AFM nanoindentation of viscoelastic materials with large end‐radius probes

We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation to measure mechanical properties of polymers. Although AFM is generally acknowledged as a high‐resolution imaging tool, accurate quantification of AFM nanoindentation results is challenging. Two main challenges are determination of the projected area for objects as small as AFM tips and use of appropriate analysis methods for viscoelastic materials. We report significant accuracy improvements for modulus measurements when large end‐radius tips with appropriate cantilever stiffnesses are used for indentation. Using this approach, the instantaneous elastic modulus of four polymers we studied was measured within 30 to 40% of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) results. The probes can, despite their size and very high stiffnesses, be used for imaging of very small domains in heterogeneous materials. For viscoelastic materials, we developed an AFM creep test to determine the instantaneous elastic modulus. The AFM method allows application of a nearly perfect stepload that facilitates data analysis based on hereditary integrals. Results for three polymers suggest that the observed creep in the materials has a strong plastic flow component even at small loads. In this respect, the spherical indenter tips behave like “sharp” indenters used in indentation studies with instrumented indenters. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1573–1587, 2009     

Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy of DNA-Based Reversible Polymer Bridges: Surface Robustness and Homogeneity

Single-molecule force spectroscopy, as implemented in an atomic force microscope, provides a rarely used method by which to monitor dynamic processes that occur near surfaces. Here, a methodology is presented and characterized that facilitates the study of polymer bridging across nanometer-sized gaps. The model system employed is that of DNA-based reversible polymers, and an automated procedure is introduced that allows the AFM tip–surface contact point to be automatically determined, and the distance d between opposing surfaces to be actively controlled. Using this methodology, the importance of several experimental parameters was systematically studied, e.g. the frequency of repeated tip/surface contacts, the area of the substrate surface sampled by the AFM, and the use of multiple AFM tips and substrates. Experiments revealed the surfaces to be robust throughout pulling experiments, so that multiple touches and pulls could be carried out on a single spot with no measurable affect on the results. Differences in observed bridging probabilities were observed, both on different spots on the same surface and, more dramatically, from one day to another. Data normalization via a reference measurement allows data from multiple days to be directly compared.     

A computer program for automated step edge motion analysis from scanning probe microscopy images

A computer algorithm was developed to automatically track the displacement of straight step edges between sequential scanning probe microscopy images of single-crystal surfaces. The program utilizes the Canny edge detection algorithm followed by the Hough Transform of the edge map to identify step edges according to their direction, relative to the image axes, and according to their displacement, relative to the image origin. The tracking of individual steps is facilitated by the fact that straight edges in general maintain their direction and therefore, steps of similar displacement but different direction can be sorted. The algorithm is based on the assumption that the rate of image acquisition is much greater than the rate of (mono)layer growth/dissolution, requiring that changes in step displacement are small in successive images. The change in step displacement in sequential images leads directly to the calculation of the step speed. By tabulating all changes in step displacement through a sequence of images, a statistical representation of the step edge data is produced. The program was evaluated using a sequence of 20 atomic force microscopy images from a calcite (104) surface growing from a supersaturated aqueous solution. The program required, in total, 5 CPU-minutes running on a Pentium 4 processor to compute the mean step speed with 60% precision whereas the equivalent number of measurements performed “by hand” required 6 person-hours at 70% precision. For comparable output, the computer program therefore represents a factor of about 100 decrease in required effort.     

One-stage fabrication of sub-micron hydrophilic microchannels on PDMS

A sub-micron hydrophilic microchannel was fabricated on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) in one step using vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV) lithography in vacuum. The topographies and properties of the irradiated PDMS surface were characterized and analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the chemical composition changes on VUV-treated PDMS analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The hydrophilic stability of irradiated PDMS surface was studied by static water contact angle. As demonstrated, the hydrophilicity on surface of PDMS microchannel can be kept for a longer term even three months after the treatment.     

Anomalous scaling in surface roughness evaluation of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Pt thin films

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to measure the surface roughness of crystalline Pt thin films as a function of film thickness and growth rate. Our films were electrodeposited on Au/Cr/glass substrates, under galvanostatic control (constant current density), from a single electrolyte containing Pt⁴⁺ ions. Crystalline structure of the films was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The effect of growth rate (deposition current density) and film thickness (deposition time) on the kinetic roughening of the films were studied using AFM and roughness calculation. The data is consistent with a rather complex behaviour known as “anomalous scaling” where both local and large scale roughnesses show power law dependence on the film thickness.     

