Enhancement of Thermal, Mechanical, and Oxidative Properties of Polypropylene Composites with Exfoliated Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets.

This study investigates the enhancement of polypropylene (PP) composites through the incorporation of exfoliated hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets. The preparation process involved exfoliating h-BN in a liquid phase using a high-pressure homogenizer, followed by the coating of PP pellets with the exfoliated nanosheets using an acoustic mixer. Melt extrusion was then employed to fabricate h-BN-reinforced PP composite films.

The Influence of the Strain Rate on Texture Formation During the Plane Strain Compression of AZ80 Magnesium Alloy.

Controlling microstructure and texture development is a key approach to improving the formability of magnesium alloys. In this study, the effects of the strain rate and initial texture on the texture evolution of magnesium alloys during high-temperature processing are investigated. The plane strain compression of three types of AZ80 magnesium alloys with different initial textures was assessed at 723 K and a train rate of 0.

Tribological and Hygroscopic Behavior of Polybutylene Terephthalate/Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (PBT/ASA) Nanocomposites with Graphene Nanofiller.

Fogging in automotive headlamps is a significant issue that affects both aesthetics and functionality. This study investigates the use of graphene-based nanocomposites to mitigate fogging by enhancing the hygroscopic properties of polybutylene terephthalate/acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (PBT/ASA) composites commonly used in headlamps. The incorporation of functionalized graphene improved the tensile and flexural strength of the nanocomposites, though it led to a reduction in elongation and melt flow.

Ultraviolet Irradiation Surface Treatment to Enhance the Bonding Strength of Polyamide-Based Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymers.

Adhesive bonding is a suitable joining method to satisfy the increasing industrial demand for carbon fiber-reinforced polymers without the need for a machining process. However, thermoplastic-based carbon fiber-reinforced polymers have small adhesive strength with structural thermoset adhesives. In this study, an ultraviolet irradiation surface treatment was developed to improve the adhesive bonding strength for polyamide-based carbon fiber-reinforced polymer.

Continuous Gait Phase Estimation for Multi-Locomotion Tasks Using Ground Reaction Force Data.

Existing studies on gait phase estimation generally involve walking experiments using inertial measurement units under limited walking conditions (WCs). In this study, a gait phase estimation algorithm is proposed that uses data from force sensing resistors (FSRs) and a Bi-LSTM model. The proposed algorithm estimates gait phases in real time under various WCs, e.

Geometric feature extraction in nanofiber membrane image based on convolution neural network for surface roughness prediction.

As a technique in artificial intelligence, a convolution neural network model has been utilized to extract average surface roughness from the geometric characteristics of a membrane image featuring micro- and nanostructures. For surface roughness measurement, e.g.

Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Joule Heating Properties of Flexible, Lightweight, and Hydrophobic MXene/Nickel-Coated Polyester Fabrics Manufactured by Dip-Dry Coating and Electroless Plating.

High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with high flexibility, low density, and hydrophobic surface are crucial for modern integrated electronics and telecommunication systems in advanced industries like aerospace, military, artificial intelligence, and wearable electronics. In this study, we present flexible and hydrophobic MXene/Ni-coated polyester (PET) fabrics featuring a double-layered structure, fabricated via a facile and scalable dip-dry coating process followed by electroless nickel plating. Increasing the dip-dry coating iterations up to 10 cycles boosts the MXene loading content (∼31 wt %) and electrical conductivity (∼86 S/cm) of MXene-coated PET fabrics, while maintaining constant porosity (∼95%).

Characteristics of tire-road wear particles (TRWPs) and road pavement wear particles (RPWPs) generated through a novel tire abrasion simulator based on real road pavement conditions.

Microparticles such as tire-road wear particles (TRWPs) and road pavement wear particles (RPWPs) are generated by the friction between tire tread and road surface. TRWPs and RPWPs on roads are dispersed through traffic and transferred to rivers and seas via runoff to accumulate in sediments. However, research on the generation of both TRWP and RPWP has rarely been conducted.

