Assembly Of Particles Research Articles

Anchor plate bearing capacity in flexible mesh facings

This work addresses the problem of the loading capacity of an anchor plate coupled with a steel wire mesh in soil retaining applications. The interaction mechanism between the flexible mesh facing, the underlying soil layer and the plate is studied starting from the results of several laboratory punch tests involving both the plate and the mesh only, and the whole soil-mesh-plate system. The experimental tests have been reproduced by adopting a 3D discrete element model where also the wire mesh is discretized as an assembly of interconnected nodal particles. The interaction between these particles is ruled by elasto-plastic tensile force–displacement laws in which a distortion is introduced in a stochastic manner to account for the wires’ geometrical irregularities. The mesh model is then validated with reference to a set of punch tests in which the shape and size of the punching element as well as the nominal wire diameter were varied. Subsequently, the model is extended to a punch against soil test configuration permitting an insight into the nontrivial local mechanism between the mesh facing and the underlying granular layer. The good agreement between the numerical predictions and the experimental observations at the laboratory scale allowed us to extend the model towards more realistic field conditions for which the role of the mesh panel boundary conditions, the mesh mechanical properties, the soil mechanical properties and the anchor plate geometry is investigated.

Phase-field Lattice Boltzmann model for liquid bridges and coalescence in wet granular media

In this paper a phase-field based Lattice Boltzmann model is formulated to simulate the formation and coalescence of capillary bridges between spherical solid particles as well as the associated capillary forces. To capture the air–water interface, Allen–Cahn equation is coupled with two-phase Navier–Stokes equation through a surface tension term. The capillary force arising from the water interaction with a curved solid surface is formulated along with a numerical integration scheme. Two benchmark examples are considered to validate the proposed model, namely: the spreading of a drop on a spherical particle and capillary rise in a narrow tube. Then, the capillary forces due to isolated and coalesced liquid in two and three spherical particle configurations are computed to illustrate the pendular regime and its transition to the funicular regime. Numerical simulation results are found to be in good agreement with available experimental and numerical data for wetting in a doublet and a triplet of particles, respectively. The numerical results indicate that the proposed model provides a viable framework within which the complex capillary interface evolution during the wetting of a large assembly of particles could be captured. • The proposed model is used to simulate capillary bridges in an air–water system. • Transition of capillary bridges from pendular to funicular regimes is handled. • A numerical procedure is proposed to compute capillary forces. • Validation on small granular assemblies composed of two and three particles.

Controllable in situ generated carbon black hollow silica (C@h-SiO2) photonic crystal inks with highly saturated structural colors

The structural color of photonic crystals is usually whitish and has low saturation due to multiple incoherent scattering effects, limiting its application in practical visual observation. Herein, by controlling the calcination time of PS@SiO2 nanoparticles, we obtain hollow SiO2 with different in situ generated carbon black contents and assemble them into photonic crystal inks (PCIs). PCIs have excellent saturation and high crystallinity due to the in-situ generated carbon black capable of absorbing incoherently scattered light without affecting particle assembly. PCIs are further converted into non-close-packed photonic crystal films with highly saturated structural colors by photopolymerization of resins. This photonic crystal film can be swollen by an ethanol-water mixture, resulting in structural color changes and shifts in reflection peaks. Moreover, the photonic crystal film can dynamically change from a dry opaque state to an ethanol-wetted translucent state. Such solvent-responsive photonic crystal films with highly saturated structural colors are expected to be used in alcohol sensors and color anti-counterfeiting labels.

Derivation of Cyclic Stiffness and Strength Degradation Curves of Sands through Discrete Element Modelling

Cyclic degradation in fully saturated sands is a liquefaction phenomenon characterized by the progressive variation of the soil strength and stiffness that occurs when the soil is subjected to cyclic loading in undrained conditions. An evaluation of the relationships between the degradation of the soil properties and the number of loading cycles is essential for deriving advanced cyclic constitutive soil models. Generally, the calibration of cyclic damage models can be performed through controlled laboratory tests, such as cyclic triaxial testing. However, the undrained response of soils is dependent on several factors, such as the fabric, sample preparation, initial density, initial stress state, and stress path during loading; hence, a large number of tests would be required. On the other hand, the Discrete Element Method offers an interesting approach to simulating the complex behavior of an assembly of particles, which can be used to perform simulations of geotechnical laboratory testing. In this paper, numerical triaxial analyses of sands with different consistencies, loose and medium-dense states, were performed. First, static triaxial testing was performed to characterize the sand properties and validate the results with the literature data. Then, cyclic undrained triaxial testing was performed to investigate the impact of the number of cycles on the cyclic degradation of the soil stiffness and strength. Laws that can be used in damage soil models were derived.

