Flexible Shell Research Articles

Инженерный расчет гибких оболочек лесосплавных опор

Currently, the issue of delivering wood raw materials from remote forest areas, where the largest volumes are located, is relevant. Often, this delivery is economically justified only when using a network of medium and small rivers with the use of environmentally friendly technologies. On such rivers, it is preferable to use mobile anchors, in particular shore fillable ones, for fixing timber-rafting objects. A description has been given of a new modification of such an anchor, which differs from the prototype by a container having a flexible shell. This allows to significantly reduce the material consumption for manufacturing the container, the dimensions of the anchor in the transport position, and to produce anchors of any realistic size. The choice of the most rational option for such a container implies the scientific justification of its parameters. The aim of the study is to develop a scientific basis for this justification. Analytical formulas have been theoretically obtained for determining the basic geometric characteristics of the cross-section of the container under consideration. These formulas are useful in scientific research, but their application is very problematic in practical engineering calculations. This is due to the dependence of the specified characteristics on elliptic integrals and parameters, which are very difficult to measure in engineering practice. Having performed calculations using these formulas for a single cross-sectional area, we have obtained its specific geometric characteristics for various shapes, i.e. for various width-to-height ratios of a container to be filled. The results of the calculations have been approximating dependencies linking the named characteristics with the specified ratio, which is called the shape factor. Multiplying the specific characteristics by the square root of the cross-sectional area gives the absolute values of the corresponding characteristics. As a result, we have obtained formulas convenient for practical use, allowing to determine the width and height of the container to be filled, the width of its base, the perimeter of the cross-section, the heights of the zero pressure line and the extreme lateral point of the cross-section above the base of the container. The accuracy of calculations based on these and analytical formulas is almost the same. A formula for determining the specific tension of a flexible container shell has been obtained. The nature and degree of influence of the shape factor and length of the container on its other geometric characteristics have been established. An algorithm for substantiating the key parameters of a container to be filled with a flexible shell has been developed using the described results.

Reprogramming the Tumor Immune Microenvironment Through Activatable Photothermal Therapy and GSH depletion Using Liposomal Gold Nanocages to Potentiate Anti-Metastatic Immunotherapy.

Cancer immunotherapy offers significant clinical benefits for patients with advanced or metastatic tumors. However, immunotherapeutic efficacy is often hindered by the tumor microenvironment's high redox levels, leading to variable patient outcomes. Herein, a therapeutic liposomal gold nanocage (MGL) is innovatively developed based on photo-triggered hyperthermia and a releasable strategy by combining a glutathione (GSH) depletion to remodel the tumor immune microenvironment, fostering a more robust anti-tumor immune response. MGL comprises a thermosensitive liposome shell and a gold nanocage core loaded with maleimide. The flexible shell promotes efficient uptake by cancer cells, enabling targeted destruction through photothermal therapy while triggering immunogenic cell death and the maturation of antigen-presenting cells. The photoactivated release of maleimide depletes intracellular GSH, increasing tumor cell sensitivity to oxidative stress and thermal damage. Conversely, GSH reduction also diminishes immunosuppressive cell activity, enhances antigen presentation, and activates T cells. Moreover, photothermal immunotherapy decreases elevated levels of heat shock proteins in tumor cells, further increasing their sensitivity to hyperthermia. In summary, MGL elicited a robust systemic antitumor immune response through GSH depletion, facilitating an effective photothermal immunotherapeutic strategy that reprograms the tumor microenvironment and significantly inhibits primary and metastatic tumors. This approach demonstrates considerable translational potential and clinical applicability.

