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Networks and Hierarchies: How Amorphous Materials Learn to Remember
Muhittin Mungan1, Srikanth Sastry2, Karin Dahmen3
1Institut für angewandte Mathematik, Universität Bonn, Endenicher Allee 60, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|November 9, 2019
Summary
We mapped plastic rearrangements in amorphous solids to a directed network, revealing hierarchical structures that explain their return point memory. This network links particle rearrangements to reversible and irreversible deformation behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid Mechanics
Background:
- Amorphous solids exhibit complex deformation behaviors.
- Understanding plastic rearrangements is crucial for predicting material failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the discrete plastic rearrangements in amorphous solids.
- To reveal the network topology underlying deformation.
- To connect network organization to material memory and behavior.
Main Methods:
- Mapping particle rearrangements to a directed network.
- Analyzing network topology and its relation to deformation.
- Investigating localized particle rearrangements ('soft spots') and their interactions.
Main Results:
- The network exhibits highly connected regions and one-way transitions.
- Hierarchical organization of hysteresis cycles and subcycles was identified.
- Near-perfect return point memory was observed at small to moderate strains.
Conclusions:
- Network topology provides insight into reversible and irreversible behaviors.
- Localized rearrangements and their interactions drive deformation mechanisms.
- The network representation offers a new framework for studying amorphous solids.
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