Advanced Engineering Materials Research Articles

Advanced material technologies for space and terrestrial medicine

Advanced material technologies for space and terrestrial medicine

A Comprehensive Review of Radiation-Induced Hydrogels: Synthesis, Properties, and Multidimensional Applications.

At the forefront of advanced material technology, radiation-induced hydrogels present a promising avenue for innovation across various sectors, utilizing gamma radiation, electron beam radiation, and UV radiation. Through the unique synthesis process involving radiation exposure, these hydrogels exhibit exceptional properties that make them highly versatile and valuable for a multitude of applications. This paper focuses on the intricacies of the synthesis methods employed in creating these radiation-induced hydrogels, shedding light on their structural characteristics and functional benefits. In particular, the paper analyzes the diverse utility of these hydrogels in biomedicine and agriculture, showcasing their potential for applications such as targeted drug delivery, injury recovery, and even environmental engineering solutions. By analyzing current research trends and highlighting potential future directions, this review aims to underscore the transformative impact that radiation-induced hydrogels could have on various industries and the advancement of biomedical and agricultural practices.

High-support Mould Construction and Risk Assessment in Civil Engineering Works

With the rapid development of the construction industry, advanced construction technology and new building materials continue to emerge. High-supporting mould technology, with the advantages of large bearing capacity, convenient erection and strong applicability, has been widely used in the field of construction engineering. However, due to the high height, large span, many rods, complex and variable force and other characteristics of the highly supported mould frame, there is a risk of tilting or collapsing in the process of building construction, which has a very high risk. This paper from the high supporting mould technology, frame erection technology key points, safety monitoring and evaluation of the detailed description, and targeted to put forward the corresponding reasonable suggestions, in order to be able to protect the smooth progress of construction.

Biomedical Efficacy of Garlic‐Extract‐Loaded Core‐Sheath Plasters for Natural Antimicrobial Wound Care

AbstractThis work explores the application of Allium sativum (Garlic) extract, in the creation of novel polymeric core‐sheath fibers for wound therapy applications. The core‐sheath pressurized gyration (CS PG) technology is utilized to mass‐produce fibers with a polycaprolactone (PCL) core and a polyethylene oxide (PEO) sheath, loaded with garlic extract. The produced fibers maintain structural integrity, long‐term stability and provide a cell‐friendly surface with rapid antibacterial activity. The physical properties, morphology, therapeutic delivery, cytotoxicity, thermal and chemical stability of PCL, PEO, PEO/Garlic, Core‐Sheath (CS) PEO/PCL and PEO/Garlic/PCL fibers are analyzed. Findings show that the addition of garlic extract greatly increases the fibers’ thermal durability, while decreasing their diameter, thus improving cell adhesion and proliferation. In‐vitro release tests reveal a rapid release of garlic extract, which has significant antibacterial action against both Gram‐negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria species. Cell viability experiments validate the fiber samples' biocompatibility and nontoxicity, making them appropriate for integrative medicine applications. These core‐sheath structures emphasize the potential of combining natural therapeutic agents with advanced material technologies to develop cost‐effective, sustainable and highly effective wound dressings, offering a promising solution to the growing concerns associated with conventional synthetic antibacterial agents.

Commercialising the Advanced Materials R&D in the Indian Ecosystem

Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) are expected to manage the value chain involving the development, demonstration and transfer of technologies. Different technology commercialisation (TC) models, which provide a guiding framework for the management of this value chain, have been proposed in the recent past. The capability of these TC models to address challenges specifically associated with the commercialisation of advanced materials technologies is assessed and a conceptual model is proposed. A case study associated with the commercialisation of advanced materials technology is used to refine the conceptual model. It was found that the conceptual model requires appropriate adjustments especially when an RTO and an industrial organisation have collaboratively worked to realise successful commercialisation.

Preparation and characterization of high-performance water-based graphene dispersions for conductive coating on textiles

Studies on e-textile applications have gained momentum with advanced material technologies. Graphene derivatives have become the focus of e-textile advanced studies due to their high conductivity potential. The chemical selection while preparing graphene dispersions to functionalize textiles affects the dispersion quality and integration into the fabric. In this study, water-based green graphene dispersions were prepared using sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as a surfactant and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binder due to its high solubility in water. The stability of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), GNP/SDBS and GNP/SDBS/PVA dispersions were examined with the naked eye at certain time intervals. UV–vis spectroscopy results indicated that SDBS provided better dispersion and stability of graphene. The XPS results showed a strong interaction between GNP and SDBS, while the binding of PVA and SDBS in the dispersion was supported by FTIR results. Overall, the dispersion quality of water-based graphene dispersion was enhanced using PVA and SDBS for e-textile application. The electrical conductivity and tensile strength of the graphene-coated fabrics increased up to ∼1.6 (MΩ/☐) and 388%, respectively, in compared to the intact fabric.

