Service Life Prediction of Polymers and Plastics Exposed to Outdoor Weathering discusses plastics and polymers and their unique applications, from sealants used in construction, to polymer composites used in planes. While these materials are important enablers for advanced technologies, exposure to weather changes the very properties of plastics that make them so useful. This book reviews current research needs and provides a consensus roadmap of the scientific barriers to validated predictive models for the response of polymers and plastics to outdoor exposure. Despite extensive efforts over the past 20-30 years, testing of polymeric materials in accelerated or natural weathering conditions and the interpretation of the weathering results still require substantial improvements. This book represents the state-of-the-art in the prediction techniques available and in development. Engineers and materials scientists working in this field will be able to use the content of this book to assess the strengths and challenges of a range of different methods and approaches.

This volume deals with topical problems concerning technology and design in construction of modern metamaterials. The authors construct the models of mechanical, electromechanical and acoustical behavior of the metamaterials, which are founded upon mechanisms existing on micro-level in interaction of elementary structures of the material. The empiric observations on the phenomenological level are used to test the created models. The book provides solutions, based on fundamental methods and models using the theory of wave propagation, nonlinear theories and composite mechanics for media with micro- and nanostructure. They include the models containing arrays of cracks, defects, with presence of micro- and nanosize piezoelectric elements and coupled physical-mechanical fields of different nature. The investigations show that the analytical, numerical and experimental methods permit evaluation of the qualitative and quantitative properties of the materials of this sort, with diagnosis of their effective characteristics, frequency intervals of effective energetic cutting and passing, as well as effective regimes of damage evaluation by the acoustic methods.

This book was developed with the goal of providing an easily understood text for those users of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) who have little or no background in the area. The SEM is routinely used to study the surface structure and chemistry of a wide range of biological and synthetic materials at the micrometer to nanometer scale. Ease-of-use, typically facile sample preparation, and straightforward image interpretation, combined with high resolution, high depth of field, and the ability to undertake microchemical and crystallographic analysis, has made scanning electron microscopy one of the most powerful and versatile techniques for characterization today. Indeed, the SEM is a vital tool for the characterization of nanostructured materials and the development of nanotechnology. However, its wide use by professionals with diverse technical backgrounds-including life science, materials science, engineering, forensics, mineralogy, etc., and in various sectors of government, industry, and academia-emphasizes the need for an introductory text providing the basics of effective SEM imaging.A Beginners' Guide to Scanning Electron Microscopy explains instrumentation, operation, image interpretation and sample preparation in a wide ranging yet succinct and practical text, treating the essential theory of specimen-beam interaction and image formation in a manner that can be effortlessly comprehended by the novice SEM user. This book provides a concise and accessible introduction to the essentials of SEM includes a large number of illustrations specifically chosen to aid readers' understanding of key concepts highlights recent advances in instrumentation, imaging and sample preparation techniques offers examples drawn from a variety of applications that appeal to professionals from diverse backgrounds.

This collection presents papers on the science, engineering, and technology of shape castings, with contributions from researchers worldwide. Among the topics that are addressed are structure-property-performance relationships, modeling of casting processes, and the effect of casting defects on the mechanical properties of cast alloys.

In this book the authors show that it is possible to construct efficient computationally oriented models of multi-parameter complex systems by using asymptotic methods, which can, owing to their simplicity, be directly used for controlling processes arising in connection with composite material systems. The book focuses on this asymptotic-modeling-based approach because it allows us to define the most important out of numerous parameters describing the system, or, in other words, the asymptotic methods allow us to estimate the sensitivity of the system parameters. Further, the book addresses the construction of nonlocal and higher-order homogenized models. Local fields on the micro-level and the influence of so-called non-ideal contact between the matrix and inclusions are modeled and investigated. The book then studies composites with non-regular structure and cluster type composite conductivity, and analyzes edge effects in fiber composite materials. Transition of load from a fiber to a matrix for elastic and viscoelastic composites, various types of fiber composite fractures, and buckling of fibers in fiber-reinforced composites is also investigated. Last but not least, the book includes studies on perforated membranes, plates, and shells, as well as the asymptotic modeling of imperfect nonlinear interfaces.

This collection features papers presented at the 146th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.

