Ultrasonic Force Research Articles

Highly Sensitive Phased Array Probes based on Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUTs) offer a wide freedom of design for ultrasonic phased arrays. They are characterized, in comparison to piezoelectric transducers, by a higher sensitivity in receiving and a wider bandwidth based on their physical properties. Especially in combination with integrated preamplifiers the high receiving sensitivity compensates or rather overcompensates the lower transmission power of the CMUT in single probe applications with pulse-echo technique. This asymmetric behavior opens new opportunities in the application. In medical diagnostics it allows to meet the maximum permissible ultrasonic radiation force with the best sensitivity. In nondestructive testing the transmission power can be increased by the combination of a piezoelectric probe for transmitting and a CMUT probe for receiving. Especially in double probe techniques, such as pitch-catch or time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD), this is an efficient extension of the conventional approach with two piezoelectric transducers. The CMUT array probes developed by Fraunhofer IPMS with integrated preamplifier and bias voltage converter powered by a standard USB-A connector can be applied as one to one substitute for piezoelectric phased arrays with commercially available ultrasonic devices without adaption or additional electronics. The CMUT arrays are best suited for immersion technique and medical sonography because of their natural matching to water-like materials. They are applicable as well for solid surfaces with a special coating. We present the first results of ultrasonic imaging with our CMUT array probes in comparison with a commercially available piezoelectric phased array probe.

Investigation of the Effect of Indirect Ultrasonic Force and Different Cements on the Bond Strength of Glass Fiber Posts in Teeth with Different Post Space Preparation Methods

(1) Background: The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different cements (Panavia V5, RelyX U200) and placement techniques (indirect ultrasonic vibration and manual method) on the bond strength of glass fiber posts in teeth with different post space preparation methods and to evaluate the failure types. (2) Methods: A total of 120 human upper central teeth were collected for the study. One week after root canal treatment, 10 mm long post space preparation was performed using post drills. Post spaces were irrigated in three different ways, namely NaOCl, NaOCl + EDTA solutions, and passive ultrasonic irrigation of NaOCl and EDTA solutions. Glass fiber posts were divided into two groups for resin cement systems, namely RelyX U200 (3M ESPE) or Panavia V5 (Kuraray Medical). Two different methods, namely the indirect ultrasonic vibration and the manual method, were applied for post placement. Then, 1.2 mm sections were taken from the middle and coronal regions of the inserted fiber posts for a push-out test. (3) Results: the Irrigation × Cement (p = 0.002), Cement × Section (p = 0.043) and Placement × Section (p = 0.049) pairwise interactions were statistically significant. (4) Conclusions: in our study, the effects of different post cavity preparations, different cement types, and different placement techniques on the bond strength of the fiber post were observed.

Performance of R134a vapour compression refrigeration system by using Gr and Al2o3 hybrid nano lubricants

Nowadays, in many developing countries like India they are facing the shortage of energy. The Refrigeration system has become the major consumer of energy for many industrial as well as household applications. So, it is the need to enhance the energy efficiency of the refrigeration systems. Performance of the refrigeration system can be improved either by increasing the rate of heat absorption in evaporator or by reducing the compressor power. Use of efficient lubricant oil can help to remove the heat generated in the compression process which leads to less power consumption. Development in Nanotechnology makes it possible to develop a new class of lubricant called nanolubricant, in which nanoparticles are added in base lubricant oil to enhance the thermal properties. The two step technique with ultrasonic agitation force is used tosynthesise stable nanolubricant. The present study investigates the performance of an R-134a refrigerant vapour compression refrigeration system using nanolubricant with different volume concentrations (0.05%, 0.075%, 0.1% and 0.2%) of Graphene/Aluminium nanoparticles to mineral oil (MO) experimentally. The result shows maximum enhancement in COP approximately as 85% for 0.075 % volume fraction Nano lubricant as compared to base fluid. Use of nanolubricant saves approximately 27% compressor power.