High-strength 91W-6Ni-2Co-1Fe tungsten heavy alloys prepared by laser melting deposition using granulated powder

This study introduces a new approach for fabricating high-strength 91W-6Ni-2Co-1Fe tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs) using laser melting deposition (LMD) with a specially formulated granulated powder, characterized by near-spherical particles and a dense structure with fine W grains (2.6 μm). Thin plate samples were prepared using laser powers from 500 W to 900 W, revealing increased density at higher laser power, while the W grain size remains relatively stable. A near-fully dense sample (99% density) with the finest W grain size of 2.8 μm is obtained at a laser power of 900 W, while the highest hardness of 482 HV is achieved at 700 W. The contributions of the high cooling rate of LMD, the Co addition, as well as the use of fine-grained granulated powder to enhance the high strength are discussed. These findings offer significant insights into optimizing WHA fabrication using LMD, highlighting its potential in advanced materials engineering.

Nonvolatile and reconfigurable two-terminal electro-optic duplex memristor based on III-nitride semiconductors

With the fast development of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of things (IOT), etc, there is an urgent need for the technology that can efficiently recognize, store and process a staggering amount of information. The AlScN material has unique advantages including immense remnant polarization, superior temperature stability and good lattice-match to other III-nitrides, making it easy to integrate with the existing advanced III-nitrides material and device technologies. However, due to the large band-gap, strong coercive field, and low photo-generated carrier generation and separation efficiency, it is difficult for AlScN itself to accumulate enough photo-generated carriers at the surface/interface to induce polarization inversion, limiting its application in in-memory sensing and computing. In this work, an electro-optic duplex memristor on a GaN/AlScN hetero-structure based Schottky diode has been realized. This two-terminal memristor shows good electrical and opto-electrical nonvolatility and reconfigurability. For both electrical and opto-electrical modes, the current on/off ratio can reach the magnitude of 104, and the resistance states can be effectively reset, written and long-termly stored. Based on this device, the “IMP” truth table and the logic “False” can be successfully reproduced, indicating the huge potential of the device in the field of in-memory sensing and computing.

A study on the effects of objective weighting methods on TOPSIS-based parametric optimization of non-traditional machining processes

Developing advanced engineering materials with enhanced mechanical and metallurgical properties has caused non-traditional machining (NTM) processes to emerge as cost-effective and energy-efficient options. Improper settings of the input parameters of those processes may often lead to inferior quality and accuracy of the finished products. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods appear as potent tools for multi-objective optimization of those processes. Determining criteria weights is a crucial step in any MCDM problem; subjective approaches for evaluating criteria weights may result in inconsistent judgments. In this paper, the effects of ten different objective weighting methods, i.e., equal weight, entropy weight, Criteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation (CRITIC), Method based on Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC), Logarithmic Percentage Change-driven Objective Weighting (LOPCOW), Symmetry Point of Criterion (SPC), Criteria Impact Loss (CILOS), Integrated Determination of Objective Criteria Weights (IDOCRIW), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Weighted Principal Component Analysis (WPCA) are studied on Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)-based optimization of two NTM processes. In the first example, the optimal parametric combination computed using equal weight, entropy, MEREC, LOPCOW, PCA, and WPCA is noticed to be the same. In contrast, a different set of optimal parameters is derived by applying CRITIC, SPC, CILOS, and IDOCRIW. In the second example, seven out of ten approaches obtain a unique set of parametric combinations, while CILOS, IDOCRIW, and PCA lead to a different set of intermixes. It can be concluded that the ranks of the experiment trials for both the examples are almost similar irrespective of the objective criteria weighting technique employed.

