Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the mass production of polymeric nanofibres and their uniform deposition over any substrate. The present invention also provides a method for the manufacture of droplet free polymeric nanofibres by electrospinning process using multi-hole spinnerets. The droplet free polymeric nanofibres of the present invention are preferably of a diameter in the range of 50 nm to 850 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the mass production of polymeric nanofibres and their uniform deposition over any substrate. The present invention also provides a method for the manufacture of droplet free polymeric nanofibres by electrospinning process using multi-hole spinnerets. The droplet free polymeric nanofibres of the present invention are preferably of a diameter in the range of 50 nm to 850 nm.

Abstract: The structural health monitoring method of the present invention utilizes ultrasound to determine information about deformation, stress and/or damage in structural elements. The method propagates ultrasound through at least a portion of a material having fully-reversible nonlinear elasticity, receives the ultrasound which has been propagated through at least a portion of the material and determining information about the structural element from attenuation and/or time of flight of said received ultrasound.

Abstract: The structural health monitoring method of the present invention utilizes a sensor system to determine information about deformation, stress and/or damage in structural elements. The sensor system and the method employ at least one sensor which comprises a material having fully-reversible nonlinear elasticity. The method comprises associating at least one sensor including a material having fully-reversible nonlinear elasticity with a structural element in a manner whereby stress is transferred from said structural element to said sensor, propagating ultrasound through a portion of the sensor, receiving the ultrasound which has been propagated through at least a portion of the sensor and determining information about the structural element from attenuation and/or time of flight of said received ultrasound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the simple, objective and accurate determination the zero point or effective zero point of a material, the point of first contact between an indenter tip and the surface of a material. The zero point is determined by using a sensor having a tip and capable of continuous stiffness measurement. By applying a data shift, which insures that the stiffness versus contact parameter curve is linear and goes through the origin of the graph, it is possible to determine the zero point based on combined data from indentation and from superimposed continuous stiffness measurement oscillations.

Abstract: The structural health monitoring method of the present invention utilizes a sensor system to determine information about deformation, stress and/or damage in structural elements. The sensor system and the method employ at least one sensor which comprises a material having fully-reversible nonlinear elasticity. The method comprises associating at least one sensor including a material having fully-reversible nonlinear elasticity with a structural element in a manner whereby stress is transferred from said structural element to said sensor, propagating ultrasound through a portion of the sensor, receiving the ultrasound which has been propagated through at least a portion of the sensor and determining information about the structural element from attenuation and/or time of flight of said received ultrasound.