Open Access Spotlight: composites, forestry and mining
Showcasing the latest freely accessible research from across the IOM3 journals portfolio.
The Open Access Spotlight showcases recent Open Access research from the IOM3 journals portfolio. This monthly round‑up highlights research that is freely available to read and reflects the commitment IOM3 holds to widening access, strengthening knowledge exchange and promoting open research practices across materials, minerals and mining.
IOM3 members also receive free online access (login required) to all IOM3 publications, along with more than 70 additional titles from Sage’s engineering and materials science portfolio, complementing the Open Access content featured here.
• Auxetic behavior of eco-friendly natural fiber composites and their dependence on fiber surface modification
Plastics, Rubber and Composites Vol. 55, No. 7-8
Danish Tahir, Noor Fatima, Hong Hu, Mairaj Ahmad, Syed Abbas Raza, Muhammad Tahir, Muzammal Anwar
pp. 207–216
DOI: 10.1177/14658011261445128
The study examines how sodium hydroxide surface treatment affects the mechanical properties and auxetic behaviour of hemp and polylactic acid composites. Alkali treatment removed hemicellulose and lignin, increased fibre surface roughness and improved bonding between the fibres and matrix. A 5% sodium hydroxide treatment produced the highest tensile strength, but increasing treatment concentration reduced the material's auxetic behaviour. Untreated composites had the greatest negative Poisson's ratio, at approximately −6.5, compared with −2.3 for treated composites. The findings show that stronger fibre–matrix bonding improves strength but restricts fibre movement, reducing auxetic behaviour.
• Improved printability and performance of 3D printed hybrid thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposite strain sensors
Plastics, Rubber and Composites Vol. 55, No. 7-8
Aaron Soul, Nicola Pugno, James Busfield, Emiliano Bilotti, Han Zhang, Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou
pp. 217–227
DOI: 10.1177/14658011261445130
The study explores the use of fused deposition modelling to produce flexible strain sensors from thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites containing carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets and boron nitride. Combining the different fillers reduced extrusion forces and improved printability compared with carbon nanotube-only composites, while maintaining high electrical conductivity and strain-sensing performance. The printed sensors also demonstrated improved sensing range and mechanical durability, with the thermoplastic polyurethane, carbon nanotube and boron nitride composites sensing strains of up to 250%. The findings highlight the potential of hybrid nanocomposites for producing reliable, scalable flexible strain sensors for wearable electronics and structural health monitoring.
• Manufacturing controlled asymmetric wrinkles for experimental studies of the effect of defects
Plastics, Rubber and Composites Vol. 55, No. 7-8
Vincent K. Maes, James Kratz
pp. 241–248
DOI: 10.1177/14658011261452828
The study investigates how asymmetric wrinkles affect the bending strength of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy laminates. Tests showed that bending strength decreased as the maximum fibre angle increased, but increased with greater wrinkle asymmetry. This indicates that wrinkle asymmetry is an important factor alongside maximum fibre angle when assessing the strength of composite materials. The study also highlights the difficulty of producing controlled wrinkles in laboratory specimens and provides experimental evidence supporting the importance of wrinkle shape when characterising and modelling composite materials.
• Can high-quality sawn timber be produced from young Paulownia trees plantation? Evaluation of stem-stress-wave velocity and timber qualities
International Wood Products Journal Vol. 17, No. 3
Ikumi Nezu, Yoshihiro Wachi, Umi Latifah Dyah Dharmawati, Tumenbayar Ganbaatar, Hikari Yokoyama, Maxime Malle, Masashi Nihei, Shigeru Kato, Naoki Otani, Jyunichi Ohshima, Kazuhiro Aruga, Steffen Thomas Lahrsen, Futoshi Ishiguri
pp. 167–174
DOI: 10.1177/20426445261460225
The study investigates the potential to produce high-quality sawn timber from young Paulownia trees, which are fast-growing but typically have low wood density. Testing of timber from five-year-old trees found that removing the pith cavity improved mechanical properties, while measurements of stress-wave velocity in standing trees were correlated with timber density and stiffness. The findings suggest that suitable trees can be selected before harvesting using stress-wave measurements, enabling higher-quality timber to be produced by combining tree selection with the removal of the pith cavity during sawing.
• Multi-factor analysis of haul truck fuel consumption in open-pit mining: Insights from continuous real-time monitoring
Mining Technology Vol. 135, No. 3
Pouya Nobahar, Chaoshui Xu, Peter Dowd, Javad Sattarvand
pp. 256–266
DOI: 10.1177/25726668261449728
Haul truck fuel consumption is examined under real production conditions at a copper mine, using an onboard monitoring system to assess the factors contributing to fuel inefficiency. The analysis found that road gradient was the most significant factor, while payload, driver behaviour, rainfall and operational delays also affected fuel consumption. An optimal payload of 92–97 tonnes provided the best fuel efficiency, while aggressive driving increased fuel use by approximately 7–10%. The findings suggest that fuel inefficiencies can be reduced through payload optimisation, road maintenance, driver training and improved dispatch co-ordination, with spatial mapping providing a practical way to identify high-consumption areas.
• A techno-economical assessment of micro vs localised hydropower drilling systems for deep-level gold mines
Mining Technology Vol. 135, No. 3
Bertus van Rooyen, Jean van Laar, Jan Vosloo
pp. 278–291
DOI: 10.1177/25726668261457330
Hydropower rockdrilling systems are assessed as an alternative to compressed air drilling in South African narrow reef gold mines, with micro and localised systems compared over 12 months. The localised system demonstrated the strongest economic performance, with substantially lower operating and long-term ownership costs. It also achieved higher productivity, a 323% return on investment and a payback period of less than one month. Overall, the study found that localised hydropower offers a cost-effective, productive and safer alternative to compressed air drilling.
• Integrating haulage management with waste encapsulation and progressive reclamation in long-term production planning of mining complexes under uncertainty
Mining Technology Vol. 135, No. 3
Victor Freire Guimaraes, Roussos Dimitrakopoulos
pp. 305–317
DOI: 10.1177/25726668261459286
This study demonstrates how effective waste‑rock management is increasingly critical as open‑pit mines deepen, with rising haulage demands and the environmental liabilities associated with potentially acid‑generating material. It introduces a simultaneous stochastic optimisation framework that integrates haulage planning, geological uncertainty and progressive reclamation to reduce operating costs and mitigate acid rock drainage risk. Applied to a copper–gold complex, this approach lowered first‑year haulage costs by 38.7%, increased net present value by 8.3%, and achieved greater encapsulation of potentially acid-generating material than sequential optimisation.
• Technological lessons learned from archaeometric examinations of inlaid iron finds
Surface Engineering Vol. 42, No. 9
Béla Török
pp. 1001–1012
DOI: 10.1177/02670844261481397
The study examines the composition of brass inlays on medieval iron objects from the Carpathian Basin (7th–11th centuries), focusing on zinc content and its role in achieving a gold-like appearance while retaining sufficient malleability for cold working. Using mainly handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis, alongside microscopic analysis in selected cases, the study found that the brass compositions generally achieved this balance. The findings also indicate that the inlays were produced using techniques suited to cold working, with no evidence of surface dezincification.
