Smooth Surface Research Articles

Effect of Coarse Aggregate Type on the Fracture Toughness of Ordinary Concrete

This research work aims to compare the strength and fracture mechanics properties of plain concretes, obtained from different coarse aggregates. During the study, mechanical parameters including compressive strength (fcm) and splitting tensile strength (fctm), as well as fracture parameters involving critical stress intensity factor (KIcS) and critical crack tip opening displacement (CTODc) were evaluated. The effect of the aggregates used on the brittleness of the concretes was also analyzed. For better understanding of the crack initiation and propagation in concretes with different coarse aggregates, a macroscopic failure surfaces examination of the tested beams is also presented. Crushed aggregates covered were basalt (BA), granite (GT), and limestone (LM), and natural peeble gravel aggregate (GL) were used in the concrete mixtures. Fracture toughness tests were performed on an MTS 810 testing machine. Due to the high strength of the rock material, the rough surface of the aggregate grains, and good bonding in the ITZ area between the aggregate and the paste, the concretes with crushed aggregates exhibited high fracture toughness. Both of the analyzed fracture mechanics parameters, i.e., KIcS and CTODc, increased significantly in the case of concretes which were manufactured with crushed aggregates. They amounted, in comparison to concrete based on gravel aggregate, to levels ranging from 20% for concrete with limestone aggregate to over 30% for concrete with a granite aggregate, and to as much as over 70% for concrete with basalt aggregate. On the other hand, the concrete with gravel aggregate showed the lowest fracture toughness because of the smooth surface of the aggregate grains and poor bonding between the aggregate and the cement paste. However, the fracture process in each series of concrete was quasi-plastic in the case of gravel concrete, semi-brittle in the case of limestone concrete, and clearly brittle in the case of the concretes based on granite and basalt aggregates. The results obtained help to explain how the coarse aggregate type affects the strength parameters and fracture toughness at bending.

Optimizing Cutting Parameters for Effective Turning of EN-31 Steel by Utilizing Vegetable-Based Cutting Fluids as a Coolant

<div>The primary objective of this article is to study the improvement of machining efficiency of EN-31 steel by optimizing turning parameters using newly developed cutting fluids with different proportions of aloe vera gel and coconut oil, utilizing the Taguchi technique. Furthermore, performance metrics including material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness, and tool wear rate (TWR) were assessed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) suggested that as cutting speed and feed increase, the MRR is positively influenced, but likewise tool wear is intensified. The surface roughness exhibited a positive correlation with cutting speed, and a negative correlation with increasing both cutting speed and feed. It was found that the maximum MRR value was attained at a cutting speed of 275 m/min, a feed rate of 1.00 mm/rev, and a cutting fluid composition of 30% aloe vera and 70% coconut oil. For the best surface smoothness, it is advisable to adjust the cutting speed to 350 m/min and the feed rate to 0.075 mm/rev. A cutting speed of 275 m/min and a feed rate of 1.00 mm/rev led to a lower TWR. The results suggest that the combined use of coconut oil and aloe vera as cutting fluids improves the turning quality of EN-31 steel, particularly when employing a combination of 30% aloe vera and 70% coconut oil. As a possible solution for performance problems in achieving desired results during the turning of EN-31 steels, these recommendations may be used in industries to enhance turning performance.</div>

