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Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline-based composites using cellulose nanocrystals as biological templates.

Polyaniline (PANI) is considered as an ideal electrode material due to its remarkable Faradaic activity, exceptional conductivity, and ease of processing. However, the agglomeration and poor cycling stability of PANI largely limit its practical utilization in energy storage devices. To address these challenges, PANI was synthesized via a facile one-pot, two-step process using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as bio-templates in this work. Zeta potential and particle size measurements revealed that the CNC template could impart improved dispersion stability to the synthesized PANI, which exhibited a decrease in average particle size from 1100 nm to 300 nm as a function of 10 % CNCs. Furthermore, the effect of CNC loadings on the performance of PANI was systematically investigated. The results showed that the specific capacitance of PANI/CNC increased from 102.52 F·g-1 to 138.12 F·g-1 with the CNC loading increase from 0 to 10 wt%. Particularly, the PANI/CNC composite film with a 1:9 ratio (C-P-10 %) demonstrated a capacity retention of 84.45 % after 6000 cycles and an outstanding conductivity of 526 S·m-1. This work generally offers an effective solution for the preparation of high-performance PANI-based composites, which might hold great promise in energy storage device applications.

A new method of rapid-intelligent assessment for the dynamic service performance in high-speed railway subgrade

ABSTRACT There is a lack of a rapid, advanced, and comprehensive method for assessing the dynamic service performance in high-speed railway subgrade, which leads to an inability to pre-assess the health state of the subgrades in advance. In this paper, an innovative method of rapid-intelligent assessment for the dynamic service performance (RADSP) in high-speed railway subgrade was proposed. Firstly, a large-scale exciter was used to simulate the train loading effect, which could rapidly obtain the assessment metrics for subgrade dynamic service performance, including subgrade dynamic response (SDR) and subgrade cumulative deformation (SCD), where the SDR includes dynamic stress and acceleration. Then, to explore the future development trend of SCD during operation, an intelligent and advanced prediction of SCD was conducted using the optimal machine learning (ML) prediction model. Finally, by combining the results of the SDR and SCD assessments to achieve the RADSP in high-speed railway subgrade. Moreover, the method was applied to assess the dynamic service performance of diatomaceous earth subgrade structures with four different waterproofing structure layers (WSL): the middle of subgrade surface layer (WSL-1), the bottom of subgrade surface layer (WSL-2), the middle of subgrade bottom layer (WSL-3), and the bottom of subgrade bottom layer (WSL-4). The results indicate that: 1) During the excitation experiments, the maximum values for SDR (dynamic stress, acceleration) and SCD exceed the respective limits of 50 kPa, 10 m/s2, and 15 mm under WSL-1 and WSL-4. 2) The ensemble model, AdaBoost-GPR, is selected as the optimal ML model to predict the SCD values. Notably, the prediction SCD value exceeds the 15 mm limit under WSL-3, indicating that the SCD during future operation does not meet the requirements for pre-assessment. 3) Under WSL-2, both SDR and SCD assessments satisfy the limit value requirements, indicating that the dynamic service performance is better. Based on the proposed method, it is found that when designing waterproof-drainage subgrade structures in diatomaceous earth areas, it is recommended to position the WSL at the bottom of subgrade surface layer. The research findings serve as a crucial reference and valuable lesson for the health monitoring of high-speed railway subgrades.

Energy and structural optimization of mid-rise light-frame timber buildings for different climates and seismic zones in Chile

AbstractLocation determines not only the climatic condition but also the structural loads that the structure must withstand. Given the broad variety of climatic and seismic requirements of Chile, the design of lightweight timber buildings considering both energy and seismic design parameters and boundary conditions becomes a difficult task. The main objective of this research is to analyze and quantify the effect of climates, seismic loads, lateral anchorage, and story number on the optimal energy design solutions, including the seismic behavior in a light-frame timber building. Furthermore, the optimal design was parametrically analyzed considering five Chilean cities that consider different climates, seismic zone, number of stories, and lateral anchorage systems to prevent rocking (overturning) due to lateral seismic forces. The optimal wall insulation thickness, stud spacing, and thermal mass exhibited significant variations depending on the buildings' number of stories, lateral anchorage system, climate, and seismic zone. Therefore, the results of this investigation reinforce the necessity of integrating energy and seismic designs for light-frame timber buildings. The optimal designs obtained in this investigation showed considerable variations depending on the combination of climatic and seismic loads as well as the number of stories and anchoring systems. The article's main contributions are the evidence of the structural and energy design interconnection of light-frame timber buildings and how design variables, such as stud spacing, floor concrete thickness layer, and wall insulation thickness, are related and change according to the different climates, seismic loads, lateral anchorage, and story number.

