Dumitru I. Caruntu

Experimental study of nanofiber production through forcespinning

A newly developed method of producing nanofibers, called forcespinning, has proven to be a viable alternative to mass produce nanofibers. Unlike electrospinning, the most common method currently being employed (which draws fibers through the use of electrostatic force), forcespinning utilizes centrifugal forces which allow for a host of new materials to be processed into nanofibers (given that electric fields are not required) while also providing a significant increase in yield and ease of production. This work presents a detailed explanation of the fiber formation process. The study is conducted using high speed photography to capture the jet initiation process at the orifice and to track the trajectories of the resulting jets. The effects that influential controllable parameters have on the fiber trajectories and final fiber diameters are presented. The forcespinning controllable parameters include the spinneret angular velocity and aspect ratio, orifice radius and orientation, fluid viscoelasticity an...

Reduced Order Model Analysis of Frequency Response of Alternating Current Near Half Natural Frequency Electrostatically Actuated MEMS Cantilevers

This paper uses the reduced order model (ROM) method to investigate the nonlinearparametric dynamics of electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) cantilever resonators under soft alternating current (AC) voltage of frequency near half natural frequency. This voltage is between the resonator and a ground plate and provides the actuation for the resonator. Fringe effect and damping forces are included. The resonator is modeled as a Euler-Bernoulli cantilever. ROM convergence shows that the five terms model accurately predicts the steady states of the resonator for both small and large amplitudes and the pull-in phenomenon either when frequency is swept up or down. It is found that the MEMS resonator loses stability and undergoes a pull-in phenomenon (1) for amplitudes about 0.5 of the gap and a frequency less than half natural frequency, as the frequency is swept up, and (2) for amplitudes of about 0.87 of the gap and a frequency about half natural frequency, as the frequency is swept down. It also found that there are initial amplitudes and frequencies lower than half natural frequency for which pull-in can occur if the initial amplitude is large enough. Increasing the damping narrows the escape band until no pull-in phenomenon can occur, only large amplitudes of about 0.85 of the gap being reached. If the damping continues to increase the peak amplitude decreases and the resonator experiences a linear dynamics like behavior. Increasing the voltage enlarges the escape band by shifting the sweep up bifurcation frequency to lower values; the amplitudes of losing stability are not affected. Fringe effect affects significantly the behavior of the MEMS resonator. As the cantilever becomes narrower the fringe effect increases. This slightly enlarges the escape band and increases the sweep up bifurcation amplitude. The method of multiple scales (MMS) fails to accurately predict the behavior of the MEMS resonator for any amplitude greater than 0.45 of the gap. Yet, for amplitudes less than 0.45 of the gap MMS predictions match perfectly ROM predictions. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4023164]

ON NONLINEAR RESPONSE NEAR-HALF NATURAL FREQUENCY OF ELECTROSTATICALLY ACTUATED MICRORESONATORS

This paper deals with the nonlinear response of electrostatically actuated cantilever beam microresonators near-half natural frequency. A first-order fringe correction of the electrostatic force, viscous damping, and Casimir effect are included in the model. Both forces, electrostatic and Casimir, are nonlinear. The dynamics of the resonator is investigated using the method of multiple scales (MMS) in a direct approach of the problem. The reduced order model (ROM) method, based on Galerkin procedure, is used as well. Steady-state motions are found. Numerical simulations are conducted for uniform microresonators. The influences of damping, actuation, and fringe effect on the resonator response are found.

Kinematics of the human pelvis following open book injury.

The objective of this study is to determine the three dimensional kinematics of the human pelvis including both sacroiliac joints following a simulated open book injury induced on cadavers by applying anterior-posterior compressive loads to the pelvis. An electromagnetic digitizing and motion tracking system was utilized to measure the morphology of the pelvis and the relative movements of its bones during this simulated open book fracture. The screw displacement axis method was used to describe the relative motion between the sacrum and each hipbone. Morphologically, it was found that the articular surfaces forming the sacroiliac joints could be approximated with planar surfaces directed from proximal and lateral to distal and medial and from posteromedial to anterolateral. The kinematic data obtained from this study indicate that there is a direct correlation between the opening of the symphysis pubis and the opening of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) during open book injury. This suggests that the extent of injury of the SIJ maybe estimated from the degree of opening of the symphysis pubis as demonstrated on anteroposterior (A-P) x-rays. The results obtained from this study also indicate that the motion of the hipbone with respect to the sacrum on the side of the sacroiliac joint opening is almost a pure rotation, which translates clinically on the A-P x-rays as pure opening of the SIJ without vertical displacement. The average axis of rotation was found to be almost parallel to the SIJ planar articular surface. Furthermore, the pubic bone on the side of SIJ opening was found to displace inferiorly and posteriorly. One can thus conclude that in open book pelvic injuries, the pubic bone on the side of injury displaces inferiorly on the outlet projection x-rays with no vertical displacement of the SIJ. This is important since the initial assessment of the open book injury in the emergency room includes outlet projection x-rays. From this study, the relative vertical positions of the pubic bones on these x-rays can help the surgeon in differentiating open book fracture injury from other pelvic injuries.

