Synchronous multi-scale observations on rock damage and rupture

This paper reports a multi-scale study on damage evolution process and rupture of gabbro under uniaxial compression with several experimental techniques, including MTS810 testing machine, white digital speckle correlation method, and acoustic emission technique. In particular, the synchronization of the three experimental systems is realized for the study of relationship of deformation and damage at multiple scales. It is found that there are significant correlation between damage evolution at small and large length scales, and rupture at sample scale, especially it displays critical sensitivity at multiple scales and trans-scale fluctuations.     

Direct measurements of base stacking interactions in DNA by single-molecule atomic-force spectroscopy

We investigate the elasticity of two types of single-stranded synthetic DNA homopolydeoxynucletides, poly(dA) and poly(dT), by AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy. We find that poly(dT) exhibits the expected entropic elasticity behavior, while poly(dA) unexpectedly displays two overstretching transitions in the force-extension relationship. We suggest that these transitions, which occur at approximately 23 pN and approximately 113 pN, directly capture, for the first time, the mechanical signature of base-stacking interactions among adenines in DNA, in the absence of base pairing.     

Tunable Transmissive Metastructure for Precise or Broadband Polarization Conversion Modulation Based on Graphene

Based on the principle of Fabry–Perot (F–P) cavity resonance and the selective permeability of gratings to specific electromagnetic waves, a graphene-based metastructure (MS) is proposed for transmissive polarization conversion (PC). Using the full-wave numerical simulation, it is found that by varying the Fermi energy of graphene, the effective resonance range of the suggested MS can be dynamically adjusted from 0.47 to 0.348–0.714 THz, achieving the target of precise to ultra-broadband polarization modulation. In this paper, the plausibility of the structure is verified from multiple perspectives, and the correlation analyses of the electric and magnetic fields are the supporting illustrations. Additionally, the triggering mechanism of PC is visually illustrated in the study of the surface currents distributions. Simulation results reveal that the MS is superior in performance, functionality, and principle, and it is foreseen to hold excellent promise for integrated equipment in the terahertz (THz) band.     

Iron(III)‐Selective Chelation‐Enhanced Fluorescence Sensing for In Vivo Imaging Applications

A “turn‐on” pattern Fe³⁺‐selective fluorescent sensor was synthesized and characterized that showed high fluorescence discrimination of Fe³⁺ over Fe²⁺ and other tested ions. With a 62‐fold fluorescence enhancement towards Fe³⁺, the probe was employed to detect Fe³⁺ in vivo in HeLa cells and Caenorhabditis elegans, and it was also successfully used to elucidate Fe³⁺ enrichment and exchange infected by innexin3 (Inx3) in hemichannel‐closed Sf9 cells.     

Microphase Separation within Disk Shaped Aggregates of Triblock Bottlebrushes

Well‐defined AbBA triblock bottlebrush with poly(N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide) (PAm) as A block and polyacrylate, densely grafted with poly(tert‐butyl acrylate)‐block‐polystyrene (PBA‐b‐PS), as brush bB block is prepared by controlled radical polymerization and click chemistry. The triblock copolymer with a composition of PAm₂₀₀‐b‐b(PBA₁₄‐b‐PS₄₇)₁₆₇‐b‐PAm₂₀₀ is obtained and is further transformed into PAm₂₀₀‐b‐b(PAA₁₄‐b‐PS₄₇)₁₆₇‐b‐PAm₂₀₀ by hydrolysis of the PBA segment into poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In a mixture of N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) and methanol, a poor solvent of bB block, PAm₂₀₀‐b‐b(PAA₁₄‐b‐PS₄₇)₁₆₇‐b‐PAm₂₀₀ self‐assembled into disk‐like platelets, which have an internal lamellar structure by further microphase‐separation of PAA‐b‐PS branches in 2D. Moreover, Ag nanoparticles are aligned by PAA segments along the disk to form a pattern.

     

Synthesis,Thermal Properties,and Thermoresponsive Behaviors of Cyclic Poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl Methacrylate)s

This study aims at physicochemical properties of thermo‐ and pH/CO₂‐responsive cyclic homopolymers. Three examples of cyclic poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)s (PDMAs) are synthesized by combining the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer process and the Diels–Alder ring‐closure reaction. After cyclization, the glass transition temperature significantly increases (ΔT_g = 51.8–59.7 °C) due to the different configurational entropy and end groups, and the maximum decomposition temperature to lose the pendent groups is drastically decreased from 309 to 278 °C. Effects of polymerization degree, polymer concentration, additive of NaCl, and pH/CO₂ on lower critical solution temperature behaviors of PDMA aqueous solutions are investigated. The cloud points (T_c) of ring PDMAs are usually higher than their linear precursors, and the ΔT_c values obtained under a fixed condition can reach up to 20.7 °C, revealing the crucial role of the topology effect. This study paves the way for unique properties and applications of smart cyclic polymers and their derivatives.

     

Multiscale Structures to Describe Porous Media Part I: Theoretical Background and Invasion by Fluids

A porous medium with a broad pore-size distribution is described on the basis of the Multiscale Percolation System concept. The representative structure is the superposition of several constitutive elementary networks, of which mesh sizes are proportional to the diameter of the class of pores considered. To account for the contribution of each class to the connection of the medium, a recurrent building process, involving rescaling and superposition, is defined. This process leads to an equivalent monoscale network, involving elements representative of the various classes. Mercury intrusion at increasing pressure into a finite-size sample of this equivalent network is modelled. The inverse problem is solved, leading to the identification of the representative multiscale structure of a given material from the experimental intrusion curve.     

Investigation of Cs(I) adsorption on densely crosslinked poly(sodium methacrylate) from aqueous solutions

In this study, a crosslinked copolymer bearing sodium methacrylate functional groups has been proposed to remove Cs(I) ions from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, the crosslinked copolymer of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) and methacrylic acid (MA) containing 25% MA as weight percentage was synthesized by using benzoyl peroxide (BPO)-N,N-dimethyl aniline initiator system. The available carboxyl groups in copolymer were converted to the groups of sodium methacrylate using 2 N NaOH. The adsorption behavior of cesium ions on the densely crosslinked poly(sodium methacrylate) from aqueous solutions were investigated by the technique of ICP-MS measurements of cesium ions in solutions. Batch adsorption method was used to analyze the Cs(I) adsorption as a function of parameters such as the amount of adsorbent, contact time, pH of solution, initial Cs(I) concentration and temperature. The adsorption data were evaluated by the Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isotherms. The adsorption capacity and free energy change were calculated by using D–R isotherm. The adsorption data obtained from experimental results have been tested by the fractional power, the Elovich, the pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order kinetic models.     

High speed injection molding of high density polyethylene �� Effects of injection speed on structure and properties

Thin wall samples of high density polyethylene (HDPE) were prepared via injection molding with different injection speeds ranging from 100 mm/s to 1200 mm/s. A significant decrease in the tensile strength and Young??s modulus was observed with increasing injection speed. In order to investigate the mechanism behind this decrease, the orientation, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, melt flow rate, crystallinity and crystal morphology of HDPE were characterized using two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WAXD), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), capillary rheometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. It is demonstrated that the orientation, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, melt flow rate and crystallinity have no obvious change with increasing injection speed. Nevertheless, the content of extended chain crystals or large folded chain crystals was found to decrease with increasing injection speed. Therefore, it is concluded that the decrease in tensile properties is mainly contributed by the reduced content of extended chain crystals or large folded chain crystals. This study provides industry with valuable information for the application of high speed injection molding.