We study the inverse boundary value problem for fractional diffusion in a multilayer composite medium. Given data in the right boundary of the second layer, the problem is to recover the temperature distribution in the first layer, which is inaccessible for measurement. The problem is ill-posed and we propose a Fourier spectral approach to achieve Hölder approximations. The convergence analysis is performed in both the $L^{2}$- and $L^{\infty }$-settings.

Novel composite materials with wide pores were synthesized by an in situ technique using kaolin, palygorskite and pseudoboehmite as raw materials. The characterization results indicated that the synthesis components and conditions influenced the micro-, meso- and macro-porosity of the composite materials. The composites contained 53.5% zeolite Y and had much larger specific surface areas and pore volumes as well as significant hydrothermal stability. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts were prepared based on the composite materials. The results indicated that the as-prepared catalysts possessed a unique pore structure which assisted in diffusion-controlled reactions. In addition, the attrition resistance, activity and hydrothermal stability of the catalyst studied were superior to those of a reference catalyst. The catalyst studied also exhibited excellent nickel and vanadium passivation performance, strong ‘bottoms upgrading’ selectivity and better gasoline and coke selectivity.

An exact analytical solution to the three-dimensional elasticity problem for a transversely-isotropic composite layer is constructed by making use of the direct integration method along with the Fourier double-integral transform. The original problem is reduced to a system of governing partial-differential equations for separate stress-tensor components. The governing equations are accompanied with corresponding local and integral boundary conditions, obtained on the basis of the original local boundary conditions imposing the normal and shearing forces on the limiting planes of the layer. The numerical analysis of the obtained solution is presented for certain transversely-isotropic composite materials.

Lithotripsy methods show relatively low efficiency in the fragmentation of sialoliths compared with the success rates achieved in the destruction of renal calculi. However, the information available on the mechanical behavior of sialoliths is limited and their apparently tougher response is not fully understood. This work evaluates the hardness and Young’s modulus of sialoliths at different scales and analyzes specific damage patterns induced in these calcified structures by ultrasonic vibrations, pneumoballistic impacts, shock waves, and laser ablation. A clear correlation between local mechanical properties and ultrastructure/chemistry has been established: sialoliths are composite materials consisting of hard and soft components of mineralized and organic nature, respectively. Ultrasonic and pneumoballistic reverberations damage preferentially highly mineralized regions, leaving relatively unaffected the surrounding organic matter. In contrast, shock waves leach the organic component and lead to erosion of the overall structure. Laser ablation destroys homogeneously the irradiated zones regardless of the mineralized/organic nature of the underlying ultrastructure; however, damage is less extensive than with mechanical methods. Overall, the present results show that composition and internal structure are key features behind sialoliths’ comminution behavior and that the organic matter contributes to reduce the therapeutic efficiency of lithotripsy methods.

Prior to integrated circuit (IC) packaging, die performance must be verified using probe cards to screen for defective products. With the decrease in IC line width, the dimensions of the pads used for performance verification and the spacing between adjacent pads have also decreased. However, when the pad pitch is reduced to less than 30 μm, commonly used probe cards will face manufacturing problems in miniaturization. To resolve probe card manufacturing problems caused by the miniaturization of IC components, the use of an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) in probe cards was proposed in this study. Theoretical calculations and experimental testing of this probe structure were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.

In theoretical calculations, composite material and buckling theory were utilized to evaluate the buckling behavior of the ACF. In experimental testing, photolithography and electroplating techniques were used to control the line width and spacing intervals of the micron-scale metal wires in the ACF. After the ACF was fabricated, the mechanical properties of the ACF during wafer testing were assessed. Theoretical analyses and experimental testing verified that ACFs can potentially be applied to the performance verification of IC products. In the ACF structure, multiple probes came into contact with each pad. Therefore, ACFs can potentially be applied to the performance verification of IC components with pad diameters of less than 20 μm. The results of this study directly benefit the miniaturization of ICs.

This paper proposes a three-phase constitutive model for estimating the elastic moduli and strength of granular composite. The three-phase granular composite material containing aggregate (inclusion), matrix, and aggregate/matrix interface were investigated in this study. It was observed that significant improvement in predictive capability for three-phase granular composite materials can be achieved by using the proposed method. By using micromechanics and adopting the double-inclusion concept initiated by Hori and Nemat-Nasser and the two-phase model introduced by Yang et al.; the predicted elastic moduli for three-phase granular composite materials were evaluated. Moreover, analytical formulas were obtained to predict the strengths of three-phase granular composite materials. The potential of the proposed framework was also explored by comparing the analytical predictions in this study with other analytical methods as well as experimental data of other studies.

This paper considers the effect of the damage caused by transverse stresses due to a low velocity impact loading on composite plates. The dynamic response of a plate is calculated using the modal superposition technique based on the classical plate theory of sandwich plates (stratified) taking into account transverse shear effects. An indentation law, based on the Hertz theory and verified experimentally, governs the behavior of the plate subsequent to impact. The numerical time integration scheme is used to calculate the contact force at any instant by combining the indentation and the dynamic response of the structure. The obtained results show a good correlation between the shock results and their prediction. This method is equally applied to the contact force as well as to the deformation of the plate. The simulation permits a parametric study of the structure dimensions and the material properties on the global behavior of the plate.

L’usinage robotisé, nouveau challenge de la robotique industrielle, nécessite à la fois rigidité et précision du moyen de production. C’est pourquoi cette pratique particulière du détourage des composites était réservée jusqu’alors aux machines-outils à commande numérique. Cet article propose de démontrer, qu’à partir d’une connaissance des phénomènes de coupe liés aux procédés et de la modélisation des caractéristiques comportementales du robot, il est possible d’optimiser l’exploitation des cellules robotisées. Cette première étude porte sur le cas spécifique du détourage des pièces composites. D’un côté, le robot a été modélisé et ses paramètres de raideur ont été identifiés. De l’autre côté, les conditions de coupe optimales permettant de respecter l’intégrité matière et d’assurer la productivité souhaitée ont été déterminées. Les efforts d’usinage ont alors été relevés. À partir de ces deux études parallèles, les déformations du robot, pour un placement donné de la pièce dans son espace de travail, ont pu être déterminées. Par la suite, ces déformations peuvent être limitées en plaçant judicieusement la tâche dans le volume de la cellule robotisée. Cette solution simple permet de réduire significativement les déformations observées, notamment dans le cas de procédés sollicitant fortement le robot, et ce sans modifier sa commande.

A numerical method combining finite element analysis and a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed to inversely determine the elastic constants from the vibration testing data. As verified from composite material specimens, the repeatability and accuracy of the proposed inverse determination method are confirmed, and it also proves that the concept of effective elastic constants is workable. Moreover, three different sets of assumptions to reduce the five independent elastic constants to four do not make clear difference on the obtained results by the proposed method. In addition, to obtain robust values of the five elastic constants for a transversely isotropic material, it is recommended to use the out-of-plane Poisson's ratio instead of the out-of-plane shear modulus as the fifth one.