Related papers: Size effects in micro and nanoscale materials frac…
In this paper we review the theory of silicon nanowires. We focus on nanowires with diameters below 10 nm, where quantum effects become important and the properties diverge significantly from those of bulk silicon. These wires can be…
We investigate compressive failure of heterogeneous materials on the basis of a continuous progressive damage model. The model explicitely accounts for tensile and shear local damage and reproduces the main features of compressive failure…
Granular materials often present correlations between particle size and shape due to their geological formation and mechanisms of weathering and fragmentation. It is known that particle shape strongly affects shear strength. However, the…
The aim of this Chapter is to provide an account of recent advances in the first-principles modeling of ferroelectric oxide nanostructures. Starting from a microscopic description of ferroelectricity in bulk materials and considering then,…
Jammed packings' mechanical properties depend sensitively on their detailed local structure. Here we provide a complete characterization of the pair correlation close to contact and of the force distribution of jammed frictionless spheres.…
The presence of interfaces and grain boundaries significantly impacts the mechanical properties of materials, particularly when dealing with micro- or nano-scale samples. Distinct interactions between dislocations and grain boundaries can…
Recent results have shown unprecedented control over separation distances between two metallic elements hundreds of nanometers in size, underlying the effects of free-electron nonlocal response also at mid-infrared wavelengths. Most of…
Tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations shed light into the fracture mechanisms and the ideal strength of tetrahedral amorphous carbon and of nanocomposite carbon containing diamond crystallites, two of the hardest materials. It is…
It is now possible to create perfect crystal nanowires of many metals. The deformation of such objects requires a good understanding of the processes involved in plasticity at the nanoscale. Isotropic compression of such nanometre scale…
We develop a theoretical framework to investigate the interplay between quantum size effect (QSE) and strain effect on the stability of metal nanofilms. The QSE and strain effect are shown to be coupled through the concept of "quantum…
Over the past seven years, full-field analyses of a wide range of classical as well as modern quasi-static fracture experiments on nominally elastic brittle materials -- ranging from hard ceramics to soft elastomers -- have repeatedly…
The deformation of rocks is associated with microcracks nucleation and propagation, i.e. damage. The accumulation of damage and its spatial localization lead to the creation of a macroscale discontinuity, so-called "fault" in geological…
In Part I of this set of two papers, a model of mesoscopic plasticity is developed for studying initial-boundary value problems of small scale plasticity. Here we make qualitative, finite element method-based computational predictions of…
This study sequentially investigates the enhancement of fracture behavior in adhesive joints. Initially, mechanical sanding techniques were explored, revealing significant improvements of 55% in fracture energy and 38% in load-bearing…
Amorphous solids, confined on the nano-scale, exhibit a wealth of novel phenomena yet to be explored. In particular, the response of such solids to a mechanical load is not well understood and, as has been demonstrated experimentally, it…
The macroscopic properties of materials that we observe and exploit in engineering application result from complex interactions between physics at multiple length and time scales: electronic, atomistic, defects, domains etc. Multiscale…
Highly-deformable materials, from synthetic hydrogels to biological tissues, are becoming increasingly important from both fundamental and practical perspectives. Their mechanical behaviors, in particular the dynamics of crack propagation…
We perform fracture experiments on nanoscale phase separated glasses and measure crack surface roughness by atomic force microscopy. The ability of tuning the phase domain size by thermal treatment allows us to test thoroughly the…
The interior of nanoscale crystals experiences stress that compensates the capillary forces and that can be large, in the order of 1 GPa. Various studies have speculated on whether and how this surface-induced stress affects the stability…
A powerful technique is introduced for simulating mechanical and electromechanical properties of one-dimensional nanostructures under arbitrary combinations of bending, twisting, and stretching. The technique is based on a novel control of…