The authors wish to express their gratitude to Sika SAU for their support and, particularly for their supply of the material for the anchors and for the reinforcements. Betazul is especially acknowledged for their help with the customized drill bit and with the preparation of the video.

1. Anchor Installation Method
NOTE: This method includes the hole drilling, cleaning, and smoothing of the hole edge, as well as impregnation and insertion of the anchor.
<ol>
	<li>Drill the hole to the required embedment length and with the specified diameter.
	<ol>
		<li>Use an appropriate drilling tool (that is to say, electrical hammer or diamond core). For concrete structures, the criteria for selection of drilling tools are the same as in adhesive anchors, and can be f...

<ol>
	<li>Grelle, S., Sneed, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+evaluation+of+anchorage+systems+for+fiber-reinforced+polymer+(FRP)+laminates+bonded+to+reinforced+concrete+elements.">An evaluation of anchorage systems for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates bonded to reinforced concrete elements.</a> Struct Cong. , 1157-1168 (2011).</li><li>Kalfat, R., Al-Mahaidi, R., Smith, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anchorage+devices+used+to+improve+the+performance+of+reinforced+concrete+beams+retrofitted+with+FRP+composites:+State-of-the-art+review.">Anchorage devices used to improve the performance of reinforced concrete beams retrofitted with FRP composites: State-of-the-art review.</a> J Compos Constr. , 14-33 (2013).</li><li>Orton, S. L., Jirsa, J. O., Bayrak, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Design+considerations+of+carbon+fibre+anchors.">Design considerations of carbon fibre anchors.</a> J Compos Constr. 12 (6), 608-616 (2008).</li><li>Ozbakkaloglu, T., Saatcioglu, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tensile+behavior+of+FRP+anchors+in+concrete.">Tensile behavior of FRP anchors in concrete.</a> J Compos Constr. 13 (2), 82-92 (2009).</li><li>Zhang, H. W., Smith, S. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Influence+of+FRP+anchor+fan+configuration+and+dowel+angle+on+anchoring+FRP+plates.">Influence of FRP anchor fan configuration and dowel angle on anchoring FRP plates.</a> Compos Part B: Eng. 43 (8), 3516-3527 (2012).</li><li>Koutas, L., Triantafillou, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Use+of+anchors+in+shear+strengthening+of+reinforced+concrete+T-beams+with+FRP.">Use of anchors in shear strengthening of reinforced concrete T-beams with FRP.</a> J Compos Constr. 17 (1), 101-107 (2012).</li><li>Villanueva-Llaurad&#243;, P., Fern&#225;ndez-G&#243;mez, J., Gonz&#225;lez-Ramos, F. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Influence+of+geometrical+and+installation+parameters+on+performance+of+CFRP+anchors.">Influence of geometrical and installation parameters on performance of CFRP anchors.</a> Compos Struct. 176, 105-116 (2017).</li><li>Machida, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recommendation+for+design+and+construction+of+concrete+structures+using+continuous+fiber+reinforcing+materials.">Recommendation for design and construction of concrete structures using continuous fiber reinforcing materials.</a> Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE). , (1997).</li><li>Lee, C., Ko, M., Lee, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bend+strength+of+complete+closed-type+carbon+fiber+reinforced+polymer+stirrups+with+rectangular+section.">Bend strength of complete closed-type carbon fiber reinforced polymer stirrups with rectangular section.