Related papers: Siloxane crosslinks with dynamic bond exchange ena…
Observations are reported in isothermal torsional oscillation tests on melts of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in the intervals of temperature between 190 and 250C (iPP) and between 120 and 190C (LDPE).…
Semiflexible polymers such as filamentous actin play a vital role in the mechanical behavior of cells, yet the basic properties of cross-linked F-actin networks remain poorly understood. To address this issue, we have performed numerical…
Silicene is an intriguing silicon allotrope with a honeycomb lattice structure similar to graphene with slightly buckled geometry. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), on the other hand, is a significant 2D transition metal dichalcogenide that has…
Soft electronics are a promising and revolutionary alternative for traditional electronics when safe physical interaction between machines and the human body is required. Among various materials architectures developed for producing soft…
We investigate how controlled foaming alters the mechanical dissipation of liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs). Using thermal expandable microspheres, we generate homogeneous foams with precisely tuned bubble volume fractions up to 13% and…
Colloidal particles dispersed in liquid crystals can form new materials with tunable elastic and electro-optic properties. In a periodic `blue phase' host, particles should template into colloidal crystals with potential uses in photonics,…
We report on a new iron selenide superconductor with a TC onset of 45K and the nominal composition Lix(C5H5N)yFe2-zSe2, synthesized via intercalation of dissolved alkaline metal in anhydrous pyridine at room temperature. This superconductor…
This letter reports on the observation of optoelectronic switching in addressable molecular crossbar junctions fabricated using polymer stamp-printing method. The active medium in the junction is a molecular self-assembled monolayer softly…
Solid-state batteries require electrolytes that sustain high ionic conductivity under the mechanical environment of a functioning cell. Lattice strain, arising from stack pressure, thermal cycling, or lattice mismatch at interfaces, can…
Vitrimers are a relatively new class of polymeric materials containing associative covalent dynamic bonds that make them recyclable by design. However, the fundamental mechanisms controlling their viscoelastic properties remain poorly…
In this paper we describe a stretchable solid-state electronic switching material that operates at high voltage potentials, as well as a switch material benchmarking technique that utilizes a modular dielectric elastomer (artificial muscle)…
Solid-state cooling based on caloric effects is considered a viable alternative to replace the conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems. Regarding barocaloric materials, recent results show that elastomers are promising…
Advanced flexible electronics and soft robotics require the development and implementation of flexible functional materials. Magnetoelectric (ME) oxide materials can convert magnetic input into electric output and vice versa, making them…
In this paper, we speculate on a possible application of Liquid Crystal Elastomers to the field of soft robotics. In particular, we study a concept for limbless locomotion that is amenable to miniaturisation. For this purpose, we formulate…
We consider a continuum model describing the dynamic behavior of nematic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and implement a numerical scheme to solve the governing equations. In the model, the Helmholtz free energy and Rayleigh dissipation…
Two-dimensional iron-chalcogenide intercalates display a remarkable correlation of the interlayer spacing with the enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature ($T_c$). In this work, synchrotron x-ray absorption ($XAS$, at Fe and…
Nematic elastomers are programmable soft materials that display large, reversible and predictable deformation under an external stimulus such as a change in temperature or light. While much of the work in the field has focused on actuation…
An imidazolium-based poly(ionic liquid) is covalently cross-linked via UV light-induced thiolene (click) chemistry to yield a stable porous polyelectrolyte membrane with gradients of crosslink density and pore size distribution along its…
We report that the lattice constant of Dy$_2$Ge$_{2-x}$Si$_x$O$_7$ ($x=0, 0.02, 0.08, 0.125$) can be systematically reduced by substituting the non-magnetic germanium ion in the cubic pyrochlore oxide with silicon. A multi-anvil…
The elastic properties of semiflexible polymers are of great importance in biology. There are experiments on biopolymers like double stranded DNA, which twist and stretch single molecules to probe their elastic properties. It is known that…