The effect of cognitive load, ego depletion, induction and time restriction on moral judgments about sacrificial dilemmas: a meta-analysis

Greene's influential dual-process model of moral cognition (mDPM) proposes that when people engage in Type 2 processing, they tend to make consequentialist moral judgments. One important source of empirical support for this claim comes from studies that ask participants to make moral judgments while experimentally manipulating Type 2 processing. This paper presents a meta-analysis of the published psychological literature on the effect of four standard cognitive-processing manipulations (cognitive load; ego depletion; induction; time restriction) on moral judgments about sacrificial moral dilemmas [n = 44; k = 68; total N = 14, 003; M(N) = 194.5]. The overall pooled effect was in the direction predicted by the mDPM, but did not reach statistical significance. Restricting the dataset to effect sizes from (high-conflict) personal sacrificial dilemmas (a type of sacrificial dilemma that is often argued to be best suited for tests of the mDPM) also did not yield a significant pooled effect. The same was true for a meta-analysis of the subset of studies that allowed for analysis using the process dissociation approach [n = 8; k = 12; total N = 2, 577; M(N) = 214.8]. I argue that these results undermine one important line of evidence for the mDPM and discuss a series of potential objections against this conclusion.

Influence of Few-Layer Graphene on Frictional Properties of Lithium Compound Grease

The frictional properties of lithium compound grease (LCG) with different percentage compositions of few-layer graphene (FLG) were investigated, and the mechanisms of temperature and loading effects on LCG containing FLG are also considered. The concluding effect shows that 1 wt% FLG is more appropriate for friction and wear modifiers for lithium compound grease at elevated temperatures and less suitable at ordinary temperatures. Thickener chemisorption film, FLG layering film, and tribo-reaction film consisting of FeO(OH), Fe2O3, Fe3O4, Li2O, and other oxides assist in the establishment of a lubricating boundary film on the friction interfaces lubricated with LCG containing FLG. The poor fluidity of lithium compound grease at low temperatures leads to poor dispersion of FLG, decreasing friction reduction capability. Under elevated temperature and low load condition, adding 1wt% FLG to LCG can only improve its wear-resistant property, the abrasion volume of steel plate reduced by 24.49%. Under elevated temperature and high load condition, adding 1wt% FLG to LCG can only enhance its anti-friction characteristics.. Conversely, FLG is unsuitable as an anti-friction and wear-resistant additive for LCG at low-temperature conditions.

Enhancing the Ability of the Square Footing to Resist Positive and Negative Eccentric-inclined Loading Using an Inclined Skirt

Shallow and inclined skirted foundations on 30% sandy soil were examined in the experiment program. The study examined the effects of positive and negative eccentric-inclined loading on foundations. Experimental testing was done in a 600 × 600 mm box with a 50 x 50 mm square footing with a 10 mm thickness. The skirt angles were 10°, 20°, and 30°, and the skirt depth was Ds was 0.5 B. Results showed that using skirts significantly increases load-bearing capacity and decreases tilting. Tilting reduces with a skirt, and skirt inclination (alpha) increases with similar loads. Inclined skirts decrease tilt by (2.3% to 0.66%) at e was 0.15 B, load angle (beta) was 15°, and alpha was 30° in the negative case. Tilting increases with eccentricity. As load inclination grows, unskirted and skirted foundations slide and rotate. For the positive case, the tilting decreases from 10% to 2% with e was 0.15 B, loading angle (beta) was 15°, and alpha was 30° with an inclination skirt. The amount of horizontal displacement of the skirted foundation is more than that of the unskirted foundation when comparing the failure load for the unskirted foundation with the same load for the skirted foundation. Loading a foundation without a skirt causes significant settlement and little horizontal displacement. Increasing the load angle is effective since it greatly affects horizontal displacement. In some situations, such as a negative eccentric-inclined load with Ds was 0.5 B, beta was 15, and e was 0.05 B, the influence of the loading angle may be decreased once failures with eccentricity. When eccentricity increases while the load angle (beta) remains constant, the horizontal displacement of a negative eccentric-inclined load reduces.