Large deformation problem of hyperbolic shallow shells with bimodular effect: A perturbation‐variation method

AbstractAs an important analytical method, the perturbation‐variation method combines the advantages of perturbation method and variational method, and is widely used for the solution of nonlinear plate and shell problems. In this study, the perturbation‐variation method is used to solve the large deformation problem of a flexible hyperbolic thin shallow shells with different moduli in tension and compression (bimodular effect). First, we establish the governing equations expressed in terms of three displacement components, in which the bimodular effect of materials is considered in physical equations and the large deformation of shell is considered in geometrical equations. Next, we use the perturbation‐variation method to solve the governing equations established, obtaining the perturbation‐variation solution up to third‐order. During the application of the method, the displacements are expressed into perturbation formulas of all levels first, and the unknown constants and functions in the perturbation formulas are determined by the extreme value conditions of the functional established (variational principle), hence the perturbation‐variation method gets its name from this practice. The numerical results from FEM basically agree with the perturbation‐variation solution obtained. The method proposed may be extended into the solution of similar partial differential equations established in applied fields.

Design and multi parameter performance optimization of the bionic robotic fish driven by tail fin

In this paper, we investigate the optimization of body contour parameters and the parameters of the tail fin in bionic robotic fish. A new type of robotic fish with fully flexible shell was proposed, followed by the analysis and optimization of the resistance properties of the profile. Subsequently, a dynamic model considering tail fin deformation was established. We use a combination of Fluent simulation and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to seek the key parameters for an enchanced performance. Upon multi-parameter performance optimization, the obtained results indicate that the fully flexible shell robotic fish can achieve a high swimming speed of 0.69 m/s (equivalent to 1.2 BL/s) and exhibit excellent turning maneuverability with a turning radius of 0.8 body lengths. This paper provides insights for optimizing the performance of robotic fish and enhancing its underwater operational capabilities.

Janus GO/BTA/PMMA Microcapsules for Biobased Self-Healing Anticorrosion Coatings with Ultrahigh Performance.

The giant reduction of the barrier properties due to self-healing microcapsules and the lack of real-time protection during the healing remained the main challenges in self-healing anticorrosion coatings. Herein, a facile strategy using Janus graphene oxide (GO) as a dense and flexible shell has been proposed to synergistically solve these challenges. Benzotriazole (BTA) was used to synthesize Janus GO at the oil-water interface, and Janus GO/BTA/poly(methyl methacrylate) microcapsules were prepared. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet spectrophotometer analysis confirmed the formation of a Janus GO structure with one surface hydrophilic and the other hydrophobic. The surface morphology of J-GO-capsules with a high GO coverage rate was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The high biobased content coating containing J-GO-capsules showed a low-frequency impedance value above 1010 as assessed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy after being immersed in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution for 60 days. In addition, the low-frequency impedance values of the coating were maintained after being scratched due to the self-healing properties of the J-GO-capsules as well as the real-time protective effect of the BTA. Biobased coatings with the best overall properties among all of the self-healing anticorrosion coatings were prepared.

Insights into the Fragmentation of Aluminum Hydride and Its Effect on Combustion and Agglomeration of HTPB Propellant.

AlH3 has gained considerable attention as a fuel additive due to its ability to offer high specific impulse and superior combustion performance. However, few studies have focused on the fragmentation and agglomeration behavior of AlH3. This study investigated the effects of fragmentation of AlH3 and AlH3/PVDF particles on the thermal decomposition, ignition, agglomeration, and combustion of HTPB propellants. Thermal analysis indicated that AlH3 and AlH3/PVDF can accelerate the decomposition of ammonium perchlorate by abundant active sites for the adsorption of the decomposition intermediates. Single-particle combustion uncovered the mechanism behind the directional spray of molten Al from the AlH3 particle and the fragmentation of the AlH3/PVDF particle. The melting of porous Al induces particle shrinkage due to solid-liquid interfacial tension and the structural restoration of the oxide shell, which consequently results in the sealing of cracks in the oxide shell of AlH3. Additionally, the accumulation of internal tensile stress leads to the reopening of these cracks and the directional ejection of the molten Al. The flexible oxide shell contributes to a smaller minimum normalized diameter of the AlH3/PVDF particle, aiding in the generation of internal tensile stress, while the sublimation of AlF3 induced the fragmentation. Synchrotron-based X-ray imaging revealed the formation of aggregates promoted by molten Al, the splitting of AlH3 aggregates due to hydrogen explosion, and the enhanced fragmentation of AlH3/PVDF due to the synergistic effect of hydrogen explosion and the sublimation of AlF3. Compared to raw particles, the CCPs (condensed combustion products) of SP2 propellant display a 48% reduction in average size (D50 = 24.5 μm), whereas there is an over 89% decrease in particle size for the CCPs of SP3 propellant (D50 = 5.14 μm). This study contributes to understanding the fragmentation of AlH3 and AlH3/PVDF upon ignition and combustion, providing valuable insights for the development and optimization of propellants containing AlH3.

