Elastic Layer Research Articles

Bounds of the technical constants for two-dimensional anisotropic elasticity

The complete set of bounds for the technical constants of an elastic layer, plate or laminate is given. The bounds are valid in general, also for completely anisotropic bodies. They are obtained transforming the polar bounds previously found. These bounds complete the knowledge of classical elasticity at least in the two-dimensional case and are useful in several situations, e.g. for determining the correct feasibility domain in design problems or as necessary conditions for accepting the results of laboratory tests on anisotropic layers.

Pembuatan Sediaan Gel Anti Acne dari Asap Cair Tempurung Kelapa Berbasis Galaktomanan dengan Bakteri Staphylococcus aureus

Liquid smoke is a condensate liquid resulting from coconut shell pyrolysis which contains the main constituents of acids, phenols and carbonyls, so it is widely applied as a natural preservative in food and as an anti-bacterial. Gel preparations are preferred because when used they leave a translucent, elastic layer, good drug release and an attractive appearance. This study aims to determine whether liquid smoke can be formulated into an acne gel dosage form on a galactomannan basis which at certain concentrations has antimicrobial activity againstStaphylococcus aureus and does not cause skin irritation. This research was conducted using experimental and descriptive methods. Beginning with collecting literature information related to the content of liquid smoke from coconut shells, then making a galactomannan base, formulation of acne gel preparations from liquid smoke, making microbiological media, methods of testing antimicrobial activity, examining the physical quality of preparations including preparation homogeneity, testing the preparation's pH, testing preparation stability, and irritation test on volunteers. Based on the results of the study, it was shown that liquid smoke can be formulated into an acne gel dosage form based on galactomannan. Homogeneity test results on gel preparations remained homogeneous, the pH obtained remained stable, skin irritation test results did not cause irritation, preparation viscosity test results obtained between 4520-9990 mPas, gel preparation test on growthStaphylococcus aureus at a concentration of 5% gives an inhibition of 15.3 mm and the results of the antibacterial activity test on liquid smoke can inhibit growthStaphylococcus aureus in the minimum range of 12.5 mg/ml gives an inhibitory diameter of 7.0 mm which is included in the medium category.

Development of high internal phase emulsions using coconut protein isolates modified by pulsed light: Relationship of interfacial behavior and emulsifying stability

Protein-stabilized high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are attracting considerable attention in the food industry. Herein, we reported a simple method to fabricate HIPEs by modifying coconut protein isolates. Coconut protein isolates were extracted using isoelectric precipitation, and modified by low-intensity pulsed light (0.76 W/cm2/nm). The influence of protein concentration (1–4%, w/v) on interfacial adsorption behavior was analyzed by dissipative quartz crystal microbalance and interfacial dilatational rheology. The results indicated that the increase of concentration was beneficial to form a thick and more elastic interfacial layer at oil-water interface for modified coconut protein isolates by pulsed light (PCPI). At high concentration, the interfacial layer exhibited the better ability to resist the perturbation of amplitude and frequency sweep. In addition, HIPEs could be stabilized by PCPI solely, all emulsions were dispersed well. Apart from the emulsion stabilized by 1% PCPI, other HIPEs exhibited a gel-like behavior when the containers were inverted. Increasing protein concentration caused a decrease in emulsion particle size, and rheological analysis showed that the viscosity of HIPEs was positively correlated with the content of PCPI. Moreover, the HIPEs stabilized by PCPI exhibited better centrifugal stability. This study demonstrated that coconut protein isolates could be an efficient stabilizer to prepare HIPEs after simple modification, which was useful for developing applications of coconut protein.