Debonding Fiber Damage Mechanism Modeling for Machining Damage Inhibition During Rotary Ultrasonic Face Grinding SiO2f/SiO2

Abstract The debonding fiber defects on the grinding surface of SiO2f/SiO2 ceramic matrix composites deteriorate the service performance of related components. The low-damage process window is the key information to suppress machining damage by controlling grinding parameters. A mechanism model for debonding fiber damage on SiO2f/SiO2 surface was first proposed in this paper by the large deformation analysis for SiO2 fibers during rotary ultrasonic face grinding (RUFG). The established mechanism model built a bridge between grinding parameters and damage inhibition by integrating the ultrasonic stress effect, grinding force calculation, and critical fracture curvature cutting-off criterion of SiO2 fibers. The modeling mechanism for fiber deformation and fracture in grinding was validated by in situ observation of single abrasive grit scratching experiments. Besides, the low debonding damage process window predicted by the model was verified by experimental results and could be adopted to suppress the debonding fiber damage in grinding. The affected mechanism of fiber orientation, ultrasonic amplitude, and fiber-matrix interface strength on the low debonding damage process window was analyzed based on the theoretical and experimental results. The damage inhibition effect of the RUFG process was limited by the low fiber-matrix interface strength and axial cutter-relieving movement component. The ultrasonic-assisted vibration exerted its auxiliary effects through the ultrasonic stress effect and force reduction effect. The prerequisite for exerting the damage inhibition effect of RUFG was that the fiber-matrix interface strength was sufficient to resist the negative influence of the ultrasonic stress effect.

Efficiency analysis of laser ultrasonic longitudinal wave detection based on the constraint effect

Abstract Laser ultrasound is a non-destructive inspection technique, but its application in internal defect detection and state characterization is limited by its weak body wave displacement induced by thermo-elastic mechanism. In this paper, the influence of the constraint layer on the directivity of laser induced ultrasonic force source and the excitation efficiency of longitudinal wave is analyzed by finite element modeling with transparent glass as the constraint layer. With the optimization of the parameters of the confinement layer, the longitudinal waves with energy comparable to that of the free surface ablation mechanism can be excited under the thermoelastic mechanism, which greatly improves the efficiency of the longitudinal wave of laser ultrasonic. Applying the above research results to the detection of internal defects, the imaging results of the internal defects are obvious and the location defects are accurate.

Multidimensional ultrasonic vibration machining modeling of SiCp/Al cutting forces with different volume fractions: Experiments and numerical simulations

The cutting properties of the particles of aluminum-based silicon carbide (SiCp/Al) and the base material are so disparate that it is challenging to ensure the surface quality of machining. The cutting force significantly influences the quality of the machined surface. Therefore, real-time cutting force prediction is paramount for ensuring the workpiece's desired surface quality. This paper presents a 3D ultrasonic milling force model, established from four aspects: cutting formation force, extrusion friction force, SiC particle crushing force, and ultrasonic impact force. The model is based on the ultrasonic action of the cutting process and the unique removal characteristics of the material. A 3D ultrasonic milling system was constructed to experimentally verify the milling force model. The effects of each parameter on the milling force were analyzed through orthogonal experiments, which resulted in the effects of depth of cut, rotational speed, volume fraction, ultrasonic amplitude, and feed rate. The ultrasonic amplitude, feed rate, and other factors were found to influence the milling force to varying degrees. The milling force was observed to be 42.47 %, 22.37 %, 10.85 %, 12.67 %, and 11.64 % affected by the factors mentioned above, respectively. The single-factor experiment was conducted to analyze the cutting force at different machining parameters. The experimental results and the MATLAB numerical simulation results exhibited a similar trend of change. The maximum absolute error between the two was 12.71 %, with an average absolute error of 3.735 %.