</a> J Compos Constr. 18 (1), 04013022 (2013).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Qualification of post-installed adhesive anchors in concrete and commentary. , 4-11 (2011).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Metal anchors for use in concrete. Part 5: Bonded Anchors. , (2013).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally Bonded FRP Systems for Strengthening Concrete Structures. , (2008).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Design Guidance for Strengthening Concrete Structures Using Fibre Reinforced Composite Materials. , (2012).</li><li>Villanueva-Llaurad&#243;, P., Ibell, T., Fern&#225;ndez-G&#243;mez, J., Gonz&#225;lez-Ramos, F. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pull-out+and+shear-strength+models+for+FRP+spike+anchors.">Pull-out and shear-strength models for FRP spike anchors.</a> Compos B Eng. 116, 239-252 (2017).</li><li>Kim, S., Smith, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pullout+strength+models+for+FRP+anchors+in+uncracked+concrete.">Pullout strength models for FRP anchors in uncracked concrete.</a> J Compos Constr. 14 (4), 406-414 (2010).</li><li>Cook, R. A., Konz, R. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Factors+influencing+bond+strength+of+adhesive+anchors.">Factors influencing bond strength of adhesive anchors.</a> ACI Struct J. 98 (1), 76-86 (2001).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Standard test method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials. , (2014).</li><li>Chen, J., Teng, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anchorage+strength+models+for+FRP+and+steel+plates+bonded+to+concrete.">Anchorage strength models for FRP and steel plates bonded to concrete.</a> J Struct Eng. 127 (7), 784-791 (2001).</li><li>Lu, X. Z., Teng, J. G., Ye, L. P., Jiang, J. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bond-slip+models+for+FRP+and+steel+plates+bonded+to+concrete.">Bond-slip models for FRP and steel plates bonded to concrete.</a> Eng Struct. 27 (6), 920-927 (2005).</li><li>Brena, S. F., McGuirk, G. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Advances+on+the+behavior+characterization+of+FRPanchored+carbon+fiber-reinforced+polymer+(CFRP)+sheets+used+to+strengthen+concrete+elements.">Advances on the behavior characterization of FRPanchored carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets used to strengthen concrete elements.</a> Int J Concr Struct Mater. 7 (1), 3-16 (2013).</li><li>Eshwar, N., Nanni, A., Ibell, T. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Performance+of+two+anchor+systems+of+externally+bonded+fiber-reinforced+polymer+laminates.">Performance of two anchor systems of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer laminates.</a> ACI Mater J. 105 (1), 72-80 (2008).</li><li>Zhang, H. W., Smith, S. T., Kim, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Optimisation+of+carbon+and+glass+FRP+anchor+design.">Optimisation of carbon and glass FRP anchor design.</a> Constr Build Mater. 32, 1-12 (2012).</li><li>Zhang, H. W., Smith, S. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=FRP-to-concrete+joint+assemblages+anchored+with+multiple+FRP+anchors.">FRP-to-concrete joint assemblages anchored with multiple FRP anchors.</a> Compos Struct. 94 (2), 403-414 (2012).</li></ol>

