Nacre-mimetic bulk lamellar composites reinforced with high aspect ratio glass flakes.

Nacre-mimetic epoxy matrix composites reinforced with readily available micron-sized high aspect ratio C-glass flakes were fabricated by a relatively simple, single-step, scalable, time, cost and man-power effective processing strategy: hot-press assisted slip casting (HASC). HASC enables the fabrication of preferentially oriented two-dimensional inorganic reinforcement-polymer matrix bulk lamellar composites with a micro-scale structure resembling the brick-and-mortar architecture of nacre. By applying the micro-scale design guideline found in nacre and optimizing the relative volume fractions of the reinforcement and the matrix as well as by anchoring the brick-and-mortar architecture, and tailoring the interface between reinforcements and the matrix via silane coupling agents, strong, stiff and tough bio-inspired nacre-mimetic bulk composites were fabricated.

Kinematic and mechanical profile of the self-actuation of thermosalient crystal twins of 1,2,4,5-tetrabromobenzene: a molecular crystalline analogue of a bimetallic strip.

A paradigm shift from hard to flexible, organic-based optoelectronics requires fast and reversible mechanical response from actuating materials that are used for conversion of heat or light into mechanical motion. As the limits in the response times of polymer-based actuating materials are reached, which are inherent to the less-than-optimal coupling between the light/heat and mechanical energy in them, a conceptually new approach to mechanical actuation is required to leapfrog the performance of organic actuators. Herein, we explore single crystals of 1,2,4,5-tetrabromobenzene (TBB) as actuating elements and establish relations between their kinematic profile and mechanical properties.

Effect of reinforcement surface functionalization on the mechanical properties of nacre-like bulk lamellar composites processed by a hybrid conventional method.

Alumina platelet reinforced epoxy matrix composites with an architecture resembling to natural nacre were fabricated by a hybrid conventional method called Hot-press Assisted Slip Casting process (HASC). Correlation between processing parameters, platelet content, platelet orientation and mechanical property enhancement of the fabricated composites was examined. In order to investigate the effect of interfacial compatibility and bonding on the mechanical properties of the fabricated inorganic-organic composites, platelet surfaces were modified with both epoxy- and amino-functional silanes.

Fatigue behavior of TiNi foams processed by the magnesium space holder technique.

While the wide range of applications of TiNi alloys makes them highly appealing due to their shape memory and superelasticity properties, the production of TiNi in the porous form further enlarges their application fields. Porous TiNi alloys have been studied extensively for biomedical applications since their elastic modulus is similar to that of bone. Accordingly, TiNi foams have been widely characterized in terms of their various mechanical properties; however, their fatigue properties have not been well studied, even though this is of vital importance in structural applications such as medical implants.