Multi-Step Relaxation Characterization and Viscoelastic Modeling to Predict the Long-Term Behavior of Bitumen-Free Road Pavements Based on Polymeric Resin and Thixotropic Filler.

Asphalt pavements are fundamental to modern transportation infrastructure, requiring elasticity, firmness, and longevity. However, traditional asphalt, based on bitumen, faces several limitations. To improve pavement performance, polymer resins are being used to substitute bitumen and improve requirements.

Hyperelastic Material Parameter Determination and Numerical Study of TPU and PDMS Dampers.

Dampers provide safety by controlling unwanted motion that is caused due to the conversion of mechanical work into another form of energy (e.g., heat).

Mechanical Consequences of Dynamically Loaded NiTi Wires under Typical Actuator Conditions in Rehabilitation and Neuroscience.

In the field of rehabilitation and neuroscience, shape memory alloys play a crucial role as lightweight actuators. Devices are exploiting the shape memory effect by transforming heat into mechanical work. In rehabilitation applications, dynamic loading of the respective device occurs, which in turn influences the mechanical consequences of the phase transforming alloy.

Embedded NiTi Wires for Improved Dynamic Thermomechanical Performance of Silicone Elastomers.

The extraordinary properties of shape memory NiTi alloy are combined with the inherent viscoelastic behavior of a silicon elastomer. NiTi wires are incorporated in a silicon elastomer matrix. Benefits include features as electrical/thermal conductivity, reinforcement along with enhanced damping performance and flexibility.

Adherence Kinetics of a PDMS Gripper with Inherent Surface Tackiness.

Damage and fiber misalignment of woven fabrics during discontinuous polymer processing remain challenging. To overcome these obstacles, a promising switchable elastomeric adherence gripper is introduced here. The inherent surface tackiness is utilized for picking and placing large sheets.

One step synthesis of PANI/FeO nanocomposites and flexible film for enhanced NH sensing performance at room temperature.

Novel sea cucumber-shaped polyaniline/ferric oxide (PANI/FeO) nanocomposites were synthesized using a simple and efficient one step hydrothermal process, and the nanocomposites were further assembled onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flexible substrate. Through the monitoring of the resistance of the PANI/FeO nanocomposites thick films and PANI/FeO-PET flexible sensors, the responses of the sensors to various 100 ppm gases including methanol, triethylamine, aniline and another five gases were obtained. It was found that two kinds of sensors exhibit a high selectivity towards NH.

From Playroom to Lab: Tough Stretchable Electronics Analyzed with a Tabletop Tensile Tester Made from Toy-Bricks.

Toy bricks are an ideal platform for the cost-effective rapid prototyping of a tabletop tensile tester with measurement accuracy on par with expensive, commercially available laboratory equipment. Here, a tester is presented that is not only a versatile demonstration device in mechanics, electronics, and physics education and an eye-catcher on exhibitions, but also a powerful tool for stretchable electronics research. Following the "open-source movement" the build-up of the tester is described and all the details for easy reproduction are disclosed.