A dual-layer solid electrolyte interphase enhances interfacial chemistry stability in aqueous aluminium metal batteries

Aqueous aluminum metal batteries (AAMBs) have garnered significant attention owing to the abundance of aluminum, high volumetric energy density (8040 mAh cm−3, approximately four times that of lithium metal anodes), and chemical inertness. However, profound issues such as surface corrosion and the side reaction of hydrogen evolution severely impede the advancement of AAMBs. Here, we report the in-situ formation of a dense inorganic AlF3 + Al/Zn-CO3 + flexible carbon shell solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) on the surface of an Al electrode through hydrothermal and electrochemical activation in a dilute aqueous solution of Al(OTf)3-Zn(NO3)2. Experimental evidence demonstrates that the electrically insulating Al/Zn-NO3 layer initially forms on the Al negative electrode surface through self-polymerization reactions of Al with Zn2+ and NO3– under sealed heating conditions. Subsequent electrochemical activation leads to the decomposition of CF3SO3- to form conductive AlF3 + Al/Zn-CO3, while in situ generation of a flexible carbon layer occurs internally on the surface. The inorganic inner layer facilitates the diffusion of Al ions, while the organic carbon shell suppresses water permeation and maintains the stability of the SEI structure. The in-situ formed SEI enables the Al//Ti battery to achieve a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 98.9 % over 100 cycles. Constructing the Al//β-MnO2 battery yields a high energy density of 216 Wh kg−1, with the capacity retention remaining stable at 83.6 % after 700 cycles.

Design of Heavy-Load Soft Robots Based on a Dual Biomimetic Structure.

This study first draws inspiration from the dual biomimetic design of plant cell walls and honeycomb structures, drawing on their structural characteristics to design a flexible shell structure that can achieve significant deformation and withstand large loads. Based on the staggered bonding of this flexible shell structure, we propose a new design scheme for a large-load pneumatic soft arm and establish a mathematical model for its flexibility and load capacity. The extension and bending deformation of this new type of soft arm come from the geometric variability of flexible shell structures, which can be controlled through two switches, namely, deflation and inflation, to achieve extension or bending actions. The experimental results show that under a driving pressure within the range of 150 kpa, the maximum elongation of the soft arm reaches 23.17 cm, the maximum bending angle is 94.2 degrees, and the maximum load is 2.83 N. This type of soft arm designed based on dual bionic inspiration can have both a high load capacity and flexibility. The research results provide new ideas and methods for the development of high-load soft arms, which are expected to expand from laboratories to multiple fields.

Temperature-sensitive polymer grafted with nano-SiO2 improves sealing and inhibition performance of shale water-based drilling fluid

Drilling fluid loss is an important factor restricting oil and gas production. The development of pores and micro-fractures in shale formations is the main cause of drilling fluid loss. In this study, silane coupling agent modified nano-SiO2 was used as the rigid core, and N-isopropylacrylamide and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate were used as the flexible outer shell. The temperature-sensitive blocking agent PKSHN was synthesized by inverse microemulsion polymerization method. PKSHN was analyzed and tested through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic laser scattering and other methods. The results show that PKSHN can achieve a hydrophilic/hydrophobic transition under the response temperature, with a median particle size of 189.35 nm, which can form a hydrophobic layer on the shale surface and reduce fluid intrusion into the shale formation. This study tested the performance of three drilling fluids with different densities by adjusting the amount of weighting agent. The results showed that the high-temperature and high-pressure filter losses of the three different densities of drilling fluids were all less than 10 mL. The addition of PKSHN can effectively reduce fluid loss. The rolling recovery experiment and linear expansion experiment show that after aging for 16 h at 150 °C, the rolling recovery rate is above 90 % and the linear expansion rate is below 7 %, indicating that the addition of PKSHN can effectively control the hydration expansion of shale.

