The creation of reversibly-actuating components that alter their shapes in a controllable manner in response to environmental stimuli is a grand challenge in active materials, structures, and robotics. Here we demonstrate a new reversible shape-changing component design concept enabled by 3D printing two stimuli responsive polymers—shape memory polymers and hydrogels—in prescribed 3D architectures. This approach uses the swelling of a hydrogel as the driving force for the shape change, and the temperature-dependent modulus of a shape memory polymer to regulate the time of such shape change. Controlling the temperature and aqueous environment allows switching between two stable configurations – the structures are relatively stiff and can carry load in each – without any mechanical loading and unloading. Specific shape changing scenarios, e.g., based on bending, or twisting in prescribed directions, are enabled via the controlled interplay between the active materials and the 3D printed architectures. The physical phenomena are complex and nonintuitive, and so to help understand the interplay of geometric, material, and environmental stimuli parameters we develop 3D nonlinear finite element models. Finally, we create several 2D and 3D shape changing components that demonstrate the role of key parameters and illustrate the broad application potential of the proposed approach.
Magnetically controlled acoustic metamaterials are designed and experimentally studied. Magnetoacoustic metamaterials are fabricated by covering an aluminum circular ring with magnetorheological elastomer. The resonant frequency of the structured elastomer is actively tunable by external gradient magnetic field, allowing for values of effective mass density of metamaterials to be adjusted in the low-frequency region. A prestressed plate theory is proposed to explain the shifting of the resonant frequency induced by the magnetic field and coincides very well with the experimental results. It is found that the tunability of magneto-acoustic metamaterials is attributed to the competition between the magnetic-field-induced prestress and the structural flexural rigidity. The proposed magneto-acoustic metamaterials realize the dynamic tuning of effective mass density with non-contact and fast-response gradient magnetic fields, providing a degree of freedom for full control of sound. V
a b s t r a c tCeramicemetal functionally graded materials (FGMs) have been extensively used in aerospace engineering where high strength and excellent heat insulation materials are desired. In this paper, the thermodynamic behavior of the Thermal Protection System (TPS) used bolted joints made up of porous ZrO 2 /(ZrO 2 þ Ni) FGMs is investigated by finite-element (FE) modeling. The bolted joint is subjected to reentry heating corresponding to the Access to Space Vehicle. Thermodynamic simulations are carried out to yield the transient response of the porous ZrO 2 /(ZrO 2 þ Ni) functionally graded bolted joint (FGBJ). The effects of the preload on the thermomechanical behavior and service reliability of the bolted joint are numerically analyzed in detail by ABAQUS codes. It is found that the preload relaxation of the bolted joint occurs at elevated temperature, and the preload has significant influence on service reliability of the bolted joint under transient thermomechanical circumstances. With the increase of the preload, stress concentration which occurs at the root of the first thread of the bolt increases rapidly and predominates in service reliability. Proper preload is thus defined to balance the service reliability and tightness of the bolted joint. Further studies show that the shape of the nut has a great effect on the stress concentration of the thread, the optimized nut is designed to reduce the stress concentration of the thread, and thus the reliability of the bolted joint is also improved.
Metal-ceramic functionally graded materials (FGMs) have been extensively used in aerospace engineering where high strength and excellent heat insulation materials are desired. In this paper, load distribution in threads of the Thermal Protection System used bolted joint made up of porous ZrO2/(ZrO2+Ni) FGMs is investigated by ABAQUS codes. The bolted joint is subjected to reentry heating corresponding to the Access to Space Vehicle. Effects of bolt-nut parameters including thread tooth profile, thread pitch, and modulus ratio of bolt to nut on load distribution in threads are analyzed in detail. It is found that uneven load distribution in threads occurs at elevated temperature, which mainly focuses on the first two threads closest to the nut bearing surface, with the first thread carrying 74% of the total load. Bolt-nut parameters have great effects on load distribution in threads, with trapezoidal thread, extra fine thread and greater modulus ratio of bolt to nut leading to more evenly distributed load. Further studies show that nut shape has significant effects on load distribution in threads, the optimized nut is designed to make the maximum load bearing ratio of the thread decrease to 30.21%, and thus the service reliability of the bolted joint is greatly improved.
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