Browsing by Author "Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 26
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    2D metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) for energy storage
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2017-01-17) Anasori, Babak; Lukatskaya, Maria R.; Gogotsi, Yury; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    The family of 2D transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides (collectively referred to as MXenes) has expanded rapidly since the discovery of Ti3C2 in 2011. The materials reported so far always have surface terminations, such as hydroxyl, oxygen or fluorine, which impart hydrophilicity to their surfaces. About 20 different MXenes have been synthesized, and the structures and properties of dozens more have been theoretically predicted. The availability of solid solutions, the control of surface terminations and a recent discovery of multi-transition-metal layered MXenes offer the potential for synthesis of many new structures. The versatile chemistry of MXenes allows the tuning of properties for applications including energy storage, electromagnetic interference shielding, reinforcement for composites, water purification, gas- and biosensors, lubrication, and photo-, electro- and chemical catalysis. Attractive electronic, optical, plasmonic and thermoelectric properties have also been shown. In this Review, we present the synthesis, structure and properties of MXenes, as well as their energy storage and related applications, and an outlook for future research.
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    Analysis of a hydrostatic drive wind turbine for improved annual energy production
    (AIMS, 2018) Deldar, Majid; Izadian, Afshin; Anwar, Sohel; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    This paper presents an analysis on ways to improve the annual energy production (AEP) of a wind turbine utilizing a drivetrain that operates based on the hydrostatic transmission. The system configuration of such a drivetrain is explained in details and a comparison of operation and characteristics with existing drivetrains is provided. AEP was estimated for these configurations through appropriate dynamic modeling and operational efficiency optimization. Optimal selection of a number of design variables and system parameters contributed to the improvements in the AEP. Findings of this study demonstrate that the proposed hydrostatic drivetrain improves the AEP of a 750 kW turbine by up to +8% when compared with a geared wind turbine. The AEP improvements of the hydrostatic drive wind turbine were more than 10% for a 1.5 MW system over geared configuration. It is also demonstrated that the efficiency of power generation can be improved under various wind speeds. The suitable selection of synchronous speed of the generator directly improves the efficiency of operation by up to 35% at low wind speeds. An efficiency improvement was also observed under higher operating pressures and longer turbine blades.
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    Application of Laminated Composite Grids as a Reinforcing Element of Automotive Components
    (ASC, 2018-09) Ehsani, Amir; Dalir, Hamid; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    This paper intends to present the application of laminated grid structures as a new class of stiffeners for reinforcing body and chassis of transportation vehicles. A laminated grid plate is constituted from several grid plies with different orientations. Therefore, the grid layers with various fibers, patterns, and orientations can be used, resulting in laminates with enhanced stiffness and coupling effects. In this study, a hypothetical trunk floor is assumed as a sandwich panel with two skins and a composite laminated grid core, which is clamped along all edges. Three different grid structures are considered as the core to strengthen the trunk floor subjected to arbitrary lateral loads. Moreover, the first natural frequency of the plates are achieved. The Ritz method is employed to obtain the maximum deflection and free vibration frequencies of the trunk’s floor panel. The results indicate that employing the laminated grids considerably enhances the response of the panel in comparison with conventional grids.
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    Atomistic Study of the Effect of Magnesium Dopants on the Strength of Nanocrystalline Aluminum
    (Springer, 2019-02) Kazemi, Amirreza; Yang, Shengfeng; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Atomistic simulations have been used to study the deformation mechanisms of nanocrystalline pure Al and Al-Mg binary alloys. Voronoi tessellation was used to fully create a three-dimensional polycrystalline model with a grain size of 10 nm, while hybrid Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic simulations were used to achieve both mechanical and chemical equilibriums in nanocrystalline Al-5 at.%Mg. The results of tensile tests show an improved strength, including the yield strength and ultimate strength, through doping 5 at.%Mg into nanocrystalline aluminum. The results of atomic structures clearly reveal the multiple strengthening mechanisms related to doping in Al-Mg alloys. At the early deformation stage, up to an applied strain of 0.2, the strengthening mechanism of the dopants exhibits as dopant pinning grain boundary (GB) migration. However, at the late deformation stage, which is close to failure of nanocrystalline materials, dopants can prohibit the initiation of intergranular cracks and also impede propagation of existing cracks along the GBs, thus improving the flow stress of Al-Mg alloys.