A Virtual Resistance Optimization Method Based on Hybrid Index in Low-voltage Microgrid

Introduction: The introduction of virtual resistance can effectively suppress the circulating current between micro-sources and improve power allocation in low-voltage microgrid, but it also causes the voltage deviation of micro-sources’ inverters. An optimization method of virtual resistance based on hybrid index is proposed in order to suppress circulating current and improve voltage deviation at the same time in this paper. The gradient descent method is used to design the virtual resistance optimization process, aiming at the optimization of hybrid index composed of circulating current and voltage deviation. The constraints are deduced with power quality requirements, capacity limitation and static stability, and then virtual resistance values are optimized. The effects of switching load and micro-source on the optimization results are analyzed through the simulation of low-voltage microgrid, and the simulation results show that the virtual resistance optimization method can significantly suppress circulating current while improving power quality. When distributed generators are connected to utility grid through inverters and feeders, differences in feeder parameters and inverter control strategies easily cause circulating current and uneven power distribution among micro-sources. The introduction of virtual resistance can effectively suppress the circulating current between micro-sources and improve power allocation in low-voltage microgrids, but it also causes the voltage deviation of micro-sources’ inverters. An optimization method of virtual resistance based on hybrid index is proposed in order to suppress circulating current and improve voltage deviation. Methods: The gradient descent method is used to design the virtual resistance optimization process, aiming at the optimization of hybrid index composed of circulating current and voltage deviation. The constraints are deduced with power quality requirements, capacity limitation and static stability, and then virtual resistance values are optimized. Results: In the simulation scenario of two micro-sources and three micro-sources, the virtual resistance obtained by the method proposed in this paper has more obvious improvement on the system operation index, and is not affected by the load type. Conclusion: The method of optimizing virtual resistance based on the hybrid index can achieve the effect of restraining circulating current and improving power sharing degree on the premise of guaranteeing power quality and satisfying system stability. The optimization of virtual resistance is affected by the number of feeders. It is necessary to re-optimize the virtual resistance after changing the number of feeders, but the process of switching micro-source and adjusting load does not affect the optimized resistance value.

Hydrogen blistering and cracking of high-strength pipeline steel welds produced by electrochemical hydrogen charging

Pipeline steel system always faces a challenge of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) not only due to corrosion environments but also because of cathodic protection strategy. Especially in welded joint, heterogeneous microstructures lead to the difference in intrinsic HE resistance for different subzones. However, this aspect was often neglected when external loading was applied during evaluation of the HE. To eliminate the effect of external loading, the hydrogen damage behaviors of X100 pipeline steel weld were investigated only based on electrochemical hydrogen charging and the intrinsic HE resistance of each subzone was explored. The results showed that the HE resistance of the main regions in weld was decreased in order of weld metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and base metal (BM), with different surface damage modes: the BM had predominantly hydrogen blistering; while others displayed mainly hydrogen cracking. The corresponding features for cross-sectional cracking were intergranular propagation along the pancaked grain boundaries in the BM and trangranular propagation in HAZ. For transgranular cracking propagation, the path first trended to initiate on the {100} cleavage plane, then grew on the {110} slip planes. The intergranular cracking was mainly attributed to the lamellar-structural prior grain boundaries that inherited numerous deformation dislocations during hot rolling of the base metal.

Impact of preoperative carbohydrate loading on postoperative course and morbidity in debulking surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer.