Plasmonic coupling effect of annealed gold nanoarrays

Periodic metal nanodisc arrays have the potential to exhibit regularly spaced large local field enhancements, especially when high-Q collective plasmonic grating resonances can be obtained. Here we demonstrate how Laser interference lithography (LIL) as a maskless and high throughput technique can be used to fabricate these on square centimeter areas. The drawback of LIL is the rather fixed ratio of the size of the individual nanostructure (d) to the period of the array (p) of about d/p ∼ 0.5 for the setup used in the current article, thereby, limiting its ability to create resonances with ultra-high quality factors (Q-factors). To improve the Q-factor of the resonances of the arrays, we study the effect of thermal annealing nanodisk arrays fabricated by LIL and a lift off process. The nanodisk arrays with periods of 400 nm and 500 nm exhibited a plasmonic resonance, which was caused by the interaction of the single disk resonance and a (1 0) grating resonance. Annealing for a short duration lowered the d/p ratio from 0.5 to 0.4, and led to smoothening of the disk surfaces and growth of gold grains, resulting in lower ohmic and radiative losses and doubling of the Q-factor of the resonances. Finite element method (FEM) simulations were used to monitor this improvement in material parameters. Annealing for a longer duration disintegrated the nanodisk into several smaller particles while maintaining the overall periodicity of the array. While the plasmonic resonances of the experimentally investigated fragmented disks were basically destroyed, simulation predict that for larger periods fragmented nanodisk arrays (keeping the d/p ∼ 0.4) can exhibit extremely strong and sharp resonances whose Q-factor increases more than 58.4 times compared to the unfragmented discs. In addition, simulations show a massive enhancement of the local electric field promising immense potential for surface enhanced Raman sensing.

Improvement of Heat Transfer Correlation for Fluoroplastic Steel Heat Exchanger and Theoretical Analysis of Application Characteristics

Due to its good corrosion resistance and high rigidity, fluoroplastic steel heat exchangers have become one of the main feasible solutions to the problem of flue gas waste heat recovery. Therefore, a heat transfer performance test of a fluoroplastic steel heat exchanger was carried out, and a new heat transfer correlation (Nu = 0.11Re0.72Pr0.36, 1900 < Re < 4100, Pr ≈ 0.8) of a fluid transverse tube bank suitable for smooth fluoroplastic surfaces was proposed. Comparing the results of the proposed correlation and the Zhukauskas correlation, the calculation discrepancy was decreased when using the proposed correlation, and the average discrepancy dropped from 16.8% to 3.3%. As the thickness of the fluoroplastic film was reduced, the gap between the two correlations widened. Thus, the Zhukauskas correlation was not applicable to fluoroplastic steel heat exchangers with a thin fluoroplastic film. However, the deviation between the two correlations decreased as the condensing heat transfer area increased. For the fluoroplastic steel heat exchanger with a large condensation heat transfer area, the Zhukauskas correlation could still be utilized. It was interesting to observe that the deviation between the two correlations was reduced when only flue gas condensation was present, but it showed an increasing trend with the increase in condensation intensity.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity in Photocatalytic Concrete: Synthesis, Characterization, and Comprehensive Performance Assessment of Nano-TiO2-Modified Recycled Aggregates

This study presents an exhaustive exploration into the development and rigorous evaluation of nano-TiO2-modified recycled aggregates (NT@RAs) as an environmentally sustainable substitute for natural aggregates in concrete applications. A methodical framework was devised for the synthesis and thorough characterization of NT@RAs, emphasizing the optimization of nano-TiO2 loading onto the RA surface and within its intricate porous structure. The investigation encompassed three distinct types of recycled aggregates: recycled glass sands (RGSs), recycled clay brick sands (RCBSs), and recycled concrete sands (RCSs). Of particular interest, NT@RGS, with its properties of an inherently smooth surface texture and low water absorption, was found to exert a favorable influence on the rheological behavior of concrete, manifested in reduced yield stress, thereby underscoring the potential for fine-tuning mix designs to enhance workability. As the substitution levels of NT@RGS and NT@RCBS escalated, an initial decrement in compressive strength was discernible, which subsequently reversed to strength restoration at optimized substitution ratios. This phenomenon is attributed to the synergistic interplay among NT@RA components. Remarkably, NT@RA-incorporated concrete demonstrated unparalleled self-cleaning abilities, surpassing the performance of concrete with direct nano-TiO2 powder incorporation. This comprehensive research contributes significantly to the advancement in sustainable, high-performance photocatalytic construction materials within the realm of concrete technology. It underscores the potential for enhancing not only the rheological and mechanical properties but also the environmental responsiveness of concrete through the innovative utilization of NT@RAs.

