OPTIMAL SETTING-UP OF KNITTING ELEMENTS AND ITS EFFECT ON TENSION VARIATION

The dynamic yarn tension variations during knitting cycle are very difficult to control and be-come one of barriers to knitting on modern warp knitting machine.Examination of experimentaldata and theoretical analysis show that the relative position of spring rail to knitting elements suchas needle,guide as well as their displacement has noticeable effect on tension variation so that theknitting condition can be much improved by rearrangement of the knitting elements and theirmovement within a knitting cycle.     

Blended Yarns of Modacrylic Fibers with Silk Protein

The fiber properties of modacrylic fibers with silk protein and spinning technology for blended knitting yarns are studied. By testing the fiber properties, fiber spinn-ability is analysed. Modacrylic fibers with silk protein are brittle and have poor cohesion, so the key to process modacrylic fibers with silk protein lies in forming lap and sliver. During opening and carding, low speed is used to decrease fiber damage and the proper static resistant oil is applied to eliminate lapping fibers. Besides, the temperature and relative humidity have to be strictly controlled. The applications of modacrylic fibers with silk protein are also put forward.     

Representation of 3D Woven Structures by Parametric Method

A parametric method is developed to quantitatively represent the microstructure of 3D woven structures. Different binding patterns, such as angle interlock and orthogonal interlock with through-thickness or layer-to-layer bindings, are classified. A unit cell of 3D woven structure is defined with four constituent yarn systems represented by nine structural parameters. A mapping relationship between the 3D woven structure and corresponding representative parameters is thus established. The study indicates that four out of the nine parameters are necessary to represent a 3D woven structure with an angle interlock binding, and that five parameters are required to describe a 3D woven structure with an orthogonal interlock binding. Once the structural parameters are determined, the pattern of 3D woven structures can be unambiguously identified, and vice versa. In addition to the purpose of structure presentation, the method can be further used as a means for designing 3D woven structure to meet the performance requirements of 3D woven composites.     

STUDY ON THE METHOD FOR EFFECTIVELY QUICK DETECTING THE EVENNESS OF A KNITTED FABRIC

In this paper,the relations between the parameters of stitch structure and the needle penetra-tion force,and the method by using the needle penetration force detected to evaluate the looplength and evenness of knitted fabric indirectly are analysed and discussed.A microcomputer system with a needle sensor and author's program are used as a pick up setcombined with a data analysis system,for sampling and analysing the needle penetration forcedata.A lot of experimental research work has been done for knitted fabric of some kinds of knittedstitch and loop length.As a summary of this study,some conclusions can be drawn from the linearregression between the needle penetration force and the loop length.Then,the size and evenness ofthe loop length of knitted fabric can be indicated indirectly by detecting the value and variance ofneedle penetration force.It offers an effective method to detect and evaluate the evenness of knit-ted fabric with an efficiently high speed.     

Molecular architecture and engineering of spider dragline silk protein

Spider dragline silk, which is produced in spider major ampullate gland, is a composite proteinacious fiber with highly repetitive Ala-Gly-rich domain. The unique combination of both high tensile strength and high elasticity makes spider dragline silk superior to almost any other natural or synthetic fibers. Cloning of the genes reveals that the silk is composed of at least two major proteins. Each protein component contains multiple repeats of modular structures that alternate between Ala-rich domains and Gly-rich domains. Molecular engineering not only opens a door to the production of spidroins but also provides a valuable experimental system to test and further establish the relationship between modular structures and mechanical properties. Here, based on our own studies, we review the latest progress of the modular structure and genetic engineering and outline the future prospects.     

The U/Ω effect of electricity parameters of the lotus root silk in the liquor with different pH values

The silk of lotus root is a kind of natural biomaterial with the advantages of easy absorbing and dis-solving and poisonless. It may become a new engineering material for clinic and tissue engineering. However, the relationship between its electricity parameters and the pH values of the liquor that the silk is dipped in is unknown presently. The electricity parameters of inductance, capacitance and imped-ance of the silk were measured in the environment with the temperature ranging from 23℃ to 25℃ and the humidity ranging from 45% to 55% when it was dipped in the liquor with different pH values for 24 h. The results show that the inductance and impedance vary in U shape curves with the liquor pH value, and the capacitance varies in Ω shape curve. The minimal value of the U curves and the maximal value of the Ω curve appear at the point where the pH value equals to 7. The phenomena are called the U/Ω effect. It means that the silk has perfect biocompatibility with human tissues. The study results may imply that the silk have broader potential applications in biomedicine, tissue engineering and bioelec-tronics. silk of lotus root, biomedicine engineering material, U/Ω effect, pH value of liquor     

