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Nano-injection molding has been widely used in polymer-metal integrated structures. This study aimed to investigate the joining strength and bonding mechanism between polymer-metal interfaces, as well as the interfacial interactions and joining properties with molecular dynamics methods. Besides, six polymer-aluminum interface systems in 5.4 * 5.4 * 12.5 nm cuboids composed of aluminum, polymer, and vacuum layers (from bottom to top) were constructed. The joining strength and flow behavior were explored by calculating the interfacial energy, filling rate, gyration radius, and pullout force. The effects of nano-cavity shape and non-bonding interaction strength on the separation process were analyzed. The simulation results demonstrated that during the filling process, the polymer molecular chains slipped and flowed along the inner wall of the nano-cavity, and the filling behavior depended largely on the fluidity and filling rate of the polymer. During the separation process, the polymer chains close to the aluminum matrix were stretched, the polymer chains far from the interface were relatively stable, and residual polymer molecular chains were observed near the interface. The interface joining primarily contributed to the interaction energy. Additionally, the formed mechanical interlocking effect further enhanced the joining strength when the nano-cavity was in a 'T' shape, providing a reference value for the nano-injection time and dwell time. KEYWORDS fluidity, interfacial joining strength, molecular dynamics, nano-injection molding, polymer-metal, 1 | INTRODUCTION The joining of heterogeneous interfaces majorly includes adhesive bonding, mechanical joining, and injection molding. [1] Nano-molding technology (NMT) is a new method in the field of injection [...]

The collagen density is not detected in the patellar tendon (PT), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in clinic. We assess the technical feasibility of three-dimension multiecho fat saturated ultrashort echo time cones (3D FS-UTE-Cones) acquisitions for single- and bicomponent T2⁎ analysis of bound and free water pools in PT, PCL, and ACL in clinic. The knees of five healthy volunteers and six knee joint samples from cadavers were scanned via 3D multiecho FS-UTE-Cones acquisitions on a clinical scanner. Single-component fitting of T2⁎M and bicomponent fitting of short T2⁎ (T2⁎S), long T2⁎ (T2⁎L), short T2⁎ fraction (Frac_S), and long T2⁎ fraction (Frac_L) were performed within tendons and ligaments. Our results showed that biexponential fitting was superior to single-exponential fitting in PT, PCL, and ACL. For knee joint samples, there was no statistical difference among all data in PT, PCL, and ACL. For volunteers, all parameters of bicomponent fitting were statistically different across PT, PCL, and ACL, except for T2⁎S, T2⁎L, and T2⁎M resulting in flawed measurements due to the magic angle effect. 3D multiecho FS-UTE-Cones acquisition allows high resolution T2⁎ mapping in PT, PCL, and ACL of keen joint samples and PT and PCL of volunteers. The T2⁎ values and their fractions can be characterized by bicomponent T2⁎ analysis that is superior to single-component T2⁎ analysis, except for ACL of volunteers.

PurposeTo develop an accurate T1 measurement method for short T2 tissues using a combination of a 3-dimensional ultrashort echo time cones actual flip angle imaging technique and a variable repetition time technique (3D UTE-Cones AFI-VTR) on a clinical 3T scanner.MethodsFirst, the longitudinal magnetization mapping function of the excitation pulse was obtained with the 3D UTE-Cones AFI method, which provided information about excitation efficiency and B1 inhomogeneity. Then, the derived mapping function was substituted into the VTR fitting to generate accurate T1 maps. Numerical simulation and phantom studies were carried out to compare the AFI-VTR method with a B1 -uncorrected VTR method, a B1 -uncorrected variable flip angle (VFA) method, and a B1 -corrected VFA method. Finally, the 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VTR method was applied to bovine bone samples (N = 6) and healthy volunteers (N = 3) to quantify the T1 of cortical bone.ResultsNumerical simulation and phantom studies showed that the 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VTR technique provides more accurate measurement of the T1 of short T2 tissues than the B1 -uncorrected VTR and VFA methods or the B1 -corrected VFA method. The proposed 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VTR method showed a mean T1 of 240 ± 25 ms for bovine cortical bone and 218 ± 10 ms for the tibial midshaft of human volunteers, respectively, at 3 T.ConclusionThe 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VTR method can provide accurate T1 measurements of short T2 tissues such as cortical bone. Magn Reson Med 80:598-608, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PURPOSE:UTE sequences with a minimal nominal TE of 8 µs have shown promise for direct imaging of myelin protons (T2 ,

PURPOSE:UTE sequences with a minimal nominal TE of 8 µs have shown promise for direct imaging of myelin protons (T2 ,

BackgroundRotator cuff tendons (RCTs) are challenging to image due to the "magic angle effect" and their short T2 .PurposeTo assess the degree of magic angle sensitivity of human RCTs and to utilize a 3D ultrashort echo time Cones sequence with magnetization transfer preparation (UTE-Cones-MT) and two-pool quantitative MT modeling with histological correlation. We hypothesized that MT parameters would be less sensitive to the magic angle compared with conventional T2 measurements.Study typeProspective imaging pathologic correlation.SpecimenTwenty cadaveric rotator cuff tendons were imaged at five sample orientations ranging from 0-90° relative to the B0 field.Field strength/sequence3T/3D UTE-Cones-MT and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG).AssessmentTwo-pool quantitative MT modeling parameters and T2 values were calculated in regions of interest drawn by a medical physicist. Histopathological analysis was performed and mild and severe tendinopathy groups were assigned by a histopathologist and histotechnician.Statistical testsCoefficients of variations (CVs) were calculated for measures between the different orientations and group means were compared for each measure.ResultsCVs of T2 and macromolecular fractions between orientations were 26.14 ± 16.82% and 6.18 ± 2.77% (mean ± SD), respectively. T2 measurements at 0°, 27°, 70°, and 90° showed significant differences between the two histological groups (P = 0.004, 0.008, 0.003, and 0.015, respectively), but not at 55° (P = 0.611). Mean T2 value ranges between orientations for the mild and severe tendinopathy groups were 15.27-30.32 msec and 20.81-35.85 msec, respectively, showing overlap despite statistically significant differences (P = 0.003). Macromolecular fractions at all angles showed significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.0001). Mean fraction ranges between orientations for the mild and severe tendinopathy groups were 14.32-17.17% and 10.00-13.75% respectively (P < 0.0001) with no overlap.Data conclusionCompared with T2 , macromolecular fraction obtained with the 3D UTE-Cones-MT technique is resistant to the magic angle effect and is more sensitive to RCT degeneration.Level of evidence1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.

