Three-dimensional plotted hydroxyapatite scaffolds with predefined architecture: comparison of stabilization by alginate cross-linking versus sintering

Scaffolds for bone tissue engineering are essentially characterized by porous three-dimensional structures with interconnected pores to facilitate the exchange of nutrients and removal of waste products from cells, thereby promoting cell proliferation in such engineered scaffolds. Although hydroxyapatite is widely being considered for bone tissue engineering applications due to its occurrence in the natural extracellular matrix of this tissue, limited reports are available on additive manufacturing of hydroxyapatite-based materials. In this perspective, hydroxyapatite-based three-dimensional porous scaffolds with two different binders (maltodextrin and sodium alginate) were fabricated using the extrusion method of three-dimensional plotting and the results were compared in reference to the structural properties of scaffolds processed via chemical stabilization and sintering routes, respectively. With the optimal processing conditions regarding to pH and viscosity of binder-loaded hydroxyapatite pastes, scaffolds with parallelepiped porous architecture having up to 74% porosity were fabricated. Interestingly, sintering of the as-plotted hydroxyapatite-sodium alginate (cross-linked with CaCl2 solution) scaffolds led to the formation of chlorapatite (Ca9.54P5.98O23.8Cl1.60(OH)(2.74)). Both the sintered scaffolds displayed progressive deformation and delayed fracture under compressive loading, with hydroxyapatite-alginate scaffolds exhibiting a higher compressive strength (9.5 +/- 0.5MPa) than hydroxyapatite-maltodextrin scaffolds (7.0 +/- 0.6MPa). The difference in properties is explained in terms of the phase assemblage and microstructure.

Simultaneous tunability of the electronic and phononic gaps in SnS2 under normal compressive strain

Controlled variation of the electronic properties of. two-dimensional (2D) materials by applying strain has emerged as a promising way to design materials for customized applications. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we show that while the electronic structure and indirect band gap of SnS2 do not change significantly with the number of layers, they can be reversibly tuned by applying biaxial tensile (BT), biaxial compressive (BC), and normal compressive (NC) strains. Mono to multilayered SnS2 exhibit a reversible semiconductor to metal (S-M) transition with applied strain. For bilayer (2L) SnS2, the S-Mtransition occurs at the strain values of 17%,-26%, and -24% under BT, BC, and NC strains, respectively. Due to weaker interlayer coupling, the critical strain value required to achieve the S-Mtransition in SnS2 under NC strain is much higher than for MoS2. From a stability viewpoint, SnS2 becomes unstable at very low strain values on applying BC (-6.5%) and BT strains (4.9%), while it is stable even up to the transition point (-24%) in the case of NC strain. In addition to the reversible tuning of the electronic properties of SnS2, we also show tunability in the phononic band gap of SnS2, which increases with applied NC strain. This gap increases three times faster than for MoS2. This simultaneous tunability of SnS2 at the electronic and phononic levels with strain, makes it a potential candidate in field effect transistors (FETs) and sensors as well as frequency filter applications.

Deformation, Phase Transformation and Recrystallization in the Shear Bands Induced by High-Strain Rate Loading in Titanium and its Alloys

alpha-titanium and its alloys with a dual-phase structure (alpha+beta) were deformed dynamically under strain rate of about 10(4) s(-1). The formation and microstructural evolution of the localized shear bands were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results reveal that both the strain and strain rate should be considered simultaneously as the mechanical conditions for shear band formation, and twinning is an important mode of deformation. Both experimental and calculation show that the materials within the bands underwent a superhigh strain rate (9 x 10(5) s(-1)) deformation, which is two magnitudes of that of average strain rate required for shear band formation; the dislocations in the bands can be constricted and developed into cell structures; the phase transformation from alpha to alpha(2) within the bands was observed, and the transformation products (alpha(2)) had a certain crystallographic orientation relationship with their parent; the equiaxed grains with an average size of 10 mu m in diameter observed within the bands are proposed to be the results of recrystallization.

Influences of Hydration Force and Elastic Strain Energy on the Stability of Solid Film in a Very Thin Solid-on-Liquid Structure

Since hydration forces become very strong at short range and are particularly important for determining the magnitude of the adhesion between two surfaces or interaction energy, the influences of the hydration force and elastic strain energy due to hydration-induced layering of liquid molecules close to a solid film surface on the stability of a solid film in a solid-on-liquid (SOL) nanostructure are studied in this paper. The liquid of this thin SOL structure is a kind of water solution. Since the surface forces play an important role in the structure, the total free energy change of SOL structures consists of the changes in the bulk elastic energy within the solid film, the surface energy at the solid-liquid interface and the solid-air interface, and highly nonlinear volumetric component associated with interfacial forces. The critical wavelength of one-dimensional undulation, the critical thickness of the solid film, and the critical thickness of the liquid layer are studied, and the stability regions of the solid film have been determined. Emphasis is placed on calculation of critical values, which are the basis of analyzing the stability of the very thin solid film.