A step-by-step protocol for installation and design of FRP spike anchors is presented. To the best of the authors&#39; knowledge, no detailed protocols on spike anchors have been developed regarding the effect of installation parameters and process on anchor capacity.
The proposed smoothing drill bit is beneficial in the performance of spike anchors, by means of reducing the stress concentration, and has proven its efficacy in reducing the scatter of the tests performed on isolated anchors. Th...

FRP anchors offer a promising way to enhance the performance of externally bonded FRPs applied to existing structures, given that they can delay or even prevent debonding failure1,2. However, a major concern for designers entails the premature failure of the anchors in shear due to stress concentration in the bending region. Installation quality and preparation of the clearance holes are crucial to limit this stress concentration that provokes such premature failure.
This paper deals with an installation method that aims to reduce the impact of the stress concentration and to provide a proper quality control of the preparation of the drill hole and the installation of the anchors. The method involves four parts: drilling and cleaning the holes, smoothing the hole edges with a customized drill bit to avoid irregularities in the stress-distribution within the bending region, installation of the anchor itself, including the impregnation of the anchor dowel and its insertion, and adhesion of the anchor to the reinforcement.
From previously published research3,4,5,6,7, it can be concluded that spike anchors with a bending region (that is to say, with a certain angle between the free end and the embedded region), suffer stress concentration that is prone to provoke premature failure. This cannot always be avoided due to the geometry of the original members. In many cases, 90&#176; dowel angles are broadly employed, although it is generally agreed that 135&#176; dowel angles allow a reduction in stress concentration and lead to better performance of spike anchors. The main reasons for the use of 90&#176; dowel angles are that they are simpler to execute and control in any direction and that they reduce the possibility to meet internal reinforcements.
Figure 1 shows a typical spike anchor with the most common dowel angles. Spike anchors installed with 90&#176; dowel angles can, nevertheless, display a relatively good performance if proper control of the stress concentration is provided. Limiting stress concentration generally involves designing the anchors with a large inner bending radius, as the inner bending radius has been found to play a major role in fiber kinking8,9. In this sense, authors such as Orton et al.3 suggest that a bending radius of four times the anchor diameter should be used. This recommendation results in impractical bending radii, even for small anchor diameters, as increasing the bending radius involves diminishing the actual embedment length for a given hole depth.
The authors believe that the recommendation of large bending radius is related to the difficulty of controlling the real inner bending radius, from a geometrical point of view, when smoothing is done by hand. A customized drill bit has been consequently designed that allows an easy quality control of the installation and ensures that the bending radius is considered in the design.
Two different processes are considered in the paper. The first one is related to the installation procedure for the connectors (anchors, especially before fanning out the free end), whereas the second includes the proposed method for design with spike anchors and the verification needs.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:957px;" width="957">
	<colgroup>
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Concrete</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">The concrete for support has a dosage made by the authors, and a strength class no lower than C40</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:216px;">SikaWrap anchor C</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">SIKA</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">This material has been used for the FRP spike anchors. SikaWrap Anchor C is a unidirectional, carbon fiber rope, sheathed in an elastic gauze. The gauze can be cut onsite to create a fan end that anchors CFRP fabrics and plates used in the structural strengthening of masonry and concrete.&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:216px;">Sikadur 330</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">SIKA</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Impregnating resin, apt for manual saturation methods. The product was used for impregnating the anchor dowel before insertion</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Sikadur 30</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">SIKA</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Thixotropic, two part epoxy resin applied by spatula and therefore suitable for virtually any application, including overhead</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Drill bit</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Betazul</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Drill bit employed to smooth the holes that was designed by the authors and developed by Betazul SA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Hammer drill</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Hilti</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Tool for the execution of anchor holes on masonry and concrete, for different drilling ranges</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Wire brush</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Hilti</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Hit series</td>
			<td style="width:527px;">For the proper brushing of drilled holes of varying diameters and embedment depths</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Blow-out pump</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Hilti</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Hit series</td>
			<td>Manual blow-out pump&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">SikaWrap-230 C</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">SIKA</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Unidirectional woven carbon fiber fabric for dry application process</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:216px;">Aluminium Bubble Roller</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Fibre glast</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">For laminations where increased pressure is necessary to release air bubbles. They are straight across the width of the head and provide excellent air relief for nearly all applications.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Brush</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>For impregnation of FRP bundle and sheet</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">600 kN testing machine</td>
			<td style="width:96px;">Proeti</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">DI-CP/S</td>
			<td style="width:527px;">This is used for the shear test of anchors, in order to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed insertion method</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:216px;">Cable ties</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">Cable ties are needed to fasten the end of the anchor dowel in order to prevent fanning out of the fibers during insertion</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Measuring tape</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">The measuring tape is necessary to control the embedment length as well as the diameter of the drill bit and hole clearance</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Steel wire</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Required to assist insertion</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Rigid (steel) bar</td>
			<td style="width:96px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:527px;">A rigid bar of any material (in this case, it was made with a steel bar) is needed to control the embedment length</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

installation method to enhance quality control for fiber reinforced polymer spike anchors

