scholarly journals Organic monolayers disrupt plastic flow in metals

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (51) ◽  
pp. eabc8900
Author(s):  
Tatsuya Sugihara ◽  
Anirudh Udupa ◽  
Koushik Viswanathan ◽  
Jason M. Davis ◽  
Srinivasan Chandrasekar

Adsorbed films often influence mechanical behavior of surfaces, leading to well-known mechanochemical phenomena such as liquid metal embrittlement and environment-assisted cracking. Here, we demonstrate a mechanochemical phenomenon wherein adsorbed long-chain organic monolayers disrupt large-strain plastic deformation in metals. Using high-speed in situ imaging and post facto analysis, we show that the monolayers induce a ductile-to-brittle transition. Sinuous flow, characteristic of ductile metals, gives way to quasi-periodic fracture, typical of brittle materials, with 85% reduction in deformation forces. By independently varying surface energy and molecule chain length via molecular self-assembly, we argue that this “embrittlement” is driven by adsorbate-induced surface stress, as against surface energy reduction. Our observations, backed by modeling and molecular simulations, could provide a basis for explaining diverse mechanochemical phenomena in solids. The results also have implications for manufacturing processes such as machining and comminution, and wear.

Small Methods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 1970022
Author(s):  
Adrian P. Nievergelt ◽  
Christoph Kammer ◽  
Charlène Brillard ◽  
Eva Kurisinkal ◽  
Maartje M. C. Bastings ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (24) ◽  
pp. 11928-11932
Author(s):  
Xuemeng Jia ◽  
Zhihua Qiao ◽  
Benqiao He ◽  
Chongli Zhong

We report an interface self-assembly strategy to build high speed gas transport channels throughout mixed matrix membranes in situ using the gaps between hydrophilic polymers and hydrophobic fillers (normally considered as defects that lower the gas separation performance).


Author(s):  
Ho Yeung ◽  
Yang Guo ◽  
James B. Mann ◽  
W. Dale Compton ◽  
Srinivasan Chandrasekar

A study has been made of deformation, forces and energy in modulation-assisted machining (MAM), wherein chip formation occurs in the presence of a controlled, low-frequency modulation superimposed on to the machining. A unique feature of the study is the use of high speed in situ imaging and image analysis to map material flow in the chip formation zone at high resolution; and simultaneous measurements of tool motions and forces, such that the instantaneous forces can be overlaid onto the chip formation process. The measurements show that the observed significant reductions in specific energy in MAM relative to conventional machining, when cutting ductile metals such as copper and Al 6061T6, are a consequence of chip formation with reduced strain levels in MAM. Additional insights into the chip formation are obtained by examining the effects of a chip aspect ratio parameter.


Author(s):  
D. Reis ◽  
B. Vian ◽  
J. C. Roland

Wall morphogenesis in higher plants is a problem still open to controversy. Until now the possibility of a transmembrane control and the involvement of microtubules were mostly envisaged. Self-assembly processes have been observed in the case of walls of Chlamydomonas and bacteria. Spontaneous gelling interactions between xanthan and galactomannan from Ceratonia have been analyzed very recently. The present work provides indications that some processes of spontaneous aggregation could occur in higher plants during the formation and expansion of cell wall.Observations were performed on hypocotyl of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) for which growth characteristics and wall composition have been previously defined.In situ, the walls of actively growing cells (primary walls) show an ordered three-dimensional organization (fig. 1). The wall is typically polylamellate with multifibrillar layers alternately transverse and longitudinal. Between these layers intermediate strata exist in which the orientation of microfibrils progressively rotates. Thus a progressive change in the morphogenetic activity occurs.


Author(s):  
Z. Liliental-Weber ◽  
C. Nelson ◽  
R. Ludeke ◽  
R. Gronsky ◽  
J. Washburn

The properties of metal/semiconductor interfaces have received considerable attention over the past few years, and the Al/GaAs system is of special interest because of its potential use in high-speed logic integrated optics, and microwave applications. For such materials a detailed knowledge of the geometric and electronic structure of the interface is fundamental to an understanding of the electrical properties of the contact. It is well known that the properties of Schottky contacts are established within a few atomic layers of the deposited metal. Therefore surface contamination can play a significant role. A method for fabricating contamination-free interfaces is absolutely necessary for reproducible properties, and molecularbeam epitaxy (MBE) offers such advantages for in-situ metal deposition under UHV conditions


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine A. Kelly ◽  
Judith E. Houston ◽  
Rachel Evans

