compression-decompression: 1) linear elastic region; 2) upper plateau or softening region; 3) non-linear elastic region or re-stretching of the network; 4) lower plateau in which dissociation of some newly made connections occurs. This response is described by a phase transition based continuum model. The model is inspired by the observation of one or more moving interfaces across which densified and rarefied phases of fibers co-exist. I use a quasi-static version of the Abeyaratne-Knowles theory of phase transitions for continua with a stick-slip type kinetic law and a nucleation criterion based on the critical stress for buckling to describe the formation and motion of these interfaces in uniaxial compression experiments. Our models could aid the design of biomaterials and carbon nanotube forests to have desired mechanical properties and guide further understanding of their behavior under large deformations.

Finite indentation of highly curved elastic shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearce, S. P.; King, J. R.; Steinbrecher, T.; Leubner-Metzger, G.; Everitt, N. M.; Holdsworth, M. J.

2018-01-01

Experimentally measuring the elastic properties of thin biological surfaces is non-trivial, particularly when they are curved. One technique that may be used is the indentation of a thin sheet of material by a rigid indenter, while measuring the applied force and displacement. This gives immediate information on the fracture strength of the material (from the force required to puncture), but it is also theoretically possible to determine the elastic properties by comparing the resulting force-displacement curves with a mathematical model. Existing mathematical studies generally assume that the elastic surface is initially flat, which is often not the case for biological membranes. We previously outlined a theory for the indentation of curved isotropic, incompressible, hyperelastic membranes (with no bending stiffness) which breaks down for highly curved surfaces, as the entire membrane becomes wrinkled. Here, we introduce the effect of bending stiffness, ensuring that energy is required to change the shell shape without stretching, and find that commonly neglected terms in the shell equilibrium equation must be included. The theory presented here allows for the estimation of shape- and size-independent elastic properties of highly curved surfaces via indentation experiments, and is particularly relevant for biological surfaces.

Finite indentation of highly curved elastic shells

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Experimentally measuring the elastic properties of thin biological surfaces is non-trivial, particularly when they are curved. One technique that may be used is the indentation of a thin sheet of material by a rigid indenter, while measuring the applied force and displacement. This gives immediate information on the fracture strength of the material (from the force required to puncture), but it is also theoretically possible to determine the elastic properties by comparing the resulting force–displacement curves with a mathematical model. Existing mathematical studies generally assume that the elastic surface is initially flat, which is often not the case for biological membranes. We previously outlined a theory for the indentation of curved isotropic, incompressible, hyperelastic membranes (with no bending stiffness) which breaks down for highly curved surfaces, as the entire membrane becomes wrinkled. Here, we introduce the effect of bending stiffness, ensuring that energy is required to change the shell shape without stretching, and find that commonly neglected terms in the shell equilibrium equation must be included. The theory presented here allows for the estimation of shape- and size-independent elastic properties of highly curved surfaces via indentation experiments, and is particularly relevant for biological surfaces. PMID:29434505

Effect of myristoylated N-terminus of Arf1 on the bending rigidity of phospholipid membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrola Gabilondo, Beatriz; Zhou, Hernan; Randazzo, Paul A.; Losert, Wolfgang

2010-03-01

The protein Arf1 is part of the COPI vesicle transport process from the Golgi to the ER. It binds to membranes via a myristoylated N-terminus and it has been shown to tubulate Large Unilamellar Vesicles. The effect of the N-terminus of Arf1 on physical properties of membranes has not been studied, with the exception of curvature. We previously found that the myristoylated N-terminus increases the packing of the lipid molecules, but has no effect on the lateral mobility. We tested the hypothesis that myristoylated peptides affect the bending rigidity of phospholipid Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUV). We use optical tweezers to pull tethers from GUV and measure the force of pulling the tether, as well as the retraction speed of the tether once it is released. We also used flicker spectroscopy to estimate the values of the mechanical properties of GUV. We will present results of the force and tether retraction measurements, as well as mechanical properties estimates from flicker, for GUV in the presence of varying concentrations of myristoylated and non-myristoylated N-terminus of Arf1, and compare these with measurements for GUV in the absence of peptide.

Placing and shaping liposomes with reconfigurable DNA nanocages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhao; Yang, Yang; Pincet, Frederic; C. Llaguno, Marc; Lin, Chenxiang

2017-07-01

The diverse structure and regulated deformation of lipid bilayer membranes are among a cell's most fascinating features. Artificial membrane-bound vesicles, known as liposomes, are versatile tools for modelling biological membranes and delivering foreign objects to cells. To fully mimic the complexity of cell membranes and optimize the efficiency of delivery vesicles, controlling liposome shape (both statically and dynamically) is of utmost importance. Here we report the assembly, arrangement and remodelling of liposomes with designer geometry: all of which are exquisitely controlled by a set of modular, reconfigurable DNA nanocages. Tubular and toroid shapes, among others, are transcribed from DNA cages to liposomes with high fidelity, giving rise to membrane curvatures present in cells yet previously difficult to construct in vitro. Moreover, the conformational changes of DNA cages drive membrane fusion and bending with predictable outcomes, opening up opportunities for the systematic study of membrane mechanics.

Nonlinear adhesion dynamics of confined lipid membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

To, Tung; Le Goff, Thomas; Pierre-Louis, Olivier

Lipid membranes, which are ubiquitous objects in biological environments are often confined. For example, they can be sandwiched between a substrate and the cytoskeleton between cell adhesion, or between other membranes in stacks, or in the Golgi apparatus. We present a study of the nonlinear dynamics of membranes in a model system, where the membrane is confined between two flat walls. The dynamics derived from the lubrication approximation is highly nonlinear and nonlocal. The solution of this model in one dimension exhibits frozen states due to oscillatory interactions between membranes caused by the bending rigidity. We develope a kink model for these phenomena based on the historical work of Kawasaki and Otha. In two dimensions, the dynamics is more complex, and depends strongly on the amount of excess area in the system. We discuss the relevance of our findings for experiments on model membranes, and for biological systems. Supported by the grand ANR Biolub.

Placing and shaping liposomes with reconfigurable DNA nanocages.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhao; Yang, Yang; Pincet, Frederic; Llaguno, Marc C; Lin, Chenxiang

2017-06-23

The diverse structure and regulated deformation of lipid bilayer membranes are among a cell's most fascinating features. Artificial membrane-bound vesicles, known as liposomes, are versatile tools for modelling biological membranes and delivering foreign objects to cells. To fully mimic the complexity of cell membranes and optimize the efficiency of delivery vesicles, controlling liposome shape (both statically and dynamically) is of utmost importance. Here we report the assembly, arrangement and remodelling of liposomes with designer geometry: all of which are exquisitely controlled by a set of modular, reconfigurable DNA nanocages. Tubular and toroid shapes, among others, are transcribed from DNA cages to liposomes with high fidelity, giving rise to membrane curvatures present in cells yet previously difficult to construct in vitro. Moreover, the conformational changes of DNA cages drive membrane fusion and bending with predictable outcomes, opening up opportunities for the systematic study of membrane mechanics.

Role of membrane stresses in the support of planetary topography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turcotte, D. L.; Willemann, R. J.; Haxby, W. F.; Norberry, J.

1981-01-01

The role of membrane stresses and bending stresses in supporting topographic loads on planetary elastic lithospheres is examined. A dimensionless parameter is introduced in order to determine the ability of a spherical shell to support loads through membrane stresses. It is determined that when this parameter is large, membrane stresses can fully support topographic loads with flexure, and when it is small the influence of the membrane stresses can be neglected. Equations governing the behavior of a spherical shell are solved for a topographic load expressed in terms of spherical harmonics, and spherical harmonic expansions of the measured gravity and topography for Mars and the moon are compared with the theory. It is concluded that membrane stresses play an important role in the support of topographic loads on the moon and Mars. The correlation of observed gravitational potential anomalies with the topography on Mars is explained by membrane stresses in the elastic lithosphere.

Orientation and Interaction of Oblique Cylindrical Inclusions Embedded in a Lipid Monolayer: A Theoretical Model for Viral Fusion Peptides

PubMed Central

Kozlovsky, Yonathan; Zimmerberg, Joshua; Kozlov, Michael M.

2004-01-01

We consider the elastic behavior of flat lipid monolayer embedding cylindrical inclusions oriented obliquely with respect to the monolayer plane. An oblique inclusion models a fusion peptide, a part of a specialized protein capable of inducing merger of biological membranes in the course of fundamental cellular processes. Although the crucial importance of the fusion peptides for membrane merger is well established, the molecular mechanism of their action remains unknown. This analysis is aimed at revealing mechanical deformations and stresses of lipid monolayers induced by the fusion peptides, which, potentially, can destabilize the monolayer structure and enhance membrane fusion. We calculate the deformation of a monolayer embedding a single oblique inclusion and subject to a lateral tension. We analyze the membrane-mediated interactions between two inclusions, taking into account bending of the monolayer and tilt of the hydrocarbon chains with respect to the surface normal. In contrast to a straightforward prediction that the oblique inclusions should induce tilt of the lipid chains, our analysis shows that the monolayer accommodates the oblique inclusion solely by bending. We find that the interaction between two inclusions varies nonmonotonically with the interinclusion distance and decays at large separations as square of the distance, similar to the electrostatic interaction between two electric dipoles in two dimensions. This long-range interaction is predicted to dominate the other interactions previously considered in the literature. PMID:15298906

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Posts Subjected to Laser Surface Treatments.

PubMed

Barbosa Siqueira, Carolina; Spadini de Faria, Natália; Raucci-Neto, Walter; Colucci, Vivian; Alves Gomes, Erica

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of laser irradiation on flexural strength, elastic modulus, and surface roughness and morphology of glass fiber posts (GFPs). Laser treatment of GFPs has been introduced to improve its adhesion properties. A total of 40 GFPs were divided into 4 groups according to the irradiation protocol: GC-no irradiation, GYAG-irradiation with erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet [Er:YAG], GCR-irradiation with erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG), and GDI-irradiation with diode laser. The GFP roughness and morphology were evaluated through laser confocal microscopy before and after surface treatment. Three-point bending flexural test measured flexural strength and elastic modulus. Data about elastic modulus and flexural strength were subjected to one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test (p < 0.05). The effect of roughness was evaluated using the linear mixed effects model and Bonferroni test (p < 0.05). Laser treatment changed surface roughness in the groups GCR (p = 0.000) and GDI (p = 0.007). The mean flexural strength in GYAG (995.22 MPa) was similar to that in GC (980.48 MPa) (p = 1.000) but different from that in GCR (746.83 MPa) and that in GDI (691.34 MPa) (p = 0.000). No difference was found between the groups GCR and GDI (p = 0.86). For elastic modulus: GYAG (24.47 GPa) was similar to GC (25.92 GPa) (p = 1.000) but different from GCR (19.88 GPa) (p = 0.002) and GDI (17.20 GPa) (p = 0.000). The different types of lasers, especially Er,Cr:YSGG and 980 ηm diode, influenced the mechanical properties of GFPs.

Laboratory Characterization of Cemented Rock Fill for Underhand Cut and Fill Method of Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Dinesh; Singh, Upendra Kumar; Singh, Gauri Shankar Prasad

2016-10-01

Backfilling with controlled specifications is employed for improved ground support and pillar recovery in underground metalliferous mine workings. This paper reports the results of a laboratory study to characterise various mechanical properties of cemented rock fill (CRF) formulations for different compaction levels and cement content percentage for use in underhand cut and fill method of mining. Laboratory test set ups and procedures have been described for conducting compressive and bending tests of CRF block samples. A three dimensional numerical modelling study has also been carried out to overcome the limitations arising due to non-standard dimension of test blocks used in flexural loading test and the test setup devised for this purpose. Based on these studies, specific relations have been established between the compressive and the flexural properties of the CRF. The flexural strength of the wire mesh reinforced CRF is also correlated with its residual strength and the Young's modulus of elasticity under flexural loading condition. The test results of flexural strength, residual flexural strength and modulus show almost linear relations with cement content in CRF. The compressive strength of the CRF block samples is estimated as seven times the flexural strength whereas the compressive modulus is four times the flexural modulus. It has been found that the strengths of CRF of low compaction and no compaction are 75 and 60 % respectively to that of the medium compaction CRF. The relation between the strength and the unit weight of CRF as obtained in this study is significantly important for design and quality control of CRF during its large scale application in underhand cut and fill stopes.