Analysis of Failure Mechanism and Reliability Enhancement of Silicon Strain Gauge-Based Pressure Sensor for Automotive Applications.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have gained more attention as future automobiles due to their environmental benefits and extended driving ranges. Concurrently, the global hydrogen sensor market is also experiencing substantial growth. These sensors are integrated into vehicles to detect hydrogen leakage and concentration, thereby ensuring the safety of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Predicting Receiver Characteristics without Sensors in an LC-LC Tuned Wireless Power Transfer System Using Machine Learning.

Improvement of wireless power transfer (WPT) systems is necessary to tackle issues of power transfer efficiency, high costs due to sensor and communication requirements between the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx), and maintenance problems. Analytical techniques and hardware-based synchronization research for Rx-sensorless WPT may not always have been available or accurate. To address these limitations, researchers have recently employed machine learning (ML) to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Changes in the Optical Properties of Rubber Exposed to High-Pressure Hydrogen Using Pulsed Terahertz Waves.

In this study, we investigated how high-temperature, high-pressure hydrogen affects the optical properties of three kinds of sealing rubber (chloroprene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) using pulsed terahertz waves. The optical properties of the rubber samples were analyzed before and after exposure to hydrogen (80 °C and 200 bar) for 72 h. The results showed that the terahertz waves had a shorter time delay and a lower signal intensity for all rubber types.

Enhancing Stiffness and Oil Resistance of Fluorosilicone Rubber Composites through Untreated Cellulose Reinforcement.

Fluorosilicone rubber, essential in automotive and aerospace owing to its excellent chemical resistance, plays a pivotal role in sealing technology, addressing the industry's evolving demands. This study explores the preparation and properties of fibrillated cellulose-reinforced fluorosilicone rubber composites to enhance their stiffness and oil resistance. Fibrillated cellulose sourced as a wet cake and subjected to processing and modification is incorporated into a fluorosilicone rubber matrix.

Characteristics of particulate matter from asphalt pavement and tire of a moving bus through driving tests in city road and proving ground.

Non-exhaust PM emissions from vehicles in real road have been conducted, but heavy vehicles have rarely been tested. In this study, PM and PM samples were directly collected from a tire of a moving bus and the composition was analyzed to investigate the sources of PM emissions. Driving tests were conducted at a proving ground (PG) and a city road (CR).

NOx emissions prediction in diesel engines: a deep neural network approach.

The reduction of various nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel engines is an important environmental issue due to their negative impact on air quality and public health. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has emerged as an effective technology to mitigate NOx emissions, but predicting the performance of SCR systems remains a challenge due to the complex chemistry involved. In this study, we propose using DNN models to predict NOx emission reductions in SCR systems.

Effect of Cooling Temperature on Crystalline Behavior of Polyphenylene Sulfide/Glass Fiber Composites.

Poly (phenylene sulfide) (PPS) is a super engineering plastic that has not only excellent rigidity and high chemical resistance but also excellent electrical insulation properties; therefore, it can be applied as an electronic cover or an overheating prevention component. This plastic has been extensively applied in the manufacture of capacitor housing as, in addition to being a functional and lightweight material, it has a safety feature that can block the electrical connection between the electrolyte inside and outside the capacitor. Moreover, the fabrication of PPS composites with high glass fiber (GF) content facilitates the development of lightweight and excellent future materials, which widens the scope of the application of this polymer.

Control of Tire Wear Particulate Matter through Tire Tread Prescription.

This study aims to analyze tire wear particulate matter (TWP) from tread rubber with different formulations and to compare the concentration of TWP with different wear devices. The TWP generated during the abrasion of truck and bus radial (TBR) tires were examined, and the effect of using different types of rubber and carbon black (CB) were investigated. When natural rubber (NR) was solely used as the tire tread rubber material, there was a higher concentration of 5-10 µm TWP.

