Showing papers on "Stress relaxation published in 2016"

Hydrogels with tunable stress relaxation regulate stem cell fate and activity

Abstract: Natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) are viscoelastic and exhibit stress relaxation. However, hydrogels used as synthetic ECMs for three-dimensional (3D) culture are typically elastic. Here, we report a materials approach to tune the rate of stress relaxation of hydrogels for 3D culture, independently of the hydrogel's initial elastic modulus, degradation, and cell-adhesion-ligand density. We find that cell spreading, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are all enhanced in cells cultured in gels with faster relaxation. Strikingly, MSCs form a mineralized, collagen-1-rich matrix similar to bone in rapidly relaxing hydrogels with an initial elastic modulus of 17 kPa. We also show that the effects of stress relaxation are mediated by adhesion-ligand binding, actomyosin contractility and mechanical clustering of adhesion ligands. Our findings highlight stress relaxation as a key characteristic of cell-ECM interactions and as an important design parameter of biomaterials for cell culture.

Strain-enhanced stress relaxation impacts nonlinear elasticity in collagen gels

Abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex assembly of structural proteins that provides physical support and biochemical signaling to cells in tissues. The mechanical properties of the ECM have been found to play a key role in regulating cell behaviors such as differentiation and malignancy. Gels formed from ECM protein biopolymers such as collagen or fibrin are commonly used for 3D cell culture models of tissue. One of the most striking features of these gels is that they exhibit nonlinear elasticity, undergoing strain stiffening. However, these gels are also viscoelastic and exhibit stress relaxation, with the resistance of the gel to a deformation relaxing over time. Recent studies have suggested that cells sense and respond to both nonlinear elasticity and viscoelasticity of ECM, yet little is known about the connection between nonlinear elasticity and viscoelasticity. Here, we report that, as strain is increased, not only do biopolymer gels stiffen but they also exhibit faster stress relaxation, reducing the timescale over which elastic energy is dissipated. This effect is not universal to all biological gels and is mediated through weak cross-links. Mechanistically, computational modeling and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicate that strain-enhanced stress relaxation of collagen gels arises from force-dependent unbinding of weak bonds between collagen fibers. The broader effect of strain-enhanced stress relaxation is to rapidly diminish strain stiffening over time. These results reveal the interplay between nonlinear elasticity and viscoelasticity in collagen gels, and highlight the complexity of the ECM mechanics that are likely sensed through cellular mechanotransduction.

Effect of stress relaxation on distortion in additive manufacturing process modeling

Abstract: A method for modeling the effect of stress relaxation at high temperatures during laser direct energy deposition processes is experimentally validated for Ti-6Al-4V samples subject to different inter-layer dwell times. The predicted mechanical responses are compared to those of Inconel® 625 samples, which experience no allotropic phase transformation, deposited under identical process conditions. The thermal response of workpieces in additive manufacturing is known to be strongly dependent on dwell time. In this work the dwell times used vary from 0 to 40 s. Based on past research on ferretic steels and the additive manufacturing of titanium alloys it is assumed that the effect of transformation strain in Ti-6Al-4V acts to oppose all other strain components, effectively eliminating all residual stress at temperatures above 690 °C. The model predicts that Inconel® 625 exhibits increasing distortion with decreasing dwell times but that Ti-6Al-4V displays the opposite behavior, with distortion dramatically decreasing with lowering dwell time. These predictions are accurate when compared with experimental in situ and post-process measurements.

Stress Relaxation and Self-Adhesion of Rubbers with Exchangeable Links

Abstract: To get intrinsic adhesion or healing properties in a cross-linked rubber, two levers are possible: the inherent relaxation in permanently but lightly cross-linked elastomers or the relaxation due to exchange reactions as recently reported in the case of vitrimers. The former is associated with dangling chain motion and cannot be controlled. Lightly cross-linked rubbers may show interesting adhesion and healing properties, but at the expense of mechanical properties: ultimate properties are limited, and materials are subjected to creep even at low temperature. Conversely, exchange reactions may be triggered by temperature, providing the healable materials with strong elastomeric properties in a wide temperature range. Here a model system based on epoxidized natural rubber is presented which enables to differentiate and quantify the part of each process. A comparative study including stress relaxation, swelling experiments, and adhesion measurements highlights the advantages of the vitrimer chemistry on inh...

Stress Relaxation, Dynamics, and Plasticity of Transient Polymer Networks

Abstract: We propose a theoretical framework for dealing with a transient polymer network undergoing small deformations, based on the rate of breaking and reforming of network cross-links and the evolving elastic reference state. In this framework, the characteristics of the deformed transient network at microscopic and macroscopic scales are naturally unified. Microscopically, the breakage rate of the cross-links is affected by the local force acting on the chain. Macroscopically, we use the classical continuum model for rubber elasticity to describe the structure of the deformation energy, whose reference state is defined dynamically according to when cross-links are broken and formed. With this, the constitutive relation can be obtained. We study three applications of the theory in uniaxial stretching geometry: for the stress relaxation after an instantaneous step strain is imposed, for the stress overshoot and subsequent decay in the plastic regime when a strain ramp is applied, and for the cycle of stretching ...

