Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-025-01942-8.

Abstract Three‐dimensional (3D) woven fabrics offer many advantages over planar woven fabrics for composite applications. Because of the complex structure of 3D woven fabrics, an in‐depth investigation is needed to understand the effects of fabric architecture and nanofillers on the mechanical and failure behavior of 3D woven composites. The present study investigates the effect of 3D woven ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) orthogonal fabric architecture, with or without nanofillers, on the mechanical properties of composites. 3D woven orthogonal fabrics with varying proportions of stuffer‐to‐binder (S/B) yarns were manufactured and reinforced with an epoxy (EP) matrix. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were infused as nanofillers to improve the interaction between the UHMWPE fabric and the EP matrix. 3D woven composite having an S/B ratio of 2:1 showed the maximum tensile strength and toughness. On the other hand, 3D woven composite with an S/B ratio of 4:1 showed higher flexural strength and impact resistance. The failure mechanism was also studied by examining the fractured surfaces of composites, which revealed matrix cracking, fiber pullout, predominant binder yarn failure, and yarn slippage. From this study, it is understood that for 3D fabric reinforcement, a balance between structural integrity and load‐bearing capacity of yarns is decisive, whereas for the matrix, the incorporation of MWCNTs is found to be advantageous.Highlights The role of structure of 3D woven orthogonal fabric on the mechanical behaviour of the UHMWPE‐epoxy composite is investigated. The addition of functionalized MWCNTs improves the tensile, flexural, and impact properties. The decisive role of the ratio of stuffer‐to‐binder yarns is established. Matrix cracking, debonding, and yarn failure are observed during tensile failure.

Centipeda minima (CMX) has been widely investigated using network pharmacology and clinical studies for its effects on hair growth via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Human hair follicle papilla cells exhibit hair regrowth through the expression of Wnt signaling-related proteins. However, the mechanism of action of CMX in animals has not been elucidated fully. This study examined the effect of induced hair loss and its side-effects on the skin, and observed the mechanism of action of an alcoholic extract of CMX (DN106212) on C57BL/6 mice. Our results showed that DN106212 was more effective in promoting hair growth than dimethyl sulfoxide in the negative control and tofacitinib (TF) in the positive control when mice were treated with DN106212 for 16 days. We confirmed that DN106212 promotes the formation of mature hair follicles through hematoxylin and eosin staining. We also found that the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegfa), insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (Tgfb1) is related to hair growth using PCR. DN106212-treated mice had significantly higher expression of Vegfa and Igf1 than TF-treated ones, and inhibiting the expression of Tgfb1 had similar effects as TF treatment. In conclusion, we propose that DN106212 increases the expression of hair growth factors, promotes the development of hair follicles, and promotes hair growth. Although additional experiments are needed, DN106212 may serve as an experimental basis for research on natural hair growth-promoting agents.