Analyzing the impact of flexible shells and sound absorbent lining on acoustic wave behavior in ducts

This study focuses on investigating the propagation of acoustic waves in a cylindrical waveguide with higher‐order derivative‐based boundary conditions and a sound absorbent lining. The mode‐matching method is employed to solve the governing boundary value problem, utilizing continuity conditions for pressure and velocity at waveguide interfaces. The objective is to establish a theoretical framework for analyzing and optimizing the acoustic performance of the waveguide, considering the influence of crucial parameters. The study's findings hold significant practical implications in acoustic engineering and noise control, enabling accurate prediction of acoustic wave behavior and facilitating the design of effective noise reduction measures and optimized sound‐absorbing materials in various applications. Additionally, the numerical techniques developed here can be extended to address more complex waveguide geometries and boundary conditions.

The rigid-flexible coupling vibration of assembled disk-composite conical shell structure of electric aircraft in hygrothermal circumstance

A novel theoretical formulation for addressing the coupling vibration of the rigid disc and flexible composite conical shell structure (RDFCCSs) in hygrothermal circumstances is established to investigate the vibration evolution of the rigid-flexible composite thin-walled coupled structure of new energy electric aircraft. According to Donnell's thin shell theory, the potential energy of the composite conical shell under hygrothermal load is calculated. A uniform mass model and a set of artificial springs distributed on the interface of the shell and disk are imported to simulate the RDFCCSs. The governing equation of the RDFCCSs with arbitrary foundations in hygrothermal circumstances is deduced according to the Rayleigh-Ritz variational procedure. Systematic experiments and finite element simulations have been demonstrated to confirm the accuracy of the proposed method. Three new rigid-flexible coupling vibration modes of the RDFCCSs that differ from the traditional single thin-walled conical shell element due to the influence of the disk have been revealed. After that, the unique vibration characteristics of RDFCCSs under various masses, axial loads, hygrothermal environments and interface connection stiffnesses are discussed in detail.

Wave scattering in cylindrical waveguides: Analyzing flexible shells and liner conditions

The scattering of fluid-structure-coupled waves is investigated in a cylindrical waveguide consisting of flexible shells and an expansion chamber connected via annular rigid discs. The scattering performance of the waveguide is studied in the presence of acoustic liners along the walls of the expansion chamber and the geometric variations along interfaces. A mode-matching method is applied to solve the corresponding mathematical problem. The study focuses on fluid- and structure-borne modes propagating in the flexible shells. The eigenfunctions in this case are non-orthogonal and obey generalized orthogonal properties, involving auxiliary parameters related to the ring conditions at the edges of the flexible shells. Although we considered clamped connections, the analysis can be extended to other ring conditions with appropriate changes. Through continuity conditions at the interfaces, orthogonal modes are used to project solutions in liner regions, resulting in linear algebraic systems. The performance of the waveguide is examined in terms of scattering powers and transmission loss as functions of frequency, chamber length, liner length, and porous screen impedance. It is observed that the variations in these parameters have a major influence on acoustic attenuation in the waveguide. These results are relevant for designing acoustic enclosures for different frequency bands.

