D.Ing. / This thesis studies the application of newer generation engineering materials, specifically carbon fibre reinforced polymers, as bone plates in cases of fractured bones. The application of bone plates subsequent to bone fracture is a very old orthopaedic technique that has always rendered some problems. The rigidity of the bone plate, and thus the plated system as a whole, is of advantage during the healing phase, but of disadvantage later. Bone remodels itself to most efficiently perform the load bearing required of it. In a plated system, the load is born primarily by the plate and therefore protects the underlying bone, leading to osteoporosis and eventual atrophy. All bone plates are made of a material that is totally foreign to the body, and in most cases these are removed after some healing of the bone had occurred. The majority of current research programmes with respect to bone plates are directed towards biodegradable bone plates that reduces in mechanical strength at approximately the same rate as bone gains in its ability to sustain loads. The principle of stimulating bone growth in cases of delayed union and non-union has been studied since the early 1960's. The studies revealed that bone healing can in fact be enhanced by the introduction of a very small electric current to the fracture site. Variations to the mechanisms and position of application of the current, alternating or direct, are well documented. Although the physiological healing process associated with electrical stimulus remains largely unknown, the principle is well established. The phenomenon of galvanic corrosion has been known since the tum of the century. Where two dissimilar materials are in the presence of a conducting media, the more "reactive" of the two materials will react as an anode or electron donor to the other material. An electric current thus will flow from the one material to the other. Having three existing and known phenomena, namely bone plating, bone healing stimulation and galvanic corrosion raises the question of whether these can be combined to yield a solution superior to any current plating mechanism - a plate that would render sufficient mechanical support but act as an electron source and thus as a bone healing stimulus. The purpose of this study is to assess the biological criteria determining the choice of bone plates (inclusive of mechanical, physiological and electrical criteria) and thereafter selecting a material suitable for this dynamic requirement.

Carbon fiber composites have garnered substantial attention in various industries due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and versatility in applications. The conventional methods of manufacturing carbon fiber structures involve labor-intensive and time-consuming processes, making them costly and limiting their design possibilities. To address these challenges, this thesis explores the potential of digitizable fabrication techniques in revolutionizing the production of carbon fiber structures. This research embarks on a comprehensive investigation of the principles and methodologies behind digital fabrication technologies, such as weaving and laser curing, and their applicability to carbon fiber composites. The study delves into the intricate interplay between material science and digital fabrication, aiming to develop innovative strategies for the seamless integration of carbon fiber into digitally-driven manufacturing processes. This thesis also presents a detailed exploration of the design freedom and customization opportunities enabled by possible digital fabrication techniques, allowing for the creation of complex, lightweight, and highly tailored carbon fiber structures. This research demonstrates how digital tools can facilitate the optimization of carbon fiber component geometry to meet specific performance requirements, ultimately improving the overall efficiency of structures. To validate the feasibility and advantages of digital fabrication for carbon fiber structures, the research includes experimental case studies and prototyping efforts. These case studies involve the development of functional prototypes, showcasing the potential of digital fabrication to produce high-performance components for applications in aerospace. In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the evolving field of carbon fiber composites by providing a systematic exploration of the opportunities, challenges, and innovations associated with digital fabrication techniques. The research underscores the transformative potential of marrying cutting-edge digital tools with the exceptional material properties of carbon fiber, ultimately advancing the state-of-the-art in manufacturing and design in various industries.

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The effect of anodization in NaOH, H₂SO₄, and amine salts on the surface chemistry of carbon fibers was examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surfaces of carbon fibers after anodization in NaOH and H₂SO₄ were examined by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). angular dependent XPS, ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy of the anodization bath, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and polar/dispersive surface energy analysis. Hercules AS-4, Dexter Hysol XAS, and Union Carbide T-300 fibers were examined by STEM, angular dependent XPS, and breaking strength measurement before and after commercial surface treatment. The fibers from the three companies were anodized to create similar surface chemistry on each fiber. XPS was used to compare the surface chemistry after anodization. Adhesion of carbon fibers to polysulfone, polycarbonate, and polyetherimide was studied using the fiber critical length test. Oxygen and nitrogen were added to the fiber surfaces by anodization in amine salts. Analysis of the plasmon peak in the carbon 1s signal indicated that H₂SO₄ anodization affected the morphological structure of the carbon fiber surface. UV absorption spectra of the anodization bath, SIMS, and angular dependent XPS indicate that NaOH anodization removes amorphous carbon from the fiber. The oxygen and nitrogen content on the fiber surfaces were affected by commercial surface treatment. The Union Carbide fiber had much lower oxygen content after laboratory anodization than the Hercules or Dexter Hysol fibers. The breaking strength of all three fibers was increased by anodization. Laboratory anodization resulted in better fiber/matrix adhesion than the commercial surface treatment for the Hercules and Dexter Hysol fibers. Fiber/matrix adhesion was better for the commercially treated Union Carbide fiber than for the laboratory treated fiber. The work of adhesion of carbon fibers to thermoplastic resins was calculated using the geometric mean relationship. A correlation was observed between the dispersive component of the work of adhesion and the interfacial adhesion. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