Investigation of the cytotoxic effect of current dentine bonding agents on human dental pulp cells

BackgroundAn ideal aesthetic restorative material should be attached to the tooth tissues by adhesion, have a smooth surface as possible, should not cause toxic reactions in the pulp and discoloration and microleakage. This study aims at comparatively assess the cytotoxicity of current adhesive systems on human dental pulp cells.Materials and methodsThe adequate density of human pulp cells was observed from the ready cell line. The passaging was performed and the 3rd passage cells were selected. Adhesive systems and MTA were used on the cultures. Trypan blue staining was conducted on the cells at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd days and a count of live and dead cells using a light microscope. The dead cells whose membrane integrity was impaired by staining with trypan blue and the viability rate was determined using live and dead cell numbers. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.ResultsA significant difference in vialibity rates between adhesive systems was observed on the first day. No significant statistical differences were observed on the 2nd and 3rd days (p < 0.05).ConclusionFuturabond M showed similar biocompatibility with MTA on human pulp cells and it can be applied in cavities with 1–1.5 mm hard tissue between pulp and dentine.

Effect of tooth surface pitting on dynamic characteristics under mixed lubrication

The variation of tooth meshing stiffness and frictional characteristics caused by tooth surface pitting increases vibration and noise in the gear transmission system. Assuming a smooth tooth surface and a homogeneous material in studying the gear contact and dynamics is insufficient to reveal the evolution of dynamic contact performance caused by pitting faults. In the present study, we established a coupling analysis model for pitting faults to assess the effect of the tooth surface micro-morphology. The mesh stiffness and static transmission error of gears with randomly distributed pittings were calculated, and the vibration response of gears with different pitting degrees was resolved. Finally, the effectiveness of the applied dynamic response theory analysis was experimentally verified using the constructed pitting fault simulation test bench. The results indicate that pitting failure decreases the effective load-bearing capacity of gear teeth. The mesh stiffness gradually but significantly decreased with the pitting degree, also exhibiting fluctuating values. Pitting faults induced significant periodic features in the vibration response of gear transmission systems, showing complex sidebands around the meshing frequency and its harmonics.

The Noether–Lefschetz locus of surfaces in P3${\mathbb {P}}^3$ formed by determinantal surfaces

AbstractWe compute the dimension of certain components of the family of smooth determinantal degree surfaces in , and show that each of them is the closure of a component of the Noether–Lefschetz locus . Our computations exhibit that smooth determinantal surfaces in of degree 4 form a divisor in with five irreducible components. We will compute the degrees of each of these components: , and .

Investigation on dynamic characteristics of droplet impact on surfaces with different rough microstructures based on lattice Boltzmann method

Constructing microstructures on smooth surfaces is significant for 3D printing technology and surface self-cleaning effects in engineering applications. This paper uses the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to study the droplet impact behavior on different microstructured surfaces: right-triangle, semicircular, and rectangular microstructures. The formulas for calculating the surface wetting characteristics of different microstructures are derived theoretically, the difference between simulation results and those from theoretical analyses is less than 5 %. The increase of the microstructure column height h may eventually lead to the disappearance of the Wenzel mode. The droplet impact on the microstructured hydrophilic surface can accelerate the droplet to the stable stage and reduce the excessive impact effect. The droplet impacts on the superhydrophobic microstructured surface can accelerate the rebound separation and shorten the time to reach the stable stage. When droplets impact the superhydrophobic surface of the right-triangle microstructure, a secondary separation phenomenon will occur, resulting in the maximum rebound height and the maximum reduction of the near-wall density. The superhydrophobic right-triangle microstructured surface can more effectively promote self-cleaning.

Unravelling the effects of drying techniques on Porphyra yezoensis: Morphology, rehydration properties, metabolomic profile, and taste formation

This study explored the impact of sun drying (SD), freeze drying (FD), oven drying (OD), and microwave drying (MD) on the morphology, rehydration properties, metabolomic profile, and taste formation of Porphyra yezoensis. FD elicited a brighter colour, smooth surface, porous microstructure, and strong rehydration properties in P. yezoensis, while dramatically maintaining the umami, sweetness, and saltiness. OD and MD decreased structural openness owing to tissue collapse and affected water absorption. Metabolomic analysis revealed 1030 metabolites, among which taste-related compounds, especially free amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids, and their derivatives, were the main biomarkers for distinguishing the different drying methods. Their related metabolic pathways, such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism; purine metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; and citrate cycle, were the most active. A metabolic pathway network of the main taste compounds was built to provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the taste profile changes associated with different drying methods.

