Reaction-diffusion instability in a sheared medium

The stability characteristics of a model reaction—diffusion system are significantly altered by the imposition of a shearing motion of the medium.     

Magnetostatic mode in a sheared magnetic field

The effect of magnetic shear on the magnetostatic mode is considered. It is found that the lifetime of the mode is shortened, leading to a reduction of the corresponding cross-field diffusion.     

Nonequilibrium entropy of a sheared gas

The nonequilibrium entropy of a dilute gas under uniform shear flow is analyzed in terms of an expansion in powers of the shear rate. To this end, the Boltzmann equation for Maxwell molecules is exactly solved to super-Burnett order, the next two orders being also partially obtained. This allows us to get the entropy through sixth order in the shear rate. Comparison with results obtained from the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook kinetic model indicates that the latter gives a smaller entropy than the Boltzmann equation.     

Subdiffusion and cage effect in a sheared granular material

We investigate experimentally the diffusion properties of a bidimensional bidisperse dry granular material under quasistatic cyclic shear. The comparison of these properties with results obtained both in computer simulations of hard spheres systems and Lennard-Jones liquids and experiments on colloidal systems near the glass transition demonstrates a strong analogy between the statistical behavior of granular matter and these systems, despite their intrinsic microscopic differences (thermal vs athermal). More specifically, we study in detail the cage dynamics responsible for the subdiffusion in the slow relaxation regime, and obtain the values of relevant time and length scales.     

Stochastic dynamics of a sheared granular medium

We experimentally investigate the response of a sheared granular medium in a Couette geometry. The apparatus exhibits the expected stick-slip motion and we probe it in the very intermittent regime resulting from low driving. Statistical analysis of the dynamic fluctuations reveals notable regularities. We observe a possible stability property for the torque distribution, reminiscent of the stability of Gaussian independent variables. In this case, however, the variables are correlated and the distribution is skewed. Moreover, the whole dynamical intermittent regime can be described with a simple stochastic model, finding good quantitative agreement with the experimental data. Interestingly, a similar model has been previously introduced in the study of magnetic domain wall motion, a source of Barkhausen noise. Our study suggests interesting connections between different complex phenomena and reveals some unexpected features that remain to be explained.     

Fractal structure formation in GaSe crystals grown from melt

The structure of GaSe single crystals prepared by rapid cooling of melt has been studied. These crystals are shown to contain dendrites due to the nonequilibrium conditions of single-crystal preparation. Dendrites have a fractal structure with the Hausdorff measure equal to 1.7.     

Transients in sheared granular matter

As dense granular materials are sheared, a shear band and an anisotropic force network form. The approach to steady-state behavior depends on the history of the packing and the existing force and contact network. We present experiments on shearing of dense granular matter in a 2D Couette geometry in which we probe the history and evolution of shear bands by measuring particle trajectories and stresses during transients. We find that when shearing is stopped and restarted in the same direction, steady-state behavior is immediately reached, in agreement with the typical assumption that the system is quasistatic. Although some relaxation of the force network is observed when shearing is stopped, quasistatic behavior is maintained because the contact network remains essentially unchanged. When the direction of shear is reversed, a transient occurs in which stresses initially decrease, changes in the force network reach further into the bulk, and particles far from the wheel become more mobile. This occurs because the force network is fragile to changes transverse to the force network established under previous shear; particles must rearrange before becoming jammed again, thereby providing resistance to shear in the reversed direction. The strong force network is re-established after displacing the shearing surface , where d is the mean grain diameter. Steady-state velocity profiles are reached after a shear of . Particles immediately outside of the shear band move on average less than 1 diameter before becoming jammed again. We also examine particle rotation during this transient and find that mean particle spin decreases during the transient, which is related to the fact that grains are not interlocked as strongly.Received: 5 March 2004, Published online: 24 August 2004PACS: 45.70.-n Granular systems - 83.80.Fg Granular solids     

Unexpected symmetry in the nodal structure of the He atom

The nodes of even simple wave functions are largely unexplored. Motivated by their importance to quantum simulations of fermionic systems, we have found unexpected symmetries in the nodes of several atoms and molecules. Here, we report on helium. We find that in both ground and excited states the nodes have simple forms. In particular, they have higher symmetry than the wave functions they come from. It is of great interest to understand the source of these new symmetries. For the quantum simulations that motivated the study, these symmetries may help circumvent the fermion sign problem.     