Despite the theoretical benefits, the favorable effect of preoperative carbohydrate loading on postoperative morbidity remains controversial. Most of the outcomes reported in the literature are derived from non-gynecologic surgery data, with only one study involving a limited number of patients specifically in gynecological oncology. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of carbohydrate loading, as a single element of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols, on postoperative course and morbidity in patients undergoing debulking surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The present study was a non-randomized, prospective cohort trial enrolling patients with EOC who underwent surgery between June 2018 and December 2021. An oral carbohydrate supplement with a dose of 50 g was given to patients 2-3 h before anesthesia. Data on postoperative course and morbidity were collected and compared with data of a historical cohort including consecutive patients who underwent surgery without a carbohydrate loading between January 2015 and June 2018. Analyses were performed on a total of 162 patients, including 72 patients in the carbohydrate loading group and 90 patients in the control group. Median length of hospital stay (11 days vs. 11 days; P=0.555), postoperative days 1-7 serum c-reactive protein levels (P=0.213), 30-day readmission (11.6% vs. 11.5%, P=0.985), 30-day relaparotomy (2.8% vs. 3.4%, P=0.809) and 30-day morbidity (48.6% vs. 46.7%; P=0.805) were comparable between the cohorts. No significant differences in grades of morbidities were identified between the cohorts (P=0.511). Multivariate analysis revealed that the sole independent risk factor for any postoperative morbidity was operative time. In conclusion, based on the results of the present study, postoperative course and morbidity seemed to be unaffected by carbohydrate loading in patients undergoing debulking surgery for EOC.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of an ionic liquid-based biphasic solvent for post-combustion CO2 Capture: Breaking through the “Trade-off” effect of viscosity and loading

Experimental and theoretical investigation of an ionic liquid-based biphasic solvent for post-combustion CO2 Capture: Breaking through the “Trade-off” effect of viscosity and loading

The Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Frames Exposed to High Temperature under Cyclic Load Effect

Continued use of the structure through minor renovations and repairs without a complete and accurate determination of the extent of damage to the structure and its elements exposed to high temperature effects due to fire, etc. will cause more loss of life and property in the event of an earthquake that may occur later. The aim of this study is to determine the losses on the lateral load and energy damping capacities and stiffness of reinforced concrete frames exposed to 200, 400, 600 and 800 ℃ high temperatures for 60, 120 and 180minutes. For this purpose, 13 reinforced concrete frame test elements with the same concrete and steel material properties and dimensions were produced. All reinforced concrete frame test members were brought to the specified target temperature within one hour and exposed to high temperature effects for 60, 120 and 180minutes at these target temperatures. The test members then allowed cooling down on their own and when they reached room temperature, they removed from the oven and subjected to cyclic lateral loading tests. The data obtained from the cyclic lateral loading tests processed to obtain lateral load - horizontal displacement, stiffness - horizontal displacement, cumulative energy consumption - horizontal displacement and strength envelope curves for each test element. According to the results of the cyclic lateral loading tests, it was determined that the lateral load carrying capacities of the test members exposed to high temperature for 60, 120 and 180minutes decreased by 24%, 33.33% and 36% in push, and by 25.76%, 37.6% and 38.72% in pull, respectively. In addition, the energy consumption of the test elements exposed to high temperature for 60, 120 and 180minutes decreased by 30.98%, 42.41% and 39.62%, respectively, compared to the reference test element. The initial stiffness of all test elements exposed to the high temperature effect decreased compared to the initial stiffness of the reference test element not exposed to the high temperature effect. According to these results, the effect of high temperature causes losses in many parameters that are of vital importance in the building elements, but also highly affects the earthquake behavior of the building.

Research on the Support Performance of Internal Feedback Hydrostatic Thrust and Journal Bearing Considering Load Effect

This study aims to analyze the impact of uniform and eccentric load conditions on the performance of internal feedback hydrostatic thrust and journal bearing. Two distinct models are established: a three-degrees-of-freedom uniform load model and a five-degrees-of-freedom eccentric load model. The support stiffness, overturning stiffness, and flow rate for both thrust and journal bearings are calculated. Additionally, numerical analysis is conducted to examine the influence of oil film thickness, inlet pressure, and restrictor size on the operational characteristics of the bearings, revealing the interplay between an eccentric load and journal bearing speed. The validity of the theoretical algorithm is verified through finite element simulation. The research outcomes hold significant guiding implications for the design and application of internal feedback hydrostatic bearings.