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) anchors are a promising way to enhance the performance of externally-bonded FRPs applied to existing structures, as they can delay or even prevent debonding failure. However, a major concern faced by designers is the premature failure of the anchors due to stress concentration. Poor installation quality and preparation of the clearance holes can result in stress concentration that provokes this premature failure. This paper deals with an installation method that aims to reduce the impact of the stress concentration and to provide a proper quality control of the preparation of the drill hole. The method involves three parts: the drilling and cleaning of the holes, the smoothing of the hole edges with a customized drill bit, and the installation of the anchor itself, including the impregnation of the anchor dowel and its insertion. Anchor fans (the free length of the spikes) are then bonded to the external FRP reinforcement. For the end anchorage, and in the case of reinforcements with multiple plies, it is recommended that the anchor fan be inserted between two plies to assist the stress-transfer mechanism. 
The proposed procedure is complemented with a design approach for spike anchors, based on an extensive database. It is proposed that the design follow a number of steps, namely: selection of the anchor diameter and subsequent tensile strength of the connector (that is to say, the anchor before fanning out the free end), evaluation of the reduction in the tensile strength due to bending, provision of enough embedment to prevent slippage failure, and consideration of the number and spacing of anchors for a given reinforcement. In this sense, it should be noted that further research is needed in order to obtain a general expression for the contribution of spike anchors to overall bond strength of FRP reinforcements.

Tests were conducted on isolated connectors to evaluate the effectiveness of the smoothing method. In addition, two methods of impregnation and insertion of the connectors were compared. The wet method involved impregnating the anchors immediately before insertion, as in the presented protocol. The hardened (or pre-impregnated) method consisted of impregnation of the embedded region of anchors in advance, at least 24 h before insertion.
<p class="jove_content" fo:keep-together.within-...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Installation Method to Enhance Quality Control for Fiber Reinforced Polymer Spike Anchors at JoVE.com

Installation Method to Enhance Quality Control for Fiber Reinforced Polymer Spike Anchors

This manuscript presents a method for controlling the quality of installation for spike anchors designed to delay delamination of externally bonded fiber reinforced polymers. The protocol includes the preparation of the drill hole and the insertion process. The most influential parameters on the efficiency of the anchors are discussed.

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) anchors are a promising way to enhance the performance of externally-bonded FRPs applied to existing structures, as they ...

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7.0K ビュー.  Technical University of Madrid. 本稿では外部結合繊維強化プラスチックの層間剥離を遅らせるためスパイク アンカーのインストールの品質を制御する手法を提案します。プロトコルには、ドリル穴の挿入処理の準備が含まれています。アンカーの効率に最も影響力のあるパラメーターを説明します。

ビデオ: Installation Method to Enhance Quality Control for Fiber Reinforced Polymer Spike Anchors

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Metamaterials are man-made composite materials, fabricated by assembling components much smaller than the wavelength at which they operate 1. They owe their electromagnetic properties to the structure of their constituents, instead of the atoms that compose them. For example, sub-wavelength metal wires can be arranged to possess an effective electric permittivity that is either positive or negative at a given frequency, in contrast to the metals themselves 2. This unprecedented control over the behaviour of light can potentially lead to a number of novel devices, such as invisibility cloaks 3, negative refractive index materials 4, and lenses that resolve objects below the diffraction limit 5. However, metamaterials operating at optical, mid-infrared and terahertz frequencies are conventionally made using nano- and micro-fabrication techniques that are expensive and produce samples that are at most a few centimetres in size 6-7. Here we present a fabrication method to produce hundreds of meters of metal wire metamaterials in fiber form, which exhibit a terahertz plasmonic response 8. We combine the stack-and-draw technique used to produce microstructured polymer optical fiber 9 with the Taylor-wire process 10, using indium wires inside polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) tubes. PMMA is chosen because it is an easy to handle, drawable dielectric with suitable optical properties in the terahertz region; indium because it has a melting temperature of 156.6 &deg;C which is appropriate for codrawing with PMMA. We include an indium wire of 1 mm diameter and 99.99% purity in a PMMA tube with 1 mm inner diameter (ID) and 12 mm outside diameter (OD) which is sealed at one end. The tube is evacuated and drawn down to an outer diameter of 1.2 mm. The resulting fiber is then cut into smaller pieces, and stacked into a larger PMMA tube. This stack is sealed at one end and fed into a furnace while being rapidly drawn, reducing the diameter of the structure by a factor of 10, and increasing the length by a factor of 100. Such fibers possess features on the micro- and nano- scale, are inherently flexible, mass-producible, and can be woven to exhibit electromagnetic properties that are not found in nature. They represent a promising platform for a number of novel devices from terahertz to optical frequencies, such as invisible fibers, woven negative refractive index cloths, and super-resolving lenses.

