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Highly transparent and super-wettable nanocoatings for multifunctional applications with outstanding physical properties are in high demanded. However, such nanocoatings resistant to water invasion and Ultraviolet (UV) weathering remain a significant challenge. In this work, physically durable coatings based on inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and an organic segment (isocyanate-silane modified surfactant) have been synthesized via a sol-gel approach. It is noteworthy the isocyanate-silane with –NH–C O- functional group creates a strong bonding between the highly hydrophilic surfactant and the inorganic NPs. This in-house synthesized organic segment can render the coating long-lasting wetting properties and resist to be washed away by water, while the inorganic NPs can form sturdy covalent bonds with the nano-scale hierarchical structure on the glazing substrate to improve the durability. This nanocoating demonstrates high transparency with superwetting property (water contact angle, WCA ​= ​4.4 ​± ​0.3°), effective de-frosting performance. Water invasion or UV accelerated weathering tests do not significantly affect the self-cleaning performance of nanocoating. Physical properties, including coating adhesion, hardness, Young's modulus, and abrasion resistance are systematically investigated. Interestingly, this clear coating shows prominent infrared shielding property attributed to Antimony-doped tin oxide (Sb-doped SnO2) NPs. The developed nanocoating process is easy to scale up for larger areas that require multipurpose self-cleaning functions.

Retinal dopamine is believed to be involved in the development of myopia, which is projected to affect almost half of the world population's visual health by 2050. Direct visualization of dopamine in the retina with high spatial precision is essential for understanding the biochemical mechanism during the development of myopia. However, there are very few approaches for the direct detection of dopamine in the visual system, particularly in the retina. Here, we report surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based dopamine imaging in cells and retinal tissues with high spatial precision. The surface of gold nanoparticles is modified with N-butylboronic acid-2-mercaptoethylamine and 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid di(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester), which shows excellent specific reaction with dopamine. The existence of dopamine triggers the aggregation of gold nanoparticles that subsequently form plasmonic hot spots to dramatically increase the Raman signal of dopamine. The as-synthesized SERS nanoprobes have been evaluated and applied for dopamine imaging in living cells and retinal tissues in form-deprivation (FD) myopia guinea pigs, followed by further investigation on localized dopamine levels in the FD-treated mice. The results suggest a declined dopamine level in mice retina after 2-week FD treatment, which is associated with the development of myopia. Our approach will greatly contribute to better understanding the localized dopamine level associated with myopia and its possible treatments. Furthermore, the imaging platform can be utilized to sensing other important small molecules within the biological samples.

As a promising solid electrolyte for thin-film lithium batteries, the amorphous Li0.33La0.56TiO3 (LLTO) thin film has gained great interest. However, enhancing ionic conductivity remains challenging in the field. Here, a systematical study was performed to improve the ionic conductivity of sputter-deposited LLTO thin films via the optimization of processing atmosphere and temperature. By combining the optimized oxygen partial pressure (30%), annealing temperature (300 °C), and annealing atmosphere (air), an amorphous LLTO thin film with an ionic conductivity of 5.32 × 10−5 S·cm−1 at room temperature and activation energy of 0.26 eV was achieved. The results showed that, first, the oxygen partial pressure should be high enough to compensate for the oxygen loss, but low enough to avoid the abusive oxygen scattering effect on lithium precursors that results in a lithium-poor composition. The oxygen partial pressure needs to achieve a balance between lithium loss and oxygen defects to improve the ionic conductivity. Second, a proper annealing temperature reduces the oxygen defects of LLTO thin films while maintaining its amorphous state, which improves the ionic conductivity. Third, the highest ionic conductivity for the LLTO thin films that were annealed in air (a static space without a gas stream) occurs because of the decreased lithium loss and oxygen defects during annealing. These findings show that the lithium-ion concentration and oxygen defects affect the ionic conductivity for amorphous LLTO thin films, which provides insight into the optimization of LLTO thin-film solid electrolytes, and generates new opportunities for their application in thin-film lithium batteries.

Memory is an essential element for a computer to process information, which is integrated by logical circuits. Like electronic computing, thermal information can also be stored and read out by a thermal memory. Here, we show that a phase-changing polymer with hysteretic thermal transport properties can be experimentally processed into thermal memories at room temperature. We used a temperature-responsive and reversible polymer synthesized with melamine (M) and 6,7-dimethoxy-2,4[1H,3H]-quinazolinedione (Q) as a model system to demonstrate the manipulation of thermal transport at a molecular level. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicate that this hysteretic behavior is based on the interaction of hydrogen bonds at high (317 K) and low (297 K) temperatures. This work demonstrates a controllable phonon transport process through the manipulation of hydrogen bonds, and thus it has potential applications in thermal memories.

Continuous real-time measurement of body temperature using a wearable sensor is an essential part of human health monitoring. Electrospun aligned carbon nanofiber (ACNF) films are employed to assemble flexible temperature sensors. The temperature sensor prepared at a low carbonization temperature of 650 °C yields an outstanding sensitivity of 1.52% °C−1, high accuracy, good linearity, fast response time and excellent long-term durability. Moreover, it exhibits high discriminability towards temperature amidst other unwanted stimuli and maintains its original performance even after repeated stretch/release cycles because of highly-aligned structures. The correlation between the atomic structure and the temperature sensing performance of ACNF sensors is established. Contrary to conventional highly conductive temperature sensors, the ACNF sensor with a low electrical conductivity prepared at a low carbonization temperature ameliorates the temperature sensing performance. This anomaly is explained by (i) the smaller and more disordered sp2 carbon crystallites yielding a high negative temperature coefficient, (ii) a larger number of defects, and (iii) a higher pyridinic-N content generating abundant entrapped and localized electrons which are activated once sufficient thermal energy is available. Flexible ACNF sensor's overall performance is among the best-known carbon material-based flexible temperature sensors, demonstrating potential applications in emerging healthcare and flexible electronics technologies.

