• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.58-70
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• 2015

Injectable RGD-bioconjugated Mussel Adhesive Proteins (RGD-MAPs) composite hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrogels provide local periodontal tissue for bone filling in periodontal surgery. Previously we developed a novel type of injectable self-supported hydrogel (2 mg/ml of RGD-MAPs/HPMC) based porcine nano hydroxyapatite (MPH) for dental graft, which could good handling property, biodegradation or biocompatibility with the hydrogel disassembly and provided efficient cell adhesion activity and no inflammatory responses. Herein, the aim of this work was to evaluate bone formation following implantation of MPH and collagen membrane in rabbit calvarial defects. Eight male New Zealand rabbits were used and four circular calvarial defects were created on each animal. Defects were filled with different graft materials: 1) collagen membrane, 2) collagen membrane with MPH, 3) collagen membrane with bovine bone hydroxyapatite (BBH), and 4) control. The animals were sacrificed after 2 and 8 weeks of healing periods for histologic analysis. Both sites receiving MPH and BBH showed statistically increased augmented volume and new bone formation (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in new bone formation between the MPH, BBH and collagen membrane group at all healing periods. Within the limits of this study, collagen membrane with MPH was an effective material for bone formation and space maintaining in rabbit calvarial defects.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-40
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• 2008

The research and development in soundproof materials for preventing noise have attracted great attention due to their social impact. Noise insulation materials are especially important in the field of soundproofing. Since the insulation ability of most materials follows a mass rule, the heavy weight materials like concrete, lead and steel board are mainly used in the current noise insulation materials. To overcome some weak points in these materials, fiber reinforced composite materials with lightweight and other high performance characteristics are now being used. In this paper, innovative insulation sheet materials with carbon and/or glass fabrics and nano-silica hybrid PU resin are developed. The parameters related to sound performance, such as materials and fabric texture in base fabric, hybrid method of resin, size of silica particle and so on, are investigated. At the same time, the wave analysis code (PZFlex) is used to simulate some of experimental results. As a result, it is found that both bundle density and fabric texture in the base fabrics play an important role on the soundproof performance. Compared with the effect of base fabrics, the transmission loss in sheet materials increased more than 10 dB even though the thickness of the sample was only about 0.7 mm. The results show different values of transmission loss factor when the diameters of silica particles in coating materials changed. It is understood that the effect of the soundproof performance is different due to the change of hybrid method and the size of silica particles. Fillers occupying appropriate positions and with optimum size may achieve a better effect in soundproof performance. The effect of the particle content on the soundproof performance is confirmed, but there is a limit for the addition of the fillers. The optimization of silica content for the improvement of the sound insulation effect is important. It is observed that nano-particles will have better effect on the high soundproof performance. The sound insulation effect has been understood through a comparison between the experimental and analytical results. It is confirmed that the time-domain finite wave analysis (PZFlex) is effective for the prediction and design of soundproof performance materials. Both experimental and analytical results indicate that the developed materials have advantages in lightweight, flexibility, other mechanical properties and excellent soundproof performance.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.18-23
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• 2024

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is widely used to form structures ranging from micro to nanoscale due to its advantage of generating high-resolution patterns at a low process cost. However, most NIL processes require the use of imprint resists and external elements such as ultraviolet light or heat, necessitating additional post-processes like etching or metal deposition to pattern the target material. Furthermore, patterning on flexible and/or non-planar films presents significant challenges. This study introduces an extreme pressure imprint lithography (EPIL) process that can form micro-/nano-scale patterns on the surface of a flexible rubber magnet composite (RMC) film at room temperature without an etching process. The EPIL technique can form ultrafine structures over large areas through the plastic deformation of various materials, including metals, polymers, and ceramics. In this study, we demonstrate the process and outcomes of creating a variety of periodic structures with diverse pattern sizes and shapes on the surface of a flexible RMC composed of strontium ferrite and chlorinated polyethylene. The EPIL process, which allows for the precise patterning on the surface of RMC materials, is expected to find broad applications in the production of advanced electromagnetic device components that require fine control and changes in magnetic orientation.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2009