Effects of Different Types of Socks on Plantar Pressures,In-shoe Temperature and Humidity in Diabetic Patients

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of different types of socks for patients with diabetes on reducing in-shoe plantar foot pressure when standing and walking. A total of 5 types of socks,including 3 types of diabetic socks and 2 types of daily /sports socks of various structures are studied. The effects of sock fabrication and design on plantar pressure redistribution that resulting in increasing the underfoot contact area and reducing the risk of pressure ulceration,as well as foot skin temperature and humidity, are examined. The results reveal that regardless of the different knitting structure,thickness and airspace ratio of the sock,both diabetic and daily /sports socks can effectively reduce high plantar pressure on the rear foot,and re-distribute the pressure to other foot regions,like the metatarsal heads. The effects of fabrication and knitting structure on pressure reduction and redistribution are not apparent in this study. However,they have a major impact on the control of foot skin temperature and humidity. The results of the study provide a reference for optimizing the design and functional performance of socks for patients with diabetes.     

Tussah Silk Fibroin Porous Scaffolds Prepared with a Mild Self-assembly Process for Controlled Drug Release

Besides excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility,a useful tissue engineering scaffold should provide favorable surface properties,outstanding mechanical strength and controlled drug release property. In this paper,a mild process to prepare porous tussah silk fibroin（ TSF） scaffolds from aqueous solution was described. The n-butanol was used to control the self-assembly of tussah silk. The scaffolds with different TSF concentrations and the same volume showed differences in pore size and distribution. The maximum porosity of the poprepared porous scaffolds was 80% in this paper. And the pore size of the prepared porous scaffolds with different concentrations was between 10μm and 230 μm. X-ray diffraction（ XRD） analysis revealed that amorphous TSF was crystallized to β-sheet secondary structure upon gelatin. The TSF scaffolds for controlled drug release was studied and the result showed that the time of drug release was significantly longer. The produced TSF scaffolds with sustained drug release have potential application in tissue engineering.     

Promoted Cytocompatibility of Silk Fibroin Fiber Vascular Graft through Chemical Grafting with Bioactive Molecules

Natural silk from Bombyx mori has been used as medical sutures for several decades,and regenerated silk fibroin( RSF)based biomaterials have been increasingly studied in the past thirty years. However,vascular graft derived from silk fibroin fiber has been explored in recent several years with development of textile science and engineering. Moreover,endothelialization of vascular graft has been seen as an ideal strategy for preventing thrombosis and getting higher patency in a long term. Therefore,in the present work silk fibroin fiber vascular graft( SF) was chemically grafted with bioactive molecules such as heparin and RSF to improve the cytocompatibility. 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane(APTES),1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiie hydrochlide( EDC · HCl),and N-hydroxysuccinimide( NHS) have been employed as coupling agent and crosslinking agents,respectively. Microscopy and ATRFTIR were used to characterize the surface changes and the structure of the grafts after treatment,respectively. Cell culture in vitro and MTT assay were conducted to determine the improvement of cell affinity to the graft. Furthermore,mechanical properties of the grafts before and after treatment were compared. The results showed that the chemical grafting was an effective method for improving the cytocompatibility of SF without significant loss of mechanical properties.     

Computation of fractal dimension of rock pores based on gray CT images

The characterization of pore structure in rocks is relevant in determining their various mechanical behaviors. Digital image processing methods integrated with fractal theory were applied to analyze images of rock slices obtained from industry CT, elucidating the characteristics of rock pore structure and the relationship between porosity and fractal dimensions. The gray values of pixels in CT images of rocks provide comprehensive results with respect to the attenuation coefficients of various materials in corresponding rock elements, and these values also reflect the effect of rock porosity at various scales. A segmentation threshold can be determined by inverse analysis based on the pore ratios that are measured experimentally, and subsequently binary images of rock pores can be obtained to study their topological structures. The fractal dimension of rock pore structure increases with an increase in rock pore ratio, and fractal dimensions might differ even if pore ratios are the same. The more complex the structure of a rock, the larger the fractal dimension becomes. The experimental studies have validated that fractal dimension calculated directly from gray CT images of rocks can give an effective complementary parameter to use alongside pore ratios and they can suitably represent the fractal characteristics of rock pores.     

