The mode shapes and loss factors of a modular carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite impeller were determined experimentally and virtually at the component and the impeller level from the validation pyramid. The results are compared with those of investigations on steel reference models and structures. Good correlations were found between the results of the simulation and the experiment of the metallic structures. The similarities were much less marked for the CFRP parts. The damping behaviour of the CFRP impeller is significantly larger compared to steel, mainly due to the modular design.
The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of different disinfection protocols in a novel Enterococcus faecalis biofilm model based on a visualization method and to evaluate the potential alteration of dentinal surface. A total of 120 extracted human premolars were allocated to 6 groups with different irrigation protocols. The assessment of the effectiveness of each protocol and the alteration of dentinal surface were visualized by using SEM and fluorescence microscopy (DAPI). A dense E. faecalis biofilm with a penetration depth of 289 μm (medial part of the root canal) and 93 μm (apical part) validated that the biofilm model had been successfully implemented. A significant difference between the 3% NaOCl groups and all the other groups in both observed parts of the root canal (p < 0.05) was detected. However, the SEM analysis revealed that the dentinal surface in the 3% NaOCl groups was severely altered. The established biofilm model and the visualization method based on DAPI are appropriate for bacterial quantification and evaluation of the depth effect of different disinfection protocols in the root canal system. The combination of 3% NaOCl with 20% EDTA or MTAD with PUI allows the decontamination of deeper dentine zones within the root canal but simultaneously alters the dentinal surface.
Models of artificial root canals are used in several fields of endodontic investigations and pre-clinical endodontic training. They allow the physical testing of dental treatments, the operating of instruments used and the interaction between these instruments and the tissues. Currently, a large number of different artificial root canal models exist whose geometry is created either on the basis of selected natural root canal systems or to represent individual geometrical properties. Currently, only a few geometric properties such as the root canal curvature or the endodontic working width are taken into consideration when generating these models. To improve the representational capability of the artificial root canal models, the aim of the current study is therefore to generate an artificial root canal based on the statistical evaluation of selected natural root canals. Here, the approach introduced by Kucher for determining the geometry of a root canal model is used, which is based on the measurement and statistical evaluation of the root canal center line’s curvatures and their cross-sectional dimensions. Using the example of unbranched distal root canals of mandibular molars (n = 29), an artificial root canal model representing the mean length, curvature, torsion and cross-sectional dimensions of these teeth could be derived.
The removal of bacterial infections within the root canal system is still a challenge. Therefore, the cleansing effect of established and new irrigation-protocols (IP) containing silver diamine fluoride (SDF) 3.8% on the whole root canal system was analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 4′,6-diamidino-phenylindole-(DAPI)-staining. Extracted human premolars were instrumented up to F2 (ProTaper Gold) under NaCl 0.9% irrigation and incubated with Enterococcus faecalis for 42 days. Subsequently, different ultrasonically agitated IP were applied to the roots: control (no irrigation), 1. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, CHX 2%, 2. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, 3. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, SDF 3.8%, 4. SDF 3.8%, and 5. NaCl 0.9%. One half of the root was investigated fluorescent-microscopically with DAPI. The other half was grinded in a cryogenic mill and the bacterial DNA was quantified with qPCR. The qPCR results showed a statistically significant reduction of bacteria after the application of IP 1, 2, and 3 compared to the control group. While IP 4 lead to a bacterial reduction which was not significant, IP 5 showed no reduction. These data corresponded with DAPI staining. With qPCR a new molecular-biological method for the investigation of the complete root canal system was implemented. The novel IP 3 had an equally good cleansing effect as the already established IP.
In this work, a new method for selecting suitable materials is presented. This method has a high potential for a variety of engineering applications, such as the design of sound-absorbing and vibration-loaded structures, where a large number of different requirements have to be met. The method is based on the derivation of functional dependencies of selected material parameters. These dependencies can be used in parameter studies to consider parameter combinations that lie in the range of real existing and targeted material groups. This allows the parameter space to be reduced, the calculation to be accelerated, and suitable materials to be (pre-)selected for the respective application, which contributes to a more target-oriented design. The method is applied to the example of a plate resonator. For this purpose, a semi-analytical model is implemented to calculate the transmission loss as well as the reflected and dissipated sound power of plate silencers, taking into account the influence of flow velocity and fluid temperature on the performance of plate silencers.