EPDM(Ethylene-propylene-diene-terpolymer) compound reinforced with carbon black having four different particle size, acetylene black(thermal conductivity carbon black), and silica were manufactured by internal mix and open mill. To investigate the effect of particle size of filler and filler type on far-infrared vulcanization, intermal temperature of compound, degree of curing, infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis were measured. The thermal conductivity of far-infrared vulcanized EPDM compound increased with increasing particle size of carbon filler, but hot air vulcanized EPDM compound is not affected by particle size. The thermal conductivity was increased in the order of carbon black < silica < acetylene black(thermal conductivity carbon black).

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Far-infrared vulcanization of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer(EPDM) compounds has been studied in comparison with hot air vulcanization. Vulcanization characteristics of EPDM compounds were measured by degree of curing and temperature of specimens in vulcanization process. As a result, degree of curing by far-infrared of EPDM compounds was shown to be higher value than that by hot air at the same vulcanization temperature. Especially, degree of curing by far-infrared on 3 mm thickness of EPDM compounds was increased by two times compared to that by hot air. While the increase of thermal conductivity of EPDM compounds highly improved degree of curing by far-infrared, that hardly improved degree of curing by hot air.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.181-195
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• 2024

This study introduces a novel functionally graded material model, termed the "Coated Functionally Graded Graphene-Reinforced Composite (FG GRC)" model, for investigating the free vibration response of plates, highlighting its potential to advance the understanding and application of material property variations in structural engineering. Two types of coated FG GRC plates are examined: Hardcore and Softcore, and five distribution patterns are proposed, namely FG-A, FG-B, FG-C, FG-D, and FG-E. A modified displacement field is proposed based on the higher-order shear deformation theory, effectively reducing the number of variables from five to four while accurately accounting for shear deformation effects. To solve the equations of motion, an analytical solution based on the Galerkin approach was developed for FG GRC plates resting on a viscoelastic Winkler/Pasternak foundation, applicable to various boundary conditions. A comprehensive parametric analysis elucidates the impact of multiple factors on the fundamental frequencies. These factors encompass the types and distribution patterns of the coated FG GRC plates, gradient material distribution, porosities, nonlocal length scale parameter, gradient material scale parameter, nanoplate geometry, and variations in the elastic foundation. Our theoretical research aims to overcome the inherent challenges in modeling structures, providing a robust alternative to experimental analyses of the mechanical behavior of complex structures.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.647-675
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• 2011

Our ability to predict hydration behavior is becoming increasingly relevant to the concrete community as modelers begin to link material performance to the dynamics of material properties and chemistry. At early ages, the properties of concrete are changing rapidly due to chemical transformations that affect mechanical, thermal and transport responses of the composite. At later ages, the resulting, nano-, micro-, meso- and macroscopic structure generated by hydration will control the life-cycle performance of the material in the field. Ultimately, creep, shrinkage, chemical and physical durability, and all manner of mechanical response are linked to hydration. As a way to enable the modeling community to better understand hydration, a review of hydration models is presented offering insights into their mathematical origins and relationships one-to-the-other. The quest for a universal model begins in the 1920's and continues to the present, and is marked by a number of critical milestones. Unfortunately, the origins and physical interpretation of many of the most commonly used models have been lost in their overuse and the trail of citations that vaguely lead to the original manuscripts. To help restore some organization, models were sorted into four categories based primarily on their mathematical and theoretical basis: (1) mass continuity-based, (2) nucleation-based, (3) particle ensembles, and (4) complex multi-physical and simulation environments. This review provides a concise catalogue of models and in most cases enough detail to derive their mathematical form. Furthermore, classes of models are unified by linking them to their theoretical origins, thereby making their derivations and physical interpretations more transparent. Models are also used to fit experimental data so that their characteristics and ability to predict hydration calorimetry curves can be compared. A sort of evolutionary tree showing the progression of models is given along with some insights into the nature of future work yet needed to develop the next generation of cement hydration models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2021

