3D numerical modeling of the deformation and failure mechanisms of batter pile groups subjected to fault ruptures.

Fault ruptures induced by earthquakes pose a significant threat to constructions, particularly underground structures such as pile foundations. Among various foundation types, batter pile foundations are widely used due to their ability to resist inclined forces. To gain new insights into the response of batter pile groups to fault ruptures caused by earthquakes, this study investigates the deformation and failure mechanisms of batter pile groups due to the propagation of normal and reverse fault ruptures using 3D numerical modeling.

[Applications and prospects of graphene and its derivatives in bone repair].

Objective: To summarize the latest research progress of graphene and its derivatives (GDs) in bone repair.

Methods: The relevant research literature at home and abroad in recent years was extensively accessed. The properties of GDs in bone repair materials, including mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and antibacterial properties, were systematically summarized, and the unique advantages of GDs in material preparation, functionalization, and application, as well as the contributions and challenges to bone tissue engineering, were discussed.

High throughput cell stiffness measurement via multiplexed impedance sensors.

Since physiological and pathological events change the mechanical properties of cells, tools that rapidly quantify such changes at the single-cell level can advance the utility of cell mechanics as a label-free biomarker. We demonstrate the capability to probe the population-level elastic modulus and fluidity of MDA-MB-231 cells at a throughput of up to 50 cell/second within a portable microchip. Our sensing scheme adapts a code multiplexing scheme to implement a distributed network of sensors throughout the microchip, thereby compressing all sensing events into a single electrical output.

Occupational histories in neuropathologically confirmed multiple system atrophy.

Purpose: This study examined occupational histories in multiple system atrophy to identify environmental associations of potential relevance to disease causation.

Methods: A total of 270 neuropathologically confirmed cases of multiple system atrophy obtained from the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank for neurodegenerative disorders in Jacksonville, Florida, were included in this case-control study. Demographic and disease information was collected from medical records.

Bio-Inspired Highly Stretchable and Ultrafast Autonomous Self-Healing Supramolecular Hydrogel for Multifunctional Durable Self-Powered Wearable Devices.

As skin bioelectronics advances, hydrogel wearable devices have broadened perspectives in environment sensing and health monitoring. However, their application is severely hampered by poor mechanical and self-healing properties, environmental sensitivity, and limited sensory functions. Herein, inspired by the hierarchical structure and unique cross-linking mechanism of hagfish slime, a self-powered supramolecular hydrogel is hereby reported, featuring high stretchability (>2800% strain), ultrafast autonomous self-healing capabilities (electrical healing time: 0.

Robust Mechanically Interlocked Network Ionogels.

Ionogels have attracted considerable attention as versatile materials due to their unique ionic conductivity and thermal stability. However, relatively weak mechanical performance of many existing ionogels has hindered their broader application. Herein, we develop robust, tough, and impact-resistant mechanically interlocked network ionogels (IGMINs) by incorporating ion liquids with mechanical bonds that can dissipate energy while maintain structural stability.

Broadband wireless battery-free acoustic identification tags for high data-rate underwater backscatter communication.

Developing persistent and smart underwater markers is critical for improving navigation accuracy and communication capabilities of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). A wireless acoustic identification tag, which uses a piezoelectric transducer tuned in the broadband ultrasonic range (200-500 kHz), was experimentally demonstrated to achieve highly efficient power transfer (source-to-tag electrical power efficiency of >2% at 6 m) and concurrent high data rate and backscatter level communication (>83.3 kbit s-1, >170 dB sound pressure level at 6 m) with potential operating range ≈ 10 m based on analytical extrapolations.

Enhancing Waterproof Food Packaging with Janus Structure: Lotus Leaf Biomimicry and Polyphenol Particle Technology for Vegetable Preservation.

With the increasing demand for improved food preservation, conventional waterproof food packaging has proven inadequate because of its limited functionality. Although incorporating features such as antibacterial and antioxidant properties into packaging enhances protection, it can compromise the hydrophobicity of the involved material, thereby increasing the risk of contamination from external sources. To address this challenge, a robust and reliable barrier capable of simultaneously integrating multiple protective functions is required.

Adhesive and Conductive Fibrous Hydrogel Bandages for Effective Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injury is a common disease resulting in reversible and irreversible impairments of motor and sensory functions. In addition to conventional surgical interventions such as nerve grafting and neurorrhaphy, nerve guidance conduits are used to effectively support axonal growth without unexpected neuroma formation. However, there are still challenges to secure tissue-mimetic mechanical and electrophysiological properties of the conduit materials.

A lightweight prosthetic hand with 19-DOF dexterity and human-level functions.

A human hand has 23-degree-of-freedom (DOF) dexterity for managing activities of daily living (ADLs). Current prosthetic hands, primarily driven by motors or pneumatic actuators, fall short in replicating human-level functions, primarily due to limited DOF. Here, we develop a lightweight prosthetic hand that possesses biomimetic 19-DOF dexterity by integrating 38 shape-memory alloy (SMA) actuators to precisely control five fingers and the wrist.

3D-printed ultra-sensitive strain sensors using biogels prepared from fish gelatin and gellan gum.