Metamaterials at terahertz frequencies offer unique opportunities, but are challenging to fabricate in bulk. We adapt the fabrication procedure for microstructured polymer optical fibers to inexpensively fabricate metamaterials potentially on an industrial scale. We produce polymethylmethacrylate fibers containing ~10 &mu;m diameter indium wires separated by ~100 &mu;m, which exhibit a terahertz plasmonic response.

Metamaterials are man-made composite materials, fabricated by assembling components much smaller than the wavelength at which they operate 1. They owe ...

Integrating a Triplet-triplet Annihilation Up-conversion System to Enhance Dye-sensitized Solar Cell Response to Sub-bandgap Light

The poor response of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) to red and infrared light is a significant impediment to the realization of higher photocurrents and hence higher efficiencies. Photon up-conversion by way of triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) is an attractive technique for using these otherwise wasted low energy photons to produce photocurrent, while not interfering with the photoanodic performance in a deleterious manner. Further to this, TTA-UC has a number of features, distinct from other reported photon up-conversion technologies, which renders it particularly suitable for coupling with DSC technology. In this work, a proven high performance TTA-UC system, comprising a palladium porphyrin sensitizer and rubrene emitter, is combined with a high performance DSC (utilizing the organic dye D149) in an integrated device. The device shows an enhanced response to sub-bandgap light over the absorption range of the TTA-UC sub-unit resulting in the highest figure of merit for up-conversion assisted DSC performance to date.

An integrated device, incorporating a dye-sensitized solar cell and triplet-triplet annihilation up-conversion unit was produced, affording enhanced light harvesting, from a wider section of the solar spectrum. Under modest irradiation levels a significantly enhanced response to low energy photons was demonstrated, yielding a record figure of merit for dye-sensitized solar cells.

The poor response of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) to red and infrared light is a significant impediment to the realization of higher photocurrents ...

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes

Solvated polymer brushes are well known to lubricate high-pressure contacts, because they can sustain a positive normal load while maintaining low friction at the interface. Nevertheless, these systems can be sensitive to wear due to interdigitation of the opposing brushes. In a recent publication, we have shown via molecular dynamics simulations and atomic force microscopy experiments, that using an immiscible polymer brush system terminating the substrate and the slider surfaces, respectively, can eliminate such interdigitation. As a consequence, wear in the contacts is reduced. Moreover, the friction force is two orders of magnitude lower compared to traditional miscible polymer brush systems. This newly proposed system therefore holds great potential for application in industry. Here, the methodology to construct an immiscible polymer brush system of two different brushes each solvated by their own preferred solvent is presented. The procedure how to graft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) from a flat surface and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) from an atomic force microscopy (AFM) colloidal probe is described. PNIPAM is solvated in water and PMMA in acetophenone. Via friction force AFM measurements, it is shown that the friction for this system is indeed reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to the miscible system of PMMA on PMMA solvated in acetophenone.

The methodology to perform friction force microscopy experiments for contacting brushes is presented: Two polymer brushes that are grafted from (a) substrates and (b) colloidal probes are slid to show that, by using two contacting immiscible brush systems, friction in sliding contacts is reduced compared to miscible brush systems.

Solvated polymer brushes are well known to lubricate high-pressure contacts, because they can sustain a positive normal load while maintaining low ...