Selective growth of recrystallizing grains into well-characterized deformed aluminum at hardness indentation

The selective 3D growth of multiple recrystallization nuclei/grains around a hardness indentation into a deformed Al grain has been quantified through a new approach that combines two synchrotron techniques: 3D X-ray Laue micro-diffraction and diffraction contrast tomography. The former is used to characterize the deformed microstructure and nucleation, while the latter to track the nuclei's growth during interrupted in situ annealing. The combined 4D (x,y,z,t) datasets enable a detailed quantification of the local deformed microstructure consumed by the nuclei/grains and the boundary characteristics between them, including the stored energy and anisotropy of the orientation distribution of the deformation matrix, as well as the misorientation of the moving and non-moving boundary segments. It is found that only certain nuclei can grow into large sizes, and the growth is heterogeneous both among recrystallizing grains and along different directions. Neither the local stored energy nor the boundary misorientation, whether considered individually or in combination, can fully account for the observed growing and shrinking behavior. The growth difference along different directions is related to the deformation microstructure, specifically the geometrical alignment of dislocation boundaries. Furthermore, the effects of impingement of other recrystallizing grains, recovery of the matrix, and elastic strain/stress, on the growth heterogeneities are discussed in detail with a view towards developing advanced modeling with improved predictability of local recrystallization phenomena. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of the new approach in enabling 3D analysis of recrystallization in complex materials, with potential applications in the development of advanced engineering materials.

Modulating the d-Band Center of Palladium via Ethylene Glycol Modification: Accelerating Had Desorption for Enhanced Formate Electrooxidation.

This study addresses the critical challenge in alkaline direct formate fuel cells (DFFCs) of slow formate oxidation reaction (FOR) kinetics as a result of strong hydrogen intermediate (Had) adsorption on Pd catalysts. We developed WO3-supported Pd nanoparticles (EG-Pd/WO3) via an organic reduction method using ethylene glycol (EG), aiming to modulate the d-band center of Pd and alter Had adsorption dynamics. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated significantly improved Had desorption kinetics in EG-Pd/WO3 catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the presence of EG reduces the d-band center of Pd, leading to weaker Pd-H bonds and enhanced Had desorption during the FOR. This research provides a new approach to optimize catalyst efficiency in DFFCs, highlighting the potential for more effective and sustainable energy solutions through advanced material engineering.

The effect of nanocarbon inclusion on mechanical, tribological, and thermal properties of phenolic resin‐based composites: An overview

AbstractNanocarbons including carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and particularly graphene have unique properties such as high mechanical strength, thermally stable, highly conducting, high friction stability and lower specific wear rates, which can potentially provide synergically improved performance of advanced engineering materials and technologies for various fields of applications such as automotive, aerospace, and other industrial components. Development of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites comprised of nanocarbon material remained as a research focus to outperform different properties of conventional material based components. In application, phenolic resin is the most popular binder in frictional components development such as brake pads, brake linings, and clutch facings, particularly used in many of light and medium automotive brake pad applications. Specifically, the present review study aims to provide thorough discussion on the mechanical, tribological, and thermal performances of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites containing nanocarbon as a property modifier by comparing with the neat phenolic resin or with the composite containing other micro ingredients. As per presented overview, the analysis shows the significant improvement in some required application‐based properties of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites such as tensile strength, young's modulus, impact strength, specific wear rate reduction, residue yield, and thermal conductivity due to the inclusion of nanocarbon, where the content of nanocarbons ranges about 0.5 wt% to 5 wt%. Hence nanocomposites synthesized using phenolic resin matrix with nanocarbons fillers found to have better mechanical strength, better wear resistance, and thermal stabilities when compared to pure phenolic resin and other composites.

Mechanically Programmable Composite Metamaterials with Switchable Positive/Negative Poisson's Ratio

AbstractDesign of mechanical metamaterials with a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR), known as auxetics, is of great importance in the development of flexible electronics and tissue engineering. However, the mechanical performance of conventional auxetic metamaterials is largely hindered by the high porosity and lack of tunability, which restricts their practical engineering applications. Here, this study presents a programmable approach for designing integrated two‐phase auxetic composite metamaterials with pore‐free structure, robust interfaces, and customized mechanical properties by substituting the vacancy of the auxetic lattices (frame phase) with hydrogel‐based soft fillers (matrix phase). Manipulated by two‐phase stiffness contrast, integrated composite metamaterials exhibit a functional transition between auxetic and non‐auxetic behaviors. Rationally designing Young's modulus ratios in spatial domains endows the programming of composite metamaterials with the desired spatial heterogeneity. Furthermore, the incorporation of temperature‐responsive hydrogels to auxetic frames also enbles the development of dynamic programmable composites with the thermo‐driven adaptability. As a practical application demonstration, designed programmable composites are used to dynamically tune the phononic bandgaps. The design strategy of integrated two‐phase composite metamaterials paves the way for the development of advanced auxetic engineering materials with programmable mechanical properties, providing opportunity for conformal electronic patches, bio‐scaffolds, and smart functionality applications.