An elastography method based on the scanning contact resonance of a piezoelectric cantilever

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Ji; Li, Faxin, E-mail: lifaxin@pku.edu.cn

2013-12-15

Purpose: Most tissues may become significantly stiffer than their normal states when there are lesions inside. The tissue's modulus can then act as an identification parameter for clinic diagnosis of tumors or fibrosis, which leads to elastography. This study introduces a novel elastography method that can be used for modulus imaging of superficial organs. Methods: This method is based on the scanning contact-resonance of a unimorph piezoelectric cantilever. The cantilever vibrates in its bending mode with the tip pressed tightly on the sample. The contact resonance frequency of the cantilever-sample system is tracked at each scanning point, from which themore » sample's modulus can be derived based on a beam dynamic model and a contact mechanics model. Scanning is performed by a three-dimensional motorized stage and the whole system is controlled by a homemade software program based on LabVIEW. Results: Testing onin vitro beef tissues indicates that the fat and the muscle can be easily distinguished using this system, and the accuracy of the modulus measurement can be comparable with that of nanoindentation. Imaging on homemade gelatin phantoms shows that the depth information of the abnormalities can be qualitatively obtained by varying the pressing force. The detection limit of this elastography method is specially examined both experimentally and numerically. Results show that it can detect the typical lesions in superficial organs with the depth of several centimeters. The lateral resolution of this elastography method/system is better than 0.5 mm, and could be further enhanced by using more scanning points. Conclusions: The proposed elastography system can be regarded as a sensitive palpation robot, which may be very promising in early diagnosis of tumors in superficial organs such as breast and thyroid.« less

Reinforcement of a PMMA resin for interim fixed prostheses with silica nanoparticles.

PubMed

Topouzi, Marianthi; Kontonasaki, Eleana; Bikiaris, Dimitrios; Papadopoulou, Lambrini; Paraskevopoulos, Konstantinos M; Koidis, Petros

2017-05-01

Fractures in long span provisional/interim restorations are a common complication. Adequate fracture toughness is necessary to resist occlusal forces and crack propagation, so these restorations should be constructed with materials of improved mechanical properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible reinforcement of neat silica nanoparticles and trietoxyvinylsilane-modified silica nanoparticles in a PMMA resin for fixed interim restorations. Composite PMMA-Silica nanoparticles powders were mixed with PMMA liquid and compact bar shaped specimens were fabricated according to the British standard BS EN ISO 127337:2005. The single-edge notched method was used to evaluate fracture toughness (three-point bending test), while the dynamic thermomechanical properties (Storage Modulus, Loss Modulus, tanδ) of a series of nanocomposites with different amounts of nanoparticles (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1% w.t.) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed and the statistically significant level was set to p<0.05. The fracture toughness of all experimental composites was remarkably higher compared to control. There was a tendency to decrease of fracture toughness, by increasing the concentration of the filler. No statistically significant differences were detected among the modified/unmodified silica nanoparticles. Dynamic mechanical properties were also affected. By increasing the silica nanoparticles content an increase in Storage Modulus was recorded, while Glass Transition Temperature was shifted at higher temperatures. Under the limitations of this in-vitro study, it can be suggested that both neat silica nanoparticles and trietoxyvinylsilane-modified silica nanoparticles, especially at low concentrations, may enhance the overall performance of fixed interim prostheses, as can effectively increase the fracture toughness, the elastic modulus and the Glass Transition Temperature of PMMA resins used in fixed provisional restorations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical properties of contemporary composite resins and their interrelations.

PubMed

Thomaidis, Socratis; Kakaboura, Afrodite; Mueller, Wolf Dieter; Zinelis, Spiros

2013-08-01

To characterize a spectrum of mechanical properties of four representative types of modern dental resin composites and to investigate possible interrelations. Four composite resins were used, a microhybrid (Filtek Z-250), a nanofill (Filtek Ultimate), a nanohybrid (Majesty Posterior) and an ormocer (Admira). The mechanical properties investigated were Flexural Modulus and Flexural Strength (three point bending), Brinell Hardness, Impact Strength, mode I and mode II fracture toughness employing SENB and Brazilian tests and Work of Fracture. Fractographic analysis was carried out in an SEM to determine the origin of fracture for specimens subjected to SENB, Brazilian and Impact Strength testing. The results were statistically analyzed employing ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test (a=0.05) while Pearson correlation was applied among the mechanical properties. Significant differences were found between the mechanical properties of materials tested apart from mode I fracture toughness measured by Brazilian test. The latter significantly underestimated the mode I fracture toughness due to analytical limitations and thus its validity is questionable. Fractography revealed that the origin of fracture is located at notches for fracture toughness tests and contact surface with pendulum for Impact Strength testing. Pearson analysis illustrated a strong correlation between modulus of elasticity and hardness (r=0.87) and a weak negative correlation between Work of Fracture and Flexural Modulus (r=-0.46) and Work of Fracture and Hardness (r=-0.44). Weak correlations were also allocated between Flexural Modulus and Flexural Strength (r=0.40), Flexural Strength and Hardness (r=0.39), and Impact Strength and Hardness (r=0.40). Since the four types of dental resin composite tested exhibited large differences among their mechanical properties differences in their clinical performance is also anticipated. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy for lung metastasis induced by the allogeneic bEnd3 vaccine in mice.

PubMed

Zhao, Jun; Lu, Jing; Zhou, Lurong; Zhao, Jimin; Dong, Ziming

2018-05-04

The mouse brain microvascular endothelial cell line bEnd.3 was used to develop a vaccine and its anti-tumor effect on lung metastases was observed in immunized mice. Mouse bEnd.3 cells cultured in-vitro and then fixed with glutaraldehyde was used to immunize mice; mice were challenged with the metastatic cancer cell line U14, and changes in metastatic cancer tissues were observed through hematoxylin and eosin staining. Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl amino ester (CSFE) and propidium iodide (PI) were used to detect cytotoxic activity of spleen T lymphocytes; the ratio of CD3 + and CD8 + T-cell sub-sets was determined by flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunocytochemistry and immunoblot were used to examine the specific response of the antisera of immunized mice. The number of metastatic nodules in bEnd.3 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) vaccine groups was less than NIH3T3 vaccine group and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control group. The bEnd.3-induced and HUVEC-induced cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) showed significant lytic activity against bEnd.3 and HUVEC target cells, while the antisera of mice in bEnd.3 and HUVEC vaccine groups showed specific immune responses to membrane proteins and inhibited target cell proliferation in-vitro. Immunoblot results showed specific bands at 180KD and 220KD in bEnd.3 and at 130 kD and 220 kD in HUVEC lysates. Allogeneic bEnd.3 vaccine induced an active and specific immune response to tumor vascular endothelial cells that resulted in production of antibodies against the proliferation antigens VEGF-R II, integrin, Endog etc. Immunization with this vaccine inhibited lung metastasis of cervical cancer U14 cells and prolonged the survival of these mice.

Apparent Softening of Wet Graphene Membranes on a Microfluidic Platform.

PubMed

Ferrari, Gustavo A; de Oliveira, Alan B; Silvestre, Ive; Matos, Matheus J S; Batista, Ronaldo J C; Fernandes, Thales F D; Meireles, Leonel M; Eliel, Gomes S N; Chacham, Helio; Neves, Bernardo R A; Lacerda, Rodrigo G

2018-05-22

Graphene is regarded as the toughest two-dimensional material (highest in-plane elastic properties) and, as a consequence, it has been employed/proposed as an ultrathin membrane in a myriad of microfluidic devices. Yet, an experimental investigation of eventual variations on the apparent elastic properties of a suspended graphene membrane in contact with air or water is still missing. In this work, the mechanical response of suspended monolayer graphene membranes on a microfluidic platform is investigated via scanning probe microscopy experiments. A high elastic modulus is measured for the membrane when the platform is filled with air, as expected. However, a significant apparent softening of graphene is observed when water fills the microfluidic system. Through molecular dynamics simulations and a phenomenological model, we associate such softening to a water-induced uncrumpling process of the suspended graphene membrane. This result may bring substantial modifications on the design and operation of microfluidic devices which exploit pressure application on graphene membranes.

Formation and maintenance of tubular membrane projections: experiments and numerical calculations.

PubMed

Umeda, Tamiki; Inaba, Takehiko; Ishijima, Akihiko; Takiguchi, Kingo; Hotani, Hirokazu

2008-01-01

To study the mechanical properties of lipid membranes, we manipulated liposomes by using a system comprising polystyrene beads and laser tweezers, and measured the force required to transform their shapes. When two beads pushed the membrane from inside, spherical liposomes transformed into a lemon-shape. Then a discontinuous shape transformation occurred to form a membrane tube from either end of the liposomes, and the force dropped drastically. We analyzed these processes using a mathematical model based on the bending elasticity of the membranes. Numerical calculations showed that when the bead size was taken into account, the model reproduced both the liposomal shape transformation and the force-extension relation. This result suggests that the size of the beads is responsible for the existence of a force barrier for the tube formation.

How synthetic membrane systems contribute to the understanding of lipid-driven endocytosis.

PubMed

Schubert, Thomas; Römer, Winfried

2015-11-01

Synthetic membrane systems, such as giant unilamellar vesicles and solid supported lipid bilayers, have widened our understanding of biological processes occurring at or through membranes. Artificial systems are particularly suited to study the inherent properties of membranes with regard to their components and characteristics. This review critically reflects the emerging molecular mechanism of lipid-driven endocytosis and the impact of model membrane systems in elucidating the complex interplay of biomolecules within this process. Lipid receptor clustering induced by binding of several toxins, viruses and bacteria to the plasma membrane leads to local membrane bending and formation of tubular membrane invaginations. Here, lipid shape, and protein structure and valency are the essential parameters in membrane deformation. Combining observations of complex cellular processes and their reconstitution on minimal systems seems to be a promising future approach to resolve basic underlying mechanisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mechanobiology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A carbon nanotube-infused polysulfone membrane with polyvinyl alcohol layer for treating oil-containing waste water

PubMed Central

Maphutha, Selby; Moothi, Kapil; Meyyappan, M.; Iyuke, Sunny E.

2013-01-01

A carbon nanotube (CNT) integrated polymer composite membrane with a polyvinyl alcohol barrier layer has been prepared to separate oil from water for treatment of oil-containing waste water. The CNTs were synthesised using chemical vapour deposition, and a phase inversion method was employed for the blending of the CNTs in the polymer composite solution for casting of the membrane. Relative to the baseline polymer, an increase of 119% in the tensile strength, 77% in the Young's modulus and 258% in the toughness is seen for a concentration of 7.5% CNTs in the polymer composite. The permeate through the membrane shows oil concentrations below the acceptable 10 mg/L limit with an excellent throughput and oil rejection of over 95%. PMID:23518875

An auto-inhibitory helix in CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase hijacks the catalytic residue and constrains a pliable, domain-bridging helix pair

PubMed Central

Ramezanpour, Mohsen; Lee, Jaeyong; Taneva, Svetla G.; Tieleman, D. Peter; Cornell, Rosemary B.

2018-01-01

The activity of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT), a key enzyme in phosphatidylcholine synthesis, is regulated by reversible interactions of a lipid-inducible amphipathic helix (domain M) with membrane phospholipids. When dissociated from membranes, a portion of the M domain functions as an auto-inhibitory (AI) element to suppress catalysis. The AI helix from each subunit binds to a pair of α helices (αE) that extend from the base of the catalytic dimer to create a four-helix bundle. The bound AI helices make intimate contact with loop L2, housing a key catalytic residue, Lys122. The impacts of the AI helix on active-site dynamics and positioning of Lys122 are unknown. Extensive MD simulations with and without the AI helix revealed that backbone carbonyl oxygens at the point of contact between the AI helix and loop L2 can entrap the Lys122 side chain, effectively competing with the substrate, CTP. In silico, removal of the AI helices dramatically increased αE dynamics at a predicted break in the middle of these helices, enabling them to splay apart and forge new contacts with loop L2. In vitro cross-linking confirmed the reorganization of the αE element upon membrane binding of the AI helix. Moreover, when αE bending was prevented by disulfide engineering, CCT activation by membrane binding was thwarted. These findings suggest a novel two-part auto-inhibitory mechanism for CCT involving capture of Lys122 and restraint of the pliable αE helices. We propose that membrane binding enables bending of the αE helices, bringing the active site closer to the membrane surface. PMID:29519816

Plastic and Large-Deflection Analysis of Nonlinear Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. G.; Hayduk, R. J.; Robinson, M. P.; Durling, B. J.; Pifko, A.; Levine, H. S.; Armen, H. J.; Levy, A.; Ogilvie, P.

1982-01-01

Plastic and Large Deflection Analysis of Nonlinear Structures (PLANS) system is collection of five computer programs for finite-element static-plastic and large deflection analysis of variety of nonlinear structures. System considers bending and membrane stresses, general three-dimensional bodies, and laminated composites.

Image-based model of the spectrin cytoskeleton for red blood cell simulation.