超短脉冲激光对硅膜的热力效应分析

为了研究超短脉冲激光辐照下半导体材料的热力效应,在热电子崩力和自洽场两种模型的基础上,得到了完全耦合的非线性热弹方程组。在单轴应力条件下,采用有限差分法,讨论了不同脉宽的超短脉冲激光辐照下,硅膜内载流子温度、晶格温度、热应力以及热电子崩力随时间及膜深度的变化情况。结果表明,脉冲宽度对硅膜的热力损伤过程起重要作用。能量密度一定时,载流子和晶格达到热平衡所需时间随脉冲宽度的增加而增加;热电子崩力呈现明显的双峰结构,同时脉冲宽度对第二个峰值的影响较大;脉宽越窄,热应力的峰值越大,越容易对材料造成损伤,为激光加工和光电器件的损伤提供了理论参考。     

A random forest application to contact‐state classification for robot programming by human demonstration

This paper addresses the non‐parametric estimation of the stochastic process related to the classification problem that arises in robot programming by demonstration of compliant motion tasks. Robot programming by demonstration is a robot programming paradigm in which a human operator demonstrates the task to be performed by the robot. In such demonstration, several observable variables, such as velocities and forces can be modeled, non‐parametrically, in order to classify the current state of a contact between an object manipulated by the robot and the environment in which it operates. Essential actions in compliant motion tasks are the contacts that take place, and therefore, it is important to understand the sequence of contact states made during a demonstration, called contact classification. We propose a contact classification algorithm based on the random forest algorithm. The main advantage of this approach is that it does not depend on the geometric model of the objects involved in the demonstration. Moreover, it does not rely on the kinestatic model of the contact interactions. The comparison with state‐of‐the‐art contact classifiers shows that random forest classifier is more accurate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Uniqueness Result for a Model for Mixtures in the Absence of External Forces and Interaction Momentum

We consider a continuum model describing steady flows of a miscible mixture of two fluids. The densities ϱ _i of the fluids and their velocity fields u ⁽ⁱ⁾ are prescribed at infinity: ϱ _i |_∞ = ϱ _i∞ > 0, u ⁽ⁱ⁾|∞ = 0. Neglecting the convective terms, we have proved earlier that weak solutions to such a reduced system exist. Here we establish a uniqueness type result: in the absence of the external forces and interaction terms, there is only one such solution, namely ϱ _i ≡ ϱ _i∞, u ⁽ⁱ⁾ ≡ 0, i = 1, 2. This work was supported by the SFB 611 at the University of Bonn and the European HYKE network (contract no. HPRN-CT-2002-00282). The third author was also supported by the project CSF 201/03/0934, and by MSM 0021620839.     

A Complex Mode Method for Wind-Induced Responses of 6-Parameter Practical Viscoelastic Damping Energy Dissipation Structures Based on the Davenport Wind Speed Spectrum北大核心CSCD

针对六参数实用黏弹性阻尼耗能结构,基于Davenport风速谱系列响应问题进行了系统的研究.首先,利用六参数黏弹性阻尼器的微分型本构关系,建立了耗能结构基于Davenport风速谱激励下的运动方程;然后,运用复模态法将耗能结构的运动方程由二阶微分方程转化为一阶方程,获得了耗能结构系统对风振激励响应的频域解和功率谱密度函数表达式;最后,利用数学恒等式,基于随机振动理论获得了耗能结构系统在Davenport风速谱激励下的响应和阻尼器受力的解析解.该文方法不仅考虑了结构系统在风振激励作用下全振型展开的结果,表达式较现有结果更为简便,效率及精度更高,且适用于非经典阻尼结构.     

An Improved Solow—Swan Model

§1.　IntroductionThetheoryofeconomicgrowthisanimportanttopicinMacroeconomics.Afterador-mancynearlytwodecades,thestudyofeconomicgrowthbecamevigorousagaininthemid-1980s.TheSolow-Swanmodel[1]isoneofthemostusedinthisfield.Thismodelhasarousedmanyresearchersinterestintherecentyears.N.G.Manki,etal(1992)[2]appliedthismodeltoexaminewhetheritisconsistentwiththeinternationalvariationinthestandardofliving.W.Easterly(1993)[3]gavearevisedSolow-SwanmodelbyintroducingtheCESproductionfunction.Inthepaper…