Foundation Types of Fixed Offshore Wind Turbine

Offshore wind turbines are supported by various foundations, each with its considerations in design and construction. Gravity, monopile, and suction bucket foundations encounter geotechnical issues, while jacket and tripod foundations face fatigue problems. Considering this, a gravity foundation based on a steel skirt was developed, and a monopile foundation was analyzed for Pile-Soil Interaction using the p–y curve and 3D finite element method (3D FEM). In addition, for suction bucket foundations, the effects of lateral and vertical loads were analyzed using 3D FEM and centrifuge tests. Fatigue analysis for jacket and tripod foundations was conducted using a hotspot stress approach. Some hybrid foundations and shape optimization techniques that change the shape to complement the problems of each foundation described above were assessed. Hybrid foundations could increase lateral resistance compared to existing foundations because of the combined appendages, and optimization techniques could reduce costs by maximizing the efficiency of the structure or by reducing costs and weight. This paper presents the characteristics and research directions of the foundation through various studies on the foundation. In addition, the optimal design method is presented by explaining the problems of the foundation and suggesting ways to supplement them.

Centrifuge modelling of end-bearing slender energy pile performance under temperature cycles

Slender energy pile shows a buckling deformation behavior under the coupling effect of temperature cycles and external loads, significantly affecting the long-term serviceability and even leading to the buckling failure. To investigate the thermo-mechanical performance of end-bearing slender energy piles under the long-term effect of temperature cycles, a centrifuge modelling experiment was conducted in this work, in which the temperature distribution, displacement, axial force and bending moment of the energy pile during the long-term temperature cycle were measured. The results unveiled that the axial force of the end-bearing slender pile increases as temperature rises, potentially leading to a displacement neutral point in the lower part of the pile. Meanwhile, there was an embedding effect in the lower part of the slender pile, with a preliminary calculated embedment depth of 36.2 meters. Temperature fluctuations can soften the soil at the pile end over time, diminishing the embedding effect on slender piles, and causing a reverse bending point to emerge at a depth of 45.5 meters. The appearance of bending moments in the pile signaled the horizontal displacement encountered in the pile service life, warning the bearing capacity loss problem from changes in pile deflection.

Revealing the Effect of Typhoons on the Stability of Residual Soil Slope by Wind Tunnel Test

Typhoon-induced slope failure is one of the most important geological hazards in coastal areas. However, the specific influence of typhoons on the stability of residual soil slopes still remains an open issue. In this study, the Feiyunjiang catchment in Zhejiang Province of SE China was chosen as the study area, and a downscaling physical model of residual soil slopes in the region was used to carry out the wind tunnel test. Our aim was to answer the question, How does the vegetation on the slope and slope stability respond during a typhoon event? For this purpose, multiple aspects were monitored and observed under four different wind speeds (8.3 m/s, 10.3 m/s, 13.3 m/s, and 17 m/s), including vegetation damage on the slope, macrocracks on the slope surface, wind pressure, wind load, permeability coefficient of the soil layer, and slope stability. The results showed that the plants on the slope could restore to their original states when the wind speeds ranged from 8.3 m/s to 13.3 m/s, but were damaged to the point of toppling when the wind speed increased to 17 m/s. Meanwhile, evident cracks were observed on the ground under this condition, which caused a sharp increase in the soil permeability coefficient, from 1.06 × 10−5 m/s to 6.06 × 10−4 m/s. The monitored wind pressures were larger at the canopy than that at the trunk for most of the trees, and generally larger at the crown of the slope compared with the toe of the slope. Regarding the wind load to the slope ground, the total value increased significantly, from 35.4 N under a wind speed of 8.3 m/s to 166.5 N under a wind speed of 17 m/s. However, the wind load presented different vector directions at different sections of the slope. The quantitative assessment of slope stability considering the wind load effect revealed that the safety factor decreased by 0.123 and 0.1 under the natural state and saturated state, respectively, from no wind to a 17 m/s strong wind. Overall, the present results explained the mechanism of slope failure during typhoon events, which provided theoretical reference for revealing the characteristics of residual soil slope stability under typhoon conditions.