PubMed

Fai, Thomas G; Leo-Macias, Alejandra; Stokes, David L; Peskin, Charles S

2017-10-01

We simulate deformable red blood cells in the microcirculation using the immersed boundary method with a cytoskeletal model that incorporates structural details revealed by tomographic images. The elasticity of red blood cells is known to be supplied by both their lipid bilayer membranes, which resist bending and local changes in area, and their cytoskeletons, which resist in-plane shear. The cytoskeleton consists of spectrin tetramers that are tethered to the lipid bilayer by ankyrin and by actin-based junctional complexes. We model the cytoskeleton as a random geometric graph, with nodes corresponding to junctional complexes and with edges corresponding to spectrin tetramers such that the edge lengths are given by the end-to-end distances between nodes. The statistical properties of this graph are based on distributions gathered from three-dimensional tomographic images of the cytoskeleton by a segmentation algorithm. We show that the elastic response of our model cytoskeleton, in which the spectrin polymers are treated as entropic springs, is in good agreement with the experimentally measured shear modulus. By simulating red blood cells in flow with the immersed boundary method, we compare this discrete cytoskeletal model to an existing continuum model and predict the extent to which dynamic spectrin network connectivity can protect against failure in the case of a red cell subjected to an applied strain. The methods presented here could form the basis of disease- and patient-specific computational studies of hereditary diseases affecting the red cell cytoskeleton.

Image-based model of the spectrin cytoskeleton for red blood cell simulation

PubMed Central

Stokes, David L.; Peskin, Charles S.

2017-01-01

We simulate deformable red blood cells in the microcirculation using the immersed boundary method with a cytoskeletal model that incorporates structural details revealed by tomographic images. The elasticity of red blood cells is known to be supplied by both their lipid bilayer membranes, which resist bending and local changes in area, and their cytoskeletons, which resist in-plane shear. The cytoskeleton consists of spectrin tetramers that are tethered to the lipid bilayer by ankyrin and by actin-based junctional complexes. We model the cytoskeleton as a random geometric graph, with nodes corresponding to junctional complexes and with edges corresponding to spectrin tetramers such that the edge lengths are given by the end-to-end distances between nodes. The statistical properties of this graph are based on distributions gathered from three-dimensional tomographic images of the cytoskeleton by a segmentation algorithm. We show that the elastic response of our model cytoskeleton, in which the spectrin polymers are treated as entropic springs, is in good agreement with the experimentally measured shear modulus. By simulating red blood cells in flow with the immersed boundary method, we compare this discrete cytoskeletal model to an existing continuum model and predict the extent to which dynamic spectrin network connectivity can protect against failure in the case of a red cell subjected to an applied strain. The methods presented here could form the basis of disease- and patient-specific computational studies of hereditary diseases affecting the red cell cytoskeleton. PMID:28991926

Effect of filler content on the properties of expanded- graphite-based composite bipolar plates for application in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masand, Aakash; Borah, Munu; Pathak, Abhishek K.; Dhakate, Sanjay R.

2017-09-01

Minimization of the weight and volume of a hydrogen-based PEM fuel cell stack is an essential area of research for the development and commercialization of PEMFCs for various applications. Graphite-based composite bipolar plates have significant advantages over conventional metallic bipolar plates due to their corrosion resistivity and low cost. On the other hand, expanded graphite is seen to be a potential candidate for facilitating the required electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of bipolar plates with a low density. Therefore, in the present study, the focus is on minimization of the high loading of graphite and optimizes its composition to meet the target properties of bipolar plates as per the USDOE target. Three types of expanded graphite (EG)-phenolic-resin-based composite bipolar plates were developed by partially replacing the expanded graphite content with natural graphite (NG) and carbon black as an additional filler. The three types of composite plate with the reinforcing constituent ratio EG:NG:R (25:25:50) give a bending strength of 49 MPa, a modulus of ~6 GPa, electrical conductivity  >100 S cm-1, a shore hardness of 55 and a bulk density of 1.55 g/cc. The 50 wt% loading of resin is sufficient to wet the 50 wt% filler content in the composite plate. This study gives an insight into using hybrid reinforcements in order to achieve the desired properties of bipolar plates.

Morphological and mechanical properties of blades of Saccharina latissima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vettori, Davide; Nikora, Vladimir

2017-09-01

Interactions between water flow and aquatic vegetation strongly depend on morphological and biomechanical characteristics of vegetation. Although any physical or numerical model that aims to replicate flow-vegetation interactions requires these characteristics, information on morphology and mechanics of vegetation living in coastal waters remains insufficient. The present study investigates the mechanical properties of blades of Saccharina latissima, a seaweed species spread along the shores of the UK and North East Atlantic. More than 50 seaweed samples with lengths spanning from 150 mm to 650 mm were collected from Loch Fyne (Scotland) and tested. Seaweed blades had a natural 'stretched droplet' shape with bullations in the central fascia and ruffled edges in the area close to the stipe. Their morphological features showed high variability for samples longer than 400 mm. The blades were almost neutrally buoyant, their material was found to be very flexible and ductile, being stiffer in longer blades. The laboratory tests showed that estimates of tensile Young's modulus appeared to be similar to bending Young's modulus suggesting a reasonable degree of isotropy in studied seaweed tissues.

A 3D-Printable Polymer-Metal Soft-Magnetic Functional Composite-Development and Characterization.

PubMed

Khatri, Bilal; Lappe, Karl; Noetzel, Dorit; Pursche, Kilian; Hanemann, Thomas

2018-01-25

In this work, a 3D printed polymer-metal soft-magnetic composite was developed and characterized for its material, structural, and functional properties. The material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as the polymer matrix, with up to 40 vol. % stainless steel micropowder as the filler. The composites were rheologically analyzed and 3D printed into tensile and flexural test specimens using a commercial desktop 3D printer. Mechanical characterization revealed a linearly decreasing trend of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and a sharp decrease in Young's modulus with increasing filler content. Four-point bending analysis showed a decrease of up to 70% in the flexural strength of the composite and up to a two-factor increase in the secant modulus of elasticity. Magnetic hysteresis characterization revealed retentivities of up to 15.6 mT and coercive forces of up to 4.31 kA/m at an applied magnetic field of 485 kA/m. The composite shows promise as a material for the additive manufacturing of passive magnetic sensors and/or actuators.

A 3D-Printable Polymer-Metal Soft-Magnetic Functional Composite—Development and Characterization

PubMed Central

Lappe, Karl; Noetzel, Dorit; Pursche, Kilian; Hanemann, Thomas

2018-01-01

In this work, a 3D printed polymer–metal soft-magnetic composite was developed and characterized for its material, structural, and functional properties. The material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as the polymer matrix, with up to 40 vol. % stainless steel micropowder as the filler. The composites were rheologically analyzed and 3D printed into tensile and flexural test specimens using a commercial desktop 3D printer. Mechanical characterization revealed a linearly decreasing trend of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and a sharp decrease in Young’s modulus with increasing filler content. Four-point bending analysis showed a decrease of up to 70% in the flexural strength of the composite and up to a two-factor increase in the secant modulus of elasticity. Magnetic hysteresis characterization revealed retentivities of up to 15.6 mT and coercive forces of up to 4.31 kA/m at an applied magnetic field of 485 kA/m. The composite shows promise as a material for the additive manufacturing of passive magnetic sensors and/or actuators. PMID:29370112

Novel Approach in the Use of Plasma Spray: Preparation of Bulk Titanium for Bone Augmentations

PubMed Central

Fousova, Michaela; Vojtech, Dalibor; Jablonska, Eva; Fojt, Jaroslav; Lipov, Jan

2017-01-01

Thermal plasma spray is a common, well-established technology used in various application fields. Nevertheless, in our work, this technology was employed in a completely new way; for the preparation of bulk titanium. The aim was to produce titanium with properties similar to human bone to be used for bone augmentations. Titanium rods sprayed on a thin substrate wire exerted a porosity of about 15%, which yielded a significant decrease of Young′s modulus to the bone range and provided rugged topography for enhanced biological fixation. For the first verification of the suitability of the selected approach, tests of the mechanical properties in terms of compression, bending, and impact were carried out, the surface was characterized, and its compatibility with bone cells was studied. While preserving a high enough compressive strength of 628 MPa, the elastic modulus reached 11.6 GPa, thus preventing a stress-shielding effect, a generally known problem of implantable metals. U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells derived from bone osteosarcoma grown on the plasma-sprayed surface showed good viability. PMID:28837101

Mechanical properties and XRD of Nafion modified by 2-hydroxyethylammonium ionic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garaev, V.; Pavlovica, S.; Reinholds, I.; Vaivars, G.

2013-12-01

In this work, the Nafion 112 membrane impregnated with 2-hydroxyethylammonium carboxylate ionic liquids have been investigated. The used ionic liquids were 2-hydroxyethylammonium formate [HEA]F, acetate [HEA]A and lactate [HEA]L. Prepared composite membranes Nafion/ionic liquid are characterized by mechanical testing, such as tensile test and creep test. It is found that ionic liquids decrease elastic modulus and creep compliance, but do not have significant effect on the tensile strength. Also, composite membranes were studied by wide angle X-ray diffraction. All ionic liquids shift the peak maximum to the lower angle. In this work, only biodegradable ionic liquids were used for composite preparation.

Dynamic adsorption of mixtures of Rhodamine B, Pb (II), Cu (II) and Zn(II) ions on composites chitosan-silica-polyethylene glycol membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahatmanti, F. W.; Rengga, W. D. P.; Kusumastuti, E.; Nuryono

2018-04-01

The adsorption of a solution mixture of Rhodamine B, Pb (II), Cu (II) and Zn(II) was studied using dynamic methods employing chitosan-silica-polyethylene glycol (Ch/Si/P) composite membrane as an adsorptive membrane. The composite Ch/Si/P membrane was prepared by mixing a chitosan-based membrane with silica isolated from rice husk ash (ASP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a plasticizer. The resultant composite membrane was a stronger and more flexible membrane than the original chitosan-based membrane as indicated by the maximum percentage of elongation (20.5 %) and minimum Young’s Modulus (80.5 MPa). The composite membrane also showed increased mechanical and hydrophilic properties compared to the chitosan membranes. The membrane was used as adsorption membrane for Pb (II), Cu (II), Cd (II) ions and Rhodamine B dyes in a dynamic system where the permeation and selectivity were determined. The permeation of the components was observed to be in the following order: Rhodamine B > Cd (II) > Pb (II) > Cu (II) whereas the selectivity was shown to decrease the order of Cu (II) > Pb (II) > Cd (II) > Rhodamine B.

Mechanical characteristics of box-section beam made of sliced-laminated Asian bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) in bending failure mode under transversal load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karyadi, Susanto, Prijono Bagus

2017-09-01

A box-section beam has a larger moment of inertia than solid beam for the same amount of materials, so, it is expected the box-section beams has larger strength and stiffness compared to the solid beam. In other hand, research about the box-section beams, especially from bamboo lamination material, is limited. For the reason the research was done. The research aimed at finding mechanical characteristic of box-section beams made of sliced-laminated Asian bamboo in bending failure mode under transversal load. The results showed that the strength and stiffness of the box-section beams increase according to the increasing moment of inertia. The strength of the box-section beam increase up to ratio between the section height (h) and section width (b) reach 1.50. Larger than the ratio the strength of the beam will decrease. The average of bending stress at the time of beam collapse reached 106.5MPa and the average of flexural of elastic modulus reached 14.504MPa. The serviceability load reached 8.64% of the maximum load. Based on the results it can be concluded that the box-section beams made of sliced-laminated Asian bamboo more efficient in receiving the transversal load compared to the solid beam for the same amount of materials.

A Novel Shape Memory Plate Osteosynthesis for Noninvasive Modulation of Fixation Stiffness in a Rabbit Tibia Osteotomy Model

PubMed Central

Müller, Christian W.; Pfeifer, Ronny; Meier, Karen; Decker, Sebastian; Reifenrath, Janin; Gösling, Thomas; Wesling, Volker; Krettek, Christian; Krämer, Manuel

2015-01-01

Nickel-titanium shape memory alloy (NiTi-SMA) implants might allow modulating fracture healing, changing their stiffness through alteration of both elastic modulus and cross-sectional shape by employing the shape memory effect (SME). Hypotheses: a novel NiTi-SMA plate stabilizes tibia osteotomies in rabbits. After noninvasive electromagnetic induction heating the alloy exhibits the SME and the plate changes towards higher stiffness (inverse dynamization) resulting in increased fixation stiffness and equal or better bony healing. In 14 rabbits, 1.0 mm tibia osteotomies were fixed with our experimental plate. Animals were randomised for control or induction heating at three weeks postoperatively. Repetitive X-ray imaging and in vivo measurements of bending stiffness were performed. After sacrifice at 8 weeks, macroscopic evaluation, µCT, and post mortem bending tests of the tibiae were carried out. One death and one early implant dislocation occurred. Following electromagnetic induction heating, radiographic and macroscopic changes of the implant proved successful SME activation. All osteotomies healed. In the treatment group, bending stiffness increased over time. Differences between groups were not significant. In conclusion, we demonstrated successful healing of rabbit tibia osteotomies using our novel NiTi-SMA plate. We demonstrated shape-changing SME in-vivo through transcutaneous electromagnetic induction heating. Thus, future orthopaedic implants could be modified without additional surgery. PMID:26167493

Novel high-strength biocomposites based on microfibrillated cellulose having nano-order-unit web-like network structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakagaito, A. N.; Yano, H.