Frictional slip wave solutions for dynamic sliding between a layer and a half-space

Interfacial waves propagate along the interface between two elastic solids, and are the subject of basic interest to diverse scientific fields, like, seismology, geophysics, material science and composite structures. The focus of the present work is to analyse the interfacial waves arising due to frictional slipping between an elastic layer and an elastic half-space having dissimilar elastic properties, wherein the deformations are confined to the plane of the solids. The interfacial friction is modelled by employing a slip-dependent friction law. The elastodynamic relations between the displacement discontinuities across the fractured interface and the associated traction components of stress for pure slip events (no crack opening along the interface) are obtained. This allows us to derive a secular dispersion relation governing the interfacial wave solutions. The dispersion relation relating the phase velocity and wavenumber is analysed numerically. A family of solutions are shown to exist depending on the critical slip distance, δc, a parameter governing the interfacial friction law, and on the contrast in material properties. We demonstrate the existence of a number of wave modes, all being dispersive in nature. The fundamental wave mode with the lowest phase velocity exists over the largest range of wavenumbers, while other wave modes exist only at sufficiently high non-dimensional wavenumber. The dispersion curves for the frictional slip waves are found to lie between the dispersion curves for the cases of the smooth and the bonded interface. As a case study, the present model is used to study the dispersion of slip waves propagating in Earth's crust-mantle geophysical model. The field observations of surface wave dispersion appear to be in good agreement with that of the frictional slip waves studied here. Based on our results, we suggest an alternative explanation for the observed surface wave dispersion at the regional and global scales. It is suggested that frictional slip waves at the crust-mantle interface could propagate with phase velocities similar to the Rayleigh and Love surface waves.

Structures with varying discontinuities and curvatures: A dynamic analysis approach by the p-version finite element method

The present paper investigates the geometrically nonlinear time domain dynamic analysis of a coupled Timoshenko beam-beam or beam-arch mechanical system. The coupled structure is modelled with a variable discontinuity in an elastic layer, which represents a real case from technical practice where there is no continuous distribution of the elastic layer or the stiffness of the layer is changed by other influences at different locations. A modified p-version finite element method is developed for the vibrations of a shear deformable coupled beam system with a discontinuity in an elastic layer. The main contribution of this work is the discovery of coupled effects and phenomena in the simultaneous vibration analysis of varying discontinuity and varying curvature of the newly modelled coupled mechanical system. New general mode shapes are presented, and the forced vibrations in the time domain are analyzed using the Newmark method. The study compares the results for various locations and types (size) of discontinuity in an elastic coupling layer and various curvatures of the lower supported beam. It explains the cases in which the influence of curvature takes precedence over discontinuity and vice versa in achieving a steady-state regime of vibrations. The analysis results are valuable and have broader applications in the field of solids and structures.

The design and regulation of porous silicon-carbon composites for enhanced electrochemical lithium storage performance

The combination of silicon and carbon materials which effectively relieve the volume expansion of silicon and improve the overall electrical conductivity is becoming one of the hot and widespread concern topics. In this research, the pitch was used as a carbon source to load a carbon layer on the surface of silicon, and a porous silicon-carbon anode material was prepared by etching the carbon layer and silicon with sodium hydroxide. The structure and electrochemical performance of porous silicon-carbon composite are further regulated by changing the carbonization temperature and softening point of pitch. The results revealed that appropriate porous structure and stability, as well as a high elastic carbon layer, contribute to the structural stability of the material after long cycles. The change in carbonization temperature regulates the graphitization degree and elasticity of the pitch-derived carbon layer, which would further affect the etching rate. High-softening point pitch has good thermal stability and forms a uniform and stable carbon layer. The porous Si-C composites with an optimized carbon layer exhibit a capacity retention rate of 89.4% after 300 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g−1, showing excellent cycling stability.