Wafer-Scale Full-Coverage Self-Limiting Assembly of Particles on Flexible Substrates.

Self-limiting assembly of particles represents the state-of-the-art controllability in nanomanufacturing processes where the assembly stops at a designated stage, providing a desirable platform for applications requiring delicate thickness control such as optics, electronics, and catalytic systems. Most successes in self-limiting assembly are limited to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of small molecules on inorganic, chemically homogeneous rigid substrates (e.g., Au and SiO2) through surface-interaction mechanisms. Similar mechanisms, however, cannot achieve a uniform assembly of particles on flexible polymer substrates. The complex configurations and conformations of polymer chains create a surface with nonuniform distributions of chemical groups and phases. In addition, most assembly mechanisms require good solvent wettability, where many desirable but hard-to-wet particles and polymer substrates are excluded. Here, we demonstrate a collision-based self-limiting assembly (CSA) to achieve wafer-scale, full-coverage, close-packed monolayers of hydrophobic particles on hydrophobic polymer substrates in aqueous solutions. The kinetic assembly and self-limiting processes are facilitated and controlled by the combined acoustic and shear fields. We envision many applications in functional coatings and showcase their feasibility in structural coloration. Importantly, such functional coatings can be repaired using CSA, and both particles and polymer substrate can be recycled.

Bridging hollow carbon nanostructures to hierarchically pomegranate-like microspheres for efficient oil adsorption and catalysis applications

Hierarchical carbon superstructures that built from primary nanoscale objects and featured with a micro- or macroscopic architecture are highly desired, as credited by the synergistically integrated specialties. Here, we present a simple “microconfined-assembly-locking” approach to achieve pomegranate-like mesoporous carbon microspheres (PMCMs), in which the Pickering droplet-confined colloidal particle assembly and surfactant-directed interfacial locking are coupled. The formed PMCMs possess a unique micro-nano-hierarchical structure that consisting numerous mesoporous hollow carbon nanospheres within a permeable crust. Benefitting from this hierarchical arrangement, such a peculiar architecture not only preserves high surface area, large pore volume and good accessibility of the nano-building blocks, but also upgrades in mechanical strength and easy handling ability. In addition, this strategy allows the interior microstructures to be manipulated through combinatorial varying the assembled colloidal particles and interfacial chemical locking processes. Notably, the PMCMs show superior sorption capacity and cyclability for organics or oils from water in a fixed-bed system, which could also be applied to enhance the catalytic performance in hydrogenation of aromatic compounds after loading with Ru nanoparticles. This synthetic method provides a powerful bridge between nanoscale objects and microscale patterning, and paves a way to access other novel superstructures for expanding their potential applications.

A Flexible and Robust Structural Color Film Obtained by Assembly of Surface-Modified Melanin Particles.

In this study, core–shell-hairy-type melanin particles surface modified with a polydopamine shell layer and a polymer brush hairy layer were fabricated and assembled to readily obtain bright structural color films. The hot pressing of freeze-dried samples of melanin particles decorated with a hydrophilic, low glass transition temperature polymer brush results in films that exhibit an angle-dependent structural color due to a highly periodic microstructure, with increased regularity in the arrangement of the particle array due to the fluidity of the particles. Flexible, self-supporting, and easy-to-cut and process structural color films are obtained, and their flexibility and robustness are demonstrated using compression tests. This method of obtaining highly visible structural color films using melanin particles as a single component will have a significant impact on practical materials and applications.