The unique combination of alternate thin layers of metal and complete thermoplastic fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) gives birth to a new generation of hybrid thermoplastic fiber metal laminates (T-FML), which are considered for high impact resistance applications. T-FML is fabricated by Ti6Al4V metal alloy and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with infusible liquid methyl methacrylate thermoplastic resin (Elium®). The impact damage resistance of T-FML depends on the interlaminar interface and metal thermoplastic composite interface (MTCI). Higher interfacial properties provide improved stiffness and resistance to the delamination of crack growth in T-FML during an impact loading. Fiber and metal surfaces are modified to enhance the interlaminar interface and MTCI. The fiber surface is treated by a simple deposition of polydopamine (PDA) with the addition of 0.03 wt.% multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and the metal surface is treated by using an electrochemical process. Experimental investigations were carried out on the T-FML composite laminates to determine the low-velocity impact behavior at three different impact energies (43 J, 50 J, 80 J). The results revealed that the non-impacted Ti alloy face sheet on the rear side of the T-FML plays an important role in absorbing the impact energy by creating a single crack in the rolling direction. Also, the single crack growth is suppressed when the MTCI is improved after the fiber and metal surface treatment.

In this study, we design a novel thermo- and photo-responsive nanocomposite film prepared by depositing indium tin oxide nanocrystals via the coating of amphiphilic copolymer on polycaprolactone substrates (INCP). The INCP film shows reversible surface morphology change properties by changing temperature as well as turning ON/OFF NIR laser. Especially, as the temperature changes from 25 to 75 °C, the film could regulate light transmittance from 75 to 90% across the visible and near-infrared region (500–1,750 nm). In addition, the film also exhibits excellent recycle and thermal stability at different temperature. Our results reveal that reversible surface morphology change properties are caused by curvature adjustment of film, which is owing to the coupling effect between copolymer and PCL with different thermal expansion strains. Our results suggest a possible strategy for the preparation of smart responsive materials in the future, which provides a reference for the development of new energy-saving materials.

The development of autonomous materials with desired performance and built-in visualizable sensing units is of great academic and industrial significance. Although a wide range of damage indication methods have been reported, the “turn-on” sensing mechanism by damaging events based on microcapsule systems, especially those relying on chemical reactions to elicit a chromogenic response, are still very limited. Herein, a facile and metal-free polymerization route with an interesting reaction-induced coloration effect is demonstrated. Under the catalysis of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), the polymerizations of difunctional or trifunctional activated alkynes proceed very quickly at 0 oC in air. A series of polymers composed of stereoregular enyne structure (major unit) and divinyl ether structure (minor unit) are obtained. Both the catalyst and monomers are colorless while the polymerized products are deep-colored. This process can be applied for the damage visualization of polymers using the microencapsulation technique. Microcapsules containing the reactive alkyne monomer are prepared and mixed in a DABCO-dispersed polymer film. The mechanical damage of this composite film can be readily visualized once the reaction is initiated from the ruptured microcapsules. Moreover, the newly formed polymer automatically sealed the cracks with an additional protection function.

Hybrid titanium composite laminates (HTCLs) are high-performance light-weight fiber metal laminates (FMLs) that are being increasingly used in various industries such as aeronautical, military, and marine thanks to their optimized fracture toughness, impact resistance, and thermal performance. In the current study, the low-velocity impact (LVI) characteristics of a new generation of thermoplastic (TP) HTCLs at various energy levels are investigated. To do so, Ti-6Al-4 V sheets, carbon fabrics, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabrics are used to fabricate multiple laminates with different fiber types, metal volume fractions, and lamination layups. A low-cost resin infusion process is employed for manufacturing the laminates at room temperature by using a novel liquid thermoplastic methyl methacrylate resin, Elium® 188. Before fabrication, a multi-step surface treatment method is applied on Ti alloy sheets to enhance the interfacial properties between the composite layer and the metal alloy sheet. In addition to TP-HTCLs, equivalent thermosetting (TS) HTCLs with an epoxy resin, Epolam, are fabricated to compare the results and evaluate the possibility of fabricating recyclable TP-FMLs at room temperature with enhanced out-of-plane properties. Impact properties including contact force, deflection, energy parameters, and related damage modes are investigated and presented for each laminate. It is concluded that the newly developed TP-HTCLs can be cured at room temperature and have enhanced impact properties compared to those of TS-HTCLs. Besides, the HTCL with UHMWPE fabrics on its composite sides (before the Ti alloy sheets) performs better in LVI compared to that with carbon fibers on the top and bottom (of its composite core) since UHMWPE exhibits higher strain to failure and fracture toughness compared to carbon fibers.

In this study, a type of hybrid Ag sintering paste is selected and characterized. Samples were made under different sintering conditions with rising temperature and duration. Microstructures for hybrid sintered Ag joint were characterized by SEM morphologies. The Ag particles were sintered and necked together during sintering, with the thermal resistant polymers filling in the pores around Ag particles. However, excessive high temperature will lead to oversintering and the residual polymers will decompose which result in an inhomogeneous microstructure. Meanwhile, delamination was found at the plated Ag/Cu interfaces which lead to poor shear strength at 380°C. Shear test and failure modes under different sintering conditions were then studied and analyzed. The shear strength for sintered Ag joint after one-hour sintering was lower than that after two-hours sintering, and adhesive failures were found in part of the fracture surfaces.

Fiber metal laminate (FML) is a sandwich combination of thin metal and a composite layer which possess high fatigue, creep, and corrosion resistance. The performance of FML depends on the bonding behavior between the metal and composite interface (MCI). Introducing Redux 335k polymer interleaf can improve MCI, but cannot retain the mechanical properties after its first delamination. Toughened self-healing co-polymer film EMAA (Ethylene-methacrylic acid) can be used as an alternative due to its self-healing property which can recover the mechanical property after each delamination. Double-cantilever-beam (DCB) test is carried out by supporting a thick CFRP composite as a backing beam to avoid the yielding of thin metal in FML to estimate the interlaminar fracture toughness (G1C) at the MCI. Results from the DCB test shows that the incorporation of EMAA thin film improves G1C at the MCI. However, G1C gradually decreases despite recovering its fracture toughness after each delamination when the self-healing reaction is thermally activated. The Mode I fracture toughness of EMAA before the first heal is 1.95 kJ/m2, which is higher due to its thermoplastic nature. This article emphasizes only on the recovery of Mode I self-healing efficiency of EMAA at MCI. However, the article also shows the fracture toughness at MCI by using non-self-healing film adhesive at MCI. This comparison is to understand that the standard structural adhesive (Redux 335K) cannot retain the mechanical properties after its first delamination, and also to understand the failure modes of both thermosetting and thermoplastic interleaf at MCI.

