• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2024

Solid-state hydrogen storage is gaining prominence as a crucial subject in advancing the hydrogen-based economy and innovating energy storage technology. This storage method shows superior characteristics in terms of safety, storage, and operational efficiency compared to existing methods such as compression and liquefied hydrogen storage. In this study, we aim to evaluate the solid hydrogen storage performance on the nanotube surface by various structural design factors. This is accomplished through molecular dynamics simulations (MD) with the aim of uncovering the underlying ism. The simulation incorporates diverse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) - encompassing various diameters, multi-walled structures (MWNT), single-walled structures (SWNT), and boron-nitrogen nanotubes (BNNT). Analyzing the storage and effective release of hydrogen under different conditions via the radial density function (RDF) revealed that a reduction in radius and the implementation of a double-wall configuration contribute to heightened solid hydrogen storage. While the hydrogen storage capacity of boron-nitrogen nanotubes falls short of that of carbon nanotubes, they notably surpass carbon nanotubes in terms of effective hydrogen storage capacity.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.283-290
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• 2024

The aggressive scaling of dynamic random-access memory capacitors has increased the need to maintain high capacitance despite the limited physical thickness of electrodes and dielectrics. This makes it essential to use high-k dielectric materials. TiO₂ has a large dielectric constant, ranging from 30~75 in the anatase phase to 90~170 in rutile phase. However, it has significant leakage current due to low energy barriers for electron conduction, which is a critical drawback. Suppressing the leakage current while scaling to achieve an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) below 0.5 nm is necessary to control the influence of interlayers on capacitor performance. For this, Pt and Ru, with their high work function, can be used instead of a conventional TiN substrate to increase the Schottky barrier height. Additionally, forming rutile-TiO₂ on RuO₂ with excellent lattice compatibility by epitaxial growth can minimize leakage current. Furthermore, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) can be used to deposit a uniform thin film with high density and low defects at low temperatures, to reduce the impact of interfacial reactions on electrical properties at high temperatures. In this study, TiO₂ was deposited using PEALD, using substrates of Pt and Ru treated with rapid thermal annealing at 500 and 600 ℃, to compare structural, chemical, and electrical characteristics with reference to a TiN substrate. As a result, leakage current was suppressed to around 10^-6 A/cm² at 1 V, and an EOT at the 0.5 nm level was achieved.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.181-197
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• 2024

A numerical method is presented in this paper, for buckling analysis of thin arbitrary stiffened composite cylindrical shells under axial compression. The stiffeners can be placed inside and outside of the shell. The shell and stiffeners are operated as discrete elements, and their interactions are taking place through the compatibility conditions along their intersecting lines. The governing equations of motion are obtained based on Koiter's theory and solved by utilizing the principle of the minimum potential energy. Then, the buckling load coefficient and the critical buckling load are computed by solving characteristic equations. In this formulation, the elastic and geometric stiffness matrices of a single curved strip of the shell and stiffeners can be located anywhere within the shell element and in any direction are provided. Moreover, five stiffened composite shell specimens are made and tested under axial compression loading. The reliability of the presented method is validated by comparing its numerical results with those of commercial software, experiments, and other published numerical results. In addition, by using the ANSYS code, a 3-D finite element model that takes the exact geometric arrangement and the properties of the stiffeners and the shell into consideration is built. Finally, the effects of Poisson's ratio, shell length-to-radius ratio, shell thickness, cross-sectional area, angle, eccentricity, torsional stiffness, numbers and geometric configuration of stiffeners on the buckling of stiffened composite shells with various end conditions are computed. The results gained can be used as a meaningful benchmark for researchers to validate their analytical and numerical methods.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.623-638
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• 2024