Urea solvothermal regeneration of spent LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2: Performance and environmental benefits

With the large-scale application of power batteries, a large number of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will be formed in recent years. The improper disposal of spent LIBs will pose significant environmental pollution. LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM), as a typical type of LIBs cathodes material, are widely used and can be highly recycled. However, the existing hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical recycling processes consume large amounts of energy and introduce serious secondary pollution. This work presents a simple straightforward direct regeneration process that uses urea solvothermal treatment followed by calcination to obtain urea-regenerated spent NCM (UR-S-NCM). Surprisingly, the specific capacity of the regenerated NCM of UR-S-NCM recovers completely and reaches 166 mAh/g, higher than that of fresh NCM (F-NCM) at 156 mAh/g. After 100 charge/discharge cycles, the specific capacity of UR-S-NCM is 37 % higher than that of F-NCM at the same condition. Additionally, the CO2 emissions per kilogram of the regenerated UR-S-NCM are only 1.79 kg, about 31 % of pyrometallurgy and 48 % of hydrometallurgy, respectively. The surface smoothness, grain boundaries and layered structure of UR-S-NCM are recovered from S-NCM to the same situation of F-NCM. Smooth surface facilitates Li+ migration into and out of UR-S-NCM, grain boundaries reduction diminishes electrolyte corrosion, and the layered structure accommodates more Li+ compared to the spinel structure of S-NCM. This work provides an eco-friendly direct regeneration process and offers a new insight for LIBs regeneration.

Investigating Methods to Generate Models for Turbine Maps Using Machine Learning

&lt;div&gt;For turbocharged engine design, manufacturer-provided turbocharger maps are typically used in simulation analysis to understand key engine performance metrics. Each data point in the turbocharger map is generated by physically testing the hardware or through CFD analysis—both of which are time-consuming and expensive. As such, only a modest set of data can be generated, and each data map must be interpolated and extrapolated to create a smooth surface, which can then be used for engine simulation analysis.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div&gt;In this article, five different machine learning algorithms are described and compared to experimental data for the prediction of Cummins Turbo Technologies (CTT) fixed geometry turbines within and outside of the experimental data range. The results were validated against xxx-provided test data. The results demonstrate that the Bayesian neural networks performed the best, realizing a 0.5%–1% error band. In addition, it is extrapolatable when suitable manually created extra data points are incorporated within the dataset at low and high turbine speeds.&lt;/div&gt;

Multi‐Photon 3D Laser Micro‐Printed Plastic Scintillators for Applications in Low‐Energy Particle Physics

AbstractPlastic scintillators are inexpensive to manufacture and therefore a popular alternative to inorganic crystalline scintillators. For many applications, their advantages outweigh their lower light yield. Additionally, it is easier to structure plastic scintillators with well‐developed processing techniques which is of growing relevance in modern applications. One technique to structure plastic material is 3D printing, with noteworthy recent advances in one‐photon‐based approaches. However, some applications require high spatial resolution and optically smooth surfaces, which can be achieved by multi‐photon 3D laser micro‐printing. One application example is the improvement of sensitivity of the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment. This improvement can be realized by printing a 3D scintillator structure as an active transverse energy filter directly onto the detector. Herein, the first two‐photon printable plastic scintillator providing a printing resolution in the micrometer regime is presented. Using the benefits of two‐photon grayscale lithography, optical‐grade surfaces are achieved. The light output is estimated to be 930 photons MeV−1. A prototype structure printed directly on a single‐photon avalanche diode array is demonstrated.