The understanding of the shell formation mechanism for the novel encapsulation technique via integrating microfluidic T-junction and interfacial polymerization is not only important to fabricate hi...

Phase change composite materials (PCCMs) with large latent heat capacity, a stable structure, and efficient thermal response have high potential for thermal management in various applications. Herein, novel reduced graphene oxide aerogel beads (rGOABs) are synthesized by wet spinning of GO slurry followed by thermal reduction, which are infiltrated with 1-tetradecanol (TD) paraffin as phase change materials (PCMs) to produce rGOAB/TD composites. An exceptionally high mass fraction, 98.8%, of paraffin TD encapsulated in the rGOABs is achieved in this study, which is known to be the highest among studies ever reported. It is demonstrated that the rGOAB/TD composite possesses a high latent heat value of 230.3 J g–1 and maintains 96.6% efficiency after 50 heating–cooling cycles, making the composite PCM suitable for emerging thermal management applications. The thermal responsive tests of various samples indicate better thermal response of rGOAB/TD than GOAB/TD without thermal reduction or the expanded graphi...

The fiber phase, matrix phase, and fiber/matrix interphase are different phases of fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs). FRP property such as mechanical strength is highly dependent on the adhesion level between the fiber and matrix for efficient load transfer. In this study, functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) modified dopamine coating solution is coated on the fiber surface as additional sizing to enhance the interfacial bonding strength between ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and thermoplastic matrix (Elium®) which has resin infusion capability. The resultant of transverse fiber bundle tests shows that the polydopamine (PDA) coating of fiber with embedded 0.03% of MWCNT can improve the bonding strength of fiber/matrix about 42.50% compared with that of common composites. In contrast, the addition of carbon nanotubes into Elium® matrix shows a distinctly weaker bonding effect than the interphase between neat PDA coating and UHMWPE fiber. This discrepancy is because of densification of carbon nanotubes (CNT) forest grafted on the fiber surface during the nanocomposite coating process. When being compared to other surface modification process, CNT embedded dopamine surface modification is cost effective and less time consuming and has better performance than the modified matrix with the addition of CNTs.

In this work, shear thickening fluid (STF) was fabricated and encapsulated by using three different encapsulation methods for the first time. The mechanical properties of individual STF capsules were investigated to obtain optimal encapsulation method and formula. Much more energy can be absorbed for STF capsules during impact than that of quasi-static compression. The introduction of ultraviolet (UV) curable resin can significantly improve the static strength of STF capsule and thus enhance the handleability of STF capsule. The STF capsules synthesized through the two-step polymerization method show an elastic shell which can stand multiple impacts without any damage. This STF capsule possesses higher static strength and absorbs more strain energy than capsules synthesized through the other two methods. Furthermore, incorporation of the STF capsules into silicone gel enhances the energy absorption capacity of matrix material up to 71.3%. Accepted version

Microencapsulated phase-change material (ME-PCM) employing octadecane as a core material has been practiced for thermal-energy-storage (TES) applications in buildings. However, octadecane as a hydrocarbon-based PCM is flammable. Herein, silica-shelled microcapsules (SiO2-MCs) and poly(urea-formaldehyde)-shelled microcapsules (PUF-MCs) were successfully prepared, loaded with octadecane/tributyl phosphate (TBP) as hybrid core materials, which not only exhibited good TES properties but also high-effective flame retardancy. SiO2-MC (ΔHm = 124.6 J g-1 and ΔHc = 124.1 J g-1) showed weaker TES capacity than PUF-MC (ΔHm = 186.8 J g-1, ΔHc = 188.5 J g-1) but better flame retardancy with a lower peak heat-release rate (HRRpeak) of 460.9 W g-1 (556.9 W g-1 for PUF-MCs). As compared with octadecane (38.7 kJ g-1), the reduction in total heat release (THR) for SiO2-MC was up to 22% (30.1 kJ g-1) with combustion time shortened by 1/6. SiO2-MC had a typical diameter of 150-210 μm, shell thickness of ∼6.5 μm, and a core fraction of 84 wt %. SiO2-MC showed better thermal stability with a higher initial evaporation/pyrolysis temperature than PUF-MC. The thermal decomposition of MCs with its mechanism of flame retardancy was significantly studied using thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). The strategy presented in this study should inspire the development of microcapsules with PCMs/flame retardants as hybrid core materials for structural applications. Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Ministry of National Development (MND) The authors would like to acknowledge financial support from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) -- Ministry of National Development (MND), Singapore (SERC132 176 0014).

Shear thickening fluid (STF) has been used in many areas due to its unique rheological property. In this study, the dynamic mechanical properties of STF-filled composite structures were investigated by in-house fabricated drop weight testing apparatuses. Results indicated that the strength and modulus increase with strain rate for all tube structures. Liquid-filled tubes possess similar strength and modulus, which are larger than air-filled tube at all strain rates. However, STF-filled tube absorbs 5 and 4 times more impact energy than air- and silicone oil-filled tubes, respectively. The energy absorption capacity of STF-filled tube increases with input impact energy. Meanwhile, the shear thickening effect of STF is more sensitive to the loading rate than the input energy, which is an important reference for the designing of STF integrated composite. The STF-filled silicone gel achieves repeatable test due to good protection of the encapsulation, which absorbs 4 times more energy than neat silicone gel during impact. Longitudinal symmetrical profile can be achieved for silicone gel encapsulated STF during impact due to the hardening of the STF which leads to a quick balance state. Moreover, the mechanical response of STF is found to correspond with the rheological performance of the STF. The authors acknowledged the supports from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Grant #: R9365), the NSFC/HK-RGC Joint Research Scheme (Grants #: N_HKUST 631/18 and 51861165103), and Nanhai-HKUST Program (Grant #: FSNH-18FYTRI01).

