Article
Forestry
Zhilin Jiang, Yi Liang, Zihua Su, Aonan Chen, Jianping Sun
Summary: This study proposes a frugal and highly efficient method to predict the mechanical properties of BWCCF container floor by combining machine learning and image processing techniques, with SVM models showing better performance.
Article
Polymer Science
Geeta Pokhrel, Douglas J. Gardner, Yousoo Han
Summary: This study investigates the properties of WPCs made from wood flour and wood pellets, showing that composite products from wood pellets have higher density but lower tensile strength, tensile modulus, and impact strength compared to those made from wood flour. Flexural properties of composites made with pellets were higher without MAPP, but lower with it. Overall, the mechanical property differences between the two were low (0.5-10%) depending on the specific WPC formulations. Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences in material properties between composites made from wood flour and wood pellets, with some situations showing better WPC properties using wood pellets.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Siavash Namari, Lukas Drosky, Bianka Pudlitz, Peer Haller, Adeayo Sotayo, Daniel Bradley, Sameer Mehra, Conan O'Ceallaigh, Annette M. Harte, Imane El-Houjeyri, Marc Oudjene, Zhongwei Guan
Summary: This paper presents a comprehensive test programme and database of Compressed Wood (CW) materials, with over 720 material tests conducted. The results will help engineers utilize CW in developing new products and connections, with comparisons made to characteristic values of solid wood from literature. The densification of wood significantly improves strength and stiffness, contributing to the uptake of CW in the building and construction industry for environmental benefits.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Jing Feng, Sujuan Li, Ruqun Peng, Tingli Sun, Xiaobao Xie, Qingshan Shi
Summary: The study found that different wood species had varying effects on fungal resistance of wood polypropylene composites, with Chinese fir and rubber wood-filled composites showing the highest and lowest durability against specific fungi. Fungal decay also led to significant differences in mechanical, chemical, and water absorption properties between non-decayed and decayed composites, resulting in lower strength and higher water absorption in decayed samples.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sophie Marie Koch, Christian Goldhahn, Florence J. Muller, Wenqing Yan, Christine Pilz-Allen, Cecile M. Bidan, Beatrice Ciabattoni, Laura Stricker, Peter Fratzl, Tobias Keplinger, Ingo Burgert
Summary: Delignified wood (DW) offers a versatile platform for manufacturing composites with a wide range of material properties. This study presents a method for fabricating anisotropic and mechanically tunable DW-hydrogel composites. The mechanical properties of these composites can be adjusted by crosslinking time and diffusion-led crosslinking allows for the manufacturing of mechanically graded structures. The resulting anisotropic DW-hydrogel composite enables cell alignment in vitro, which has potential applications in tissue engineering.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Giovanni Dal Poggetto, Pakamon Kittisayarm, Suphahud Pintasiri, Pongpak Chiyasak, Cristina Leonelli, Duangrudee Chaysuwan
Summary: This study investigated the effect of adding a spent abrasive powder on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers. The addition of the waste powder did not significantly affect the matrix structure but increased density and compression strength of the material.
Article
Polymer Science
Ming-Chi Hsieh, Ke-Chang Hung, Jin-Wei Xu, Yi-Hung Wu, Wen-Shao Chang, Jyh-Horng Wu
Summary: This study used near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA) to reveal the degradation of hemicellulose and amorphous cellulose region caused by vacuum hydrothermal (VH) treatment, leading to increased crystallinity and improved mechanical properties of luanta fir wood. The primary factors affecting these properties were found to be hemicellulose content, hydroxyl groups in the cellulose amorphous region, wood moisture content, and relative lignin content. The NIR technique can be a useful tool for predicting the mechanical properties of VH-treated wood.