A mode-matching analysis of flexible shells and waveguides with partitioning and muffler conditions

A mode-matching analysis of flexible shells and waveguides with partitioning and muffler conditions

Buckling behavior of soft spherical shells with patterned surface under indentation

A well understanding of instability mechanics of soft shell structures is key issue due to its important implications in functional shape morphing, flexible electronics, soft robotics, nanotechnology, biological engineering, etc. Despite abundant studies, buckling analysis of flexible shells with patterned surface under indentation is rare, primarily because of the complexities of high nonlinearities in geometry, material, and surface contact. In this paper, buckling behavior of spherical shells with patterned surface under indentation is comprehensively investigated by using experimental, numerical and theoretical analyses. It is found shells with stripes show similar variation in the force-displacement curves and post-buckling morphologies like perfect shells. Unlike perfect ones, shells with discontinuous protrusions exhibit multiple snap-through due to local buckling under indentation. What is more, mechanical response and buckling morphology can be well controlled by tuning shell thickness as well as positions and sizes of protrusions. These results can not only deepen understanding of mechanism of spherical shell buckling under local loads, but also provide a designing guidance for flexible electronics, soft robotics, and other future devices.

Decorating N-doped carbon-coated cobalt phosphide nanoparticles onto N-doped carbon nanotubes for high-performance supercapacitors and efficient methanol electro-oxidation

Cobalt phosphide (CoP) has become a promising electrode material for supercapacitors and methanol electro-oxidation due to its high electrical conductivity and and multiple oxidation states. However, the insufficient electroactive sites and large volume changes restrict its electrochemical performance. Herein, a novel CoP/carbon nanocomposite electrode material is designed and synthesized by decorating N-doped carbon (NC) coated CoP nanoparticles onto N-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs). N-CNTs serve as support to grow CoP nanoparticles, which effectively reduces the sizes and aggregation of CoP nanoparticles and provides more electroactive sites. Density function theory calculation results confirm that the coating of NC on CoP nanoparticles increases the electrical conductivity of CoP by transferring electrons from NC to CoP. Meanwhile, a built-in electrical field is formed at the CoP/NC interface, resulting in higher electron/ion transfer efficiency as well as easier surface OH– adsorption. Moreover, the flexible NC shell and N-CNTs supports together effectively withstand the mechanical stress and buffer volume changes of CoP during the charge/discharge processes. Therefore, the obtained N-CNTs@CoP@NC nanocomposite electrode demonstrates high specific capacities (1003 and 621C g−1 at 1 and 10 A g−1, respectively) and good cycling performance (91.2 % retention of initial capacity after 10,000 cycles at 5 A g−1). Furthermore, it also shows a current density of up to 281 mA cm−2at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1with 92.4 % retention of initial current density in 1 M KOH with 0.5 M methanol. These results highlight a feasible strategy for improving practical capacities and cyclic stability of CoP-based electrode materials by integrating nanostructured CoP with one/two-dimensional carbon materials.

Nonlinear Deformation of Flexible Shallow Shells of Complex Shape Made of Materials with Different Resistance to Tension and Compression

Nonlinear Deformation of Flexible Shallow Shells of Complex Shape Made of Materials with Different Resistance to Tension and Compression

PREPARATION METHOD AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A NEW ULTRA-THIN FLEXIBLE FLAT PLATE HEAT PIPE

Ultra-thin flat plate heat pipes must provide a degree of flexibility to meet foldable electronics heat dissipation requirements. In this paper, a new flexible ultra-thin flat plate heat pipe with a thickness of 0.75 mm has been designed and fabricated. Compared with the traditional flexible ultra-thin flat heat pipes, the innovation lies in the flexible insulation section formed by epoxy resin pouring of the shell. The design of the shell ensures that the flexible ultra-thin plate heat pipe can respond quickly to the external temperature change, and also has good flexibility, which provides a new choice for the material and structure design of the flexible ultra-thin plate heat pipe shell. The gas-liquid coplanar type mesh is used as the capillary wick to reduce the flow resistance of steam inside the heat pipe, and the wick is hydrophilically modified to improve its capillary pumping performance; a sandwich support structure is used to prevent the steam chamber from collapsing. The thermal performance of the three liquid filling ratios of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 was tested at different tilt angles and bending angles. The results show that in the cases of filling ratios of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5, the ultra-thin flexible flat plate heat pipe with the liquid filling ratio of 0.3 has the best heat transfer performance under different working conditions; the tilt angle has different effects on the heat transfer performance and starting speed of the ultra-thin flexible flat plate heat pipe with different filling ratios, and the bending angle changes the steam condensation position inside the ultra-thin flexible flat plate heat pipe and increases the thermal resistance.

