Effect of Vibration Pretreatment-Microwave Curing Process Parameters on the Mechanical Performance of Resin-Based Composites.

The vibration pretreatment-microwave curing process can achieve high-quality molding under low-pressure conditions and is widely used in the curing of resin-based composites. This study investigated the effects of the vibration pretreatment process parameters on the void content and the fiber weight fraction of T700/TRE231; specifically, their influence on the interlaminar shear strength and impact strength of the composite. Initially, an orthogonal experimental design was employed with interlaminar shear strength as the optimization target, where vibration acceleration was determined as the primary factor and dwell time as the secondary factor. Concurrently, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed based on process parameters that corresponded to the extremum of interlaminar shear strength, revealing a 2.17% difference in fiber weight fraction among specimens with varying parameters, indicating a minimal effect of fiber weight fraction on mechanical properties. Optical digital microscope (ODM) analysis identified interlaminar large-size voids in specimens treated with vibration energy of 5 g and 15 g, while specimens subjected to a vibration energy of 10 g exhibited numerous small-sized voids within layers, suggesting that vibration acceleration influences void escape pathways. Finally, impact testing revealed the effect of the vibration pretreatment process parameters on the impact strength, implying a positive correlation between interlaminar shear strength and impact strength.

Aramid Honeycomb Cores under Constant Pressure: Unveiling the Out-of-Plane Compression Deformation.

The primary challenge during the secondary bonding process of full-height honeycomb sandwich structures is the aramid honeycomb core's height shrinkage. This paper systematically investigated the height evolution behavior of the honeycomb core by using a creep testing machine. The results showed that the out-of-plane compression deformation curve of aramid honeycomb cores is mainly divided into three stages: the dehumidification stage, the pressurization stage and the creep stage. Under conditions of high temperature and pressure, height shrinkage was attributed to the dehydration caused by moisture infiltration, and the compression creep resulted from the slippage of polymer molecular chains. Dehydration shrinkage is stable, whereas compression creep reflects typical viscoelastic polymer characteristics. By employing the viscoelastic Burgers mechanical model and applying the nonlinear surface fitting method, the total height shrinkage deformation behavior of the aramid honeycomb core during the curing process can be accurately predicted by summing the above three stages. This research contributes valuable insights for the manufacturing process of honeycomb sandwich structures.

Effects of Curing Defects in Adhesive Layers on Carbon Fiber-Quartz Fiber Bonded Joint Performance.

Due to their mechanical load-bearing and functional wave transmission, adhesively bonded joints of carbon fiber-quartz fiber composites have been widely used in the new generation of stealth aviation equipment. However, the curing defects, caused by deviations between the process environment and the setting parameters, directly affect the service performance of the joint during the curing cycle. Therefore, the thermophysical parameter evolution of adhesive films was analyzed via dynamic DSC (differential scanning calorimeter), isothermal DSC and TGA (thermal gravimetric analyzer) tests. The various prefabricating defects within the adhesive layer were used to systematically simulate the impacts of void defects on the tensile properties, and orthogonal tests were designed to clarify the effects of the curing process parameters on the joints' bonding performance. The results demonstrate that the J-116 B adhesive film starts to cure at a temperature of 160 °C and gradually forms a three-dimensional mesh-bearing structure. Furthermore, a bonding interface between the J-116 B adhesive film and the components to be connected is generated. When the curing temperature exceeds 200 °C, both the adhesive film and the resin matrix thermally degrade the molecular structure. The adhesive strength weakens with an increasing defect area ratio and number, remaining more sensitive to triangle, edge and penetration defects. By affecting the molecular structure of the adhesive film, the curing temperature has a significant impact on the bonding properties; when the curing degree is ensured, the curing pressure directly impacts the adhesive's performance by influencing the morphology, number and distribution of voids. Conversely, the heating rate and heat preservation time have minimal effects on the bonding performance.

Investigation on Creep Deformation and Age Strengthening Behavior of 304 Stainless Steel under High Stress Levels.