Analyzing the Seasonal Vertical Displacement Fluctuations Using the Global Navigation Satellite System and Hydrological Load: A Case Study of the Western Yunnan Region

The non-tectonic deformation caused by hydrological loads is an important influencing factor in GNSS vertical displacement. Limited by the temporal and spatial resolution of global models and model errors, the hydrological load results calculated by traditional methods are difficult to meet the high temporal and spatial resolution requirements of small to medium-scale regions. This paper introduces the idea of the remove–restore method, assimilates regional high-resolution hydrological data, and obtains higher temporal and spatial-resolution hydrological load results. Subsequently, utilizing data from 12 CORS observed in the western Yunnan region between January 2018 and December 2020, the quantitative relationship and variation characteristics between GNSS vertical displacement and hydrological load displacement were analyzed in detail. Furthermore, the annual signals of both were extracted using the SSA method for comparative analysis. After removing the effects of atmospheric load and non-tidal ocean load, the average correlation coefficient between GNSS vertical displacement and hydrological load displacement is 0.84, with an average reduction of WRMS (%) reaching 37.17%. The average correlation coefficient of the annual signals between GNSS vertical displacement and hydrological load deformation is 0.94, with an average reduction of WRMS (%) reaching 46.5%, indicating that the contribution of hydrological load to the GNSS non-tectonic vertical displacement annual signal is close to 50%. The research results provide scientific support and important references for studying surface tectonic deformation by removing non-tectonic deformations such as hydrological loads from GNSS vertical displacement. Additionally, it helps to explore the mechanisms of interaction between water storage migration and surface deformation.

Biodegradable maleic–itaconic polymer‐coated phosphatic fertilizer improved phosphorous recovery in calcareous soil

AbstractBackgroundThe poor nutrient recovery of phosphatic (P) fertilizers in calcareous soils is a serious worldwide problem resulting in sub‐optimal P use efficiency. This is mainly attributed to P fixation with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) ions in the soil solution. As a result, most of the applied P (in the form of fertilizer) becomes insoluble or immobilized in soil due to complex edaphic processes, making it unavailable to plants. Polymer‐coated fertilizers are relatively new approaches to minimizing P‐fixation. However, concerns have been recently raised on the environmental effects of synthetic polymers and microplastic loads in agroecosystems.AimHere we developed and investigated the effectiveness of biodegradable polymer‐coating on commercial diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer to improve P availability in the soil, hence making P more accessible for plant uptake.MethodsThe polymers were coated on DAP fertilizer granules, and two products based on increasing polymer concentration (namely, C‐1 and C‐2, respectively) were achieved. The coated and uncoated DAP granules were characterized for surface properties to confirm the appropriate coating of polymers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and crushing strength by a universal telson machine. The biodegradable polymer‐coated C‐1 and C‐2 fertilizers were tested for P availability compared to commercial DAP using spinach as a test plant.ResultsThe SEM micrographs indicated a uniform coating of biodegradable polymers on DAP granules. Application of C‐1 increased the plant's fresh and dry biomass (+10.71% and +18.09%) over commercial DAP, respectively. The C‐1 application increased the N, P, and K uptake by +24.9%, +66.7%, and +11% over commercial DAP. In contrast, C‐2 produced less biomass than C‐1 due to relatively less nutrient uptake and different concentrations of ingredients in C‐2.ConclusionTogether, our results showed that the novel biodegradable polymer approach has demonstrated the potential to improve P recovery and agronomic yield in alkaline soils.