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    Colloidal Gelation in Liquid Metals Enables Functional Nanocomposites of 2D Metal Carbides (MXenes) and Lightweight Metals
    (ACS, 2019) Kamysbayev, Vladislav; James, Nicole M.; Filatov, Alexander S.; Srivastava, Vishwas; Anasori, Babak; Jaeger, Heinrich M.; Gogotsi, Yury; Talapin, Dmitri V.; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Nanomaterials dispersed in different media, such as liquids or polymers, generate a variety of functional composites with synergistic properties. In this work, we discuss liquid metals as the nanomaterials’ dispersion media. For example, 2D transition-metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) can be efficiently dispersed in liquid Ga and lightweight alloys of Al, Mg, and Li. We show that the Lifshitz theory predicts strong van der Waals attraction between nanoscale objects interacting through liquid metals. However, a uniform distribution of MXenes in liquid metals can be achieved through colloidal gelation, where particles form self-supporting networks stable against macroscopic phase segregation. This network acts as a reinforcement boosting mechanical properties of the resulting metal–matrix composite. By choosing Mg–Li alloy as an example of ultralightweight metal matrix and Ti3C2Tx MXene as a nanoscale reinforcement, we apply a liquid metal gelation technique to fabricate functional nanocomposites with an up to 57% increase in the specific yield strength without compromising the matrix alloy’s plasticity. MXenes largely retain their phase and 2D morphology after processing in liquid Mg–Li alloy at 700 °C. The 2D morphology enables formation of a strong semicoherent interface between MXene and metal matrix, manifested by biaxial strain of the MXene lattice inside the metal matrix. This work expands applications for MXenes and shows the potential for developing MXene-reinforced metal matrix composites for structural alloys and other emerging applications with metal–MXene interfaces, such as batteries and supercapacitors.
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    Comparison of movement rate with different initial moment-to-force ratios
    (Elsevier, 2019-08-01) Li, Shuning; Chen, Jie; Kula, Katherine S.; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Introduction: The objective of this clinical prospective study was to evaluate the effect of the two treatment strategies, translation or controlled tipping followed by root correction, on canine retraction efficiency, specifically canine movement rate. Methods: Twenty-one patients who needed bilateral maxillary canine retraction to close extraction space as part of their treatment plan were selected for this study. Segmental T-loops designed for controlled tipping or for translation were applied randomly to each side. Two digital maxillary dental casts (taken pre- and post-treatment) were used to measure the tooth displacements of each patient. The coordinate system located at the center of canine crown on the pre-treatment model with the three axes defined in the mesial-distal (M-D), buccal-lingual (B-L), and occlusal-gingival (O-G) directions was used to express the six tooth displacement components. The movement rates on the occlusal plane and in the M-D direction were computed. Movement rates were calculated by dividing the M-D displacements or the resultant displacement on the occlusal plane with the corresponding treatment time. Results: T-loops for controlled tipping moved canines faster (33.3% on occlusal plane and 38.5% in the M-D direction) than T-loops for translation. The differences are statistically significant (p = 0.041 on the occlusal plane and 0.020 in the M-D direction). Conclusion: 1. Moment-to-force ratio (M/F) impacts on the canine movement rate in a maxillary canine retraction treatment with segmented T-loop mechanism. 2. Within the neighborhood of the ratio for translation, lower M/F moves canine faster than higher M/F both on occlusal plane and in the M-D direction.
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    Design and Experimental Validation of Voice Coil Motor for High Precision Applications
    (IEEE, 2018-04) Shewale, Mahesh S.; Razban, Ali; Deshmukh, Suhas P.; Mulik, Sharad S.; Zambare, Hrishikesh B.; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Flexural structures are extensively beneficial when differentiated with conventional inflexible body structures where point accuracy positioning is strongly required extending in the range of microns. To fulfill clear and accurate positioning requirements, we come up with the solution of voice coil motors (VCM) with position estimator algorithm. Appropriate magnet and coil assembly is designed by considering the ultimate force for the application. Voice coil motor components are fabricated on milling machine and then assembled. This VCM is incorporated with dSPACE DS1104 R&D controller with the help of linear current amplifier (LCAM) which controls VCM with respect to desired amplitude and frequency. Displacement of coil of VCM is detected with respect to fixed magnet by using linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) which generates analog voltage signal in relation with motion of coil. Static characteristic such as stiffness is determined using force-deflection plot and dynamic characteristic like damping factor and frequency response are estimated with the help of transient response obtained by providing step input to the motor. Further, PID controller is implemented on this VCM and it is error observed is less than ±0.S microns.
