Proof of Concept of Impact Detection in Composites Using Fiber Bragg Grating Arrays

Impact detection in aeronautical structures allows predicting their future reliability and performance. An impact can produce microscopic fissures that could evolve into fractures or even the total collapse of the structure, so it is important to know the location and severity of each impact. For this purpose, optical fibers with Bragg gratings are used to analyze each impact and the vibrations generated by them. In this paper it is proven that optical fibers with Bragg gratings can be used to detect impacts, and also that a high-frequency interrogator is necessary to collect valuable information about the impacts. The use of two interrogators constitutes the main novelty of this paper.

Effect of Molecular Flexibility on the Nematic-to-Isotropic Phase Transition for Highly Biaxial Molecular Non-Symmetric Liquid Crystal Dimers

In this work, a study of the nematic (N)-isotropic (I) phase transition has been made in a series of odd non-symmetric liquid crystal dimers, the alpha-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4'-yloxy)-omega-(1-pyrenimine-benzylidene-4'-oxy) alkanes, by means of accurate calorimetric and dielectric measurements. These materials are potential candidates to present the elusive biaxial nematic (N-B) phase, as they exhibit both molecular biaxiality and flexibility. According to the theory, the uniaxial nematic (N-U)-isotropic (I) phase transition is first-order in nature, whereas the N-B-I phase transition is second-order. Thus, a fine analysis of the critical behavior of the N-I phase transition would allow us to determine the presence or not of the biaxial nematic phase and understand how the molecular biaxiality and flexibility of these compounds influences the critical behavior of the N-I phase transition.

Nuevos phased arrays

[ES]El sistema PAMELA III, con sus correspondientes phased arrays, se diseñó para la detección de daños en aeronaves mediante la tecnología SHM (structural health monitoring). Sin embargo, según los estudios del profesor Tadeusz Stepinski, la distribución de los piezoélectricos utilizada en estos phase arrays producen interferencias. Por ello, este proyecto se basa en el diseño de cuatro phased arrays diferentes, utilizando una de las distribuciones de piezoélectricos estudiada por el profesor Tadeusz. La distribución utilizada es la de cross-shaped (en forma de cruz), con lo que se consigue disminuir las interferencias producidas en los antiguos phased arrays. Además, se ha producido un diseño que es compatible tanto con PAMELA III, como con una futura actualización a PAMELA IV. Con lo que se ha conseguido que se pueda aumentar el tamaño de almacenamiento de la memoria utilizada cambiando la tecnología 1-wire por la de I2C, que sería utilizada solo en el sistema PAMELA IV. Aparte del diseño de los PCBs, también se han diseñado unas piezas de plástico que aportan rigidez a los phased arrays y además, hace que la parte inferior de la tarjeta quede toda a la misma altura y no sobresalgan los piezoélectricos, con lo que aumentará la facilidad de instalación.

Two Glass Transitions Associated to Different Dynamic Disorders in the Nematic Glassy State of a Non-Symmetric Liquid Crystal Dimer Dopped with gamma-Alumina Nanoparticles

In the present work, the nematic glassy state of the non-symmetric LC dimer -(4-cyanobiphenyl-4-yloxy)--(1-pyrenimine-benzylidene-4-oxy) undecane is studied by means of calorimetric and dielectric measurements. The most striking result of the work is the presence of two different glass transition temperatures: one due to the freezing of the flip-flop motions of the bulkier unit of the dimer and the other, at a lower temperature, related to the freezing of the flip-flop and precessional motions of the cyanobiphenyl unit. This result shows the fact that glass transition is the consequence of the freezing of one or more coupled dynamic disorders and not of the disordered phase itself. In order to avoid crystallization when the bulk sample is cooled down, the LC dimer has been confined via the dispersion of -alumina nanoparticles, in several concentrations.