Mechanical Properties Of Materials Research Articles

Mandible composition and properties in two selected praying mantises (Insecta, Mantodea)

AbstractInsects process their food with their cuticle‐based mouthparts. These feeding structures reflect their diversity and can, in some cases, showcase adaptations in material composition, mechanical properties, and shape to suit their specific dietary preferences. To pave the way to deeply understand the interaction between mouthparts and food and to determine potential adaptations of the structures to the food, this study focuses on the mandibles of two praying mantis species. Gongylus gongylodes feeds mainly on Diptera, and Sphodromantis lineola forages on larger prey. Employing scanning electron microscopy, the mandibular morphologies were analyzed. The degree of the cuticle tanning was tested using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, the contents of transition and alkaline earth metals in the mandible cuticle were studied using energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and the mechanical properties tested by nanoindentation. We found that S. lineola mandibles show pronounced gradients of Young's modulus and hardness from the basis to the tip, which might be an adaptation against high stresses during biting and chewing. G. gongylodes, in contrast, did not show pronounced gradients, which may indicate that there is less stress involved in feeding—necessary to test in future studies. The mechanical properties of manidibles in both species are related to the degree of cuticle tanning but also positively correlate with the content of magnesium. These findings enrich our understanding of insect cuticle biology but also present new sets of data on praying mantis structures.

Enhancing performance through friction welding of dissimilar aluminium 2014 and 7075 hybrid metal-matrix composite: insights into material characterization, crystallographic texture, and mechanical properties

Abstract Welding high-strength, age-hardenable aluminium alloys from the 2XXX and 7XXX series poses challenges when using fusion-based welding processes. Common issues such as hydrogen porosity, hot cracking, stress corrosion cracking, and solidification cracking can lead to a reduction in mechanical properties due to the loss of strengthening precipitates and alloying elements. Consequently, friction stir welding (FSW) has emerged as a promising solid-state welding technique for joining dissimilar aluminium alloys and composites, particularly in aerospace applications where a combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and other desirable properties is required. This study investigates the FSW of dissimilar aluminium alloys, specifically AA2014 and a hybrid metal-matrix composite of AA7075 reinforced with silicon carbide and graphite particles. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the welded joints were characterized, revealing an average grain size of 2.39 μm ± 1.2 in the stir zone (SZ). A high angle grain boundary volume fraction of 47.25% was observed in the SZ, compared to 2.01% in the AA7075 composite and 15.03% in the AA2014 base metal. The presence of shear textures and the distribution of cube, S, and H textures indicate a homogeneous mixing of the base materials and a high shear strain rate during welding. The hardness of the SZ increased by 13%, and the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of the joint were measured at 251 MPa, 183 MPa, and 6.44%, respectively. The flexural strength of the joints improved significantly, with the CW13 sample showing a 67% increase compared to CW1. The dissimilar joint CW13, welded at 12.5 mm min−1, achieved a maximum joint efficiency of 95%.

Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology for Prompt Diagnosis of Cast Iron Mechanical Properties

Kinetic indentation is widely used to measure physical and mechanical properties of materials as one of the most universal methods for non-destructive testing. This paper uses the latest advances in artificial intelligence and capabilities of the Python programming language libraries allowing to carry out accurate measurements of cast iron hardness based on the data of the material’s micro-impact loading diagram. It has been shown that use of machine learning allows eliminating gross errors and reducing the error of indirect hardness evaluation in several times – down to 10 units according to Brinell HB. It has also been established that formation of additional features for training models (based on traditionally used characteristics: penetration depths, indenter movement speed and contact forces at certain points in time) has a positive effect on the accuracy of measurements, but amount of measurements should also be optimized. Feasibility of effective use of machine learning to evaluate hardness has been demonstrated by comparing of calculated hardness values with data obtained with standard testing methods. Advantage of the developed testing method is the fact that the developed algorithms can be used for prompt diagnostics of cast iron hardness using existing equipment. It is appropriate to extend the proposed approach for determination of other mechanical properties of cast iron: yield strength, strain hardening index, creep, relaxation, determined by indentation methods.