Reversible switching of supramolecular self‐assembly between nanofibers and nanorings based on perylene‐terminated star elastomers

AbstractPerylene‐terminated star elastomers (PSE) containing the diblock copolymers of polystyrene (PS) and polyisoprene (PI) segments were designed and synthesized by anionic polymerization. The PSE exhibits good fluorescence performances in solution, self‐assembled aggregates, and solid state. Different supramolecular self‐assemblies in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution based on the π−π stacking of perylene and interactions in PS can be observed from nanofibers to twisted multi‐nanoropes. Moreover, the twisted nanoropes under ultrasonic can transform spontaneously into nanorings in the stationary state, and reversibly switch between twisted nanoropes and nanorings via the manipulation of ultrasonic force. The terminating methods will offer considerable scope for the design and synthesis of new star elastomers. Meanwhile, a new insight into π−π stacking and interactions is provided for understanding multistep and cooperative self‐assembly in supramolecular self‐assembly.

Nano hydrogel with bacterial nanocellulose and bitter almond oil nanoemulsions for enhanced wound healing: In-vivo and in-vitro characterization

Biocompatibility, good mechanical properties, infection prevention, and anti-inflammatory are the requirements of an ideal wound dressing for the care and treatment of skin wounds. In this study, the nanohydrogels as wound dressing, were fabricated by bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and gellan gum. Bitter almond oil nanoemulsion (BAO-NE) was made with ultrasonic force and incorporated into the nanohydrogels in concentrations of 2, 4, and 6 %. The mechanical and physicochemical analyses such as tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), swelling, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), degradation, FTIR-ATR, and SEM, and anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, etc. properties of the nanohydrogels were investigated. Also, the wound healing ability was evaluated by in-vivo analyses. The molecular analyses of the expression of genes related to collagen production and inflammation were performed. Increasing BAO-NE concentration enhanced anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (P < 0.05). The in-vivo study presented the healing role of nanohydrogels in rat wounds. Real-time PCR results confirmed the anti-inflammatory and healing effects of the films at molecular levels. All the results testify to the promising properties of the fabricated nanohydrogels as a potential wound dressing.

A novel ultrasonic method for measuring minute sinusoidal displacement by network analyzer.

We developed a method for generating continuous sinusoidal displacements of an object to estimate viscoelastic parameters. However, the amplitude of the displacement caused by the ultrasonic excitation force under safe guidelines was small (a few micrometers), and it was difficult to stably measure the displacement. Therefore, to stably measure the amplitude of sinusoidal displacement as small as the order of micrometers, we proposed a novel method using a network analyzer. Ultrasonic waves were irradiated using an ultrasonic transducer on an object vibrating sinusoidally. The S parameter of the first reflected wave received from the surface of the object was measured using a network analyzer. The S parameter and the inverse Fourier transform were formulated theoretically, and the amplitude of the sinusoidal displacement of the object was estimated from the amplitude characteristics of the inverse Fourier-transformed signal. The proposed method was applied to measure sinusoidal displacements on the order of micrometers from 10 to 300Hz on an object using a water tank experiment. The obtained sinusoidal displacement agreed well with the reference values measured using a laser displacement meter. The proposed method can accurately measure minute sinusoidal displacements that occur on an object.

Optimization of Wire-bonding Process Parameters for Gold Wire and Aluminium Substrate using Response Surface Method

Wire bonding is a connecting technique that uses a combination of temperature, force, ultrasonic power, and time to attach two metallic materials, a wire, and a bond pad. In electronics, gold-aluminium (Au-Al) contact wire bonds are widespread due to corrosion resistance and great conductivity of both metals. However, due to the large contact-potential difference, the intermetallic compound growth at the metal’s interaction boundary has considerably worsened the advantageous properties of Au-Al intermetallic system. This intermetallic exhibit low toughness, and possibly low corrosion resistance, which would result in poor bonding quality. In this work, the materials used are 4x8 aluminium substrates and a 100-meter-long gold wire spool. This study aims to investigate the most optimised set of parameters to be used in Au-Al wire bond system, due to how problematic this system could have towards bonding quality. The experimental array was created using a response surface methodology (RSM)-based design of experiments. The effect of parameters and their significance to bonding quality in the Au-Al bond system were studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA). A correlation model was created for the wire bond strength data. The findings suggest that, within the range of parameters examined, the proposed correlation model can be utilized to predict performance measures. The optimum value of Au-Al wire bond system parameters was established at the time of bond at the first bonding site selected for 300 milliseconds (ms), wire looping height selected for 1200 micrometre (μm), wire bond Y-axis length selected for 996 micrometre (μm), and ultrasonic force at second bonding site selected for 300 milli Newton (mN). The outcomes of this research add to our understanding of the Au-Al wire bonding contact, in addition, to enhancing the wire bond's quality.