Atomic-level sintering mechanism of silica aerogels at high temperatures: structure evolution and solid thermal conductivity

Silica aerogels are extensively used for thermal insulation at high temperatures. However, it has been experimentally found that high temperature can change the pore structure and undermine thermal insulation. The mechanism of high temperature influence is unclear due to the limited resolution of experimental observations. In the present work, molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical modeling were combined to investigate the effects of high temperature on pore structures and heat conduction. At the scale of nanoparticles, the structural evolution induced by the sintering process of silica aerogels was numerically investigated. The melting process of a single silica nanoparticle can be divided into three stages, and it was found that extending the stage of surface diffusion can improve the thermal stability of silica nanoparticles. At the scale of particle assembly, the contact diameter between adjacent particles was identified and numerically evaluated. At the scale of bulk material, a theoretical model was developed to predict the solid thermal conductivity by considering both the temperature effect on the intrinsic thermal conductivity of backbone and the effect of nanoparticle size. A good agreement was found between the present model and available experimental data. An insightful discussion of the existing theoretical models and experimental data was also presented. The present work can inspire further cross-scale modeling of silica aerogels and may pave the way for the development of silica aerogels with high stability and thermal insulation at high temperatures.

Discovery of Aldisine and Its Derivatives as Novel Antiviral, Larvicidal, and Antiphytopathogenic-Fungus Agents.

Based on the widespread use of hydrogen bonds in drug design, a series of aldisine derivatives containing oxime, oxime ether, and hydrazone moieties were designed and synthesized, and their antiviral, larvicidal, and fungicidal activities were evaluated for the first time. The bioassay results showed that most of these derivatives were active against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Hydrazone derivative 12 showed in vivo inactivation, curative, and protection activities of 52 ± 4, 49 ± 1, and 52 ± 3% at 500 mg/L, which are comparable to that of the commercial antiviral drug ningnanmycin (57 ± 3, 56 ± 2, and 59 ± 1%, respectively) at the same dose. The antiviral mechanism study showed that compound 12 could cause 20S CP (coating protein) disk fusion and disintegration, thus affecting the assembly of virus particles. The result of molecular docking indicated that there were obvious hydrogen bonds between compound 12 and TMV CP. Most derivatives were active against larvae of lepidopteran pests, such as Mythimna separata, Pyrausta nubilalis, and Plutella xylostella. Some compounds also exhibited larvicidal activities against Culex pipiens; among them compounds 9 and 13 exhibited larvicidal activities of 0.81 and 1.54 mg/L (LC50), respectively. Moreover, most of the derivatives showed broad-spectrum fungicidal activities against 14 kinds of phytopathogenic fungi at 50 mg/L.

Prolongation of graft survival via layer-by-layer assembly of collagen and immunosuppressive particles on pancreatic islets

Pancreatic islet transplantation holds great potential as a curative therapy for treating type 1 diabetes. However, the need for lifelong systemic immunosuppression with inevitable side effects is an obstacle to clinical success. Here we devised a strategy for the site-specific delivery of an immunosuppressant (tacrolimus) using layer-by-layer assembly of polymeric particles and collagen on the islet surface. This approach aims to provide a continuous and sustained supply of tacrolimus in the vicinity of transplanted cells while avoiding systemic drug exposure. The dose and release rate of tacrolimus can be tunable to achieve therapeutic windows by varying layer-by-layer construction and chemistry of polymers. Transplanting 400 IEQ of pancreatic islets coated with particles containing ∼3 μg of TAC per recipient provided controlled drug release and rectified diabetes for up to 5 months in a xenogeneic rodent model of type 1 diabetes. We anticipate that the findings of this study will be found useful by those developing local immunomodulation strategies aimed at improving the outcomes and safety of cell therapies for curing type 1 diabetes.

Biophysical Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Assembly: Genome Condensation and Budding.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred unprecedented and concerted worldwide research to curtail and eradicate this pathogen. SARS-CoV-2 has four structural proteins: Envelope (E), Membrane (M), Nucleocapsid (N), and Spike (S), which self-assemble along with its RNA into the infectious virus by budding from intracellular lipid membranes. In this paper, we develop a model to explore the mechanisms of RNA condensation by structural proteins, protein oligomerization and cellular membrane–protein interactions that control the budding process and the ultimate virus structure. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we have deciphered how the positively charged N proteins interact and condense the very long genomic RNA resulting in its packaging by a lipid envelope decorated with structural proteins inside a host cell. Furthermore, considering the length of RNA and the size of the virus, we find that the intrinsic curvature of M proteins is essential for virus budding. While most current research has focused on the S protein, which is responsible for viral entry, and it has been motivated by the need to develop efficacious vaccines, the development of resistance through mutations in this crucial protein makes it essential to elucidate the details of the viral life cycle to identify other drug targets for future therapy. Our simulations will provide insight into the viral life cycle through the assembly of viral particles de novo and potentially identify therapeutic targets for future drug development.