Droplet absorption and spreading into thin layers of polymer hydrogels

From biological tissues to microactuators and absorption of solvents into layers of paint, macroscopically non-porous materials with the capacity to swell when in contact with a solvent are ubiquitous. In these systems, owing to strong solid–fluid interactions, chemically driven flows can yield large geometric changes. We study experimentally and theoretically the canonical problem of the swelling of a thin hydrogel layer by a single water drop. Using a bespoke experimental set-up, we observe fast absorption leading to a radially spreading axisymmetric blister. We use a fully three-dimensional linear poroelastic framework with nonlinear kinematic equations to obtain governing equations, which we then reduce with thin-layer scalings to a one-dimensional nonlinear diffusion equation for the evolution of the blister geometry. In the limits of large and small deformations, the evolution of the blister characteristic height and radius are self-similar, following power laws in time. Our experimental measurements show that the evolution of the blister is broadly within the theoretical predictions in the large and small deformation regimes. In the general intermediate deformation regime, the measurements are well captured by our reduced one-dimensional diffusion model, which does not require the sophisticated and computationally expensive numerical approaches necessary for the original two-dimensional nonlinear coupled transport problem. By adapting modelling techniques from the fluid dynamics of thin porous elastic layers to a polymer swelling problem, our modelling framework extends the range of polymer swelling problems that can be treated with semi-analytical methods. Moreover, our detailed experimental data can serve as a test case for future nonlinear poroelastic frameworks of swelling polymer materials.

Bruch's Membrane Calcification in Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum: Comparing Histopathology and Clinical Imaging

To investigate the histology of Bruch's membrane (BM) calcification in pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) and correlate this to clinical retinal imaging. Experimental study with clinicopathological correlation. Six postmortem eyes from 4 PXE patients and 1 comparison eye from an anonymous donor without PXE. One of the eyes had a multimodal clinical image set for comparison. Calcification was labeled with OsteSense 680RD, a fluorescent dye specific for hydroxyapatite, and visualized with confocal microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMs) were used to analyze the elemental and ionic composition of different anatomical locations. Findings on cadaver tissues were compared with clinical imaging of 1 PXE patient. The characteristics and topographical distribution of hydroxyapatite in BM in eyes with PXE were compared with the clinical manifestations of the disease. Analyses of whole-mount and sectioned PXE eyes revealed an extensive, confluent OsteoSense labeling in the central and midperipheral BM, transitioning to a speckled labeling in the midperiphery. These areas corresponded to hyperreflective and isoreflective zones on clinical imaging. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and TOF-SIMs analyses identified these calcifications as hydroxyapatite in BM of PXE eyes. The confluent fluorescent appearance originates from heavily calcified fibrous structures of both the collagen and the elastic layers of BM. Calcification was also detected in an aged comparison eye, but this was markedly different from PXE eyes and presented as small snowflake-like deposits in the posterior pole. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum eyes show extensive hydroxyapatite deposition in the inner and outer collagenous and elastic BM layers in the macula with a gradual change toward the midperiphery, which seems to correlate with the clinical phenotype. The snowflake-like calcification in BM of an aged comparison eye differed markedly from the extensive calcification in PXE. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Effect of fluid viscoelasticity, shear stress, and interface tension on the lift force in lubricated contacts.

We consider a cylinder immersed in viscous fluid moving near a flat substrate covered by an incompressible viscoelastic fluid layer, and study the effect of the fluid viscoelasticity on the lift force exerted on the cylinder. The lift force is zero when the viscoelastic layer is not deformed, but becomes non-zero when it is deformed. We calculate the lift force by considering both the tangential stress and the normal stress applied at the surface of the viscoelastic layer. Our analysis indicates that as the layer changes from the elastic limit to the viscous limit, the lift force decreases with the decrease of the Deborah number (De). For small De, the effect of the layer elasticity is taken over by the surface tension and the lift force can become negative. We also show that the tangential stress and the interface slip velocity (the surface velocity relative to the substrate), which have been ignored in the previous analysis, give important contributions to the lift force. Especially for thin elastic layers, they give dominant contributions to the lift force.

Enhancing static load test of pipe pile composite foundation with innovative elastic cushioning technology

Pipe piles have been widely used in composite foundation treatment by virtue of the advantages of assembly line production, easy control of pile quality, fast construction, high bearing capacity of single pile and green environmental protection. By introducing elastic cushion in the static load test method of pipe pile composite foundation, and using theoretical analysis and field test to study the change rule of settlement, pile-soil stress ratio and pile top stress of pipe pile composite foundation with different cushion stiffness. It is concluded that it is feasible to replace the sand cushion layer recommended by the current specification with elastic cushion layer. The study shows that the elastic cushion method of static load test of pipe pile composite foundation is closer to the bearing state of real working condition. The elastic cushion has better pile-soil stress adjustment effect, which is more responsive to the stress adjustment effect of actual engineering cushion, and the elastic cushion provides an improved method for the static load test method of composite foundation.