Oxidative damage is one of the major contributors to retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), while RPE mediated antioxidant defense plays an important role in preventing retinopathies. However, the regulatory mechanisms of antioxidant signaling in RPE cells are poorly understood. Here we show that transcription factor MITF regulates the antioxidant response in RPE cells, protecting the neural retina from oxidative damage. In the oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration mouse model, retinal degeneration in Mitf+/- mice is significantly aggravated compared to WT mice. In contrast, overexpression of Mitf in Dct-Mitf transgenic mice and AAV mediated overexpression in RPE cells protect the neural retina against oxidative damage. Mechanistically, MITF both directly regulates the transcription of NRF2, a master regulator of antioxidant signaling, and promotes its nuclear translocation. Furthermore, specific overexpression of NRF2 in Mitf+/- RPE cells activates antioxidant signaling and partially protects the retina from oxidative damage. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the regulation of NRF2 by MITF in RPE cells and provide new insights into potential therapeutic approaches for prevention of oxidative damage diseases., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • MITF haploinsufficiency exacerbates oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration. • Specific overexpression of MITF in RPE cells protects retinas from oxidative damage in vivo. • MITF directly regulates the transcription and nuclear translocation of NRF2. • Partial rescue of retinal oxidative damage in Mitf ±mice by gene transfer mediated RPE cell specific expression of NRF2.

1,25(OH)2D3 as an active form of vitamin D is involved in the development of many metabolic-related diseases including diabetes. While prospective epidemiological studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is implicated in the regulation of glucose metabolism, the specific mechanism still remains unclear. Here, we generated 1α(OH)ase-null mice and discovered that these mice developed hepatic glucose overproduction and hepatic insulin resistance accompanied by decreased expression of Sirt1. ChIP and Luciferase assay confirmed that 1,25(OH)2D3 activating vitamin D receptor (VDR) directly interacts with one vitamin D response element located in Sirt1 promoter to up-regulate its transcription, triggering a cascade of phosphorylation of Akt at S473 and FOXO1 at S256 and resulting in decreased transcription of the gluconeogenic genes glucose-6-phosphatase (G6pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1), eventually hepatic glucose overproduction. We have identified a signaling pathway involving VDR, Sirt1, Rictor (a component of mTOR complex 2 [mTorc2]), Akt, and FoxO1 that regulates gluconeogenesis, and identified Sirt1 and FoxO1 as key modulators of increased gluconeogenesis induced by vitamin D deficiency. Our work demonstrates a novel mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 deficiency-induced hyperglycemia mediated through Sirt1 downregulation. Disclosure Q. Yuan: None. J. Yang: None. M. Sun: None. S. Tang: None. M. Dong: None. L. Mao: None. Funding National Natural Science Foundation of China (81400789)

Chalcogenide-based materials have attracted widespread interest in high-performance thermoelectric research fields. A strategy for the application of two types of chalcogenide for improved thermoelectric performance is described herein. Tin selenide (SnSe) is used as a base material, and Te nanoneedles are crystallized in the SnSe, resulting in the generation of a composite structure of SnSe with Te nanoneedles. The thermoelectric properties with various reaction times are investigated to reveal the optimum conditions for enhanced thermoelectric performance. A reaction time of 4 h at 450 K generated a composite Te nanoneedles/SnSe sample with the maximum ZT value, 3.2 times larger than that of the pristine SnSe. This result is attributed to both the reduced thermal conductivity from the effective phonon scattering of heterointerfaces and the improved electrical conductivity value due to the introduction of Te nanoparticles. This strategy suggests an approach to generating high-performance practical thermoelectric materials.

Photoreceptor cell degeneration is a major cause of blindness and a considerable health burden during aging but effective therapeutic or preventive strategies have not so far become commercially available. Here we show in mouse models that signaling through the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT protects photoreceptor cells against both light-induced and inherited retinal degeneration. Upon light damage, photoreceptor cells upregulate Kit ligand (KITL) and activate KIT signaling, which in turn induces nuclear accumulation of the transcription factor NRF2 and stimulates the expression of the antioxidant geneHmox1. Conversely, a viableKitmutation promotes light-induced photoreceptor damage, which is reversed by experimental expression ofHmox1. Furthermore, overexpression of KITL from a viral AAV8 vector prevents photoreceptor cell death and partially restores retinal function after light damage or in genetic models of human retinitis pigmentosa. Hence, application of KITL may provide a novel therapeutic avenue for prevention or treatment of retinal degenerative diseases.

In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) high glucose (HG) stimulation will lead to significant cell death. Bardoxolone-methyl (BARD) is a NF-E2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) agonist. In this study we show that BARD, at only nM concentrations, activated Nrf2 signaling in HUVECs. BARD induced Keap1-Nrf2 disassociation, Nrf2 protein stabilization and nuclear translocation, increasing expression of antioxidant response element (ARE) genes. BARD pretreatment in HUVECs inhibited HG-induced reactive oxygen species production, oxidative injury and cell apoptosis. Nrf2 shRNA or knockout (using a CRISPR/Cas9 construct) reversed BARD-induced cytoprotection in HG-stimulated HUVECs. Conversely, forced activation of Nrf2 cascade by Keap1 shRNA mimicked BARD's activity and protected HUVECs from HG. Importantly, BARD failed to offer further cytoprotection against HG in the Keap1-silened HUVECs. Taken together, Keap1-Nrf2 cascade activation by BARD protects HUVECs from HG-induced oxidative injury.