ABOUT THE SINTERING OF HISTORICAL “YELLOW BRICKS” OF SOFIA

The historical “yellow cobblestones” of Sofia are a very well sintered ceramic clinker with practically zero water absorption. However, the high amount of crystal phase formed, which explains the extraordinary mechanical properties of this remarkable material, is in formal contradiction with its low final porosity. In fact, in the modern ceramics clinkers the crystallinity is similar or inferior, but the reached degree of sintering is lower; as a result, the mechanical properties are reduced. The aim of this report is to elucidate some peculiarities of the densification process of “yellow ceramics bricks” because such information is essential for the eventual successful production of replica of this emblematic pavement. The chemical and phase compositions of original “yellow paving bricks” together with those of modern clinker from “Vitosha” boulevard in Sofia were evaluated by XRF and XRD analysis, respectively. The structures of both ceramics were investigated with density measurements and SEM.Their densification behaviour was estimated by re-sintering of milled original samples by Hot Stage Microscopy (HSM) tests. The results elucidate that the sintering temperature of the historical clinker is inferior, and their sintering interval is significantly narrow. This peculiarity is explained by the rapid decreasing of apparent viscosity with temperature rise.Finally, by secondary holding at the sintering temperatures and subsequent fast quenching of a “yellow brick” sample, it is demonstrated that some phase formation occurred during the industrial cooling step. This result explains both the good degree of densification and the better properties of the “yellow cobblestones”.

Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Thermal Conductivity of Thin-Ply Laminates in Ambient and Cryogenic Conditions

It is widely known that glass–epoxy laminates are renowned for their high stiffness, good thermal properties, and economic qualities. For this reason, composite materials find successful applications in various industrial sectors such as aerospace, astronautics, the storage sector, and energy. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical and thermal properties of composite materials comprising two different types of epoxy resin and three different hardeners, both at room temperature and under cryogenic conditions. The samples were produced at IZOERG (Gliwice, Poland) using a laboratory hot-hydraulic-press technique. During cyclic loading–unloading tests, degradation up to a strain level of 0.6% was observed both at room temperature (RT) and at 77 K. For a glass-reinforced composite with YDPN resin (EP_1_1), the highest degradation was recorded at 18.84% at RT and 33.63% at 77 K. We have also investigated the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity for all samples in a wide temperature range down to 5 K. The thermal conductivity was found to be low and had a relative difference of up to 20% among the composites. The experimental results indicated that composites under cryogenic conditions exhibited less damage and were stiffer. It was confirmed that the choice of hardener significantly influenced both properties.

BIOMECHANICAL ASPECTS OF IMPACTION BONE GRAFTING IN THE ACETABULAR REVISION (EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL WORK)

Introduction. The modern features of the revision hip arthroplasty are the increase of the number early revisions and young age of patients. Bone defect management in this category is especially relevant. The leading role in long-term survival using impaction bone grafting (IBG) is given to the mechanical properties of the graft. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanical properties of osteoplastic material and determine the effect of cyclic loads on dynamic changes in the position of the acetabular component after revision hip arthroplasty using (IBG). Materials and methods. A single-cycle constrained compression experiment was carried out on morselized xenobone. Cyclic tests were carried out at the second stage of the study. Clinical interpretation of biomechanics was carried out on the radiographic data by changes in the acetabular position. Results. Stress-strain dependences and instantaneous elastic moduli were obtained. The increase of the instantaneous elastic modulus during cyclic tests was obtained by 2.6 times for a “dry” specimen and from 3.9 to 4.7 times with liquid. The shift of the center rotation cranially and laterally was noted in the first case is 2.4 and 1.5 mm, in the second is 14.9 and 9.5 mm, respectively. The change in the inclination was 18.7º in the first case and 19.8º in the second. The Hip Harris Score (HHS) was 97 points in the first case, 53 points in the second. Conclusions: 1. The material used for IBG is subject to deformation in the postoperative period. 2. Compression tests suggested that the deformation of impacted bone graft in the postoperative period gradually tends to reach a plateau, and with the completion of the deformation, migration of the acetabular component stops. 3. A change of the acetabular component position in the absence of a radiolucent line is not an absolute sign of loosening.

Study on Mechanical Properties of Fiber-reinforced Cement-based Materials

Fiber reinforced cement-based materials are used to add various kinds of fibers to ordinary cement-based materials to improve their tensile strength, compressive strength, shear strength, flexural strength, flexural strength and impact resistance. There are many kinds of fiber, including steel fiber, carbon fiber, glass fiber, polypropylene fiber and basalt fiber, etc. The type, shape, content and length-diameter ratio of fiber will affect the performance of cement-based materials. In this paper, the research status of steel fiber, polypropylene fiber and basalt fiber on cement-based materials is reviewed, and the application of fiber reinforced cement-based materials is prospected.

