Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huan Guo, Kai Xia, Mingzhao Cao, Xiaodong Zhang
Summary: In this study, cationic polymer poly-epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine was successfully immobilized on natural attapulgite to enhance dye adsorption capacities, particularly for anionic dyes. The modified attapulgite displayed high adsorption capacities for anionic dyes, with the potential to completely remove reactive dyes from effluents in column operation modes. The treatment capacities of the cation-modified attapulgite were more than three times larger than those of activated carbon, demonstrating its potential for effectively treating dye wastewaters.
Article
Polymer Science
Busra Cetiner, Gulayse Sahin Dundar, Yusuf Yusufoglu, Burcu Saner Okan
Summary: This study presents a newly designed composite structure of high-degree biobased and thermally induced shape memory polylactic acid (PLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blend incorporated with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) obtained from waste tires. The addition of GNP enhances mechanical and thermal properties of the composite, while improving circularity and sustainability. The optimum GNP content of 0.5 wt% increases the flexural strength by 24% and thermal conductivity by 15%, with a shape fixity ratio of 99.8% and recovery ratio of 99.58% achieved in 4 minutes.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhen Huang, Huai-Yuan Sun, Yi-Ming Dai, Peng-Bo Hou, Wei-Zheng Zhou, Lin-Lin Bian
Summary: This study evaluates the influence of recycled fibres from solid waste on the shear strength and cracking behaviour of expansive soil. The results show that both glass fibre and polypropylene fibre significantly enhance the shear properties of expansive soils and inhibit cracking. The improvement effect of polypropylene fibre is better than that of glass fibre.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lilya Boudriche, Rachel Calvet, Alain Chamayou, Boualem Hamdi
Summary: The experimental study on attapulgite powder grinding in wet media revealed significant decrease in particle size, preservation of fibers, and increase in specific surface area under specific grinding conditions.
Article
Polymer Science
Mohammed A. Abed, Aysha Anagreh, Nikola Tosic, Ola Alkhabbaz, Majd Eddin Alshwaiki, Robert Cerny
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of different expanded clay aggregate contents on the physical-mechanical properties of LWC and tested the flexural behavior of LWC beams reinforced with steel and FRP. The results provide support for the use of innovative materials such as lightweight aggregate and FRP reinforcement.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Hyeongtae Kim, Jihyun Lee, Soo Bin Shim, Moon Se Kim, Bharat Shrimant, Jae Hyun Lee, Sang Yong Nam, Dong-Jun Kwon, Jun Hong Park
Summary: The presence of microcracks in polymer coatings degrades the structural stability and lifespan of the protective layers. Enhancing the polymer-coated surfaces with self-healing properties has attracted considerable attention. By improving the strength and self-healing properties of polyurethane/graphene oxide (PU/GO) composite materials through two GO treatments (mechanical milling and chemical treatment with HF), a healing efficiency of over 80% can be achieved. The HF-treated GO-reinforced composites demonstrate high self-healing efficiency and remarkable mechanical performance, making them a promising self-healing material for protecting structural composites.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Adeyinka Idowu, Tony Thomas, Jenniffer Bustillos, Benjamin Boesl, Arvind Agarwal
Summary: This research explores the potential of three-dimensional (3D) graphene foam (GrF) as a highly efficient reinforcement for shape memory polymer (SMP) epoxy composites. The GrF-based SMP epoxy composite exhibits significant improvements in thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, shape recovery ratio, and recovery rate. These composites hold immense promise for diverse applications such as mechanical systems, wearable sensors, morphing wings, foldable robots, and antennas.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aula Aqila Yusrizal, Tuti Katrina Abdullah, Ernie Suzana Ali, Sahrim Ahmad, Syazana Ahmad Zubir
Summary: This study examines the effect of various loadings of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the thermal stability, soft segment crystallinity, tensile properties, and shape memory behavior of palm oil polyol based shape memory polyurethane (SMPU) nanocomposites. The results show that the addition of MWCNT significantly enhances the thermal stability, tensile properties, and shape fixity of the SMPU nanocomposites, making them promising smart materials for industrial applications.
ARABIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qianyun Zhong, Xingxing Chen, Yuxuan Yang, Chenhui Cui, Li Ma, Zhen Li, Qiang Zhang, Xiaoming Chen, Yilong Cheng, Yanfeng Zhang
Summary: Transparent and degradable polyurethane elastomers with high strength and toughness are in demand for various applications. This study introduced a facile and efficient strategy by employing imidazolidinyl urea (IU) as a multiple hydrogen-bonding motif to fabricate elastomers with superior breaking strength and toughness. The elastomers showed potential application in post-operative anti-adhesion, with breaking strength reaching up to 49.9 MPa after pre-stretching to 600% strain.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Geological
R. Kerry Rowe, Seba Hamdan
Summary: The study reported the performance of five different GCLs under simulated wet-dry cycles, showing a significant increase in hydraulic conductivity after a year of accelerated aging. The discussion covers the impact of various factors on GCL hydraulic performance.
GEOTEXTILES AND GEOMEMBRANES
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Livia R. P. Silva Tenorio Alves, Marcio Davi Tenorio C. Alves, Luzia M. Castro Honorio, Alan Moraes, Edson C. Silva-Filho, Ramon Pena-Garcia, Marcelo B. Furtini, Durcilene A. da Silva, Josy A. Osajima
Summary: Rigid polyurethane foams were prepared using the one-step expandable foam method and modified by adding clay. The flame test showed that the foam composites exhibited good flame retardancy.
Article
Polymer Science
Shiping Wang, Lushen Shen, Honglin Yang, Guohui Cai, Ganchang Lei, Lijuan Shen, Yingying Zhan, Lilong Jiang
Summary: This study investigated the modification of acid-activated attapulgite (ac-AT) for use as a filler in polyurethane (PU) composite coatings. By treating ac-AT with KH-560 coupling agent and grafting it with stearic acid (SA), modified ac-AT (MAT) fillers were synthesized with varying amounts of SA. The addition of 1.5 wt.% SA onto KH-560 treated ac-AT resulted in MAT with a contact angle of 100.8°, enhancing hydrophobicity and dispersion within the PU matrix. Additionally, at a filling amount of 9.0 wt.%, the MAT/PU composite exhibited favorable properties with a tensile strength of 2.37 MPa, making it the optimal coating for controlled-release fertilizers.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yingcheng Luan, Wei Lu, Kun Fu
Summary: This paper improves the prediction model of resilient modulus of polymer reinforced soil by incorporating the effects of the dry-wet cycle. Finite element method (FEM) analysis is used to study the stress state of the pavement and the coupling effect of dry-wet cycle and vehicle load. The results show that the deviator stress is negatively correlated with the resilient modulus and the dry-wet cycle can reduce the resilient modulus.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
D. V. Bompa, A. Y. Elghazouli
Summary: This study investigated the influence of moisture and chlorides on the mechanical properties of natural hydraulic lime mortars, fired clay brick materials, and masonry components. The results showed that salt accumulation can produce denser materials with enhanced compressive and flexural strength, while wet-dry cycles may lead to cracking.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Shalini Bhatt, Rakshit Pathak, Vinay Deep Punetha, Mayank Punetha
Summary: Emerging incidences of microbial diseases and the development of antimicrobial resistance have posed a significant threat to global health. Polyurethane, a versatile synthetic polymer, holds great potential in biomedical and clinical applications due to its unique physicochemical properties. The incorporation of additional fillers into the polymeric matrix enhances the physicochemical properties and imparts antimicrobial ability to the composite. This review investigates the antimicrobial activity of polyurethane-based composites and their applications in various fields.
