358 research outputs found
Local Elastic Constants for Epoxy-Nanotube Composites from Molecular Dynamics Simulation
A method from molecular dynamics simulation is developed for determining local elastic constants of an epoxy/nanotube composite. The local values of C11, C33, K12, and K13 elastic constants are calculated for an epoxy/nanotube composite as a function of radial distance from the nanotube. While the results possess a significant amount of statistical uncertainty resulting from both the numerical analysis and the molecular fluctuations during the simulation, the following observations can be made. If the size of the region around the nanotube is increased from shells of 1 to 6 in thickness, then the scatter in the data reduces enough to observe trends. All the elastic constants determined are at a minimum 20 from the center of the nanotube. The C11, C33, and K12 follow similar trends as a function of radial distance from the nanotube. The K13 decreases greater distances from the nanotube and becomes negative which may be a symptom of the statistical averaging
Buckling of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Polymer Laminated Composite Materials Subjected to Axial Compression and Shear Loadings
A multi-scale method to predict the stiffness and stability properties of carbon nanotube-reinforced laminates has been developed. This method is used in the prediction of the buckling behavior of laminated carbon nanotube-polyethylene composites formed by stacking layers of carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer with the nanotube alignment axes of each layer oriented in different directions. Linking of intrinsic, nanoscale-material definitions to finite scale-structural properties is achieved via a hierarchical approach in which the elastic properties of the reinforced layers are predicted by an equivalent continuum modeling technique. Solutions for infinitely long symmetrically laminated nanotube-reinforced laminates with simply-supported or clamped edges subjected to axial compression and shear loadings are presented. The study focuses on the influence of nanotube volume fraction, length, orientation, and functionalization on finite-scale laminate response. Results indicate that for the selected laminate configurations considered in this study, angle-ply laminates composed of aligned, non-functionalized carbon nanotube-reinforced lamina exhibit the greatest buckling resistance with 1% nanotube volume fraction of 450 nm uniformly-distributed carbon nanotubes. In addition, hybrid laminates were considered by varying either the volume fraction or nanotube length through-the-thickness of a quasi-isotropic laminate. The ratio of buckling load-to-nanotube weight percent for the hybrid laminates considered indicate the potential for increasing the buckling efficiency of nanotube-reinforced laminates by optimizing nanotube size and proportion with respect to laminate configuration
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Adhesion at Epoxy Interfaces
The effect of moisture on adhesives used in aerospace applications can be modeled with chemically specific techniques such as molecular dynamics simulation. In the present study, the surface energy and work of adhesion are calculated for epoxy surfaces and interfaces, respectively, by using molecular dynamics simulation. Modifications are made to current theory to calculate the work of adhesion at the epoxy-epoxy interface with and without water. Quantitative agreement with experimental values is obtained for the surface energy and work of adhesion at the interface without water. The work of adhesion agrees qualitatively with the experimental values for the interface with water: the magnitude is reduced 15% with respect to the value for the interface without water. A variation of 26% in the magnitude is observed depending on the water configuration at a concentration of 1.6 wt%. The methods and modifications to the method that are employed to obtain these values are expected to be applicable for other epoxy adhesives to determine the effects of moisture uptake on their work of adhesion
MODELING FUNCTIONALLY GRADED INTERPHASE REGIONS IN CARBON NANOTUBE REINFORCED COMPOSITES
A combination of micromechanics methods and molecular dynamics simulations are used to obtain the effective properties of the carbon nanotube reinforced composites with functionally graded interphase regions. The multilayer composite cylinders method accounts for the effects of non-perfect load transfer in carbon nanotube reinforced polymer matrix composites using a piecewise functionally graded interphase. The functional form of the properties in the interphase region, as well as the interphase thickness, is derived from molecular dynamics simulations of carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix. Results indicate that the functional form of the interphase can have a significant effect on all the effective elastic constants except for the effective axial modulus for which no noticeable effects are evident
Influence of Neutron Enrichment on Disintegration Modes of Compound Nuclei
Cross sections, kinetic energy and angular distributions of fragments with
charge 6Z28 emitted in 78,82Kr+40C at 5.5 MeV/A reactions were
measured at the GANIL facility using the INDRA apparatus. This experiment aims
to investigate the influence of the neutron enrichment on the decay mechanism
of excited nuclei. Data are discussed in comparison with predictions of
transition state and Hauser-Feshbach models.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, paper presented at the First Workshop on "State of
the Art in Nuclear Cluster Physics" 13-16 May, 2008, at Strasbourg, France
(SOTANCP2008) and accepted for publication at International Journal of Modern
Physics E (Special Issue), Proceedings of SOTANCP2008 (to be published
Acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis leading to acute renal failure following multiple hornet stings
BACKGROUND: Hornet stings are generally associated with local and occasionally anaphylactic reactions. Rarely systemic complications like acute renal failure can occur following multiple stings. Renal failure is usually due to development of acute tubular necrosis as a result of intravascular haemolysis, rhabdomyolysis or shock. Rarely it can be following development of acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a young male, who was stung on face, head, shoulders and upper limbs by multiple hornets (Vespa orientalis). He developed acute renal failure as a result of acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis and responded to steroids. CONCLUSION: Rare causes of acute renal failure like tubulo-interstitial nephritis should be considered in a patient with persistent oliguria and azotemia following multiple hornet stings. Renal biopsy should be undertaken early, as institution of steroid therapy may help in recovery of renal functio
Projected Quasi-particle Perturbation theory
The BCS and/or HFB theories are extended by treating the effect of four
quasi-particle states perturbatively. The approach is tested on the pairing
hamiltonian, showing that it combines the advantage of standard perturbation
theory valid at low pairing strength and of non-perturbative approaches
breaking particle number valid at higher pairing strength. Including the
restoration of particle number, further improves the description of pairing
correlation. In the presented test, the agreement between the exact solution
and the combined perturbative + projection is almost perfect. The proposed
method scales friendly when the number of particles increases and provides a
simple alternative to other more complicated approaches
Measurements of sideward flow around the balance energy
Sideward flow values have been determined with the INDRA multidetector for
Ar+Ni, Ni+Ni and Xe+Sn systems studied at GANIL in the 30 to 100 A.MeV incident
energy range. The balance energies found for Ar+Ni and Ni+Ni systems are in
agreement with previous experimental results and theoretical calculations.