Pleural invasion in non-small cell lung cancer

Pleural invasion is a recognized adverse prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer. Here, we document a case of non-small cell lung cancer in a 66-year-old male presenting with direct invasion of the tumor through lung pleura into the mediastinum. Pleural invasion can proceed past the elastic layer of the visceral pleura, classified as PL1. Less commonly, invasion to the surface of the visceral pleura or parietal pleura can occur and is classified as PL2 and PL3 respectively. PL2 invasion is associated with increased mortality; patients have lower overall survival compared to those without visceral pleural invasion (HR=2.447, 95% CI 0.336,0.579) and those with only PL1 invasion (HR=1.287, 95% CI 1.114, 1.487). Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with pleural invasion includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.

A General Approximate Solution for the Slightly Non-Axisymmetric Normal Contact Problem of Layered and Graded Elastic Materials

We present a general approximate analytical solution for the normal contact of layered and functionally graded elastic materials for almost axisymmetric contact profiles. The solution only requires knowledge of the corresponding contact solution for indentation using a rigid cylindrical flat punch. It is based on the generalizations of Barber’s maximum normal force principle and Fabrikant’s approximation for the pressure distribution under an arbitrary flat punch in an inhomogeneous case. Executing an asymptotic procedure suggested recently for almost axisymmetric contacts of homogeneous elastic media results in a simple approximate solution to the inhomogeneous problem. The contact of elliptical paraboloids and indentation using a rigid pyramid with a square planform are considered in detail. For these problems, we compare our results to rigorous numerical solutions for a general (bonded or unbonded) single elastic layer based on the boundary element method. All comparisons show the quality and applicability of the suggested approximate solution. Based on our results, any compact axisymmetric or almost axisymmetric contact problem of layered or functionally graded elastic materials can be reduced asymptotically to the problem of indenting the material using a rigid cylindrical flat punch. The procedure can be used for different problems in tribology, e.g., within the framework of indentation testing or as a tool for the analysis of local features on a rough surface.

Compromised homeostasis in aged carotid arteries revealed by microstructural studies of elastic lamellae

Healthy arteries are continuously subjected to diverse mechanical stimuli and adapt in order to maintain a mechanical homeostasis which is characterized by a uniform distribution of wall stresses. However, aging may compromise the homeostatic microenvironment within arteries. Structural heterogeneity has been suggested as a potential microstructural mechanism that could lead to homogeneous stress distribution across the arterial wall. Our previous study on the unfolding and stretching of the elastic lamellae revealed the underlying microstructural mechanism for equalizing the circumferential stresses through wall; inner elastic layers are wavier and unfold more than the outer layers which helps to evenly distribute lamellar stretching (Yu et al., 2018). In this study, we investigated the effect of aging on lamellar deformation and its implications for tissue homeostasis. Common carotid arteries from aged mice were imaged under a multi-photon microscope while subjected to biaxial extension and inflation at five different pressures ranging from 0 up to 120 mmHg. Lamellar unfolding during pressurization was then determined from the reconstructed cross-sectional images of elastic lamellae. Tissue-level circumferential stretch was combined with the lamellar unfolding to calculate lamellar stretching. Our results revealed that the straightness gradient of aged elastic lamellae is similar to the young ones. However, during pressurization, the inner elastic lamella of the aged mice unfolded significantly more than the inner layer in young arteries. An important finding of our study is the uneven increase in inter-lamellar space which contributed to a nonuniform stretching of the elastic lamellae of aged mice arteries, elevated stress gradient, and a shifting of the load-bearing component to adventitia. Our results shed light into the complex microstructural mechanisms that take place in aging and adversely affect arterial mechanical behavior and homeostasis.