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Wenjie Lai, Lin Cao, Jiajun Liu, Swee Chuan Tjin, Soo Jay Phee
Summary: This article addresses the absence of haptic feedback in flexible endoscopic surgical robots by proposing a new three-axial force sensor. The sensor can be seamlessly integrated into the robot's arm and measure pulling and lateral forces. Through mechanics analysis, the link between the sensor's wavelength shifts and forces is studied, with a temperature-compensation feature. In ex vivo tests, the sensor accurately measures tool-tissue interaction forces in real time.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Guoqiang Cao, Yue Xiao, Wei-Min Huang, Chien-Hua Chen, Jonas Baltrusaitis
Summary: This study investigates the production of hydrogen (H2) through ethanol steam reforming (ESR) in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor. A response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the effects of discharge power, total flow rate, and ethanol-to-water (EtOH/H2O) molar ratio on the plasma-assisted ESR reaction. The results showed that the EtOH/H2O molar ratio had the most significant effect on EtOH conversion and H2 selectivity, while the total flow rate determined the specific energy requirement (SER) for H2 production. Process optimization resulted in the identification of the optimal conditions for the ESR reaction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuelian Wu, Jiaxing Zou, Jian Yang, Jiang Jiang, Qin Feng, Zihao Ye, Weimin Huang
Summary: Electrically conductive IPN composed of PVC and PANI is achieved with slightly different mechanical and shape memory properties compared to PVC alone. Non-uniform distribution of PANI in the thickness direction is observed. Heating and programming lead to a reduction in electrical conductivity, with further decrease during shape recovery.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuelian Wu, Changchun Wang, Jia Xi Pek, Wei Min Huang
Summary: The brittle-to-ductile transition in polycarbonate (PC) after thermomechanical treatment is investigated. The change in microstructure after pre-deformation is concluded as the reason behind the transition, but the type of subsequent loading is also important. The magnitude of pre-deformation, the temperature of pre-deformation, and the maximum deformation capability of the original material are three major parameters affecting the significance of the transition.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tao Xi Wang, Hong Mei Chen, Tong Li, Boon Siang Lucas Ng, Hui Xie, Rui Xiao, Wei Min Huang
Summary: The investigation on a vitrimer-like polyurethane revealed the existence of a Tan-delta plateau phenomenon associated with cross-linking dissociation, which is stable over a long temperature range and follows a melting transition. The time-temperature equivalence of the dissociation process was confirmed to be applicable to this material.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhenyu Zhao, Weimin Huang, Hua Qin, La Li
Summary: This work experimentally investigates and compares the terahertz electromagnetic shielding effect of micrometer-thick Ti3C2Tx MXene films on polyimide prepared by two different etching methods. The process using HCl/HF as the etchant shows higher absorption coefficient and electrical conductivity. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy are used to study the structure and termination of the Ti3C2Tx MXene layer. The degree of oxygen termination plays a significant role in bridging nearby titanium atoms, resulting in increased surface continuity and enhanced terahertz radiation shielding.
APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xin Wang, Qiong Tian, Mingxing Zhu, Yingying Wang, Boya Wang, Xiaobei Jing, Hiroshi Yokoi, Lin Li, Zhenzhen Liu, Weimin Huang, Shixiong Chen, Zhiyuan Liu, Guanglin Li
Summary: Long-term physiological signal monitoring is crucial for diagnosing health conditions that occur randomly and are not easily detected during short hospital visits. However, the quality of signals obtained by conventional wet electrodes degrades over time due to gradual dehydration. This study proposes the use of an anhydrous carbon paste electrode (CPE) composed of carbon black and polydimethylsiloxane to enable long-term monitoring without signal quality degradation. Compared to wet electrodes, the CPE showed more stable skin-electrode impedance and higher signal qualities for ECG, EMG, EEG, and ABR measurements over a period of 48 days.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Haoshi Zhang, Mingxing Zhu, Yanbing Jiang, Dan Wang, Xin Wang, Zijian Yang, Weimin Huang, Shixiong Chen, Guanglin Li
Summary: In this study, an adaptive Kalman filtering (AKF) based ABR signal extraction method was proposed, which can constantly update parameters according to the real-time noise properties and extract reliable ABR signals in the presence of large background noises. The method showed good performance in various noise conditions and can adapt to different types and levels of noises.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chunjian Su, Xuemeng Li, Zhengyang Feng, Xinxin Li, Balasundaram Selvan Naveen, Luhua Zhao, Weimin Huang
Summary: In this paper, a bending angle distribution function with optimized segmented boundary combination is proposed to improve the forming quality and reduce rebound defects in multi-pass roll forming. The stress and strain distributions in the sheets after each forming pass are analyzed using finite element simulation, and the influence of different bending angle parameters on sheet quality is obtained. The finite element simulation is verified by comparing experimental results.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Durai Aadithiya, Fei Yu Fang, Han Wang, Wei Min Huang
Summary: In this paper, finite element simulation (via ANSYS) is used to investigate the effect of shell thickness and prestrain on stimulus-induced shrinkage in electrospun polymeric fibres. The results show that the maximum shrinkage is determined by the prestrain in the shell. Young's modulus, fibre length, and boundary conditions have little influence on the final relative axial shrinkage. The diameter of the electrospun fibres strongly affects the final relative axial shrinkage, suggesting its potential for determining shell thickness and prestrain experimentally.
