Key Engineering Materials Vols. 306-308

Abstract: The design of knee prostheses can be improved by computer aided design and structural analysis based on the finite element simulation. Our assumption is that by knowing the stress patterns between the knee prosthesis components and between this implant and its surroundings, we can better evaluate the wear performances and improve its design. The geometry of mobile bearing knee prosthesis with a polyethylene insert was used to predict peak and average contact pressures in several explicit dynamics finite elements analyses. The contact pressure, shear stress distribution and shear movements at the interface implant-cement and bone-cement are important for prostheses life and were computed. Rigid body dynamics analysis was used to predict body positions and orientations. Numerical modeling and simulations are used to predict contact pressures between three-dimensional surfaces. Our computational results showed a positive matching with experimental data from literature. This modeling approach is sufficiently fast and accurate to be used in design sensitivity and optimization studies of knee implant mechanics.

Abstract: The hyperelastic constitutive model of cardiac muscle is developed based on the animal surgical operation and mechanical experiments from the heart of the dogs, and the relaxation phenomena is also studied based on the Hill three elements model which is viscoelastic. Some numerical simulations are presented by finite element for the cardiac pacing/defibrillation lead interaction with muscles of the heart.

Abstract: Bone is a complex system with adaptation and repair functions. To understand how bone cells can create a structure adapted to the mechanical environment, we proposed a simple bone remodeling model, iBone, based on a reaction-diffusion system [1]. A 3-dimensional mandibular bone model consisting of approximately 1.4 million elements was constructed from sequential computer tomography (CT) images of a 14-year old female. Both teeth and bone were modeled with isoparametric voxel elements with Young's Modulus = 20 GPa and Poisson's ratio = 0.3. Both heads of the mandible were fixed allowing rotation and horizontal movement. Teeth were fixed vertically allowing horizontal movements. Incisor, right/left group, and right/left molar biting conditions were simulated. The locations and directions of muscles, and their forces were predicted from the CT images. Remodeling simulation was performed by 10 sets of finite element method analysis and reaction-diffusion remodeling simulation to obtain internal structure adapted to each loading condition. As a result, the major part of the corpus of the simulated mandibular bone showed similar internal structures under different biting conditions. Moreover, these simulated structures were satisfactorily similar to that of the real mandible. Computer simulation of three-dimensional bone structures based on CT images will be very useful for understanding the patho-physiological state of bone under various mechanical conditions, and may assist orthopedic doctors to predict the risk and efficacy of surgical therapies.

Abstract: To better understand the behavior of stresses generated inside a kidney stone by direct pulse impingement during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), numerical analyses are performed in this work. LS-DYNA, an explicit Finite Element code for non-linear dynamic analysis is employed to investigate the effect of stone geometry to the stress field evolution inside the stone when subjected to short pulse wave. Circular disks with parts removed from the front and the back are used to model the stones that assumed have already had initial fracture. The other variation of spherical geometry such as ellipse is also considered in the numerical calculation.

Abstract: A special speckle microinterferometer has been developed to test the mechanical properties of thin films electroplated on the single crystal silicon wafer. A piezo-actuated micro-loading unit is synchronized with the microinterfermeter to measure thin film deflection in bending with an accuracy of sub-micrometers. All of the film specimens were microfabricated to be the type of microbridge samples. They are made of Cu and NiFe, the sizes from 1102.9µm to 213.7µm long, 491.0µm to 9.7µm wide. The corresponding thicknesses are 9.4µm and 7.6µm, respectively. Deflections of the microbradge samples can be measured full-field and real-time by using the microinterferometer and no patterning or marking of the specimen surface is needed. The loading force is directly measured using a miniature load cell. The Young’s moduli are calculated for both material and sample size from the load-deflection curves. Test techniques, procedures and factors which affect on the deflection measurements are briefly presented along with detailed analyzes of the results.

