Biological growth in bodies with incoherent interfaces

A general theory of thermodynamically consistent biomechanical–biochemical growth in a body, considering mass addition in the bulk and at an incoherent interface, is developed. The incoherency arises due to incompatibility of growth and elastic distortion tensors at the interface. The incoherent interface therefore acts as an additional source of internal stress besides allowing for rich growth kinematics. All the biochemicals in the model are essentially represented in terms of nutrient concentration fields, in the bulk and at the interface. A nutrient balance law is postulated which, combined with mechanical balances and kinetic laws, yields an initial-boundary-value problem coupling the evolution of bulk and interfacial growth, on the one hand, and the evolution of growth and nutrient concentration on the other. The problem is solved, and discussed in detail, for two distinct examples: annual ring formation during tree growth and healing of cutaneous wounds in animals.

Non-Modulated Martensite Microstructure With Internal Nanotwins In Ni-Mn-Ga Alloys

The self-accommodated non-modulated martensite of Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal was studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy in the latter case using the electron backscatter diffraction technique. Three kinds of interfaces existing at different length scales were reported. The first, is the wavy and incoherent interface separating martensite variants observed on the micro-level with no-common crystallographic plane between them. The second is within a single martensite plate where the lattice rotates around one of the {110} pole to accommodate the interfacial curvature between martensite plates. Finally, at the nanoscale the third interface exists, a twin boundary separating internal nanotwins with the {112} type habit plane.

Atomic Resolution Microscopy of Nitrides in Steel

MN and CrMN type nitride precipitates in 12%Cr steels have been investigated using atomic resolution microscopy. The MN type nitrides were observed to transform into CrMN both by composition and crystallography as Cr diffuses from the matrix into the MN precipitates. Thus a change from one precipitate type to another does not necessarily involve nucleation of the new precipitate type followed by dissolution of the old precipitates. By studying the interface between these nitrides and the matrix, it could be observed that the MN and CrMN type precipitates had a few nanometers thick amorphous layer between the crystalline nitride and ferrite matrix. Usually precipitates are described as having (semi) coherent or incoherent interfaces, but in this case it is more energetically favourable to create an amorphous layer instead of the incoherent interface.