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The mechanical properties of consolidated granular media are strongly affected by large temperature changes which induce the development and localization of stresses, leading in turn to damage, e.g., cracking. In this work, we study the evolution of linear and nonlinear elasticity parameters when increasing the temperature of the thermal loading process. We prove the existence of a link between linear and nonlinear elasticity properties. We show that the change of the nonlinear elasticity parameters with the increase in the thermal loading is larger at the lower temperatures than the corresponding change for the linear parameters, suggesting that nonlinear elasticity can be exploited for early thermal damage detection and characterization in consolidated granular media. We finally show the influence of grain size upon the thermal damage evolution with the loading temperature and how this evolution is mirrored by the nonlinear elasticity parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phase-field model accounting for elastic inhomogeneity is established for microstructure study in martensitic materials. It is motivated by Hashin-Shtrikman variational formulation by introducing a homogeneous comparison medium and a polarized stress field. As a result, the driving force due to stress can be computed in the equivalent homogeneous medium since it is formally identical to that in the actual inhomogeneous solid. The model is applied to the simulations of three-dimensional self-accommodation patterns of microstructure for tetragonal and trigonal martensite. The results show that the former is an atypical pattern while the latter exhibits a common herringbone structure. Finally, the proposed framework also offers advantages of modeling other phase-transforming materials with ability in domain simulations together with effective properties as byproduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of phase separated La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 manganite samples with different grain sizes were studied by ac susceptibility, direct magnetocaloric effect (ΔT), and heat capacity measurements. The ac susceptibility shows that fractions of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases and consequently the phase separated state can be controlled by means of sintering temperature. Lower sintering temperature leads to a ferromagnetic state, while higher sintering temperature increases antiferromagnetic phase fraction, resulting in a phase separated state. In the phase separated samples, ΔT shows a conventional positive peak near TC and an anomalous positive peak at lower temperature near TN. The anomalous positive peak appears at higher magnetic field and is accompanied with thermal hysteresis. It is suggested that the anomalous magnetocaloric behaviors result from phase separation and first order magnetostructural phase transition. This study shows that direct magnetocaloric effect is a useful technique for the study of manganites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of oxygen content and transition metal valence electron concentration on the phase stability and elastic properties of cubic M0.5Al0.5N1-xOx (M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr; x = 0 - 0.5) was studied using ab initio calculations. The negative value of enthalpy of mixing was observed for all phases indicating full miscibility of M0.5Al0.5N with the hypothetical M0.5Al0.5O. Bulk moduli are decreased as x in M0.5Al0.5N1-xOx is increased. This can be understood based on the electronic structure. As N is substituted by O, there are no noticeable changes in the chemical bonding nature. However, O is more electronegative than N, giving rise to an increase in the ionic character of the overall bonding. In spite of that, the M - O bond in M0.5Al0.5N1-xOx is longer than the corresponding M-N bond, which implies that this bond becomes weaker. Hence, we propose that the decrease of bulk moduli upon O incorporation into M0.5Al0.5N1-xOx is caused by weaker M-O bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear ac susceptibility and dynamic magnetic hysteresis (DMH) of a single domain ferromagnetic particle with biaxial anisotropy subjected to both external ac and dc fields of arbitrary strength and orientation are treated via Brown's continuous diffusions model [W. F. Brown, Jr., Phys. Rev. 130, 1677 (1963)] of magnetization orientations. The DMH loops and nonlinear ac susceptibility strongly depend on the dc and ac field strengths, the polar angle between the easy axis of the particle, the external field vectors, temperature, and damping. In contrast to uniaxial particles, the nonlinear ac stationary response and DMH strongly depend on the azimuthal direction of the ac field and the biaxiality parameter Δ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conductance of monoatomic gold wires has been studied using ab initio calculations and the transmission was found to vary with the elastic strain. Counter-intuitively, the conductance was found to increase for the initial stages of the elongation, where the structure has a zigzag shape and the bond angles increase from ≈140° toward ≈160°. After a certain elongation limit, where the angles are relatively high, the bond length elongation associated with a Peierls distortion reverses this trend and the conductance decreases. These simulations are in good agreement with previously unexplained experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report for the first time on the existence of a localized reduction in elasticity caused by repeated compression impaction applied along the tangential wood direction. Previous research indicates that localized strain profiles are generated by such cyclic impacting on wood along its radial direction. This finding is significant for the paper/board-making industry where wood is exposed to cyclic unipolar compression during grinding. However, the effect of the impacting direction, with respect to the orientation of the annual rings, on the localization phenomenon is unknown. In addition, the shape of the developing fatigue layer is unclear. We revisit the localization phenomenon with a focus on tangential impacting. We employed ultrasonics and x-ray tomography to quantify the induced fatigue. An interlacing technique increased the