This is a collection of peer-reviewed papers originally presented at the 19th Australasian Conference on the Mechanics of Structures and Materials by academics, researchers and practitioners largely from Australasia and the Asia-Pacific region. The topics under discussion include: composite structures and materials; computational mechanics; dynamic analysis of structures; earthquake engineering; fire engineering; geomechanics and foundation engineering; mechanics of materials; reinforced and prestressed concrete structures; shock and impact loading; steel structures; structural health monitoring and damage identification; structural mechanics; and timber engineering. It is a valuable reference for academics, researchers, and civil and mechanical engineers working in structural and material engineering and mechanics.
Aerospace Materials provides a grounding in state-of-the-art aerospace materials technology, including developments in aluminum, titanium, and nickel alloys, as well as polymers and polymer composites. Experts in each topic have contributed key overviews that summarize current knowledge and indicate future trends. The book begins by outlining the i
Protecting the natural environment and promoting sustainability have become important objectives, but achieving such goals presents myriad challenges for even the most committed environmentalist. American Environmentalism: Philosophy, History, and Public Policy examines whether competing interests can be reconciled while developing consistent, coherent, effective public policy to regulate uses and protection of the natural environment without destroying the national economy. It then reviews a range of possible solutions. The book delves into key normative concepts that undergird American perspectives on nature by providing an overview of philosophical concepts found in the western intellectual tradition, the presuppositions inherent in neoclassical economics, and anthropocentric (human-centered) and biocentric (earth-centered) positions on sustainability. It traces the evolution of attitudes about nature from the time of the Ancient Greeks through Europeans in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the American Founders, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and up to the present. Building on this foundation, the author examines the political landscape as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), industry leaders, and government officials struggle to balance industrial development with environmental concerns. Outrageous claims, silly misrepresentations, bogus arguments, absurd contentions, and overblown prophesies of impending calamities are bandied about by many parties on all sides of the debate—industry spokespeople, elected representatives, unelected regulators, concerned citizens, and environmental NGOs alike. In lieu of descending into this morass, the author circumvents the silliness to explore the crucial issues through a more focused, disciplined approach. Rather than engage in acrimonious debate over minutiae, as so often occurs in the context of "green" claims, he recasts the issue in a way that provides a cohesive look at all sides. This effort may be quixotic, but how else to cut the Gordian knot?
A state-of-art guide on the interdisciplinary aspects of design, chemistry, and physical properties of bio-inspired self-healing polymers Inspired by the natural self-healing properties that exist in living organisms—for example, the regenerative ability of humans to heal from cuts and broken bones—interest in self-healing materials is gaining more and more attention. Addressing the broad advances being made in this emerging science, Self-Healing Polymers and Polymer Composites incorporates fundamentals, theory, design, fabrication, characterization, and application of self-healing polymers and polymer composites to describe how to prepare self-healing polymeric materials, how to increase the speed of crack repair below room temperature, and how to broaden the spectrum of healing agent species. Some of the information readers will discover in this book include: Focus on engineering aspects and theoretical backgrounds of smart materials The systematic route for developing techniques and materials to advance the research and applications of self-healing polymers Integration of existing techniques and introduction of novel synthetic approaches and target-oriented materials design and fabrication Techniques for characterizing the healing process of polymers and applications of self-healing polymers and polymer composites Practical aspects of self-healing technology in various industrial fields, such as electronics, automotive, construction, chemical production, and engineering With this book, readers will have a comprehensive understanding of this emerging field, while new researchers will understand the framework necessary for innovating new self-healing solutions.
This book provides the reader with a clear overview of the considerable body of research and development work carried out in the last five years on microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOFs). It discusses new applications which will be opened up by this emerging technology and includes for the first time details about the fabrication process for these fibres. The book provides an excellent introduction to this new technology.
Electrospinning Unique resource highlighting new methods and emerging applications of electrospinning, such as manufacturing of nanofiber yarn, solar steam generation, thermoelectric generators, water-induced electric generators, actuators, and biomedical applications. Electrospinning introduces the basic principles and state-of-the-art methods of electrospinning in depth and continues on to highlight the most relevant and recent applications associated with the remarkable features of nanofibers. Written by two highly qualified authors with significant experience in the field, Electrospinning includes information on: History and development of the electrospinning theories and the state-of-the-art methods for fiber structure regulation, mass production of electrospun fibers, and manufacturing of electrospun fiber yarns Electrospinning nanofiber-based evaporators for interfacial solar-driven steam generation and preparation and application of electrospun nanofibers in heat insulation Research progress on sound absorption of electrospun fibrous materials and electrospun nanofiber-based triboelectric nanogenerator Preparation and application of thermoelectric materials and devices based on electrospun fibers and electrospun nanofiber-based water-induced electric-generation Providing a comprehensive overview of electrospinning, including the principle, methods, and latest applications, Electrospinning is an essential resource for materials scientists, polymer chemists, chemists in industry, electrochemists, catalytic chemists, and electronics engineers.