Microelectromechanical Systems Cantilever Resonators Under Soft Alternating Current Voltage of Frequency Near Natural Frequency

This paper deals with nonlinear-parametric frequency response of alternating current (AC) near natural frequency electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) cantilever resonators. The model includes fringe and Casimir effects, and damping. Method of multiple scales (MMS) and reduced order model (ROM) method are used to investigate the case of weak nonlinearities. It is reported for uniform resonators: (1) an excellent agreement between the two methods for amplitudes less than half of the gap, (2) a significant influence of fringe effect and damping on bifurcation frequencies and phase–frequency response, respectively, (3) an increase of nonzero amplitudes’ frequency range with voltage increase and damping decrease, and (4) a negligible Casimir effect at microscale. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4028887]

Eigenvalue singular problem of factorized fourth-order self-adjoint differential equations

This paper deals with the eigenvalue singular problem of the spectral type differential equations of the fourth-order self-adjoint differential operators1(1-x)^p(1+x)^qd^2dx^2(1-x)^p^+^2(1+x)^q^+^2d^2ydx^2-@my=0,y(-1),y(1)finite where, p>=1,q>=1. It has been reported in the literature that spectral type differential equations above have general solutions in terms of hypergeometric functions. In this work it is showed that the general solution in terms of hypergeometric functions reduces to Jacobi orthogonal polynomials (as eigenfunctions) in the case of eigenvalue singular problem. The corresponding eigenvalues are found. As application, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of mechanical transverse vibrations of a nonuniform singular structure are reported.

Bifurcation Type Change of AC Electrostatically Actuated MEMS Resonators due to DC Bias

This paper investigates the nonlinear response of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilever resonator electrostatically actuated by applying a soft alternating current (AC) voltage and an even softer direct current (DC) voltage between the resonators and a parallel fixed ground plate. The AC frequency is near natural frequency. This drives the resonator into nonlinear parametric resonance. The method of multiple scales (MMS) is used to solve the dimensionless differential equation of motion of the resonator and find the steady-state solutions. The reduced order model (ROM) method is used to validate the results obtained using MMS. The effect of the soft DC voltage (bias) component on the frequency response is reported. It is shown that the DC bias changes the subcritical Hopf bifurcation into a cyclic fold bifurcation and shifts the bifurcation point (where the system loses stability) to lower frequencies and larger amplitudes.

Voltage Response of Primary Resonance of Electrostatically Actuated MEMS Clamped Circular Plate Resonators

This paper investigates the voltage–amplitude response of soft alternating current (AC) electrostatically actuated micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) clamped circular plates for sensing applications. The case of soft AC voltage of frequency near half natural frequency of the plate is considered. Soft AC produces small to very small amplitudes away from resonance zones. Nearness to half natural frequency results in primary resonance of the system, which is investigated using the method of multiple scales (MMS) and numerical simulations using reduced order model (ROM) of seven terms (modes of vibration). The system is assumed to be weakly nonlinear. Pull-in instability of the voltage–amplitude response and the effects of detuning frequency and damping on the response are reported.

On 2D Forcespinning™ Modeling

Forcespinning™ is a novel method that makes used of centrifugal forces to produce nanofibers rapidly and at high yields. To improve and enhance this new nanofiber production method a model of the system is begun. The process is started by deriving the governing equations of the forcespinning™ sytem and the constraints associated it. A simple 2D model is then obtained using the derived governing equations for the inviscid case to determine the trends of fiber diameter and trajectories. Then, focus is given to the time-dependency of these equations, and the effects of parametric excitation of the system on fiber formation are analyzed. The equations are solved using a combination of the method of multiple scales and the finite difference method with slender-jet theory assumptions.© 2011 ASME

On electrostatically actuated NEMS/MEMS circular plates

This paper deals with electrostatically actuated micro and nano-electromechanical (MEMS/NEMS) circular plates. The system under investigation consists of two bodies, a deformable and conductive circular plate placed above a fixed, rigid and conductive ground plate. The deformable circular plate is electrostatically actuated by applying an AC voltage between the two plates. Nonlinear parametric resonance and pull-in occur at certain frequencies and relatively large AC voltage, respectively. Such phenomena are useful for applications such as sensors, actuators, switches, micro-pumps, micro-tweezers, chemical and mass sensing, and micro-mirrors. A mathematical model of clamped circular MEMS/NEMS electrostatically actuated plates has been developed. Since the model is in the micro- and nano-scale, surface forces, van der Waals and/or Casimir, acting on the plate are included. A perturbation method, the Method of Multiple Scales (MMS), is used for investigating the case of weakly nonlinear MEMS/NEMS circular plates. Two time scales, fast and slow, are considered in this work. The amplitude-frequency and phase-frequency response of the plate in the case of primary resonance are obtained and discussed.