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A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering(Mechanical Engineering 30 January 2017 / An extensive variety of experimental techniques exist to determining residual stresses, but few of these techniques is suitable, however, for finding the residual stresses that exist in orthotropic or anisotropic layered materials, such as carbon-fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP). Among these techniques, particularly among the relaxation techniques, the incremental hole-drilling technique (IHD) has shown to be a suitable technique to be developed for this purpose. This technique was standardized for the case of linear elastic isotropic materials, such as the metallic alloys in general. However, its reliable application to anisotropic and layered materials, such as CFRP materials, needs to be better studied. In particular, accurate calculation methods to determine the residual stresses in these materials based on the measured in-depth strain relaxation curves need to be developed. In this work, existing calculation methods and already proposed theoretical approaches to determine residual stresses in composite laminates by the incremental hole-drilling technique are reviewed. The selected residual stress calculation method is implemented using MATLAB. For these calculations, specific calibration coefficients have to be numerically determined by the finite element method, using the ANSYS software. The developed MATLAB scripts are then validated using an experimental procedure previously developed. This experimental procedure was performed using CFRP specimens, with the stacking sequence [0o, 90o]5s and, therefore, this composite laminate was selected as case study in this work. Some discrepancies between the calculated stresses using the MATLAB scripts and those imposed during the experimental calibration procedure are observed. The errors found could be explained considering the limitations inherent to the incremental hole-drilling technique and the theoretical approach followed. However, the obtained results showed that the incremental hole-drilling can be considered a promising technique for residual stress measurement in composite laminates. / MT2017

Orientador: Leide Lili Gongalves da Silva Kostov / Coorientador: Edson Cocchieri Botelho / Coorientador: Mario Ueda / Banca: Rogério Pinto Mota / Banca: Michelle Leali Costa / Banca: Mirabel Cerqueira Rezende / Banca: Carina Barros Mello / Resumo: Este trabalho refere-se ao processamento de compósitos termoplásticos obtidos a partir de fibras de carbono tratadas por meio de técnicas assistidas por plasma. Os tratamentos empregados foram Descarga Elétrica com Barreira Dielétrica (DBD), que é realizada em pressão atmosférica, envolvendo menores energias e a Implantação Iônica por Imersão em Plasma (3IP), que é realizada em baixa pressão, envolvendo energias mais elevadas. Após o tratamento, foi realizada a caracterização das amostras tratadas e não tratadas para efeito de comparação e também para verificar qual tratamento foi mais eficaz na obtenção de melhores propriedades físico-químicas da fibra para a obtenção dos compósitos termoplásticos, os quais foram produzidos pelo método de moldagem por compressão a quente. Várias técnicas de caracterização foram empregadas, tais como: microscopia eletrônica de varredura, microscopia de força atômica, espectroscopia Raman, espectroscopia de fotoelétrons excitados por raios X, difração de raios-X, e alguns ensaios mecânicos do compósito, tais como: testes de cisalhamento interlaminar e análise dinâmico-mecânica. Após a análise dos resultados, verificou-se que os tratamentos DBD e 3IP são ferramentas eficazes para melhorar a adesão da interface fibra/matriz polimérica, devido ao aumento da rugosidade da fibra e da introdução de grupos polares em sua superfície. Adicionalmente, houve um aumento da resistência ao cisalhamento dos compósitos obtidos a partir de fibras tratadas por ambos os processos a plasma (DBD e 3IP) / Abstract: In this it has been carried out the processing of thermoplastic composites obtained from carbon fibers (CF) treated by plasma assisted techniques. The employed treatments were Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) that is performed in atmospheric pressure, involving low energy and Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII), which is held in low pressure regime, consisting of higher energies. After these treatments, both treated and untreated samples, were characterized. A comparison of the results was carried out to determine which treatment is most effective to achieve better physico-chemical properties on the fibers to obtain thermoplastic composites, which were produced by hot compression molding. Several characterization techniques were employed, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction, and some mechanical tests of the composites, such as interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). After analyzing the results, it was verified that the DBD and PIII treatments are effective tools for improving the adhesion of the carbon fiber/polymeric matrix interface, due to the CF roughness increasing and the introduction of polar groups on the carbon fiber surface. Additionally, it was noticed an increase of composites shear strength that were produced with treated carbon fibers (DBD and PIII) / Doutor

Thesis (Ph. D. in Chemistry)--Vanderbilt University, Dec. 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-174).