Article
Archaeology
Elisa Pecoraro, Charlene Pele-Meziani, Nicola Macchioni, Gwenael Lemoine, Elodie Guilminot, Benedetto Pizzo
Summary: This study simulated the process of extracting iron from waterlogged wood and evaluated the effects of three pH levels (acidic/near neutral/alkaline) on the composition and mechanical properties of wood samples. The results showed that chelating agents causing alkaline conditions can impact the chemical and viscoelastic characteristics of wood.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yan Jiang, Mengyang Zhang, Mengling Weng, Xiuyu Liu, Xianjian Rong, Qin Huang, Guoning Chen, Shuangfei Wang, Lijun Wang
Summary: Hemicellulose plays a vital role in improving the microstructure and macroscopic properties of transparent wood. The presence of hemicellulose in wood/polymer composites leads to high optical transmittance, medium haze, acceptable optical stability, and excellent mechanical strength.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yan Jiang, Mengyang Zhang, Mengling Weng, Xiuyu Liu, Xianjian Rong, Qin Huang, Guoning Chen, Shuangfei Wang, Lijun Wang
Summary: Hemicellulose plays a vital role in improving the microstructure and macroscopic properties of transparent wood. By preparing a hemicellulose-rich delignified wood template, a wood/polymer composite with high optical transmittance, medium haze, acceptable optical stability, and excellent mechanical strength was successfully fabricated.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Review
Forestry
Francisco Arriaga, Xiping Wang, Guillermo Iniguez-Gonzalez, Daniel F. Llana, Miguel Esteban, Peter Niemz
Summary: The use of wood in construction requires understanding its mechanical properties and unique characteristics compared to other structural materials. This article discusses the environmental advantages of using wood and highlights the orthotropy of wood as a key consideration in studying its behavior. The determination of wood properties is examined from a historical perspective, distinguishing between defect-free timber and structural timber. Timber grading systems and non-destructive techniques are explained, along with the factors influencing mechanical properties such as load duration, moisture content, quality, temperature, and size effect. The objective is to provide an overview of current knowledge on wood's mechanical properties, drawing from published articles and standards.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hailong Xu, Yang Yang, Lifen Li, Baoyu Liu, Xiubo Fu, Xiaohui Yang, Yan Cao
Summary: This study investigated the influence of fiber particle size on the mechanical properties of a wood-plastic composite (WPC). Different sizes of wood fibers were used to reinforce high-density polyethylene (HDPE), either separately or in combination. The results showed that the smallest fiber size resulted in the lowest flexural and tensile properties, but the highest impact strength. Using a blend of fiber sizes led to improved mechanical properties, with composites containing a mix of 20-40 mesh and 40-80 mesh fibers exhibiting the best flexural and tensile performance.
Article
Polymer Science
Shuang Pei, Zongying Fu, Jinsheng Gou, Yun Lu
Summary: Traditional cushioning materials made with petroleum-based plastics are harmful to the environment. This study presents a strategy for developing renewable bio-based cushioning materials with special elastic wood structures. The elastic wood has good mechanical properties and excellent cushioning performance.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wenzhai Bi, Haitao Li, David Hui, Milan Gaff, Rodolfo Lorenzo, Ileana Corbi, Ottavia Corbi, Mahmud Ashraf
Summary: Wood, as a green material, is widely used in building decoration and other fields. Wood modification can improve its properties, but there are still problems with current methods that need to be further developed and improved, with the help of nanotechnology.
NANOTECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chunlei Dong, Shang Zhang, Jie Wang, Ying Hei Chui
Summary: Furfurylation treatment of wood can effectively reduce creep deformation, and furfurylated wood exhibits different creep performance compared to untreated wood in various stress levels and relative humidity environments.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Keyu Zhu, Xitao Zheng, Jing Peng, Jiaming Sun, Ruilin Huang, Leilei Yan
Summary: This paper discusses the influence of multiple impacts on the compression strength of honeycomb sandwich structures with composite face sheets. It is found that the size of the impactor affects the turning point of the compression strength. Additionally, high impact energy leads to damage in the bottom face sheet and reduces the overall compression strength.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Danqian Wang, Yanfei Yue, Jueshi Qian
Summary: Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement (MKPC) as a binder for steel rebars shows improved corrosion resistance when subjected to carbonation, due to the increase in pH and the formation of a more protective oxide film.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Zhibin Li, Wenyu Wang, Pengcheng Xue, Xingyu Wei, Jian Xiong
Summary: This work proposes a design approach and manufacturing method for carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) corrugated sandwich truncated cones (CSTC) to improve their anti-debonding ability and ensure reliability. The study establishes theoretical models for CSTCs' stiffness and failure modes, which are verified through experiments and finite element analysis (FEA). The research reveals the effect of geometric parameters on failure modes and performs an optimal design for CSTC structures. The findings have significant implications for the design and application of lightweight CSTCs in constructions, such as launch vehicle adapters.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Mingyu Zhang, Lei Chu, Jiahua Chen, Fuxun Qi, Xiaoyan Li, Xinliang Chen, Deng-Guang Yu
Summary: This review summarizes the different structures and construction methods of fibrous membranes with asymmetric wettability. It also reviews the biological applications of these membranes and suggests future challenges.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
E. Mofakhami, L. Gervat, B. Fayolle, G. Miquelard-Garnier, C. Ovalle, L. Laiarinandrasana
