Flexible fibers, such as biomass particles and glass fibers, are critical raw materials in the energy and composites industries. Assemblies of the fibers show strong interlocking, non-Newtonian and compressible flows, intermittent avalanches, and high energy dissipation rates due to their elongation and flexibility. Conventional mechanical theories developed for regular granular materials, such as dry sands and pharmaceutical powders, are often unsuitable for modeling flexible fibers, which exhibit more complex mechanical behaviors. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current state of research on the mechanics of flexible fiber assemblies, focusing on their behavior under compression, shear flow, and gas-fiber two-phase flow processes. Finally, the paper discusses open issues and future directions, highlighting the need for advancements in granular theories to better accommodate the unique characteristics of flexible fibers, and suggesting potential strategies for improving their handling in industrial applications.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma17246042 | DOI Listing |
Rep U S
October 2024
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
In diagnosing and treating prostate cancer the flexible bevel tip needle insertion surgical technique is commonly used. Bevel tip needles experience asymmetric loading on the needle's tip, inducing natural bending of the needle and enabling control mechanisms for precise placement of the needle during surgery. Several methods leverage the needles natural bending to provide autonomous control of needle insertion for accurate needle placement in an effort to reduce excess tissue damage and improve patient outcomes from needle insertion intraventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLaryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol
February 2025
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the histological and ultrastructural features of the elastic cartilage at the tip of the vocal process in the arytenoid cartilage, which is essential for laryngeal biomechanics.
Methods: Five larynges, including the vocal folds and epiglottis, were examined using transmission electron microscopy. The elastic cartilage at the tip of the vocal process was compared to the epiglottic cartilage within the same larynx to elucidate structural differences.
Commun Biol
January 2025
Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
Form-function relationships often have tradeoffs: if a material is tough, it is often inflexible, and vice versa. This is particularly relevant for the elephant trunk, where the skin should be protective yet elastic. To investigate how this is achieved, we used classical histochemical staining and second harmonic generation microscopy to describe the morphology and composition of elephant trunk skin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCarbohydr Polym
March 2025
Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, MOE Engineering Research Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Energy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address:
Integrating liquid metal (LM) with wood fibers for flexible paper electronics is intriguing yet extremely challenging due to poor mechanical performance. Here, we disclose a hemicellulose trapping strategy to achieve exceptional ultrastrong and tough LM-based paper electronics. Holocellulose nanofibrils (HCNFs) with hemicellulose retention of approximately 20 % are found to effectively entrap nanoscale LM within the fibril network, analogous to spider silk capturing small water droplets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
School of Materials & Chemistry Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui Healthy Sleep Home Furnishings Engineering Research Center, Hefei 230036, China. Electronic address:
Carbon aerogels, characterized by their high porosity and superior electrical performance, present significant potential for the development of highly sensitive pressure sensors. However, facile and cost-effective fabrication of biomass-based carbon aerogels that concurrently possess high sensitivity, high elasticity, and excellent fatigue resistance remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a piezoresistive sensor with a layered network microstructure (BCNF-rGO-CS) was successfully fabricated using bamboo nanocellulose fiber (BCNF), chitosan (CS), and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials.
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