Strain gradient theory with couple stress for crystalline solids

A new phenomenological strain gradient theory for crystalline solid is proposed. It fits within the framework of general couple stress theory and involves a single material length scale Ics. In the present theory three rotational degrees of freedom omega (i) are introduced, which denote part of the material angular displacement theta (i) and are induced accompanying the plastic deformation. omega (i) has no direct dependence upon u(i) while theta = (1 /2) curl u. The strain energy density omega is assumed to consist of two parts: one is a function of the strain tensor epsilon (ij) and the curvature tensor chi (ij), where chi (ij) = omega (i,j); the other is a function of the relative rotation tensor alpha (ij). alpha (ij) = e(ijk) (omega (k) - theta (k)) plays the role of elastic rotation reason The anti-symmetric part of Cauchy stress tau (ij) is only the function of alpha (ij) and alpha (ij) has no effect on the symmetric part of Cauchy stress sigma (ij) and the couple stress m(ij). A minimum potential principle is developed for the strain gradient deformation theory. In the limit of vanishing l(cs), it reduces to the conventional counterparts: J(2) deformation theory. Equilibrium equations, constitutive relations and boundary conditions are given in detail. For simplicity, the elastic relation between the anti-symmetric part of Cauchy stress tau (ij), and alpha (ij) is established and only one elastic constant exists between the two tensors. Combining the same hardening law as that used in previously by other groups, the present theory is used to investigate two typical examples, i.e., thin metallic wire torsion and ultra-thin metallic beam bend, the analytical results agree well with the experiment results. While considering the, stretching gradient, a new hardening law is presented and used to analyze the two typical problems. The flow theory version of the present theory is also given.

A new hardening law for strain gradient plasticity

A new hardening law of the strain gradient theory is proposed in this paper, which retains the essential structure of the incremental version of conventional J(2) deformation theory and obeys thermodynamic restrictions. The key feature of the new proposal is that the term of strain gradient plasticity is represented as an internal variable to increase the tangent modulus. This feature which is in contrast to several proposed theories, allows the problem of incremental equilibrium equations to be stated without higher-order stress, higher-order strain rates or extra boundary conditions. The general idea is presented and compared with the theory given by Fleck and Hutchinson (Adv. in Appl. Mech. (1997) 295). The new hardening law is demonstrated by two experimental tests i.e. thin wire torsion and ultra-thin beam bending tests. The present theoretical results agree well with the experiment results.

Three-Dimensional Network Model And Its Parameter Calibration

A material model, whose framework is parallel spring-bundles oriented in 3-D space, is proposed. Based on a discussion of the discrete schemes and optimum discretization of the solid angles, a 3-D network cell consisted of one-dimensional components is developed with its geometrical and physical parameters calibrated. It is proved that the 3-D network model is able to exactly simulate materials with arbitrary Poisson ratio from 0 to 1/2, breaking through the limit that the previous models in the literature are only suitable for materials with Poisson ratio from 0 to 1/3. A simplified model is also proposed to realize high computation accuracy within low computation cost. Examples demonstrate that the 3-D network model has particular superiority in the simulation of short-fiber reinforced composites.

Influences of strain rate and temperature variation on material intrinsic length of plasticity strain gradient theory

Cowper-Symonds and Johnson-Cook dynamic constitutive relations are used to study the influence of both strain rate effect and temperature variation on the material intrinsic length scale in strain gradient plasticity. The material intrinsic length scale decreases with increasing strain rates, and this length scale increases with temperature.

General Solution to Two-Dimensional Nonslipping JKR Model with a Pulling Force in an Arbitrary Direction

In this paper, a generalized JKR model is investigated, in which an elastic cylinder adhesively contacts with an elastic half space and the contact region is assumed to be perfect bonding. An external pulling force is acted on the cylinder in an arbitrary direction. The contact area changes during the pull-off process, which can be predicted using the dynamic Griffith energy balance criterion as the contact edge shifts. Full coupled solution with an oscillatory singularity is obtained and analyzed by numerical calculations. The effect of Dundurs' parameter on the pull-off process is analyzed, which shows that a nonoscillatory solution can approximate the general one under some conditions, i.e., larger pulling angle (pi/2 is the maximum value), smaller a/R or larger nondimensional parameter value of Delta gamma/E*R. Relations among the contact half width, the external pulling force and the pulling angle are used to determine the pull-off force and pull-off contact half width explicitly. All the results in the present paper as basic solutions are helpful and applicable for experimenters and engineers.

Signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis studies demonstrate the dynamic nature of cecal colonization of 2-week-old chickens by Campylobacter jejuni.

