Sharif Digital Repository

Stent placement has been a main approach to treat gastrointestinal diseases during past decade. Nitinol superelastic stents have been considered as a solution to such difficulties as restenosis after implantation, low twisting ability, inadequate radial mechanical strength and inappropriate dynamic behaviors associated with the ducts. In this paper, effects of Af temperatures on mechanical performance of z-shaped Nitinol wire stent under crimping test for clinical applications are investigated by finite element simulation. Having 60% crimping and high radial resistive strength, favorable superelastic behaviors are attained at Af temperature of 22°C. The performance of the stent is seen to be... 

Stent implantation has been regarded as a major strategy to solve gastrointestinal diseases such as biliary obstruction during the last decade. The application of nitinol superelastic stents has been recently considered for minimising such problems as restenosis after stent implantation, the ability to low stent twist, unsuitable dynamic behaviour and inadequate strength radial of stent. In the present article, the effects of material properties on mechanical performance of Z shaped nitinol wire stent under crushing test for clinical applications are studied by finite element modelling. Nitinol stent shows better mechanical and clinical performance after applying 90% crushing, less chronic... 

Nitinol stents are used to minimize improper dynamic behavior, low twistability, and inadequate radial mechanical strength of femoral artery stents. In this study, finite element method is used to investigate the effect of crimping and Austenite finish temperature (A f) of Nitinol on mechanical performance of Z-shaped open-cell femoral stent under crimping conditions. Results show that low A f Nitinol has better mechanical and clinical performance due to small chronic outward force, large radial resistive force, and appropriate superelastic behavior  

The aim of the present study was to experimentally investigate the interaction between a low replacement ratio of different nano-particles (SiO2, Al2O3, clay, and CaCO3) and aminosilane in the matrices of cement paste and mortar. Results showed that the optimum content of aminosilane for improving the 28-day compressive strength of cement mortar was 0.75% (by weight of the total binder). The utilization of nano-SiO2 and nano-clay particles improved the strengths of the cement mortar containing hybrid systems of nano-particles/aminosilane at early (7 days) and middle curing ages (28 and 91 days). The 28-day compressive strength enhancement of cement mortar with hybrid systems of nano-SiO... 

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a highly-workable concrete that without any vibration or impact and under its own weight fills the formwork, and it also passes easily through small spaces between rebars. In this paper, the effect of steel fibers on rheological properties, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and flexural toughness of SCC specimens, using four different steel fiber volume fractions (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%), were investigated. Two mix designs with strengths of 40 MPa (medium strength) and 60 MPa (high strength) were considered. Rheological properties were determined through slump flow time and diameter, L-box, and V-funnel flow time tests.... 

Since in a highly filled polymer, a major problem arises from non-uniformity of properties due to the poor dispersion of filler, the application of coupling agents have been directed to overcome this problem and also to enhance the mechanical performance of the composites by improving the adhesion at the interface. In this study, a comparison between two major coupling approaches is conducted: 1) Using PPgMA as a kind of compatibilizer which changes the nature of the matrix, 2) Using titanate coupling agent which takes action at the interface and reacts with hydroxyl groups at the inorganic filler surface, resulting in the formation of monomolecular layer on the inorganic surface to increase... 

Both natural montmorilonite (CN) and organically modified montmorilonite (CB) improved significantly the mechanical performance of novolac phenolic resin (PF)/woven glass-fiber (GF) composites due to their nanodispersion and good interfacial interaction with the matrix. It was revealed that the incorporation of 2.5 wt% of the clays enhances the elastic modulus up to 38% for CN and 43% for CB. Aging of PF/GF composites at various aqueous solutions, i.e. water, brine and acidic environments, increased stiffness of the composite (∼100-250% increase in elastic modulus) due to possible secondary crosslinking caused by water molecules and hydroxyl groups of PF resin. However, aging led to the... 

Nitinol stents are used to minimize improper dynamic behavior, low twistability, and inadequate radial mechanical strength of femoral artery stents. In this study, finite element method is used to investigate the effect of crimping and Austenite finish temperature (A f) of Nitinol on mechanical performance of Z-shaped open-cell femoral stent under crimping conditions. Results show that low A f Nitinol has better mechanical and clinical performance due to small chronic outward force, large radial resistive force, and appropriate superelastic behavior  

The effects of design parameters and material properties obtained with the ageing treatment on the mechanical performance of a z-shaped esophageal-duct nitinol wire stent under the crushing tests for clinical applications are investigated with a finite-element simulation. With 90 % crushing, low chronic outward force, high radial resistive strength and favorable superelastic behavior are attained at the segment angle of 65° and the Af temperature of 24 °C. The performance of the stent is seen to drastically vary with a change of only 1° in the segment angle  

The relatively new applications of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in cement based materials call for investigations regarding their behaviors in relation to other constituents in the system. Colloidal silica nanoparticles (CS) are becoming increasingly important for the improvement of strength and durability of cement based materials. In this study, a poly (AA-co-AM) SAP was synthesized by free radical polymerization, and its behaviors in cement based composites incorporating CS were investigated. These included swelling behavior, setting time, mechanical performance in different curing conditions, and rheological properties of fresh pastes. The observation of an unusual reduction in... 

