Generative AI for discovering porous oxide materials for next-generation energy storage
J. Datta et al., Generative AI for Discovering Porous Oxide Materials for Next-Generation Energy Storage, Cell Reports Physical Science, 2025 [PDF]
Blog posts
Variational principle for a damped, quadratically interacting particle chain with nonconservative forcing
Amit Acharya Ambar N. Sengupta
A method for designing variational principles for the dynamics of a possibly dissipative and non-conservatively forced chain of particles is demonstrated. Some qualitative features of the formulation are discussed.
In: Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics, Proceedings of the Conference on Continuum Mechanics and Discrete Systems 14 (CMDS-14), ed. F. Willot, J. Dirrenberger, S. Forest, D. Jeulin, A. Cherkaev, v. 457, 195-200, 2024 (published online, 2023).
Programmable inverse design framework for morphing hard-magnetic soft materials
As a type of shape-programmable soft materials, hard-magnetic soft materials (HMSMs) exhibit rapid and reversible deformations under applied magnetic fields, showing promise for soft robotics, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices. The realization of various controllable shape transformations is crucial to the rational design of relevant applications.
4 PhD and postdoc positions in composites @Ghent University, Belgium, Europe
The research group Mechanics of Materials and Structures at Ghent University (UGent-MMS) has 4 vacancies for PhD and postdoc research in the field of fibre-reinforced composites. The vacancies are linked to research on composite hydrogen tanks, composite propellers for drones and finite element modelling of textile manufacturing. All research will be conducted with leading companies in the field.
More information can be found on
Postdoctoral Research Associate -- Modeling of Electronic and Quantum Materials
Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in the research group of Professor Harley Johnson, working within the NSF-funded Illinois Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (I-MRSEC) and in collaboration with the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). The position is expected to begin September 1, 2025, and will be based in Urbana, IL, with occasional work in Chicago.
The Darboux Classification of Curl Forces
We study particle dynamics under curl forces. These forces are a class of non-conservative, non-dissipative, position-dependent forces that cannot be expressed as the gradient of a potential function. We show that the fundamental quantity of particle dynamics under curl forces is a work 1-form. By using the Darboux classification of differential 1-forms on R2 and R3, we establish that any curl force in two dimensions has at most two generalized potentials, while in three dimensions, it has at most three.
Can we really predict rubber friction? I suppose not yet!
"Prediction" of friction is an old dream. Even in the field of rubber friction, where we think we understand the various mechanisms of hysteresis and adhesion, we are very far from this achievement.
Traveling wave profiles for a semi-discrete Burgers equation
Uditnarayan Kouskiya Robert L. Pego Amit Acharya
We look for traveling waves of the semi-discrete conservation law $4 \dot{u}_j + u_{j+1}^2 - u_{j-1}^2 = 0$, using variational principles related to concepts of ``hidden convexity'' appearing in recent studies of various PDE (partial differential equations). We analyze and numerically compute with two variational formulations related to dual convex optimization problems constrained by either the differential-difference equation (DDE) or nonlinear integral equation (NIE) that wave profiles should satisfy. We prove existence theorems conditional on the existence of extrema that satisfy a strict convexity criterion, and numerically exhibit a variety of localized, periodic and non-periodic wave phenomena.
Nanomaterials 2025 Workshop – Sept 15–17 in Champaign, IL | Poster Submissions Now Open
Dear Colleagues,
We are excited to announce the Workshop 'Emerging Trends in Nanomechanics: Experimental, Computational and Machine Learning Approaches' (Nanomaterials2025), taking place September 15–17, 2025, in Champaign, Illinois.
Energy-based versus stress-based material failure criteria: The experimental assessment
Previous studies have reported fracture localization within the inclusions of 3D-printed staggered composites, despite their significantly higher strength compared to the matrix – a seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon. In this letter, we investigate whether material failure is governed by the volumetric energy of fracture rather than the maximum stress criterion. We perform experiments on the constituent phases of 3D-printed staggered composites to evaluate the validity of energy-based failure criteria.