Cohesive Granular Material With Elastomeric Binder
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cohesive granular materials, such as stone paper, cemented aggregates, kinetic sand, and porous sintered materials, are either fragile, lack dimensional stability, or have limited tunable mechanical properties, making them unsuitable for applications requiring adjustable physical properties and resistance to deformations.
Innovation Solution
A cohesive granular material comprising granules of a stiff substance with a grain size between 55 µm to 2.0 mm, connected by an elastomeric substance with a Young's modulus up to 0.5 times that of the stiff substance, featuring interconnected voids for fluid permeability and adjustable mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If granules are connected via stiff cement or sintering bridges, then strength is improved, but the material becomes fragile and fails under small deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the connecting substance from stiff to elastomeric, creating a material that is both strong and deformable. The elastomeric substance provides a Young's modulus that is at maximum 0.5 times that of the stiff granules, enabling the material to withstand deformations without failure while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material combining stiff granules with elastomeric connecting substance. This composite structure allows the material to exhibit both the strength of the stiff granules and the deformability of the elastomeric substance, resolving the contradiction between strength and fragility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If granules are connected via elastomeric substance, then deformability is improved, but strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the parameter of the elastomeric substance's Young's modulus to be at maximum 0.5 times that of the stiff granules. This parameter control ensures that the elastomeric substance provides sufficient deformability while maintaining adequate strength through its connection to the stiff granules.
3Quantity of substance
If porous sintered materials are used, then fluid permeability is improved, but the material collapses under large deformations or differential pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where stiff granules provide structural stability and elastomeric substance provides connectivity and deformability. This composite approach maintains porosity for fluid permeability while preventing collapse under deformation through the combined strength of the granule framework and elastomeric connections.
4Strength
If cemented aggregates are used, then strength is improved, but mechanical properties are difficult to tune
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables tuning of mechanical properties by controlling the parameters of the elastomeric substance, such as its Young's modulus and amount. The elastomeric substance content can be varied to adjust the balance between strength and deformability, providing tunable mechanical properties while maintaining strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The material provides high stability under pressure, tunable deformability under tensile and shear loads, and adjustable fluid permeability, making it suitable for applications like filters and membranes without failing under deformations.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric substance connecting the granules, a Young's modulus of the elastomeric substance being at maximum 0.5 times a Young's modulus of the stiff substance
Implementation Method 2
voids between the granules, the voids being interconnected and providing a fluid permeability to the cohesive granular material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cohesive granular material comprises granules made of a stiff substance and having a grain size in the range from 55 μm to 2.0 mm; an elastomeric substance connecting the granules, a Young's modulus of the elastomeric substance being at maximum 0.5 times a Young's modulus of the stiff substance; and voids between the granules, the voids being interconnected and providing a fluid permeability to the cohesive granular material.