Reducing Moisture Absorption in Polypropylene Nanocomposites for Automotive Headlamps Using Hydrophobicity-Modified Graphene/Montmorillonite.

Polypropylene (PP) is used as a housing material in automotive headlamps but can cause fogging as a result of absorbed moisture and temperature differences between the exterior and interior of the housing. In this study, PP was combined with a graphene/montmorillonite hybrid (MMT-G) to yield a nanocomposite with reduced moisture absorption. Crucially, the modified nanofiller had low hydrophilicity and good compatibility with the PP matrix.

Mechanical Aging Test and Sealing Performance of Thermoplastic Vulcanizate as Sealing Gasket in Automotive Fuel Cell Applications.

Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber is one of the rapidly developing synthetic rubbers for use as a gasket material in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications. Despite its excellent elastic and sealing properties, EPDM faces challenges such as molding processability and recycling ability. To overcome these challenges, thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), which comprises vulcanized EPDM in polypropylene matrix, was investigated as a gasket material for PEM fuel cell applications.

Tool-Wear-Estimation System in Milling Using Multi-View CNN Based on Reflected Infrared Images.

A novel method for tool wear estimation in milling using infrared (IR) laser vision and a deep-learning algorithm is proposed and demonstrated. The measurement device employs an IR line laser to irradiate the tool focal point at angles of -7.5°, 0.

Self-lubrication and tribological properties of polymer composites containing lubricant.

The purpose of this study was to improve the tribological properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by mixing lubricants into it. The chemical composition, physical/chemical bonding state, and mechanical properties of the PDMS/lubricant composites (PLCs), prepared by mixing PDMS and lubricants at different ratios, were analyzed. With increasing lubricant content, the friction coefficient initially decreased, reaching a minimum value at a PDMS/lubricant ratio of 100 : 10; however, it gradually increased with a further increase in the lubricant content.

A Study on the Control Method of 6-DOF Magnetic Levitation System Using Non-Contact Position Sensors.

Recently, due to the development of semiconductor technology, high-performance memory and digital convergence technology that integrates and implements various functions into one semiconductor chip has been regarded as the next-generation core technology. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, various motors are being applied for automated processes and high product reliability. However, dust and shaft loss due to mechanical friction of a general motor system composed of motor-bearing are problematic for semiconductor wafer processing.

Friction Property of Hierarchical Micro/Nanopatterned PDMS.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has many advantages, but the friction coefficient generated by contact with the counter material is high. The purpose of this study is to reduce the friction coefficient by forming hierarchical micro/nanopatterns on the PDMS surface using the imprinting method. In addition, the optimum conditions for reducing the friction coefficient by controlling the sliding speed and normal load were determined.

Hygroscopic Behavior of Polypropylene Nanocomposites Filled with Graphene Functionalized by Alkylated Chains.

Owing to stringent international environmental and fuel efficiency requirements for lightweight automotive systems, polymer composites have attracted widespread attention. Polypropylene (PP) is a widely employed commercial polymer because of its lightweight and low cost. In this study, PP nanocomposites were fabricated to reduce the moisture absorption of PP composites in automotive headlamp housings.

Ultrasonic fatigue analysis of 3D-printed carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

The development of 3D printing technologies using composite materials has revolutionized additive manufacturing. Using these technologies, various products can be fabricated with strengths beyond the limits of the strength of the polymer used. However, although parts manufactured using carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) 3D printing have excellent characteristics, research on their durability is lacking, making their application difficult in the real industry.

A simulation of diffractive liquid crystal smart window for privacy application.

Using a single substrate, we demonstrate a simple two-dimensional (2-D) phase grating cell with an octothorp electrode. Owing to the large spatial phase difference in any direction, the proposed grating cell has a high haze value in the opaque state (76.7%); Moreover, it has the advantages of a one-dimensional (1-D) phase grating cell, such as high fabricability, fast response time, and low operating voltage.