Spectral composition affects emmetropization in both humans and animal models. Because color vision interacts the effects of chromatic defocus, we developed a method to bypass the effects of longitudinal chromatic aberration by placing a spectral filter behind the optics of the eye, using genetic tools. Newborn C57BL/6J (B6) mice were reared in quasi-monochromatic red (585–660 nm) or blue (410–510 nm) light beginning before eye-opening. Refractive states and ocular dimensions were compared at 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks with mice reared in normal white light. Cre recombinase-dependent Ai9 reporter mice were crossed with Chx10-Cre to obtain Chx10-Cre;Ai9 mice, expressing red fluorescent protein in retinal Cre-positive cells. Ai9 offsprings, with and without Cre, were reared under a normal visual environment. Refraction and axial components were measured as described above. Expression levels of M and S opsin were quantified by western blotting at 10 weeks. Compared with those reared in white light, B6 mice reared in red light developed relative hyperopia, principally characterized by flattening of corneal curvature. Emmetropization was not affected by blue light, possibly because the reduction in vitreous chamber depth compensated for the increase in corneal curvature. Compared with Cre-negative littermates, the refraction and axial dimensions of Chx10-Cre;Ai9 mice were not significantly different at the follow-up timepoints. M opsin levels were higher in Chx10-Cre;Ai9 mice at 10 weeks while S opsin levels were not different. Red light induced a hyperopic shift in mouse refractive development. Emmetropization was not impacted in mice with perturbed color vision caused by intrinsic red-fluorescent protein, suggesting that color vision may not be necessary in mouse emmetropization when other mechanisms are present.

The development of microencapsulation techniques that can microencapsulate a wide variety of aqueous phases with different functions can greatly promote the advancement of microcapsule-based functional materials. Herein, a novel microencapsulation technique to microencapsulate aqueous phases with different functions was successfully established based on the inverse emulsion. Using pure water as the targeting core, the shell formation mechanism was carefully studied for this microencapsulation technique. Different cross-linkers, including glycerol, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and polyethyleneimine (PEI) with multiple reactive hydrogen atoms, were adopted to adjust the microcapsule quality. It finds that the microcapsules have relatively low quality when no cross-linker was used, and that they became robust when cross-linked agents were adopted. Importantly, the higher the functionality of the cross-linker, the better the impermeability of the microcapsules shell to retain the core content. This technique was applied to microencapsulate common compounds of different nature in the laboratory, including water-soluble organics, water-soluble inorganics, and water-based dispersions, to demonstrate its versatility. It shows that the technique can microencapsulate a wide variety of water-soluble/dispersible substances except for the inorganic strong acid. The established technique opens a window to fabricate high-quality microcapsules containing aqueous phases with diversified functions, promoting the development of microcapsule-based functional materials.

In this study, hollow glass bubbles (HGBs) of about 70 μm with through-holes of about 5 μm were successfully separated from a commercialized product and were used as targets to be sealed/covered by GO sheets of size about 24 μm. Firstly, these HGBs were treated with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) cross-linked polydopamine (PDA) to positively charge their outer surface. After treatment, the outer surface of HGBs was uniformly deposited with PDA nano-particles. During sealing/covering process, GO sheets were successfully attracted to the PDA modified HGBs by electrostatic force between the negatively charged GO sheets and positively charged HGBs introduced by the deposited PDA nano-particles, and were anchored by PDA nano-particles at the outer surface to avoid sucking of GO sheets into HGBs through the holes. While most of HGBs were tightly sealed/covered, some of them were partially sealed due to the fractured or collapsed GO sheets on the through-holes.

Self-assembly strategies have been widely used to prepare aerogels from nanoparticles. It is challenging to assemble those nanoparticles whose surface is lack of abundant polar functional groups into aerogels, as the weak interface interactions among nanoparticles are not enough to maintain aerogel structures. Here we demonstrate a liquid extrusion strategy as a possible solution to this challenge, by using a small amount of large-sized graphene oxide and liquid extrusion devices. Large-sized graphene oxide sheets cover, wrap and assemble nanoparticles, and thus promote the assembly of nanoparticles. Extrusion devices are employed to control the shape and size of aerogels. Based on this strategy, a variety of nanoparticle, such as clay nanosheets, boron nitride nanosheets and carbon nanotubes, have been assembled into aerogels with designed shape and size even when there are few polar functional groups on nanoparticle surface. Detailed studies on clay aerogels show that the aerogels have porous structure and high performance, which can be proposed for applications in thermal insulation, fire retardation and absorption, etc. This liquid extrusion strategy can be thought of as effective, general and scalable approach to produce nanoparticle aerogels, particularly for those nanoparticles whose surface is lack of polar functional groups.

A new approach was developed to load 4,4′-bis-methylene cyclohexane diisocyanate in microcapsules, with outstanding stability in thermal and chemical environments, and excellent efficiency for both self-healing and self-lubricating uses. Well-dispersed microcapsules with diameter of 80 ± 22 µm and shell thickness of 3.8 ± 0.2 µm were produced with a core fraction of 74 ± 1.3 wt% as determined by titration. In thermal environments, the microcapsules started to lose 5% mass at 230 °C, which was higher than the boiling point of pure HMDI and thermal decomposition temperature of shell material. In chemical environments (hexane, xylene, ethyl acetate and water), the impermeable microcapsules reserved more than 90% of original core material after 20 days immersion. More interestingly, final microcapsules survived successfully in acetone losing only 25% of core material after 24 h. Parameters including microcapsules size, concentrations, immersion durations and solvent polarity were investigated systematically to obtain the stability of microcapsules in organic solvents. The smart coatings (10 wt% microcapsules) showed outstanding self-healing anticorrosion efficiency in sodium chloride solutions, and their friction coefficient decreased by 80% than control samples.

Materials that change color in response to external stimuli can cater to diverse applications from sensing to art. If made flexible, stretchable and weavable, they may even be directly integrated with advanced technologies such as smart textiles. A new class of engineered composite based on polydiacetylene (PDA) functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) shows tremendous potential in this regard. While the inherent multi stimuli chromatic response of the polymer (blue to red) is retained, the underlying conducting CNTs invoke electrochromism in PDA. Further, the fiber form factor of dry-spun CNT yarns facilitate direct weaving of large scale electrochromic fabrics, where current flow and thus color change can be accurately controlled. This review summarizes the fundamental aspects of CNT yarns and PDAs, focusing especially on their interaction chemistry which results in the scientifically and commercially appealing electrochromic transition in these hybrids.