The long-term sustainable development of flexible electronic devices is limited by a reliance on synthetic polymers that pose dangers for humans and potentially severe ecological problems, as well as a reliance on conventional processing methods. This work aims to exploit 3D printing to develop natural biogels composed of fish gelatin and high acyl gellan gum for use as flexible sensors. The electrical conductivity and mechanical strength were remarkably enhanced through the environmentally friendly enzyme (transglutaminase) cross-linking and non-toxic ethanol modification treatment, which allows the development of 3D printed sensors for temperature, strain, and stress sensors.

pH-Regulated catechol-modified sodium alginate hydrogel with anti-freezing and high toughness for wearable strain sensor.

Hydrogel-based flexible electronic devices have garnered significant attention due to their excellent mechanical properties, high electrical conductivity, and signal sensitivity. Nevertheless, internal water molecules crystallize inevitably at low temperatures, impairing the performance of hydrogels. Designing anti-freezing and tough hydrogels to meet long-term stability requirements is extremely challenging.

Miniaturized spectral sensing with a tunable optoelectronic interface.

Reconstructive optoelectronic spectroscopy has generated substantial interest in the miniaturization of traditional spectroscopic tools, such as spectrometers. However, most state-of-the-art demonstrations face fundamental limits of rank deficiency in the photoresponse matrix. In this work, we demonstrate a miniaturized spectral sensing system using an electrically tunable compact optoelectronic interface, which generates distinguishable photoresponses from various input spectra, enabling accurate spectral identification with a device footprint of 5 micrometers by 5 micrometers.

Toughening of thermoset composites using glass/polypropylene commingled stitching yarns.

This paper investigates the damage resistance and tolerance of thermoset composite laminates stitched by glass and hybrid glass/polypropylene commingled yarns. Different impact energies (10-70 J) were applied to stitched composite laminates before compression after impact (CAI) tests were conducted. The results showed that, except for 70J, commingled yarn-stitched laminates absorbed more energy than glass-stitched laminates.

Flexible Eyelid Pressure and Motion Dual-Mode Sensor Using Electric Breakdown-Induced Piezoresistivity and Electrical Potential Sensing.

Multiple ocular surface disorders are associated with the mechanical properties of the interface between the eyelid and cornea. Determining eyelid pressure is vital for diagnosing and preventing these disorders. However, current measurements rely on flat piezoresistive pressure sensor arrays that lack eye-motion sensing capabilities, resulting in discomfort and measurement inaccuracies.

Phononic origin of resonance in atomic scale fatigue of MoS.

Previous researchers have conducted extensive investigations on the impact of various working conditions on fatigue damage. However, further research is still needed to understand the underlying mechanism of how the excitation frequency of cyclic loading affects the fatigue life. This article systematically discloses the phononic origin of atomic scale fatigue resonance, focusing on single-layer molybdenum disulfide (SL MoS) as a prototypical material.

Fast-Charging High-Specific Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Oleophilic Garnet Suspension Electrolyte.

Realizing fast charging in high-specific-energy lithium metal batteries (LMBs) remains a significant challenge. Here, a oleophilic garnet suspension electrolyte design is reported, using inorganic solid electrolyte modified by low-surface-energy 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl trichlorosilane (PFOTS), to address the dilemma of fast charging and high specific energy in LMBs. With the oleophilic suspension electrolytes, the ionic conductivity of carbonate electrolyte is increased by ≈20%.

An Overview of Flame-Retardant Materials for Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Future Applications.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have gained significant attention for ability to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. As the applications of TENG devices expand, their safety and reliability becomes priority, particularly where there is risk of fire or spontaneous combustion. Flame-retardant materials can be employed to address these safety concerns without compromising the performance and efficiency of TENGs.

Piezoelectric Vitamin-Based Self-Assemblies for Energy Generation.

Structural diversity of biomolecules leads to various supramolecular organizations and asymmetric architectures of self-assemblies with significant piezoelectric response. However, the piezoelectricity of biomolecular self-assemblies has not been fully explored and the relationship between supramolecular structures and piezoelectricity remains poorly understood, which hinders the development of piezoelectric biomaterials. Herein, for the first time, the piezoelectricity of vitamin-based self-assemblies for power generation is systematically explored.

New insights into structural, optical, electrical and thermoelectric behavior of NaBiTiO single crystals.

The single crystals of lead-free NaBiTiO were grown using the Czochralski method. The energy gaps determined from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical measurements were approximately 2.92 eV.

Konjac glucomannan/zein active film loaded with tea polyphenol-ferric nanoparticles for strawberry preservation.

With increasing global environmental awareness and concerns about food safety, biodegradable active packaging has garnered widespread attention. In this study, the stability and bioactivity of tea polyphenol (TP) were enhanced through the preparation of TP-ferric nanoparticles (TP-Fe NPs) using metal-polyphenol ion coordination. Moreover, the introduction of Fe ions can further enhance the antibacterial effects of TP-Fe NPs.

Manipulating Fano Coupling in an Opto-Thermoelectric Field.

Fano resonances in photonics arise from the coupling and interference between two resonant modes in structures with broken symmetry. They feature an uneven and narrow and tunable lineshape and are ideally suited for optical spectroscopy. Many Fano resonance structures have been suggested in nanophotonics over the last ten years, but reconfigurability and tailored design remain challenging.