Ferroelectric Domain Wall Warp Memristor.

Domain walls are quasi-one-dimensional topological defects in ferroic materials, which can harbor emergent functionalities. In the case of ferroelectric domain wall (FEDW) devices, an exciting frontier has emerged: memristor-based information storage and processing approaches. Memristor solid-state FEDW devices presented thus far, however predominantly utilize a complex network of domain walls to achieve the desired regulation of density and charge state.

Mechanical properties of freestanding few-layer graphene/boron nitride/polymer heterostacks investigated with local and non-local techniques.

van der Waals two-dimensional materials and heterostructures combined with polymer films continue to attract research attention to elucidate their functionality and potential applications. This study presents the fabrication and mechanical testing of 2D material heterostacks, consisting of few-layer boron nitride and graphene heterostructures synthesized chemical vapor deposition, capped with a polymethyl methacrylate layer and suspended across ∼200 μm wide trenches using a combined wet-dry transfer method. The mechanical characterization of the heterostacks was performed using two independent approaches: (a) non-local testing with a custom-built tensile testing platform and (b) local load-displacement testing employing atomic force microscopy probes, complemented by finite element simulations.

Design and characterization of a variable-stiffness ankle-foot orthosis.

Background: Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are a type of assistive device that can improve the walking ability of individuals with neurological disorders. Adjusting stiffness is a common way to customize settings according to individuals' impairment.

Objective: This study aims to design a variable-stiffness AFO by stiffness module and characterize the AFO stiffness range to provide subject-specific settings for the users.

In Situ Measurements of Strain Evolution in Graphene/Boron Nitride Heterostructures Using a Non-Destructive Raman Spectroscopy Approach.

The mechanical properties of engineered van der Waals (vdW) 2D materials and heterostructures are critically important for their implementation into practical applications. Using a non-destructive Raman spectroscopy approach, this study investigates the strain evolution of single-layer graphene (SLGr) and few-layered boron nitride/graphene (FLBN/SLGr) heterostructures. The prepared 2D materials are synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and then transferred onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates for subsequent strain measurements.

Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Secondary to Thermobaric Explosives: Implications for the War in Ukraine.

Blast-related traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is a significant cause of wartime morbidity and mortality. In recent decades, thermobaric explosives have emerged as particularly devastating weapons associated with bTBI. With recent documentation of the use of these weapons in the war in Ukraine, clinicians and laypersons alike could benefit from an improved understanding behind the dynamic interplay between explosive weaponry, its potential for bTBI, and the subsequent long-term consequences of these injuries.

3D finite-element modeling of air-cell-based cushions and buttock tissues during prolonged sitting.

Introduction: Prolonged sitting can lead to serious health issues. Patients with spinal cord injuries may even develop pressure ulcers as stress accumulates on the ischial tuberosity. Air-cell-based (ACB) cushions have been shown to reduce tissue stress and help mitigate the effects of chronic sitting.

Large Scale Two-Dimensional Flux-Closure Domain Arrays in Oxide Multilayers and Their Controlled Growth.

Ferroelectric flux-closures are very promising in high-density storage and other nanoscale electronic devices. To make the data bits addressable, the nanoscale flux-closures are required to be periodic via a controlled growth. Although flux-closure quadrant arrays with 180° domain walls perpendicular to the interfaces (V-closure) have been observed in strained ferroelectric PbTiO films, the flux-closure quadrants therein are rather asymmetric.

Nonvolatile ferroelectric domain wall memory.

Ferroelectric domain walls are atomically sharp topological defects that separate regions of uniform polarization. The discovery of electrical conductivity in specific types of walls gave rise to "domain wall nanoelectronics," a technology in which the wall (rather than the domain) stores information. This paradigm shift critically hinges on precise nanoengineering of reconfigurable domain walls.