The present work evaluates the influence of different properties of composite materials from natural sources. Films were prepared using the evaporative casting technique from corn starch reinforced with a waste material such as garlic husk (GH), using glycerin as a plasticizer. The results of the syntheses carried out demonstrated the synergy between these materials. In the morphological analysis, the compatibility and adequate dispersion of the reinforcer in the matrix were confirmed. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the interaction and formation of bonds between the matrix and the reinforcer were confirmed by the presence of some signals such as S-S and C-S. Similarly, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that even at low concentrations, GH can slightly increase the decomposition temperature. Finally, from the results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), it was possible to identify that the storage modulus increases significantly, up to 115%, compared to pure starch, especially at low concentrations of the reinforcer.

Lignocellulosic waste materials are among the most abundant raw materials on Earth, and they have been widely studied as natural additives in materials, especially for polymer composites, with interesting results when it comes to improving physiochemical properties. The main components of these materials are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, as well as small amounts of other polysaccharides, proteins, and other extractives. Several kinds of lignocellulosic materials, mainly fibers, have been evaluated in polymer matrices, and recently, the use of particles has increased due to their high surface area. Garlic is a spice seed that generates a waste husk that does not have applications, and there are no reports of industrial use of this kind of lignocellulosic material. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a polymer processing technique that allows for obtaining complex shapes that are hard to obtain with ordinary techniques. The use of composites based on synthetic polymers and lignocellulosic materials is a growing field of research. In the present work, the elaboration and evaluation of 3D-printed polypropylene–garlic husk particle (PP-GHP) composites are reported. First, the process of obtaining a filament by means of a single extrusion was carried out, using different GHP contents in the composites. Once the filament was obtained, it was taken to a 3D printer to obtain probes that were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed with the aim of evaluating the thermal behavior of the 3D-printed PP-GHP composites. According to the obtained results, the crystallization process and thermal stability of the PP-GHP composites were modified with the presence of GHP compared with pristine PP. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that the addition of GHP decreased the storage modulus of the printed composites and that the Tan δ peak width increased, which was associated with an increase in toughness and a more complex structure of the 3D-printed composites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the addition of GHP favored the presence of the β-phase of PP in the printed composites.

This research presents an experimental study on a scaled prototype of a bladeless wind turbine that operates based on the principle of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV-BWT) with the implementation of bio-inspired design of a columnar-cactus type mast. The aerodynamic performance of columnar-cactus type masts with different numbers of ribs was investigated and compared with that of a conventional cylindrical mast. The objective of this novel proposal is to maximize wind energy conversion efficiency through vortex-induced vibrations, thereby enhancing energy generation. The present study focuses on the geometry of the columnar-cactus type mast as a vortex generator, which significantly influences the performance of this type of VIV wind energy harvester. The findings reveal that the geometric configuration of the cactus-inspired mast and the mast angle promote vortex formation, leading to higher lift coefficients and forces. Consequently, this results in greater vortex-induced vibration magnitudes. For instance, at a wind speed of 6.0 m/s and a mast angle of 0°, the 6-rib cactus-type mast exhibits 12 times greater VIV amplitude compared to the conventional cylindrical mast, while the 5-rib and 7-rib cactus-type masts show 2.4- and 2.2-times greater amplitudes, respectively. However, for wind speeds below 5 m/s, the cylindrical mast demonstrates superior VIV performance.

Los metamateriales mecánicos son materiales diseñados artificialmente con la finalidad de presentar un mejor desempeño gracias a los cambios en la estructura que los conforma y no en su composición química. En algunos casos este tipo de estructuras están basadas en la naturaleza, por ejemplo, el interior de los huesos, panales de abejas. Actualmente, gracias a los avances tecnológicos tanto en software y hardware ha facilitado el diseño y fabricación de estos materiales. La determinación de las propiedades de los metamateriales es realizada por medio de simulación por computadora, pruebas de estrés mecánico o ambos. Para la fabricación de estos metamateriales, en la mayoría de los casos se recurre a la manufactura aditiva. Recientemente, las investigaciones han mostrado interés en predecir el comportamiento mecánico de estos metamateriales usando diferentes técnicas entre las cuales destacan las redes neuronales.

El presente trabajo ofrece una visión general del proceso de fusión por lecho de polvo, una de las tecnologías más avanzadas dentro de la manufactura aditiva, la cual consiste en utilizar una fuente de energía para fundir selectivamente partículas de polvo capa por capa hasta crear un objeto tridimensional. A partir de una revisión documental, se explican las fases clave del proceso, desde la preparación del polvo y el archivo digital hasta la fusión selectiva y el postprocesamiento, describiendo además sus mecanismos físicos y relevancia industrial. Asimismo, se destaca la importancia de controlar parámetros como la energía, la atmósfera, la velocidad de escaneo y la distribución del tamaño de partícula. El artículo concluye que el proceso de fusión por lecho de polvo es una tecnología con gran potencial para la Industria 4.0 debido a su integración digital, capacidad de personalización y su viabilidad para habilitar una manufactura sostenible y automatizada, consolidándose como una plataforma clave para el desarrollo futuro de materiales y componentes avanzados de ingeniería.