Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2018, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Low-Cycle Fatigue Behavior Of Silicone Rubber For Biomedical Balloons, Chase Cooper

Materials Engineering

The development of a medical drug delivery device that allows for the deployment drugs into the adventitial tissue of blood vessels requires the inflation of a silicone elastomer. The inflated silicone must be able to consistently endure multiple loading cycles without failing so that the device can operate reliably. There are multiple methods of processing the silicone for the device and the goal of this study is to examine the effect of the various processing methods on the characteristics of the silicone. The Dynamic Mechanical Analysis Machine (DMA) is used to model the conditions of the device’s application by performing …

System And Method For Controlling Operations Of Air - Conditioning System, Mouhacine Benosman, Petros Boufounos, Boris Kramer, Piyush Grover

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A method controls an operation of an air - conditioning system generating airflow in a conditioned environment . The method updates a model of airflow dynamics connecting values of flow and temperature of air conditioned during the operation of the air - conditioning system . The model is updated interactively iteratively to reduce an error between values of the airflow determined according to the model and values of the airflow measured during the operation . Next , the method models the airflow using the updated model and controls the operation of the air - conditioning system using the model .

Preliminary Investigation Of Tensile Strength And Impact Characterization Of Cementitious Composite Incorporating Carbon Nanotubes, Robabeh Jazaei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cement has been largely used in the construction industry, specifically as a matrix for concrete. Recently, a new generation of cement-based composite that greatly increases mechanical properties is replacing conventional concrete. With periodic advances in the field, researchers considered particles with high-aspect ratios such as Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) to reinforce cement matrices. Although there is not much literature to draw upon in research, some research on improving the tensile strength of cementitious composite incorporating with CNTs does exist. However, there had been no evidence of investigation into impact strength until this study.

Most papers presented examined the effect of multi-walled …

Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation Of Metal Additive Manufacturing., Venkata Karthik Nadimpalli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) is increasingly being used to make functional components. One of the barriers for AM components to become mainstream is the difficulty to certify them. AM components can have widely different properties based on process parameters. Improving an AM processes requires an understanding of process-structure-property correlations, which can be gathered in-situ and post-process through nondestructive and destructive methods. In this study, two metal AM processes were studied, the first is Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) and the second is Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). The typical problems with UAM components are inter-layer and inter-track defects. To improve the …

Concomitant Crystallization In Propylene/Ethylene Random Copolymer With Strong Flow At Elevated Temperatures, Lirong Zheng, Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Gerrit W. M. Peters, Zhe Ma

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Flow-induced crystallization of α- and γ-phases was studied for a propylene/ethylene random copolymer with 3.4 mol % ethylene at two high temperatures of 132 and 142 °C by combining a pressure-driven slit flow device with real-time synchrotron wide-angle X-ray diffraction. At 132 °C, it was found that both α- and γ-phases were generated at shear stresses ranging from 0.091 to 0.110 MPa and that the γ-phase always appeared later than the α-phase. However, for 142 °C and the same stresses, only the α-phase formed. Only upon cooling the partially crystallized copolymer did the γ-phase emerge. The lack of γ-crystals obtained …

In Situ Defect Detection Using Three Color Spectroscopy In Laser Powder Bed Additive Manufacturing, Andrew Drieling

The University Honors Program

Additive Manufacturing (AM) provides a way to create parts that would be extremely difficult or impossible with conventional manufacturing processes. However, AM also introduces defects, which are detrimental to the mechanical performance. These defects are potentially unknown until post-processing inspection and testing, wasting time and resources on an unusable part or initiating unexpected failure. Historically, spectroscopy has successfully been used for in situ monitoring of laser welding, using changing parameters in the generated plume to predict defects. In situ monitoring using a visible spectrometer for fabrication of Alloy 718 on a test bed laser powder bed fusion system is performed. …

Rare Earth - Free Permanent Magnetic Material, Laura H. Lewis, Jeffrey E. Shield, Katayun Barmak Viziri

