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Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids

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Published on: August 23, 2012

Surface energy of strained amorphous solids.

Rafael D Schulman¹, Miguel Trejo², Thomas Salez^3,4

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1, Canada.

Nature Communications

|March 9, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Surface energy changes with strain in solids, a phenomenon debated in amorphous materials. This study shows strain-dependent surface energies in polymeric glasses but not in elastomers, advancing amorphous solid interface understanding.

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Science
Polymer Science

Background:

Surface stress and surface energy are key interface properties.
The Shuttleworth effect highlights strain-dependent surface energy in solids, unlike fluids.
Strain dependence of surface energy in amorphous materials is poorly understood due to limited measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the strain dependence of surface energy in amorphous solids.
To differentiate the behavior of polymeric glasses and elastomers regarding surface energy and strain.
To provide fundamental insights into amorphous solid interfaces and liquid interactions.

Main Methods:

Utilized contact angle measurements.
Applied mechanical strain to glassy and elastomeric solid surfaces.
Analyzed changes in surface energy as a function of applied strain.

Main Results:

Conclusively demonstrated strain-dependent surface energies for interfaces involving polymeric glasses.
Provided strong evidence for the absence of strain dependence in surface energies of incompressible elastomers.
Quantified the impact of strain on the surface energy of amorphous materials.

Conclusions:

Polymeric glasses exhibit strain-dependent surface energies, confirming theoretical predictions.
Incompressible elastomers show no significant strain dependence of surface energy.
This research clarifies the interfacial behavior of amorphous solids, impacting materials design and applications.