Cheetah skin carbon nanotube, a novel periodically patterned nanocarbon on CNT synthesized as a highly effective filler for fabrication of high performance composites. The advantage of newly developed morphology lies in the fact that the size of nanocarbon on CNT and their distance can be fully controlled based on the application requirements. Cheetah skin CNT shows an excellent thermal stability and dispersibility in a high density polyethylene (HDPE) compared to pristine CNT/HDPE composite, making cheetah skin CNT a suitable candidate for fabrication of high performance HDPE based composite. The addition of cheetah skin CNT into HDPE resulted in a composite with improved thermomechanical properties. Compared with the pure HDPE and HDPE/pristine CNT, storage modulus and loss modulus of HDPE/cheetah skin CNT improved significantly at low temperatures even with very low content of cheetah skin CNT. Also, the thermal stability of the cheetah skin CNT/HDPE was found to be significantly higher than that of pristine CNT/HDPE composite in both isothermal and non-isothermal degradation performed for composites.

Retinal arachidonic acid (ARA) levels in form-deprived eyes decline in guinea pigs. As prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is an ARA metabolite and endogenous agonist of prostaglandin F receptor (FP), we have been suggested that down-regulation of PGF2α-FP receptor signalling pathway contributes to myopia onset. To test this hypothesis, this study determines whether: (i) retinal PGF2α levels decline during the development of form deprivation myopia (FDM) in guinea pigs; (ii) FP receptor agonism and antagonism alter emmetropization and myopia development. Pigmented guinea pigs were randomly assigned to normal vision and form-deprived groups. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS) measured retinal PGF2α levels 2 weeks after form deprivation (FD). The selective FP agonist, latanoprost acid (LAT) and its corresponding antagonist, AL8810, were peribulbarly injected into each group. An eccentric infrared photorefractor (EIR) monitored refraction. A-scan ultrasonography measured axial elongation (AL) and vitreous chamber depth (VCD). Tonometry measured the intraocular pressure (IOP). Retinal PGF2α levels declined in form-deprived eyes compared to those in normal eyes. Neither LAT nor AL8810 affected IOP with or without FD. On the other hand, after 4 weeks of daily 0.5 μg AL8810 treatment, a myopia of -1.99 ± 0.34 dioptre (D) developed, but LAT had no effect on emmetropization in a normal visual environment. Nevertheless, daily 30 μg LAT treatment for 4 weeks inhibited FDM development by 41% (vehicle control: -8.39 ± 0.45 D; LAT: -4.95 ± 0.39 D; two-way anova with repeated measures, p

This paper presents a novel approach to synthesize microencapsulated phase change materials (MEPCMs) with composite titania-polyurea (TiO2-PUA) shell at low temperature. MEPCM pre-microcapsules with PUA shell were first synthesized through interfacial polymerization in oil-in-water emulsion, followed by deposition of TiO2 on the surface of pre-microcapsules in solution by means of the liquid phase deposition (LPD) method at low temperature. The two-step synthesis approach results in high yield of microcapsules and the MEPCMs with composite TiO2-PUA shell integrate advantages of both organic and inorganic shells. Results show that the MEPCMs have a well-defined core–shell structure with around 73 wt.% of core fraction and dense composite TiO2-PUA shell, which is thermally stable and durable and effectively lowers the evaporation and prevents leakage of the core material even under repeated heating and cooling. The MEPCMs also show mitigated supercooling, faster thermal response, and high thermal storage capacity. TiO2-PUA MEPCM-modified cement pastes showed distinct latent heat storage capacity. ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore)

This investigation examines the influence of fiber type on the failure of titanium-based fiber metal laminates (FMLs). Two types of FMLs, comprising fiber-based composite layers, sandwiched between titanium sheets, were subjected to impact by a 12 mm steel sphere at various velocities ranging from 100–400 m/s. The first FML incorporated carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) layers, whereas the second had hot-pressed ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE, Dyneema®HB50) layers as the sandwiched component. FML specimens were clamped between annular plates, which exposed a circular target, and impacted at the center by spherical projectiles. Optical images of the deformation and failure induced in the two types of FMLs were captured by a high-speed camera, and the respective responses compared; the ballistic limit and energy absorbed were also determined. The results indicate that the ballistic performance of the Ti/HB50 system is superior to the Ti/CFRP combination, in terms of ballistic limit and energy absorption. However, this difference diminishes when the impact velocity exceeds 1.5 times the ballistic limit. The rolling direction of the titanium sheet plays a significant role in the amount of energy absorbed, through its influence on the deformation/failure mode of the FMLs.

Healing is a vital factor of polymer materials. Herein, an investigation on the healing performance of Graphene-CNTs reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites induced by microwave was carried out. The results show that the graphene sheet and CNTs formed a combined structure of Graphene-CNTs. This Graphene-CNTs may have a synergy effect on the coupling between microwave and Graphene-CNTs on the interface, and promote the fully healing of damaged composites. The tensile strength of the healed composites even exceeds the value of the virgin specimens. Simultaneously, there is a microwave focusing effect within the region of crack, and on the surfaces of graphene or CNTs that exposed on the fracture surfaces. This effect will also promote the healing of damaged composites, and can realize the preferential healing of crack as compared with the non-damaged regions. These results may help us to get a deeper understanding of healing mechanisms of some thermoplastic composites.

Encapsulation of polyamines for the practical application of self-healing epoxy is promising yet challenging due to their high reactivity and good solubility in water and most organic solvents. Herein, we developed an innovative method to directly synthesize microcapsules containing pure polyamine by integrating microfluidic emulsion and interfacial polymerization. Using this integration to make full use of the advantages and avoid the shortcomings of the involved two techniques, the properties of the fabricated microcapsules could be delicately tailored according to the practical demands of self-healing materials. The superiority of the obtained polyamine microcapsules was demonstrated via a dual-microcapsule high-performance self-healing system with fully autonomous recoverability, high thermal and long-term stability, relatively fast healing kinetics. The highest healing efficiency of 111 ± 12% in terms of recovered mode I fracture toughness was achieved at room temperature for 48 h without any external intervention. The high performance, environmental stability, and low cost and toxicity introduced by the robust microcapsules promote the potential practical application of this self-healing system.