Oligonucleotide-Based Therapies for Chronic HBV Infection: A Primer on Biochemistry, Mechanisms and Antiviral Effects.

Three types of oligonucleotide-based medicines are under clinical development for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and synthetic interfering RNA (siRNA) are designed to degrade HBV mRNA, and nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) stop the assembly and secretion of HBV subviral particles. Extensive clinical development of ASOs and siRNA for a variety of liver diseases has established a solid understanding of their pharmacodynamics, accumulation in different tissue types in the liver, pharmacological effects, off-target effects and how chemical modifications and delivery approaches affect these parameters. These effects are highly conserved for all ASO and siRNA used in human studies to date. The clinical assessment of several ASO and siRNA compounds in chronic HBV infection in recent years is complicated by the different delivery approaches used. Moreover, these assessments have not considered the large clinical database of ASO/siRNA function in other liver diseases and known off target effects in other viral infections. The goal of this review is to summarize the current understanding of ASO/siRNA/NAP pharmacology and integrate these concepts into current clinical results for these compounds in the treatment of chronic HBV infection.

Convenient design of anti-wetting nano-Al/WO3 metastable intermolecular composites (MICs) with an enhanced exothermic life-span

For solving the dilemma of the short exothermic life-span of WO3 based metastable interstitial composites (MICs) with extensive application prospect, this paper has firstly designed the promising anti-wetting Al/WO3 MICs via electrophoresis assembly of nano-Al and WO3 particles fabricated by hydrothermal synthesis method, followed by the subsequent fluorination treatment. A combination of X ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques were utilized in order to characterize the crystal structure, microstructure, and elemental composition distribution of target films after different natural exposure tests. The product with uniform distribution and high purity possesses a high contact angle of ∼170° and a minute sliding angle of ∼1°, and displays the outstanding anti-wetting property using droplets with different surface tensions. It also shows great moisture stability in high relative-humidity circumstances after one year of the natural exposure experiment. Notably, the heat output of a fresh sample can reach up to 2.3 kJ/g and retain 96% after the whole exposure test, showing outstanding thermo-stability for at least one year. This work further proposed the mechanism of anti-wetting Al/WO3 MICs considering the variation tendency of their DSC curve, providing a valuable theoretical reference for designing other self-protected MICs with a long exothermic life-span applied in wide fields of national defense, military industry, etc.

Visualization of stick-slip shear failure process of granite by 3D reconstruction technique and DEM

Understanding the mechanism of stick-slip instability of faults is of great significance for earthquake forecast and seismic fortification. In this paper, combined with the 3D reconstruction technology and discrete element method (DEM), the stick-slip shear failure process is visualized and the evolution mechanism of each stage of stick-slip process is studied. First, the 3D morphology scanning tests are carried out to define the 3D topography of the sample interface, which is imported into PFC3D to generate particle assembly, and micro-parameters of the particle assembly are calibrated by the experimental results. Second, the loading conditions are applied to the particle assembly, the stick-slip instability of the simulated fault occurs spontaneously, and the evolution of fault displacement and velocity distribution during the whole stick-slip period are studied. Third, the effects of normal stress, shear loading rate and interface roughness on stick-slip instability are investigated. Finally, nine parameters related to the steady-state friction coefficient, namely normal stress, natural density, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, maximum static friction coefficient, reference slip velocity, reference friction coefficient, a-b and slip velocity, are selected to establish the steady-state friction coefficient forecast model based on back propagation neural network (BPNN), and the relative importance analysis of relevant parameters is also implemented. Our research is helpful to reveal the seismogenic mechanism.