2005-01-01

A completely new kind of high-strength composite was manufactured using microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) derived from kraft pulp. Because of the unique structure of nano-order-scale interconnected fibrils and microfibrils greatly expanded in the surface area that characterizes MFC, it was possible to produce composites that exploit the extremely high strength of microfibrils. The Young’s modulus (E) and bending strength (σb) of composites using phenolic resin as binder achieved values up to 19 GPa and 370 MPa, respectively, with a density of 1.45 g/cm2, exhibiting outstanding mechanical properties for a plant-fiber-based composite.

Mechanical properties of high-temperature superconducting wires. Ph.D. Thesis - Illinois Inst. of Tech.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goretta, K. C.; Cluff, J. A.; Joo, J.; Lanagan, M. T.; Singh, J. P.; Vasanthamohan, N.; Xin, Y.; Wong, K. W.

1995-01-01

Bending strength, fracture toughness, and elastic modulus data were acquired for YBa2Cu3O(x), Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(x) (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O(x), and Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O(x) bars. These data and thermal expansion coefficients strongly suggest that the maximum possible tensile strain without fracture of bulk tapes or wires is approximately equals 0.2%. In Ag-clad conductors, residual stresses will be of limited benefit, but fractures produced by larger strains can be accommodated by shunting current through the Ag.

Elastic-plastic mixed-iterative finite element analysis: Implementation and performance assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutjahjo, Edhi; Chamis, Christos C.

1993-01-01

An elastic-plastic algorithm based on Von Mises and associative flow criteria is implemented in MHOST-a mixed iterative finite element analysis computer program developed by NASA Lewis Research Center. The performance of the resulting elastic-plastic mixed-iterative analysis is examined through a set of convergence studies. Membrane and bending behaviors of 4-node quadrilateral shell finite elements are tested for elastic-plastic performance. Generally, the membrane results are excellent, indicating the implementation of elastic-plastic mixed-iterative analysis is appropriate.

A Model of the THUNDER Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Alan R. D.

1997-01-01

A THUNDER actuator is a composite of three thin layers, a metal base, a piezoelectric wafer and a metal top cover, bonded together under pressure and at high temperature with the LaRC SI polyimid adhesive. When a voltage is applied between the metal layers across the PZT the actuator will bend and can generate a force. This document develops and describes an analytical model the transduction properties of THUNDER actuators. The model development is divided into three sections. First, a static model is described that relates internal stresses and strains and external displacements to the thermal pre-stress and applied voltage. Second, a dynamic energy based model is described that allows calculation of the resonance frequencies, developed force and electrical input impedance. Finally, a fully coupled electro-mechanical transducer model is described. The model development proceeds by assuming that both the thermal pre-stress and the piezoelectric actuation cause the actuator to deform in a pure bend in a single plane. It is useful to think of this as a two step process, the actuator is held flat, differential stresses induce a bending moment, the actuator is released and it bends. The thermal pre-stress is caused by the different amounts that the constituent layers shrink due to their different coefficients of thermal expansion. The adhesive between layers sets at a high temperature and as the actuator cools, the metal layers shrink more than the PZT. The PZT layer is put into compression while the metal layers are in tension. The piezoelectric actuation has a similar effect. An applied voltage causes the PZT layer to strain, which in turn strains the two metal layers. If the PZT layer expands it will put the metal layers into tension and PZT layer into compression. In both cases, if shear force effects are neglected, the actuator assembly will experience a uniform in-plane strain. As the materials each have a different elastic modulus, different stresses will develop in each layer and these stresses will induce a bending moment. When the actuator is released from its flat configuration, the differential stresses are relieved as the actuator bends.

The structure of the yeast plasma membrane SNARE complex reveals destabilizing water-filled cavities.

PubMed

Strop, Pavel; Kaiser, Stephen E; Vrljic, Marija; Brunger, Axel T

2008-01-11

SNARE proteins form a complex that leads to membrane fusion between vesicles, organelles, and plasma membrane in all eukaryotic cells. We report the 1.7A resolution structure of the SNARE complex that mediates exocytosis at the plasma membrane in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Similar to its neuronal and endosomal homologues, the S. cerevisiae SNARE complex forms a parallel four-helix bundle in the center of which is an ionic layer. The S. cerevisiae SNARE complex exhibits increased helix bending near the ionic layer, contains water-filled cavities in the complex core, and exhibits reduced thermal stability relative to mammalian SNARE complexes. Mutagenesis experiments suggest that the water-filled cavities contribute to the lower stability of the S. cerevisiae complex.

Deformable membranes actuated by high mechanical power density composite electroactive polymers using tailored electric field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Y.; Bhattacharya, K.

2003-01-01

The objective of the project was to develop a versatile electroactuator based on a specific class of EAP, conductive polymer, that is capable of developing high forces and displacements in both bending and linear contraction/expansion movements.

Membrane triangles with corner drilling freedoms. II - The ANDES element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.; Militello, Carmelo

1992-01-01

This is the second article in a three-part series on the construction of 3-node, 9-dof membrane elements with normal-to-its-plane rotational freedoms (the so-called drilling freedoms) using parametrized variational principles. In this part, one such element is derived within the context of the assumed natural deviatoric strain (ANDES) formulation. The higher-order strains are obtained by constructing three parallel-to-sides pure-bending modes from which natural strains are obtained at the corner points and interpolated over the element. To attain rank sufficiency, an additional higher-order 'torsional' mode, corresponding to equal hierarchical rotations at each corner with all other motions precluded, is incorporated. The resulting formulation has five free parameters. When these parameters are optimized against pure bending by energy balance methods, the resulting element is found to coalesce with the optimal EFF element derived in Part I. Numerical integration as a strain filtering device is found to play a key role in this achievement.

The effect of amphiphilic polymers with a continuous amphiphilicity profile on the membrane properties in a bicontinuous microemulsions studied by neutron scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klemmer, Helge F. M.; Frielinghaus, Henrich; Allgaier, Jürgen; Ohl, Michael; Holderer, Olaf

2017-06-01

Microemulsion systems consisting of oil, water and surfactant have been studied with neutron scattering techniques. The amount of surfactant needed to form a microemulsion can be dramatically reduced by the addition of small amounts of amphiphilic block copolymers (boosting effect). Here, we studied the influence of block copolymers with gradually changing amphiphilicity from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS), neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE) and phase diagram measurements in combination give access to the elastic properties of the membrane. The underlying NSE experiments for this interpretation rely on smallest changes of the relaxation curves (of ca. 1% steps) for still small changes of the bending rigidity (of ca. 10% steps). This high reliability of the experiments conducted at the SNS-NSE displays the accuracy of the instrument itself and the latest developments of the evaluation software, which were necessary to interpret such tiny changes of the bending rigidity reliably.

A soft biomolecule actuator based on a highly functionalized bacterial cellulose nano-fiber network with carboxylic acid groups.

PubMed

Wang, Fan; Jeon, Jin-Han; Park, Sukho; Kee, Chang-Doo; Kim, Seong-Jun; Oh, Il-Kwon

2016-01-07

Upcoming human-related applications such as soft wearable electronics, flexible haptic systems, and active bio-medical devices will require bio-friendly actuating materials. Here, we report a soft biomolecule actuator based on carboxylated bacterial cellulose (CBC), ionic liquid (IL), and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) electrodes. Soft and biocompatible polymer-IL composites were prepared via doping of CBC with ILs. The highly conductive PSS layers were deposited on both sides of the CBC-IL membranes by a dip-coating technique to yield a sandwiched actuator system. Ionic conductivity and ionic exchange capacity of the CBC membrane can be increased up to 22.8 times and 1.5 times compared with pristine bacterial cellulose (BC), respectively, resulting in 8 times large bending deformation than the pure BC actuators with metallic electrodes in an open air environment. The developed CBC-IL actuators show significant progress in the development of biocompatible and soft actuating materials with quick response, low operating voltage and comparatively large bending deformation.

Measuring the equation of state for a 2D colloidal membrane: A microfluidic approach to buffer exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balchunas, Andrew; Cabanas, Rafael; Fraden, Seth; Dogic, Zvonimir

Previous work has shown that monodisperse rod-like colloidal particles, such as a filamentous bacteriophage, self assemble into a 2D monolayer smectic in the presence of a non-adsorbing depleting polymer. These structures have the same functional form of bending rigidity and lateral compressibility as conventional lipid bi-layers, so we name the monolayer smectic a colloidal membrane. We have developed a microfluidic device such that the osmotic pressure acting on a colloidal membrane may be controlled via a full in situ buffer exchange. Rod density within individual colloidal membranes was measured as a function of osmotic pressure and a first order phase transition, from 2D fluid to 2D solid, was observed. kon and koff rates of rod to membrane binding were measured by lowering the osmotic pressure until membrane evaporation occurred.

Influence of Lipid Membrane Rigidity on Properties of Supporting Polymer

PubMed Central

Jablin, Michael S.; Dubey, Manish; Zhernenkov, Mikhail; Toomey, Ryan; Majewski, Jarosław

2011-01-01

Temperature-sensitive hydrogel polymers are utilized as responsive layers in various applications. Although the polymer's native characteristics have been studied extensively, details concerning its properties during interaction with biorelated structures are lacking. This work investigates the interaction between a thermoresponsive polymer cushion and different lipid membrane capping layers probed by neutron reflectometry. N-isopropylacrylamide copolymerized with methacroylbenzophenone first supported a lipid bilayer composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) and subsequently 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). The polymer-membrane systems were investigated above and below the polymer transition temperature (37 and 25°C). Although the same cushion supported each lipid membrane, the polymer hydration profile and thickness were markedly different for DPPE and DPPC systems. Because DPPE and DPPC have different bending rigidities, these results establish that the polymer-membrane interaction is critically mediated by the mechanics of the membrane, providing better insight into cell-hydrogel interactions. PMID:21723822

Wrinkling reduction of membrane structure by trimming edges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mingjun; Huang, Jin; Liu, Mingyue

2017-05-01

Thin membranes have negligible bending stiffness, compressive stresses inevitably lead to wrinkling. Therefore, it is important to keep the surface of membrane structures flat in order to guarantee high precision. Edge-trimming is an effective method to passively diminish wrinkles, however a key difficulty in this process is the determination of the optimal trimming level. In this paper, regular polygonal membrane structures subjected to equal radial forces were analyzed, and a new stress field distribution model for arc-edge square membrane structure was proposed to predict the optimal trimming level. This model is simple and applicable to any polygonal membrane structures. Comparison among the results of the finite element analysis, and the experimental and analytical results showed that the proposed model accurately described the stress field distribution and guaranteed that there are no wrinkles appear inside the effective inscribed circle region for the optimal trimming level.

Hydrostatic and Flow Measurements on Wrinkled Membrane Walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozsun, Ozgur; Ekinci, Kamil

2013-03-01

In this study, we investigate structural properties of wrinkled silicon nitride (SiN) membranes, under both hydrostatic perturbations and flow conditions, through surface profile measurements. Rectangular SiN membranes with linear dimensions of 15 mm × 1 . 5 mm × 1 μ m are fabricated on a 500 - μ m-thick silicon substrate using standard lithography techniques. These thin, initially flat, tension-dominated membranes are wrinkled by bending the silicon substrate. The wrinkled membranes are subsequently incorporated as walls into rectangular micro-channels, which allow both hydrostatic and flow measurements. The structural response of the wrinkles to hydrostatic pressure provides a measure of the various energy scales in the problem. Flow experiments show that the elastic properties and the structural undulations on a compliant membrane completely dominate the flow, possibly providing drag reduction. These measurements pave the way for building and using compliant walls for drag reduction in micro-channels.

The effects of membrane cholesterol and simvastatin on red blood cell deformability and ATP release.

PubMed

Forsyth, Alison M; Braunmüller, Susanne; Wan, Jiandi; Franke, Thomas; Stone, Howard A

2012-05-01

It is known that deformation of red blood cells (RBCs) is linked to ATP release from the cells. Further, membrane cholesterol has been shown to alter properties of the cell membrane such as fluidity and bending stiffness. Membrane cholesterol content is increased in some cardiovascular diseases, for example, in individuals with acute coronary syndromes and chronic stable angina, and therefore, because of the potential clinical relevance, we investigated the influence of altered RBC membrane cholesterol levels on ATP release. Because of the correlation between statins and reduced membrane cholesterol in vivo, we also investigated the effects of simvastatin on RBC deformation and ATP release. We found that reducing membrane cholesterol increases cell deformability and ATP release. We also found that simvastatin increases deformability by acting directly on the membrane in the absence of the liver, and that ATP release was increased for cells with enriched cholesterol after treatment with simvastatin. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Degradable phosphate glass fiber reinforced polymer matrices: mechanical properties and cell response.