Negative sideward flow values have been measured. The possible origins of such
negative values are discussed. They could result from a more important
contribution of evaporated particles with respect to the contribution of
promptly emitted particles at mid-rapidity. But effects induced by the methods
used to reconstruct the reaction plane cannot be totally excluded. Complete
tests of these methods are presented and the origins of the
``auto-correlation'' effect have been traced back. For heavy fragments, the
observed negative flow values seem to be mainly due to the reaction plane
reconstruction methods. For light charged particles, these negative values
could result from the dynamics of the collisions and from the reaction plane
reconstruction methods as well. These effects have to be taken into account
when comparisons with theoretical calculations are done.Comment: 27 pages, 15 figure
p73 Regulates Neurodegeneration and Phospho-Tau Accumulation during Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
SummaryThe genetic mechanisms that regulate neurodegeneration are only poorly understood. We show that the loss of one allele of the p53 family member, p73, makes mice susceptible to neurodegeneration as a consequence of aging or Alzheimer's disease (AD). Behavioral analyses demonstrated that old, but not young, p73+/â mice displayed reduced motor and cognitive function, CNS atrophy, and neuronal degeneration. Unexpectedly, brains of aged p73+/â mice demonstrated dramatic accumulations of phospho-tau (P-tau)-positive filaments. Moreover, when crossed to a mouse model of AD expressing a mutant amyloid precursor protein, brains of these mice showed neuronal degeneration and early and robust formation of tangle-like structures containing P-tau. The increase in P-tau was likely mediated by JNK; in p73+/â neurons, the activity of the p73 target JNK was enhanced, and JNK regulated P-tau levels. Thus, p73 is essential for preventing neurodegeneration, and haploinsufficiency for p73 may be a susceptibility factor for AD and other neurodegenerative disorders
Decay of excited nuclei produced in 78,82Kr+40Ca reactions at 5.5 MeV/nucleon
Decay modes of excited nuclei are investigated in 78,82Kr+40Ca reactions at 5.5 MeV/nucleon. Charged
products were measured by means of the 4Ï INDRA array. Kinetic-energy spectra and angular distributions
of fragments with atomic number 3 Z 28 indicate a high degree of relaxation and are compatible with
a fissionlike phenomenon. Persistence of structure effects is evidenced from elemental cross sections (ÏZ) as
well as a strong odd-even staggering (o-e-s) of the light-fragment yields. The magnitude of the staggering
does not significantly depend on the neutron content of the emitting system. Fragment-particle coincidences
suggest that the light partners in very asymmetric fission are emitted either cold or at excitation energies below
the particle emission thresholds. The evaporation residue cross section of the 78Kr+40Ca reaction is slightly
higher than the one measured in the 82Kr+40Ca reaction. The fissionlike component is larger by âŒ25% for the
reaction having the lowest neutron-to-proton ratio. These experimental features are confronted to the predictions
of theoretical models. The Hauser-Feshbach approach including the emission of fragments up to Z = 14 in
their ground states as well as excited states does not account for the main features of ÏZ. For both reactions,
the transition-state formalism reasonably reproduces the Z distribution of the fragments with charge 12 Z
28. However, this model strongly overestimates the light-fragment cross sections and does not explain the
o-e-s of the yields for 6 Z 10. The shape of the whole Z distribution and the o-e-s of the light-fragment
yields are satisfactorily reproduced within the dinuclear system framework which treats the competition among
evaporation, fusion-fission, and quasifission processes. The model suggests that heavy fragments come mainly
from quasifission while light fragments are predominantly populated by fusion. An underestimation of the cross
sections for 16 Z 22 could signal a mechanism in addition to the capture process
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