A Glu-Glu-Tyr Sequence in the Cytoplasmic Tail of the M2 Protein Renders Influenza A Virus Susceptible to Restriction of the Hemagglutinin-M2 Association in Primary Human Macrophages.

Influenza A virus (IAV) assembly at the plasma membrane is orchestrated by at least five viral components, including hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), matrix (M1), the ion channel M2, and viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes, although particle formation is observed with expression of only HA and/or NA. While these five viral components are expressed efficiently in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) upon IAV infection, this cell type does not support efficient HA-M2 association and IAV particle assembly at the plasma membrane. Both defects are specific to MDMs and can be reversed upon disruption of F-actin. However, the relationship between the two defects is unclear. Here, we examined whether M2 contributes to particle assembly in MDMs and if so, which region of M2 determines the susceptibility to the MDM-specific and actin-dependent suppression. An analysis using correlative fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy showed that an M2-deficient virus failed to form budding structures at the cell surface even after F-actin was disrupted, indicating that M2 is essential for virus particle formation at the MDM surface. Notably, proximity ligation analysis revealed that a single amino acid substitution in a Glu-Glu-Tyr sequence (residues 74 to 76) in the M2 cytoplasmic tail allowed the HA-M2 association to occur efficiently even in MDMs with intact actin cytoskeleton. This phenotype did not correlate with known phenotypes of the M2 substitution mutants regarding M1 interaction or vRNP packaging in epithelial cells. Overall, our study identified M2 as a target of MDM-specific restriction of IAV assembly, which requires the Glu-Glu-Tyr sequence in the cytoplasmic tail. IMPORTANCE Human MDMs represent a cell type that is nonpermissive to particle formation of influenza A virus (IAV). We previously showed that close proximity association between viral HA and M2 proteins is blocked in MDMs. However, whether MDMs express a restriction factor against IAV assembly or whether they lack a dependency factor promoting assembly remained unknown. In the current study, we determined that the M2 protein is necessary for particle formation in MDMs but is also a molecular target of the MDM-specific suppression of assembly. Substitutions in the M2 cytoplasmic tail alleviated the block in both the HA-M2 association and particle production in MDMs. These findings suggest that MDMs express dependency factors necessary for assembly but also express a factor(s) that inhibits HA-M2 association and particle formation. High conservation of the M2 sequence rendering the susceptibility to the assembly block highlights the potential for M2 as a target of antiviral strategies.

Chemical Cascading Between Polymersomal Nanoreactor Populations

AbstractHarnessing interactions of functional nano‐compartments to generate larger particle assemblies allows studying diverse biological behaviors based on their population states and can lead to the development of smart materials. Herein, thiol‐functionalized polymersome nanoreactors are utilized as responsive organelle‐like nano‐compartments—with inherent capacity to associate into larger aggregates in response to change in the redox state of their environment—to study the kinetics of cascade reactions and explore functions of their collective under different population states. Two nanoreactor populations, glucose oxidase‐ and horseradish peroxidase‐loaded polymersomes, are prepared, and the results of their cascading upon addition of glucose are investigated. The kinetics of resorufin production in associated polymersomes and non‐associated polymersome populations are compared, observing a decreased rate upon association. For the associated populations, faster chemical cascading is found when the two types of nanoreactors are associated in a concerted step, as compared to sequential association. The addition of competing agents such as catalase impacts the communication between non‐associated polymersomes, whereas such an effect is less pronounced for the associated ones. Altogether, the results showcase the impact of collective associations on enzymatic cascading between organelle‐like nanoreactors.

Confinement and aggregation of colloidal particles in an ionic liquid microdroplet formed by optical tweezers

Currently, there is considerable interest in applying colloidal assemblies to photonic and plasmonic devices. Optical tweezing enables the preparation of such assemblies at desired positions, but the assembly process occurs only in areas irradiated by laser light. Here, we demonstrate the collection and assembly of colloidal particles in areas beyond the irradiation area. The particles are taken into a microdroplet formed by optical tweezing in a thermo-responsive ionic liquid (IL)/water mixture. The confined particles aggregate as the droplet shrinks. The mechanism of confinement and aggregation of colloidal particles are discussed in view of the surface charge of the particles.