The creep deformation behavior and age strengthening behavior of 304 stainless steel under high stress levels were systematically studied by uniaxial creep test, tensile test, XRD diffraction test and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the total creep strain and the initial creep strain rate increase with the increase in stress level, and the creep strain in the whole aging process is mainly produced in the initial creep stage. The calculated stress exponent shows that the main mechanism of creep deformation of 304 stainless steel at 453 K is dislocation slip. The strength and plasticity of 304 stainless steel after creep aging are improved simultaneously. Microstructural observations indicate an increase in dislocation density and martensite content, as well as austenite and twins, leading to an improvement in strength and plasticity, respectively. In addition, considering the influence of dislocation density on creep behavior, the relative dislocation density increase is introduced into the hyperbolic sine creep model, and a simple mechanism-based creep aging constitutive model is established. The creep strain predicted by the model is in good agreement with the experimental data of 304 stainless steel. The findings can provide theoretical support for the application of creep age forming in 304 stainless steel parts.

Global Sensitivity Analysis of Factors Influencing the Surface Temperature of Mold during Autoclave Processing.

During the process of forming carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) in an autoclave, deeply understanding the global sensitivity of factors influencing mold surface temperature is of paramount importance for optimizing large frame-type mold thermally and enhancing curing quality. In this study, the convective heat transfer coefficient (CHTC), the thickness of composite laminates (TCL), the thickness of mold facesheet (TMF), the mold material type (MMT), and the thickness of the auxiliary materials layer (TAL) have been quantitatively assessed for the effects on the mold surface temperature. This assessment was conducted by building the thermal-chemical curing model of composite laminates and utilizing the Sobol global sensitivity analysis (GSA) method. Additionally, the interactions among these factors were investigated to gain a comprehensive understanding of their combined effects. The results show that the sensitivity order of these factors is as follows: CHTC > MMT > TMF > TCL > TAL. Moreover, CHTC, MMT, and TMF are the main factors influencing mold surface temperature, as the sum of their first-order sensitivity indices accounts for over 97.3%. The influence of a single factor is more significant than that of the interaction between factors since the sum of the first-order sensitivity indices of the factors is more than 78.1%. This study will support the development of science-based guidelines for the thermal design of molds and associated heating equipment design.

Metal-Metal Bonding Process Research Based on Xgboost Machine Learning Algorithm.

Conventionally, the optimization of bonding process parameters requires multi-parameter repetitive experiments, the processing of data, and the characterization of complex relationships between process parameters, and performance must be achieved with the help of new technologies. This work focused on improving metal-metal bonding performance by applying SLJ experiments, finite element models (FEMs), and the Xgboost machine learning (ML) algorithm. The importance ranking of process parameters on tensile-shear strength (TSS) was evaluated with the interpretation toolkit SHAP (Shapley additive explanations) and it optimized reasonable bonding process parameters. The validity of the FEM was verified using SLJ experiments. The Xgboost models with 70 runs can achieve better prediction results. According to the degree of influence, the process parameters affecting the TSS ranked from high to low are roughness, adhesive layer thickness, and lap length, and the corresponding optimized values were 0.89 µm, 0.1 mm, and 27 mm, respectively. The experimentally measured TSS values increased by 14% from the optimized process parameters via the Xgboost model. ML methods provide a more accurate and intuitive understanding of process parameters on TSS.

Simulation and Experimental Study on the Internal Leak Behavior in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Components.

In this paper, the diffusion law of helium gas inside composite materials was obtained through numerical research and an experimental approach. The influence of fiber and the fiber-resin interface on permeability was discussed in the actual numerical model. It was found that the leak rate and the mass concentration at the fiber-resin interface were higher than those in the resin, and the leak rate symmetrically distributed along the horizontal central line. Meanwhile, a homogenized model for the leak rate simulation in carbon fiber composite components was established, and its accuracy was verified through the experiment and the actual numerical model. The simulated result and the test data demonstrated that the leak rate increased with the pressure and decreased with the thickness of the specimen.

Insights into electron wind force by a helical dislocation reconfiguration.

Many efforts for decades have been made to explore electron wind force, produced by electric current itself under electropulsing treatment. However, the clear evidence of this force is hard to separate from Joule heating. Here we study a helical dislocation within quenched Al-Cu-Li alloy when subjected to a pulsed current. Such a helical configuration is quite suited for uncoupling this force from Joule heating effect because, contrary to general dislocations, it can take a unique reconfiguration under a driving force parallel to its Burgers vector. We find that within the pulsed samples, an initial helix happens to reconfigure, evolving into a line morphology. Therefore, it is this electron wind force Few, which parallel to the Burgers vector, would result in such novel helix reconfiguration when compared to the absence of this force. This is the first study to verify electron wind force by a helical dislocation reconfiguration.

