The sea urchin larva is shaped by a calcite endoskeleton. That skeleton is built by 64 primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) in Lytechinus variegatus. The PMCs originate as micromeres due to an unequal fourth cleavage in the embryo. Micromeres are specified in a well-described molecular sequence and enter the blastocoel at a precise time using a classic epithelial-mesenchymal transition. To make the ...

The main objective of incorporating natural fibers such as Henequen microfibers (NF) into the High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) polymer matrix is to reduce the cost and to enhance the mechanical as well as other properties. The Henequen microfibers were chopped manually to 5-7mm in length and added into the polymer matrix at the optimized concentration of 8 wt %. In order to facilitate the link ...

Adhesion of the reinforcement to the polymer matrix is essential for load transfer from the polymer matrix to the reinforcement material in fiber-reinforced composites. The reversible Diels–Alder reaction between a furan-functionalized epoxy-amine thermosetting matrix with a maleimide-functionalized glass fiber was used to impart remendability at the polymer–glass interface for potential applic...

Hydrothermally synthesized acicular nano-apatite (Nap) was used as filler to make composites with a polyethylene glycol/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEG/PBT) block copolymer (Polyactive 70:30). The Nap had a particle diameter of 9-25 nm and a length of 80-200 nm. The mechanical properties and the physiochemical characteristics of the composites, such as Young's modulus, swelling degree in wate...

The objective in this study was to develop an osteoconductive, biodegradable and rifampicin releasing bone filling composite material for the treatment of osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection of bone that is very difficult and expensive to treat. The composite material will be used together with a ciprofloxacin releasing composite, because of the rapid development of resistant bacteria when rif...

in the processing of carbon/carbon composites using polymer resin as the matrix precursor, it is inevitable that a porous structure was formed after carbonization. as a result, densification by liquid phase impregnation followed by recarbonization is required to obtain a densified composite. consequently, the char formability of resin is an important factor in reducing the number of densificati...

In the current paper, finite element method is employed for numerical simulations and the study of influential parameters on elastic modulus of polymer-matrix nano-composites. Effects of different key parameters including particle elastic modulus, interphase elastic modulus, matrix elastic modulus, interphase thickness and particle volume fraction on total elastic modulus of nano-composite mate...

Inspired by biological systems in which damage triggers an autonomic healing response, structural polymers and polymer matrix composites have been recently developed that possess the ability to self-heal. Self-healing is accomplished by incorporating a microencapsulated healing agent and a catalytic chemical trigger within a polymer matrix. When the material is damaged, the microcapsules ruptur...

Whether used as structural components in design or matrix materials for composites, the mechanical properties of polymers are increasingly important. The compressive response of extruded polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) rod with aligned polymer chains and Al-Ni-PMMA particulate composites are investigated across a range of strain rates and temperatures. The particulate composites were prepared us...

The microhardness, H, of carbon black–polycarbonate and carbon black– low-density polyethylene composites was investigated. Two types of microadditives with different average particle sizes were employed. It has been shown that the morphology of the polymeric matrix conspicuously influences the hardness dependence of the composites with volume concentration of filler, f. The microhardness of th...