PubMed

Brauer, Delia S; Rüssel, Christian; Vogt, Sebastian; Weisser, Jürgen; Schnabelrauch, Matthias

2008-01-01

The development of biodegradable materials for internal fracture fixation is of great interest, as they would both eliminate the problem of stress shielding and obviate the need for a second operation to remove fixation devices. Preliminary investigations for the production of degradable fiber reinforced polymer composite materials are detailed. Composites were produced of phosphate invert glass fibers of the glass system P(2)O(5)-CaO-MgO-Na(2)O-TiO(2), which showed a low solubility in previous work. The fibers were embedded into a matrix of a degradable organic polymer network based on methacrylate-modified oligolactide. Fracture behavior, bending strength and elastic modulus were evaluated during 3-point bending tests and the fracture surface of the composites was investigated using a scanning electron microscope. Short-term biocompatibility was tested in an FDA/EtBr viability assay using MC3T3-E1 murine pre-osteoblast cells and showed a good cell compatibility of the composite materials. Results suggested that these composite materials are biocompatible and show mechanical properties which are of interest for the production of degradable bone fixation devices.

THERMAL PROPERTIES AND HEATING AND COOLING DURABILITY OF REACTOR SHIELDING CONCRETE (in Japanese)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hosoi, J.; Chujo, K.; Saji, K.

1959-01-01

A study was made of the thermal properties of various concretes made of domestic raw materials for radiation shields of a power reactor and of a high- flux research reactor. The results of measurements of thermal expansion coefficient, specific heat, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, cyclical heating, and cooling durability are described. Relationships between thermal properties and durability are discussed and several photographs of the concretes are given. It is shown that the heating and cooling durability of such a concrete which has a large thermal expansion coefficient or a considerable difference between the thermal expansion of coarse aggregate and themore » one of cement mortar part or aggregates of lower strength is very poor. The decreasing rates of bending strength and dynamical modulus of elasticity and the residual elongation of the concrete tested show interesting relations with the modified thermal stress resistance factor containing a ratio of bending strength and thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal stress resistance factor seems to depend on the conditions of heat transfer on the surface and on heat release in the concrete. (auth)« less

Collagen-chitosan-glycerol bio-composite as artificial tympanic membrane for ruptured inner ear organ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyanti, Prihartini; Setya Angtika, Rara; Githanadi, Brillyana; Hanif Kharisma, Ditya; Asyraf, Tarikh Omar; Wardani, Adita

2017-05-01

WHO data in 2012 shows that 5.3% of world population highly suffers from hearing loss and deafness. One of the deafness causes is rupture of tympanic membrane. Tympanic membrane damage which occurs often is perforated tympanic membrane, and it is also commonly known in medical term as tympanic membrane perforation. The causes, for instance, are high frequency of using earphones, traumatic accidents, noise, bacteria, viruses, and infectious microorganism. Tympanoplasty becomes the only treatment that can be widely accepted despite of deficiencies in postoperative complications. Therefore, this research aims to create artificial tympanic membrane made of natural materials such as type I collagen composited with chitosan and made of addition of glycerol to improve its mechanical strength and biodegradability. The method included the process of dissolving acetic acid in distilled water and mixation with chitosan. The solution is next added with glycerol and stirred to be homogeneous. After that, it was minted in petri dish and aerated before characterized. The sample characterization included tensile strength of which tensile test results showed that the value of the elasticity modulus tended to decrease with an increase in collagen concentration. The elasticity modulus values in a row for the variations of 7: 3, 8: 2, and 9: 1 were 35.10 MPa, 54,52MPa, and 47,45MPa respectively. The morphological test with 1000x, 2500x, and 5000x magnification showed their interaction in the formation of pores. Cytotoxicity results, moreover, showed that those samples were non-toxic and safe for the body due to the percentage of living cells. The sound absorption coefficient was between 1000 Hz - 2000 Hz which means that it could use as sound absorbing material. The antibacterial test results showed that all the sample variations were anti-bacterial due to the diameter of the clear zone. In conclusion, collagen and chitosan composite with addition of glycerol could be used for potential artificial tympanic for to its characterization

Various methods of determining the natural frequencies and damping of composite cantilever plates. 1. Exact solution for the binomial model of deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skel'chik, V. S.; Ryabov, V. M.

1996-11-01

On the basis of the classical theory of thin anisotropic laminated plates the article analyzes the free vibrations of rectangular cantilever plates made of fibrous composites. The application of Kantorovich's method for the binomial representation of the shape of the elastic surface of a plate yielded for two unknown functions a system of two connected differential equations and the corresponding boundary conditions at the place of constraint and at the free edge. The exact solution for the frequencies and forms of the free vibrations was found with the use of Laplace transformation with respect to the space variable. The magnitudes of several first dimensionless frequencies of the bending and torsional vibrations of the plate were calculated for a wide range of change of two dimensionless complexes, with the dimensions of the plate and the anisotropy of the elastic properties of the material taken into account. The article shows that with torsional vibrations the warping constraint at the fixed end explains the apparent dependence of the shear modulus of the composite on the length of the specimen that had been discovered earlier on in experiments with a torsional pendulum. It examines the interaction and transformation of the second bending mode and of the first torsional mode of the vibrations. It analyzes the asymptotics of the dimensionless frequencies when the length of the plate is increased, and it shows that taking into account the bending-torsion interaction in strongly anisotropic materials type unidirectional carbon reinforced plastic can reduce substantially the frequencies of the bending vibrations but has no effect (within the framework of the binomial model) on the frequencies of the torsional vibrations.

Microviscoelasticity of the apical cell surface of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) within confluent monolayers.

PubMed

Feneberg, Wolfgang; Aepfelbacher, Martin; Sackmann, Erich

2004-08-01

We studied the local viscoelasticity of the apical membrane of human umbilical vein endothelial cells within confluent layers by magnetic tweezers microrheometry. Magnetic beads are coupled to various integrins by coating with fibronectin or invasin. By analyzing the deflection of beads evoked by various force scenarios we demonstrate that the cell envelope behaves as a linear viscoelastic body if forces up to 2 nN are applied for short times (<20 s) but can respond in an adaptive way if stress pulses are applied longer (>30 s). The time-dependent shear relaxation modulus G(t) exhibits three time regimes: a fast response (t < 0.05 s) where the relaxation modulus G(t) obeys a power law G(t) approximately t(-0.82+/-0.02); a plateau-like behavior (at 0.05 s < t < 0.15 s); and a slow flow-like response which is, however, partially reversible. Strain field mapping experiments with colloidal probes show that local forces induce a strain field exhibiting a range of zeta = 10 +/- 1 microm, but which could only be observed if nonmagnetic beads were coupled to the cell surface by invasin. By application of the theory of elasticity of planar bodies we estimated a surface shear modulus of 2.5 x10(-4) N/m. By assuming a thickness of the actin cortex of approximately 0.5 microm we estimate a Young modulus micro approximately 400 Pa for the apical membrane. The value agrees with a plateau modulus of an entangled or weakly cross-linked actin network of an actin concentration of 100 microM (mesh size 0.2 microm). This result together with our observation of a strong reduction of the shear modulus by the actin destabilizing agent latrunculin A suggests that the shear modulus measured by our technique is determined by the actin cortex. The effect of two ligands inducing actin stress fiber formation and centripetal contraction of cells (associated with the formation of gaps in the confluent cell monolayer) on the viscoelastic responses were studied: histamine and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Histamine evoked a dramatic increase of the cell stiffness by >1 order of magnitude within <30 s, which is attributed to a transient rise of the intracellular Ca(2+) level, since DMSO exerted a similar effect. The stiffening is accompanied by a concomitant rounding of the cells as observed by microinterferometry and relaxes partially in the timescale of 5 min, whereas gaps between cells close after approximately 30 min. LPA did not exert a remarkable and reproducible effect other than an occasional very weak transient increase of the shear stiffness, which shows that the gap formation activated by LPA is mediated by a different mechanism than that induced by histamine.

Dynamics of a fluctuating semi-flexible membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tukdarian, Nathaniel; Huang, Aiqun; Adhikari, Ramesh; Bhattacharya, Aniket

2015-03-01

We report our preliminary studies of conformations and dynamics of a fluctuating semi-flexible membrane. Our model of membrane with linear dimension L consists of N2 (L = Nbl) excluded volume beads connected by anharmonic springs. The stiffness of the membrane is controlled by adjusting the strength κb of the bending potential Ubend =κb(1-n̂i .n̂j) between adjacent elementary plaquettes consisting of three beads at the corners connected by bonds and characterized by normal unit vectors n̂i and n̂j. We study the conformations and dynamic fluctuations of the membrane using Brownian dynamics simulation. We show how the radius of gyration scales with N and κb, and study characteristics of the transverse fluctuations, the root-mean-square displacement of the center of mass, and the dynamics of the end monomers at each corner.

Direct formulation of a 4-node hybrid shell element with rotational degrees of freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aminpour, Mohammad A.

1990-01-01

A simple 4-node assumed-stress hybrid quadrilateral shell element with rotational or drilling degrees of freedom is formulated. The element formulation is based directly on a 4-node element. This direct formulation requires fewer computations than a similar element that is derived from an internal 8-node isoparametric element in which the midside degrees of freedom are eliminated in favor of rotational degree of freedom at the corner nodes. The formulation is based on the principle of minimum complementary energy. The membrane part of the element has 12 degrees of freedom including rotational degrees of freedom. The bending part of the element also has 12 degrees of freedom. The bending part of the quadratic variations for both in-plane and out-of-plane displacement fields and linear variations for both in-plane and out-of-plane rotation fields are assumed along the edges of the element. The element Cartesian-coordinate system is chosen such as to make the stress field invariant with respect to node numbering. The membrane part of the stress field is based on a 9-parameter equilibrating stress field, while the bending part is based on a 13-parameter equilibrating stress field. The element passes the patch test, is nearly insensitive to mesh distortion, does not lock, possesses the desirable invariance properties, has no spurious modes, and produces accurate and reliable results.

Comparison of the wear and flexural characteristics of flowable resin composites for posterior lesions.

PubMed

Sumino, Natsu; Tsubota, Keishi; Takamizawa, Toshiki; Shiratsuchi, Koji; Miyazaki, Masashi; Latta, Mark A

2013-01-01

To determine the localized wear and flexural properties of flowable resin composites for posterior lesions compared with universal resin composites produced by the same manufacturers. Ten specimens of each of three flowable resins, G-ænial Universal Flo, G-ænial Flo and Clearfil Majesty Flow, and the corresponding resin composite materials, Kalore and Clearfil Majesty Esthetics, were prepared in custom fixtures and subjected to 400,000 wear machine cycles to simulate localized wear. The total maximum depth and volume loss of the wear facets was calculated for each specimen using a profilometer. A three-point bending test was performed to determine the flexural strength, modulus of elasticity and resilience. Values were statistically compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test. The wear depth ranged from 58.3-126.9 m and the volumetric loss ranged from 0.019-0.049 mm(3), with significant differences observed between restorative materials. The wear depth of G-ænial Universal Flo was significantly smaller than those of the other resin composites tested. The flexural strengths and elastic modulus ranged from 90.5-135.1 MPa and from 4.7-7.6 GPa, respectively. A significantly greater flexural strength and higher elastic modulus was found for G-ænial Universal Flo than the other composites. The wear and mechanical properties of the flowable resin composites tested suggested improved performance compared with universal resin composites.