precision of the ultrasonic stiffness depth profiling technique. We studied both radial and tangential wood annual ring geometries. We used ultrasound to quantify the drop in shear modulus resulting from impacting. Both radial and tangential geometries featured strain localization, but the shape of the fatigued layer was different in the radial and tangential wood geometries (steeper profile in the radial geometry). The fatiguing reduced the shear modulus. These results tell us about the ratio of the number of hits that need to be delivered along the radial and tangential direction of the ground wood, respectively. This insight may translate into a design pattern for an energy saving grind stone surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built-in polarization potentials for vertically and laterally arranged InGaN/GaN quantum dot (QD) structures are investigated using the finite-element method based on the theory of continuum elasticity. The potential for vertically arranged QD structures is shown to depend significantly on the number of arranged QD. On the other hand, in the case of laterally arranged QD structures, the potential is shown to be nearly independent of the number of arranged QD. In the case of three vertically arranged QDs, the potential in the central QD is greatly reduced. Similar result is observed in structures with more QDs than three. On the other hand, the reduction effect is not observed in the case of two QDs. The electric field in the central QD region for three vertically arranged QDs is nearly constant and is shown to be smaller compared to that in the left or right QD region. We observe that the potential in the central QD increases with increasing spacer layer thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we obtain Young's modulus and yield strength of <100> Au nanowire in the range of diameters 1-30 nm by tension and bending tests using molecular dynamics simulations. Double clamped Au nanowire is bended applying a point load at its middle span using cylindrical indenter by the atomistic approach. The superiority of the present bending technique is highlighted by analyzing the distribution of Von Misses stress of the present bending Au nanowire by 3D finite element modeling. First, Young's modulus and yield strength of Au nanowires are determined using classical theory of continuum mechanics. Then the obtained Young's modulus and yield strength of Au nanowires are corrected using 3D finite element modeling based on inverse technique [Deb Nath et al. Appl. Phys. A 103(2), 493 (2011) and Tohmyoh et al. Appl. Phys. A 103(2), 285 (2011)]. Effects of anisotropy on the tension and bending stiffness, tension and bending strength of Au nanowires are also discussed with graphs. Effects of temperature on the tension and bending stiffness, tension and bending strength of Au nanowires are discussed. Effects of vertical displacement of the indenter on the mid span of double clamped Au nanowires on the bending stiffness and strength during molecular dynamics simulation are discussed. Besides, the obtained Young's modulus and yield strength of Au nanowires by Wu et al. [Nature Mater. 4, 525 (2005)] in the range of diameters 40 to 200 nm using the theory of classical continuum mechanics are corrected using the 3D finite element modeling based on inverse technique [Deb Nath et al. Appl. Phys. A 103(2), 493 (2011) and Tohmyoh et al. Appl. Phys. A 103(2), 285 (2011)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converting ambient thermal energy into electricity is of great interest in harvesting energy from the environment. Piezoelectric cantilevers have previously been shown to be an effective biosensor and a tool for elasticity mapping. Here we show that a single piezoelectric (lead-zirconate titanate (PZT)) layer cantilever can be used to convert heat to electricity through pyroelectric effect. Furthermore, piezoelectric-metal (PZT-Ti) bi-layer cantilever showed an enhanced induced voltage over the single PZT layer alone due to the additional piezoelectric effect. This type of device can be a way for converting heat energy into electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a complete analysis on the possibility of exciting and observing the intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) in a crystalline linear array of nano pillars. We discuss the nano-fabrication techniques for these arrays and visualization procedures to observe the real-time dynamics. As a consequence, we extend previous models to the study of two dimensional vibrations to be consistent with these restrictions. For these pillars, the elastic properties and hence the dynamics depend on the pillar's shape and the orientation of the crystal axes. We show that ILMs do form in the system, but their stability, defect pinning, and reaction to friction strongly depend on the crystals properties, with the optimal dynamics only achieved in a rather small region of the parameter space. We also demonstrate fabrication techniques for these pillars and discuss the applications of these pillar arrays to sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic and magnetoelastic effects are important to understand physical properties of many magnetic systems. Particularly, the influence of field-induced lattice deformation in the magnetic anisotropy and non-linear terms are commonly needed to describe the magnetic behavior of nanosystems. In this work, we exploit the contribution of field-induced lattice deformation to magnetic anisotropy for systems with hexagonal and cubic structures. Analytical expressions for changes in the first- and second-order magnetic anisotropy constants were obtained for systems which experience general and biaxial strains. Our estimates using bulk parameters available for ferromagnetic materials suggest that field-induced anisotropy contributions can become comparable to magnetocrystalline anisotropy, if the system possesses a strong magnetoelastic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to find new equations for a novel phase-shifting method in digital photoelasticity. Some innovations are proposed. In terms of phase-shifting, only the analyzer is rotated, and the other equations are deduced by applying a new numerical technique instead of the usual algebraic techniques. This approach can be used to calculate equation of phase with a larger