This book describes the development of three dimensional electroactive fibres using a novel coaxial wet-spinning approach from organic conductors in combination with non-conducting hydrogel polymers. This book also presents the characterization and evaluation of multiaxial biofibres in terms of mechanical, physical, electrochemical and biological properties, and explores their use in a diverse range of applications including implantable electrodes, drug delivery systems and energy-storage systems. In the first chapter, the author highlights the significance of engineering three dimensional fibres, introduces the involved hydrogels and organic conductors with emphasis on their biomedical application, and collects some of the previously established methods for fabrication of biofibres. In the second chapter, particular attention is given to the overall experimental fabrication methods and characterization analyses conducted in the work. Chapters three to five present the main findings of this work, in which readers will discover how novel hybrid hydrogel fibres with an inner core of chitosan and alginate were prepared and characterized, how graphene was incorporated into coaxial wet-spun biofibres, and how one-dimensional triaxial fibres were developed using a novel coaxial wet-spinning fibre production method and applied as potential battery devices. In the final chapter of this work, the author summarizes the main achievements of the work and outlines some recommendations for future research.

This book offers a snapshot of recent developments in improving the properties and performance of engineering materials and structures. It discusses modeling properties related to classical mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical fields as well as those related to surface-specific quantities (e.g. roughness, wear and modifications due to surface coatings). The material types presented range from classical metals and synthetic materials to composites. Competitiveness due to cost efficiency (e.g. lighter structures and the corresponding fuel savings for transportation systems) and sustainability (e.g. recyclability or reusability) are the driving factors for engineering developments. The outcomes of these efforts are difficult to be accurately monitored due to the ongoing evaluation cycles.

The papers in this volume cover a broad spectrum of topics that represent the truly diverse nature of the field of composite materials. This collection presents research and findings relevant to the latest advances in composites materials, specifically their use in aerospace, maritime, and even land applications. The editors have made every effort to bring together authors who put forth recent advances in their research while concurrently both elaborating on and thereby enhancing our prevailing understanding of the salient aspects related to the science, engineering, and far-reaching technological applications of composite materials.

Explosion Blast Response of Composites contains key information on the effects of explosions, shock waves, and detonation products (e.g. fragments, shrapnel) on the deformation and damage to composites. The book considers the blast response of laminates and sandwich composites, along with blast mitigation of composites (including coating systems and energy absorbing materials). Broken down under the following key themes: Introduction to explosive blast response of composites, Air explosion blast response of composites, Underwater explosion blast response of composites, and High strain rate and dynamic properties of composites, the book deals with an important and contemporary topic due to the extensive use of composites in applications where explosive blasts are an ever-present threat, such as military aircraft, armoured vehicles, naval ships and submarines, body armour, and other defense applications. In addition, the growing use of IEDs and other types of bombs used by terrorists to attack civilian and military targets highlights the need for this book. Many terrorist attacks occur in subways, trains, buses, aircraft, buildings, and other civil infrastructure made of composite materials. Designers, engineers and terrorist experts need the essential information to protect civilians, military personnel, and assets from explosive blasts.

This book is intended to provide a course of infrared spectroscopy for quantitative analysis, covering both bulk matter and surface/interface analyses. Although the technology of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was established many years ago, the full potential of infrared spectroscopy has not been properly recognized, and its intrinsic potential is still put aside. FT-IR has outstandingly useful characteristics, however, represented by the high sensitivity for monolayer analysis, highly reliable quantitativity, and reproducibility, which are quite suitable for surface and interface analysis. Because infrared spectroscopy provides rich chemical information-for example, hydrogen bonding, molecular conformation, orientation, aggregation, and crystallinity-FT-IR should be the first choice of chemical analysis in a laboratory. In this book, various analytical techniques and basic knowledge of infrared spectroscopy are described in a uniform manner. In particular, techniques for quantitative understanding are particularly focused for the reader's convenience.

This volume contains the Proceedings of the RILEM TC 252-CMB International Symposium on the Chemo-Mechanical Characterization of Bituminous Materials. The Symposium was attended by researchers and practitioners from different fields presenting the latest findings in the chemical, mechanical, and microstructural characterization of bituminous materials. The book offers new and cutting edge papers on innovative techniques for the characterization of bituminous materials, gaining new insights into current issues such as effects of aging, moisture, and temperature.

This book presents a collection of contributions on advanced approaches to the mechanics of materials and mechanics of structures for high-temperature applications, such as power plant components, engines and turbochargers. The contributions highlight advanced constitutive models for high-temperature materials, as well as new approaches to the efficient modeling and analysis of engineering structures operating in high-temperature environments.