Synthesis of β-Ga2O3:Mg Thin Films by Electron Beam Evaporation and Postannealing

Doping divalent metal cations into Ga2O3 films plays a key role in adjusting the conductive behavior of the film. N-type high-resistivity β-Ga2O3:Mg films were prepared using electron beam evaporation and subsequent postannealing processing. Various characterization methods (X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, etc.) revealed that the Mg content plays an important role in affecting the film quality. Specifically, when the Mg content in the film is 3.6%, the S2 film’s resistivity, carrier content, and carrier mobility are 59655.5 Ω·cm, 1.95 × 1014 cm3/C, and 0.53682 cm2/Vs. Also, the film exhibits a smoother surface, more refined grains, and higher self-trapped exciton emission efficiency. The Mg cation mainly substitutes the Ga+ cation at a tetrahedral site, acting as a trap for self-trapped holes.

Significantly less wear of UHMWPE rubbing against pyrocarbon than against CoCr

The history of joint replacement can be framed as a battle to reduce wear. Pyrocarbon has been shown to be a low wear material, but can low wear against an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) counterface be achieved? To investigate this research question, a 50-station, clinically validated wear screening machine was used. Half the stations tested UHMWPE pins against pyrocarbon discs, and half the stations tested UHMWPE pins against cobalt chromium (CoCr) discs. The test rig ran at 1Hz, the nominal contact stress was 2.07 MPa, and testing ran to 5 million cycles. A biomimetic lubricant was used, it was replaced every 500,000 cycles. At the end of testing, the UHMWPE pins rubbing against pyrocarbon discs had a statistically significant reduced wear, compared with the UHMWPE pins rubbing against CoCr discs (p ≤ 0.01). Analysis of the discs at the end of testing showed greater adherence of phospholipids on the pyrocarbon discs than the CoCr discs. In turn, it was also seen that far less UHMWPE was attached to the pyrocarbon discs than to the CoCr discs. Based on this evidence, it is suggested that pyrocarbon surfaces are associated with reduced adhesive wear of UHMWPE compared with CoCr surfaces. In addition, at the end of testing, the CoCr discs were found to be significantly rougher than the pyrocarbon discs. Therefore, pyrocarbon maintained a smoother surface than CoCr, likely meaning that abrasive wear of UHMWPE was reduced compared with CoCr.

Reconstruction of implicit surfaces from fluid particles using convolutional neural networks

AbstractIn this paper, we present a novel network‐based approach for reconstructing signed distance functions from fluid particles. The method uses a weighting kernel to transfer particles to a regular grid, which forms the input to a convolutional neural network. We propose a regression‐based regularization to reduce surface noise without penalizing high‐curvature features. The reconstruction exhibits improved spatial surface smoothness and temporal coherence compared with existing state of the art surface reconstruction methods. The method is insensitive to particle sampling density and robustly handles thin features, isolated particles, and sharp edges.

Alkali-Silica Reaction and Residual Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Mortar Containing Waste Glass Fine Aggregate and Supplementary Cementitious Materials

This paper presents the influence of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and waste glass fine aggregate (GA), on the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in high-strength and normal-strength mortar using an accelerated mortar bar test (AMBT). Residual mechanical properties and scanning electron micrographs were used to assess the changes in the matrix. GA reduced the mechanical properties of both normal-strength (NGA_OPC) and high-strength mortars (HGA_OPC), contributing to a decline in overall performance. This phenomenon was a result of the slipping of the GA from the matrix owing to its smooth surface. However, the inclusion of reactive SF and GGBS in the HGA improved the slip phenomenon of the GA, leading to a significant enhancement in its mechanical properties. Following the ASR expansion measurement, HGA_OPC demonstrated an ASR expansion rate approximately three times higher than that of NGA_OPC. This was attributed to the dense structure of HGA_OPC, which resulted in greater expansion than that of NGA_OPC. However, with the incorporation of SCMs into both HGA and NGA, a significant reduction in ASR expansion was observed. This was attributed to the delayed ASR of GA due to alkali activation or the pozzolanic reaction of the SCMs. Continuous exposure to the AMBT environment can lead to the destruction of GA. This was caused by the inner ASR that originated from the surface crack of the GA, which resulted in a reduction in the flexural strength of the mortar. The HGA with SF exhibited the highest resistance to ASR expansion and residual mechanical properties’ degradation. Therefore, various durability and long-term performance-monitoring studies on ultra-high-performance concrete or high-strength cementitious composites with very high SF contents and GA can be conducted.

