Static Stress-Deformation Characteristics of Sand

A soil test box, capable of applying any combination of principal stresses to a cubical soil sample, was developed for the experimental investigation of the behavior of granular soils under static loading. A stress control device was also developed, enabling a continuous and proportionate change to be made in the stresses along a stress path and considerably simplifying the calculation of the stress state in the sample. The apparatus was used to investigate (a) the hydrostatic compression of an Ottawa sand, and (b) the behavior of the same soil under various deviatoric stress paths in both loading and unloading conditions. A theoretical "holey" model was postulated for sand under hydrostatic stress and the results of the analysis of this model were found to correlate closely with the experimental data. The qualitative behavior of sand under shear stresses was examined from a particulate point of view. Specially designed tests were performed on the Ottawa sand with loading and unloading along stress paths which involved different combinations of hydrostatic and deviatoric stresses, with the purpose of examining the proportions of recoverable and irrecoverable deformations. A failure envelope was obtained for a medium dense and a medium loose sand by monotonically increasing τ_(OCT) while keeping σ_(OCT) constant under various conditions of stress distribution, and it was found that the value of equivalent Coulomb φ increased from 42° in triaxial compression to 48° in triaxial extension for the medium dense sand and from 36° in triaxial compression to 44° in triaxial extension for the medium loose sand

Light in correlated disordered media

The optics of correlated disordered media is a fascinating research topic emerging at the interface between the physics of waves in complex media and nanophotonics. Inspired by photonic structures in nature and enabled by advances in nanofabrication processes, recent investigations have unveiled how the design of structural correlations down to the subwavelength scale could be exploited to control the scattering, transport and localization of light in matter. From optical transparency to superdiffusive light transport to photonic gaps, the optics of correlated disordered media challenges our physical intuition and offers new perspectives for applications. This article reviews the theoretical foundations, state-of-the-art experimental techniques and major achievements in the study of light interaction with correlated disorder, covering a wide range of systems -- from short-range correlated photonic liquids, to L\'evy glasses containing fractal heterogeneities, to hyperuniform disordered photonic materials. The mechanisms underlying light scattering and transport phenomena are elucidated on the basis of rigorous theoretical arguments. We overview the exciting ongoing research on mesoscopic phenomena, such as transport phase transitions and speckle statistics, and the current development of disorder engineering for applications such as light-energy management and visual appearance design. Special efforts are finally made to identify the main theoretical and experimental challenges to address in the near future.Comment: Submitted to Reviews of Modern Physics. Feedbacks are welcom

Electron Microscopy Characterization of Pentacene and Perfluoropentacene Grown on Different Substrates

This thesis deals with the study of the morphology, arrangement and orientation of organic semiconductor films by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) techniques. The organic semiconductor perfluoropentacene (PFP) as well as the organic heterostructures of pentacene (PEN) and PFP have been investigated. PFP has been grown on graphene substrate, while the organic mixtures formed by PEN and PFP have been deposited with different mixing ratios on two different substrates, i.e. SiO2 and KCl. PFP deposited on graphene exhibits an epitaxial growth in island shapes where the molecules lie flat and parallel to the substrate adopting the so called ‘π-stacked polymorph’. Within this work, the lateral alignment of the PFP molecules with respect to the graphene substrate has been determined. It was found that the long molecular axis of PFP is aligned along the zig-zag direction of the graphene. However, this alignment is not exactly parallel, but exhibits a small offset. Furthermore, the morphology of the PFP islands has been investigated. A characteristic angle around 68° was found between confining edges of PFP islands. The combination of TEM micrographs and electron diffraction patterns has enabled the determination of the planes that run parallel to the confining edges of the islands ‘as seen’ by the electron beam in the two-dimensional projection. From that the possible side facets associated with each confining edge have been suggested. Finally, electron tomography experiments were used to gain insight into the shape of the PFP islands, allowing the 3D reconstruction of them. PEN:PFP blends have been prepared with mixing ratios of [2:1], [1:1] and [1:2] on an inert substrate such as SiO2. Although different phases and morphologies have been observed for each mixture, a mixed phase made out of PEN and PFP which exhibits similar lattice parameters in all cases has been found independently of the mixing ratio. The monocrystalline SAED pattern of the mixed phase has been shown for the first time on this substrate. The diffraction pattern is rather similar to the one of the pure PEN in �0 0 1� direction, suggesting that the crystal structure of the mixed phase is similar to the one of pure PEN. For non-equimolecular blends, the respective pure phase in excess is present apart from the mixed phase. A different morphology was observed for the different PEN:PFP mixing ratios. The equimolecular mixture of PEN and PFP exhibits fiber-like structures consisting of the mixed phase. For the mixture with PFP in excess, some fibers are formed on a background layer. The PFP is contained in the fibers, while the background layer is made out of the mixed phase. For the mixture with PEN in excess, a grainy structure (grain size of 10 nm-60 nm) with contributions of pure PEN and of the mixed phase is detected. PEN:PFP blends with mixing ratios of [2:1] and [1:2] grown on KCl substrates have been investigated too. The mixed phase formed by PEN and PFP is also present and both blends reveal a quite different morphology. The composition, orientation and crystalline details of each phase have been inspected. In the blend with PEN in excess, the mixed phase together with the pure PEN phase are found in a uniform layer formed with domains that are rotated in-plane by 90° towards each other. In contrast, the blend with excess of PFP presents two different arrangements. The majority of the sample exhibits some spicular fibers made out of PFP on a background layer composed by the mixed phase. The other arrangement present to a lesser extent consists of a film of pure PFP lying in direct contact with the KCl substrate. The importance of PFP grown on graphene lies in the relevance of the graphene substrate together with the π-stacked arrangement exhibited by PFP on this substrate. This motif enhances charge carrier mobility along the stacking direction. The knowledge of the relative alignment as well as the faceting are a key information since the physical properties depend on these parameters. Furthermore, considering the role of the organic heterostructures in the development of organic electronic devices, a detailed understanding of the basic arrangement of the organic molecules in the organic blend is a requirement for the development of new organic devices

