On the scaling of fragmentation and energy dissipation in collisions of dust aggregates

Fragmentation of granular clusters may be studied by experiments and by granular mechanics simulation. When comparing results, it is often assumed that results can be compared when scaled to the same value of $$E/E_{\mathrm{sep}}$$ E / E sep , where E denotes the collision energy and $$E_{\mathrm{sep}}$$ E sep is the energy needed to break every contact in the granular clusters. The ratio $$E/E_{\mathrm{sep}}\propto v^2$$ E / E sep ∝ v 2 depends on the collision velocity v but not on the number of grains per cluster, N. We test this hypothesis using granular-mechanics simulations on silica clusters containing a few thousand grains in the velocity range where fragmentation starts. We find that a good parameter to compare different systems is given by $$E/(N^{\alpha }E_{\mathrm{sep}})$$ E / ( N α E sep ) , where $$\alpha \sim 2/3$$ α ∼ 2 / 3 . The occurrence of the extra factor $$N^{\alpha }$$ N α is caused by energy dissipation during the collision such that large clusters request a higher impact energy for reaching the same level of fragmentation than small clusters. Energy is dissipated during the collision mainly by normal and tangential (sliding) forces between grains. For large values of the viscoelastic friction parameter, we find smaller cluster fragmentation, since fragment velocities are smaller and allow for fragment recombination. Graphic abstract

FIBONACCI OPTICAL LATTICE: A FRACTAL BIOMODULATION DEVICE

Natural scenes or structures share fractal-like geometries with scale-invariant statistical patterns that exhibit useful functional physiological properties in humans. This paper explores the self-assembling of alumina microelements on a nanostructured silica-embedded PET substrate and the application of Fibonacci fractal geometry as a photonic wave-guiding device. Two concentric Fibonacci circles impinged on the top of embedded silica clusters were investigated using fractal analysis. Calculating the fractal dimension of spatial scaling properties demonstrated the potential of a fractal photonic element. Simulating the propagation of spectral visible or low NIR incident light through the fractal trajectory shows that the fractal scaling properties generate novel nonlinear and double-twisted electromagnetic waves with biophilic interconnecting potential.

A two-step mechanism in nucleation of solid silica from Fe-O-Si melt

In order to control the structure and size distribution of silica inclusions in high purity steel, it is necessary to understand the nucleation mechanism of solid silica in molten steel. In high temperature reactions, crystallization begins with nucleation, which plays a crucial role in determining the structure and size of solid products. Nucleation originates in the formation of product intermediates. The structure and thermodynamic properties of silica clusters as the intermediate of solid silica products during nucleation were calculated by density functional theory. Comparison of thermodynamic properties of silica clusters and silicon deoxidation equilibrium experiment in liquid iron results shows the silica clusters with most of the dissolved silicon and oxygen in equilibrium; the molten iron silicon deoxidation reaction ([Si] [Formula: see text] [O] [Formula: see text] cannot reach thermodynamic equilibrium state, and some deoxidation products could only exist in the form of silica clusters but not the solid silica. Therefore, the nucleation process of solid silica in Fe-O-Si melt can be considered as a two-step process with silica clusters as intermediates. Finally, there are two paths of solid silica inclusion formation: one is that in the molten iron, the dissolved silicon reacts with the dissolved oxygen to form silica clusters, and clusters further nucleate and grow up; the second one is that silica clusters directly crystallized during the cooling process of the melt.

Hierarchal multi-lamellar silica vesicle clusters synthesized through self-assembly and mineralization

Novel hierarchal silica clusters composed of multi-lamellar silica vesicles were prepared through self-assembly and mineralization.