Dynamic Thiol–Michael Chemistry for Thermoresponsive Rehealable and Malleable Networks

Abstract: The thiol–Michael adduct is used as a thermoresponsive dynamic cross-linker in polymeric materials. Recently, the thiol–Michael reaction between thiols and conjugated alkenes has been used as a ligation reaction for polymer synthesis and functionalization. Here, the thiol–Michael reaction is demonstrated to be thermally responsive and dynamic. Small molecule model experiments demonstrate the potential for the thiol–Michael adducts to be used in dynamic covalent chemistry. Thiol–acrylate adducts are incorporated into a cross-linker to form a soft polymeric material. These thiol–Michael cross-linked materials display healing after being cut and malleability characteristics at 90 °C. Additionally, the data suggest that there is limited creep and stress relaxation at room temperature with complete recovery of creep once the strain is removed. These thiol–Michael cross-linked polymers show dynamic properties upon thermal stimulus, with long-term stability against mechanical deformation in the absence of this s...

Determination of Ti-6242 α and β slip properties using micro-pillar test and computational crystal plasticity

Abstract: The properties and behaviour of an α−β colony Ti-6242 alloy have been investigated at 20 °C utilising coupled micro-pillar stress relaxation tests and computational crystal plasticity. The β-phase slip strength and intrinsic slip system strain rate sensitivity have been determined, and the β-phase shown to have stronger rate sensitivity than that for the α phase. Close agreement of experimental observations and crystal plasticity predictions of micro-pillar elastic-plastic response, stress relaxation, slip activation in both α and β-phases, and strain localisation within the α−β pillars with differing test strain rate, β morphology, and crystal orientations is achieved, supporting the validity of the properties extracted. The β-lath thickness is found to affect slip transfer across the α−β−α colony, but not to significantly change the nature of the slip localisation when compared to pure α-phase pillars with the same crystallographic orientation. These results are considered in relation to rate-dependent deformation, such as dwell fatigue, in complex multiphase titanium alloys.

Molecular dynamics simulations of the structure and mechanical properties of silica glass using ReaxFF

Abstract: Assessment of the empirical reactive force field ReaxFF to predict the formation of amorphous silica from its crystalline structure and the determination of mechanical properties under tension using molecular dynamics simulations is presented. Detailed procedures for preparing amorphous silica from crystalline silica are presented and the atomic structure is in good agreement with experimental results. Tensile properties of silica are predicted over a wide range of strain rates (2.3 × 108 s−1–1.0 × 1015 s−1) allowing comparison with results reported in the literature for other force fields. Quasi-static modulus obtained from power-law fitting of the low-stain rate modulus predicted by ReaxFF is in good agreement with experimental results. A transition strain rate of approximately $$ 2.5 \times 10^{11} {\text{s}}^{ - 1} $$ is identified where modulus increases rapidly to a plateau level. Tensile strength also increases significantly in this range of strain rate and plateaus at the theoretical upper bound for silica. A detailed study is presented to understand the mechanisms associated with strain rate effects on the overall stress–strain response of silica. Bond breakage which evolves into void growth leading to failure is predicted to occur at approximately 27 % strain for all strain rates. Stress relaxation simulations indicates that the transition strain rate occurs when the characteristic time for high-strain rate loading and stress relaxation times are the same order. The effects of cooling rate and temperature on the structure and the stress–strain response of the silica glass are also investigated. Low-cooling rate and low-cooling temperature enhance the properties of silica.

The Effects of Cross-Linking in a Supramolecular Binder on Cycle Life in Silicon Microparticle Anodes

Abstract: Self-healing supramolecular binder was previously found to enhance the cycling stability of micron-sized silicon particles used as the active material in lithium-ion battery anodes. In this study, we systematically control the density of cross-linking junctions in a modified supramolecular polymer binder in order to better understand how viscoelastic materials properties affect cycling stability. We found that binders with relaxation times on the order of 0.1 s gave the best cycling stability with 80% capacity maintained for over 175 cycles using large silicon particles (∼0.9 um). We attributed this to an improved balance between the viscoelastic stress relaxation in the binder and the stiffness needed to maintain mechanical integrity of the electrode. The more cross-linked binder showed markedly worse performance confirming the need for liquid-like flow in order for our self-healing polymer electrode concept to be effective.