Carbon-Based Materials

New carbon materials with improved mechanical, electrical, chemical, and optical properties are predicted and considered to be very promising for practical application. Carbon-based materials in the form of films, fabrics, aerogels, or microstructural materials are known for their large surface areas and pore volumes, light weight, and a great variety of structural morphology. Such unique structures can then be employed for a variety of purposes, for example, the production of new electronic devices, energy storage, and the fabrication of new materials. Nowadays, clear understanding of carbon materials via several examples of synthesis/processing methodologies and properties characterization is required. This Special Issue, “Carbon-Based Materials”, addresses the current state regarding the production and investigation of carbon-based materials. It consists of 13 peer-reviewed papers that cover both theoretical and experimental works in a wide a range of subjects on carbon structures

Carbones mésoporeux fonctionnalisés pour l'extraction sélective des terres rares

Les allotropes de carbone sont des matériaux très polyvalents qui sont étudiés par la communauté scientifique depuis plusieurs décennies. Depuis la découverte des fullerènes, des nanotubes et du graphène, une grande part de la recherche scientifique s’est concentrée sur ces matériaux à cause de leurs caractéristiques uniques. En effet, le carbone a le potentiel d’être utilisé dans une foule d’applications. Sa stabilité chimique et sa conductivité thermique, de même que sa conductivité électrique, expliquent le grand intérêt de la communauté scientifique pour ce type de matériaux. La silice structurée est intéressante pour l’adsorption de divers produits puisqu’il est possible d’en modifier simplement la surface avec des ligands adaptés pour l’application voulue. Au cours des dernières années, des recherches ont été réalisées pour la séparation et l’extraction des terres rares (TRs). En effet, il a été démontré que l’utilisation de silice modifiée avec un ligand de type amide diglycolic mène à de meilleurs résultats qu’une résine commerciale pour la séparation des terres rares. En revanche, la silice ne possède pas la stabilité chimique à des pH acide (<4) nécessaire pour les applications industrielles. Le carbone mésoporeux est une bonne alternative pour obtenir un adsorbant solide pour l’extraction des TRs. Cette forme de carbone nanostructurée est un matériau intéressant pour l’adsorption de composé puisqu’elle possède à la fois une grande surface spécifique et une excellente stabilité chimique. Ces caractéristiques en font un matériau qui pourrait être bien adapté pour les extractions au niveau industriel. Ce mémoire porte sur la modification de surface de carbone mésoporeux pour l’extraction sélective des TRs et leur application à des pH acides. Les différentes structures de carbone poreux (CMK-3, CMK-5, CMK-8, etc…) ont été synthétisées, modifiées par des ligands sélectifs pour les TRs et leurs comportements pour la sélectivité et l’extraction des TRs. Le développement de ces supports est intéressant dans la perspective du développement durable et des technologies vertes en milieu industriel. En effet, ce type de matériaux très stables offre un grand potentiel industriel. En effet, il serait théoriquement possible de les réutiliser de nombreuses fois, ce qui entrainerait une diminution des quantités de matières premières et de déchets associés requises pour leurs synthèses.Carbons allotropes have been under constant study for more than two decades. Ever since the discovery of fullerene, nanotube and graphene, the number of papers showing different synthesis route for their surface modification has been steadily increasing. Indeed, carbon has the potential to be a great support for a lot of applications. Carbon’s unique attributes for chemical resistance, thermal stability, thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity explain the high interest of the scientific community for this material. Structured silica is useful for adsorption of various products since it is possible to simply modify its surface with ligands suitable for the desired application. Over the last few years, research has been conducted for the separation and extraction of rare earth elements (REEs). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that the modified silica with a diglycolic amide-type ligand obtained better results than the current commercial resin for the separation of rare earth elements. However, silica lack of chemical resistance to acidic pH (˂4) required for industrial applications is a major drawback for this material. The mesoporous carbon is a good alternative to be used as a solid adsorbent for extraction of REEs. This allotrope of carbon presents a large surface area as well as a greater chemical resistance which makes it better suited for industrial extractions. This research therefore focuses on the surface modification of mesoporous carbon for the selective extraction of REEs and their application to acidic pH. Different porous carbon structures (CMK-3, 5-CMK, CMK-8, etc.) were synthesized, modified by selective ligands for the REEs and behaviours for selectivity and extraction of REEs. The development of these materials is interesting in the context of sustainable development and green technologies in an industrial environmen