Biosurfactant assisted in situ green and clean preparation route for layered double hydroxides and their green metrics-based sustainability assessment

Hybrid advanced multifunctional materials based on layered double hydroxides (LDH) and intercalated guest biomolecule(s) are of high industrial and academic importance and have found promising applications in diverse fields such as biomedical, energy, environment, agriculture, etc. This report strategically develops a new innovative green sonochemical route to incorporate rhamnolipid (RL) and surfactin (SR) into 3D hierarchical flower-like Mg-Al-LDH micro-nano-structures. When compared to traditional mechanochemical co-precipitation and ion-exchange methods, the designed one-pot and scalable method was sustainable and green chemistry compliant, with improved time, energy, and solvent efficiency. RL/SR anions act as an interlayer anion and a template for the fabrication of LDH sheets leads to the increase in the basal spacing and impair LDH sheet interaction. Consequently the vesicle-type phase can be fabricated using biosurfactant in aqueous media under the influence of metal cations induced the curved growth of RL/SR-intercalated LDH nuclei and the flower-like assemblage of LDH particles. The structure, morphology, surface properties, and thermal stability were evaluated. The release profile and kinetics of RL/SR of the intercalated LDHs was studied. Slow and controlled release of SR from the Mg/Al-LDH micro-nano-structures was observed for a prolonged time up to 10 h and followed zeroth-order kinetics, whereas RL release was well described in Higuchi model, indicating the release of the biomolecule via a diffusion mechanism. Cytotoxicity (in L929 and 3T3 fibroblast cells) and haemolytic tests suggested that cytotoxic effect in the range of 25–400 mg/ml and the haemolytic ratio was <4 % at 25–600 mg/ml, showing good biocompatibility of the biosurfactant-intercalated LDHs. Taken together, these micro-nano-structures can be used as potential sustained- or extended-release candidate for agricultural, biomedical or water treatment applications.

EBOLApred: A machine learning-based web application for predicting cell entry inhibitors of the Ebola virus

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a highly virulent and often lethal illness that affects humans through contact with the body fluid of infected persons. Glycoprotein and matrix protein VP40 play essential roles in the virus life cycle within the host. Whilst glycoprotein mediates the entry and fusion of the virus with the host cell membrane, VP40 is also responsible for viral particle assembly and budding. This study aimed at developing machine learning models to predict small molecules as possible anti-Ebola virus compounds capable of inhibiting the activities of GP and VP40 using Ebola virus (EBOV) cell entry inhibitors from the PubChem database as training data. Predictive models were developed using five algorithms comprising random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), naïve Bayes (NB), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), and logistic regression (LR). The models were evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation technique and the algorithm with the best performance was the random forest model with an accuracy of 89 %, an F1 score of 0.9, and a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) showing the area under the curve (AUC) score of 0.95. LR and SVM models also showed plausible performances with overall accuracy values of 0.84 and 0.86, respectively. The models, RF, LR, and SVM were deployed as a web server known as EBOLApred accessible via http://197.255.126.13:8000/.

Effect of Horizontal Vibrations and Particle Size on the Packing Density of Multi-Sized Sphere Mixtures: Discrete Element Method Simulation

Abstract Particle packing densification due to vibrations is a common process that occurs in many industrial applications and is beneficial for achieving better mechanical properties in powder metallurgy. However, most of the research up to this point was focused on vibration compaction of uniform-sized or binary particle mixtures, while most actual commercial powders consist of particles of variable sizes. In this work, the packing of multi-sized sphere mixtures under horizontal vibrations is simulated with the help of the discrete element method (DEM). The variations of total and local packing density with vibrations and particle size were investigated. The simulation results suggest that there are optimal values for the two vibration parameters at which the closest packing is obtained. Further increase in the particle size decreases the density and slightly shifts these peaks to the lower values of vibrations. Local density values are quite uniform at the optimal vibration parameters, but the deviations become higher when frequency or amplitude is too low or high. With an increase in particle size, these trends become less profound and more deviated. The investigations of effects of size can help in predicting optimal parameters and density values for experimental studies. These developments are similar to those for uniform and binary particle assemblies and correlate with experimental and numerical studies from the literature. The results can be helpful in carefully choosing the particle mixture properties and vibration conditions for actual manufacturing.