This work focused on the novel numerical tool for the bending responses of carbon nanotube reinforced composites (CNTRC) beams. The higher order shear deformation beam theory (HSDT) is used to determine strain-displacement relationships. A new exponential function was introduced into the carbon nanotube (CNT) volume fraction equation to show the effect of the CNT distribution on the CNTRC beams through displacements and stresses. To determine the mechanical properties of CNTRCs, the rule of the mixture was employed by assuming that the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)are aligned and distributed in the matrix. The governing equations were derived by Hamilton's principle, and the mathematical models presented in this work are numerically provided to verify the accuracy of the present theory. The effects of aspect ratio (l/d), CNT volume fraction (Vcnt), and the order of exponent (n) on the displacement and stresses are presented and discussed in detail. Based on the analytical results. It turns out that the increase of the exponent degree (n) makes the X-beam stiffer and the exponential CNTs distribution plays an indispensable role to improve the mechanical properties of the CNTRC beams.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.201-218
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• 2018

In this study, the effects of magnesium sulfate on the mechanical performance and the durability of confined and unconfined geopolymer concrete (GPC) specimens were investigated. The carbon and basalt fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) fabrics with 1-layer and 3-layers were used to evaluate the performances of the specimens under static and cyclic loading in the ambient and magnesium sulfate environments. In addition, the use of FRP materials as a rehabilitation technique was also studied. For the geopolymerization process of GPC specimens, the alkaline activator has selected a mixture of sodium silicate solution ($Na_2SiO_3$) and sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH) with a ratio ($Na_2SiO_3/NaOH$) of 2.5. In addition to GPC specimens, an ordinary concrete (NC) specimens were also produced as a reference specimens and some of the GPC and NC specimens were immersed in 5% magnesium sulfate solutions. The mechanical performance and the durability of the specimens were evaluated by visual appearance, weight change, static and cyclic loading, and failure modes of the specimens under magnesium sulfate and ambient environments. In addition, the microscopic changes of the specimens due to sulfate attack were also assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the macroscale behavior of the specimens. Results indicated that geopolymer specimens produced with nano-silica and fly ash showed superior performance than the NC specimens in the sulfate environment. In addition, confined specimens with FRP fabrics significantly improved the compressive strength, ductility and durability resistance of the specimens and the improvement was found higher with the increased number of FRP layers. Specimens wrapped with carbon FRP fabrics showed better mechanical performance and durability properties than the specimens wrapped with basalt FRP fabrics. Both FRP materials can be used as a rehabilitation material in the sulfate environment.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2017

Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) have received a tremendous interest due to their suitability for diverse applications. They have been fabricated using different carbon based electrodes including activated carbons, single walled/multi walled carbon nano tubes. But, graphite which is one of the natural resources in Sri Lanka has not been given a considerable attention towards using for EDLCs though it is a famous carbon material. On the other hand, EDLCs are well reported with various liquid electrolytes which are associated with numerous drawbacks. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) are well known alternative for liquid electrolytes. In this paper, it is reported about an EDLC fabricated with a nano composite polyethylene oxide based GPE and two Sri Lankan graphite based electrodes. The composition of the GPE was [{(10PEO: $NaClO_4$) molar ratio}: 75wt.% PC] : 5 wt.% $TiO_2$. GPE was prepared using the solvent casting method. Two graphite electrodes were prepared by mixing 85% graphite and 15% polyvinylidenefluoride (PVdF) in acetone and casting n fluorine doped tin oxide glass plates. GPE film was sandwiched in between the two graphite electrodes. A non faradaic charge discharge mechanism was observed from the Cyclic Voltammetry study. GPE was stable in the potential windows from (-0.8 V-0.8 V) to (-1.5 V-1.5 V). By increasing the width of the potential window, single electrode specific capacity increased. Impedance plots confirmed the capacitive behavior at low frequency region. Galvanostatic charge discharge test yielded an average discharge capacity of $0.60Fg^{-1}$.