William Marsh Rice University

Cnpc USA Corporation

China National Petroleum Corporation

Beijing Huamei Inc.

Cheng Peng

Yu Liu

Lei Zhao

Yang Lu

Jiaxiang Ren

Jun Lou

Yogeeswaran Ganesan

The patent application discloses a degradable thermoset composite. The composite comprises a reaction product of an epoxy resin, a cross-linker, a catalyst. The epoxy resin mixture may comprise at least one cycloaliphatic epoxide. The reaction product may have a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 140° C. as measured by DMA.

Formulation and processing of degradable high Tg epoxy composite that can be degradable at extremely low temperature

The present disclosure describes micromechanical devices and methods for using such devices for characterizing a material's strength. The micromechanical devices include an anchor pad, a top shuttle platform, a nanoindenter in movable contact with the top shuttle platform and at least two sample stage shuttles. The nanoindenter applies a compression force to the top shuttle platform, and the at least two sample stage shuttles move apart in response to the compression force. Each of the at least two sample stage shuttles is connected to the top shuttle platform and to the anchor pad by at least one inclined beam. Methods for using the devices include connecting a sample between the at least two sample stage shuttles and applying a compression force to the top shuttle platform. Application of the compression force to the top shuttle platform results in a tensile force being applied to the sample. Measuring a tip displacement of the nanoindenter is correlated with the sample's strength. Illustrative materials that can be studied using the micromechanical devices include, for example, nanotubes, nanowires, nanorings, nanocomposites and protein fibrils.

Micromechanical devices for materials characterization

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Cheng Peng