Enhancing Lithium Stripping Efficiency in Anode-Free Solid-State Batteries through Self-Regulated Internal Pressure.

Anode-free all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASLMBs) promise high energy density and safety but suffer from a low initial Coulombic efficiency and rapid capacity decay, especially at high cathode loadings. Using operando techniques, we concluded these issues were related to interfacial contact loss during lithium stripping. To address this, we introduce a conductive carbon felt elastic layer that self-adjusts the pressure at the anode side, ensuring consistent lithium-solid electrolyte contact. This layer simultaneously provides electronic conduction and releases the plating pressure. Consequently, the first Coulombic efficiency dramatically increases from 58.4% to 83.7% along with a >10-fold improvement in cycling stability. Overall, this study reveals an approach for enhancing anode-free ASLMB performance and longevity by mitigating lithium stripping inefficiency through self-adjusting interfacial pressure enabled by a conductive elastic interlayer.

Amorphous TiO2 shells: an Essential Elastic Buffer Layer for High-Performance Self-Healing Eutectic GaSn Nano-Droplet Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Battery.

Gallium-based alloy liquid metal batteries currently face limitations such as volume expansion, unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film and substantial capacity decay. In this study, amorphous titanium dioxide is used to coat eutectic GaSn nanodroplets (eGaSn NDs) to construct the core-shell structure of eGaSn@TiO2 nanodroplets (eGaSn@TiO2 NDs). The amorphous TiO2 shell (~6.5 nm) formed a stable SEI film, alleviated the volume expansion, and provided electron/ion transport channels to achieve excellent cycling performance and high specific capacity. The resulting eGaSn@TiO2 NDs exhibited high capacities of 580, 540, 515, 485, 456 and 426 mAh g-1 at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 C, respectively. No significant decay was observed after more than 500 cycles with a capacity of 455 mAh g-1 at 1 C. In situ X-ray diffraction (in situ XRD) was used to explore the lithiation mechanism of the eGaSn negative electrode during discharge. This study elucidates the design of advanced liquid alloy-based negative electrode materials for high-performance liquid metal batteries (LMBs).

Analytical solution for axial load transfer of floating piles

This paper presents an analytical solution for the analysis of axially-loaded compressible floating piles embedded in a homogeneous elastic soil layer of finite thickness. The mathematical model is based on a Tajimi-type elastic continuum formulation, that allows deriving an accurate closed-form expression for the frictional stresses developing at the soil-pile interface. The pile and its underlying soil column are considered as one-dimensional axially deforming rods, and solution of their governing equations leads to closed-form expressions for pile and soil displacements and stresses. The proposed model provides results of similar accuracy to boundary integral solutions for the special case of floating piles in elastic half-space, and to numerical analyses for the general problem of floating piles embedded in a layer of finite thickness. As such, the model is used to prepare charts for the settlement analysis of floating piles in practice, based on a parametric analysis that unveils the sensitivity of the axial response of floating piles to the different problem parameters.

Analytical solution for seismic response of vertical shaft with primary and secondary linings under SH wave excitation

This paper presents a novel mechanical model for seismic response analysis of vertical shafts. The model is based on elastic foundation beam theory and simplifies the shaft linings as parallel Euler Bernoulli beams. Their interaction is simulated using uniformly distributed springs. The governing differential equation for shaft vibration is derived for SH wave excitation. The seismic input motion is applied to the primary lining by converting the free field displacement into harmonic form. The closed-form solutions for seismic response of both primary and secondary linings are obtained via the transfer function method. The accuracy of analytical solution is validated by comparing with finite element analysis results. Additionally, the impact of foundation stiffness, secondary lining thickness, shaft outer diameter, and relative stiffness between linings on seismic response are investigated in the parametric analysis. The analytical solutions of the seismic response analysis of vertical shafts indicates that the relative stiffness between linings significantly affects the secondary lining's peak bending moment. Furthermore, higher stiffness of the elastic connection layer between the two linings can effectively reduce the peak displacement response of the secondary lining.