sequence of images. Each image represents a pattern and a measurement of the stresses present in the object. A reduction in the difference between the theoretical and experimental values of stresses was obtained by increasing the number of images in the equations for calculating phase. Every photographic image has errors and random noise, but the uncertainties due to these effects can be reduced with a larger number of observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric function of bi-axially strained, intrinsic, and pseudomorphic Si1-xGex alloys was measured at room temperature using spectroscopic ellipsometry from 0.74 eV to 5.06 eV. Un-doped Si1-xGex with germanium compositions ranging from 0 to 75% was grown on Si (001) using chemical vapor deposition. High resolution x-ray diffraction was used to confirm sample composition, thickness, and strain. X-ray relaxation scans showed that all the samples were fully strained. All the alloy films in this study have low values of surface roughness, which allowed determination of the dielectric function. The presence of strain in the Si1-xGex alloys clearly altered the dielectric response. The bi-axial stress induced shift of the E1 and El + Δ1 critical point energies of pseudomorphic alloys can be described by the elastic response to the strain based on k*p theory [Lange et al., J. Appl. Phys. 80, 4578 (1996)]. Although the critical point energies of the alloys having higher germanium concentration showed deviations from the large shear approximation, the strain induced shift in critical point energy and the relative intensities of E1 and El + Δ1 were reasonably well described by the full elastic theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation of elastic properties, e.g., elastic constants, bulk modulus, and shear modulus of dilute Ni-base superalloys due to alloying elements (X's) and temperature, has been studied via first-principles calculations. Here, 26 alloying elements are considered: Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, Ir, Mn, Mo, Nb, Os, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru, Sc, Si, Ta, Tc, Ti, V, W, Y, Zn, and Zr. It is found that (i) both the bulk and shear moduli of Ni-X decrease approximately linearly with increasing equilibrium volume, especially within each group of 3d, 4d, or 5d transition-metal alloying elements; (ii) all alloying elements considered herein increase the ratio of bulk to shear modulus (i.e., the ductility) and the elastic anisotropy of the Ni-X alloys; and (iii) the largest decrease of elastic properties of Ni is caused by alloying element Y. It is observed that the change of elastic properties of Ni due to various alloying elements is traceable from the distribution of (magnetization) charge density, for instance the spherical distribution of charge density facilitates shear deformation, resulting in a lower shear-related property. Using a proposed quasistatic approach based on the predicted elasticity-volume-temperature relationship, the isothermal and the isentropic elastic properties are predicted for the dilute Ni-X alloys at finite temperatures, displaying a decreasing trend with respect to temperature for each Ni-X system. Computed elastic properties are in favorable accord with available experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that the structural features of a metallic glass inherits from its liquid state. The survey of the elastic, plastic, mechanical and physical properties, and glass transition of various metallic glasses indicates that metallic glasses can inherit their properties from their solvent components (or base components). It is found that the elastic properties are mainly determined by the weakest solvent-solvent bonds in metallic glasses, and the plastic events and glass transition prefer to be initiated in the regions with high density of weak solvent-solvent bonds and propagate toward the regions with less density of solvent-solvent bonds in metallic glasses. Some physical properties of the metallic glasses are found to be determined by the electronic structure of the solvent components. The properties inheritance allows new understanding of the glassy structure as well as the properties and structure relationship in metallic glasses, and also indicates the hierarchical atomic bands and inhomogeneous microstructure in metallic glasses which is helpful for understanding the mechanisms of plastic and elastic deformations and glass transition in metallic glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper limit of the thermal conductivity and the mechanical strength are predicted for the polyethylene chain, by performing the ab initio calculation and applying the quantum mechanical non-equilibrium Green's function approach. Specially, there are two main findings from our calculation: (1) the thermal conductivity can reach a high value of 310 Wm-1 K-1 in a 100 nm polyethylene chain at room temperature and the thermal conductivity increases with the length of the chain; (2) the Young's modulus in the polyethylene chain is as high as 374.5 GPa, and the polyethylene chain can sustain 32.85%±0.05% (ultimate) strain before undergoing structural phase transition into gaseous ethylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface elasticity and nonlinear effects are reported in ZnO nanowires and characterized by ab initio calculations. Fully anisotropic elastic and stress coefficients related to (10[formula]0) surfaces are provided and used to construct a continuum model of nanowires based on the Gurtin-Murdoch surface elasticity theory, able to capture mechanical size effects. Nonlinear elasticity is observed through non-zero third order energy derivative terms with respect to axial strain in the direction of the nanowire. The associated material parameters are found to be themselves size-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified core-shell (MC-S) model is proposed to investigate the effect of surface elasticity on the elastic properties of nanowires under bending and tension loading modes. The continuous exponential function based on bulk elasticity is applied to the surface region of nanowires to better describe the elasticity in the surface layer. Two parameters related to the surface, namely, the inhomogeneous degree constant α, and the transition region of this inhomogeneous state rs (i.e., surface