This collection focuses on energy efficient technologies including innovative ore beneficiation, smelting technologies, recycling and waste heat recovery. The volume also covers various technological aspects of sustainable energy ecosystems, processes that improve energy efficiency, reduce thermal emissions, and reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions. Papers addressing renewable energy resources for metals and materials production, waste heat recovery and other industrial energy efficient technologies, new concepts or devices for energy generation and conversion, energy efficiency improvement in process engineering, sustainability and life cycle assessment of energy systems, as well as the thermodynamics and modeling for sustainable metallurgical processes are included. This volume also offers topics on CO2 sequestration and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from process engineering, sustainable technologies in extractive metallurgy, as well as the materials processing and manufacturing industries with reduced energy consumption and CO2 emission. Contributions from all areas of non-nuclear and non-traditional energy sources, such as solar, wind, and biomass are also included in this volume.Papers from the following symposia are presented in the book:Energy TechnologiesAdvances in Environmental Technologies: Recycling and Sustainability Joint SessionDeriving Value from Challenging Waste Materials: Recycling and Sustainability Joint SessionSolar Cell Silicon

This book highlights the innovations in textile fibres, that is the starting point of the supply chain. There are numerous innovations made in terms of making the existing fibres sustainable and also to discover new sustainable fibres. This book deals with those innovative sustainable textile fibres in detail. It also presents an overview of various current textile fibres, their issues associated with sustainability and how new, sustainable fibres overcome those issues. Finally it discusses the challenges and implications of these sustainable fibres on technical and economic fronts.

This multi-contributed volume provides a practical, applications-focused introduction to nonlinear acoustical techniques for nondestructive evaluation. Compared to linear techniques, nonlinear acoustical/ultrasonic techniques are much more sensitive to micro-cracks and other types of small distributed damages. Most materials and structures exhibit nonlinear behavior due to the formation of dislocation and micro-cracks from fatigue or other types of repetitive loadings well before detectable macro-cracks are formed. Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tools that have been developed based on nonlinear acoustical techniques are capable of providing early warnings about the possibility of structural failure before detectable macro-cracks are formed. This book presents the full range of nonlinear acoustical techniques used today for NDE. The expert chapters cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, but always with an eye towards applications. Unlike other titles currently available, which treat nonlinearity as a physics problem and focus on different analytical derivations, the present volume emphasizes NDE applications over detailed analytical derivations. The introductory chapter presents the fundamentals in a manner accessible to anyone with an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Physics and equips the reader with all of the necessary background to understand the remaining chapters. This self-contained volume will be a valuable reference to graduate students through practising researchers in Engineering, Materials Science, and Physics. Represents the first book on nonlinear acoustical techniques for NDE applications Emphasizes applications of nonlinear acoustical techniques Presents the fundamental physics and mathematics behind nonlinear acoustical phenomenon in a simple, easily understood manner Covers a variety of popular NDE techniques based on nonlinear acoustics in a single volume

This book systematically provides an overview of the use of a wide range of spectroscopic methods (Mid- and Near-Infrared, Infrared Emission, Raman, Solid-State Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, X-ray Photoelectron, Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Absorption Near Edge, Electron Spin and Moessbauer spectroscopy) to investigate kaolin minerals (kaolinite, dickite, nacrite and halloysite) and their modifications (intercalation compounds, nanocomposites and other modifications).

This collection provides researchers and industry professionals with complete guidance on the synthesis, analysis, design, monitoring, and control of metals, materials, and metallurgical processes and phenomena. Along with the fundamentals, it covers modeling of diverse phenomena in processes involving iron, steel, non-ferrous metals, and composites. It also goes on to examine second phase particles in metals, novel sensors for hostile-environment materials processes, online sampling and analysis techniques, and models for real-time process control and quality monitoring systems.