The Finite element method was used for evaluation of the effects of material properties on the mechanical performance of the new geometry designed for the Z-shaped open-cell femoral artery self-expanding stent, made of Nitinol wire, by application of crushing force. The behavior of the stents, having two sets of properties, was compared. The stents with higher Af temperature show better clinical behavior due to lower chronic outward force, higher radial resistive strength and more suitable superelastic behavior. Model calculations show that a large change of Af temperature could exert a substantial effect on the practical performance of the stent  

The application of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as an internal curing agent for cement based composites results in benefits such as reduced autogenous shrinkage and cracking. However, a reduction in compressive and flexural strength usually occurs due to the empty voids remained in the matrix after deswelling of SAP particles. Nanoparticles are good candidates for improving the mechanical performance of cementitious materials, due to their multiple mechanisms of action, not the least their high pozzolanic activity.In the present work, the capability of amorphous nano-SiO2 (NS) as the most widely used nanoparticle in cementitious materials, for retrieving mechanical properties of... 

The performance of cellular solids in biomedical applications relies strongly on a detailed understanding of the effects of pore topology on mechanical properties. This study aims at characterizing the failure mechanism of scaffolds based on nodal connectivity (number of struts that meet in joints) and geometry of the pores. Plastic models of scaffolds having the same relative density but different cubic and trigonal unit cells were designed and then fabricated via three dimensional (3-D) printing. Unit cells were repeated in different arrangements in 3-D space. An in-situ imaging technique was utilized to study the progressive deformation of the scaffold models. Different nodal... 

High-density, ultrasmall-pitch electronic applications require miniaturized solder bumps with improved thermomechanical performance. In addition, novel techniques which are able to precisely characterize these solder bumps are needed. One approach to meeting both of these requirements is to make use of recently developed nanocomposite solders with enhanced creep resistance, and to characterize these solders using a nanoindentation technique. In the present study, the creep behavior of ceria-reinforced nanocomposite solder foils fabricated by the accumulative roll-bonding process was characterized using a depth-sensing nanoindentation technique. It was found that the creep resistance of the... 

The network structure of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) in the presence of carbon black (CB) with two different structures and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. Swelling behaviour, tensile properties at various strain rates and cure kinetics were characterized. Experimental data were analysed using the Flory-Rehner model as well as the tube model theory. It is found that the network structure of CB-filled SBR follows a three-phase composite model including rigid particles, semi-rigid bound rubber and matrix rubber. This bound rubber is postulated to be critical for the mechanical and deformational properties, development of crosslinking density in matrix rubber and... 

Reinforcement of styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) was investigated using two different carbon blacks (CBs) with similar particle sizes, including highly structured CB and conventional CB, as well as multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) prepared by mechanical mixing. The attempts were made to examine reinforcing mechanism of these two different classes of carbon nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy and electrical conductivity measurement were used to investigate morphology. Tensile, cyclic tensile and stress relaxation analyses were performed. A modified Halpin-Tsai model based on the concept of an equivalent composite particle, consisting of rubber bound, occluded rubber and... 

Paraplegic users of mechanical walking orthoses, e.g. advanced reciprocating gait orthosis (ARGO), often face high energy expenditure and extreme upper body loading during locomotion. We studied the effect of kinematical pattern on the mechanical performance of paraplegic locomotion, in search for an improved gait pattern that leads to lower muscular efforts. A three-dimensional, four segment, six-degrees-of-freedom skeletal model of the advanced reciprocating gait orthosis-assisted paraplegic locomotion was developed based on the data acquired from an experimental study on a single subject. The effect of muscles was represented by ideal joint torque generators. A response surface analysis... 

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of pyrogenic nanosilica with different specific surfaces areas (200 and 380 m2/g) on mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced high-performance concrete (FRHPC) produced with two different types of fibers including steel and polypropylene fibers. Accordingly, different mechanical tests (compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths) as well as electrical resistivity were performed at 7, 28, and 91 curing days. In addition, the modulus of rupture and flexural toughness of FRHPC prisms were calculated based on the flexural testing results. Also, scanning electron microscopy test (SEM) was conducted to evaluate the... 

The properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) can be manipulated by the addition of nano-montmorillonite (NMMT) clays. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on incorporating small dosages of NMMT clays (.25, .50, .75 and 1.00% addition by mass of total cementitious material) into SCC. Tests were conducted on fresh and hardened specimens to measure workability (by slump flow, V-funnel and L-box), mechanical (by compressive and splitting tensile strengths), durability (electrical resistivity and water penetration) and microstructural (X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy) properties of control and NMMT-reinforced SCCs. The results showed that the... 

The reinforcing effect of high structure carbon black (HSCB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on natural rubber/styrene-butadiene rubber blend processed using mechanical mixing was comparatively investigated. In-depth analysis by dynamic mechanical analysis, the Eggers-Schummer model and Medalia's relationship showed that HSCB aggregates provided large internal pores leading to significant immobilized macromolecules in filled rubber. Additionally, a tubular immobilized rubber layer with a thickness of 8nm was estimated for the rubber/MWCNT system based on dynamic mechanical analysis data. The mechanical performance of the HSCB filled blend was higher than that of the MWCNT filled...