layer thickness), are introduced for examining the size effects of the elastic modulus of the overall nanowires. A strong size dependence of elasticity is revealed under both bending and tension loads. Furthermore, the theoretical solution for an effective Young's modulus with relevant experiments, as well as the results of a molecular statistical thermodynamics (MST) method for zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires, and a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for silicon (Si) nanowires, are compared. It is shown that the theoretical curves not only agree well with the experimental data, but also fit the computational results (MST or MD) approximately below 20 nm. As a result, our model can predict the behavior of surface elasticity, with respect to the lateral size of nanostructures at a relatively small scale, no matter how stiff or soft the surface of the nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Force modulation atomic force microscopy is widely used for mapping the nanoscale mechanical properties of heterogeneous or composite materials using low frequency excitation of a microcantilever scanning the surface. Here we show that the excitation mode - magnetic or dither piezo, has a major influence on the surface-coupled microcantilever dynamics. Not only is the observed material property contrast inverted between these excitation modes but also the frequency response of the surface-coupled cantilever in the magnetic mode is near-ideal with a clear resonance peak and little phase distortion thus enabling quantitative mapping of the local mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-standing semiconductor nanorods grown on lattice-mismatched substrates have become of interest as novel devices, including solar cells. Here, we study the effect of substrate strain on the critical diameter for defect-free growth of free-standing nanorods using continuum elasticity theory. Unlike a thin film, nanorods release strain by relaxing in the lateral direction. We find that substrate relaxation is crucial for defect-free growth of InAs nanorods fabricated on GaAs. The calculation results show that below a critical diameter, the nanorods can grow to infinite length without emitting dislocations. Our findings lend support to the recent experimental efforts to grow defect-free arrays of nanorods providing improved absorption efficiency for next-generation solar cell technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two copper specimens with distinct grain microstructures are investigated using laser resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (LRUS). One consists of randomly oriented crystallites and exhibits isotropic elastic behavior (two elastic constants), and the other has been highly textured by rolling and exhibits anisotropic elastic behavior (three elastic constants). The elastic constants are measured using electron backscatter diffraction, LRUS, and time domain laser ultrasound (LU). The elastic constants of the isotropic sample obtained via electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), LU, and LRUS agree closely. However, for the anisotropic sample, there is considerable disagreement between results obtained using LRUS and results obtained using LU and EBSD. Analysis reveals that increasing the dimensionality of the modulus space leads to a questions of whether the LRUS results are unique to within experimental error. The consequence is that for anisotropic materials, small measurement uncertainties can lead to large uncertainties in the measured elastic constants. This observation has important implications for the use of LRUS to measure the elastic constants of thin texture samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soy protein/nylon 6 monolithic and core-shell nanofibers were solution-blown and collected on a rotating drum as fiber mats. Tensile tests of rectangular strips of these mats revealed their stress-strain dependences. These dependences were linear at low strains which correspond to their elastic behavior. Then, a plastic-like nonlinearity sets in, which is followed by catastrophic rupture. Parameters such as Young's modulus, yield stress, and specific strain energy were measured. The results were rationalized in the framework of the phenomenological elastic-plastic model, as well as a novel micromechanical model (the latter attributes plasticity to bond rapture between the individual overstressed fibers in the mat). Besides, the effects of stretching history, rate of stretching, and winding velocity of the collector drum on the strength-related parameters are studied. The results for soy protein/nylon 6 nanofiber mats are also compared to those for solution blown pure nylon 6 mats, which were produced and tested in the same way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline fluorine-doped SnO2 thin films have been grown by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis with a thickness varying in the range of 40 to 600 nm. A texture transition from <110> to <100> and <301> crystallographic orientations has experimentally been shown by x-ray diffraction measurements as film thickness is increased, showing that a process of abnormal grain growth has occurred. The texture effects are considered within a thermodynamic approach, in which the minimization of total free energy constitutes the driving force for grain growth. For very small film thickness, it is found that the <110> preferred orientation is due to surface energy minimization, as the (110) planes have the lowest surface energy in the rutile structure. In contrast, as film thickness is increased, the <100> and <301> crystallographic orientations are progressively predominant, owing to elastic strain energy minimization in which the anisotropic character is considered in the elastic biaxial modulus. A texture map is eventually determined, revealing the expected texture as a function of elastic strain and film thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a detailed theoretical study on the dispersion of waves in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is presented. For this purpose, CNTs are considered as nonlocal elastic thin cylindrical shells. The Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory is used for modeling the microstructure of CNT such that the proximity of the