Comparative characterization of a novel cad-cam polymer-infiltrated-ceramic-network

PubMed Central

Pascual, Agustín; Camps, Isabel; Grau-Benitez, María

2015-01-01

Background The field of dental ceramics for CAD-CAM is enriched with a new innovative material composition having a porous three-dimensional structure of feldspathic ceramic infiltrated with acrylic resins.The aim of this study is to determine the mechanical properties of Polymer-Infiltrated-Ceramic-Network (PICN) and compare its performance with other ceramics and a nano-ceramic resin available for CAD-CAM systems. Material and Methods In this study a total of five different materials for CAD-CAM were investigated. A polymer-infiltrated ceramic (Vita Enamic), a nano-ceramic resin (Lava Ultimate), a feldspathic ceramic (Mark II), a lithium disilicate ceramic (IPS-e max CAD) and finally a Leucite based ceramic (Empress - CAD). From CAD-CAM blocks, 120 bars (30 for each material cited above) were cut to measure the flexural strength with a three-point-bending test. Strain at failure, fracture stress and Weibull modulus was calculated. Vickers hardness of each material was also measured. Results IPS-EMAX presents mechanical properties significantly better from the other materials studied. Its strain at failure, flexural strength and hardness exhibited significantly higher values in comparison with the others. VITA ENAMIC and LAVA ULTIMATE stand out as the next most resistant materials. Conclusions The flexural strength, elastic modulus similar to a tooth as well as having less hardness than ceramics make PICN materials an option to consider as a restorative material. Key words:Ceramic infiltrated with resin, CAD-CAM, Weibull modulus, flexural strength, micro hardness. PMID:26535096

Reinforced Electrode Architecture for a Flexible Battery with Paperlike Characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaikwad, AM; Chu, HN; Qeraj, R

2013-02-10

Compliant energy storage has not kept pace with flexible electronics. Herein we demonstrate a technique to reinforce arbitrary battery electrodes by supporting them with mechanically tough, low-cost fibrous membranes, which also serve as the separator. The membranes were laminated to form a full cell, and this stacked membrane reinforcement bears the loads during flexing. This technique was used to make a high energy density, nontoxic Zn-MnO2 battery with printed current collectors. The Zn and MnO2 electrodes were prepared by using a solution-based embedding process. The cell had a nominal potential of 1.5 V and an effective capacity of approximately 3more » mA h cm(-2). We investigated the effect of bending and fatigue on the electrochemical performance and mechanical integrity of the battery. The battery was able to maintain its capacity even after 1000 flex cycles to a bend radius of 2.54 cm. The battery showed an improvement in discharge capacity (ca. 10%) if the MnO2 electrode was flexed to tension as a result of the improvement of particle-to-particle contact. In a demonstration, the flexible battery was used to power a light-emitting diode display integrated with a strain sensor and microcontroller.« less

Electroactive nanostructured polymer actuators fabricated using sulfonated styrenic pentablock copolymer/montmorillonite/ionic liquid nanocomposite membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jang-Woo; Hong, Soon Man; Koo, Chong Min

2014-08-01

High-bendable, air-operable ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators composed of electroactive nanostructured middle-block sulfonated styrenic pentablock copolymer (SSPB)/sulfonated montmorillonite (s-MMT) nanocomposite electrolyte membranes with bulky imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) incorporated were fabricated and their bending actuation performances were evaluated. The SSPB-based IPMC actuators showed larger air-operable bending displacements, higher displacement rates, and higher energy efficiency of actuations without conventional IPMC bottlenecks, including back relaxation and actuation instability during actuation in air, than the Nafion counterpart. Incorporation of s-MMT into the SSPB matrix further enhanced the actuation performance of the IPMC actuators in terms of displacement, displacement rate, and energy efficiency. The remarkably high performance of the SSPB/s-MMT/IL IPMCs was considered to be due to the microphase-separated large ionic domains of the SSPB (the average diameter of the ionic domain: ca. 20 nm) and the role of s-MMT as an ionic bridge between the ionic domains, and the ion pumping effect of the bulky imidazolium cations of the ILs as well. The microphase-separated nanostructure of the composite membranes caused a high dimensional stability upon swelling in the presence of ILs, which effectively preserved the original electrode resistance against swelling, leading to a high actuation performance of IPMC.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacDermaid, Christopher M., E-mail: chris.macdermaid@temple.edu; Klein, Michael L.; Fiorin, Giacomo, E-mail: giacomo.fiorin@temple.edu

The architecture of a biological membrane hinges upon the fundamental fact that its properties are determined by more than the sum of its individual components. Studies on model membranes have shown the need to characterize in molecular detail how properties such as thickness, fluidity, and macroscopic bending rigidity are regulated by the interactions between individual molecules in a non-trivial fashion. Simulation-based approaches are invaluable to this purpose but are typically limited to short sampling times and model systems that are often smaller than the required properties. To alleviate both limitations, the use of coarse-grained (CG) models is nowadays an establishedmore » computational strategy. We here present a new CG force field for cholesterol, which was developed by using measured properties of small molecules, and can be used in combination with our previously developed force field for phospholipids. The new model performs with precision comparable to atomistic force fields in predicting the properties of cholesterol-rich phospholipid bilayers, including area per lipid, bilayer thickness, tail order parameter, increase in bending rigidity, and propensity to form liquid-ordered domains in ternary mixtures. We suggest the use of this model to quantify the impact of cholesterol on macroscopic properties and on microscopic phenomena involving localization and trafficking of lipids and proteins on cellular membranes.« less

Statistical Analysis of Bending Rigidity Coefficient Determined Using Fluorescence-Based Flicker-Noise Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Doskocz, Joanna; Drabik, Dominik; Chodaczek, Grzegorz; Przybyło, Magdalena; Langner, Marek

2018-06-01

Bending rigidity coefficient describes propensity of a lipid bilayer to deform. In order to measure the parameter experimentally using flickering noise spectroscopy, the microscopic imaging is required, which necessitates the application of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV) lipid bilayer model. The major difficulty associated with the application of the model is the statistical character of GUV population with respect to their size and the homogeneity of lipid bilayer composition, if a mixture of lipids is used. In the paper, the bending rigidity coefficient was measured using the fluorescence-enhanced flicker-noise spectroscopy. In the paper, the bending rigidity coefficient was determined for large populations of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine vesicles. The quantity of obtained experimental data allows to perform statistical analysis aiming at the identification of the distribution, which is the most appropriate for the calculation of the value of the membrane bending rigidity coefficient. It has been demonstrated that the bending rigidity coefficient is characterized by an asymmetrical distribution, which is well approximated with the gamma distribution. Since there are no biophysical reasons for that we propose to use the difference between normal and gamma fits as a measure of the homogeneity of vesicle population. In addition, the effect of a fluorescent label and types of instrumental setups on determined values has been tested. Obtained results show that the value of the bending rigidity coefficient does not depend on the type of a fluorescent label nor on the type of microscope used.

Nanostructures formed by displacement of porous silicon with copper: from nanoparticles to porous membranes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The application of porous silicon as a template for the fabrication of nanosized copper objects is reported. Three different types of nanostructures were formed by displacement deposition of copper on porous silicon from hydrofluoric acid-based solutions of copper sulphate: (1) copper nanoparticles, (2) quasi-continuous copper films, and (3) free porous copper membranes. Managing the parameters of porous silicon (pore sizes, porosity), deposition time, and wettability of the copper sulphate solution has allowed to achieve such variety of the copper structures. Elemental and structural analyses of the obtained structures are presented. Young modulus measurements of the porous copper membrane have been carried out and its modest activity in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is declared. PMID:22916840

Visualization of membrane RNAs

PubMed Central

JANAS, TADEUSZ; YARUS, MICHAEL

2003-01-01

Using fluorescence microscopy, we show that previously isolated membrane-binding RNAs coat artificial phospholipid membranes relatively uniformly, except for a frequent tendency to concentrate at bends, membrane junctions, and other unusual sites. Membrane RNAs can also be visualized as single molecules or isolated complexes by atomic force microscopy (AFM) of free RNAs on mica. Finally, RNAs can be seen within membranes by AFM of RNA-liposomes immobilized on hydrophobic mica surfaces. Monomer RNAs appear globular, as expected for small RNAs. When mixed under conditions in which RNAs bind bilayers, RNA 9 and RNA 10 combine to yield about 80% of RNAs as mainly linear oligomers of ≈2–8 molecules. Once inserted in membranes, the RNAs oligomerize further, yielding larger, irregular ropelike structures that prefer the edges of altered lipid patches. These properties can be interpreted in terms of RNA–RNA loop interactions, and the RNA effects on membranes can be explained in terms of an RNA preference for irregular lipid conformations. The RNA-bilayer system poses new opportunities for combining the properties of membranes and RNA in contemporary cells, and also in the ribocytes of an RNA world. PMID:14561885

Mechanical properties of water desalination and wastewater treatment membranes

DOE PAGES

Wang, Kui; Abdalla, Ahmed A.; Khaleel, Mohammad A.; ...

2017-07-13

Applications of membrane technology in water desalination and wastewater treatment have increased significantly in the past fewdecades due to itsmany advantages over otherwater treatment technologies.Water treatment membranes provide high flux and contaminant rejection ability and require good mechanical strength and durability. Thus, assessing the mechanical properties of water treatment membranes is critical not only to their design, but also for studying their failure mechanisms, including the surface damage, mechanical and chemical ageing, delamination and loss of dimensional stability of the membranes. The various experimental techniques to assess themechanical properties ofwastewater treatment and desalinationmembranes are reviewed. Uniaxial tensile test, bending test,more » dynamic mechanical analysis, nanoindentation and bursting tests are the most widely used mechanical characterization methods for water treatment membranes. Mechanical degradations induced by fouling, chemical cleaning as well as membrane delamination are then discussed. Moreover, in order to study the membranesmechanical responses under similar loading conditions, the stress-state of the membranes are analyzed and advanced mechanical testing approaches are proposed. Lastly, some perspectives are highlighted to study the structure-properties relationship for wastewater treatment and water desalination membranes.« less

Mechanical properties of water desalination and wastewater treatment membranes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Kui; Abdalla, Ahmed A.; Khaleel, Mohammad A.

Applications of membrane technology in water desalination and wastewater treatment have increased significantly in the past fewdecades due to itsmany advantages over otherwater treatment technologies.Water treatment membranes provide high flux and contaminant rejection ability and require good mechanical strength and durability. Thus, assessing the mechanical properties of water treatment membranes is critical not only to their design, but also for studying their failure mechanisms, including the surface damage, mechanical and chemical ageing, delamination and loss of dimensional stability of the membranes. The various experimental techniques to assess themechanical properties ofwastewater treatment and desalinationmembranes are reviewed. Uniaxial tensile test, bending test,more » dynamic mechanical analysis, nanoindentation and bursting tests are the most widely used mechanical characterization methods for water treatment membranes. Mechanical degradations induced by fouling, chemical cleaning as well as membrane delamination are then discussed. Moreover, in order to study the membranesmechanical responses under similar loading conditions, the stress-state of the membranes are analyzed and advanced mechanical testing approaches are proposed. Lastly, some perspectives are highlighted to study the structure-properties relationship for wastewater treatment and water desalination membranes.« less

Nanoscale manipulation of membrane curvature for probing endocytosis in live cells.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenting; Hanson, Lindsey; Lou, Hsin-Ya; Akamatsu, Matthew; Chowdary, Praveen D; Santoro, Francesca; Marks, Jessica R; Grassart, Alexandre; Drubin, David G; Cui, Yi; Cui, Bianxiao

2017-08-01

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) involves nanoscale bending and inward budding of the plasma membrane, by which cells regulate both the distribution of membrane proteins and the entry of extracellular species. Extensive studies have shown that CME proteins actively modulate the plasma membrane curvature. However, the reciprocal regulation of how the plasma membrane curvature affects the activities of endocytic proteins is much less explored, despite studies suggesting that membrane curvature itself can trigger biochemical reactions. This gap in our understanding is largely due to technical challenges in precisely controlling the membrane curvature in live cells. In this work, we use patterned nanostructures to generate well-defined membrane curvatures ranging from +50 nm to -500 nm radius of curvature. We find that the positively curved membranes are CME hotspots, and that key CME proteins, clathrin and dynamin, show a strong preference towards positive membrane curvatures with a radius <200 nm. Of ten CME-related proteins we examined, all show preferences for positively curved membrane. In contrast, other membrane-associated proteins and non-CME endocytic protein caveolin1 show no such curvature preference. Therefore, nanostructured substrates constitute a novel tool for investigating curvature-dependent processes in live cells.

Nanoscale Structure of Urethane/Urea Elastomeric Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reis, Dennys; Trindade, Ana C.; Godinho, Maria Helena; Silva, Laura C.; do Carmo Gonçalves, Maria; Neto, Antônio M. Figueiredo

2017-02-01

The nanostructure of urethane/urea elastomeric membranes was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in order to establish relationships between their structure and mechanical properties. The networks were made up of polypropylene oxide (PPO) and polybutadiene (PB) segments. The structural differences were investigated in two types of membranes with the same composition but with different thermal treatment after casting. Type I was cured at 70-80 °C and type II at 20 °C. Both membranes showed similar phase separation by TEM, with nanodomains rich in PB or PPO and 25 nm dimensions. The main difference between type I and type II membranes was found by SAXS. The type I membrane spectra showed, besides a broad band at a 27-nm q value (modulus of the scattering vector), an extra band at 6 nm, which was not observed in the type II membrane. The SAXS spectra were interpreted in terms of PPO, PB soft segments, and urethane/urea links, as well as hard moiety segregation in the reaction medium. This additional segregation ( q = 7 nm), although subtle, results in diverse mechanical behavior of in both membranes.

The influence of the membrane-polymer interface on colloidal membrane dynamics and phase behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakhary, Mark J.

