Related papers: Failure mechanisms in thin electroactive polymer a…
In this work, we compare the structural and dynamic behavior of active filaments in two dimensions using tangential and push-pull models, including a variant with passive end monomers. These models serve as valuable frameworks for…
We present a general theoretical analysis of semiflexible filaments subject to viscous drag or point forcing. These are the relevant forces in dynamic experiments designed to measure biopolymer bending moduli. By analogy with the ``Stokes…
Thin-film dewetting is classically governed by an adhesion-mediated spinodal instability in which curvature-driven diffusion controls post-rupture coarsening. We show that internal activity fundamentally restructures this instability. Using…
The aging behavior is investigated for thin films of atactic polystyrene through measurements of complex electric capacitance. During isothermal aging process the real part of the electric capacitance increases with aging time, while the…
We consider the elastic energy of a hanging drape -- a thin elastic sheet, pulled down by the force of gravity, with fine-scale folding at the top that achieves approximately uniform confinement. This example of energy-driven pattern…
The present work aims to enhance the electrostrictive strain of the P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) terpolymer for use in adaptive optics, specifically in deformable mirror actuation. In the context of the FlexSiMirror project, these systems seek to…
Numerically simulating deformations in thin elastic sheets is a challenging problem in computational mechanics due to destabilizing compressive stresses that result in wrinkling. Determining the location, structure, and evolution of…
Using Poisson-Boltzmann equation and linear response theory, we derive an effective interaction potential due to a fixed charge distribution in a solution containing polyelectrolytes and point salt. We obtain an expression for the effective…
We show that a viscoelastic thin sheet driven out of equilibrium by active structural remodelling develops a rich variety of shapes as a result of a competition between viscous relaxation and activity. In the regime where active processes…
We combine computer simulations and scaling arguments to develop a unified view of polymer entanglement based on the primitive path analysis (PPA) of the microscopic topological state. Our results agree with experimentally measured plateau…
Optics for future X-ray telescopes will be characterized by very large aperture and focal length, and will be made of lightweight materials like glass or plastic in order to keep the total mass within acceptable limits. Optics based on thin…
This paper is motivated by the complex blister patterns sometimes seen in thin elastic films on thick, compliant substrates. These patterns are often induced by an elastic misfit which compresses the film. Blistering permits the film to…
We investigate, using numerical simulations, the conformations of isolated active ring polymers. We find that the their behaviour depends crucially on their size: short rings ($N \lesssim$ 100) are swelled whereas longer rings ($N \gtrsim$…
We propose a protocol to model accurately the electromechanical behavior of dielectric elastomer membranes using experimental data of stress-stretch and voltage-stretch tests. We show how the relationship between electric displacement and…
Bulk single-crystal relaxor-ferroelectrics, like Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT), are widely known for their large piezoelectricity. This is attributed to polarization rotation which is facilitated by the presence of various crystal…
Electroactive polymers (EAP) are smart materials that can be used as actuators, sensors or energy harvesters in many fields. We had previously studied an ionic metal-polymer composites (IPMC), which consists in an ionic polymer film such as…
This paper contains a thorough investigation of the performance of electrically activated layered soft dielectric composite actuators under plane deformation. Noting that the activation can be induced controlling either the voltage or the…
A controlled surface wrinkling pattern has been widely used in diverse applications, such as stretchable electronics, smart windows, and haptics. Here, we focus on hexagonal wrinkling patterns because of their great potentials in realizing…
Mechanical reliability plays an outsized role in determining the durability of flexible electronic devices because of the significant mechanical stresses they can experience during manufacturing and operation. These devices are typically…
We explore the Mode I fracture toughness of a polymer gel containing a semi-infinite, growing crack. First, an expression is derived for the energy release rate within the linearized, small-strain setting. This expression reveals a crack…