A Testing Platform for Durability Studies of Polymers and Fiber-reinforced Polymer Composites under Concurrent Hygrothermo-mechanical Stimuli

The durability of polymers and fiber-reinforced polymer composites under service condition is a critical aspect to be addressed for their robust designs and condition-based maintenance. These materials are adopted in a wide range of engineering applications, from aircraft and ship structures, to bridges, wind turbine blades, biomaterials and biomedical implants. Polymers are viscoelastic materials, and their response may be highly nonlinear and thus make it challenging to predict and monitor their in-service performance. The laboratory-scale testing platform presented herein assists the investigation of the influence of concurrent mechanical loadings and environmental conditions on these materials. The platform was designed to be low-cost and user-friendly. Its chemically resistant materials make the platform adaptable to studies of chemical degradation due to in-service exposure to fluids. An example of experiment was conducted at RT on closed-cell polyurethane foam samples loaded with a weight corresponding to ~50% of their ultimate static and dry load. Results show that the testing apparatus is appropriate for these studies. Results also highlight the larger vulnerability of the polymer under concurrent loading, based on the higher mid-point displacements and lower residual failure loads. Recommendations are made for additional improvements to the testing apparatus.

The durability of polymers and fiber-reinforced polymer composites in service is a critical aspect for their designs and condition-based maintenance. We present a novel low-cost laboratory testing platform for the investigation of the influence of concurrent mechanical and environmental loadings, and may help design more efficient yet safer composite structures.

The durability of polymers and fiber-reinforced polymer composites under service condition is a critical aspect to be addressed for their robust designs ...

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic&#8211;Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

The photoactive layer of a typical organic thin-film bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell commonly uses fullerene derivatives as the electron-accepting material. However, fullerene derivatives are air-sensitive; therefore, air-stable material is needed as an alternative. In the present study, we propose and describe the properties of Ti-alkoxide as an alternative electron-accepting material to fullerene derivatives to create highly air-stable BHJ solar cells. It is well-known that controlling the morphology in the photoactive layer, which is constructed with fullerene derivatives as the electron acceptor, is important for obtaining a high overall efficiency through the solvent method. The conventional solvent method is useful for high-solubility materials, such as fullerene derivatives. However, for Ti-alkoxides, the conventional solvent method is insufficient, because they only dissolve in specific solvents. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to morphology control that uses the molecular bulkiness of Ti-alkoxides without the conventional solvent method. That is, this method is one approach to obtain highly efficient, air-stable, organic-inorganic bulk-heterojunction solar cells.

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic&amp;#8211;Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

A method for fully printable, fullerene-free, highly air-stable, bulk-heterojunction solar cells based on Ti alkoxides as the electron acceptor and the electron-donating polymer fabrication is described here. Moreover, a method for controlling the morphology of the photoactive layer through the molecular bulkiness of the Ti-alkoxide units is reported.

The photoactive layer of a typical organic thin-film bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell commonly uses fullerene derivatives as the electron-accepting ...

Fabrication of Polymer Microspheres for Optical Resonator and Laser Applications

This paper describes three methods of preparing fluorescent microspheres comprising &#960;-conjugated or non-conjugated polymers: vapor diffusion, interface precipitation, and mini-emulsion. In all methods, well-defined, micrometer-sized spheres are obtained from a self-assembling process in solution. The vapor diffusion method can result in spheres with the highest sphericity and surface smoothness, yet the types of the polymers able to form these spheres are limited. On the other hand, in the mini-emulsion method, microspheres can be made from various types of polymers, even from highly crystalline polymers with coplanar, &#960;-conjugated backbones. The photoluminescent (PL) properties from single isolated microspheres are unusual: the PL is confined inside the spheres, propagates at the circumference of the spheres via the total internal reflection at the polymer/air interface, and self-interferes to show sharp and periodic resonant PL lines. These resonating modes are so-called "whispering gallery modes" (WGMs). This work demonstrates how to measure WGM PL from single isolated spheres using the micro-photoluminescence (&#181;-PL) technique. In this technique, a focused laser beam irradiates a single microsphere, and the luminescence is detected by a spectrometer. A micromanipulation technique is then used to connect the microspheres one by one and to demonstrate the intersphere PL propagation and color conversion from coupled microspheres upon excitation at the perimeter of one sphere and detection of PL from the other microsphere. These techniques, &#181;-PL and micromanipulation, are useful for experiments on micro-optic application using polymer materials.