Study on nonlinear damage creep constitutive model for high-stress soft rock

Abstract: Rock engineering especially deep rock engineering undergoing long-term effects of external loading and gravity all or most may gradually damage deformation or creep deformation accumulation, leading rock structures to damage, crack, such as severe plastic deformation or even progressive failure. In this paper, based on the nonlinear damage creep characteristics of rock and damage variable, a new nonlinear damage creep constitutive model of high-stress soft rock is defined in series with the improved Burgers model, Hooke model and St. Venant model. This new nonlinear damage creep constitutive model can work out fairly reasonably explanations for the soft rock creep deformation. A series of uniaxial compression creep tests were performed to study the creep damage characteristics of typical soft rock in Jinchuan No.2 Mine in the northwest of China. Using the increment step loading and single-step loading, the results of creep experiments and nonlinear damage creep constitutive model results are very consistent in this study. The new model not only can reflect the whole course of creep deformation, but also can reasonably describe the soft rock under different initial creep stage, steady-state creep stage and accelerated creep stage. Therefore, the new nonlinear creep damage model is a reasonable reference model for the research of soft rock creep.

Anomalies in the deformation mechanism and kinetics of coarse-grained high entropy alloy

Abstract: Starting from the thermodynamics to thermal and mechanical properties, high entropy alloys (HEAs) always deviate from the behavior of conventional materials and stamp its uniqueness among the alloy systems. In this study, tensile deformation mechanisms of HEA was investigated. A simple system, an Al 0.1 CoCrFeNi HEA, with a single crystal structure (face-centered cubic, FCC), coarser grains (CG), and low dislocation density was chosen to exclusively study the effect of intrinsic lattice on the HEA deformation mechanisms and kinetics. Monotonic tests were done at the strain rate of 10 −3 s − 1 , and all the transient tests were started at the initial strain rate of 10 −3 s −1 . Strain-jump tests were carried out at strain rates of 10 −5 s −1 and 10 −3 s −1 . Repeated stress relaxation tests were performed along the stress–strain curve to calculate the physical activation volume. Surprisingly, a large rate sensitivity of the flow stress and low activation volume of dislocations were observed, which are unparalleled, as compared to conventional CG FCC metals and alloys. The observed trend has been explained in terms of the lattice distortion and dislocation-energy framework. As opposed to the constant dislocation line energy and Peierls potential energy (amplitude, Δ E ) in conventional metals and alloys, both the line energy and Peierls potential undergo continuous variations in the case of HEAs. These energy fluctuations have greatly affected the dislocation mobility and can be distinctly noted from the activation volume of dislocations.

Viscoelastic properties of linear associating poly(n-butyl acrylate) chains

Abstract: The linear viscoelastic properties of entangled hydrolysed poly(n-butyl acrylate) PnBA copolymers, with varying density of functional moieties, i.e., acrylic acid (AA) groups, have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically using small amplitude oscillatory shear and a modified version of the time marching algorithm (TMA). A second, low frequency, plateau, the level of which depends on temperature and AA groups content, is evident in the storage modulus of these copolymers. It indicates that terminal flow, i.e., chain motion at large length scales, is highly suppressed within the experimental timescale. This slow relaxation process is attributed to long lifetime aggregates (sticky junctions) of AA groups. At intermediate frequencies, the dynamic moduli decay with a slope of 0.5 indicative of a Rouse-like relaxation process. This behavior is well captured by the model when constraint release Rouse motion of the strands that are trapped between successive AA junctions or/and trapped entanglements is considered. One new parameter, pst, the probability of a monomer to act as a sticky junction, is introduced in the TMA to account for the influence of the functional AA groups on the chain dynamics. The validation of this simple model is then achieved by comparing experimental and predicted viscoelastic data.

The Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Magnetorheological Silly Putty

Abstract: A novel magnetorheological material defined as magnetorheological Silly Putty (MRSP) is prepared by dispersing soft magnetic particles into Silly Putty matrix with shear stiffening property. Static mechanical properties including creep and stress relaxation and dynamic rheological properties of MRSPs are tested by rheometer. The experimental results indicate that the external magnetic field exerts significant influence on the creep and relaxation behaviors. Moreover, the storage modulus of MRSPs increases sharply in response to the external stimuli of increasing angular frequency automatically and can be enhanced by external magnetic field. Besides, temperature plays a key role in shear stiffening and magnetorheological effect of MRSPs. Furthermore, considering the obstruction to the particle chains formation induced by Silly Putty matrix, a nonperforative particle aggregated chains model is proposed. The model curve is in consistency with experimental data, which means it can describe magnetoinduced behavior of MRSPs well.