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The invention provides rare earth - free permanent magnetic materials and methods of making them . The materials can be used to produce magnetic structures for use in a wide variety of commercial applications , such as motors , generators , and other electromechanical and electronic devices . Magnets fabricated using the materials can be substituted for magnets requiring rare earth elements that are costly and in limited supply . The invention provides two different types of magnetic materials . The first type is based on an iron - nickel alloy that is doped with one or more doping elements …

Method Of Fabricating A Continuous Nanofiber, Yuris Dzenis

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A method of fabricating a continuous nanofiber is described . The method includes preparing a solution of one or more polymers and one or more solvents and electrospinning the solution by discharging the solution through one or more liquid jets into an electric field to yield one or more continuous nanofibers . The electrospinning process ( i ) highly orients one or more polymer chains in the one or more continuous nanofibers along a fiber axis of the one or more continuous nanofibers , and ( ii ) suppresses polymer crystallization in the one or more continuous nanofibers . The …

Method For Data - Driven Learning - Based Control Of Hvac Systems Using High - Dimensional Sensory Observations, Amir-Massoud Farahmand, Saleh Nabi, Piyush Grover, Daniel Nikolaev Nikovski

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A controller for controlling an operation of an air - conditioning system conditioning an indoor space includes a data input to receive state data of the space at multiple points in the space , a memory to store a code of a reinforcement learning algorithm and a history of the state data and a history of control commands having been applied to the air - conditioning system , wherein the history of the control commands is associated with the state data and history of rewards , a processor coupled to the memory determines a value function outputting a cumulative value …

An Evaluation Of Induction Heating In Healthcare Food Industry, Barrett Alexander Hampton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis addresses the problem healthcare facilities are having in maintaining proper food temperatures while transporting meals to patients after food has left the kitchen area. Induction heat has been a known method for generating heat for many years. The commercial food industry currently uses this technology, which is beginning to appear in the residential sector as well because of developments made by manufacturers. This study focuses on the top commercial brand models of induction heaters and the supporting materials currently used to create heat sources to maintain food temperatures in hospitals and long term care facilities.

The research in …

The Effect Of Poly (Glycerol Sebacate) Incorporation Within Hybrid Chitin–Lignin Sol–Gel Nanofibrous Scaffolds, Tuerdimaimaiti Abudula, Lassaad Gzara, Giovanna Simonetti, Ahmed Alshahrie, Numan Salah, Pierfrancesco Morganti, Angelo Chianese, Afsoon Fallahi, Ali Tamayol, Sidi A. Bencherif, Adnan Memic

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Chitin and lignin primarily accumulate as bio-waste resulting from byproducts of crustacean crusts and plant biomass. Recently, their use has been proposed for diverse and unique bioengineering applications, amongst others. However, their weak mechanical properties need to be improved in order to facilitate their industrial utilization. In this paper, we fabricated hybrid fibers composed of a chitin–lignin (CL)-based sol–gel mixture and elastomeric poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) using a standard electrospinning approach. Obtained results showed that PGS could be coherently blended with the sol–gel mixture to form a nanofibrous scaffold exhibiting remarkable mechanical performance and improved antibacterial and antifungal activity. The …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2018, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

The Positive Role Of Curcumin-Loaded Salmon Nanoliposomes On The Culture Of Primary Cortical Neurons, Mahmoud Hasan, Shahrzad Latifi, Cyril J.F. Kahn, Ali Tamayol, Rouhollah Habibey, Elodie Passeri, Michel Linder, Elmira Arab-Tehrany

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a natural bioactive compound with many health-promoting benefits. However, its poor water solubility and bioavailability has limited curcumin’s biomedical application. In the present study, we encapsulated curcumin into liposomes, formed from natural sources (salmon lecithin), and characterized its encapsulation efficiency and release profile. The proposed natural carriers increased the solubility and the bioavailability of curcumin. In addition, various physico-chemical properties of the developed soft nanocarriers with and without curcumin were studied. Nanoliposome-encapsulated curcumin increased the viability and network formation in the culture of primary cortical neurons and decreased the rate of apoptosis.