Uncovering energy absorption and surface effects of various penetrating velocities on laminar structures is essential for designing protective structures. In this study, both quasi-static and dynamic penetration tests were systematical conducted on the front surfaces of metal sheets coated with a graphene oxide (GO) solution and other media. The addition of a GO fluid film to the front impact surface aided in increasing the penetration strength, improving the failure extension and dissipating additional energy under a wide-range of indentation velocity, from 3.33 × 10−5 m/s to 4.42 m/s. The coated -surfaces improved the specific energy dissipation by approximately 15~40% relative to the dry-contact configuration for both single-layer and double-layer configurations, and specific energy dissipations of double-layer configurations were 20~30% higher than those of the single-layer configurations. This treatment provides a facile strategy in changing the contact state for improving the failure load and dissipate additional energy.

Retinal metabolic changes have been suggested to be associated with myopia development. However, little is known about either their identity or time dependent behavior during this sight compromising process. To address these questions, gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) was applied to compare guinea pig retinal metabolite levels in form deprivation (FD) eyes at 3 days and 2 weeks post FD with normal control (NC) eyes. Orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) models discriminated between time dependent retinal metabolic profiles in the presence and absence of FD. Myopia severity was associated with more metabolic pattern differences in the FD than in the NC eyes. After 3 days of FD, 11 metabolite levels changed and after 2 weeks the number of differences increased to 16. Five metabolites continuously decreased during two weeks of FD. Two-way ANOVA of the changes identified by OPLS indicates that 15 out of the 22 metabolites differences were significant. Taken together, these results suggest that myopia progression is associated with an inverse relationship between increases in glucose accumulation and lipid level decreases in form-deprived guinea pig eyes. Such changes indicate that metabolomic studies are an informative approach to identify time dependent retinal metabolic alterations associated with this disease.

The interfaces between the composite and metal in fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are vulnerable to the attacks of moisture and heat. Two surface treatment methods are introduced to improve the interlaminar performance of the FML made of titanium alloy (Ti) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The FML prepared using the anodized Ti plate and CF sheets grafted with multiwalled carbon nanotubes shows significantly increased interlaminar fracture toughness (1382%), compared with the FML fabricated with sandblasted Ti plate and untreated CF sheets. The exposure to long-term hygrothermal environment, i.e. 60-day immersion in simulated seawater at room temperature, reduces the performance of both treated and untreated FMLs. However, the treated maintains the improvement of interlaminar performance, and shows much higher interlaminar fracture toughness (25.5 times) than the untreated. This study provides a feasible solution to tune the interlaminar properties of the FMLs based on titanium alloy and carbon fibers for industrial applications.

The Metal Composite Interface (MCI) properties affect not only the integrity of Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs), but also the deformation/failure modes of FMLs. In this paper, the influence of MCI on the mechanical behaviors of Ti/CFRP/Ti laminates were experimentally investigated through indentation tests and low velocity impact tests. Three different surface treatments of titanium sheets were prepared to obtain the different MCI strength based on annealing, sandblasting, and anodizing. The treated surfaces of titanium sheets were analyzed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrom (EDX). The MCI strength was characterized by apparent shear strength between titanium sheet and epoxy, which was measured through single lap shear test. The deformation/failure modes and energy absorption capacity of FMLs were analyzed. It was demonstrated that the MCI strength was greatly enhanced when the metal surfaces were sandblasted and anodized. The results showed that the improved MCI helped to maintain the integrity of FMLs under quasi-static and dynamic loadings. However, FMLs with higher MCI strength seemed to have weak resistance to damage and low energy absorption capacity.

Unstable crack propagation behavior of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites has a significant impact on the safety and reliability of structures in practical applications. Herein, we reported a method to improve the stability of crack growth by coating polydopamine (PDA) and graphene oxide (GO) on the surface of carbon fabric. The Mode I and Mode II tests were performed to study the delamination and crack behaviors of pure CFRP and modified CFRP. The crack propagation behavior can be tuned from unstable to stable manner without sacrificing the crack initiation during the opening mode test. It was revealed that the crack tended to fracture through the GO sheets, leading to the tearing and peeling of GO. The PDA&GO coated layers contributed to improving the load transfer between carbon fibers and polymer matrix, reducing the crack blunting degree, minimizing the unstable crack growth, and thus dissipating more energy. Keywords: Polydopamine, Graphene oxide, Carbon fiber reinforced plastic, Fracture toughness, Crack propagation

Herein, we report a smart coating with autonomous self-healing and self-reporting functions by simple integration of one-component microcapsules into the matrix without external intervention. The microcapsules containing hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) solution of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) were synthesized, and their properties, such as their composition, thermal stability, morphology, and damage-indicating ability, were investigated systematically. The AIEgen/HDI microcapsule-embedded coatings display adaptive self-repair of scratches and simultaneous high-contrast indication of the healed damage. Two commercialized AIEgens, tetraphenylethylene (TPE) and its derivative with dimethoxyl and benzylidene-methyloxazolone moieties (DM-TPE-BMO), were utilized as examples to demonstrate the feasibility of this concept in diverse polymer matrixes (including blue autofluorescent matrixes). It was found that the content of AIEgens can even be lowered to 0.05 wt %. This facile, economical, and feasible strategy toward the dual functions of self-repairing and self-sensing provides a new route for enhancing the longevity and reliability of polymer coatings, which is appealing and of great importance in practical applications.

The excessive utilization of petroleum-based products has given rise to environmental concerns that have led to the shift in the research interest toward recyclable and biodegradable products. Polylactic acid (PLA), an aliphatic polyester that can be obtained from renewable sources, is used in a wide range of applications in different industrial sectors. This study demonstrates the change in the thermal conductivity of 30% alumina filled PLA after a hydrophobic surface modification was applied to the filler. Fourier transmission infrared and X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy results confirmed the successful modification of the alumina particles surfaces. The improvement in the interaction between the modified alumina and PLA matrix was revealed by examining the morphology micrograph obtained by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Since alumina is a highly thermally conductive material, the enhancement in the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix leads to an increase of 120% in the thermal conductivity of the PLA/Alumina composite compared to that of the neat PLA. In addition, the PLA/Alumina composite showed an increase in the storage modulus due to the high stiffness of alumina.

Corrosion and biofouling are two common unsolved problems in the marine industry, urging the need of innovative solutions to tackle both problems simultaneously. Herein, the fabrication of multifunctional microcapsules containing 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ)as the corrosion inhibitors and clove oil as the natural antimicrobial compound is described to resolve both corrosion and biofouling problems simultaneously. Microcapsules containing 8-HQ and clove oil, featuring good mechanical properties, anticorrosion, and antibacterial properties, were successfully synthesized through in-situ polymerization of melamine-formaldehyde polymer. The fabricated microcapsules show antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli, Vibrio coralliilyticus and E. aestuarii, as revealed from the standard ASTM E2315 time-kill test. Multifunctional coatings with both antibacterial and anticorrosion features were fabricated by incorporating the fabricated microcapsules both onto and into the epoxy coatings. According to the zone inhibition test, the microcapsules-based multifunctional coating possesses antibacterial properties against the seawater bacteria. Manually scratched microcapsules-based multifunctional coatings possess anticorrosion properties, due to the formation of corrosion inhibition layer resulted from the reaction between the released 8-HQ compound and the mild steel substrate. Additionally, after 30 days of immersion in the salt water, the microcapsules-based coatings still possess anticorrosion properties by forming corrosion inhibition layer at the scratched region. Nanyang Technological University We are grateful to the support partially from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Grant #: R9365). Chong acknowledges the research scholarship support from NTU.

Robustness of microcapsule shells determined the service life and application areas of final smart materials including self-healing composites, anticorrosion coatings, smart concretes, and so on. Herein, we designed and synthesized metal microcapsules by conducting electroless plating directly on liquid droplet surfaces, and metal shells showed superior stability in thermal (600 °C) and polar solvents (acetone and N,N-dimethylformamide) environments. More interestingly, the mechanical strength of metal shells was ten times higher than those of all published microcapsules. Besides, the smart epoxy composites remained stable mechanical properties with metal microcapsule concentrations, and this is the first time to report such results. For engineering materials, mechanical properties played an important role in practical applications, and a higher strength usually accompanied with better safety and longer service life. The microcapsules with designable structures could be synthesized by adjusting shell thickness and core fractions for practical requirements. The metal microcapsules had great potentials to be applied in a smart metallic matrix, conductive multifunctional materials, and pH-responsive materials. In addition, the electroless plating technique was also first applied to liquid surfaces pushing the development of novel smart materials. This work was supported by the Startup Fund from HKUST (grant no. R9365).

Despite wide applications of reduced graphene-oxide (GO)-reinforced polymer-based composites, the necessity of the reduction procedure toward GO is still controversial. In this article, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites incorporated with GO and thermally reduced graphene oxide (TGO) were fabricated. GO and TGO exhibited different effects on crystallization behaviors, and mechanical and thermal properties of the TPU matrix. With 2.0 wt % filler loading, TPU composite reinforced by GO (TPU-GO-2 wt %) exhibited better thermal stability than that reinforced by TGO (TPU-TGO-2 wt %). The interfacial interaction between the nanofillers and the TPU matrix as well as their influence on the mobility of TPU chains were investigated, which proved that GO is superior to TGO in improving interface adhesion and maintaining crystallization of the TPU matrix. Compared with TPU-TGO-2 wt %, improved mechanical properties of TPU-GO-2 wt % were also evidenced owing to more oxygen-containing groups. This work demonstrates that the reduction of GO is not always necessary in fabricating polymer composites. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47745. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Start-upGrant from HKUST (R9365) and the Natural Science Foundationof China (Grant No. 51703248)

Polyurea/poly(urea–formaldehyde)/Al2O3 hybrid microcapsules with a dense Al2O3 nano-layer containing 4,4′-methylenebis cyclohexyl isocyanate (HMDI) have been successfully fabricated via combaning Atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and interfacial/in-situ polymerization process. This dense Al2O3 nano-layer can be controllable deposited in the form of a single atom film through continuous self-limiting reactions of Al(CH3)3 and H2O on the surface of the PU/PUF microcapsules at a temperature range of 120–180 °C. The formed hybrid microcapsules showed a monodispersed diameter of ~60 µm with a controlled and nano-sized Al2O3 shell. Moreover, the deposited Al2O3 nano-shell significantly increased the thermal stability and mechanical property of hybrid microcapsules, which could maintain their integrity under harsh conditions. In addition, by embedding hybrid microcapsules into an epoxy matrix, an excellent anticorrosion performance in scratched coatings via self-healing functionality was obtained. Therefore, the formed hybrid microcapsules with enhanced thermal stability and mechanical property via ALD process could promote their practical application in self-healing composites.

This study investigates the effects of fiber type, resin type, and stacking sequence on the dynamic response of fiber-reinforced polymer composite (FRPC) laminates under low-velocity impact (LVI) tests. Novel thermoplastic (TP) laminates are fabricated with a newly developed liquid methyl methacrylate thermoplastic resin, Elium® 188, at room temperature. FRPCs comprising woven ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabrics, woven carbon fabrics, and two different hybrid systems with alternative stacking sequences of those fibers are fabricated by the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) method. Besides, equivalent thermosetting-based (TS) composites with two epoxy systems are fabricated to compare the role of matrix type. Impact tests at different energy levels are performed on the TP and TS laminates to investigate the impact characteristics, namely contact force, deflection, energy attributes, structural integrity, and failure/damage modes. Besides, the mechanics of structure genome (MSG) and the commercial finite element code ABAQUS are used to verify the experimental results for one of the developed laminates. The results demonstrate that the hybrid system with UHMWPE fibers on the sides exhibits lower structural loss up to 47% and lower absorbed energy by 18% compared to those presented by the other type of hybrid system comprising carbon fabrics on the sides. Besides, it is found that the newly developed TP laminate underwent extended plasticity and presented a ductile behavior. The newly developed TP laminate demonstrated lower structural loss up to 200%, lower contact force by 14%, and lower absorbed energy by 48% compared to those of TS counterparts.