Antimetastatic lung cancer therapy using alkaloid Piperlongumine noncovalently bound to С60 fullerene

A novel nanoformulation, C60 fullerene loaded with a plant alkaloid Piperlongumine (PL) molecules (C60-PL nanocomplex), as a potential drug for the treatment of highly metastatic lung cancer was created and characterized by using ultrasonic technology, computer simulation, atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antimetastatic potential of PL alone and the C60-PL nanocomplex using Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cell line as a model. Evidence has been obtained that the 2:1C60-PL nanocomplex is a potent agent capable of effectively reducing the survival, migration and invasion of LLC cells in vitro, as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo compared to free PL. These effects in cell behavior were shown to be associated with an increased Bax expression and high level of cleaved PARP confirming the proapototic potential of C60-PL nanocomplex as well as down-regulation of the mRNA of epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulator Twist1 and cancer stem cell marker CD44, a reduced level of phosphorylated mTOR and adaptor protein Ruk/CIN85. Histological analysis of the lung tissue of LLC-bearing mice showed that in animals that received the C60-PL nanocomplex, the regression of metastases prevailed over their growth. The obtained results allow to conclude that the proposed C60-PL nanocomplex represents a promising drug for the treatment of metastatic lung cancer.

Nanostructural Characterization of Luminescent Polyvinyl Alcohol/Graphene Quantum Dots Nanocomposite Films.

This study focuses on the fabrication of polymer nanocomposite films using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/graphene quantum dots (GQDs). We investigate the relationship between the structural, thermal, and nanoscale morphological properties of these films and their photoluminescent response. Although according to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and differential thermal analysis (DTA), the incorporation of GQDs does not significantly affect the percentage crystallinity of the PVA matrix, for a range of added GQD concentrations, atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed the formation of islands with apparent crystalline morphology on the surface of the PVA/GQD films. This observation suggests that GQDs presumably act as nucleating agents for island growth. The incorporation of GQDs also led to the formation of characteristic surface pores with increased stiffness and frictional contrast, as indicated by ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) and frictional force microscopy (FFM) data. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the films were found to depend both on the amount of GQDs incorporated and on the film morphology. For GQD loads >1.2%wt, a GQD-related band was observed at ~1650 cm-1 in FT-IR, along with an increase in the PL band at lower energy. For a load of ~2%wt GQDs, the surface morphology was characterized by extended cluster aggregates with lower stiffness and friction than the surrounding matrix, and the PL signal decreased.

A highly reversible force-assisted Li − CO2 battery based on piezoelectric effect of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 nanorods

The use of light-assisted cathode is regarded as an effective approach to reduce the overpotential of lithium carbon dioxide (Li − CO2) batteries. However, the inefficient electron-hole separation and the complex discharge–charge reactions hamper the efficiency of CO2 photocatalytic reaction in battery. Herein, a highly reversible force-assisted Li − CO2 battery has been established for the first time by employing a Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 nanorods piezoelectric cathode. The high-energy electron and holes generated by the piezoelectric cathode with ultrasonic force can effectively enhance the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CDRR) and carbon dioxide evolution reaction (CDER) kinetics, thereby reducing the overpotentials during the discharge–charge processes. Moreover, the morphology of the discharge product (Li2CO3) can be modified via the dense surface electrons of the piezoelectric cathode, resulting in the promoted decomposition kinetics of Li2CO3 in charging progress. Thus, the force-assisted Li − CO2 battery with the unique piezoelectric cathode can adjust the output and input energy by ultrasonic wave, and provides an ultra-low charging platform of 3.52 V, and exhibits excellent cycle stability (a charging platform of 3.42 V after 100 h cycles). The investigation of the force-assisted process described herein provides significant insights to solve overpotential in the Li − CO2 batteries system.