A primary challenge in the field of self-assembly is to identify simple interactions that produce well-defined, complex, and controllable materials. A large part of this task is to creatively engineer appropriate assembly components with such suitable interactions built-in. Here, we demonstrate that rod-like subunits, experimentally modeled by fd bacteriophage viruses, with simple and predictable hard-core repulsive interactions, exhibit a great wealth of fascinating self-assembly behavior. These rods form two-dimensional liquid crystalline colloidal membranes consisting of monolayers of aligned particles owing purely to entropic considerations. Due to surface tension, rods near the edge of the monolayers twist, resulting in an elastic nematic ring surrounding the fluid-like membrane interior, and it is the rich phenomena rooted in the interplay between the edge and the interior that is the subject of this thesis. The chiral nature of the fd subunits causes a symmetry breaking at the membrane edge, which leads to chiral control of interfacial tension and resultantly a controllable, reversible morphological transition between membranes and one-dimensional twisted ribbons. Using optical microscopic and optical tweezer techniques, we show that a nucleation barrier exists in association with the membrane-ribbon transition, and investigate this barrier using fluctuation analysis as well as highly controlled force-extension experiments. The finite bending rigidity of the membrane edge is studied, and we show that long filamentous polymers spontaneously adhere to the edge, introducing the concept of geometrical edge-active agents. By analyzing the suppressed edge fluctuations of filament-bound membranes, it is found that the edge bending rigidity varies by up to an order of magnitude in a predictable and controllable way. Finally, we study the effect of the monolayer edge on the membrane coalescence, and observe two types of stable liquid crystalline defects that form at the coalescence site due to chiral incompatibility and frustration. By observing the fluctuations of these structures under various sample conditions, we quantify physical parameters associated with the defects, as well as their respective regions of stability. Optical tweezers are used to easily effect controllable membrane self-coalescence, which allows for imprinting defect networks, transforming between defect types, and imparting irreversible topological alterations to defects.

Sorting of amphiphile membrane components in curvature and composition gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Aiwei

Phase and shape heterogeneities in biomembranes are of functional importance. However, it is difficult to elucidate the roles membrane heterogeneities play in maintaining cellular function due to the complexity of biomembranes. Therefore, investigations of phase behavior and composition/curvature coupling in lipid and polymer model membranes offer some advantages. In this thesis, phase properties in lipid and polymer giant vesicles were studied. Line tension at the fluid/fluid phase boundary of giant lipid unilamellar vesicles was determined directly by micropipette aspiration, and found to be composition-dependent. Dynamics of calcium-induced domains within polyanionic vesicles subject to chemical stimuli were investigated, which revealed the strength of molecular interaction and suggested applications in triggered delivery. In addition, curvature sorting of lipids and proteins was examined. Lipid membrane tethers were pulled from giant unilamellar vesicles using two micropipettes and a bead. Tether radius can be controlled and measured in this system. By examining fluorescence intensity of labeled molecules as a function of curvature, we found that DiI dyes (lipid analogues with spontaneous curvatures) had no curvature preference down to radii of 10 nm. Theoretical calculation predicted that the distribution of small lipids was dominated by entropy instead of bending energy. However protein Cholera toxin subunit B was efficiently sorted away from the high positive curvature due to its negative spontaneous curvature. Bending stiffness was determined to decrease as curvature increased in homogeneous membranes with ternary lipid mixtures near a critical consulate point, revealing the strong preferential intermolecular interactions of such mixtures. In addition, diffusion controlled domain growth was observed in tethers pulled from phase-separated vesicles, which provides a new dynamic sorting principle for lipids and proteins in curvature gradients.

Measurements of unjacketed moduli of porous rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarokh, A.; Makhnenko, R. Y.; Labuz, J.

2017-12-01

Coupling of stress and pore pressure appears in a number of applications dealing with subsurface (sedimentary) rock, including petroleum exploration and waste storage. Poroelastic analyses consider the compressibility of the solid constituents forming the rock, and often times solid bulk modulus Ks is assumed to be the same as the dominant mineral bulk modulus. In fact, there are two different parameters describing solid compressibility of a porous rock: the unjacketed bulk modulus Ks' and the unjacketed pore modulus Ks". Experimental techniques are developed to measure the two poroelastic parameters of fluid-saturated porous rock under the unjacketed condition. In an unjacketed experiment, the rock without a membrane is loaded by the fluid in a pressure vessel. The confining fluid permeates the connected pore space throughout the interior of the rock. Therefore, changes in mean stress P will produce equal changes in pore pressure p, i.e. ΔP = Δp. The test can also be performed with a jacketed rock specimen by applying equal increments of mean stress and pore pressure. The unjacketed bulk modulus, Ks', is obtained by measuring the bulk strain with resistive strain gages. The unjacketed pore modulus, Ks", the pore volume counterpart to Ks', is a measure of the change in pore pressure per unit pore volume strain under the unjacketed condition. Several indirect estimates of Ks" have been reported but limitations of these approaches do not provide an accurate value. We present direct measurements of Ks" with detailed calibration on the system volumetric response. The results indicate that for Dunnville sandstone Ks' and Ks" are equal while for Berea sandstone, a difference between the two moduli exists, which is explained by the presence of non-connected pores. The experiments also strongly suggest that both Ks' and Ks" are independent of effective stress.

Relationship between mechanical properties of one-step self-etch adhesives and water sorption.

PubMed

Hosaka, Keiichi; Nakajima, Masatoshi; Takahashi, Masahiro; Itoh, Shima; Ikeda, Masaomi; Tagami, Junji; Pashley, David H

2010-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between changes in the modulus of elasticity and ultimate tensile strength of one-step self-etch adhesives, and their degree of water sorption. Five one-step self-etch adhesives, Xeno IV (Dentsply Caulk), G Bond (GC Corp.), Clearfil S3 Bond (Kuraray Medical Inc.), Bond Force (Tokuyama Dental Corp.), and One-Up Bond F Plus (Tokuyama Dental Corp.) were used. Ten dumbelled-shaped polymers of each adhesive were used to obtain the modulus of elasticity by the three-point flexural bending test and the ultimate tensile strength by microtensile testing. The modulus of elasticity and the ultimate tensile strength were measured in both dry and wet conditions before/after immersion in water for 24h. Water sorption was measured, using a modification of the ISO-4049 standard. Each result of the modulus of elasticity and ultimate tensile strength was statistically analyzed using a two-way ANOVA and the result of water sorption was statistically analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. Regression analyses were used to determine the correlations between the modulus of elasticity and the ultimate tensile strength in dry or wet states, and also the percent decrease in these properties before/after immersion of water vs. water sorption. In the dry state, the moduli of elasticity of the five adhesive polymers varied from 948 to 1530 MPa, while the ultimate tensile strengths varied from 24.4 to 61.5 MPa. The wet specimens gave much lower moduli of elasticity (from 584 to 1073 MPa) and ultimate tensile strengths (from 16.5 to 35.0 MPa). Water sorption varied from 32.1 to 105.8 g mm(-3). The moduli of elasticity and ultimate tensile strengths of the adhesives fell significantly after water-storage. Water sorption depended on the constituents of the adhesive systems. The percent decreases in the ultimate tensile strengths of the adhesives were related to water sorption, while the percent reductions in the moduli of elasticity of the adhesives were not related to water sorption. Copyright (c) 2009 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of the Flexural and Impact Strengths and Flexural Modulus of CAD/CAM and Conventional Heat-Cured Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA).

PubMed

Al-Dwairi, Ziad N; Tahboub, Kawkab Y; Baba, Nadim Z; Goodacre, Charles J

2018-06-13

The introduction of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to the field of removable prosthodontics has recently made it possible to fabricate complete dentures of prepolymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blocks, which are claimed to be of better mechanical properties; however, no published reports that have evaluated mechanical properties of CAD/CAM PMMA. The purpose of this study was to compare flexural strength, impact strength, and flexural modulus of two brands of CAD/CAM PMMA and a conventional heat-cured PMMA. 45 rectangular specimens (65 mm × 10 mm × 3 mm) were fabricated (15 CAD/CAM AvaDent PMMA specimens from AvaDent, 15 CAD/CAM Tizian PMMA specimens from Shütz Dental, 15 conventional Meliodent PMMA specimens from Heraeus Kulzer) and stored in distilled water at (37  ± 1°C) for 7 days. Specimens (N = 15) in each group were subjected to the three-point bending test and impact strength test, employing the Charpy configuration on unnotched specimens. The morphology of the fractured specimens was studied under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey pairwise multiple comparisons with 95% confidence interval. The Schütz Dental specimens showed the highest mean flexural strength (130.67 MPa) and impact strength (29.56 kg/m 2 ). The highest mean flexural modulus was recorded in the AvaDent group (2519.6 MPa). The conventional heat-cured group showed the lowest mean flexural strength (93.33 MPa), impact strength (14.756 kg/m 2 ), and flexural modulus (2117.2 MPa). Differences in means of flexural properties between AvaDent and Schütz Dental specimens were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). As CAD/CAM PMMA specimens exhibited improved flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength in comparison to the conventional heat-cured groups, CAD/CAM dentures are expected to be more durable. Different brands of CAD/CAM PMMA may have inherent variations in mechanical properties. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Folding Properties of Two-Dimensional Deployable Membrane Using FEM Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satou, Yasutaka; Furuya, Hiroshi

Folding FEM analyses are presented to examine folding properties of a two-dimensional deployable membrane for a precise deployment simulation. A fold model of the membrane is proposed by dividing the wrapping fold process into two regions which are the folded state and the transient process. The cross-section of the folded state is assumed to be a repeating structure, and analytical procedures of the repeating structure are constructed. To investigate the mechanical properties of the crease in detail, the bending stiffness is considered in the FEM analyses. As the results of the FEM analyses, the configuration of the membrane and the contact force by the adjacent membrane are obtained quantitatively for an arbitrary layer pitch. Possible occurrence of the plastic deformation is estimated using the Mises stress in the crease. The FEM results are compared with one-dimensional approximation analyses to evaluate these results.

Soft and wrinkled carbon membranes derived from petals for flexible supercapacitors

PubMed Central

Yu, Xiuxiu; Wang, Ying; Li, Li; Li, Hongbian; Shang, Yuanyuan

2017-01-01

Biomass materials are promising precursors for the production of carbonaceous materials due to their abundance, low cost and renewability. Here, a freestanding wrinkled carbon membrane (WCM) electrode material for flexible supercapacitors (SCs) was obtained from flower petal. The carbon membrane was fabricated by a simple thermal pyrolysis process and further activated by heating the sample in air. As a binder and current collector-free electrode, the activated wrinkled carbon membrane (AWCM) exhibited a high specific capacitance of 332.7 F/g and excellent cycling performance with 92.3% capacitance retention over 10000 cycles. Moreover, a flexible all-solid supercapacitor with AWCM electrode was fabricated and showed a maximum specific capacitance of 154 F/g and great bending stability. The development of this flower petal based carbon membrane provides a promising cost-effective and environmental benign electrode material for flexible energy storage. PMID:28361914

Wind turbine with automatic pitch and yaw control

DOEpatents

Cheney, Jr., Marvin Chapin; Spierings, Petrus A. M.

1978-01-01

A wind turbine having a flexible central beam member supporting aerodynamic blades at opposite ends thereof and fabricated of uni-directional high tensile strength material bonded together into beam form so that the beam is lightweight, and has high tensile strength to carry the blade centrifugal loads, low shear modulus to permit torsional twisting thereof for turbine speed control purposes, and adequate bending stiffness to permit out-of-plane deflection thereof for turbine yard control purposes. A selectively off-set weighted pendulum member is pivotally connected to the turbine and connected to the beam or blade so as to cause torsional twisting thereof in response to centrifugal loading of the pendulum member for turbine speed control purposes.

Electron beam surface modifications in reinforcing and recycling of polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czvikovszky, T.; Hargitai, H.

1997-08-01

Thermoplastic polymers can be fiber-reinforced in the recycling step through a reactive modification of the interface between the polymer matrix and fiber. Recollected automobile bumpers made of polypropylene copolymers have been reinforced during the reprocessing with eight different types of high-strength fibers, with waste cord-yarns of the tire industry. A thin layer reactive interface of acrylic oligomers has been applied and activated through low energy (175 keV) electron beam (EB). The upcycling (upgrading recycling) resulted in a series of extrudable and injection-mouldable, fiber-reinforced thermoplastic of enhanced bending strength, increased modulus of elasticity and acceptable impact strength. EB treatment has been compared with conventional methods.

A new family of carbon materials with exceptional mechanical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ran, Jiajia; Lin, Kunpeng; Yang, Haotian; Li, Jianlin; Wang, Lianjun; Jiang, Wan

2018-03-01

A new family of carbon materials with ultrahigh-strength and nano-onion grains has been successfully produced from nano-diamond particles by spark plasma sintering. It is believed that the spark plasma and applied pressure help overcome the difficulties in densification. Also diamond has a much greater density than that of graphite, leading to the volume expansion when nano-diamond particles transform to graphite onions during heating, facilitating the consolidation. The as-prepared bulk graphite with a density of 1.84 g/cm3 has ultrahigh bending strength, modulus and microhardness, 150 MPa, 31.3 GPa and 2.6 GPa, respectively, due to the unique microstructure of nano-graphite onions.