This study investigates the thermal post-buckling behavior of concrete eccentric annular sector plates reinforced with graphene oxide powders (GOPs). Employing the minimum total potential energy principle, the plates' stability and response under thermal loads are analyzed. The Haber-Schaim foundation model is utilized to account for the support conditions, while the transform differential quadrature method (TDQM) is applied to solve the governing differential equations efficiently. The integration of GOPs significantly enhances the mechanical properties and stability of the plates, making them suitable for advanced engineering applications. Numerical results demonstrate the critical thermal loads and post-buckling paths, providing valuable insights into the design and optimization of such reinforced structures. This study presents a machine learning algorithm designed to predict complex engineering phenomena using datasets derived from presented mathematical modeling. By leveraging advanced data analytics and machine learning techniques, the algorithm effectively captures and learns intricate patterns from the mathematical models, providing accurate and efficient predictions. The methodology involves generating comprehensive datasets from mathematical simulations, which are then used to train the machine learning model. The trained model is capable of predicting various engineering outcomes, such as stress, strain, and thermal responses, with high precision. This approach significantly reduces the computational time and resources required for traditional simulations, enabling rapid and reliable analysis. This comprehensive approach offers a robust framework for predicting the thermal post-buckling behavior of reinforced concrete plates, contributing to the development of resilient and efficient structural components in civil engineering.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2024

Rotating beams play a crucial role in representing complex mechanical components that are prevalent in vital sectors like energy and transportation industries. These components are susceptible to the initiation and propagation of cracks, posing a substantial risk to their structural integrity. This study presents a two-stage methodology for detecting the location and estimating the size of an open-edge transverse crack in a rotating Euler-Bernoulli beam with a uniform cross-section. Understanding the dynamic behavior of beams is vital for the effective design and evaluation of their operational performance. In this regard, modal parameters such as natural frequencies and eigenmodes are frequently employed to detect and identify damages in mechanical components. In this instance, the Frobenius method has been employed to determine the first two natural frequencies and corresponding eigenmodes associated with flapwise bending vibration. These calculations have been performed by solving the governing differential equation that describes the motion of the beam. Various parameters have been considered, such as rotational speed, beam slenderness, hub radius, and crack size and location. The effect of the crack has been replaced by a rotational spring whose stiffness represents the increase in local flexibility as a result of the damage presence. In the initial phase of the proposed methodology, a damage index utilizing the slope of the beam's eigenmode has been employed to estimate the location of the crack. After detecting the presence of damage, the size of the crack is determined using a Genetic Algorithm optimization technique. The ultimate goal of the proposed methodology is to enable the development of more suitable and reliable maintenance plans.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 2024

Wave conditions are crucial for offshore wind farm design, particularly in determining structural loads and layout. However, there is limited wave hindcasting research for the Wangdeungdo Island area, a potential offshore wind site. This study used the MIKE21 model for a year-long wave hindcast around Wangdeungdo in 2021. Validation showed high reproducibility for significant wave heights with RMSE values of 0.177 and 0.225 and Pearson correlations of 0.971 and 0.970 at Sangwangdeungdo and Buan buoys. Subsequent analysis of the wave characteristics near Wangdeungdo indicated significant seasonal variations and differences in maximum significant wave heights across locations, which are expected to significantly impact the design loads for offshore wind structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2024

In order to enhance the seismic performance of base-isolated structures on soft foundations, the hybrid system of base-isolated system (BIS) and shape memory alloy inerter (SMAI), referred to as BIS+SMAI, is for the first time here proposed. Considering the nonlinear hysteretic relationships of both the isolation layer and SMA, and soil-structure interaction (SSI), the equivalent linearized state space equation is established of the structure-BIS+SMAI system. The displacement variance based on the H₂ norm is then formulated for the structure with BIS+SMAI. Employing the particle swarm optimization, the optimization design methodology of BIS+SMAI is presented in the frequency domain. The evolvement rules of BIS+SMAI in the effectiveness, robustness, SMA driving force, inertia force, stroke, and damping enhancement effect are revealed in the frequency domain through changing the inerter-mass ratio, structural height, aspect ratio, and relative stiffness ratio between the soil and structure. Meanwhile, the validation of BIS+SMAI is conducted using real earthquake records. Results demonstrate that BIS+SMAI can effectively reduce the isolation layer displacement. The inerter can significantly increase the hysteretic displacement of SMA and thus enhance its energy dissipation capacity, implying that BIS+SMAI has better effectiveness than BIS+SMA. Although BIS+SMAI and BIS+ tuned inerter damper (TID) have practically the same effectiveness, BIS+SMAI has the lower optimum damping, significantly smaller inertia force, and higher robustness to perturbations of the optimum parameters. Therefore, BIS+SMAI can be used as a more engineering realizable hybrid system for enhancing the performance of base-isolated structures in soft soil areas.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1660-1670
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• 2024