Protocols for the synthesis of microspheres from polymers, the manipulation of microspheres, and micro-photoluminescence measurements are presented.

This paper describes three methods of preparing fluorescent microspheres comprising &#960;-conjugated or non-conjugated polymers: vapor diffusion, ...

Experimental Protocol to Determine the Chloride Threshold Value for Corrosion in Samples Taken from Reinforced Concrete Structures

The aging of reinforced concrete infrastructure in developed countries imposes an urgent need for methods to reliably assess the condition of these structures. Corrosion of the embedded reinforcing steel is the most frequent cause for degradation. While it is well known that the ability of a structure to withstand corrosion depends strongly on factors such as the materials used or the age, it is common practice to rely on threshold values stipulated in standards or textbooks. These threshold values for corrosion initiation (Ccrit) are independent of the actual properties of a certain structure, which clearly limits the accuracy of condition assessments and service life predictions. The practice of using tabulated values can be traced to the lack of reliable methods to determine Ccrit on-site and in the laboratory.
Here, an experimental protocol to determine Ccrit for individual engineering structures or structural members is presented. A number of reinforced concrete samples are taken from structures and laboratory corrosion testing is performed. The main advantage of this method is that it ensures real conditions concerning parameters that are well known to greatly influence Ccrit, such as the steel-concrete interface, which cannot be representatively mimicked in laboratory-produced samples. At the same time, the accelerated corrosion test in the laboratory permits the reliable determination of Ccrit prior to corrosion initiation on the tested structure; this is a major advantage over all common condition assessment methods that only permit estimating the conditions for corrosion after initiation, i.e., when the structure is already damaged.
The protocol yields the statistical distribution of Ccrit for the tested structure. This serves as a basis for probabilistic prediction models for the remaining time to corrosion, which is needed for maintenance planning. This method can potentially be used in material testing of civil infrastructures, similar to established methods used for mechanical testing.

We propose a method to measure a parameter that is highly relevant for corrosion assessments or predictions of reinforced concrete structures, with the main advantage of permitting testing of samples from engineering structures. This ensures real conditions at the steel-concrete interface, which are crucial to avoid artifacts of laboratory-made samples.

The aging of reinforced concrete infrastructure in developed countries imposes an urgent need for methods to reliably assess the condition of these ...

Preparation of Aligned Steel Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite and Its Flexural Behavior

The aim of this work is to present an approach, inspired by the way in which a compass needle maintains a consistent orientation under the action of the Earth&#39;s magnetic field, for manufacturing a cementitious composite reinforced with aligned steel fibers. Aligned steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites (ASFRC) were prepared by applying a uniform electromagnetic field to fresh mortar containing short steel fibers, whereby the short steel fibers were driven to rotate in alignment with the magnetic field. The degree of alignment of steel fibers in hardened ASFRC was assessed both by counting steel fibers in fractured cross-sections and by X-ray computed tomography analysis. The results from the two methods show that the steel fibers in ASFRC were highly aligned while the steel fibers in non-magnetically treated composites were randomly distributed. The aligned steel fibers had a much higher reinforcing efficiency, and the composites, therefore, exhibited significantly enhanced flexural strength and toughness. The ASFRC is thus superior to SFRC in that it can withstand greater tensile stress and more effectively resist cracking.

This protocol describes an approach for manufacturing aligned steel fiber reinforced cementitious composite by applying a uniform electromagnetic field. Aligned steel fiber reinforced cementitious composite exhibits superior mechanical properties to ordinary fiber reinforced concrete.