Analysis of a Film Forming Process through Coupled Image Correlation and Infrared Thermography
(2022)
The aim of the present investigation was to determine the dependence of the material and process parameters of the bending process of thermoplastic films. In this context, parameter combinations leading to high resulting forming ratios were identified. To measure the relevant parameters within the hot bending process, a coupled evaluation of infrared thermography (IRT) and deformation measurement using digital image correlation (DIC) was performed. The coupled measurement enables the identification of the actual mechanically stressed bending area of the film as a result of the bending process. This allows for the specification of the local forming temperatures required for the desired forming ratios. Furthermore, the mechanical and thermal strain along the defined measuring sections and their deviation in individual tests as well as the effect of thermal strain on process control on a larger scale were determined. Based on the results, a process window was defined for the film materials investigated, which will serve as a starting point for future efforts to develop a continuous manufacturing process.
Structures made of the thermoplastic polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are widely used in dynamically-loaded applications due to their high-temperature resistance and high mechanical properties. To design these dynamic applications, in addition to the well-known stiffness and strength properties the vibration-damping properties at the given frequencies are required. Depending on the application, frequencies from a few hertz to the ultrasonic range are of interest here. To characterize the frequency-dependent behavior, an experimental approach was chosen and applied to a sample polymer PEEK. The test setup consists of a piezoelectrically driven base excitation of the polymeric specimen and the non-contact measurement of the velocity as well as the surface temperature. The beam’s bending vibrations were analyzed by means of the Timoshenko theory to determine the polymer’s storage modulus. The mechanical loss factor was calculated using the half-power bandwidth method. For PEEK and a considered frequency range of 1 kHz to 16 kHz, a storage modulus between 3.9 GPa and 4.2 GPa and a loss factor between 9 × 10−3 and 17 × 10−3 were determined. For the used experimental parameters, the resulting mechanical properties were not essentially influenced by the amplitude of excitation, the duration of excitation, or thermal degrad.ation due to self-heating, but rather slightly by the clamping force within the fixation area.
Dynamically loaded structures made of thermoplastic polymers have been extensively exploited in several demanding industries. Due to the viscoelastic and thermal properties of thermoplastic polymers, self-heating is generally inevitable, especially during dynamic deformations at high frequencies. Therefore, the thermoplastic polyether ether ketone (PEEK), with its high temperature resistance and high specific strength, is a particularly ideal candidate for dynamically loaded applications. Using scanning laser Doppler vibrometry and infrared thermography, an experimental study of the vibration characteristics and the vibration-induced heating of flat-sheet PEEK specimens was carried out. The specimens were base-excited by means of a piezoelectric actuator at high frequencies in the range between 1 and 16 kHz. As a result, a maximum temperature rise of approximately 6.4 K was detected for the highest investigated excitation. A high correlation between the spatial distribution of the velocity along the beam’s axial direction and the resulting temperature increase was measured. To summarize, the occurring self-heating of PEEK due to the dissipation of vibrational energy has to be critically considered for dynamically loaded structural applications, especially areas with high displacement amplitudes, such as antinodes, which yield the highest temperature increase.
The paper investigates the change of the structural dynamic behavior caused by embedding dry carbon fibers into beam-shaped specimens. It was assumed that a significant part of the vibration energy is dissipated due to friction between the dry fibers. To verify this, and to separate the effects of mass and stiffness changes, three different types of specimens – with and without dry fibers – were designed, manufactured and dynamically characterized through a bending resonance test. The results show a significant increase in damping due to the embedding of dry carbon fibers. Contrary to expectations, the natural frequency of this type of specimen increased along with the damping. However, the reason for this increase in damping and natural frequency remains unclear, as the decay curves, for example, do not exhibit a friction-typical characteristic.