Ureteral Tunnel Length Versus Ureteral Orifice Configuration In The Determination Of Ureterovesical Junction Competence: A Computer Simulation Model, Carlos A. Villanueva, J. Tong, Carl A. Nelson, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Introduction The long-held belief that a ureteral re-implant tunnel should be five times the diameter of the ureter, as proposed by Paquin in 1959, ignores the effect of the orifice on the occurrence of reflux. In 1969, Lyon proposed that the shape of the ureteral orifice (UO) is more important than the intravesical tunnel. However, both theories missed quantitative evidence from principles of physics. The goal of the current study was to test Lyon’s theory through numerical models (i.e. to quantify the sensitivity of ureterovesical junction (UVJ) competence to intravesical tunnel length and to the UO).

Materials and methods The …

Eigenstrain As A Mechanical Set-Point Of Cells, Shengmao Lin, Marsha C. Lampi, Cynthia A. Reinhart-King, Gary C.P. Tsui, Jian Wang, Carl A. Nelson, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Cell contraction regulates how cells sense their mechanical environment. We sought to identify the set-point of cell contraction, also referred to as tensional homeostasis. In this work, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), cultured on substrates with different stiffness, were characterized using traction force microscopy (TFM). Numerical models were developed to provide insights into the mechanics of cell–substrate interactions. Cell contraction was modeled as eigenstrain which could induce isometric cell contraction without external forces. The predicted traction stresses matched well with TFM measurements. Furthermore, our numerical model provided cell stress and displacement maps for inspecting the fundamental regulating mechanism of cell …

Me-Em 2017-18 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Curriculum Revision
• The Result: MEP I-IV
• ME-EM Research
• Alumni Features
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Faculty & Staff
• Alumni
• Donors
• Contracts & Grants
• Patents & Publications

An Integrated Microstructural-Nanomechanical-Chemical Approach To Examine Material-Specific Characteristics Of Cementitious Interphase Regions, Mahdieh Khedmati, Yong-Rak Kim, Joseph A. Turner, Hani Alanazi, Charles Nguyen

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Effective properties and structural performance of cementitious mixtures are substantially governed by the quality of the interphase region because it acts as a bridge transferring forces between aggregates and a binding matrix and is generally susceptible to damage. As alternative binding agents like alkali-activated precursors have obtained substantial attention in recent years, there is a growing need for fundamental knowledge to uncover interphase formation mechanisms. In this paper, two different types of binding materials, i.e., fly ash-based geopolymer and ordinary portland cement, were mixed with limestone aggregate to examine and compare the microstructures and nanomechanical properties of interphase region. To …

Methods, Systems, And Devices For Surgical Access And Procedures, Shane M. Farritor, Mark Rentschler, Amy Lehman, Stephen R. Platt, Jeff Hawks

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to various medical device components, including components that can be incorporated into robotic and/or in vivo medical devices. Certain embodiments include various actuation system embodiments, including fluid actuation systems, drive train actuation systems, and motorless actuation systems. Additional embodiments include a reversibly lockable tube that can provide access for a medical device to a patient's cavity and further provides a reversible rigidity or stability during operation of the device. Further embodiments include various operational components for medical devices, including medical device arm mechanisms that have both axial and rotational movement while maintaining a relatively compact …

Excess Charge-Carrier Induced Instability Of Hybrid Perovskites, Yuze Lin, Bo Chen, Yanjun Fang, Jingjing Zhao, Chunxiong Bao, Zhenhua Yu, Yehao Deng, Peter N. Rudd, Yanfa Yan, Yongbo Yuan, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Identifying the origin of intrinsic instability for organic–inorganic halide perovskites (OIHPs) is crucial for their application in electronic devices, including solar cells, photodetectors, radiation detectors, and light-emitting diodes, as their efficiencies or sensitivities have already been demonstrated to be competitive with commercial available devices. Here we show that free charges in OIHPs, whether generated by incident light or by current-injection from electrodes, can reduce their stability, while efficient charge extraction effectively stabilizes the perovskite materials. The excess of both holes and electrons reduce the activation energy for ion migration within OIHPs, accelerating the degradation of OIHPs, while the excess holes …