We have constructed plasmids to be used for in vitro signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) of Campylobacter jejuni and used these to generate STM libraries in three different strains. Statistical analysis of the transposon insertion sites in the C. jejuni NCTC 11168 chromosome and the plasmids of strain 81-176 indicated that their distribution was not uniform. Visual inspection of the distribution suggested that deviation from uniformity was not due to preferential integration of the transposon into a limited number of hot spots but rather that there was a bias towards insertions around the origin. We screened pools of mutants from the STM libraries for their ability to colonize the ceca of 2-week-old chickens harboring a standardized gut flora. We observed high-frequency random loss of colonization proficient mutants. When cohoused birds were individually inoculated with different tagged mutants, random loss of colonization-proficient mutants was similarly observed, as was extensive bird-to-bird transmission of mutants. This indicates that the nature of campylobacter colonization in chickens is complex and dynamic, and we hypothesize that bottlenecks in the colonization process and between-bird transmission account for these observations.

Modeling Nonlinear Peeling of Ductile Thin Films-Critical Assessment of Analytical Bending Models Using FE Simulations

Three analytical double-parameter criteria based on a bending model and a two-dimensional finite element analysis model are presented for the modeling of ductile thin film undergoing a nonlinear peeling process. The bending model is based on different governing parameters: (1) the interfacial fracture toughness and the separation strength, (2) the interfacial fracture toughness and the crack tip slope angle, and (3) the interfacial fracture toughness and the critical Mises effective strain of the delaminated thin film at the crack tip. Thin film nonlinear peeling under steady-state condition is solved with the different governing parameters. In addition, the peeling test problem is simulated by using the elastic-plastic finite element analysis model. A critical assessment of the three analytical bending models is made by comparison of the bending model solutions with the finite element analysis model solutions. Furthermore, through analyses and comparisons for solutions based on both the bending model and the finite element analysis model, some connections between the bending model and the finite element analysis model are developed. Moreover, in the present research, the effect of different selections for cohesive zone shape on the ductile film peeling solutions is discussed.

Three-dimensional instability of an oscillating viscous flow past a circular cylinder

A systematically numerical study of the sinusoidally oscillating viscous flow around a circular cylinder was performed to investigate vortical instability by solving the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The transition from two- to three-dimensional flow structures along the axial direction due to the vortical instability appears, and the three-dimensional structures lie alternatively on the two sides of the cylinder. Numerical study has been taken for the Keulegan-Carpenter( KC) numbers from 1 to 3.2 and frequency parameters from 100 to 600. The force behaviors are also studied by solving the Morison equation. Calculated results agree well with experimental data and theoretical prediction.

Martensitic transformation under impact with high strain rate

This paper deals with the quantitative prediction of the volume fraction of martensitic transformation in a austenitic steel that undergoes impact with high strain rate. The coupling relations between strain, stress, strain rate, transformation rate and transformed fraction were derived from the OTC model and modified Bodner-Partom equations, where the impact process was considered as an adiabatic and no entropy-increased process (pressure less than or equal to 20GPa). The one-dimensional results were found to model and predict various experimental results obtained on 304 stainless steel under impact with high strain rate.

Effect of Pb Volatilization on Dielectric Properties of 0.77PbMg1/3(Nb0.9Ta0.1)2/3O3-0.23PbTiO3

Lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) is an intriguing candidate for applications in many electronic devices such as multi-layer capacitors, electro-mechanical transducers etc. because of its high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss and high strain near the Curie temperature. As an extension of our previous work on Ta-doped PMNT-PT aimed at optimizing the performance and reducing the cost, this paper focuses on the effect of Pb volatilization on the dielectric properties of 0.77Pb(Mg1/3(Nb0.9Ta0.1)2/3)O3-0.23PbTiO3. The dielectric constant and loss of the samples are measured at different frequencies and different temperatures. The phase purity of this compound is determined by X-ray diffraction pattern. It is found that the volatilization during sintering does influence the phase formation and dielectric properties. The best condition is sintering with 0.5 g extra PbO around a 4 g PMNT-PT sample.

Seismic Responses of a Hemispherical Alluvial Valley to SV Waves: A Three-Dimensional Analytical Approximation

An analytical solution to the three-dimensional scattering and diffraction of plane SV-waves by a saturated hemispherical alluvial valley in elastic half-space is obtained by using Fourier-Bessel series expansion technique. The hemispherical alluvial valley with saturated soil deposits is simulated with Biot's dynamic theory for saturated porous media. The following conclusions based on numerical results can be drawn: (1) there are a significant differences in the seismic response simulation between the previous single-phase models and the present two-phase model; (2) the normalized displacements on the free surface of the alluvial valley depend mainly on the incident wave angles, the dimensionless frequency of the incident SV waves and the porosity of sediments; (3) with the increase of the incident angle, the displacement distributions become more complicated; and the displacements on the free surface of the alluvial valley increase as the porosity of sediments increases.