87 research outputs found
Surveying the Energy Landscapes of Multistable Elastic Structures
Energy landscapes analysis is a versatile approach to study multistable systems by identifying the network of stable states and reconfiguration pathways. Thus far, it has primarily been used in microscale systems, such as studying chemical reaction rates and to characterise the behaviour of how protein fold. Here, however, we aim to utilise energy landscape techniques to study multistable elastic structures, in particular, complex 3D structures that have been buckled from 2D patterns, which are of interest for applications such as flexible electronics and microelectromechanical systems.
To this end we have developed new energy landscape methods and software that are well suited to continuous, macroscale systems with many degrees of freedom. The first is the binary image transition state search method (BITSS), which offers greater efficiency for large scale systems compared to traditional transition state search methods, and it is well suited to complex, non-linear pathways. Next, a new software library is introduced that contains a variety of energy landscape methods and potentials which are parallelised to study large-scale continuous systems. This library can be flexibly used for any chosen application, and has been designed to be easily extensible for new methods and potentials.
Furthermore, we exploit energy landscape analysis to tailor the stable states and reconfiguration paths of various reconfigurable buckled mesostructures. We establish stability phase diagrams and identify the corresponding available reconfiguration pathways by varying essential structural parameters. Furthermore, we identify how the introduction of creases affects the multistability of the structures, finding that a small number can increase the number of distinct states, but more creases can lead to a loss of multistability. Taken together, these results and methodology can be used to influence the design of new structures for a variety of different applications
DYNAMIC MODELLING OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS AT NANOSCALE
Computer modelling represent fast and reliable tool for predicting the behaviour of complex systems and provides an indicative information for experimentalists during design and testing period. Nevertheless, complex systems contain large number of degrees of freedom that can span several length and time scales. This hamper the application of well-established models and modelling methods such as Monte Carlo or molecular dynamics. Instead, complex systems must be first coarse-grained and mapped to models on larger scales that contains phenomena of interest, fits nowadays methodologies and hardware sources. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate the applicability of dynamic modelling on predicting the behaviour of complex systems which are here represented by composite materials that contain polymers, nanoparticles or gels and undergoes self-assembly or aggregation. Complex systems considered in this thesis are used many technological applications such as soft lithography, drug design or design of smart surfaces. Beside dynamic modelling methods, thesis shows importance of coarse-grained and mapping techniques for transforming the real system into computer model. Finally, achieved results shows usefulness of modelling when tailoring macroscopic behaviour of simulated systems with their microscopic structure, predicting their phase behaviour in multivariable space or under non-equilibrium conditions and in confined geometries
Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa
Due to its low adaptability to climate change, the MENA region has become a "hot spot". Water scarcity, extreme heat, drought, and crop failure will worsen as the region becomes more urbanized and industrialized. Both water and food scarcity are made worse by civil wars, terrorism, and political and social unrest. It is unclear how climate change will affect the MENA water–food–energy nexus. All of these concerns need to be empirically evaluated and quantified for a full climate change assessment in the region. Policymakers in the MENA region need to be aware of this interconnection between population growth, rapid urbanization, food safety, climate change, and the global goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions (as planned in COP27). Researchers from a wide range of disciplines have come together in this SI to investigate the connections between water, food, energy, and climate in the region. By assessing the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes, natural disasters, water supply, energy production and demand, and environmental impacts in the region, this SI will aid in implementation of sustainable solutions to these challenges across multiple spatial scales
Advances in Molecular Simulation
Molecular simulations are commonly used in physics, chemistry, biology, material science, engineering, and even medicine. This book provides a wide range of molecular simulation methods and their applications in various fields. It reflects the power of molecular simulation as an effective research tool. We hope that the presented results can provide an impetus for further fruitful studies
Biosensors for Diagnosis and Monitoring
Biosensor technologies have received a great amount of interest in recent decades, and this has especially been the case in recent years due to the health alert caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sensor platform market has grown in recent decades, and the COVID-19 outbreak has led to an increase in the demand for home diagnostics and point-of-care systems. With the evolution of biosensor technology towards portable platforms with a lower cost on-site analysis and a rapid selective and sensitive response, a larger market has opened up for this technology. The evolution of biosensor systems has the opportunity to change classic analysis towards real-time and in situ detection systems, with platforms such as point-of-care and wearables as well as implantable sensors to decentralize chemical and biological analysis, thus reducing industrial and medical costs. This book is dedicated to all the research related to biosensor technologies. Reviews, perspective articles, and research articles in different biosensing areas such as wearable sensors, point-of-care platforms, and pathogen detection for biomedical applications as well as environmental monitoring will introduce the reader to these relevant topics. This book is aimed at scientists and professionals working in the field of biosensors and also provides essential knowledge for students who want to enter the field
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A hybrid piezoelectric and electrostatic energy harvester for scavenging arterial pulsations
Implantable and wearable biomedical devices suffer from a limited lifespan of on-board batteries which results in a requirement to change the battery or the device itself causing additional physical discomfort. In order to overcome this, various energy harvesters have been developed. The human body possesses several types of energy available for scavenging through appropriately designed energy harvesting devices, while cardiovascular system in particular represents a constant reliable source of mechanical energy from vibration. Most conventional energy harvesters exploit only a single phenomenon, such piezo- or triboelectricity, thus producing reduced power density. As an improvement, hybridisation of energy harvesters intends to negate this drawback by simultaneously scavenging energy by multiple harvesters.
In the present work, the reverse electrowetting on dielectric (REWOD) phenomenon is combined with the piezoelectric effect in a proof-of-concept hybrid harvester for scavenging biomechanical energy from arterial or other type pulsations. A mathematical model of the harvester was developed, and a computational investigation using CFD, and fluid-structure interaction simulations were carried out using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. The effect of the materials of piezoelectric film and geometrical features of the harvester on parameters such as the displacement, the frequency of pulsations and the energy produced were studied. An experimental setup that could imitate the displacements caused from arterial pulsations was designed and the produced electrical energy characteristics were analysed. A comparison between experimental and computational data was carried out and demonstrated a good agreement. Dependencies between geometrical parameters and electrical output were obtained, recommendation on piezoelectric materials and design solutions were provided
Advances in Nanomaterials in Biomedicine
Advances in Nanomaterials in Biomedicine” provided a platform for more than 110 researchers from different countries to present their latest investigations in various fields of nanotechnology, new methods and nanomaterials intended for medical applications. Modern achievements in the field of nanoparticle-based diagnostics, drug delivery and the use of various nanomaterials in the treatment of diseases are presented in 11 original articles. The published reviews provide a comprehensive analysis of the current information on the use of nanomedicine in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer and liver fibrosis, in the field of solid tissue engineering and in drug delivery systems
Recent Developments in Atomic Force Microscopy and Raman Spectroscopy for Materials Characterization
This book contains chapters that describe advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) modes and Raman spectroscopy. It also provides an in-depth understanding of advanced AFM modes and Raman spectroscopy for characterizing various materials. This volume is a useful resource for a wide range of readers, including scientists, engineers, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and scientific professionals working in specialized fields such as AFM, photovoltaics, 2D materials, carbon nanotubes, nanomaterials, and Raman spectroscopy
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