Rigid electrodes enhance the strain and force output of Peano-HASEL actuators

Peano-HASEL (hydraulic amplified self-healing electrostatic) actuators represent a recent advancement in the field of muscle-like soft actuators. They typically consist of flexible electrodes, a flexible and inextensible shell, and liquid dielectric. However, Peano-HASEL actuators employing flexible electrodes can only utilize the electrostatic force generated by a limited area of electrodes to maintain compression of the liquid, resulting in a restricted strain and force outputs. In this Letter, we show that a Peano-HASEL actuator employing rigid electrodes exhibits a significantly enhanced strain and force output. Compared to the conventional flexible-electrode Peano-HASEL actuator, the actuator with rigid electrodes demonstrates a remarkable improvement, with a more than 200% increase in strain output and a more than 140% increase in force output. Notably, we successfully showcase the capability of a Peano-HASEL actuator with rigid electrodes to reliably lift a 50 g load at an 8 kV voltage, a task that the counterpart with flexible electrodes of the same electrode length, width, and oil volume fails to accomplish. This highlights the great potential of rigid-electrode Peano-HASEL actuators for applications such as robotic manipulation.

Choice of the shape imperfections model in dynamics problems of a long flexible cylindrical shell subjected to force couples

The issue of modeling geometrical imperfections in the dynamics problems of thin-walled shells was little researched. In cases when the natural modes of shell coincided with its buckling modes, the issue of choosing a dangerous imperfection model did not arise. When these shell modes did not coincide, it was important to investigate and compare the effect of different imperfections models on the static and dynamic characteristics of such shells. The choosing the shape imperfections model of a long flexible cylindrical shell subjected to force couples, the natural and buckling modes of which did not coincide, was studied using procedures of the finite element analysis software NASTRAN. The shell wall as a set of plat rectangular elements with six degrees of freedom at the node in the cylindrical coordinate system was modeled. The action of force couples as the concentrated forces were distributed at the nodes of the shell edges in accordance to the presentation of A.S. Volmir. The linear buckling problem and the geometrical nonlinear static analysis of the perfect shell by the Lanzosh method and the Newton-Raphson one were performed, respectively. The long half-waves buckling mode was taken as the first shell imperfections model. The modeling of the second shape imperfections as the first natural mode of the perfect shell using the natural vibration analysis by the Lanzosh method was performed. The different amplitudes of geometrical imperfections in proportion to the shell thickness using a program adapted to this software were set. The results of the geometrical nonlinear static analysis of the imperfect shell by the Newton-Raphson method showed that the shape imperfection model in the form of long half-waves more reduced the values of critical buckling loads. Investigations of natural shell vibrations by the Lanzosh method revealed the same influence of different imperfections models on the natural frequencies and natural forms. We think that the shape imperfections model in the form of long half-waves in studies of forced vibrations and dynamic stability of a long flexible cylindrical shell subjected to force couples will be more effective.

Constructing flexible carbon-graphite network for enhancing durability of silicon anodes in Li-ion battery

Silicon-based materials still face critical issues including large volume expansion and poor electrical conductivity during the charging and discharging process. Despite the carbon coating strategy can improve performance, the practical operation of silicon-carbon anodes still suffers from undesirable cycling performance. Herein, we propose a novel method to construct Si/SiOx@G@C microparticles, where the Si/SiOx core is coated by conducive and flexible amorphous carbon networks and graphite shells. The Si/SiOx@G@C demonstrated a high discharge capacity of 821 mA h g−1 and an initial Coulombe efficiency of 82.5 % under the current density of 0.1A/g. At a current density of 1.0 A/g, the Si/SiOx@G@C electrodes delivered a high rechargeable capacity retention of 75.1 % and only 117 % volume expansion over 1,000 charge–discharge cycles. The demonstration of silicon-based batteries with a long cycle life is an important step towards the development of this field beyond Li-ion technology.