Summary: This study investigates the effects of fibre concentration on the mechanical response of welded glass-fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP). Experimental observations reveal a significant reduction in weld ratio, up to 60%, indicating a decreased strength compared to the bulk material. Increasing fibre content in the welded material results in a decrease in stress at break and strain at the maximum stress. The use of DIC technique and X-ray microtomography further confirms the localized strain amplification in the welded zone due to the significant increase in fibre density.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Emad Pourahmadi, Farjad Shadmehri, Rajamohan Ganesan
Summary: This research compares the mechanical properties of laminates manufactured using automated fiber placement and conventional autoclave curing methods. The results show that laminates manufactured using automated fiber placement have a lower interlaminar shear strength compared to laminates reconsolidated using autoclave curing. A finite element simulation method is proposed to quantitatively analyze these differences.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Johnny Jakobsen, Benny Endelt, Fahimeh Shakibapour
Summary: This study proposes a new bolted/pinned joining method for composite applications, which improves load transfer by introducing a patch-type reinforcement. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in both static and fatigue load conditions compared to existing methods. Finite element simulations highlight the advantage of this method, as it creates a more efficient load-transferring mechanism through different stress distributions.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Gisele G. Cintra, Janine D. Vieira, Daniel C. T. Cardoso, Thomas Keller
Summary: This paper proposes a novel approach to assess multi-crack behavior in layered fiber-polymer composites. The generated Compliance and R-curves provide useful insights into understanding the multiple delamination process and allow for separate evaluation of strain energy release rate (SERR) for each crack. The developed cohesive zone model successfully simulates the failure process zone of three parallel cracks, showing good agreement between the numerical model and experimental results.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Renil Thomas Kidangan, Sreedhar Unnikrishnakurup, C. Krishnamurthy, Krishnan Balasubramaniam
Summary: The induction heating process can accurately identify fiber orientation and stacking order, making it a valuable tool for large-area inspection and quality control in manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Sungjun Hwang, Yousoo Han, Douglas J. Gardner
Summary: Bleached Kraft pulp, unbleached Kraft pulp, and old corrugated cardboard pulp are suitable for producing cellulose nanofibril suspensions. Spray drying is a fast, simple, cost-effective, and scalable drying method. Spray-dried cellulose nanofibrils can be used as reinforcing materials in polypropylene matrices. The particle size of cellulose nanofibrils affects the material properties.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Mehdi Mahdavi, Abbas Zolfaghari
Summary: This study aims to improve the recovery forces of shape memory polymers (SMPs) through material extrusion additive manufacturing. By using glass fiber (GF) as reinforcement and manufacturing multi-layer composite specimens, it was found that PLA with 6.62% GF exhibited the best recovery force, which was further optimized through annealing heat treatment.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xiang Ao, Antonio Vazquez-Lopez, Davide Mocerino, Carlos Gonzalez, De-Yi Wang
Summary: The vulnerability of natural fibers to heat and fire poses a significant challenge for their substitution of traditional fiber reinforcements in composite materials. Natural fiber/polymer composites (NFCs) are regarded as potential candidates for engineering applications due to their environmental friendliness and low-impact sourcing. Thus, appropriate approaches need to be implemented to enhance the fire safety of NFCs. This review summarizes and discusses the latest understanding of flammability and thermal properties of natural fibers, with a special focus on their interaction with polymer matrix in fire behavior. Additionally, the latest developments in flame-retardant approaches for NFCs are reviewed, covering both flame retardancy and fire structural integrity. Finally, future prospects and perspectives on fire safety of NFCs are proposed, providing insights into further advancements of NFCs.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Cheng Wang, Siqi Huo, Guofeng Ye, Bingtao Wang, Zhenghong Guo, Qi Zhang, Pingan Song, Hao Wang, Zhitian Liu
Summary: The demand for multifunctional, transparent epoxy resin with superior dielectric, mechanical, and fire-safety performances is increasing in modern industries. Researchers have developed an epoxidized, phosphaphenanthrene-containing poly(styrene butadiene styrene) (ESD) for advanced fire-safe epoxy resin, which maintains high transparency and improves UV-blocking property. The addition of 10 wt% ESD results in improved mechanical properties, decreased dielectric constant and loss, and outperformance compared to other fire-safe epoxy resins. This research provides an effective method for developing multifunctional flame-retardant epoxy resin.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Bo Pang, Heping Zheng, Zuquan Jin, Dongshuai Hou, Yunsheng Zhang, Xiaoyun Song, Yanan Sun, Zhiyong Liu, Wei She, Lin Yang, Mengyuan Li
Summary: This study develops an internal superhydrophobic material (ISM) using waste denitrification fly ash, which maintains stable hydrophobicity under harsh conditions of use and does not rely on expensive fluor-based surface modifications. The synthesized ISM has excellent matrix strength, strong waterproof properties, and retains superhydrophobicity even at damaged or friction interfaces.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Meirbek Mussatayev, Qiuji Yi, Mark Fitzgerald, Vincent K. Maes, Paul Wilcox, Robert Hughes
Summary: Real-time monitoring of carbon fibre composites during Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) manufacturing remains a challenge for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques. This study designed a directional eddy-current (EC) probe to evaluate the detectability of out-of-plane wrinkles. Experimental evaluations and finite element modeling were conducted to better understand the relationship between eddy-current density and defect detection. The findings suggest that the probe configuration with an asymmetric driver coil and differential pickup coils shows the best capability for wrinkle detection.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2024)
