3D printable tough silicone double networks

Additive manufacturing processing requirements pose restrictions on materials and joining chemically dissimilar components. Here the authors use silicone double networks that participate in orthogonal crosslinking mechanisms for independent control of the shape forming process and final mechanical properties

Embedded 3D Printing of Strain Sensors within Highly Stretchable Elastomers

A new method, embedded-3D printing (e-3DP), is reported for fabricating strain sensors within highly conformal and extensible elastomeric matrices. e-3DP allows soft sensors to be created in nearly arbitrary planar and 3D motifs in a highly programmable and seamless manner. Several embodiments are demonstrated and sensor performance is characterized.Engineering and Applied Science

Boiling heat transfer enhancement of magnetically actuated nanofluids

Nanofluids offer a potential breakthrough as next-generation heat transfer fluids since they offer exciting new possibilities to enhance heat transfer performance compared to pure liquids. A major drawback for using nanofluids in practical applications is difficulty in maintaining their stability due to deposition on surfaces. In this study, we propose and experimentally investigate a magnetic actuation scheme to avoid this deposition. Two-phase heat transfer characteristics of the designed system have been experimentally investigated with magnetic actuation and compared to the results without magnetic actuation. Two phase average heat transfer enhancement observed with the suggested system was 17%. The average single phase enhancement is found as 29% with magnetic actuation. It was observed that magnetically actuated nanoparticles neither form any clusters nor precipitate after the experiments

Boiling heat transfer enhancement of magnetically actuated nanofluids

Nanofluids offer a potential breakthrough as next-generation heat transfer fluids since they offer exciting new possibilities to enhance heat transfer performance compared to pure liquids. A major drawback for using nanofluids in practical applications is difficulty in maintaining their stability due to deposition on surfaces. In this study, we propose and experimentally investigate a magnetic actuation scheme to avoid this deposition. Two-phase heat transfer characteristics of the designed system have been experimentally investigated with magnetic actuation and compared to the results without magnetic actuation. Two phase average heat transfer enhancement observed with the suggested system was 17%. The average single phase enhancement is found as 29% with magnetic actuation. It was observed that magnetically actuated nanoparticles neither form any clusters nor precipitate after the experiments

Heat transfer enhancement with actuation of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in a base fluid

In this study, we have experimentally demonstrated that heat transfer can be substantially increased by actuating magnetic nanoparticles inside a nanofluid. In order to materialize this, we have utilized a miniature heat transfer enhancement system based on the actuation of magnetic nanoparticles dispersed in a base fluid (water). This compact system consists of a pool filled with a nanofluid containing ferromagnetic nanoparticles, a heater, and two magnetic stirrers. The ferromagnetic particles within the pool were actuated with the magnetic stirrers. Single-phase heat transfer characteristics of the system were investigated at various fixed heat fluxes and were compared to those of stationary nanofluid (without magnetic stirring). The heat transfer enhancement realized by the circulation of ferromagnetic nanoparticles dispersed in a nanofluid was studied using the experimental setup. The temperatures were recorded from the readings of thin thermocouples, which were integrated to the heater surface. The surface temperatures were monitored against the input heat flux and data were processed to compare the heat transfer results of the configuration with magnetic stirrers to the heat transfer of the configuration without the magnetic stirrers