research

Application Deadline: 12 Noon PST 28 November 2012



The W. M. Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) at the California Institute
of Technology announces an opportunity for highly qualified individuals to
apply for postdoctoral fellowships to conduct research in space science and
engineering. The primary purpose of KISS is to develop breakthrough planetary,
Earth, and astrophysics space mission concepts and technology by bringing
together a broad spectrum of scientists and engineers for sustained scientific

Recently, a comprehensive review paper on fracture toughness testing and ASTM standardization was published by Dr. Zhu and Prof. Joyce in the journal of Engineering Fracture Mechanics:

XK Zhu and JA Joyce, "Review of fracture toughness (G, K, J, CTOD, CTOA) testing and standardization," Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 85, 2012: 1-46.

Welcome your comments and suggestions.

Hello everyone,

One of the papers from the 'past' (but still quite actual...I think) and maybe of some interest to various communities. 

Abstract:

A system in which one adherend had two types of surface treatment was tested using a wedge test.

Simple polishing and polishing with subsequent sandblasting were the

treatments used, with a distinct straight line, perpendicular to the sample edges,

separating the two. Despite the clear-cut difference in surface treatment, smooth

Nanoscale fracture of graphene under coupled in-plane opening and shear
mechanical loading is investigated by extensive molecular dynamics
simulations. Under opening-dominant loading, zigzag edge cracks grow
self-similarly. Otherwise, complex stresses concentrated around
crack-tip can manipulate the direction of crack initiation changing by
30° (or multiples of 30°). Toughness determined by obtained critical
stress intensity factors 2.63–3.38 nN Å^−3/2
demonstrates that graphene is intrinsically brittle opposite to its
exceptional high strength at room temperature. Torn zigzag edges are
more energetically and kinetically favorable. Cracking of graphene has

The dielectric constant is an essential electrical parameter to the
achievable voltage-induced deformation of the dielectric
elastomer. This paper primarily focuses on the temperature
dependence of the dielectric constant (within the range of 173 K
to 373 K) for the most widely used acrylic dielectric
elastomer (VHB 4910). First the dielectric constant was investigated
experimentally with the broadband dielectric spectrometer
(BDS). Results showed that the dielectric constant first increased
with temperature up to a peak value and then dropped to a
relative small value. Then by analyzing the fitted curves, the Cole–Cole
dispersion equation was found better to characterize the
rising process before the peak values than the Debye dispersion