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    Double transition-metal MXenes: Atomistic design of two-dimensional carbides and nitrides
    (Cambridge UP, 2020-10) Hong, Weichen; Wyatt, Brian C.; Nemani, Srinivasa Kartik; Anasori, Babak; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    MXenes are a large family of two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides. The MXene family has expanded since their original discovery in 2011, and has grown larger with the discovery of ordered double transition-metal (DTM) MXenes. These DTM MXenes differ from their counterpart mono-transition-metal (mono-M) MXenes, where two transition metals can occupy the metal sites. Ordered DTM MXenes are comprised of transition metals in either an in-plane or out-of-plane ordered structure. Additionally, some DTM MXenes are in the form of random solid solutions, which are defined by two randomly distributed transition metals throughout the 2D structure. Their different structures and array of transition-metal pairs provide the ability to tune DTM MXenes for specific optical, magnetic, electrochemical, thermoelectric, catalytic, or mechanical behavior. This degree of control over their composition and structure is unique in the field of 2D materials and offers a new avenue for application-driven design of functional nanomaterials. In this article, we review the synthesis, structure, and properties of DTM MXenes and provide an outlook for future research in this field.
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    Extrusion-Based 3D Printing of Molecular Sieve Zeolite for Gas Adsorption Applications
    (AIME, 2018-10) Hawaldar, Nishant; Park, Hye-Young; Jung, Yeon-Gil; Zhang, Jing; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Extrusion based 3D printing is one of the emerging additive manufacturing technologies used for printing range of materials from metal to ceramics. In this study, we developed a customized 3D printer based on extrusion freeform fabrication technique, such as slurry deposition, for 3D printing of different molecular sieve zeolite monoliths like 3A, 4A, 5A and 13X to evaluate their performance in gas adsorption. The physical and structural properties of 3D printed zeolite monoliths will be characterized along with the gas adsorption performance. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) test of 3D printed samples will be performed for calculation of the surface area, which will give us the capacity of gas absorption into 3D printed zeolite. The BET surface area test showed good results for Zeolite 13X compared to available literature. The surface area calculated for 3D – printed Zeolite 13X was 767m2/g and available literature showed 498 m2/g for 3D – printed Zeolite 13X. The microhardness values of 3D – printed Zeolite samples were measured using a Vicker hardness tester. The hardness value of the 3D - printed Zeolite samples increased from 8.3 ± 2 to 12.5 ± 3 HV 0.05 for Zeolite 13X, 3.3 ± 1 to 7.3 ± 1 HV 0.05 for Zeolite 3A, 4.3 ± 2 to 7.5 ± 2 HV 0.05 for Zeolite 4A, 7.4 ± 1 to 14.0 ± 0.5 HV 0.05 for Zeolite 5A, before and after sintering process, respectively. The SEM analysis was performed for 3D printed samples before and after sintering to evaluate their structural properties. The SEM analysis reveals that all 3D – printed Zeolite samples retained their microstructure after slurry preparation and also after the sintering process. The porous nature of 3D – printed Zeolite walls was retained after the sintering process.
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    A Framework for Estimating Mold Performance Using Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Injection Mold Tooling Prototypes
    (Springer, 2019) Jahan, Suchana; El-Mounayri, Hazim; Tovar, Andres; Shin, Yung C.; Mechanical Engineering and Energy, School of Engineering and Technology
    Additive Manufacturing (AM), 3D printing, rapid prototyping, or rapid tooling refer to a range of technologies that are capable of translating virtual CAD model data into physical model. It is executed in growing number of applications nowadays. A wide range of materials are currently being used to produce consumer products and production tools. AM has brought in revolutionary changes in traditional manufacturing practices. Yet, there are certain drawbacks that hinder its advancement at mass manufacturing. High cost associated with AM is one of them. Using 3D printed tooling can provide long-time cost effectiveness and better product quality. Additively manufactured injection molds can increase the cooling performance, reduce production cycle time, and improve surface finish and part quality of the final plastic product. Yet, manufacturers are still not using the printed molds for industrial mass production. Numerical analysis can provide approximation of such improved performance, but, factual experimental results are necessary to satisfy performance criteria of molds to justify the large investment into tooling for existing industries. In this research work, a desktop injection molding machine is used to evaluate performance of 3D printed molds to develop a cost and performance analysis tool. It serves as a baseline to predict the performance of molds in real-time mass manufacturing of consumer products. The analysis describes how appropriate the estimation can be from any simulation study of molds, how much the scaling down of tool and molding system can affect the prediction of actual performance, what correction factors can be used for better approximation of performance matrices. Several “scaled down” prototypes of injection molds have been used. They have design variations as: with or without cooling system, conformal or straight cooling channels, solid or lattice matrix, and metal or tough resin as the mold material. The molds are printed in in-house printing machines and can also be printed online with limited charges. This also provides an excellent demonstration of using inexpensive material and manufacturing process, such as resin to estimate the performance of highly expensive 3D printed stainless steel molds. The work encompasses a framework to reduce overall cost of implementing AM, by lowering time and monetary expenses during the research and development, and prototyping phases.