Mechanical Properties Optimization and Microstructure Analysis of Pure Copper Heterostructured Laminates via Rolling

Heterogeneous metallic structures constitute a novel class of materials with excellent mechanical properties. However, the existing process for obtaining heterostructures from a single material does not meet large-scale industrial requirements. In this study, a pure copper heterostructured laminate (HSL) composed of a surface elongated-grain layer and a central equiaxed-grain layer was fabricated by rolling bonding and annealing. To study the effect of the interface on the mechanical properties of gradient-structured materials, both laminate metal composite (LMC) and non-composite laminate (NCL) were fabricated by cold-rolling pretreatment of the center layer (60% reduction) and cold-rolling bonding of the whole blank (67% reduction). Then, the HSL was obtained by controlling the post-annealing regimes, the microstructure of each layer was optimized, and a larger degree of microstructural heterogeneities, such as grain size, misorientation angle, and grain orientation, was obtained, which resulted in obvious mechanical differences. Tensile tests of the HSL, surface layer, center layer, and NCL specimens revealed that the HSL annealed at 300 °C for 1 h had a significantly higher strength than the center layer and a higher elongation than the surface layer. The HSL had a tensile strength and elongation at fracture of 278.08 MPa and 46.2%, respectively, indicating a good balance of strength and plasticity. The improved properties were primarily attributed to the strengthening or strain hardening due to the inhomogeneous deformation of the heterogeneous layers in the laminate and the mutual constraint acquired by the distinct layers with strong mechanical differences. The HSL had an interfacial bonding strength of 178.5 MPa, which played a vital role in the coordinated deformation of the heterogeneous layers. This study proposes an HSL design method that effectively simplifies the process of obtaining heterostructures in homogeneous materials by controlling the cumulative deformation of the surface and center layers.

Reliability-based capacity safety factor for G20Mn5 cast steel joints

Cast steel joints have complex geometries and great load-carrying capacity, and hence their resistances are commonly determined through FE simulations. Considering the significant variability in the material mechanical properties (that in fracture strains, in particular) and the model uncertainty inevitably involved in the FE analysis, a large safety factor (γR) should be adopted for the FE simulation-based design of cast steel joints. However, the γR-values specified by the current design specifications, e.g. the Chinese standard CECS 235: 2008 in which γR = 3.0, are deemed to be overly conservative. This paper examined the structural reliability of G20Mn5 cast steel joints to provide a rational γR-value for the practical joint design. The above-mentioned uncertainty of the material and geometric properties as well as the model uncertainty related to FE simulations are evaluated, and Monte Carlo simulations were conducted on nine representative joints to obtain the statistical characteristics of cast steel joints’ ultimate resistance, allowing for both failure modes of material fracture and instability caused by large-scale yielding. FORM was adopted to calculate the reliability index β for the assumed γR-values and different loading scenarios, and the recommended values for γR under target reliability indices are proposed. For snow load-dominant and wind load-dominant load combinations, the recommended γR corresponding to β = 4.2 are 2.29 and 2.16, respectively, and the recommended γR corresponding to β = 3.7 are 2.01 and 1.90, respectively.

Effects of amino alcohols-intercalated MgAl-LDH nanocomposites on the properties of sulfoaluminate cement-based materials

Sulfoaluminate cement-based materials (SCBMs) have low mechanical properties in the early stages when they are used in grouting reinforcement engineering. The mechanical properties of cement-based materials can be improved by nanotechnology. Hydrotalcite is a layered anionic clay with adjustable interlayer anions and nanometer spacing. To date, the effect of amino alcohols (ethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA))-intercalated MgAl-layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanocomposites (denoted as MgAl-LDH-TEA, MgAl-LDH-DEA, and MgAl-LDH-MEA) on the properties of SCBMs have not been studied. Herein, we demonstrate that intercalated MgAl-LDH exhibit a decrease in crystallinity, an increase in particle size, and improved early mechanical properties compared to unmodified LDHs. MgAl-LDH modified by TEA, DEA, and MEA all have a nucleation effect and provide nucleation sites for ettringite. Simultaneously, the intercalated hydrotalcite can release higher concentrations of magnesium ions into the slurry, forming a magnesium-containing ettringite phase and accelerating the hydration of SCBMs. Modified MgAl-LDH can also release amino alcohols, affecting the hydration process of the paste. The modified LDHs affect the hydration and compressive strength of SCBMs owing to the combined action of the nucleation of LDHs and the release of magnesium ions and amino alcohols compounds.