Visible Light Crosslinkable Human Hair Keratin Hydrogels, Kan Yue, Yanhui Liu, Batzaya Byambaa, Vaishali Singh, Wanjun Liu, Xiuyu Li, Yunxia Sun, Yu Shrike Zhang, Ali Tamayol, Peihua Zhang, Kee Woei Ng, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Keratins extracted from human hair have emerged as a promising biomaterial for various biomedical applications, partly due to their wide availability, low cost, minimal immune response, and the potential to engineer autologous tissue constructs. However, the fabrication of keratin-based scaffolds typically relies on limited crosslinking mechanisms, such as via physical interactions or disulfide bond formation, which are time-consuming and result in relatively poor mechanical strength and stability. Here, we report the preparation of photocrosslinkable keratin-polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels via the thiol-norbornene “click” reaction, which can be formed within one minute upon irradiation of visible light. The resulting keratin-PEG hydrogels showed …

An Analysis Of Common Drill Stem Vibration Models, Mohammed F. Al Dushaishi, Runar Nygaard, Daniel S. Stutts

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Excessive drill stem (DS) vibration while rotary drilling of oil and gas wells causes damages to drill bits and bottom hole assemblies (BHAs). In an attempt to mitigate DS vibrations, theoretical modeling of DS dynamics is used to predict severe vibration conditions. To construct the model, decisions have to be made on which beam theory to be used, how to implement forces acting on the DS, and the geometry of the DS. The objective of this paper is to emphasize the effect of these assumptions on DS vibration behavior under different, yet realistic, drilling conditions. The nonlinear equations of motion …

Optimization Of Microfluidic Particle Separator Geometry Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Joseph Petersen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational fluid dynamics software was used to simulate the motion of circulating tumor cells in a variety of microfluidic cell isolation devices. Design of several novel microfluidic cell isolation devices was aided by viewing streamlines of fluid in devices in simulation. Devices that performed best in simulation used 5-micrometer wide guiding channels to guide cells to the capture location in the device. While these devices performed better than other devices in simulation and captured all particles regardless of position along inlet, experimental results differ from simulation.

Simulation Of Gas Dynamic Cold Spray Process, Sai Rajkumar Vadla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The utilization of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as a study tool in the aerodynamics and turbomachinery industry reinforces efficiency in the design of aircraft or for understanding the flow through pipes. CFD offer tools to model different geometries and perform a more extensive study of the flow phenomena. This gives the opportunity to model a variety of geometries and analyze their behavior under different operating conditions. A similar approach can be applied to coating technologies. Coating technologies play an essential role in the manufacturing industry. Their ability to form layers of specific materials onto engineering components to enhance mechanical and …

Methods, Systems, And Devices Relating To Force Control Surgical Systems, Shane M. Farritor, Thomas Frederick, Kearney Lackas, Joe Bartels, Jacob Greenburg

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The various embodiments herein relate to robotic surgical systems and devices that use force and/or torque sensors to measure forces applied at various components of the system or device. Certain implementations include robotic surgical devices having one or more force/torque sensors that detect or measure one or more forces applied at or on one or more arms. Other embodiments relate to systems having a robotic surgical device that has one or more sensors and an external controller that has one or more motors such that the sensors transmit information that is used at the controller to actuate the motors to …

Frequency Dependent Deformation Reversibility During Cyclic Loading, Shuai Shao, Michael M. Khonsari, Jian Wang, Nima Shamsaei, Nan Li

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

High-frequency testing (HFT) is useful for accelerated fatigue testing of conventional materials that typically serve under low-frequency loading conditions, as well as for the assessment of the robustness of microelectromechanical systems which typically experience high-frequency service conditions. Using discrete dislocation dynamics, we attempt to elucidate the effect of loading frequency on the reversibility of cyclic deformation. We demonstrate that the HFT induces a higher fraction of reversible cyclic deformation because of a larger portion of elastic/anelastic deformation due to limited dislocation mobility, and a higher degree of reversibility in plastic deformation owing to the less occurrence of cross-slip.