APPLICATION OF COMPOSITE FIBRE TO HIGH ELASTIC KNITTED FABRIC

The knitting condition and technology for PBT/PET composite fibre on loop wheel machine as well as the effect of knitted fabric structure and stitch parameter are discussed in this paper. The properties of high elastic plain knitted fabrics are also discussed.     

EFFICIENCY OF INVOLUTE GEAR DRIVES WITH UNDERCUT PINIONS USED IN WRIST WATCHES

In wrist watches gear drives with undercut pinions are used. Those pinions have got a tooth number as few as 5—7. The efficiency of such gear drives is important because of the limited energy supply. The mean efficiency of gear drives can be expressed as E_m=1/(φ_2-φ_1)(integral from φ_1 to φ_2(E(φ)dφ)) in which ~0_1, ~_2 are the approach angle and the recess angle respectively. In the discussion we assume that the friction coefficient between the two tooth flanks is constant because the sliding speed is relatively low in wrist watches and the main purpose is to find out the relation between gear parameters and its efficiency rather than to calculate the exact value of the efficiency. In normal conditions ~o_1 and ~o_2 can be found from the gear geometry without much difficulty. However when the pinion is an undercut one we have to first find the forming diameter where the involute profile starts. In this paper equations for the computation of the efficiency and the contact ratio of those gear drives are discussed.     

Preparation and Mechanical Performance of Blended Polyester/Silk Small Diameter Arterial Prostheses

Small diameter arterial prostheses were required to treat coronary and cerebrovascular arterial diseases. The diameters of the artificial blood vessels should match the diameters of the host arteries. Besides,the mechanical properties of the arterial prostheses should be strong enough to endure the forces in the body after implantation. In this study,silk and polyester were woven into small diameter arterial prostheses and the dimensional and mechanical properties,as well as the water permeability,were investigated. The woven samples had an inner diameter ranging from 3. 65 to 3. 94mm. The wall thickness of the samples ranged from 0. 26 to 0. 28mm. Compared with polytetrafiuoroethylene( ePTFE) commercial devices,whose probe bursting strength was measured to be 15. 64 N /mm2,the woven samples had superior strength values ranging from20. 53 to 28. 97 N /mm2. In addition,the radial compliance of the woven samples was found to lie between the ePTFE sample and the pig’s carotid artery,and the water permeability of all the woven samples was less than 300 mL /( cm2·min) which indicated that these woven samples could be implanted without preclotting.     

STUDIES ON THE CRIMP BEHAVIOR OF SIDE-BY-SIDE BICOMPONENT POLYAMIDE FIBERS

The supermolecular structure and mechanical properties as well as the crimp behavior of theside-by-side polyamide (PA 66-C710) fibers are studied by means of density gradient method,sonic measurement,X-ray,diffractometry,differential scanning calorimetry,crimp tester etc.fortheir as-spun fibers,drawn fibers,and boiling-water treated fibers.The effects of the processingand treatment conditions on the formation of the supermolecular structure and the crimp behaviorof the fibers are investigated and discussed in detail,also the crimp mechanism of the side-by-sidebicomponent fibers is proposed.From these results,it is shown that by adopting suitable spinningfinish,reasonable processing technology and optimal heat treatment conditions the side-by-sidebicomponent polyamide fibers with excellent crimp property,close to that of nylon texturizedstretch yarns,can be obtained.     

The Relationship between Polarographic Reduction Potentials and Discharge Properties of Disperse Dyes

The half-wave potentials of disperse dyes with different structures are measured, the relationship between half-wave potentials and their discharge properties is discussed, then their effect factors are studied, such as the chemical structure types and substituents of disperse dyes and technological parameters. The results indicate that the halfwave potentials of disperse dyes when reduced could be used to characterize their reducing and discharge properties.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of FeSbO4 nanorods

Well-crystallized FeSbO 4 nanorods with rutile-like structure are synthesized through a solid-state reaction and used as cathode material of Li-ion battery for the first time.The obtained nanorods can react with 11 Li-ions per FeSbO 4 unit with a specific discharge capacity of 1 100 1 mAh g between 0.1 and 2.0 V.Three discharge plateaus can be observed during the fully discharging process,but the reversible reaction with 1 Li occurs between 1.5 V and 4.5 V vs.Li + /Li,and the reversible capacity is only 50-80 1 mAh g.FeSbO 4 nanorods have a stable cyclic performance between 1.5 V and 4.5 V and it can be used as cathode material for rechargeable Li-ion battery.     