Abstract: We have investigated structural and electrical properties of PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3 (PZT) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition methods. In order to improve the ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films, we have controlled grain size or surface morphology by changing bottom electrode or deposition time. PZT thin films have been deposited on La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) or LaMnO3 (LMO) bottom electrodes with LaAlO3 substrates during different deposition times. X-ray diffraction data have shown that all the PZT films and bottom electrodes are highly oriented with their c-axes normal to the substrates. The thickness of each film is determined by field-emission scanning electron microscope. We have also observed alternation of grain sizes (80~180 nm) by using atomic force microscopy mode and surface potential distribution and retention behavior of ferroelectric domains by using Kelvin force microscopy mode. A PZT/LMO structure has shown superior ferroelectric and retention properties to a PZT/LSCO structure.

Abstract: Polycrystalline ZrO2 and yttria-stablilized ZrO2 thin films have been deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition methods. Pt/ZrO2/Pt and Pt/YSZ/Pt capacitor structures show giant conductivity switching behaviors which can be utilized for nonvolatile memory devices. Maximum on/off ratio of 106 and good endurance even after 105 times conductivity switching are observed in a typical Pt/ZrO2/Pt whose ZrO2 film has been deposited at 100 °C and an oxygen pressure of 50 mTorr. The Pt/ZrO2/Pt structure exhibits two ohmic behaviors in the low voltage region (V < 1.4 V) depending on the value of previously applied high voltage and Schottky-type conduction in the high voltage region (1.4 V < V < 8.9 V). It seems that conductivity switching behaviors in our Pt/ZrO2/Pt structure result from the changes in both the Schottky barrier and the bulk conductivity controlled by applied voltages. A Pt/YSZ/Pt capacitor structure has more stable reset voltage and current state than a Pt/ZrO2/Pt capacitor structure. Moreover, a Pt/YSZ/Pt capacitor structure shows higher Conductivity than a Pt/ZrO2/Pt capacitor structure, which may result from substitution of Y3+ ions for Zr4+ ions.

Abstract: In the biomedical field, the surface modification of titanium aims to inhibit wear, reduce corrosion and ion release, and promote biocompatibility. Sol-gel-derived ceramic nanoscale coatings show promise due to their relative ease of production, ability to form a physically and chemically uniform coating over complex geometric shapes, and their potential to deliver exceptional mechanical properties due to their nanocrystalline structure. In this study hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium were investigated for their fracture toughness.

Abstract: Pb0.65Ba0.35ZrO3 (PBZ) thin films have been grown on MgO (001) substrates by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD). We have compared the structural and dielectric properties of PBZ films grown at various temperatures. A highly c-axis orientation has appeared at PBZ film grown at the deposition temperature of 550oC. The c-axis oriented PBZ film has also shown the largest tunability among all the PBZ films in capacitance-voltage measurements. The tunability and dielectric loss of the PBZ film was 20% and 0.00959, respectively. In addition, we have compared the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of a PBZ film with that of a Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST) film which is a well-known material applicable to tunable microwave devices. We have confirmed that TCC value of a PBZ thin film was three-times smaller than that of a BST thin film.

Abstract: This paper presents a novel experimental method to investigate the strength of material, Al-3%Ti, which is commonly used in RF(radio frequency) microelectromechanical systems(MEMS) switch. The experimental method involves the development of a new tensile loading system. The new tensile loading system has a load cell with maximum capacity of 0.5N and a non-contact position measuring system based on the principle of capacitance micrometry with 0.1nm resolution for displacement measurement. A voice coil of audio speaker is used as the actuator of the loading system. And new specimen was designed and fabricated to easily manipulate, align and grip a thin-film for a tensile and fatigue test. The material used in this study was Al-3%Ti thin film, which was used in RF switch. The thickness and width of the thin film of specimen are 1.1µm and 480µm, respectively. The holes at center of grip end are able to make alignment and gripping easy. The bridges are to remove the side supports easily and extract specimen from wafer without sawing. Tensile tests were performed on 5 specimens. The ultimate strength of Al-3%Ti was 144MPa.