Influence of Ionizing Radiation on the Mechanical Properties of a Wood-Plastic Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palm, Andrew; Smith, Jennifer; Driscoll, Mark; Smith, Leonard; Larsen, L. Scott

The focus of this study was to examine the potential benefits of irradiating polyethylene (PE)-based wood-plastic composites (WPCs) in order to enhance the mechanical properties of the WPC. The PE-based WPCs were irradiated, post extrusion, at dose levels of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kGy with an electron beam (EB). The irradiated WPCs were then evaluated using a third point bending test (ASTM D4761) along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that ultimate strength and modulus of elasticity (MOE) increased with increasing dose level. Examination of the fracture surfaces of polyethylene revealed a distinct difference in failure between irradiated and non-irradiated surfaces.

Influence of recreational activity and muscle strength on ulnar bending stiffness in men

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myburgh, K. H.; Charette, S.; Zhou, L.; Steele, C. R.; Arnaud, S.; Marcus, R.

1993-01-01

Bone bending stiffness (modulus of elasticity [E] x moment of inertia [I]), a measure of bone strength, is related to its mineral content (BMC) and geometry and may be influenced by exercise. We evaluated the relationship of habitual recreational exercise and muscle strength to ulnar EI, width, and BMC in 51 healthy men, 28-61 yr of age. BMC and width were measured by single photon absorptiometry and EI by mechanical resistance tissue analysis. Maximum biceps strength was determined dynamically (1-RM) and grip strength isometrically. Subjects were classified as sedentary (S) (N = 13), moderately (M) (N = 18), or highly active (H) (N = 20) and exercised 0.2 +/- 0.2; 2.2 +/- 1.3; and 6.8 +/- 2.3 h.wk-1 (P < 0.001). H had greater biceps (P < 0.0005) and grip strength (P < 0.05), ulnar BMC (P < 0.05), and ulnar EI (P = 0.01) than M or S, who were similar. Amount of activity correlated with grip and biceps strength (r = 0.47 and 0.49; P < 0.001), but not with bone measurements, whereas muscle strength correlated with both EI and BMC (r = 0.40-0.52, P < 0.005). EI also correlated significantly with both BMC and ulnar width (P < 0.0001). Ulnar width and biceps strength were the only independent predictors of EI (r2 = 0.67, P < 0.0001). We conclude that levels of physical activity sufficient to increase arm strength influence ulnar bending stiffness.

Effects of self-healing microcapsules on bending performance in composite brake pads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li; Dong, Xiu-ping; Wang, Hui

2009-07-01

For the purpose of reducing self-weight, friction noise and cost, improving shock absorption, enhancing corrosion and wear resistance, brake pads made of composite materials with self-healing function are prepared to substitute metal ones by designing ingredients and applying optimized production technology. As self-healing capsules are chosen, new method with technology of self-healing microcapsules, dicyclpentadiene (DCPD) microcapsules coated with poly (urea-formaldehyde), is put forward in this paper. In the crack's extending process, the stress is concentrated at the crack end, where the microcapsule is designed to be located. When the stress goes through the microcapsules and causes them to break, the self-healing liquid runs out to fill the crack by the capillary and it will poly-react with catalyst in the composite. As a result, the crack is healed. In this paper, polymer matrix composite brake pads with 6 prescriptions are prepared and studied. Three-point bending tests are carried out according to standards in GB/T 3356-1999 and the elastic constants of these polymer matrix composites are obtained by experiments. In accordance with the law of the continuous fiber composite, elastic constants of the short-fiber composite can be calculated by proportions of each ingredient. Results show that the theoretical expected results and the experimental values are consistent. 0.3-1.2 % mass proportion of microcapsules has little effects on the composite's bending intensity and modulus of elasticity. These studies also show that self-healing microcapsules used in composite brake pads is feasible.

Effect of drought stress on bending stiffness in petioles of Caladium bicolor (Araceae).

PubMed

Caliaro, Marco; Schmich, Florian; Speck, Thomas; Speck, Olga

2013-11-01

Cell turgor plays an important role in the mechanical stability of herbaceous plants. This study on petioles of Caladium bicolor 'Candyland' analyzes the correlation between flexural rigidity and cell turgor. The results offer new insights into the underlying form-structure-function relationship and the dependency of mechanical properties from water availability. Bending modulus E of petioles is calculated from two-point bending tests, taking into account the tapering mode. The corresponding turgor of parenchyma cells during wilting is investigated by pressure probe tests. Wilting petioles show highly significant lower values of E than petioles with sufficient water supply. These differences are also found when comparing well-watered petioles to drought-stressed petioles having parenchyma turgor values in the same range. These results indicate an additional mechanical system sensitive to drought stress. On the basis of analyses of the contribution of different petiolar tissues toward the axial second moment of area and by using experimentally determined and literature values of E for the different tissues, we were able to (1) recalculate E of the intact petiole and to compare it with experimental data and (2) quantitatively estimate the importance of the different tissues for flexural rigidity and E of the petiole. Our results show that the decrease in flexural rigidity of petioles of Caladium bicolor 'Candyland' during wilting results from (1) a water-loss-induced decrease in mechanical efficiency of collenchyma fibers and (2) turgor loss of parenchyma cells.

The influence of cell morphology on the compressive fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V meshes fabricated by electron beam melting.

PubMed

Zhao, S; Li, S J; Hou, W T; Hao, Y L; Yang, R; Misra, R D K

2016-06-01

Additive manufacturing technique is a promising approach for fabricating cellular bone substitutes such as trabecular and cortical bones because of the ability to adjust process parameters to fabricate different shapes and inner structures. Considering the long term safe application in human body, the metallic cellular implants are expected to exhibit superior fatigue property. The objective of the study was to study the influence of cell shape on the compressive fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V mesh arrays fabricated by electron beam melting. The results indicated that the underlying fatigue mechanism for the three kinds of meshes (cubic, G7 and rhombic dodecahedron) is the interaction of cyclic ratcheting and fatigue crack growth on the struts, which is closely related to cumulative effect of buckling and bending deformation of the strut. By increasing the buckling deformation on the struts through cell shape design, the cyclic ratcheting rate of the meshes during cyclic deformation was decreased and accordingly, the compressive fatigue strength was increased. With increasing bending deformation of struts, fatigue crack growth in struts contributed more to the fatigue damage of meshes. Rough surface and pores contained in the struts significantly deteriorated the compressive fatigue strength of the struts. By optimizing the buckling and bending deformation through cell shape design, Ti-6Al-4V alloy cellular solids with high fatigue strength and low modulus can be fabricated by the EBM technique. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nucleation theory with delayed interactions: An application to the early stages of the receptor-mediated adhesion/fusion kinetics of lipid vesicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raudino, Antonio; Pannuzzo, Martina

2010-01-01

A semiquantitative theory aimed to describe the adhesion kinetics between soft objects, such as living cells or vesicles, has been developed. When rigid bodies are considered, the adhesion kinetics is successfully described by the classical Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (DLVO) picture, where the energy profile of two approaching bodies is given by a two asymmetrical potential wells separated by a barrier. The transition probability from the long-distance to the short-distance minimum defines the adhesion rate. Conversely, soft bodies might follow a different pathway to reach the short-distance minimum: thermally excited fluctuations give rise to local protrusions connecting the approaching bodies. These transient adhesion sites are stabilized by short-range adhesion forces (e.g., ligand-receptor interactions between membranes brought at contact distance), while they are destabilized both by repulsive forces and by the elastic deformation energy. Above a critical area of the contact site, the adhesion forces prevail: the contact site grows in size until the complete adhesion of the two bodies inside a short-distance minimum is attained. This nucleation mechanism has been developed in the framework of a nonequilibrium Fokker-Planck picture by considering both the adhesive patch growth and dissolution processes. In addition, we also investigated the effect of the ligand-receptor pairing kinetics at the adhesion site in the time course of the patch expansion. The ratio between the ligand-receptor pairing kinetics and the expansion rate of the adhesion site is of paramount relevance in determining the overall nucleation rate. The theory enables one to self-consistently include both thermodynamics (energy barrier height) and dynamic (viscosity) parameters, giving rise in some limiting cases to simple analytical formulas. The model could be employed to rationalize fusion kinetics between vesicles, provided the short-range adhesion transition is the rate-limiting step to the whole adhesion process. Approximate relationships between the experimental fusion rates reported in the literature and parameters such as membrane elastic bending modulus, repulsion strength, temperature, osmotic forces, ligand-receptor binding energy, solvent and membrane viscosities are satisfactory explained by our model. The present results hint a possible role of the initial long-distance→short-distance transition in determining the whole fusion kinetics.

Nucleation theory with delayed interactions: an application to the early stages of the receptor-mediated adhesion/fusion kinetics of lipid vesicles.

PubMed

Raudino, Antonio; Pannuzzo, Martina

2010-01-28

A semiquantitative theory aimed to describe the adhesion kinetics between soft objects, such as living cells or vesicles, has been developed. When rigid bodies are considered, the adhesion kinetics is successfully described by the classical Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (DLVO) picture, where the energy profile of two approaching bodies is given by a two asymmetrical potential wells separated by a barrier. The transition probability from the long-distance to the short-distance minimum defines the adhesion rate. Conversely, soft bodies might follow a different pathway to reach the short-distance minimum: thermally excited fluctuations give rise to local protrusions connecting the approaching bodies. These transient adhesion sites are stabilized by short-range adhesion forces (e.g., ligand-receptor interactions between membranes brought at contact distance), while they are destabilized both by repulsive forces and by the elastic deformation energy. Above a critical area of the contact site, the adhesion forces prevail: the contact site grows in size until the complete adhesion of the two bodies inside a short-distance minimum is attained. This nucleation mechanism has been developed in the framework of a nonequilibrium Fokker-Planck picture by considering both the adhesive patch growth and dissolution processes. In addition, we also investigated the effect of the ligand-receptor pairing kinetics at the adhesion site in the time course of the patch expansion. The ratio between the ligand-receptor pairing kinetics and the expansion rate of the adhesion site is of paramount relevance in determining the overall nucleation rate. The theory enables one to self-consistently include both thermodynamics (energy barrier height) and dynamic (viscosity) parameters, giving rise in some limiting cases to simple analytical formulas. The model could be employed to rationalize fusion kinetics between vesicles, provided the short-range adhesion transition is the rate-limiting step to the whole adhesion process. Approximate relationships between the experimental fusion rates reported in the literature and parameters such as membrane elastic bending modulus, repulsion strength, temperature, osmotic forces, ligand-receptor binding energy, solvent and membrane viscosities are satisfactory explained by our model. The present results hint a possible role of the initial long-distance-->short-distance transition in determining the whole fusion kinetics.

A micromachined membrane-based active probe for biomolecular mechanics measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torun, H.; Sutanto, J.; Sarangapani, K. K.; Joseph, P.; Degertekin, F. L.; Zhu, C.

2007-04-01

A novel micromachined, membrane-based probe has been developed and fabricated as assays to enable parallel measurements. Each probe in the array can be individually actuated, and the membrane displacement can be measured with high resolution using an integrated diffraction-based optical interferometer. To illustrate its application in single-molecule mechanics experiments, this membrane probe was used to measure unbinding forces between L-selectin reconstituted in a polymer-cushioned lipid bilayer on the probe membrane and an antibody adsorbed on an atomic force microscope cantilever. Piconewton range forces between single pairs of interacting molecules were measured from the cantilever bending while using the membrane probe as an actuator. The integrated diffraction-based optical interferometer of the probe was demonstrated to have <10 fm Hz-1/2 noise floor for frequencies as low as 3 Hz with a differential readout scheme. With soft probe membranes, this low noise level would be suitable for direct force measurements without the need for a cantilever. Furthermore, the probe membranes were shown to have 0.5 µm actuation range with a flat response up to 100 kHz, enabling measurements at fast speeds.

Properties of thin SiC membrane for x-ray mask

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoki, Tsutomu; Nagasawa, Hiroyuki; Kosuga, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Yoichi; Annaka, Noromichi; Amemiya, Isao; Nagarekawa, Osamu

1993-06-01

We have investigated the effects of film thickness, anti-reflective (AR) coating and surface roughness on the optical transparency of silicon carbide (SiC) membrane. Peak transmittances monotonously increased as the thickness decreased. The transmittance at 633 nm for 1.05 micrometers thick SiC membrane adjusted by reactive ion etching was 70%, and increased up to 80% by an AR coating. SiC membrane with extremely smooth surface of 0.12 nm (Ra) has been obtained by polishing, and had peak transmittances of 69% and 80% at 633 nm for 2.0 micrometers and 1.0 micrometers in thickness, respectively. Poly-crystalline (beta) -SiC membrane in the suitable tensile stress range of 0.3 to 2.0 X 108 Pa and with high Young's modulus of 4.5 X 1011 Pa has been prepared by a hot wall type low pressure chemical vapor deposition, and been found to need to have thickness over 0.7 micrometers to maintain sufficient mechanical strength in processing.