No abstract

This cover by Eric Schmid, David Salem and colleagues shows an SEM of a microvascular epoxy produced by sacrificial removal of PLA fibers. In this example, the microchannel volume fraction is 0.6, and the (18 μm diameter) channels are primarily oriented longitudinally, with fewer microchannels in the transverse direction. Tensile, flexure, and compression properties were characterized and modeled over a wide range of microchannel fractions and different microchannel orientations, demonstrating the ability to engineer the properties of these materials for structural thermal insulation applications, and for applications requiring liquid transport through the polymer for thermal management, self-healing and various biomimetic functions.

Process monitoring and control require dedicated and reliable measures which reflect the status of the process under investigation. Although nuclear magnetic resonanceis known to be a versatile analytical technique, it is only seldomly found in process monitoring. Single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance is one well known approach for being applied in process monitoring. The dedicated V-sensor is a recent approach that allows the inline investigation of materials in a pipe non-destructively and non-invasively. An open geometry of the radiofrequency unit is realized using a tailored coil, enabling the sensor to be applied for manifold mobile applications in in-line process monitoring. Stationary liquids were measured, and their properties were integrally quantified as the basis for successful process monitoring. The sensor, in its inline version, is presented along with its characteristics. An exemplary field of application is battery production in terms of anode slurries; thus, the first results on graphite slurries will demonstrate the added value of the sensor in process monitoring.

Polymer matrix composites are well suited for applications in space environments due to their excellent specific strengths and moduli, thermal properties, and tailorability. In efforts to further improve their performance, additives based on functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) have been successfully shown to increase long-term durability by improving Atomic Oxygen (AO) and UV radiation resistance, as well as enhance both the thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer-based structure. In the present work, an epoxy-functionalized POSS has been used as a low-percentage additive in the epoxy matrix structure of microchannel foams, resulting in improved mechanical properties and thermal stability without significantly increasing the resin viscosity, final bulk density, or thermal conductivity of the final foam structures. These nanocomposite POSS resins are also expected to display increased AO and UV longevity in space applications, allowing these multifunctional materials to not only achieve high-performance capabilities but also be economically suitable for devices used in space environments.

This study examines the general applicability of magnetic seeded filtration (MFS) for the fractionation of complex particulate systems by multiple particle features. Experimental studies on a laboratory scale showed that especially the electrostatic interactions govern the separation process. Furthermore, a clear size dependency could be shown, as the separation efficiency decreases with increasing size of target particles. Since MSF is both surface‐ and size‐dependent, it is generally applicable in a multidimensional fractionation. Finally, the challenges to be overcome are addressed as well.