The aim of this study was to modify phytase YiAPPA via protein surficial residue mutation to obtain phytase mutants with improved thermostability and activity, enhancing its application potential in the food industry. First, homology modeling of YiAPPA was performed. By adopting the strategy of protein surficial residue mutation, the lysine (Lys) and glycine (Gly) residues on the protein surface were selected for site-directed mutagenesis to construct single-site mutants. Thermostability screening was performed to obtain mutants (K189R and K216R) with significantly elevated thermostability. The combined mutant K189R/K216R was constructed via beneficial mutation site stacking and characterized. Compared with those of YiAPPA, the half-life of K189R/K216R at 80℃ was extended from 14.81 min to 23.35 min, half-inactivation temperature (T₅₀³⁰) was increased from 55.12℃ to 62.44℃, and T_m value was increased from 48.36℃ to 53.18℃. Meanwhile, the specific activity of K189R/K216R at 37℃ and pH 4.5 increased from 3960.81 to 4469.13 U/mg. Molecular structure modeling analysis and molecular dynamics simulation showed that new hydrogen bonds were introduced into K189R/K216R, improving the stability of certain structural units of the phytase and its thermostability. The enhanced activity was primarily attributed to reduced enzyme-substrate binding energy and shorter nucleophilic attack distance between the catalytic residue His28 and the phytate substrate. Additionally, the K189R/K216R mutant increased the hydrolysis efficiency of phytate in food ingredients by 1.73-2.36 times. This study established an effective method for the molecular modification of phytase thermostability and activity, providing the food industry with an efficient phytase for hydrolyzing phytate in food ingredients.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.365-372
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• 2024

As the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) continues to increase, various separators are being developed to with the aim of improving the safety performance. Although poly(imide) (PI)-based separators are widely used, it is difficult to control their pore size and distribution, and this may further increase the risk associated. Herein, a melamine phosphonic acid (MP)-coated PI separator that can effectively control the pore structure of the substrate is suggested as a remedy. After the MP material is embedded into the PI separator with a simple one-step casting process, it effectively clogs the large pores of the PI separator, preventing the occurrence of internal short circuits during charging. It is anticipated that the MP material can also suppress rapid thermal runaway upon cycling due to its ability to reduce the internal temperature of the LIB cell caused by the desirable endothermic behavior around 300℃. According to experiments, the MP-coated PI separator not only decreases the thermal shrinkage rate better than commercial poly(ethylene) (PE) separators but also exhibits a desirable Gurley number (109.6 s/100 cc) and electrolyte uptake rate (240%), which is unique. The proposed separator is electrochemically stable in the range 0.0-5.0 V (vs. Li/Li⁺), which is the typical working potential of conventional electrode materials. In practice, the MP-coated PI separator exhibits stable cycling performance in a graphite-LiNi_0.83Co_0.10Mn_0.07O₂ full cell without an internal short circuit (retention: 90.3%).

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.145-156
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• 2024

Pendulum tuned mass damper with eddy current damping (EC-PTMD) is a promising TMD device for vibration control of structures. Previous study focused primarily on the plate-like configuration of EC-PTMD, which motion of inertial mass is approximately horizontal. However, uneven distribution of damping force, non-constant damping and low energy efficiency will be resulted. This study developed a newly assembled pendulum tuned mass damper with constant eddy current damping (AEC-PTMD) in the form of arc. The proposed AEC-PTMD consists of a rigid suspension with sufficient lateral stiffness to keep inertial mass motion in a plane, the conductor plate fixed on the baseplate, and arc-shaped back iron acted as inertial mass placed on two sides of conductor plate. Meanwhile, the arc-shaped permanent magnets (PMs) are embedded into both sides of back iron to overcome the normal attraction and enhance greater magnetic density. Based on the Biot-Savart Law, the analytical expressions of magnetic flux distribution for arc-shaped PM are derived and assessed. Meanwhile, the effect of ferromagnetic media on magnetic flux distribution of arc-shaped PM is analyzed, which utilized a parameterization formula for the distance from the surface of the PM to a point outside. Further, the 3D finite element model (FEM) of an AEC-PTMD unit is established to evaluate the accuracy of the analytical results. A prototype of the proposed AEC-PTMD unit has been fabricated and laboratory experiments are conducted for the purpose of validating analytical and FEM results. All of these results have a good agreement.