Effects of piezoelectric synthetic jet actuator parameters on synthetic jet formation process and actuator performance

Aiming at the problem that the non-linearity between the piezoelectric vibrator deflection and the excitation amplitude of the piezoelectric synthetic jet actuator (SJA) causes it difficult to obtain the variation laws of the synthetic jet (SJ) velocity accurately, a theoretical model of the whole flow field of the piezoelectric SJA is established and four important parameters (half period jet mean velocity, Reynolds number, effective jet length and energy) for evaluating the performance of the SJ are proposed. Then a two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical simulation is carried out with k-ω turbulence model to study the SJ formation process and the velocity characteristics of the SJ at the orifice. The results show that the fluid pressure in the cavity is the main reason causing the non-linearity between the piezoelectric vibrator deflection and the excitation amplitude, the influence of which decreases with the increase of the orifice diameter. The SJ velocity increases first and then decreases slowly with the increase of excitation frequency. The extreme point occurs at the first resonant frequency of the piezoelectric vibrator and the position of the maximum velocity occurs at 0.5 mm outside the orifice. Other conditions being constant, both the piezoelectric vibrator deflection and jet velocity have a maximum value when the radius ratio of the piezoelectric layer to the elastic layer is 0.75. Smaller piezoelectric layer thickness leads to larger lateral displacement of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the optimum thickness ratio is 0.25. The results of this study have important guiding significance for accurately obtaining the variation laws of the SJ velocity as well as rationally designing the piezoelectric SJA.

Tissue anisotropy and collagenomics in porcine penile tunica albuginea: Implications for penile structure-function relationships and tissue engineering.

The tunica albuginea (TA) of the penis is an elastic layer that serves a structural role in penile erection. Disorders affecting the TA cause pain, deformity, and erectile dysfunction. There is a substantial clinical need for engineered replacements of TA, but data are scarce on the material properties and biochemical composition of healthy TA. The objective of this study was to assess tissue organization, protein content, and mechanical properties of porcine TA to establish structure-function relationships and design criteria for tissue engineering efforts. TA was isolated from six pigs and subjected to histomorphometry, quantification of collagen content and pyridinoline crosslinks, bottom-up proteomics, and tensile mechanical testing. Collagen was 20±2%/wet weight (WW) and 53±4%/dry weight (DW). Pyridinoline content was 426 ±131 ng/mg WW, 1011±190 ng/mg DW, and 45±8 mmol/mol hydroxyproline. Bottom-up proteomics identified 14 proteins with an abundance of >0.1% of total protein. The most abundant collagen subtype was type I, representing 95.5±1.5% of the total protein in the samples. Collagen types III, XII, and VI were quantified at 1.7±1.0%, 0.8±0.2%, and 0.4±0.2%, respectively. Tensile testing revealed anisotropy: Young's modulus was significantly higher longitudinally than circumferentially (60±18 MPa vs. 8±5 MPa, p<0.01), as was ultimate tensile strength (16±4 MPa vs. 3±3 MPa, p<0.01). Taken together, the tissue mechanical and compositional data obtained in this study provide important benchmarks for the development of TA biomaterials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The tunica albuginea of the penis serves an important structural role in physiologic penile erection. This tissue can become damaged by disease or trauma, leading to pain and deformity. Treatment options are limited. Little is known about the precise biochemical composition and biomechanical properties of healthy tunica albuginea. In this study, we characterize the tissue using proteomic analysis and tensile testing to establish design parameters for future tissue engineering efforts. To our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify tissue anisotropy and to use bottom-up proteomics to characterize the composition of penile tunica albuginea.

Energy Harvesting by Cyclic Tensile Loading and Buckling via an Electrospun Polyblend Elastic Layer of PVDF/PU

Energy Harvesting by Cyclic Tensile Loading and Buckling via an Electrospun Polyblend Elastic Layer of PVDF/PU