Effect of ultraviolet/ozone treatment on the surface and bulk properties of poly(dimethyl siloxane) and poly(vinylmethyl siloxane) networks

We present a comparative study aiming at comprehending the effect of ultraviolet/ozone treatment on the modification of poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) and poly(vinylmethyl siloxane) (PVMS) silicone elastomers networks (SENs). Both PDMS and PVMS SENs undergo dramatic changes in their properties when exposed to UVO. The surface chemical composition of both PDMS and PVMS at long UVO treatment times changes substantially and features a high density of hydrophilic groups. There are two major differences in behavior in the two classes of materials. First, relative to PDMS, the PVMS-based SENs get modified throughout the entire bulk. Second, the physico-chemical changes detected in PVMS take place on much shorter time scale relative to PDMS. These results are in accord with our earlier reports that indicated that when exposed to UVO, the topmost ≈5 nm of PDMS gets converted into a silica-like material, which then acts as a barrier for diffusion of atomic oxygen. In this case, the bulk of PDMS maintains its elasticity. In contrast, both the surface and bulk of PVMS films undergo substantial changes in properties when exposed to UVO. First, the surface modification of PVMS SENs takes place after only a few seconds of the UVO treatment. In addition, we register substantial modification of bulk properties, including the complete densification accompanied with increased bulk modulus. Likely, the susceptibility of the vinyl bonds to radical reactions is responsible for this effect.     

Finite element analysis of forces of plane cutting of cortical bone

Bone cutting is an essential part of orthopaedic surgery when bone is fractured or damaged by a disease and is used for pins insertion and plates fixation. A finite element model of bone cutting is developed and compared with experimental results. The model allows the interaction between the bone and cutting tool to be studied, hence enabling the evaluation and optimization of the cutting procedure. Results of finite element simulations are obtained for the cutting force as a function of cutting parameters. A strong dependence of cutting parameters on the cutting force was found and described in this paper.     

Contact tracking algorithms in case of the omni-directional wheel rolling on the horizontal surface

Multibody System Dynamics - An omni-wheel is defined as a wheel having rollers along its rim. Vehicles with omni-wheels are able to maneuver in any direction. For modeling the dynamics of...     

On mixing of the products of detonation of composite explosives in the chemical reaction region

The problem of mixing of the products of detonation of composite explosives is of principal importance for the synthesis of ultrafine diamond from composite mixtures and also for chemistry of detonation processes as a whole. An analysis of mixing in the chemical reaction region due to molecular diffusion shows that this mechanism may be important only for grain sizes of several micrometers. If the grain sizes reach tens or hundreds of micrometers, only partial mixing on the grain boundaries is possible. Investigations of the hydrodynamic mechanism of mixing shows that it may occur owing to a nonuniform velocity field behind the detonation wave front in the mixture and to the development of turbulence and cumulative processes during pore implosion. In mixtures with grain sizes of the order of 30 μm, these processes can lead to appreciable mixing during the time of ≈0.5 μs and longer. Theoretical estimates are compared with the results of experiments performed at the Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and at the Altai Scientific and Industrial Enterprise (Biisk) for studying the synthesis of ultrafine diamond with the use of the isotope method.     

Development and application of setup for ac magnetic field in neutron scattering experiments

We report on a new setup developed for neutron scattering experiments in periodically alternating magnetic fields at the sample position. The assembly consisting of rf generator, amplifier, wide band transformer, and resonance circuit. It allows to generate homogeneous ac magnetic fields over a volume of a few cm(3) and variable within a wide range of amplitudes and frequencies. The applicability of the device is exemplified by ac polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR): a new method established to probe remagnetization kinetics in soft ferromagnetic films. Test experiments with iron films demonstrate that the ac field within the accessible range of frequencies and amplitudes produces a dramatic effect on the PNR signal. This shows that the relevant ac field parameters generated by the device match well with the scales involved in the remagnetization processes. Other possible applications of the rf unit are briefly discussed.