Photochemical Patterning and Characterization of Mechanical Properties on Soft Materials

AbstractAlthough different chemistries for the spatio‐temporal localization of molecules and gradients of chemical signals within soft materials are now available, the achievement of spatio‐temporal patterns of mechanical properties in such materials and their characterization remain considerable challenges. This study presents the syntheses of two novel photo‐sensitive and thermoresponsive hydrogel systems, a photo‐stiffening and a photo‐softening hydrogel. Their potential for fabricating soft materials with patterned mechanical properties is then demonstrated by fabricating an actuator whose higher‐order bending properties can be switched on with light, and by encoding mechanical properties for digital information encryption and storage. Microindentation and a custom‐made data analysis software are essential for the characterization of all the materials. From a general perspective, this work opens a route to the fabrication of soft materials with patterned mechanical properties, addressing an important emerging challenge in soft materials science with applications in soft robotics and information encryption and storage.

Tensile Fracture Behavior and Friction and Wear Properties of TiB2 Particle Reinforced Al-Si Matrix Composites

In this study, TiB2/Al-Si composite material was fabricated by addition of Al-TiB2 master alloy, and the influence of varying micro-sized TiB2 particle content on the mechanical and tribological properties of the composite material was investigated. The results revealed that the introduction of TiB2 particles effectively refined the Al-Si matrix alloy microstructure, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties and wear resistance of the Al-Si matrix alloy. When the TiB2 particle content reached 0.8 wt.%, the composite material exhibited optimal mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 318 MPa and elongation of 7.2%, improving of 8.9% and 69.1%, respectively, compared to the matrix alloy. Moreover, wear rates of the composite material demonstrated significantly lower than the matrix alloy under different loading conditions in this paper. The improved mechanical properties of the composite material were attributed to grain refinement strengthening, second phase strengthening and the coefficient of thermal expansion strengthening. Under low loads, abrasive wear was the dominant wear mechanism; while under high loads, a combination of abrasive and adhesive wear occurred. The addition of TiB2 particles effectively enhanced the hardness of the matrix alloy, reduced the dynamic friction coefficient, suppressed adhesive wear, and improved the wear resistance of the composite material.

High-performance superhydrophobic fly ash based geopolymers with graphene oxide reinforcement for enhanced durability and repellency

While high-performance fly ash geopolymers offer a demonstrably reduced carbon footprint in the construction industry, their inherent affinity for water (hydrophilicity) can facilitate the accumulation of moisture within the material matrix, potentially leading to the initiation and propagation of internal corrosion. The implementation of hydrophobic functionalization strategies on fly ash geopolymers demonstrably enhances their resistance to corrosive degradation. Nevertheless, a crucial challenge persists in the form of mitigating potential declines in mechanical strength. This investigation endeavors to attenuate the deleterious effects exerted by the hydrophobic aluminosilicate hydrate phase on the material's mechanical properties, while concurrently preserving its superhydrophobic character. Our approach involved the incorporation of a novel composite modifier, wherein polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) served as the principal hydrophobic component. Graphene oxide (GO) was strategically introduced to achieve efficient pore filling, owing to its exceptional dispersibility. Furthermore, the presence of GO reinforces the mechanical performance of the composite due to its inherent superior mechanical properties. Additionally, the well-dispersed GO portion forms nano hydrophobic particles by covalently grafting hydrophobic groups, further enhancing the overall hydrophobicity of the composite. This synergistic interplay between PMHS and GO facilitated the successful development of a high-performance fly ash geopolymer composite characterized by exceptional mechanical strength, three-dimensional superhydrophobicity, and enhanced chemical stability. The graphene oxide reinforced high-performance three-dimensional superhydrophobic hybrid hydrogel geopolymer composites maintained high compressive strength while achieving a water contact angle of 153 ° and a water absorption rate of only 1.7 %. Remarkably, the geopolymer retains its high hydrophobicity even after 24 hours in an acid-base solution, with a contact angle exceeding 140° and water absorption rates lower than 4 %.

Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves based on Common Virtual Source Gathers of Seismic Ambient Noise Cross-Correlations: A Case Study at an Earth Dam in Brazil

The S-wave velocity (Vs) is a valuable parameter for assessing the mechanical properties of subsurface materials for geotechnical purposes. Seismic surface wave methods have become prominent for estimating near-surface Vs models. Researchers have proposed methods based on passive seismic signals as efficient alternatives to enhance depth of investigation, lateral resolution and reduce field effort. This study presents the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) utilizing Common Virtual Source Gathers (CVSGs) derived from seismic ambient noise cross-correlations, based on Ambient Noise Seismic Interferometry concepts. The method is applied to passive data acquired with an array of receivers at the Paranoá earth dam in Brasília, Brazil, to construct a pseudo-2D Vs image of the massif for interpretation. Our findings showcase the adopted processing flow and combination of methods as an effective approach for near-surface Vs estimation, demonstrating its usability also for large earth dam embankments.

Rheology and Processing of High-Strength Liquid Crystal Polymer Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Materials

Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) composites are presented as lightweight, high-strength, thermoplastic composites. Fumed silica (FS), carbon black (CB), carbon nanostructures (CNS), and boron nitride (BN) added to the polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) increased the viscosity ratio of the PPS to the LCP. PPS filled with 5 wt.% FS was used to optimize injection molding conditions and had a viscosity ratio ranging from 2 to 13. Increasing fill time to 5 s brought about the highest tensile strength of 99 MPa and modulus of 12.5 GPa, while the tool and melt temperatures imparted no significant effect. Mechanical and thermal properties of select LCP materials processed using molding conditions optimized for the experimental materials are presented. Mechanical properties in the crossflow direction were lower than in the flow direction, which could be overcome with tool design and placement of valve gates to tailor the flow patterns. BN filled composites increased the thermal conductivity to a value of 0.26 W/mK at 16 wt.% loading.

Glass-ceramic binder of cordierite composition for low-temperature sintering of high-strength ceramic materials based on oxygen-free silicon compounds

The mechanical properties of composite ceramic materials obtained based on oxygen-free silicon compounds are largely determined by the properties of the glass binder. This paper presents the results of studies aimed at determining the most fusible glass in the pseudo-binary system 2MgO2Al2O35SiO2–2MnO2Al2O35SiO2 with a high tendency to crystallize as a glass-ceramic binder for low-temperature sintering of high-strength ceramic materials based on oxygen-free silicon compounds. The crystallization tendency of the experimental melts decreases with an increase in in the content of manganese cordierite, as confirmed by X-ray and infrared spectroscopic studies. Based on experimental studies, a melting diagram was constructed, which was used to determine the ratio between magnesium cordierite and manganese cordierite (50:50 wt.%), ensuring a minimum melt temperature of 12750C. The melting point of the glass of the specified composition is 14500C. The synthesized glass is characterized by a softening point of 8000C and crystallizes intensively at 10300C. The The thermal coefficient of linear expansion of the crystallized glass samples is 20.810–7 0C–1. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopic studies have shown that the developed glass is almost completely crystallized during heat treatment for 2 hours, forming a cordierite solid solution 2(Mg,Mn)O2Al2O35SiO2. The size of the cordierite phase crystals ranges from 0.5 to 3.0 m. Due to its fusibility and high crystallization tendency, the developed glass, can be proposed as a promising glass-ceramic binder for the production of high-strength ceramic materials (wear and impact resistant) based on SiC and Si3N4 with reduced sintering temperatures.

Effective elastic properties of 3D lattice materials with intrinsic stresses: Bottom-up spectral characterization and constitutive programming

Analytical investigations to characterize the effective mechanical properties of lattice materials allow an in-depth exploration of the parameter space efficiently following an insightful, yet elegant framework. 2D lattice materials, which have been extensively dealt with in the literature following analytical as well as numerical and experimental approaches, have limitations concerning multi-directional stiffness and Poisson's ratio tunability. The primary objective of this paper is to develop mechanics-based formulations for a more complex analysis of 3D lattices, leading to a physically insightful analytical approach capable of accounting the beam-level mechanics of pre-existing intrinsic stresses along with their interaction with 3D unit cell architecture. We have investigated the in-plane and out-of-plane effective elastic properties to portray the physics behind the deformation of 3D lattices under externally applied far-field normal and shear stresses. The considered effect of beam-level intrinsic stresses therein can be regarded as a consequence of inevitable temperature variation, pre-stress during fabrication, inelastic and non-uniform deformation, manufacturing irregularities etc. Such effects can notably impact the effective elastic properties of lattice materials, quantifying which for 3D honeycombs is the central focus of this work. Further, from the material innovation viewpoint, the intrinsic stresses can be deliberately introduced to expand the microstructural design space for effective elastic property modulation of 3D lattices. This will lead to programming of effective properties as a function of intrinsic stresses without altering the microstructural geometry and lattice density. We have proposed a generic spectral framework of analyzing 3D lattices analytically, wherein the beam-level stiffness matrix including the effect of bending, axial, shear and twisting deformations along with intrinsic stresses can be coupled with the unit cell mechanics for obtaining the effective elastic properties.

