Anisotropic Enhancement Factor Research Articles

Influence of fiber characteristics on directed electroactuation of anisotropic dielectric electroactive polymers with tunability

Dielectric elastomers constitute a technologically important class of stimuli-responsive polymers due primarily to their unique ability to achieve large strains (>300 area%) upon exposure to an external electric field. In most reported cases, actuation strains are measured as dielectric elastomers constrained to a circular test configuration essentially waste energy by undergoing isotropic, rather than directional, electroactuation. Recent independent studies have demonstrated, however, that the addition of relatively stiff fibers to a soft dielectric elastomer matrix promotes more energy-efficient anisotropic mechanical behavior and electroactuation response. In this work, we investigate the effects of fiber strain and mechanical properties on electroactuation in anisotropic dielectric electroactive polymers with tunability (ADEPT) fabricated from an acrylic dielectric elastomer. Increases in fiber loading level and stiffness are observed to enhance both mechanical and electroactuation properties to different extents, and we introduce an electroactuation anisotropic enhancement factor to quantify the ratio of electroactuation to mechanical anisotropy. This factor is determined to vary linearly with fiber concentration for nearly all the different ADEPT composites examined in this study.

Computational modeling of flow‐induced anisotropy of polar ice for the EDML deep drilling site, Antarctica: The effect of rotation recrystallization and grain boundary migration

SUMMARYIn this contribution we model flow‐induced anisotropy of polar ice in order to gain a better understanding for the underlying microstructure and its influence on the deformation process. In particular, a continuum‐mechanical, anisotropic flow model that is based on an anisotropic flow enhancement factor (CAFFE model) is applied. The polycrystalline ice is regarded as a mixture whose grains are characterized by their orientation. The approach is based on two distinct scales: the underlying microstructure influences the macroscopic material behavior and is taken into account phenomenologically. To achieve this, the orientation mass density is introduced as a mesoscopic field, i.e. it depends on a mesoscopic variable (the orientation) in addition to position and time. The classical flow law of Glen is extended by a scalar, but anisotropic enhancement factor. Four different effects (local rigid body rotation, grain rotation, rotation recrystallization, grain boundary migration) influencing the evolution of the grain orientations are taken into account. All modeling parameters are either measurable in or derivable from field observations or laboratory experiments. A finite volume method is chosen for the discretization procedure. Numerical results simulating the ice flow at the site of the EPICA ice core in Dronning Maud Land (referred to as EDML), Antarctica, are presented. They go beyond earlier results by Seddikit et al. (J. Glaciol. 2008; 54(187):631–642) in which only local rigid body rotation and grain rotation were accounted for. By comparing simulated and observed fabrics, we come up with reference values for the parameters in the constitutive equations for rotation recrystallization and grain boundary migration. Down to 2045 m depth, good agreement can be achieved; however, further down the observed fabric cannot be reproduced well due to numerical issues. Additionally, we study the influence of the two superposed deformation regimes of vertical compression and simple shear separately and demonstrate that the numerical problems are due to the predominant shear regime near the bottom, whereas vertical compression only produces stable results everywhere. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model for polar ice masses, based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement factor

A complete theoretical presentation of the Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model, based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement factor (CAFFE model) is given. The CAFFE model is an application of the theory of mixtures with continuous diversity for the case of large polar ice masses in which induced anisotropy occurs. The anisotropic response of the polycrystalline ice is described by a generalization of Glen’s flow law, based on a scalar anisotropic enhancement factor. The enhancement factor depends on the orientation mass density, which is closely related to the orientation distribution function and describes the distribution of grain orientations (fabric). Fabric evolution is governed by the orientation mass balance, which depends on four distinct effects, interpreted as local rigid body rotation, grain rotation, rotation recrystallization (polygonization) and grain boundary migration (migration recrystallization), respectively. It is proven that the flow law of the CAFFE model is truly anisotropic despite the collinearity between the stress deviator and stretching tensors.

Application of a continuum-mechanical model for the flow of anisotropic polar ice to the EDML core, Antarctica

AbstractWe present an application of the newly developed CAFFE model (Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement factor) to the EPICA ice core at Kohnen Station, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica (referred to as the EDML core). A one-dimensional flow model for the site is devised, which includes the anisotropic flow law and the fabric evolution equation of the CAFFE model. Three different solution methods are employed: (1) computing the ice flow based on the flow law of the CAFFE model and the measured fabrics; (2) solving the CAFFE fabric evolution equation under the simplifying assumption of transverse isotropy; and (3) solving the unrestricted CAFFE fabric evolution equation. Method (1) demonstrates clearly the importance of the anisotropic fabric in the ice column for the flow velocity. The anisotropic enhancement factor produced with method (2) agrees reasonably well with that of method (1), even though the measured fabric shows a girdle structure (which breaks the transverse isotropy) in large parts of the ice core. For method (3), we find that the measured fabric is reproduced well by the model down to ∼2100 m depth. Systematic deviations at greater depths are attributed to the disregard of migration recrystallization in the model.

Determination of electronic momentum densities and the Fermi surface of white tin by positron annihilation

Following the Mijnarends method, the momentum density distribution ϱ(p) of annihilation radiation in β-Sn has been determined by unfolding the Mogensen and Trumpy experimental data. Some hypotheses concerning the shape of the β-Sn Fermi surface as well as the characteristic structure of the strongly anisotropic enhancement factor are suggested.