mathematical model to the actual atomic structure of CNT is retained. The results are compared with the results that are obtained based on the second-order strain-gradient elasticity (SG) theory. It has been shown that the SG theory is the first approximation of nonlocal continuum elasticity (NC) theory, which is used in the present paper. Also, it has been shown that the bending rigidity has important effect in the dispersion of waves in CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multilayer elasticity model is developed to investigate the effects of acoustically stiffened surfaces (increased surface moduli) on the specific heat and thermal conductivity of typical nanowire and nanotubes as a function of temperature. Changes in phonon dispersion are analyzed using approximated phonon dispersion relations that result from the solutions to the frequency equation of a vibrating elastic tube or rod. The results of the investigation indicate a 10% reduction in specific heat and a 2% decrease in lattice thermal conductivity at 50 K for a 10 nm outer diameter crystalline nanotube with an inner diameter of 5 nm when the average Young's modulus of the first three atomic layers on both the inner and outer free surfaces are increased by a factor of 1.87. In contrast, a 10 nm outer diameter nanowire composed of the same material and with an acoustically stiffened outer shell shows an approximate 30% increase in thermal conductivity and specific heat near 50 K. Our simplified model can potentially be extended to investigate the acoustic tuning of nanowires and nanotubes by inducing surface stiffening or softening via appropriate surface chemical functionalization protocols or coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report elastic, anelastic, and piezoelectric coefficients of wurtzite GaN measured by resonant-ultrasound spectroscopy coupled with laser-Doppler interferometry. Five rectangular parallelepiped specimens, measuring 6.5 × 2.0 × 4.0 mm3, cut from two single crystals were used. Our values of elastic and piezoelectric coefficients were C11 = 359.4 GPa, C12 = 129.2 GPa, C13 = 92.0 GPa, C33 = 389.9 GPa, C44 = 98.0 GPa, e15 = 0.10 C/m2, e31 = 0.17 C/m2, and e33 = 0.29 C/m2. In anelastic coefficients, anisotropy was observed between Q11-1 and Q33-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full sets of elastic constants (considering piezoelectric effect, i.e., taking into account piezoelectric coupling effects) and piezoelectric stress constants of five natural tourmaline single crystals of different chemical composition have been determined from room temperature up to ∼900 K employing resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Further, the coefficients of thermal expansion were studied in a wide temperature range from 100 K to 950 K. Electron microprobe analysis showed that the chemical composition of investigated samples varied over a wide range, which allows to study the compositional dependence of thermal, elastic, and piezoelectric properties of tourmalines. At room temperature, the piezoelectric constants of tourmalines were found at-least 1.5 times higher than that for α-quartz. Importantly, we find that the application of tourmaline at temperatures up to its decomposition temperature is not limited by phase transitionsor any ultrasound dissipation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical backgrounds for the depth-profiling of the optically transparent materials by picosecond ultrasonic interferometry are developed. The mathematical description of the light reflection from inhomogeneous transparent films or coatings is proposed. The inhomogeneity can be caused both by the film synthesis (intrinsic stationary inhomogeneity) and by the short acoustic transients launched in the film (time-dependent inhomogeneity). The theory indicates that the measurements of the complex optical reflectivity time evolution, caused by acoustic strain pulse propagation in such films, offer various possibilities to extract the depth profiles of intrinsic inhomogeneous distributions of mechanical/acoustical, optical, and acousto-optical parameters of the films. In particular it is proposed how the measurements of the transient complex optical reflectivity by the femtosecond optical interferometers, operating with light of different polarizations and probing the tested samples at different angles of light incidence, can be used. The spatial resolution of the method is limited by the acoustic spatial scale which, for picosecond acoustic pulses, is much shorter than optical wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of experimental and numerical research of the Mach stem formation in explosion systems, which include high modulus elastic elements, are presented. The experimental data are discussed, and the analysis using ANSYS AUTODYN 11.0 is provided. It is shown that the phenomenon is reproduced for various high explosives. The Mach stem formation is observed in the conditions close to critical conditions of detonation transfer from an active to a passive HE charge. The best conditions for the Mach stem formation have been observed for TG-40/60 (Russian analog of Composition B) with silicon carbide insert heights of 16.5 mm, 18 mm, and 19.5 mm. The physical reason of the phenomenon is the propagation of a convergent detonation wave into highly compressed HE. The phenomenon is reproduced in numerical simulation with ANSYS AUTODYN 11.0. Calculated maximum value of pressure on the symmetry axis of passive HE charge was up to 1.25 Mbar. Results of metallographic analysis of steel identification specimen on the rear end of the passive HE charge indirectly confirm very high local pressures and temperatures for this scheme of explosion loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An explicit, analytical theory for the percolation threshold, percolation saturation, and effective conductivity of a two-component system involving randomly oriented ellipsoidal inclusions is proposed. The ellipsoids may take the shape of a needle, prolate or oblate spheroid, sphere, or disk. This theory is based upon consideration of Ponte Castaneda--Willis [P. Ponte Castaneda and J. R. Willis, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 43, 1919 (1995)] microstructure in conjunction with Hashin--Shtrikman [Z. Hashin and S. Shtrikman, J. Appl. Phys. 33, 3125 (1962)] upper