Exploring the Mechanical and Biological Properties of a Resin-Ceramic Composite with Biomimetic Nacre Structure Containing Zinc Used for Prosthodontics

Enhancement of the mechanical and biological properties of dental restoration materials is of significant importance. Drawing inspiration from the architecture and mechanical properties of natural nacre, we employed a low-cost accumulative rolling process to develop resin-ceramic composites with suitable hardness and high toughness. Plate-like aluminum oxide powder with diameters of 5–10 μm and nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) with antibacterial properties were mixed as the ceramic phase of the composite. Aluminum oxide ceramic plates were stacked using an accumulative rolling process to achieve a consistent orientation, followed by sintering to obtain porous ceramic scaffolds. The ceramic scaffolds were subsequently immersed in methyl methacrylate resin to complete the fabrication of the biomimetic composites. The mechanical and biological properties of the composites were comprehensively tested. The composites had a suitable hardness (1.09–1.63 GPa), excellent flexural strength (156.7–167.8 MPa), and fracture toughness (KIC=2.66–3.59 MPa m1/2). Biomimetic composites are expected to mitigate the wear of natural teeth without developing fractures or deformations, while also exhibiting excellent cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity. This study investigated the factors influencing crack propagation in fracture tests and provided insights into enhancing the toughness of dental restorative materials. The biomimetic resin-ceramic composites containing Zn developed in this study have the potential to be used as functional dental restoration materials.

Phase separation drives the folding of recombinant collagen

Recombinantly produced collagens present a sustainable, ethical, and safe substitute for collagens derived from natural sources. However, controlling the folding of the recombinant collagens, crucial for replicating the mechanical properties of natural materials, remains a formidable task. Collagen-like proteins from willow sawfly are relatively small and contain no hydroxyprolines, presenting an attractive alternative to the large and post-translationally modified mammalian collagens. Utilizing CD spectroscopy and analytical ultracentrifugation, we demonstrate that recombinant willow sawfly collagen assembles into collagen triple helices in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, we observed that the lower concentration threshold for the folding can be overcome by freezing or adding crowding agents. Microscopy data show that both freezing and the addition of crowding agents induce phase separation. We propose that the increase in local protein concentration during phase separation drives the nucleation-step of collagen folding. Finally, we show that freezing also induces the folding of recombinant human collagen fragments and accelerates the folding of natural bovine collagen, indicating the potential to apply phase separation as a universal mechanism to control the folding of recombinant collagens. We anticipate that the results provide a method to induce the nucleation of collagen folding without any requirements for genetic engineering or crosslinking.

Effect of pores and moisture on the mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrate gels at mesoscale

Pores and moisture significantly influence the mechanical properties of cementitious materials. Investigating the effects of pores and moisture on the mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels at the mesoscale is fundamental to understanding the multiscale behavior of these materials. In this study, mesoscopic models of C-S-H gels with varying porosities were developed using coarse-grained C-S-H nanoparticles. The potential function, describing the interaction between C-S-H nanoparticles under different humidity conditions, was derived based on the mechanical properties of C-S-H nanoparticles, the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential, and capillary theory. Subsequently, simulations of uniaxial tensile, uniaxial compression, and shear experiments on C-S-H gels with different porosities and moisture levels were conducted. The influence of pores and moisture on the mechanical properties of C-S-H gels was analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and then compared with mesoscopic influence patterns. The results showed that the mechanical properties of C-S-H gels decrease with increasing porosity and moisture at the mesoscale. And there is an interaction effect between gel pore porosity and moisture. The smaller the porosity, the more significant the weakening effect of increasing moisture on elastic parameters and strength. Conversely, the weakening effect of increasing porosity on elastic parameters and strength is more significant at lower moisture levels. The interaction between pores and moisture has a more pronounced effect on strength, which intensifies with increased moisture. The effect of porosity on the mechanical properties of C-S-H gels is consistent with macroscale studies. However, the effect of moisture on elastic parameters exhibits an opposite trend, attributed to the different mechanisms of water's influence at different scales.