PurposeTo investigate high contrast imaging of short T2 tissues with a three-dimensional double adiabatic inversion recovery prepared ultrashort echo time Cones (3D DIR-UTE-Cones) sequence.MethodsThe sequence used two sequential adiabatic inversion pulses to suppress signals from long T2 tissues, followed by multispoke UTE acquisition to detect signals from short T2 tissues. The two adiabatic inversion pulses are identical with a center frequency located at the water peak, but the spectral width is broad enough to cover both water and fat frequencies. The feasibility of this technique was demonstrated through numerical simulation and phantom studies. Finally, DIR-UTE-Cones was applied to three healthy volunteers to image cortical bone, patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon. T2* was also measured via single-component exponential fitting.ResultsNumerical simulation suggests that the DIR technique provides perfect nulling of muscle and fat as well as efficient suppression of other long T2 tissues with T1 values between fat and water or those above water. Excellent image contrast can be achieved with DIR-UTE-Cones for the short T2 tissues, with fitted T2* values of 0.28-0.38 ms for cortical bone, 0.56 ± 0.07 ms for the patella tendon, and 0.45 ± 0.06 ms for the Achilles tendon, respectively.ConclusionThe 3D DIR-UTE-Cones sequence provides robust suppression of long T2 tissues and allows selective imaging as well as T2* measurement of short T2 tissues such as cortical bone, patellar tendon, and the Achilles tendon. Magn Reson Med 79:2555-2563, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PurposeWe present three-dimensional adiabatic inversion recovery prepared ultrashort echo time Cones (3D IR-UTE-Cones) imaging of cortical bone in the hip of healthy volunteers using a clinical 3T scanner.MethodsA 3D IR-UTE-Cones sequence, based on a short pulse excitation followed by a 3D Cones trajectory, with a nominal TE of 32μs, was employed for high contrast morphological imaging of cortical bone in the hip of heathy volunteers. Signals from soft tissues such as muscle and marrow fat were suppressed via adiabatic inversion and signal nulling. T2⁎ value of the cortical bone was also calculated based on 3D IR-UTE-Cones acquisitions with a series of TEs ranging from 0.032 to 0.8ms. A total of four healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. Average T2⁎ values and the standard deviation for four regions of interests (ROIs) at the greater trochanter, the femoral neck, the femoral head and the lesser trochanter were calculated.ResultsThe 3D IR-UTE-Cones sequence provided efficient suppression of soft tissues with excellent image contrast for cortical bone visualization in all volunteer hips. Exponential single component decay was observed for all ROIs, with averaged T2⁎ values ranging from 0.33 to 0.45ms, largely consistent with previously reported T2⁎ values of cortical bone in the tibial midshaft.ConclusionsThe 3D IR-UTE-Cones sequence allows in vivo volumetric imaging and quantitative T2⁎ measurement of cortical bone in the hip using a clinical 3T scanner.

In this study, hot compression experiments were conducted on cast TC21 titanium alloy using a Gleeble-1500D thermal simulation compression tester, and the hot-compressed specimens were heat-treated. The data obtained after analyzing the thermal compression of cast TC21 titanium alloy were analyzed to construct a thermal machining diagram with a strain of 0.8 and to optimize the machining window. This study investigated the microstructure of the alloy after hot pressing experiments and heat treatment, applying the study of the microstructure evolution law of cast TC21 titanium alloy. The analysis of the tissue evolution law established the dynamic and static recrystallization volume fraction as a function of heat deformation parameters. The results show that the optimal processing window for cast TC21 titanium alloy is a deformation temperature in the range of 1373 K–1423 K and a strain rate of 0.1 s−1. The increase in deformation volume and deformation temperature both favor recrystallization and make the recrystallization volume fraction increase, but the increase in strain rate will inhibit the increase in the recrystallization degree to some extent. The dynamic and static recrystallization equations for the cast TC21 titanium alloy at different temperatures were constructed. The experimental measurements of recrystallization volume fraction are in good agreement with the predicted values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation and fracture characterization of an Mg−2Sn−1Ca alloy were studied through uniaxial isothermal compression tests. The flow stress curves, the efficiency of power dissipation, the instability parameter and the fracture behavior of an Mg−2Sn−1Ca alloy under the condition of various hot working parameters were investigated according to the experimental data. Processing maps were established by superimposing the instability map over the power dissipation map. It was found that flow stress reduces with increases in the deformation temperature and decreases in the strain rate. The processing of Mg−2Sn−1Ca alloys should avoid the instability region in which the conditions are high strain under high temperature and low strain under low temperature. At 473 K or a high strain rate, unidirectional cracks and fish scale cracks can be produced, and cracks can be avoided under the optimum processing area of 623–723 K/0.001–0.1 s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]