A new way to generate seismic waves for continental crustal exploration

An airgun experiment was conducted in a reservoir,with the total volume of the airgun array being 6000 cubic inch. The energy released by one excitation was estimated to be 6.68×106 J,which corresponded to a 3.4 kg TNT explosion. A 180 km long profile composed of 100 portable short period seismometers was deployed as a receiver system of the airgun signals. Two remarkable results can be drawn from the experiment: (1) the airgun explosion is harmless to the dam and the fish,and this kind of airguns can be regarded as a green and environmental protection seismic source on land; (2) seismic wave gener-ated by this airgun source can be recorded by permanent stations with offset larger than 200 km. And the wave amplitudes recorded by nearby and remote stations are equivalent to the wave generated by 800 kg dynamite explosion. The airguns can be used as a light to illuminate the continental crustal structure of an area of about 100000 km2.     

高性能同心双环腔的性质

The optical properties of high-performance concentric double metal-insulator-metal (MIM) rings is simulated and investigated with different refractive index ni of materials in the inner ring. By changing the refractive index ni , the wavelengths of resonant dips and coupling strength between the inner and outer rings can be highly tunable. The energy distribution ratio between the inner and outer rings can be also modulated. It is worth noting that when the energy distributes mainly in the inner ring, the energy loss to the bus waveguide can be suppressed efficiently and ultra-high quality (Q) factor can be got for this structure. When the energy in the outer ring is large, the coupling strength between the concentric double MIM rings and bus waveguide is strong and the extinction ratio for this structure can be very high. The concentric double MIM rings we proposed provides a new perspective to design the advanced plasmonic resonant cavity.     

Evaluation of Novel 3D Architectures Based on Knitting Technologies for Engineering Biological Tissues

Textile-based technologies are considered as potential routes for the production of 3D porous architectures for tissue engineering( TE) applications. We describe the use of two polymers,namely polybutylene succinate( PBS) and silk fibroin(SF) to produce fiber-based finely tuned porous architectures by weft and warp knittings. The obtained knitted constructs are described in terms of their morphology, mechanical properties,swelling ability,degradation behaviour,and cytotoxicity. Each type of polymer fibers allows for the processing of a very reproducible intra-architectural scaffold geometry,with distinct characteristics in terms of the surface physicochemistry,mechanical performance,and degradation capability,which has an impact on the resulting cell behaviour at the surface of the respective biotextiles. Preliminary cytotoxicity screening shows that both materials can support cell adhesion and proliferation. Furthermore, different surface modifications were performed( acid /alkaline treatment, UV radiation,and plasma) for modulating cell behavior. An increase of cell-material interactions were observed,indicating the important role of materials surface in the first hours of culturing. Human adipose-derived stem cells( hASCs) became an emerging possibility for regenerative medicine and tissue replacement therapies. The potential of the recently developed silk-based biotextile structures to promote hASCs adhesion,proliferation,and differentiation is also evaluated. The obtained results validate the developed constructs as viable matrices for TE applications. Given the processing efficacy and versatility of the knitting technology, and the interesting structural and surface properties of the proposed polymer fibers,it is foreseen that our developed systems can be attractive for the functional engineering of tissues such as bone,skin,ligaments or cartilage and also for develop more complex systems for further industrialization of TE products.     

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE BENDING FATIGUE OF MODIFIED PPTA FIBRE

PPTA fibres have high axial tensile strength,but the transverse links at the macromolecularlevel of the fibres are low.The high orientation and crystallization of the PPTA fibres leads to alow resistance to bending fatigue.A comparative study on fatigue behaviour of PPTA fibres and modified PPTA fibres weremade by rotating fibre over a pin.The resistant properties of the PPTA fibre to the bending fa-tigue are low,but can be improved by modification.The morphological differences of the deformation processes of the PPTA fibres and modi-fied PPTA fibres as they are tensioned in a monofilament from after being knotted are shown.The properties of resistance to bending fatigue of the different PPTA fibres can be evaluatedby comparing the morphologies of the tensile broken ends of these fibres after knotting.