bound. Two critical volume concentrations, c* and c**, that represent the respective percolation threshold at which the conductive network begins to develop, and the percolation saturation, are identified. During this very short range of concentration, the electrical conductivity of the composite is found to exhibit a very sharp increase, while over the entire range, the calcutilated conductivity exhibits the widely reported sigmoidal shape. Comparison with measurement on a multi-walled carbon nanotube/alumina composite indicates that the theory could capture the major features of the experimentally observed trends sufficiently well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a model that analyzes the wave propagation in armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under thermal environment. The effect of a small length scale is incorporated in the formulations using nonlocal Levinson beam model. Unlike Timoshenko beam theory, Levinson beam theory satisfies zero traction boundary conditions on the upper and lower surface of the structures, so there is no need to use a shear correction factor. The equivalent Young's modulus and shear modulus for armchair SWCNT are derived using an energy-equivalent model. Results indicate significant dependence of natural frequencies on the temperature change as well as the chirality of armchair carbon nanotube. These findings are important in mechanical design considerations of devices that use carbon nanotubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wrinkling of piezoelectric films on compliant substrates suggests new applications that require integration with curvilinear surface of human body for energy harvesting or health monitoring. In this paper, surface effects including surface elasticity, surface piezoelectricity, and residual surface stress on the wrinkling of piezoelectric films are studied. The wavelength, critical wrinkling voltage, and amplitude are obtained analytically. It is shown that surface effects play a significant role on the wrinkling of piezoelectric films when the thickness is on nanoscale. These results are very helpful for designing and controlling of the wrinkling profile in the new piezoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the electronic, structural, elastic, and thermodynamic properties of Ti2AX MAX phases (A = Al or Ga, X = C or N) were investigated using density functional theory (DFT). It is shown that the calculations of the electronic, structural, and elastic properties of these structures, using local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) coupled with projected augmented-wave (PAW) pseudopotentials, agree well with experiments. A thermodynamic model, which considers the vibrational and electronic contributions to the total free energy of the system, was used to investigate the finite-temperature thermodynamic properties of Ti2AX. The vibrational contribution was calculated using the supercell method, whereas the electronic contribution resulted from one-dimensional integration of electronic density of states (DOSs). To verify the model, the specific heats of pure elements were calculated and compared to experimental data. The DFT-D2 technique was used to calculate the heat capacity of graphite, taking into account the van der Waals (vdW) effect. Good agreement between the calculations and experiments for the specific heats of graphite and other pure elements lends validity to the approach used. The calculated results for the specific heats of Ti2AlC and Ti2AlN match well with experimental data. These strengthen the results of specific heats of Ti2GaC and Ti2GaN as well as other calculated thermodynamic properties, including the energies of formation and thermal expansion coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the effects of hysteresis losses on the dynamic behavior of magnetostrictive actuators. A nonlinear structural dynamic model to describe the magneto-thermo-elastic coupling and hysteresis losses is proposed by combining a nonlinear frequency-dependent hysteretic constitutive model with the theory of elasticity rod vibration. Model predictions show good correlation with experimental data, which demonstrates that the model can well capture the dynamic behavior of magnetostrictive actuators. Resonance frequency shifts and amplitude reductions due to hysteresis losses are analyzed. Furthermore, the effects of hysteresis losses on the dynamic vibration behavior in the low frequency range as well as stress and temperature dependence of hysteresis losses are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent ceramics of La-doped Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) x/75/25 are prepared, and the ferroelectric domains, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of x/75/25 are investigated. A double hysteresis loop and small fingerprint domains with uniform distribution observed for 3/75/25 indicate an intermediate ferroelectric state. The dielectric behavior under dc bias and the evolution of the hysteresis loop with increasing electric field for 3/75/25 indicate an electric field-induced phase transition, and it is proposed that the unstable intermediate ferroelectric state which would experience obvious field-induced phase transition is the origin of the giant electro-optic Kerr effect observed in La-doped PMN-PT 3/75/25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend an experimental procedure to measure the complex Young's modulus of glycerol from liquid to glassy state, a composite reed vibration method. In this report, a rigorous analysis is obtained to subtract the mechanical spectrum of deposited materials from a composite system consisting of the substrate reed and of materials deposited on it. The dynamic glass transition of glycerol was measured by the mechanical spectra method at two frequencies in the same heating route. The consistency with the mechanical spectrum available in the literature shows the composite reed vibration method to be reliable and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the electromechanically coupled behaviors of BaTiO3 nanowires are investigated by shell-model based molecular dynamics and proposed analytical models. Three-stage stress-strain and stress-polarization relations are found that are mainly originated from the existence of a mixed phase composition. A phase