Transition from stress-driven to thermally activated stress relaxation in metallic glasses

Abstract: The short-range ordered but long-range disordered structure of metallic glasses yields strong structural and dynamic heterogeneities. Stress relaxation is a technique to trace the evolution of stress in response to a fixed strain, which reflects the dynamic features phenomenologically described by the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) equation. The KWW equation describes a broad distribution of relaxation times with a small number of empirical parameters, but it does not arise from a particular physically motivated mechanistic picture. Here we report an anomalous two-stage stress relaxation behavior in a Cu46Zr46Al8 metallic glass over a wide temperature range and generalize the findings in other compositions. Thermodynamic analysis identifies two categories of processes: a fast stress-driven event with large activation volume and a slow thermally activated event with small activation volume, which synthetically dominates the stress relaxation dynamics. Discrete analyses rationalize the transition mechanism induced by stress and explain the anomalous variation of the KWW characteristic time with temperature. Atomistic simulations reveal that the stress-driven event involves virtually instantaneous short-range atomic rearrangement, while the thermally activated event is the percolation of the fast event accommodated by the long-range atomic diffusion. The insights may clarify the underlying physical mechanisms behind the phenomenological description and shed light on correlating the hierarchical dynamics and structural heterogeneity of amorphous solids.

The effect of stress, temperature and loading direction on the creep behaviour of Ni-base single crystal superalloy miniature tensile specimens

Abstract: In the present work, we use a miniature test procedure to investigate the tensile creep behaviour of the single crystal superalloy ERBO1. We test precisely oriented [0 0 1], [1 1 0] and [1 1 1] creep specimens and determine the stress and the temperature dependence of characteristic creep rates in limited stress and temperature regimes, where the stress and temperature dependence of characteristic creep rates can be well described by power law and Arrhenius type of relations, with stress exponents n and apparent activation energies Qapp. n-values increase with stress and decrease with temperature. Qapp-values, on the other hand, increase with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing stress. Creep curve shapes gradually evolve from the high temperature low stress to the low temperature high stress (LTHS) regime. This implies that there is a gradual change in elementary deformation and softening mechanisms, which is qualitatively confirmed using transmission electron microscopy. While at high tem...

Nanoindentation Creep Behavior of an Al0.3CoCrFeNi High-Entropy Alloy

Abstract: Nanoindentation creep behavior was studied on a coarse-grained Al0.3CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy with a single face-centered cubic structure. The effects of the indentation size and loading rate on creep behavior were investigated. The experimental results show that the hardness, creep depth, creep strain rate, and stress exponent are all dependent on the holding load and loading rate. The creep behavior shows a remarkable indentation size effect at different maximum indentation loads. The dominant creep mechanism is dislocation creep at high indentation loads and self-diffusion at low indentation loads. An obvious loading rate sensitivity of creep behavior is found under different loading rates for the alloy. A high loading rate can lead to a high strain gradient, and numerous dislocations emerge and entangle together. Then during the holding time, a large creep deformation characteristic with a high stress exponent will happen.

Power-law creep and residual stresses in a carbopol microgel

Abstract: We report on the interplay between creep and residual stresses in a carbopol microgel. When a constant shear stress $\sigma$ is applied below the yield stress $\sigma_\text{y}$, the strain is shown to increase as a power law of time, $\gamma(t)=\gamma_0 + (t/\tau)^\alpha$, with an exponent $\alpha=0.39\pm 0.04$ that is strongly reminiscent of Andrade creep in hard solids. For applied shear stresses lower than some typical value $\sigma_\text{c}\simeq 0.2 \sigma_\text{y}$, the microgel experiences a more complex, anomalous creep behaviour, characterized by an initial decrease of the strain, that we attribute to the existence of residual stresses of the order of $\sigma_\text{c}$ that persist after a rest time under a zero shear rate following preshear. The influence of gel concentration on creep and residual stresses are investigated as well as possible aging effects. We discuss our results in light of previous works on colloidal glasses and other soft glassy systems.

Viscoplastic Deformation of the Bakken and Adjacent Formations and Its Relation to Hydraulic Fracture Growth

Abstract: We report laboratory studies of the time-dependent deformation of core samples from four different formations in the Williston Basin—the Lodgepole Formation, the Middle and Lower Bakken Formations, and Three Forks Formation. The laboratory tests reveal varying amounts of viscoplastic deformation in response to applied differential stress. The time-dependent deformation is generally greater in rocks with higher clay and organic content and can be described by a power-law function. Because the magnitude of the creep strain is linearly proportional to the applied differential stress, we can utilize viscoelastic theory and geophysical logs to estimate the degree to which tectonic stress is affected by viscoplastic stress relaxation. We suggest that viscoplastic stress relaxation results in the Upper and Lower Bakken Formations acting as frac barriers during hydraulic fracture stimulation in the Middle Bakken, but the Lodgepole and the Three Forks Formations are not frac barriers.