With the rapid advancements in polymer research, polymers are finding newer applications such as scaffolds for tissue engineering, wound healing, flexible displays, and energy devices. In the same spirit, this book covers the key features of recent advancements in polymeric materials and their specialty applications. Divided into two sections – Polymeric Biomaterials and Polymers from Sustainable Resources, and Polymers for Energy and Specialty Applications – this book covers biopolymers, polymer-based biomaterials, polymer-based nanohybrids, polymer nanocomposites, polymer-supported regenerative medicines, and advanced polymer device fabrication techniques. FEATURES Provides a comprehensive review of all different polymers for applications in tissue engineering, biomedical implants, energy storage or conversion, and so forth Discusses advanced strategies in development of scaffolds for tissue engineering Elaborates various advanced fabrication techniques for polymeric devices Explores the nuances in polymer-based batteries and energy harvesting Reviews advanced polymeric membranes for fuel cells and polymers for printed electronics applications Throws light on some new polymers and polymer nanocomposites for optoelectronics, next generation tires, smart sensors and stealth technology applications This book is aimed at academic researchers, industry personnel, and graduate students in the interdisciplinary fields of polymer and materials technology, composite engineering, biomedical engineering, applied chemistry, chemical engineering, and advanced polymer manufacturing.
This book presents the development of electrospun materials, fundamental principles of electrospinning process, controlling parameters, electrospinning strategies, and electrospun nanofibrous structures with specific properties for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, textile, water treatment, sensor, and energy fields. This book can broadly be divided into three parts: the first comprises basic principles of electrospinning process, general requirements of electrospun materials and advancement in electrospinning technology, the second part describes the applications of electrospun materials in different fields and future prospects, while the third part describes applications that can be used in advanced manufacturing based on conjoining electrospinning and 3D printing. Electrospinning is the most successful process for producing functional nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes with superior chemical and physical properties. The unique properties of electrospun materials including high surface to volume ratio, flexibility, high mechanical strength, high porosity, and adjustable nanofiber and pore size distribution make them potential candidates in a wide range of applications in biomedical and engineering areas. Electrospinning is becoming more efficient and more specialized in order to produce particular fiber types with tunable diameter and morphology, tunable characteristics, having specific patterns and 3D structures. With a strong focus on fundamental materials science and engineering, this book provides systematic and comprehensive coverage of the recent developments and novel perspectives of electrospun materials. This comprehensive book includes chapters that discuss the latest and emerging applications of nanofiber technology in various fields, specifically in areas such as wearable textile, biomedical applications, energy generation and storage, water treatment and environmental remediation, and sensors such as biomarkers in healthcare and biomedical engineering. Despite all these advancements, there are still challenges to be addressed and overcome for nanofiber technology to move towards maturation.
An optical fibre is a glass or plastic fibre designed to guide light along its length by confining as much light as possible in a propagating form. In fibre with large core diameter, the confinement is based on total internal reflection. In smaller diameter core fibres, (widely used for most communication links longer than 200 meters) the confinement relies on establishing a waveguide. Fibre optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with such optical fibres. Optical fibres are widely used in fibre-optic communication, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher data rates than other forms of wired and wireless communications. They are also used to form sensors, and in a variety of other applications. The term optical fibre covers a range of different designs including graded-index optical fibres, step-index optical fibres, birefringent polarisation-maintaining fibres and more recently photonic crystal fibres, with the design and the wavelength of the light propagating in the fibre dictating whether or not it will be multi-mode optical fibre or single-mode optical fibre. Because of the mechanical properties of the more common glass optical fibres, special methods of splicing fibres and of connecting them to other equipment are needed. Manufacture of optical fibres is based on partially melting a chemically doped pre-form and pulling the flowing material on a draw tower. Fibres are built into different kinds of cables depending on how they will be used. This new book presents the latest research in the field.