diagram in terms of wire diameters and axial stresses is constructed. Furthermore, the elastic modulus is found to decrease dramatically with the increase of diameter for the nanowire in paraelectric phase, while the piezoelectric coefficient of the ferroelectric phase is not very sensitive to the size. Besides, the size dependencies of hysteresis and butterfly loops are also revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the influence of dielectric stiffness, interface, and layer thickness on the hysteresis loops, including the remanent polarization and coercive field of a superlattice comprising alternate layers of ferroelectric and dielectric, using the Landau-Ginzburg theory. An interface energy term is introduced in the free energy functional to describe the formation of interface 'dead' layers that are mutually coupled through polarization (or induced-polarization). Our studies reveal that the hysteresis loop is strongly dependent on the stiffness of the dielectric layer, the strength of the interface coupling and layer thickness. The intrinsic coupling at the interface between two neighboring layers reduces the coercive field, though the corresponding remanent polarization is significantly enhanced by a soft dielectric layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the in-fiber shock propagation in Dyneema® has been studied such that the shock propagated along the axis of one of the fiber directions. A fast moving precursor wave was detected that corresponded to the elastic wave velocity of the fibers suggesting that the fibers themselves were acting as wave guides. Further, it was noticed that above a threshold shock stress of ca. 3.5 GPa, this wave was not discernable. This shock stress corresponded with the stress at which shock-induced melt would be expected to occur suggesting that melting inhibited the fibers' ability to act as wave guides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordering of misfit dislocation segments in concentric polygons at the base of SiGe epitaxial islands on Si(001) has been recently indicated by in situ Transmission Electron Microscope observation. In this paper we confirm the very regular spacing by Atomic Force Microscope and He-ion Microscope measurements of the footprint carved in the Si substrate by the plastic events. We explain the intriguing ordering, as obtained with no gliding rearrangements, by cyclic occurrence of the thermodynamic critical conditions for plastic events. Quantitative predictions by a fully analytical model, which includes the dependence on island shape and composition in the generation of misfit dislocations, matched very well experimental measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-k dielectrics have predominantly replaced silicon dioxide as the interlayer dielectric for interconnects in state of the art integrated circuits. In order to further reduce interconnect RC delays, additional reductions in k for these low-k materials are being pursued via the introduction of controlled levels of porosity. The main challenge for such dielectrics is the substantial reduction in elastic properties that accompanies the increased pore volume. We report on Brillouin light scattering measurements used to determine the elastic properties of these films at thicknesses well below 200 nm, which are pertinent to their introduction into present ultralarge scale integrated technology. The observation of longitudinal and transverse standing wave acoustic resonances and their transformation into traveling waves with finite in-plane wave vectors provides for a direct non-destructive measure of the principal elastic constants that characterize the elastic properties of these porous nano-scale films. The mode dispersion further confirms that for porosity levels of up to 25%, the reduction in the dielectric constant does not result in severe degradation in the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A constitutive theory of ferroelectrets is developed to analyze the electromechanical coupling properties and stability with large deformations. The equations of equilibrium and the condition of stability are hereby derived from the nonlinear theory. Piezoelectricity with static mechanical and electric loads and stability are investigated. The results show that the pressure and the dc voltage can both improve the piezoelectricity, i.e., increase the piezoelectric coefficient, d33. The value of d33 increases almost linearly with the dc voltage at small deformations, but possesses a nonlinear response at large deformations. To ensure that the ferroelectret is in a stable equilibrium, the corresponding Hessian should be positive definite. Two critical voltages exist and they decrease with the pre-applied pressure. This study is helpful for designing and optimizing applications of ferroelectrets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brillouin spectra of di(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate, which is a liquid lubricant known as DOS, were measured at up to 5 GPa at 25 °C and up to 2.5 GPa at 80 °C. At 25 °C, the Brillouin frequency linewidth (acoustic attenuation) has a large maximum at 0.1 MPa, and at 80 °C, it has a large broad maximum at 0.8 GPa. The Brillouin frequency shift (sound velocity) and linewidth obtained indicate that the large dispersion of the sound velocities of DOS occurs from 0.1 MPa at 25 °C and from 0.8 GPa at 80 °C. The origins of this attenuation and dispersion are discussed on the basis of the theory for a viscoelastic liquid. It is proposed that the large acoustic attenuation and dispersion of DOS are due to the production of higher-rank structures with nano-order domains in a polymeric liquid by pressurization. The results show that DOS is strongly viscoelastic above 0.8 GPa at 80 °C, but it is not viscous below 0.8 GPa at 80 °C, with the disappearance of the frequency dispersion. The result obtained is used to explain a limiting shear stress observed in a traction oil. Above a given sliding speed, the oil reaches the region of temperature and pressure in which its viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate and conveys a constant torque above some high shear rate. Then, the oil flows as a plastic solid at a limiting shear stress. These findings regarding the dynamical properties of DOS under high pressures are very useful for the production