Optimization of Vibration Pretreatment Microwave Curing in Composite Laminate Molding Process.

Vibration pretreatment microwave curing is a high-quality and efficient composite out-of-autoclave molding process. Focusing on interlaminar shear strength, the effects of pretreatment temperature, pretreatment time and vibration acceleration on the molding performance of composite components were analyzed sequentially using the orthogonal test design method; a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical digital microscope (ODM) were used to analyze the void content and fiber-resin bonding state of the specimens under different curing and molding processes. The results show that the influence order of the different vibration process parameters on the molding quality of the components was: vibration acceleration > pretreatment temperature > pretreatment time. Within the parameters analyzed in this study, the optimal vibration pretreatment process parameters were: pretreatment temperature of 90 °C, pretreatment time of 30 min, and vibration acceleration of 10 g. Using these parameters, the interlaminar shear strength of the component was 82.12 MPa and the void content was 0.37%. Compared with the microwave curing process, the void content decreased by 71.8%, and the interlaminar shear strength increased by 31.6%. The microscopic morphology and mechanical properties basically reached the same level as the standard autoclave process, which achieved a high-quality out-of-autoclave curing and molding manufacturing of aerospace composite components.

Analysis of Deformation and Properties of Composite Melon Petals via Vibration Pretreatment-Microwave Compound Curing.

The transition of large-scale cryogenic propellant tanks from metal to composite materials is the main trend in the global aerospace industry. Aiming to address the challenges of achieving the manufacturing of integrated and cost-effective manufacturing of aerospace cryogenic composite tanks that cannot be realized through the conventional autoclave process, and those of existing out-of-autoclave processes that are unable to effectively suppress defects under low-pressure conditions, a vibration pretreatment was innovatively introduced into the microwave curing process of composite materials in this study. Based on a systematic analysis of the inhibitory mechanisms of vibration pretreatment on void formation and the uniform heating mechanisms of microwaves in composite materials, the experimental results showed that the compound curing process enabled the production of components with complex structural features under low-pressure conditions while achieving equivalent surface precision and comprehensive properties, including porosity, interlaminar shear strength, and cryogenic permeation resistance, as those obtained through the standard 0.6 MPa autoclave process. This holds great promise for the application of out-of-autoclave processes in the manufacturing of large-scale aerospace cryogenic composite tanks.

Finite Element Simulation and Experimental Research on Uniformity Regulation of Microwave Heating of Composite Materials.

As an attractive alternative to the traditional autoclave curing process, microwave curing has been widely used for manufacturing high-performance composites. However, the nonuniform temperature distribution during composite curing is the main problem faced by the microwave curing process, which limits its application in the aerospace industry. This paper studied the regulating effects of cavity structure and mechanical optimization methods on the uniformity of the microwave field by numerical analysis and finite element simulation, and an octagonal microwave heating device with multi-microwave generators, mode stirrers and mobile platform was developed independently and the experimental verification were finally carried out. The results showed that compared with the traditional heating device, the T800/602 carbon fiber reinforced composite laminates cured in the regulating device of microwave heating uniformity established in this paper had more uniform temperature field distribution, a more synchronous curing process and lower residual stresses.

Interface Controlled Micro- and Macro-Mechanical Properties of Vibration Processed Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites.

The fiber-resin interface is an important component that significantly affects mechanical properties of composites. Random vibration-assisted vacuum processing (RVAVP), a new method to improve the adhesion of the fiber-resin interface, was presented. The effects of different curing processes on mechanical properties were comprehensively assessed by combining the fiber push-out test, finite element model simulation, cure monitoring approach, and short-beam three-point bending test, and the correlation between fiber volume fraction and mechanical properties was quantified by a facile thermogravimetric analysis-based methodology. The results revealed that application of random vibration during the curing process can promote the impregnation of resin into fibers and impede the growth of interface defects while improving mechanical properties at the same time. For this reason, the laminates produced by RVAVP exhibited the average interfacial shear strength of 78.02 MPa and the average interface fracture toughness of 51.7 J/m2, which is obtained a 48.26% and 90.77% improvement compared with the 0 MPa autoclave process. With the large observed increase in micro-mechanical properties, the average interlaminar shear strength of 93.91 MPa showed a slight reduction of 5.07% compared with the 0.6 MPa autoclave process. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties tended to be stable at the fiber volume fraction of 65.5%.

