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Wu H, Chen J, Jiang T, Wu W, Li M, Zhang S, Li Z, Ye H, Zhu M, Zhou J, Lu Y, Jiang H. Effect of Eccentricity Difference on the Mechanical Response of Microfluidics-Derived Hollow Silica Microspheres during Nanoindentation. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:109. [PMID: 38258228 PMCID: PMC10821515 DOI: 10.3390/mi15010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Hollow microspheres as the filler material of syntactic foams have been adopted in extensive practical applications, where the physical parameters and their homogeneity have been proven to be critical factors during the design process, especially for high-specification scenarios. Based on double-emulsion droplet templates, hollow microspheres derived from microfluidics-enabled soft manufacturing have been validated to possess well-controlled morphology and composition with a much narrower size distribution and fewer defects compared to traditional production methods. However, for more stringent requirements, the innate density difference between the core-shell solution of the double-emulsion droplet template shall result in the wall thickness heterogeneity of the hollow microsphere, which will lead to unfavorable mechanical performance deviations. To clarify the specific mechanical response of microfluidics-derived hollow silica microspheres with varying eccentricities, a hybrid method combining experimental nanoindentation and a finite element method (FEM) simulation was proposed. The difference in eccentricity can determine the specific mechanical response of hollow microspheres during nanoindentation, including crack initiation and the evolution process, detailed fracture modes, load-bearing capacity, and energy dissipation capability, which should shed light on the necessity of optimizing the concentricity of double-emulsion droplets to improve the wall thickness homogeneity of hollow microspheres for better mechanical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Juzheng Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Nano-Manufacturing Laboratory (NML), City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Tianyi Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Wenlong Wu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Ming Li
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Shanguo Zhang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Ziyong Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Nano-Manufacturing Laboratory (NML), City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Haitao Ye
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Nano-Manufacturing Laboratory (NML), City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Mengya Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Jingzhuo Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Nano-Manufacturing Laboratory (NML), City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Hongyuan Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
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Wu H, Ren Y, Jiang T, Wu W, Lu Y, Jiang H. Fabrication of syntactic foam fillers via integrated on/off-chip microfluidic methods for optimized geopolymer composites. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:836-847. [PMID: 35081191 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00901j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To meet the evolving requirements of material designability, sustainability, and eco-friendliness, the development of syntactic foams puts great emphasis on filler optimization and matrix selection. Here, we present a novel microfluidic expansion coupled with the thermal contraction method to improve the fabrication of syntactic foam fillers (SFFs), highlighted by the independently regulated parameters in contrast to the hydrodynamic regulation approach. The eccentricity of droplets can be reduced via osmotic swelling under a hypotonic circumstance and further preserved through real-time UV polymerization. The eccentricity of shrunken SFFs after heat treatment is found to inherit the regulated configurations of droplets and this homogeneity difference of shell thickness can result in the mechanical performance deviation. Then, we choose greener material, geopolymer, as the binder matrix and prepare geopolymer syntactic foams (GSFs) by mold casting. The inclusion of SFFs has increased the atomic volume ratio of Si : Al in the matrix, thereby forming a strong interfacial bonding. The compressive yield strength of GSFs is inversely proportional to the volume fraction of SFFs, and the specimens after thermal exposure can still maintain their shape integrity and exhibit similar mechanical performance even with the formation of cracks. Moreover, the fire-resistant performance of GSFs has been visually validated by the combustion comparison experiment, characterized as flame retardancy, smoke-free, and basically intact morphology, which should give insights into the design and fabrication of functional composites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China 999077
| | - Yukun Ren
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001
| | - Tianyi Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China 999077
| | - Wenlong Wu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
| | - Yang Lu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China 999077
- Nano-Manufacturing Laboratory (NML), City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, PR China 518057
| | - Hongyuan Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
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Wu H, Ren Y, Hou L, Jiang T, Jiang H. Fabrication of syntactic foam fillers via manipulation of on-chip quasi concentric nanoparticle-shelled droplet templates. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4600-4610. [PMID: 33135032 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00730g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Syntactic foams with fly ash cenospheres or commercial microballoons as fillers have been widely used in various applications ranging from aerospace to marine fields and the automotive industry. However, these two extensively adopted fillers possess multiple shortcomings, such as variations in the composition, material degeneration and distinct structural heterogeneity, which will inevitably hamper accurate prediction of the structure-property relationship and the corresponding design of the syntactic foams, reducing material utilization. Here, we present a microfluidic-based approach integrated with a subsequent heat treatment process to engineer syntactic foam fillers with a predefined composition, specified dimensional scope and reduced structural heterogeneity. These fillers are fully guaranteed by the synergy of the flexible and controllable generation of droplet templates with hydrodynamic regulation and rational selection of the nanoparticle dynamic response with respect to the heating temperature. In addition, two distinct surface morphologies have been observed with a temperature demarcation point of 1473 K, further endowing the fillers with multiplicity and optionality, simultaneously laying the foundation to regulate the properties of the syntactic foams through the diversity of the filler selection. Then, we fabricated a syntactic foam specimen by mold casting, and the integrity of the fillers inside was verified using an elaborate buoyancy comparison experiment, exhibiting its potential value in lightweight related applications. As the fillers derived from our approach show significant advantages over conventional ones, they will provide considerable benefits for the regulation and improvement of syntactic foam fillers in many practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
| | - Yukun Ren
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001. and State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001
| | - Likai Hou
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
| | - Tianyi Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
| | - Hongyuan Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
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