Shear banding in strained semicrystalline polyamide 6 films as revealed by atomic force microscopy: Role of the amorphous phase

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to visualize the plastic deformation mechanisms that are responsible for the yielding of semicrystalline polymers of low degree of crystallinity (<50%). Indeed, AFM, if operated in suitable conditions, is able to image both the amorphous and the crystalline phases. Polyamide 6 films have been drawn at temperatures T < 160 °C. Postmortem AFM observations show that, at yield, shear bands nucleate and propagate in the amorphous phase. They cross the crystalline lamellae and run over the whole surface of the sample. By crossing the lamellae, they form nanoblocks of uniform size. Neither the size of the nanoblocks nor the angle between the tensile axis and the shear bands can be explained in terms of crystal plasticity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 687–701, 2004     

Effect of pressure gradients on the different stages of roughness induced boundary layer transition

The physical mechanisms of roughness-induced transition (RIT) in pressure gradient boundary layers are studied using direct numerical simulations. Recent investigations have examined RIT processes in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers (Suryanarayanan et al., 2019). The present study uses a vorticity dynamics point of view to examine how these processes are altered by a locally accelerating or decelerating flow that strains the vorticity field and creates a net vorticity flux at the wall. Flow acceleration is imposed on specific streamwise extents of the flow. This provides an understanding about how the fundamental mechanisms in different stages of RIT are affected by pressure gradients. The present results suggest that both lift-up and subsequent amplification of the unsteady perturbations are mitigated by flow acceleration. The effect on lift-up is explained by the compression (i.e. large negative value of the stretching term) of the wall-normal vorticity by negative dv/dy. Consistent with earlier experimental observations on spots and wedges, favorable pressure gradients reduce turbulent wedge spreading and nearly arrest the spreading when sufficiently strong. This result is also explained in terms of vorticity dynamics.     

Velocity–vorticity–helicity formulation and a solver for the Navier–Stokes equations

For the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations, we present a formulation featuring velocity, vorticity and helical density as independent variables. We find the helical density can be observed as a Lagrange multiplier corresponding to the divergence-free constraint on the vorticity variable, similar to the pressure in the case of the incompressibility condition for velocity. As one possible practical application of this new formulation, we consider a time-splitting numerical scheme based on an alternating procedure between vorticity–helical density and velocity–Bernoulli pressure systems of equations. Results of numerical experiments include a comparison with some well-known schemes based on pressure–velocity formulation and illustrate the competitiveness on the new scheme as well as the soundness of the new formulation.     

Projection conditions on the vorticity in viscous incompressible flows

The problem of establishing appropriate conditions for the vorticity transport equation is considered. It is shown that, in viscous incompressible flows, the boundary conditions on the velocity imply conditions of an integral type on the vorticity. These conditions determine a projection of the vorticity field on the linear manifold of the harmonic vector fields. Some computational consequences of the above result in two-dimensional calculations by means of the nonprimitive variables, stream function and vorticity, are examined. As an example of the application of the discrete analogue of the projection conditions, numerical solutions of the driven cavity problem are reported.     

Timelike Killing vectors and ergo surfaces in non-asymptotically flat spacetimes

Ergo surfaces are investigated in spacetimes with a cosmological constant. We find the existence of multiple timelike Killing vectors, each corresponding to a distinct ergo surface, with no one being preferred. Using a kinematic invariant, which provides a measure of hypersurface orthogonality, we explore its potential role in selecting a preferred timelike Killing vector and consequently a unique ergo surface.     

Shear banding in reaction-diffusion models

Shear banding occurs in the flow of complex fluids: various types of shear thinning and shear thickening micelle solutions and liquid crystals. In order to cope with the strongly inhomogeneous interface between the bands, constitutive models used in standard rheology must be supplemented by non-local terms. This leads rather generally to non-linear partial differential equations of the reaction-diffusion type. We use this formalism in order to explain some observed experimental features and as a guide for future research in this field. Received: 17 May 1999/Accepted: 3 August 1999     

Numerical studies of fluid flow through tubes with double constrictions

The flow fields in the neighbourhood of double constrictions in a circular cylindrical tube were studied numerically. The effects on the streamline, velocity and vorticity distributions as the flow passes through the constrictions in the tube were studied in the Reynolds number range 5–200. Double constrictions with dimensionless spacing ratios of 1, 2, 3 and ∞ were studied for a 50% constriction. It is noted that when the Reynolds number is below 10, no recirculation region is formed in the above constricted flow. For Reynolds numbers greater than 10, a recirculation region forms downstream of each of the constrictions. For constriction spacing ratios of 1, 2, and 3, when the Reynolds number is high, a recirculation region spreads between the valley of the constrictions. The recirculation region formed between the two constrictions has a diminishing effect on the generation of wall vorticity near the second constriction area. In general, the peak value of wall vorticity is found slightly upstream of each of the constrictions. When the Reynolds number is increased, the peak wall vorticity value increases and its location is moved upstream. Maximum wall vorticity generated by the first constriction is found to be always greater than the maximum wall vorticity generated by the second constriction. The extent of this spreading of the recirculation region from the first constriction and its effects on the second constriction depend on the constriction spacing ratio and the flow Reynolds number.     

Finite element stream function-vorticity solutions of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

The incompressible, two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the finite element method (FEM) using a novel stream function/vorticity formulation. The no-slip solid walls boundary condition is applied by taking advantage of the simple implementation of natural boundary conditions in the FEM, eliminating the need for an iterative evaluation of wall vorticity formulae. In addition, with the proper choice of elements, a stable scheme is constructed allowing convergence to be achieved for all Reynolds numbers, from creeping to inviscid flow, without the traditional need for upwinding and its associated false diffusion. Solutions are presented for a variety of geometries.     

Analysis of banding problem in multiple beam scanning system of laser printer

In the slant scanning method of multiple beams a misalignment of the slant angle causes a beam spacing error and pitch irregularities of scan lines called “banding”. This paper evaluates the pitch irregularities and tries to clarify the allowable beam spacing error. The following results are obtained: (1) The maximum spacing error of print lines is proportional to m/(dpi), where m is the number of multiple beams and dpi print dot density. (2) The noticeable limit of periodic variations of print density at low spatial frequency was presumed to be a visibility between 1 and 2% in experiments. (3) The allowable beam spacing error was calculated introducing the human eye spatial frequency response. (4) The banding simulation experiments by laser recording on the photographic paper on the XY stage showed good coincidence with the theoretical evaluations.     

Removing of vortices in incompressible flows by distributed controls

We consider an optimal control problem of fluids flow. The fluid motion is governed by the incompressible time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. A new optimal control formulation for the reduction and possibly extinction of vortices is proposed. A cost functional based on a local dynamical systems characterization of vortices is investigated. The resulting functional is a non-convex function of the velocity gradient tensor. The optimality system describing first order necessary optimality conditions is derived. The gradient and the second derivative of the cost functional with respect to the distributed control are established.