Creep Mechanisms of an Al-Cu-Mg Alloy at the Macro- and Micro-Scale: Effect of the S'/S Precipitate.

A novel methodology combining the macro- and micro-creep techniques was employed to study the effect of S'/S precipitate growth on the creep mechanism of an Al-Cu-Mg alloy. An AA2524 alloy was pre-aged at 180 °C to obtain S'/S precipitates with various sizes. The results showed that the precipitate size increased approximately linearly to ≈32 nm, ≈60 nm, and ≈105 nm after 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h of pre-aging, respectively. The growth of precipitate could significantly shorten the primary creep stage, despite the fact that the steady-state creep behavior was similar to that of the as-received alloy, as revealed by the macro tensile creep tests at 180 °C and 180 MPa. This led to a stress exponent (2.4-2.5) of the Al alloy with various precipitate sizes that was quite close to that of the as-received Al alloy, implying a steady-state creep mechanism dominated by grain boundary sliding and dislocation interactions. Finally, the micro-creep tests showed a minor role of the precipitate size on the steady-state creep mechanism, as evidenced by the similar strain rate sensitivity (0.0169-0.0186), activation volume (≈27 b3), and the results of a detailed transmission electron microscopy analysis of all tested alloys.

Effects of Stress Relaxation Aging with Electrical Pulses on Microstructures and Properties of 2219 Aluminum Alloy.

To realize the high-efficiency and high-performance manufacture of complex high-web panels, this paper introduced electric pulse current (EPC) into the stress relaxation aging forming process of 2219 aluminum alloy and systematically studied the effects of EPC, stress, and aging time upon the microstructure and properties of 2219 aluminum alloy. It is discovered that: (a) EPC greatly enhanced the mechanical properties after stress relaxation aging and reduced the sensitivity of the yield strength for the initial stress under the aging system of 165 °C/11 h; (b) compared with general aging, stress relaxation aging instead delayed the aging process of 2219 aluminum alloy and greatly increased the peak strength value;

Foxp3 gene expression in oral lichen planus: a clinicopathological study.

CD4+CD25+ Forkhead­box protein 3 (Foxp3+) regulatory T cells are important in oral lichen planus (OLP). The present study aimed to investigate Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25+ T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and oral lesions in patients diagnosed with OLP, who were grouped as OLP subtype, duration and relapse. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry, Foxp3 expression levels in explants of oral lesions and CD4+CD25+ T cells from 32 patients with OLP were measured and compared, with 10 healthy subjects as the control group. Foxp3 mRNA expression levels in the explants of oral lesions and circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells in patients with OLP were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). In patients with clinically erosive lesions, Foxp3 mRNA expression was significantly lower in circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells and tissue explants compared to patients with reticular lesions (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively), and lowest in patients with a history of OLP of >1 year or with a history of relapse (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Foxp3 protein levels in reticular OLP were significantly higher than those in erosive OLP and the control group. The incidence of Foxp3 protein expression in OLP tissues was 36.24±18.92 and 10.44±6.51% in normal oral mucosa (P=0.019). Atrophic/erosive OLP lesions showed a higher proportion of Foxp3­expressing cells than that of reticular OLP lesions (P<0.05). This study indicated that Foxp3 expression in patients with OLP is associated with the severity and duration of the disorder, suggesting altered immune suppression in the development, clinical course and responsiveness to treatment.

[Expression of TGF-beta receptors in CD8+ T cells of oral lichen planus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of TGF-beta receptors in CD8+ T cells of oral lichen planus (OLP). METHODS: Immunohistochemical double labeling technique was used to examine the expression of TGF-betaR I and TGF-betaR II in CD8+ T cells of 28 OLP patients and in 10 controls. The results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The double labeled cells were negative in controls. The positive rates of double labeled cells of CD8+/TGF-betaR I and CD8+/TGF-betaR II in OLP were (8.82 +/- 9.98)% and (1.11 +/- 2.94)% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of TGF-betaR II in CD8+ T cells of OLP did not increase compared with the controls, but the expression of TGF-betaR I increased. The results indicate the abnormal TGF-beta signal transduction in CD8+ T cells of OLP, which may contribute to the persistence of the chronic inflammation in OLP.