Papers by Author: Ji Luo

Abstract: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation shows that fibula bone is a kind of bioceramic composite consisting of hydroxyapatite layers and protein matters. The hydroxyapatite layers are further composed of hydroxyapatite sheets. The observation also shows that the hydroxyapatite sheets possess quite large volume fraction and also have very long and thin fiber shape. The mechanism of the large volume fraction of the hydroxyapatite sheets to ensure the larger elastic modulus of the bone was investigated based on the model of the bone composite and the theory of the composite mechanics. The investigated result reveals that the large volume fraction of the hydroxyapatite sheets endows the bone with large elastic modulus.

Abstract: The observation of scanning electron microscope (SEM) on the cuticle of Tumblebug shows that the cuticle is a kind of biocomposite consisting of chitin-fibers and collagen protein matrix. The observation also shows that there are many underpinnings in the cuticle. The underpinnings are also a kind of biological composite consisting of chitin-fiber layers and collagen protein matrixes. More careful observation indicates that the chitin-fiber layers enwrap the core of the underpinnings forming a kind of helicoidal fiber structure. The maximal pull-out force of the helicoidal fiber structure, related to the fracture toughness of the underpinnings, is theoretically and experimentally investigated and compared with that of parallel fiber structure. It shows that the maximal pull-out force of the helicoidal fiber structure is larger than that of the parallel fiber structure, which gives profitable information for the design of man-made high-performance composites and composite structures.

Abstract: The observation on conifer wood shows that wood is a kind of biocomposite consisting of wood fibers and lignin matrix. The wood fibers are embedded in the lignin matrix with parallel distribution. It is also observed that the wood fibers continuously envelop the columned branch cores in the wood forming a kind of enveloping-core fiber distribution (ECFD). The ultimate load of the composite model with the ECFD is investigated and compared with that of the composite model with non-enveloping-core fiber distribution (NECFD). It shows that the strength of the composite model with the ECFD is larger than that of the composite model with NECFD. A kind of mimetic-wood composite specimens with the ECFD is also fabricated. The test was carried out with ECFD specimens and compared with that of the composite specimens with the NECFD. The result show that the ultimate strength of the former is significantly larger than that of the latter.

Abstract: A series of tensile tests of AZ61 magnesium alloy were conducted using Gleeble-1500 thermal-mechanical material testing system to learn the effect of the test temperatures and strain rates on the mechanical properties of the alloy. It is indicated that the higher the temperature, the lower the ultimate strength and fracture stress, and the larger the plasticity. It is also revealed that the larger the strain rate is, the higher the ultimate strength of the specimens will be, and the larger the plasticity of the specimens will be. The failure mechanism of the material under high temperature was also analyzed based on the fracture observation. It shows that the high temperatures will induce microvoids or microflaws in the material.

Abstract: The effects of strain rate (SR) and heating rate (HR) on the mechanical behaviors of the tensile specimens of magnesium alloy AZ61 were experimentally investigated using a Gleeble-1500 thermal-mechanical material testing system. It showed that the higher the temperature is, the lower the ultimate strength of the specimens will be. The higher the heating rate is, the higher the ultimate strength of the specimens will be. The metallurgraphs of the fracture section of the specimens were also experimentally investigated for exploring their failure mechanism under different temperatures and heating rates. It showed that the high temperatures and high heating rates will induce microvoids in the specimens. The microvoids make the specimens failure under relative low loads.

Abstract: The mechanical response and failure of the specimens of magnesium alloy AZ61 with different heating rates (HR) and loading rates (LR) were investigated by a Gleeble-1500 thermal-mechanical material testing system. It was found that heating rate has markedly effect on the strength and plasticity of the specimens. The higher the heating rate is, the lower the strength and the smaller of the plasticity of the specimens will be. There is the relatively small effect of the loading rates on the strength and plasticity of the specimens. The metallographs of the failed specimens were also observed. It shows that there are many microvoids in the specimens near the fracture sections. These microvoids may come from the local thermal and stress inconsistency under high heating rate and loading rates and degrade the strength and plasticity of the specimens.

Abstract: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed that femur bone is a kind of bioceramic composite consisting of hydroxyapatite layers and protein matters. The hydroxyapatite layers are further composed of hydroxyapatite fiber sheets. The observation also showed that the hydroxyapatite fiber sheets possess very thin fiber shape. The thickness of the hydroxyapatite fiber sheets is within nanometer scale. The mechanism of the high fracture strength of the bone was investigated based on the microstructural characteristics of the hydroxyapatite fiber sheets and the theory of fracture mechanics. The result reveals that the thin fiber shape of the hydroxyapatite fiber sheets endows the bone with high fracture strength.

Abstract: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation shows that the shell of a Unio douglasiae is a kind of bioceramic composite consisting of laminated aragonite and organic materials. The aragonite layers further consist of thin and long aragonite fibers. The aragonite fibers possess high density in the shell and their diameter is within nanometer scale. The mechanism of the high modulus and high strength of the shell were investigated based on the observed nanometer structure of the aragonite fibers and the rule of mixtures Young’s modulus as well as the Griffith criterion. It reveals that the high density and the nanometer scale of the aragonite fibers endow the shell with high modulus and fracture strength.

Abstract: Tooth is a kind of biomaterial in nature. It behaves favorable strength, stiffness and fracture toughness, which are closely related to its fine microstructure. The observation of scanning electron microscope (SEM) on a mature tooth shows that the tooth is a kind of natural bioceramic composite consisting of hydroxyapatite layers and collagen protein matrix. The observation also shows that the hydroxyapatite layers consist of long and thin hydroxyapatite sheets and that all the hydroxyapatite sheets are arranged in a kind of parallel distribution. The maximum pullout energy of the hydroxyapatite sheets, which is closely related to the fracture toughness of the tooth, is investigated based on the representative model of the parallel distribution. It shows that the long and thin shape as well as the parallel distribution of the hydroxyapatite sheets increase the maximum pullout energy and enhance the fracture toughness of the tooth.

Abstract: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation on a mature shankbone shows that the bone is a kind of bioceramic composite consisting of hydroxyapatite sheets and collagen protein matrix. The observation also shows that there are many holes in the bone and that the hydroxyapatite sheets near by these holes helicoidally round these holes forming a kind of helicoidally-rounded-hole microstructure (HRHM). The maximum pullout force of the HRHM is investigated and compared with that of non-helicoidally-rounded-hole microstructure (NHRHM). It shows that the HRHM could markedly increase the maximum pullout force of the hydroxyapatite sheets compared to the NHRHM and therefore enhance the fracture toughness of the bone.