The effect of filler loading, biological treatment, and bioplastic blend ratio on flexural and impact properties of blended bioplastic reinforced with spent coffee ground

AbstractIn this study, the mechanical and morphological characteristics of poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blend matrix reinforced with spent coffee ground (SCG) were investigated across various weight ratios (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, and 0/100) and SCG contents (10–40 wt%). SEM micrographs revealed a phase‐separated structure with cracks on the fracture surface, consistent with the lower flexural properties of biocomposites. The incorporation of SCG reduced mechanical properties, mainly due to its incompatibility with the PHA/PLA matrix. Biocomposites with high SCG content demonstrated lower energy absorption capabilities, likely due to SCG aggregates acting as stress concentrators and disrupting load‐transferring mechanisms. Moreover, increasing PHA content in the blends led to higher PLA crystallinity, as PHA acted as a nucleating agent for PLA. For biological treatment, biocomposites with PHA/PLA ratio (50/50) and SCG loading (20 wt%) were employed. The microscopic analysis highlighted well‐dispersed treated SCG within the matrix and improved interfacial contact. Biocomposites with treated SCG demonstrated remarkable enhancements of 52% and 113% in flexural strength and modulus, respectively. These findings proved the effectiveness of sustainable fungal treatment in enhancing interfacial adhesion and improving the mechanical performance of biocomposites.Highlights Percentage of SCG in bioplastic blend as a significant effect on the flexural properties and impact strength. The ratio of the bioplastic blend has the strong influence on the flexural properties and impact properties. Biological treatment of SCG has improved the interfacial interaction between SCG and bioplastic blend. The treated SCG has rougher surface which facilitates the interfacial locking between bioplastic blend and treated SCG. The biological treatment of SCG has improved the mechanical properties of the composites.

Geometrically nonlinear vibration of toroidal sandwich shells with auxetic honeycomb core under periodic/impulsive pressure

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the dynamic behaviour of sandwich toroidal shells composed of a core with negative Poisson ratio (auxetic honeycomb material) and nanocomposite enriched coating layers under impulsive/periodic pressures considering the geometrical nonlinearity. The set of nonlinear equilibrium equations based on the first-order shear deformation theory are and the resultant nonlinear differential motion equations are approximately solved by the Galerkin method and 4th-order Runge–Kutta solution, respectively. The achieved responses show that the amplitude of outward deformations is intensively increased when the proposed sandwich shells are subjected to rectangular periodic and impulsive loadings which shows the destructive effects of this type dynamic loading. The performed parametric studies shows that these destructive effects can be controlled by changing the geometrical properties of the honeycomb cells and the volume fractions of the nanocomposites in the coating layers. It is notable that in the previous studies the nonlinear dynamic response of toroidal shells subjected to various periodic and impulsive pressures was not investigated. However, in the present work, the mentioned dynamic responses were achieved and investigated without spending time-consuming computational. In fact, the novelty of this work is to develop such a robust and efficient tool.

In vitro development of a muscle-tendon junction construct using decellularised extracellular matrix: Effect of cyclic tensile loading

The muscle tendon junction (MTJ) plays a crucial role in transmitting the force generated by muscles to the tendon and then to the bone. Injuries such as tears and strains frequently happen at the MTJ, where the regenerative process is limited due to poor vascularization and the complex structure of the tissue. Current solutions for a complete tear at the MTJ have not been successful and therefore, the development of a tissue-engineered MTJ may provide a more effective treatment. In this study, decellularised extracellular matrix (DECM) derived from sheep MTJ was used to provide a scaffold for the MTJ with the relevant mechanical properties and differentiation cues such as the relase of growth factors. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were seeded on DECM and 10 % cyclic strain was applied using a bioreactor. MSCs cultured on DECM showed significantly higher gene and protein expression of MTJ markers such as collagen 22, paxillin and talin, than MSCs in 2D culture. Although collagen 22 protein expression was higher in the cells with strain than without strain, reduced gene expression of other MTJ markers was observed when the strain was applied. DECM combined with 10 % strain enhanced myogenic differentiation, while tenogenic differentiation was reduced when compared to static cultures of MSCs on DECM. For the first time, these results showed that DECM derived from the MTJ can induce MTJ marker gene and protein expression by MSCs, however, the effect of strain on the MTJ development in DECM culture needs further investigation.