Preface

PrefaceThe 11th Annual 2023 International Conference on Material Science and Environmental Engineering [MSEE2023] was held on November 24th, 2023 (Virtual Conference). The conference was held via Tencent Meeting Application. MSEE2023 aims to bring researchers, engineers, and students to the areas of Material Science and Environmental Engineering. MSEE2023 features unique mixed topics of Material Science and Advanced Materials, Material Engineering and Application, Environmental Science and Engineering and Mechanical Design and Technology.We received over 254 submissions from various parts of the world. The Technical Program Committee worked very hard to have all manuscripts reviewed before the review deadline. All the accepted papers have been submitted to strict peer-review, and selected based on originality, significance and clarity for the purpose of the conference. The conference program is extremely profound and featuring high-impact presentations of selected papers and additional late-breaking contributions. We sincerely hope that the conference would not only show the participants a broad overview of the latest research results on related fields, but also provide them with a significant platform for academic connection and exchange. There are three keynote speakers and four invited sessions. The keynote speakers are internationally recognized leading experts in their research fields, who have demonstrated outstanding proficiency and have achieved distinction in their profession. The proceedings would be published by IOP Journal of Physics Conference Series.We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the members of Technical Program Committee and organizers for their enthusiasm, time, and expertise. Our deep thanks also go to many volunteers and staffs for the long hours and hard work they have generously given to MSEE2023. Last but not least, we would like to thank all the authors, speaker and participants for their great contributions to the success of MSEE2023.MSEE2023 Organizing CommitteeList of Committee of MSEE2023, Editor I, Editor II, Keynote Speaker I, Keynote Speaker II, Keynote Speaker III, Table of Content of MSEE2023 are available in this Pdf.

The parasitic capacitance considerations of metal interconnects in sub 10 nm era

With the development of the integrated circuit industry and semiconductor technology, we have entered the sub-10 nanometers era, which means the distance between adjacent components in a device is less than 10 nm. This is a situation where the parasitic capacitance of metal interconnects must be considered. Parasitic capacitance can act as a significant influence in different ways on disparate devices. Fin field-effect transistors and microelectromechanical systems are typical devices and deserve further detailed explanation on their parasitic capacitance. There are many ways to reduce parasitic capacitance and its attendant effects, including using materials with low dielectric constants and optimizing the structure of the layout. Some others are newly brought out in recent years due to advanced industrial technology and new materials, including carbon nanotubes, oxide-free spacer layers, and tunneling hybrid technology. All these methods are of great significance and practicability to producing and applying semiconductor devices and structures. Knowing more about this expertise about parasitic capacitance can help us better understand its nature and specialties.

LIPSS pattern induced by polymer surface instability for myoblast cell guidance

The presented study highlights the efficiency of employing a KrF excimer laser to create diverse types of periodic nanostructures (LIPSS – laser induced periodic surface structures) on polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates. LIPSS structures are very important both in tissue engineering and find also strong application in the field of sensor construction, and SERS analysis. By exposing the polymer films below their ablation threshold to laser fluence ranging from 4 to 16 mJ·cm−2 at 6,000 pulses, we studied both single-phase exposure at beam incidence angles of 0° and 45°, and two-phase exposure. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that the laser-treated samples contained distinctive periodic patterns such as waves, globules, and pod-like structures each exhibiting unique surface roughness. Moreover, using analytical methods like EDS and XPS shed light on the changes in the atomic composition, specifically focusing on the C and O elements, as a result of laser exposure. Notably, in almost all cases, we observed an increase in oxygen percentage on the sample surfaces. This increase not only led to a decrease in the contact angle with water but also lowered the zeta potential value, thus showing that the modified samples have enhanced hydrophilicity of the surface and altered electrostatic properties. Last but not least, the samples were assessed for biocompatibility; we studied the interaction of the prepared replicates with mouse myoblasts (C2C12). The impact of globular/dot structures on the cell growth in comparison to pristine or linear LIPSS-patterned surfaces was determined. The linear pattern (LIPSS) induced the myoblast cell alignment along the pattern direction, while dot/globular pattern even enhanced the cytocompatibility compared to LIPSS samples. Through this comprehensive analysis, the research underscores the multifaceted implications of employing KrF excimer laser-induced nanostructures, ranging from surface morphology alterations to biocompatibility enhancements, thus, opening new avenues for advanced material engineering.