Investigation Of Toppling Ball Flight In American Football With A Mechanical Field-Goal Kicker, Chase M Pfeifer, Timothy J. Gay, Jeff A. Hawks, Shane Farritor, Judith M. Burnfield

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A mechanical field-goal kicking machine was used to investigate toppling ball flight in American football place-kicking, eliminating a number of uncontrollable impact variables present with a human kicker. Ball flight trajectories were recorded using a triangulation-based projectile tracking system to account for the football’s 3-dimensional position during flight as well as initial launch conditions. The football flights were described using kinematic equations relating to projectile motion including stagnant air drag and were compared to measured trajectories as well as projectile motion equations that exclude stagnant air drag. Measured football flight range deviations from the non-drag equations of projectile motion corresponded …

An Integrated Microstructural-Nanomechanical-Chemical Approach To Examine Material-Specific Characteristics Of Cementitious Interphase Regions, Mahdieh Khedmati, Yong-Rak Kim, Joesph A. Turner, Hani Alanazi, Charles Nguyen

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Effective properties and structural performance of cementitious mixtures are substantially governed by the quality of the interphase region because it acts as a bridge transferring forces between aggregates and a binding matrix and is generally susceptible to damage. As alternative binding agents like alkali-activated precursors have obtained substantial attention in recent years, there is a growing need for fundamental knowledge to uncover interphase formation mechanisms. In this paper, two different types of binding materials, i.e., fly ash-based geopolymer and ordinary portland cement, were mixed with limestone aggregate to examine and compare the microstructures and nanomechanical properties of interphase region. To …

Neuroprotective And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Rhus Coriaria Extract In A Mouse Model Of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, Saba Khalilpour, Ghazaleh Behnammanesh, Fouad Suede, Mohammed O. Ezzat, Jayadhisan Muniandy, Yasser Tabana, Mohamed B. K. Ahamed, Ali Tamayol, Amin Malik Shah Majid, Enrico Sangiovanni, Mario Dell'agli, Aman Shah Majid

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Modulating oxidative stresses and inflammation can potentially prevent or alleviate the pathological conditions of diseases associated with the nervous system, including ischemic optic neuropathy. In this study we evaluated the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective activities of Rhus coriaria (R. coriaria) extract in vivo. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for DPPH, ABTS and B-carotene were 6.79 ± 0.009 µg/mL, 10.94 ± 0.09 µg/mL, and 6.25 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively. Retinal ischemia was induced by optic nerve crush injury in albino Balb/c mice. The anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of R. coriaria (ERC) and linoleic acid (LA) on …

Molecular Doping Enabled Scalable Blading Of Efficient Hole-Transport-Layer-Free Perovskite Solar Cells, Wu-Qiang Wu, Qi Wang, Yanjun Fang, Yuchuan Shao, Shi Tang, Yehao Deng, Haidong Lu, Ye Liu, Tao Li, Zhibin Yang, Alexei Gruverman, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The efficiencies of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are now reaching such consistently high levels that scalable manufacturing at low cost is becoming critical. However, this remains challenging due to the expensive hole-transporting materials usually employed, and difficulties associated with the scalable deposition of other functional layers. By simplifying the device architecture, hole-transport-layer-free PSCs with improved photovoltaic performance are fabricated via a scalable doctor-blading process. Molecular doping of halide perovskite films improved the conductivity of the films and their electronic contact with the conductive substrate, resulting in a reduced series resistance. It facilitates the extraction of photoexcited holes from perovskite directly …