Dipole field in nitrogen-enriched carbon nitride with external forces to boost the artificial photosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide

Artificial photosynthesis is a promising strategy for efficient hydrogen peroxide production, but the poor directional charge transfer from bulk to active sites restricts the overall photocatalytic efficiency. To address this, a new process of dipole field-driven spontaneous polarization in nitrogen-rich triazole-based carbon nitride (C3N5) to harness photogenerated charge kinetics for hydrogen peroxide production is constructed. Here, C3N5 achieves a hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis rate of 3809.5 µmol g−1 h−1 and a 2e− transfer selectivity of 92% under simulated sunlight and ultrasonic forces. This high performance is attributed to the introduction of rich nitrogen active sites of the triazole ring in C3N5, which brings a dipole field. This dipole field induces a spontaneous polarization field to accelerate a rapid directional electron transfer process to nitrogen active sites and therefore induces Pauling-type adsorption of oxygen through an indirect 2e− transfer pathway to form hydrogen peroxide. This innovative concept using a dipole field to harness the migration and transport of photogenerated carriers provides a new route to improve photosynthesis efficiency via structural engineering.

Experimental study on ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding of GCr15SiMn bearing steel

Many problems of GCr15SiMn high-carbon chromium bearing steel have been found in the ordinary grinding (OG) process. Aiming at the problems of high grinding force, low residual compressive stress and low surface quality, ultrasonic machining technology is combined with OG. The test of ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding (UVAG) GCr15SiMn high carbon chromium bearing steel is carried out. The residual stress, surface roughness, grinding force, and surface morphology are analyzed by changing machining parameters. The research showed that as the grinding depth and feed speed become larger, the grinding force increased, when the spindle speed rises, the grinding force becomes smaller. In the test range, with the ultrasonic amplitude from small to large, the grinding force from large to small. The ultrasonic grinding force is 27.8% lower than that of OG. The surface roughness increases with increasing grinding depth and feed speed and decreases with increasing spindle speed and ultrasonic amplitude, and at an amplitude of 6 μm, the surface roughness is reduced by 27% compared to OG. When the feed speed and grinding depth are lowered or the ultrasonic amplitude is increased, the surface residual compressive stress is increased. Compared to OG, it is increased by more than 13.5% under the same parameters. At the same time, the phenomenon of burrs and surface tears can be reduced, and the surface quality of the workpiece becomes better.

Analysis and modeling of cutting force considering the tool runout effect in longitudinal-torsional ultrasonic vibration-assisted 5 axis ball end milling

The longitudinal-torsional ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling (LTUVAM) can improve the machining quality compared with conventional milling (CM), and the machining quality is closely related to cutting force which is affected by the tool runout effect. In this study, a mechanistic force model for longitudinal-torsional ultrasonic vibration-assisted 5 axis ball end milling considering the tool runout effect is proposed. First, the cutting edge motion model considering the effects of tool runout and ultrasonic vibration is established. Then, based on the analysis of the cutting edge motion relative to the workpiece, the uncut chip thickness (UCT) is computed by means of the geometrical calculation method, and the engaged cutting edge elements are determined according to the Z-map method, the ultrasonic milling force model is established after determining the cutting force coefficients and tool runout parameters through calibration tests. Moreover, the impact of different parameters on dynamic separating characteristics of LTUVAM is studied by the tool-workpiece contact rate. Finally, the verification tests are carried out, and the experimental results show the effectiveness of the ultrasonic milling force model.

