A Generalized Electrowetting Equation: Its Derivation and Consequences

The thermodynamics of electrowetting is treated. A general equation of electrowetting is derived from the first principles. It is demonstrated that the well-known Lippmann Equation describes a particular case of electrowetting when the radial derivative of the capacitance of the double layer is constant. The apparent contact angle of electrowetting depends on the gradient of capacity of a double layer in the vicinity of the triple line. The role of the area adjacent to the triple line in constituting the equilibrium apparent contact angle of electrowetting is emphasized.Comment: 11 pages, 3 Figure

Localization in Coupled Finite Vibro-Impact Chains: Discrete Breathers and Multibreathers

We examine the dynamics of strongly localized periodic solutions (discrete breathers) in two-dimensional array of coupled finite one-dimensional chains of oscillators. Localization patterns with both single and multiple localization sites (multibreathers) are considered. The model is scalar, i.e. each particle can move only parallel to the axis of the chain it belongs to. The model involves symmetric parabolic on-site potential with rigid constraints (the displacement domain of each particle is finite) and a linear nearest-neighbor coupling in the chain, and also between the neighbors in adjacent chains. When the particle approaches the constraint, it undergoes an elastic Newtonian impact. The rigid impact constraints are the only source of nonlinearity in the system. The model allows easy computation of highly accurate approximate solutions for the breathers and multibreathers with an arbitrary set of localization sites in conservative setting. The vibro-impact nonlinearity permits explicit derivation of a monodromy matrix for the breather and multi-breather solutions. Consequently, the stability of the derived breather and multibreather solutions can be studied in the framework of simple methods of linear algebra, without additional approximations. It is shown that due to the coupling of the chains, the breather solutions can undergo the symmetry breaking.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Discrete Breathers and Multi-Breathers in Finite Vibro-Impact Chain

We explore dynamics of discrete breathers and multi-breathers in finite one-dimensional chain. The model involves parabolic on-site potential with rigid constraints and linear nearest-neighbor coupling. The rigid non-ideal impact constraints are the only source of nonlinearity and damping in the model. The model allows derivation of exact analytic solutions for the breathers and multi-breathers with arbitrary set of localization sites, both in conservative and forced-damped settings. We choose periodic boundary conditions; exact solutions for other types of the boundary conditions are also possible. Local character of the nonlinearity allows explicit derivation of a monodromy matrix for the breather solutions. Consequently, a stability of the derived breather and multi-breather solutions can be efficiently studied in the framework of simple methods of linear algebra, and with rather moderate computational efforts. We demonstrate that finitness of the chain fragment and proximity of the localization sites strongly effect existence and stability patterns of these localized solutions

Mechanical control of heat conductivity in microscopic models of dielectrics

We discuss a possibility to control a heat conductivity in simple one-dimensional models of dielectrics by means of external mechanical loads. To illustrate such possibilities we consider first a well-studied chain with degenerate double-well potential of the interparticle interaction. Contrary to previous studies, we consider varying length of the chain with fixed number of particles. Number of possible energetically degenerate ground states strongly depends on the overall length of the chain, or, in other terms, on average length of the link between neighboring particles. These degenerate states correspond to mechanical equilibrium, therefore one can say that the transition between them mimics to some extent a process of plastic deformation. We demonstrate that such modification of the chain length can lead to quite profound (almost five-fold) reduction of the heat conduction coefficient. Even more profound effect is revealed for a model with single-well non-convex potential. It is demonstrated that in certain range of constant external forcing this model becomes "effectively"\ double-well, and has a multitude of possible states of equilibrium for the same value of the external load. Thus, the heat conduction coefficient can be reduced by two orders of magnitude. We suggest a mechanical model of a chain with periodic double-well potential, which allows control over the heat conduction. The models considered may be useful for description of heat transport in biological macromolecules and for control of the heat transport in microsystems.Comment: 10 pages, 16 figure

Determining the Inter-Particle Force-Laws in Amorphous Solids from a Visual Image

We consider the problem of how to determine the force laws in an amorphous system of interacting particles. Given the positions of the centers of mass of the constituent particles we propose a new algorithm to determine the inter-particle force-laws. Having $n$ different types of constituents we determine the coefficients in the Laurent polynomials for the $n(n+1)/2$ possibly different force-laws. A visual providing the particle positions in addition to a measurement of the pressure is all that is required. The algorithm proposed includes a part that can correct for experimental errors in the positions of the particles. Such a correction of unavoidable measurement errors is expected to benefit many experiments in the field.Comment: Very slight changes from original version. Mostly visual improvement and clarification