FIBERS AND POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Meiwen Ding, Zhiping Lin, Chau Hung Lee, Cher Heng Tan, Weimin Huang
Summary: Prostate cancer is a common malignant tumor in men, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for its diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis requires targeted biopsy, often aided by MRI-ultrasound (MRI-US) fusion. However, automatic prostate segmentation on MRI is challenging due to variations in shape, appearance, and size. In this study, we propose a method called UCAnet that incorporates multi-scale and Channel-wise Self-Attention (CSA) to improve prostate segmentation accuracy. Experimental results on a public dataset demonstrate that UCAnet outperforms state-of-the-art methods for prostate segmentation.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS II-EXPRESS BRIEFS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dandan Wang, ZiZhang Li, Weimin Huang, Shengnan Cao, Liangyu Xie, Yuanzhen Chen, Huazhong Li, Lei Wang, Xiaoshu Chen, Jian-Rong Yang
Summary: Using single-cell RNA sequencing, the microenvironment and mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) in humans were explored. Functional subgroups were identified in the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) at different stages of degeneration. Additionally, an increase in monocyte/macrophage population was found in degenerated discs, and specific interactions between cell populations were revealed.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Chunjian Su, Xinxin Li, Xuemeng Li, Zhengyang Feng, Balasundaram Selvan Naveen, Rui Wang, Wei Min Huang
Summary: In the sheet forming process, the final bending angle is often determined based on experience and it is difficult to control the quality of the final products due to the decrease in thickness in the local bent areas. This study developed an optimized bending angle function by combining segment boundaries to improve the sheet forming quality and reduce local thinning defects. The finite element submodel method accurately simulated the thickness variation law of the bending area and analyzed the process parameters for local thinning. Experimental results showed that the proposed approach achieved better forming quality with smaller thinning defects compared to previously reported methods, and the thickness of the thinning defect was influenced by the process parameters and plate thickness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jia Wang, Cheng Li, Wei Zhang, Weimin Huang, Zhiqiang Liu, Rui Shi, Shiyuan Wang, Shan Liu, Weiguo Shi, Yunlan Li, Liang Xu
Summary: This paper proposes a new hemostatic powder based on poly(ethylene glycol)-di(cyanoacrylate) (CA-PEG-CA), which has tissue-contact-triggered strong adhesion and controlled fast degradation. The powder quickly forms an in situ gel on the wound through crosslinking polymerization when in contact with tissue or blood, demonstrating excellent hemostatic effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the gel can be rapidly biodegraded by ester bond hydrolysis with the addition of a cysteamine (CS)-containing solution, allowing for on-demand removal.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Jiajun Liu, Lin Cao, Muneaki Miyasaka, Soo Jay Phee
Summary: Flexible endoscopy and catheterization often involve inserting a flexible shaft into a curved channel. This article presents an efficient theoretical framework to model the insertion process with friction, verifying the model's accuracy through experiments. The model enhances the fundamental understanding of the mechanics involved in the insertion process and benefits the engineering and medical practices of related medical tools.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2022)