Understanding the dynamic self-assembly behaviour of azobenzene photosurfactants (AzoPS) is crucial to advance their use in controlled release applications such as<i></i>drug delivery and micellar catalysis. Currently, their behaviour in the equilibrium <i>cis-</i>and <i>trans</i>-photostationary states is more widely understood than during the photoisomerisation process itself. Here, we investigate the time-dependent self-assembly of the different photoisomers of a model neutral AzoPS, <a>tetraethylene glycol mono(4′,4-octyloxy,octyl-azobenzene) </a>(C<sub>8</sub>AzoOC<sub>8</sub>E<sub>4</sub>) using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We show that the incorporation of <i>in-situ</i>UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy with SANS allows the scattering profile, and hence micelle shape, to be correlated with the extent of photoisomerisation in real-time. It was observed that C<sub>8</sub>AzoOC<sub>8</sub>E<sub>4</sub>could switch between wormlike micelles (<i>trans</i>native state) and fractal aggregates (under UV light), with changes in the self-assembled structure arising concurrently with changes in the absorption spectrum. Wormlike micelles could be recovered within 60 seconds of blue light illumination. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the degree of AzoPS photoisomerisation has been tracked <i>in</i><i>-situ</i>through combined UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy-SANS measurements. This technique could be widely used to gain mechanistic and kinetic insights into light-dependent processes that are reliant on self-assembly.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Wu ◽  
Jeffrey Ting ◽  
Siqi Meng ◽  
Matthew Tirrell

We have directly observed the <i>in situ</i> self-assembly kinetics of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, equipped with a stopped-flow device that provides millisecond temporal resolution. This work has elucidated one general kinetic pathway for the process of PEC micelle formation, which provides useful physical insights for increasing our fundamental understanding of complexation and self-assembly dynamics driven by electrostatic interactions that occur on ultrafast timescales.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4705
Author(s):  
Julian Lich ◽  
Tino Wollmann ◽  
Angelos Filippatos ◽  
Maik Gude ◽  
Juergen Czarske ◽  
...  

Due to their lightweight properties, fiber-reinforced composites are well suited for large and fast rotating structures, such as fan blades in turbomachines. To investigate rotor safety and performance, in situ measurements of the structural dynamic behaviour must be performed during rotating conditions. An approach to measuring spatially resolved vibration responses of a rotating structure with a non-contact, non-rotating sensor is investigated here. The resulting spectra can be assigned to specific locations on the structure and have similar properties to the spectra measured with co-rotating sensors, such as strain gauges. The sampling frequency is increased by performing consecutive measurements with a constant excitation function and varying time delays. The method allows for a paradigm shift to unambiguous identification of natural frequencies and mode shapes with arbitrary rotor shapes and excitation functions without the need for co-rotating sensors. Deflection measurements on a glass fiber-reinforced polymer disk were performed with a diffraction grating-based sensor system at 40 measurement points with an uncertainty below 15 μrad and a commercial triangulation sensor at 200 measurement points at surface speeds up to 300 m/s. A rotation-induced increase of two natural frequencies was measured, and their mode shapes were derived at the corresponding rotational speeds. A strain gauge was used for validation.


Author(s):  
Lina Bai ◽  
Chunxiang Cui ◽  
Jianjun Zhang ◽  
Lichen Zhao ◽  
Guixing Zheng ◽  
...  

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 904
Author(s):  
Irin Tanaudommongkon ◽  
Asama Tanaudommongkon ◽  
Xiaowei Dong

Most antiretroviral medications for human immunodeficiency virus treatment and prevention require high levels of patient adherence, such that medications need to be administered daily without missing doses. Here, a long-acting subcutaneous injection of lopinavir (LPV) in combination with ritonavir (RTV) using in situ self-assembly nanoparticles (ISNPs) was developed to potentially overcome adherence barriers. The ISNP approach can improve the pharmacokinetic profiles of the drugs. The ISNPs were characterized in terms of particle size, drug entrapment efficiency, drug loading, in vitro release study, and in vivo pharmacokinetic study. LPV/RTV ISNPs were 167.8 nm in size, with a polydispersity index of less than 0.35. The entrapment efficiency was over 98% for both LPV and RTV, with drug loadings of 25% LPV and 6.3% RTV. A slow release rate of LPV was observed at about 20% on day 5, followed by a sustained release beyond 14 days. RTV released faster than LPV in the first 5 days and slower than LPV thereafter. LPV trough concentration remained above 160 ng/mL and RTV trough concentration was above 50 ng/mL after 6 days with one subcutaneous injection. Overall, the ISNP-based LPV/RTV injection showed sustained release profiles in both in vitro and in vivo studies.


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