Heat conduction in diatomic chains with correlated disorder

The paper considers heat transport in diatomic one-dimensional lattices, containing equal amounts of particles with different masses. Ordering of the particles in the chain is governed by single correlation parameter -- the probability for two neighboring particles to have the same mass. As this parameter grows from zero to unity, the structure of the chain varies from regular staggering chain to completely random configuration, and then -- to very long clusters of particles with equal masses. Therefore, this correlation parameter allows a control of typical cluster size in the chain. In order to explore different regimes of the heat transport, two interatomic potentials are considered. The first one is an infinite potential wall, corresponding to instantaneous elastic collisions between the neighboring particles. In homogeneous chains such interaction leads to an anomalous heat transport. The other one is classical Lennard-Jones interatomic potential, which leads to a normal heat transport. The simulations demonstrate that the correlated disorder of the particle arrangement does not change the convergence properties of the heat conduction coefficient, but essentially modifies its value. For the collision potential, one observes essential growth of the coefficient for fixed chain length as the limit of large homogeneous clusters is approached. The thermal transport in these models remains superdiffusive. In the Lennard-Jones chain the effect of correlation appears to be not monotonous in the limit of low temperatures. This behavior stems from the competition between formation of long clusters mentioned above, and Anderson localization close to the staggering ordered state.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Atomistic theory of the shear band direction in amorphous solids

One of the major theoretical riddles in shear banding instabilities is the angle that the shear band chooses spontaneously with respect to the principal stress axis. Here we employ our recent atomistic theory to compute analytically the angle in terms of the characteristics of the Eshelby inclusion that models faithfully the eigenfunction of the Hessian matrix that goes soft at the plastic instability. We show that loading protocols that do not conserve volume result in shear bands at angles different from 45$^o$ to the strain axis; only when the external strains preserve volume like in pure shear, the shear bands align precisely at 45$^o$ to the strain axis. We compute an analytic formula for the angle of the shear band in terms of the characteristics of the loading protocol; quantitative agreement with computer simulations is demonstrated.Comment: 4 page

On the Effect of Micro-alloying on the Mechanical Properties of Metallic Glasses

"Micro-alloying", referring to the addition of small concentration of a foreign metal to a given metallic glass, was used extensively in recent years to attempt to improve the mechanical properties of the latter. The results are haphazard and nonsystematic. In this paper we provide a microscopic theory of the effect of micro-alloying, exposing the delicate consequences of this procedure and the large parameter space which needs to be controlled. In particular we consider two very similar models which exhibit opposite trends for the change of the shear modulus, and explain the origins of the difference as displayed in the different microscopic structure and properties

Escape of a forced-damped particle from weakly nonlinear truncated potential well

Escape from a potential well is an extreme example of transient behavior. We consider the escape of the harmonically forced particle under viscous damping from the benchmark truncated weakly nonlinear potential well. Main attention is paid to most interesting case of primary 1:1 resonance. The treatment is based on multiple-scales analysis and exploration of the slow-flow dynamics. Contrary to Hamiltonian case described in earlier works, in the case with damping the slow-flow equations are not integrable. However, if the damping is small enough, it is possible to analyze the perturbed slow-flow equations. The effect of the damping on the escape threshold is evaluated in the explicit analytic form. Somewhat unexpectedly, the escape mechanisms in terms of the slow flow are substantially different for the linear and weakly nonlinear cases

Internal resonances and dynamic responses in equivalent mechanical model of partially liquid-filled vessel

The paper treats oscillations of a liquid in partially filled vessel under horizontal harmonic ground excitation. Such excitation may lead to hydraulic impacts. The liquid sloshing mass is modeled by equivalent pendulum, which can impact the vessel walls. We use parameters of the equivalent pendulum for well-explored case of cylindrical vessels. The hydraulic impacts are modeled by high-power potential function. Conditions for internal resonances are presented. A non-resonant behavior and dynamic response related to 3:1 internal resonance are explored. When the excitation amplitude exceeds a critical value, the system exhibits multiple steady state solutions. Quasi-periodic solutions appear in relatively narrow range of parameters. Numerical continuation links between resonant regimes found asymptotically for small excitation amplitude, and high-amplitude responses with intensive impacts.Comment: 40 pages, 17 figure