Vibrational modes identify soft spots in a sheared disordered packing

We analyze low-frequency vibrational modes in a two-dimensional, zero-temperature, quasistatically sheared model glass to identify a population of structural "soft spots" where particle rearrangements are initiated. The population of spots evolves slowly compared to the interval between particle rearrangements, and the soft spots are structurally different from the rest of the system. Our results suggest that disordered solids flow via localized rearrangements that tend to occur at soft spots, which are analogous to dislocations in crystalline solids.     

Grafting of maleic anhydride onto polyethylene wax by melt ultrasound and solid co-irradiation

This paper presents a model study to prepare maleic anhydride (MAH)-grafted polyethylene wax (PEW) by using melt ultrasound followed by solid co-irradiation without any initiator or solvent. The MAH graft degree (G) of the product was determined by titration using a solution of organic alkali tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide in ethanol, which had good accuracy and reproducibility. The experimental results showed that MAH was successfully grafted onto PEW by this method, and the G was 1.57%. The co-irradiation processes showed that G and the graft efficiency (G _E) first increased and then decreased with the increase of MAH concentration, and G and G _E gradually increased with the increase of the total co-irradiation dose in experimental conditions. In addition, a product with a certain G can be obtained by using sole melt ultrasonic treatment.     

Defect structure in EuS single crystals grown from the melt

The defect structure in EuS single crystals grown form the melt is studied by etch pitting, scanning and high-voltage electron microscopy. Circular and square etch pits and a second phase in the shape of thin hexagonal platelets are observed by etching. Microprobe analysis indicates the platelets to consist of Eu metal. In the transmission electron microscope, smoothly curved dislocations and helical dislocations, small dislocation loops and inclusions associated with dislocations are observed. The possible origin of the detected dislocation structure is considered with reference to climb and glide processes occurring during cooling down the grown crystals. The results corroborate the glide geometry of the NaCl lattice for EuS. On leave from Institute of Physics, Academic Sinica, Peking, VR China     

Bipolarons in a KCl melt

A theory of two excess electrons in alkali halide melts is developed using variational estimates of path integrals. As a result of the strong screening, the average field generated by the ions has little influence on the electrons and the problem reduces to a study of a bipolaron type of free energy functional. The behavior of this functional is determined as a function of the thermodynamic and structural characteristics of the melt. Variational bipolaron calculations are made using the approximation of uncorrelated electrons and using Kohn-Sham theory to allow for electron-electron correlations. The results of the calculations using Kohn-Sham theory agree with the data obtained by quantum molecular dynamics and show that a correct choice of trial wave function which allows explicitly for the correlation of two electrons is required to obtain a correct estimate of bipolaron stability.     

Particle dynamics in sheared granular matter

The particle dynamics and shear forces of granular matter in a Couette geometry are determined experimentally. The normalized tangential velocity V(y) declines strongly with distance y from the moving wall, independent of the shear rate and of the shear dynamics. Local rms velocity fluctuations deltaV(y) scale with the local velocity gradient to the power 0.4+/-0.05. These results agree with a locally Newtonian, continuum model, where the granular medium is assumed to behave as a liquid with a local temperature [deltaV(y)](2) and density dependent viscosity.     

Energy landscape picture of overaging and rejuvenation in a sheared glass

Molecular simulations and an energy landscape analysis are used to investigate the effects of shear on aging in a glass. Shear beyond the yield point is shown to change the state of a glass such that it resembles (but is not identical to) a different stage in the aging process. A cycle of large strain rejuvenates the glass by relocating the system to shallower energy minima, while a cycle of small strain overages the glass by relocating the system to deeper energy minima. The balance between overaging and rejuvenation is controlled by how well the glass was initially annealed.