Ref HAL: hal-02634755_v1
Ref Arxiv: 1909.11961
DOI: 10.1039/C9SM01730E
WoS: 000503491000005
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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Résumé:

The mechanical properties of soft matter are of great importance in countless applications, in addition of being an active field of academic research. Given the relative ease with which soft materials can be deformed, their non-linear behavior is of particular relevance. Large loads eventually result in material failure. In this Perspective article, we discuss recent work aiming at detecting precursors of failure by scrutinizing the microscopic structure and dynamics of soft systems under various conditions of loading. In particular, we show that the microscopic dynamics is a powerful indicator of the ultimate fate of soft materials, capable of unveiling precursors of failure up to thousands of seconds before any macroscopic sign of weakening.

Ref HAL: hal-02460100_v1
DOI: 10.1039/C9SM01472A
WoS: 000510894800008
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Résumé:

We report the measurement of the interaction energy between a charged Brownian polystyrene particle and an air–water interface. The interaction potential is obtained from the Boltzmann equation by tracking particle interface distance with a specifically designed Dual-Wave Reflection Interference Microscopy (DW-RIM) setup. The particle has two equilibrium positions located at few hundreds of nanometers from the interface. The farthest position is well accounted by a DLVO model complemented by gravity. The closest one, not predicted by current models, more frequently appears in water solutions at relatively high ions concentrations, when electrostatic interaction is screened out. It is accompanied by a frozen rotational diffusion dynamics that suggests an interacting potential dependent on particle orientation and stresses the decisive role played by particle surface heterogeneities. Building up on both such experimental results, the important role of air nanobubbles pinned on the particle interface is discussed.

Ref HAL: hal-02428699_v1
DOI: 10.1002/aocs.12289
WoS: 000495881800001
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Résumé:

Lipidic polyols based on α‐hydroxyketone reactive groups were investigated for polyurethane thermosets. The reactivity of this peculiar secondary alcohol group in triacylglycerol structure was compared, without use of catalyst, to that of poly(1,2‐diol) triacylglycerol and castor oil to demonstrate the influence of ketone in the α position of the alcohol group in the presence of HDI for the urethanization rate. The kinetic effect of the ketone group was also studied on various lipidic architectures: mono(α‐hydroxyketone) ester, di(α‐hydroxyketone) diester and tri(α‐hydroxyketone) triacylglycerol. The presence of hydrogen bonds in the network coming from urethane, residual alcohol, and ketone in hard segments of PU was discussed and correlated with the thermal stability and the soft mechanical properties of the resulting polyurethane thermosets.

Ref HAL: hal-02423733_v1
Ref Arxiv: 1912.06958
Ref INSPIRE: 1770954
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.101.103501
WoS: 000529824500006
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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Résumé:

We analyze the global behavior of the growth index of cosmic inhomogeneities in an isotropic homogeneous universe filled by cold nonrelativistic matter and dark energy (DE) with an arbitrary equation of state. Using a dynamical system approach, we find the critical points of the system. That unique trajectory for which the growth index γ is finite from the asymptotic past to the asymptotic future is identified as the so-called heteroclinic orbit connecting the critical points (Ωm=0,γ∞) in the future and (Ωm=1,γ-∞) in the past. The first is an attractor while the second is a saddle point, confirming our earlier results. Further, in the case when a fraction of matter (or DE tracking matter) ϵΩmtot remains unclustered, we find that the limit of the growth index in the past γ-∞ϵ does not depend on the equation of state of DE, in sharp contrast with the case ϵ=0 (for which γ-∞ is obtained). We show indeed that there is a mathematical discontinuity: one cannot obtain γ-∞ by taking limϵ→0γ-∞ϵ (i.e., the limits ϵ→0 and Ωmtot→1 do not commute). We recover in our analysis that the value γ-∞ϵ corresponds to tracking DE in the asymptotic past with constant γ=γ-∞ϵ found earlier.

Ref HAL: hal-02405117_v1
DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201900953
WoS: 000507998800003
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We demonstrate that weak CH⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds (HBs) are important host−guest interactions in zeolite assemblies involving structure directing organocations. This type of HB is identified between alkyl groups of the organic structure directing agent (OSDA) and the silica framework in as‐synthesized silicalite‐1 of complex topology (MFI) using a combination of experimental and theoretical data obtained at low and room temperatures. The 28 weak CH⋅⋅⋅O HBs, evidenced along dynamics simulation at room temperature, represent 30 % of the energy of the Coulomb electrostatic interaction between OSDA and the zeolite framework. The strongest and most stable HB found here connects the OSDA to the [415262] cage containing F atoms and should contribute to preserve zeolite topology during crystal growth. An inspection of other as‐synthesized zeolites of very different framework topology indicates that the directional CH⋅⋅⋅O HBs have to be considered when discussing zeolite structure directing phenomena.

Ref HAL: hal-02391672_v1
Ref Arxiv: 2010.00214
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.06.034
WoS: 000575919900012
Ref. & Cit.: NASA ADS
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Résumé:

Liquid-liquid phase-separated (LLPS) states are key to compartmentalizing components in the absence of membranes; however, it is unclear whether LLPS condensates are actively and specifically organized in the subcellular space and by which mechanisms. Here, we address this question by focusing on the ParABS DNA segregation system, composed of a centromeric-like sequence (parS), a DNA-binding protein (ParB), and a motor (ParA). We show that parS and ParB associate to form nanometer-sized, round condensates. ParB molecules diffuse rapidly within the nucleoid volume but display confined motions when trapped inside ParB condensates. Single ParB molecules are able to rapidly diffuse between different condensates, and nucleation is strongly favored by parS. Notably, the ParA motor is required to prevent the fusion of ParB condensates. These results describe a novel active mechanism that splits, segregates, and localizes non-canonical LLPS condensates in the subcellular space.

Ref HAL: hal-02278867_v2
DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/ab7b29
WoS: 000521374800001
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We modelled deep indentation in brittle materials via a tensorial approach in three dimensions. Experimentally, we performed deep indentation in base catalyzed aerogels. When deep indentation is performed in these materials, it appears a Hertzian cone crack for both experimental and numerical results. The cone angle (angle between the surface and the boundaries of the Hertzian cone) depends on the material in which indentation is performed. The Young moduli of the materials has no effect on these angles. The tendency is that materials with increasing Poisson ratios have a decreasing value of the Hertzian cone angle.