Principal Preferred Orientation Evaluation of Steel Materials Using Time-of-Flight Neutron Diffraction

Comprehensive information on in situ microstructural and crystallographic changes during the preparation/manufacturing processes of various materials is highly necessary to precisely control the microstructural morphology and the preferred orientation (or texture) characteristics for achieving an excellent strength–ductility–toughness balance in advanced engineering materials. In this study, in situ isothermal annealing experiments with cold-rolled 17Ni-0.2C (mass%) martensitic steel sheets were carried out by using the TAKUMI and ENGIN-X time-of-flight neutron diffractometers. The inverse pole figures based on full-profile refinement were extracted to roughly evaluate the preferred orientation features along three principal sample directions of the investigated steel sheets, using the General Structure Analysis System (GSAS) software with built-in generalized spherical harmonic functions. The consistent rolling direction (RD) inverse pole figures from TAKUMI and ENGIN-X confirmed that the time-of-flight neutron diffraction has high repeatability and statistical reliability, revealing that the principal preferred orientation evaluation of steel materials can be realized through 90° TD ➜ ND (transverse direction ➜ normal direction) rotation of the investigated specimen on the sample stage during two neutron diffraction experiments. Moreover, these RD, TD, and ND inverse pole figures before and after the in situ experiments were compared with the corresponding inverse pole figures recalculated from the MUSASI-L complete pole figure measurement and the HIPPO in situ microstructure evaluation, respectively. The similar orientation distribution characteristics suggested that the principal preferred orientation evaluation method can be applied to the in situ microstructural evolution of bulk orthorhombic materials and spatially resolved principal preferred orientation mappings of large engineering structure parts.

Highly Flexible and Self‐Standing Covalent Organic Framework–Metal–Organic Framework (COF–MOF) Composite Crystalline Porous Material (CPM) Membrane for Molecular Separation

AbstractCrystalline porous materials (CPMs), including covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), are promising materials for advanced separation technologies. However, the challenge of transforming nanoscale CPMs into large‐area functional membranes hinders their application in the membrane separation process. Herein, a self‐standing pure COF (TpPa‐1) nanofiber membrane with high crystallinity, good flexibility, excellent mechanical properties, and scalability is prepared using an electrospinning process and polymer sacrificial template strategy. Subsequently, the COF nanofiber membrane is innovatively used to replace traditional inorganic discs, metal meshes, and polymer membranes as porous supports, and the COF–MOF composite CPM membrane is prepared through the tailorable and confined growth of zeolite imidazolium salt frame‐8 (ZIF‐8) on the surface of the COF membrane and in the gaps of the COF nanofibers. The COF–MOF composite membrane exhibits excellent permeability and significantly enhances separation selectivity for organic dyes. Moreover, MOF and COF form an interpenetrating network structure, and their similar chemical properties improve the interfacial stability between the two phases, giving the COF–MOF composite membrane good long‐term separation performance. This is the first self‐standing composite CPM membrane with excellent molecular sieving performance, which provides new insights into the design of high‐performance and robust composite membranes.

Prediction and optimization of Nd: YAG laser transmission micro-channelling on PMMA employing an artificial neural network model

In the present research work, performance enhancement which plays pivotal role in the modern machining techniques during machining of advanced engineering materials has been attributed. An investigation is conducted on the laser transmission micro-channeling of thick transparent PMMA using Nd: YAG laser. The objective is to examine the impact of three key factors, namely pulse frequency, lamp current and cutting speed, on several quality aspects including depth of cut, kerf width, and heat-affected zone (HAZ) width. General full factorial design is used to design the experiments and empirical models (non-linear) are developed to establish the relationship between the control factors and responses. A feed forward back-propagation neural network (FF-BPNN) is used to model the process and subsequently to predict the responses. The successful capability of FF-BPNN in predicting and enhancing the characteristics of micro-channels fabricated on PMMA has been observed. Furthermore, it has been shown that feedforward backpropagation neural networks (FF-BPNN) can serve as a highly effective tool for acquiring a comprehensive model and determining the ideal configuration of process parameters in laser transmission micro-channeling operations. Additionally, FF-BPNN results and model predicted values are compared with non-linear modelling technique. Finally, mean absolute error is calculated to find out the accuracy of both the techniques.

Simulation and experimental study of concrete beams reinforced with a natural fiber composite

There is growing interest in utilizing natural fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites as engineered materials for advanced applications, notably in the development of high-performance ballistic armor components. Achieving superior mechanical properties, particularly toughness, is crucial in this context. Currently, there is ongoing research into the potential of jute fiber-reinforced composites as advanced engineering materials. This study aims to present the findings of an experimental investigation on concrete beams subjected to shear, reinforced with polymer matrix composites incorporating jute fibers through jacketing. Compression bending tests were conducted and analyzed within our laboratory. The results of the experiment revealed a remarkable 69% increase in both stiffness and load capacity of the reinforced beam compared to its unreinforced counterpart.