Ultrasonication‐Assisted Seed Screening Enables Oriented and Efficient Low‐Dimensional Crystal‐Structural Thin‐Film Photovoltaics

AbstractUltrasonication‐assisted liquid exfoliation of layered materials is widely used to produce a large number of 2D nanosheets due to its simplicity, universality, and mass production. Here, the utility of ultrasonication is extended from liquid exfoliation to seed screening in the case of layered GeSe and GeS. It is found that the ultrasonic stripping force can also be used to selectively remove the lying seeds interacting with substrate through weak van der Waals (vdW) forces while retaining the standing seeds connected with substrate via tightly covalent bonds. The standing seeds then induce the growth of 2D crystal‐structural films with standing orientation. This thereby enables efficient carrier transport within covalently bonded layers, instead of poor transport between layers held together by vdW forces. The resulting standing‐oriented GeSe films exhibit a 21‐times increase in carrier mobility compared to lying‐oriented films. As a result, this study demonstrates the highest power conversion efficiencies of 6.1% and 10.5% under AM1.5G 1‐ and 0.01‐sun illumination reported for GeSe solar cells, respectively.

Investigation of Cutting Force and the Material Removal Mechanism in the Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Scratching of 2D-SiCf/SiC Composites.

Ultrasonic-assisted grinding (UAG) is widely used in the manufacture of hard and brittle materials. However, the process removal mechanism was never elucidated and its potential is yet to be fully exploited. In this paper, the mechanism of material removal is analyzed by ultrasonic-assisted scratching. Three distinct surfaces (S1, S2, and S3) were selected on the basis of the braided and laminated structure of fiber bundles. The ultrasonic-assisted scratching experiment is carried out under different conditions, and the scratching force (SF) of the tested surface will fluctuate periodically. Under the conditions of different feed speeds, depths, and ultrasonic amplitudes, the normal scratching force (SFn) is greater than the tangential scratching force (SFt), and the average scratching force on the three surfaces is generally S3 > S2 >S1. Among the three processing parameters, the speed has the most significant influence on the scratching force, while the scratching depth has little influence on the scratching force. Under the same conditions and surface cutting mode, the ultrasonic vibration-assisted scratching force is slightly lower than the conventional scratching force. The scratching force decreases first and then increases with the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration. Because the fiber undergoes a brittle fracture in the ultrasonic-assisted scratching process, the matrix is torn, and the surface residues are discharged in time; therefore, the surface roughness is improved.

A plant growth chamber system equipped with aerosol generators for studying aerosol-vegetation interactions

Understanding aerosol-vegetation interactions is vital in ecosystems. However, the interactions remain elusive partly due to the lack of suitable plant growth chamber systems. Particularly, deposition of submicron particles on leaf surfaces is challenging due to its low deposition velocities compared to larger particles. In this work, we present a plant-growth chamber that was used to study the effect of submicron black carbon (BC) particles on the growth and photosynthesis of plants. The chamber system simultaneously enables the growth of multiple plants in pots and the deposition of submicron particles onto them. Two spraying methods assisted by ultrasonic and electrostatic forces were employed as aerosol generators to realize the particle deposition. The flow regime inside the chamber was numerically calculated to predict the transportation of aerosol particles, suggesting the optimal operating conditions of the chamber. The gas-phase particle size distribution measurements showed that generated BC particles were suspended in submicron diameter ranges. The aerosol generators were examined in the chamber using three conductor and insulator substrates as a model of plant leaves. Microscope observations and spectroscopic analysis ascertained that submicron BC particles generated from our generators were deposited on all substrate surfaces. Using the developed chamber system, systematic studies can be performed to advance the fundamental understanding of aerosol-vegetation interactions.

Axial Force Detection Based on Electromagnetic Ultrasonic of Power Bolt

Bolts are widely used in industrial production, and the electromagnetic ultrasonic shaft force detection method is designed based on power bolts. Combined with the actual characteristics, the curve is divided into linear and non-linear characteristic curves, and the power bolt’s strength coefficient in the free and tightened states is calculated. The two are determined to establish the calibration model of the power bolt. Design ultrasonic shaft force detection method, combined with different propagation media to compare the emission angle and refraction angle conversion relationship to obtain the ultrasonic shaft force detection relationship formula. Under the four test samples, the characteristic bolt curve was calibrated, and the ultrasonic wave flight time under different bolt clamping lengths was tested. The experimental results showed that all four types of samples could get effective detection results, and the shaft force detection effect of sample 1# was the best.