The aim of this work is to present an approach, inspired by the way in which a compass needle maintains a consistent orientation under the action of the ...

Microfluidic Channel-Based Soft Electrodes for Capacitive Pressure Sensing

Microfluidic Channel-Based Soft Electrodes and Their Application in Capacitive Pressure Sensing

Flexible and stretchable electrodes are essential components in soft artificial sensory systems. Despite recent advances in flexible electronics, most electrodes are either restricted by the patterning resolution or the capability of inkjet printing with high-viscosity super-elastic materials. In this paper, we present a simple strategy to fabricate microchannel-based stretchable composite electrodes, which can be achieved by scraping elastic conductive polymer composites (ECPCs) into lithographically embossed microfluidic channels. The ECPCs were prepared by a volatile solvent evaporation method, which achieves a uniform dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix. Compared to conventional fabrication methods, the proposed technique can facilitate the rapid fabrication of well-defined stretchable electrodes with high-viscosity slurry. Since the electrodes in this work were made up of all-elastomeric materials, strong interlinks can be formed between the ECPCs-based electrodes and the PDMS-based substrate at the interfaces of the microchannel walls, which allows the electrodes to exhibit mechanical robustness under high tensile strains. In addition, the mechanical-electric response of the electrodes was also systematically studied. Finally, a soft pressure sensor was developed by combining a dielectric silicone foam and an interdigitated electrodes (IDE) layer, and this demonstrated great potential for pressure sensors in soft robotic tactile sensing applications.

Author Spotlight: Microfluidic Channel-Based Soft Electrodes and Their Application in Capacitive Pressure Sensing  

Flexible electrodes have a wide range of applications in soft robotics and wearable electronics. The present protocol demonstrates a new strategy to fabricate highly stretchable electrodes with high resolution via lithographically defined microfluidic channels, which paves the way for future high-performance soft pressure sensors.

Flexible and stretchable electrodes are essential components in soft artificial sensory systems. Despite recent advances in flexible electronics, most ...

Sensitivity Enhancement of Soft Capacitive Pressure Sensors Using a Solvent Evaporation-Based Porosity Control Technique

Soft pressure sensors play a significant role in developing &#34;man-machine&#34; tactile sensation in soft robotics and haptic interfaces. Specifically, capacitive sensors with micro-structured polymer matrices have been explored with considerable effort because of their high sensitivity, wide linearity range, and fast response time. However, the improvement of the sensing performance often relies on the structural design of the dielectric layer, which requires sophisticated microfabrication facilities. This article reports a simple and low-cost method to fabricate porous capacitive pressure sensors with improved sensitivity using the solvent evaporation-based method to tune the porosity. The sensor consists of a porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) dielectric layer bonded with top and bottom electrodes made of elastic conductive polymer composites (ECPCs). The electrodes were prepared by scrape-coating carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-doped PDMS conductive slurry into mold-patterned PDMS films. To optimize the porosity of the dielectric layer for enhanced sensing performance, the PDMS solution was diluted with toluene of different mass fractions instead of filtering or grinding the sugar pore-forming agent (PFA) into different sizes. The evaporation of the toluene solvent allowed the fast fabrication of a porous dielectric layer with controllable porosities. It was confirmed that the sensitivity could be enhanced more two-fold when the toluene to PDMS ratio was increased from 1:8 to 1:1. The research proposed in this work enables a low-cost method of fabricating fully integrated bionic soft robotic grippers with soft sensory mechanoreceptors of tunable sensor parameters.

A simple and cost-efficient fabrication method based on the solvent evaporation technique is presented to optimize the performance of a soft capacitive pressure sensor, which is enabled by porosity control in the dielectric layer using different mass ratios of the molding PDMS/toluene solution.

Soft pressure sensors play a significant role in developing &#34;man-machine&#34; tactile sensation in soft robotics and haptic interfaces. Specifically, ...