A low-cost method for quantifying bouncing ball dynamics with smartphone video

Abstract This study employed a low-cost method for quantifying bouncing ball dynamics with smartphone video. High-speed video analysis was used to investigate the bouncing behaviour of different balls, including table tennis, rubber, and tennis balls, on a table tennis surface. To examine the effect of surface material on bouncing dynamics, the table tennis ball was also tested on wood and tile surfaces. Key parameters analysed included bounce height decay, the coefficient of restitution (COR), and the bounce half-life. Additionally, we measured the total bouncing time and analysed the relationship between changes in gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and total mechanical energy (ME). Our results revealed a significant correlation between the COR and the decay rate of bounce height. Balls with higher COR values, indicative of lower energy loss per bounce, exhibited slower decay rates, resulting in longer bounce half-lives and extended total bounce times. For instance, the table tennis ball on a tile surface demonstrated a high COR of 0.93, a bounce half-life of 4.65 bounces, and a total bounce time of 8.22 ± 0.34 s. This suggests that material properties such as stiffness and elasticity of both the ball and the surface significantly influence the COR and decay rate, beyond just surface smoothness. Furthermore, our analysis of ME changes in the bouncing balls aligns with theoretical predictions, providing insights into the energy transformations occurring during bouncing. This improved understanding can also be a valuable tool for educators, helping teachers and students bridge the gap between theory and real-world observations, leading to a deeper grasp of the concepts.

Oriented Growth of Highly Emissive Manganese Halide Microrods for Dual‐Mode Low‐Loss Optical Waveguides

Zero‐dimensional (0D) structured lead‐free metal halides have recently attracted widespread attention due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and negligible self‐absorption, showing enormous potential as optical waveguides towards miniaturized photonic devices. However, due to the great difficulty in growth of rod‐like nano/micro‐sized morphologies, such applications have been less explored. Herein, a new‐type emissive organic‐inorganic manganese (II) halide crystal (TPS2MnCl4, TPS = C18H15S, triphenylsulfonium) in the form of microrods is synthesized via a facile chloride ion (Cl‐) induced oriented growth method. Due to a combination of attractive features such as a high PLQY of 86%, negligible self‐absorption and smooth crystal surface, TPS2MnCl4 microrods are well suited for use in optical waveguide with an ultra‐low optical loss coefficient of 1.20·10‐4 dB μm‐1, superior to that of most organic‐inorganic metal halide hybrids, organic materials, polymers and metal nanoclusters to the best of our knowledge. Importantly, TPS2MnCl4 microrods can further work as dual‐mode optical waveguides, combining active and passive light transmission functionalities in one single crystal. In addition, TPS2MnCl4 microrods also display remarkable performance in lighting and anti‐counterfeiting due to their distinct optical properties and commendable stability.

Oriented Growth of Highly Emissive Manganese Halide Microrods for Dual-Mode Low-Loss Optical Waveguides.

Zero-dimensional (0D) structured lead-free metal halides have recently attracted widespread attention due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and negligible self-absorption, showing enormous potential as optical waveguides towards miniaturized photonic devices. However, due to the great difficulty in growth of rod-like nano/micro-sized morphologies, such applications have been less explored. Herein, a new-type emissive organic-inorganic manganese (II) halide crystal (TPS2MnCl4, TPS = C18H15S, triphenylsulfonium) in the form of microrods is synthesized via a facile chloride ion (Cl-) induced oriented growth method. Due to a combination of attractive features such as a high PLQY of 86%, negligible self-absorption and smooth crystal surface, TPS2MnCl4 microrods are well suited for use in optical waveguide with an ultra-low optical loss coefficient of 1.20·10-4 dB μm-1, superior to that of most organic-inorganic metal halide hybrids, organic materials, polymers and metal nanoclusters to the best of our knowledge. Importantly, TPS2MnCl4 microrods can further work as dual-mode optical waveguides, combining active and passive light transmission functionalities in one single crystal. In addition, TPS2MnCl4 microrods also display remarkable performance in lighting and anti-counterfeiting due to their distinct optical properties and commendable stability.