and analysis of lubricants and traction oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, elastic and some thermodynamic properties of the cubic C15 structure ZrV2 compound under pressure are investigated by first-principles calculations. Our results for the equilibrium unit cell volume, bulk modulus and band structure are consistent with the calculated and experimental results. Cubic ZrV2 is mechanically stable according to the elastic stability criteria and shows ductile with the G/B and Cauchy pressure analysis. Moreover the pressure and temperature dependence of the bulk modulus, specific heat, Debye temperature and thermal expansion coefficient are discussed, among them our calculated Debye temperature is in good agreement with experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High purity polycrystalline niobium contained in boron-epoxy gasket was compressed in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). The pressure was increased in steps of ∼3 GPa and the diffraction patterns recorded at each pressure with the incident x-ray beam perpendicular to the load axis of the DAC (radial diffraction). The maximum pressure reached was 37.6 GPa. The compressive strength (differential stress) derived from the radial diffraction data is 0.44(1) GPa at 2.1 GPa and shows a shallow maximum at ∼5 GPa, and then decreases to 0.35(5) at 12 GPa. At higher pressures, strength increases nearly linearly and the extrapolated value at 40 GPa is 0.94(6) GPa. At any pressure, the single-crystal elastic moduli derived from the diffraction data can be made to match well those obtained from the extrapolation of the elasticity data at ambient pressure by adjusting the weight parameter α that appears in the lattice strain theory. The parameter α is found to decrease from 2.00(8) at 2.1 GPa to 1.35(4) at 37.6 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We computed structural and elastic properties of totally nine phases of poly(vinyldene fluoride) (PVDF) crystals using the density-functional theory (DFT) method with and without inclusion of the dispersion corrections. In addition to the four known crystalline forms, mechanic properties of five theoretically predicted crystalline forms of PVDF are also investigated. The all-trans form Ip exhibits the largest cohesive energy, bulk, and Young's modulus among the nine crystalline forms. The DFT calculations suggest that the δ crystalline forms (IIIau, IIIpu, IIIpd, and IIIad) possess poor chain rigidity among the nine PVDF crystalline forms. In contrast, a change of relative orientation of PVDF chains does not lead to significant change in cohesive energy and mechanic properties. A comparison of the cohesive energies of nine crystalline forms of PVDF suggests that the theoretically proposed crystalline forms of PVDF are quite stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete sets of elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants of relaxor-ferroelectric single crystals of (1 - x)Pb(A1/3Nb2/3)·O3 - xPbTiO3 (A = Mg or Zn) and Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3 - Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)·O3 - PbTiO3 are analyzed to demonstrate violations of the interrelations between particular groups of electromechanical constants and the resulting influence of the inconsistent properties on the thermodynamic stability and electromechanical coupling in single crystals. The possibilities of refinement and correction of inconsistent constants are discussed and presented for specific examples of relaxor-ferroelectric single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elasticity, dynamic properties, and superconductivity of α, ω, and β Zr upon compression are investigated by using first-principles methods. Our calculated elastic constants, elastic moduli, and Debye temperatures of α and ω phases are in excellent agreement with experiments. Electron-phonon coupling constant λ and electronic density of states at the Fermi level N (EF) are found to increase with pressure for these two hexagonal structures. For cubic β phase, the critical pressure for mechanical stability is predicted to be 3.13 GPa and at P = 4 GPa the low elastic modulus (E =31.97 GPa) can be obtained. Besides, the critical pressure for dynamic stability of β phase is achieved by phonon dispersion calculations to be ∼26 GPa. Over this pressure, λ and N (EF) of β phase decrease upon further compression. Our calculations show that the large value of superconducting transition temperature Tc at 30 GPa for β Zr is mainly due to the TA1 soft mode. Under further compression, the soft vibrational mode will gradually fade away. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent demand for high performance Pb-free piezoelectrics to substitute for the current workhorse, the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) family. Recently, a triple point (also tricritical point) type morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in Pb-free Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 system has been reported that shows equally as excellent piezoelectricity as soft PZT at room temperature (Liu and Ren6). In the present study, we measured a full set of elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties for the MPB composition, Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-50(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-50BCT), by using a resonance method. The resonant method gives piezoelectric properties d33 = 546 pC/N, g33 = 15.3 × 10-3 Vm/N, electromechanical coupling factor k33 = 65%, and the elastic constant s33E = 19.7 × 10-12 m2/N, c33E = 11.3 × 1010 N/m2, which are close to the properties of soft PZT (PZT-5A). Furthermore, the piezoelectric coefficients (k33, d33), the ferroelectric properties (coercive field, remnant polarization), and the elastic constants (s33D, s33E, c33D, c33E) were also determined as a function of temperature ranging from -50 to 60°C. Our results show that the properties are optimal around MPB temperature (room temperature) and decrease with deviations from the MPB temperature. Nevertheless, the piezoelectric coefficient d33 can maintain an appreciable level of 93 pC/N even at -50°C. The high piezoelectric properties can be ascribed to the low polarization anisotropy as well as the elastic softening at MPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]