In this thesis, the author investigates experimentally and numericallythe fracture behavior of an electron beam welded joint made fromtwo butt S355 plates. The 2D Rousselier model, the Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) model and the cohesive zone model (CZM) wereadopted to predict the crack propagation of thick compact tension (CT)specimens. Advantages and disadvantages of the three mentioned modelsare discussed. The cohesive zone model is suggested as it is easy to usefor scientists & engineers because the CZM has less model parametersand can be used to simulate arbitrary crack propagation. The resultsshown in this thesis help to evaluate the fracture behavior of a metallicmaterial. A 3D optical deformation measurement system (ARAMIS) andthe synchrotron radiation-computed laminography (SRCL) techniquereveal for the first time the damage evolution on the surface of the sampleand inside a thin sheet specimen obtained from steel S355. Damageevolution by void initiation, growth and coalescence are visualized in2D and 3D laminographic images. Two fracture types, i.e., a flat crackpropagation originated from void initiation, growth and coalescenceand a shear coalescence mechanism are visualized in 2D and 3D imagesof laminographic data, showing the complexity of real fracture. Inthe dissertation, the 3D Rousselier model is applied for the first timesuccessfully to predict different microcrack shapes before shear cracksarise by defining the finite elements in front of the initial notch withinhomogeneous f0-values. The influence of the distribution of inclusionson the fracture shape is also discussed. For the analyzed material, ahomogeneous distribution of particles in the material provides thehighest resistance to fracture.

This book describes efficient and safe repair operations for pipelines, and develops new methods for the detection and repair of volumetric surface defects in transmission pipelines. It also addresses the physics, mechanics, and applications of advanced materials used for composite repair of corroded pipelines. Presenting results obtained in the European Commission's INNOPIPES FRAMEWORK 7 programme, it develops long-range ultrasonic and phased array technologies for pipeline diagnostics, and explores their interactions with discontinuities and directional properties of ultrasonic antenna array. The book subsequently shares the results of non-destructive testing for different types of materials applications and advanced composite repair systems, and characterizes the mechanical properties by means of fracture methods and non-destructive techniques. In turn, the book assesses the currently available technologies for reinforcement of pipelines, drawing on the experience gai ned by project partners, and evaluates the recovery of the carrying capacity of pipeline sections with local corrosion damage by means of analytical and numerical procedures. It develops an optimization method based on the planning of experiments and surface techniques for advanced composite repair systems, before validating the numerical models developed and experimentally gauging the effectiveness of composite repair with the help of full-scale hydraulic tests.

This books presents a current look at friction stir welding technology from application to characterization and from modeling to R&D. It is a compilation of the recent progress relating to friction stir technologies including derivative technologies, high-temperature applications, industrial applications, dissimilar alloy/materials, lightweight alloys, simulation, and characterization. With contributions from leaders and experts in industry and academia, this will be a comprehensive source for the field of Friction Stir Welding and Processing.

This book introduces the ideas and concepts of nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy, outlines its history, and provides insight into the present state of the art of the experimental technology and understanding of nonlinear dielectric effects. Emphasis is on what can be learned from nonlinear experiments that could not be derived from the linear counterparts. The book explains that nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy can be used as a tool to measure structural recovery or physical aging, as well as connections between dynamics and thermodynamic variables such as enthalpy and entropy. Supercooled liquids in their viscous regime are ideal candidates for investigating nonlinear effects, because they are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature, and thus also to changes in the electric field. Other interesting materials covered are plastic crystals and complex liquids near criticality. The book also points out that, compared with other techniques such as mechanical shear experiments, the nonlinear regime of dielectric spectroscopy is special in the sense that the energies involved always remain small compared with thermal energies. To demonstrate this, nonlinear features of mechanical experiments are discussed. Theoretical approaches to nonlinear effects are particularly complicated because the tools available for the linear regime no longer apply. As a result, there is no single generally accepted theory to nonlinear dielectric responses of real liquids. Various approaches to nonlinear dielectric features have been reported, and the different aspects are communicated in several chapters. The book communicates recent progress most effectively through individual contributions from specialists in their respective fields.Chapter 'Third and Fifth Harmonic Responses in Viscous Liquids' is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book discusses the mechanisms of electric conductivity in various ionic liquid systems (protic, aprotic as well as polymerized ionic liquids). It hence covers the electric properties of ionic liquids and their macromolecular counterpanes, some of the most promising materials for the development of safe electrolytes in modern electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, super-capacitors, fuel cells and dye-sensitized solar cells. Chapter contributions by the experts in the field discuss important findings obtained using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and other complementary techniques. The book is an excellent introduction for readers who are new to the field of dielectric properties of ionic conductors, and a helpful guide for every scientist who wants to investigate the interplay between molecular structure and dynamics in ionic conductors by means of dielectric spectroscopy.

This collection focuses on all aspects of science and technology related to friction stir welding and processing.

This book represents a collection of papers presented at the 2nd World Congress on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME), a specialty conference organized by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS).