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This study investigates the potential of natural fibers extracted from Galinsoga parviflora as sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials, addressing the increasing demand for eco-friendly and biodegradable options in material science. The main objectives were to evaluate the structural, mechanical, and biological properties of these fibers, focusing on their applicability in structural composites. Driven by environmental sustainability, we performed a range of analyses including X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to determine crystallinity and cellulose structure, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify functional groups related to biodegradability, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to examine surface morphology and fiber dimensions. Key findings include a crystallinity index of 36.3% with cellulose I dominance, a tensile strength of 17.92 MPa, and a modulus of 11.3 GPa, indicating the fibers’ potential for structural applications. Elemental analysis using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) revealed a high carbon content (53.0%) and oxygen content (41.3%), along with trace elements that may enhance interaction in polymer matrices. Antibacterial testing demonstrated effective inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms, with inhibition zones reaching up to 19 mm, comparable to streptomycin. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) further confirmed the fibers' biofilm disruption capabilities.Overall, the results highlight that G. parviflora fibers show significant promise as bio-based alternatives for sustainable material development, offering both mechanical strength and biological functionality for future eco-friendly technologies.

Oil and gas industries are facing a special dilemma when it comes to high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) drilling as the accurate forecasting of the drilling fluid density (DFD) is a vital factor for safe and efficient operations. Complicated relationships and inconsistencies in HPHT situations are rarely mapped by current forecasting models, while their buggy performance and safety risks during drilling can be underestimated. In this research, we propose a novel machine learning (ML) approach to enhance the accuracy of DFD anticipation under HPHT conditions: central force search-adaptive extreme gradient boosting (CFS-XGB). This paper uses a dataset that has drilling variables together with the DFD for HPHT situations to examine the accuracy of the CFS-XGB model. Excluding the abnormalities of data or mistakes, the reliability of the original data is maintained by applying min–max normalization. After that, finding the important features with the help of the boosted principal component analysis (BPCA) approach to the normalized data will ensure a major improvement in the CFS-XGB methodology's prediction efficacy. This research is experimented in the Python platform, and the performance of the proposed CFS-XGB method is analyzed in terms of MSE, R2, and AAPRE metrics. The suggested approach performs better than the current methods in forecasting the drilling fluid concentration in HPHT settings, according to the experimental data. This development in predictive modeling helps increase the productivity and safety of drilling operations, which will eventually help the oil and gas sector manage the challenges posed by HPHT drilling settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to develop and analyze bio-based composites, incorporating moringa bioresin and hemp fibers as reinforcing elements. The composites were fabricated using four weight percentage combinations of epoxy, moringa bioresin, and hemp fiber. The fabricated composites were characterized by their mechanical, thermal, water absorption, biodegradability, and morphological properties. The study revealed that the composite with the highest proportion of moringa bioresin (30 wt. %) exhibited better mechanical properties. Moreover, the flexural strength and Shore D hardness were impacted by both the matrix and reinforcing materials' weight percentages. Thermal analysis showed that the composites had good thermal stability, while water absorption analysis indicated that the composites had good water resistance. Biodegradability analysis showed that the composites had a high rate of biodegradation, making them environmentally friendly. The distribution of reinforcing fibers within the matrix material was found to be uniform through the use of scanning electron microscope based morphological analysis. The results indicate that moringa bioresin and hemp fiber composites have the potential to be used as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based composites in various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation delves into the behavior of copper oxide (CuO) as a solid lubricant inside zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramic composites. The investigation starts with the preparation of ZTA through co-precipitation followed by powder metallurgy to develop CuO (1.5 wt. %)/ZTA composites. In all cases, hot isotactic pressing is applied for densification. The fully densified samples are thoroughly mirror-polished to investigate the mechanical and tribological properties. A 1.8% reduction in micro-hardness and 6% improvement in fracture toughness are observed with incorporation of CuO into the ZTA matrices. The analysis reveals that the presence of ionic copper at the grain boundary leads to the formation of copper-rich phases, causing a decrease in hardness. However, the softer CuO particles contribute to crack bridging and crack deflection, enhancing fracture toughness. Subsequent investigation into the tribological properties highlights the positive influence of the softer CuO phases acting as a secondary component within the ZTA matrix. A significant enhancement of 39.34% in the Coefficient of Friction (COF) is achieved by incorporating CuO into the ZTA matrix. This improvement can be attributed to the formation of a patchy layer through smearing and squeezing actions on wear debris during sliding. The uniform patchy layer results in smoother and more polished surfaces, leading to an improvement in both the COF and specific wear rate. Further wear analysis reveals various phenomena contributing to surface wear, including pullout of grain particles, micro-fracture, high abrasions, and laminar removal of grains. Overall, the introduction of CuO proves to be beneficial, showcasing improved mechanical and tribological properties in the developed composites, with application in dies, inserts, sparkplugs, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates a novel methodology to intricately craft a HAMMC and thoroughly examine its multifaceted mechanical and tribological characteristics. By combining silicon carbide (SiC) and fly ash as reinforcements, a unique identity is bestowed upon this hybrid composite, enhancing its structural integrity and functional attributes. Stir casting is the chosen methodology for fabricating this composite, favored for its economic viability and suitability for large-scale manufacturing. In this research, the emphasis is on developing a cost-effective composite that not only meets stringent economic considerations but also exhibits improved material properties. Within the realm of hybrid metal matrix composites, the well-regarded Al6061 takes on the role of the matrix material, while the synergistic inclusion of fly ash and SiC serves as reinforcing constituents. Three specimens with compostion 90% Al6061 + 5% SiC +5% Fly ash, 90% Al6061 + 10% SiC +6% Fly ash and 90% Al6061 + 15% SiC +7% Fly ash were fabricated. To unravel the intricacies of the fabricated Al6061 metal matrix composite, comprehensive tests are employed. These tests, including the Pin-on Disc test, Scratch test, Rockwell Hardness test, and Charpy Impact test, collectively work to unveil the nuanced tribological and mechanical behaviors encapsulated within this innovative alloy. The results indicated significant improvement in wear resistance in specimen comprising 78% Al6061 + 15% SiC +7% Fly Ash and volumetric loss found to have 0.96 g. Superior hardness characteristics and enhanced abrasion resistance found in 78% Al6061 + 15% SiC +7% Fly Ash than other two specimens. The highest impact strength exhibited in 90% Al 6,061 + 5% SiC +5% Fly ash specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exterior layer of the fuselage skin structure is made of Glass-Reinforced Fiber Metal Laminates (GLARE-FMLs). Hole quality is impacted by various force components during the drilling process. The process variables of drilling are optimized to obtain quality holes by controlling such force components. Because of the very limited works on optimizing the significant input process variables in getting quality drilled holes on FML plates, the present investigation is aimed to analyze the impact of varying the significant drilling process variables referred from the literature study and the wt.% of Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) mixed with the epoxy, on the force components generated during the drilling process. The FML plates proposed in the study have been drilled based on the test plan prepared by Taguchi's DOE. Grey Relational Analysis has been used for discovering the best combination of process variables leading to good quality holes. Further, grey-fuzzy modeling technique has been employed to check the results of GRA. From the results, it is identified that 1000 rpm spindle speed, 20 mm/min feed rate and 4 wt.% inclusion of LDH to the epoxy resin combination within the considered range of input process variables were found to be the best input parameter combinations resulting in comparatively better output responses. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model has been generated to bridge the input variables with the outputs measured. The fitness of the generated ANN model has been checked and reported. The effect of varying the process variables on obtaining the quality drilled holes has been revealed using Main Effect Plots (MEPs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]