Mechanomaterials and Nanomechanics: Toward Proactive Design of Material Properties and Functionalities

While conventional mechanics of materials offers a passive understanding of the mechanical properties of materials in existing forms, a paradigm shift, referred to as mechanomaterials, is emerging to enable the proactive programming of materials' properties and functionalities by leveraging force-geometry-property relationships. One of the foundations of this new paradigm is nanomechanics, which permits functional and structural materials to be designed based on principles from the nanoscale and beyond. Although the field of mechanomaterials is still in its infancy at the present time, we discuss the current progress in three specific directions closely linked to nanomechanics and provide perspectives on these research foci by considering the potential research directions, chances for success, and existing research capabilities. We believe this new research paradigm will provide future materials solutions for infrastructure, healthcare, energy, and environment.

Microparticle Impact Testing at High Precision, Higher Temperatures, and with Lithographically Patterned Projectiles

In the first decade of high-velocity microparticle impact research, hardly any modification of the original experimental setup has been necessary. However, future avenues for the field require advancements of the experimental method to expand both the impact variables that can be quantitatively assessed and the materials and phenomena that can be studied. This work explores new design concepts for the launch pad (the assembly that launches microparticles upon laser ablation) that can address the root causes of many experimental challenges that may limit the technique in the future. Among the design changes contemplated, the substitution of a stiff glass launch layer for the standard elastomeric polymer layer offers a number of improvements. First, it facilitates a reduction of the gap between launch pad and target from hundreds to tens of micrometers and thus unlocks a reproducibility in targeting a specific impact location better than the diameter of the test particle itself (±1.75 µm for SiO₂ particles 7.38 µm in diameter). Second, the inert glass surface enables experiments at higher temperatures than previously possible. Finally-as demonstrated by the launch of thin-film Au disks-a launch pad made of materials standard in microfabrication paves the way to facile microfabrication of advanced impactors.

Molecular-Weight-Dependent Interplay of Brittle-to-Ductile Transition in High-Strain-Rate Cold Spray Deposition of Glassy Polymers

Based on the cold spray technique, the solvent-free and solid-state deposition of glassy polymers is envisioned. Adiabatic inelastic deformation mechanisms in the cold spray technique are studied through high-velocity collisions (<1000 m/s) of polystyrene microparticles against stationary target substrates of polystyrene and silicon. During extreme collisions, a brittle-to-ductile transition occurs, leading to either fracture- or shear-dominant inelastic deformation of the colliding microparticles. Due to the nonlinear interplay between the adiabatic shearing and the thermal softening of polystyrene, the plastic shear flow becomes the dominant deformation channel over brittle fragmentation when increasing the rigidity of the target substrate. High molecular weights (>20 kDa) are essential to hinder the evolution of brittle fracture and promote shear-induced heating beyond the glass transition temperature of polystyrene. However, an excessively high molecular weight (∼100 kDa) reduces the adhesion of the microparticles to the substrate due to insufficient wetting of the softened polystyrene. Due to the two competing viscoelastic effects, proper selection of molecular weight becomes critical for the cold spray technique of glassy polymers.

Biofilm Inhibition and Antiviral Response of Cold Sprayed and Shot Peened Copper Surfaces: Effect of Surface Morphology and Microstructure

Antibacterial properties of copper against planktonic bacteria population are affected by surface microstructure and topography. However, copper interactions with bacteria in a biofilm state are less studied. This work aims at better understanding the difference in biofilm inhibition of bulk, cold-sprayed, and shot-peened copper surfaces and gaining further insights on the underlying mechanisms using optical and scanning electron microscopy to investigate the topography and microstructure of the surfaces. The biofilm inhibition ability is reported for all surfaces. Results show that the biofilm inhibition performance of cold sprayed copper, while initially better, decreases with time and results in an almost identical performance than as-received copper after 18h incubation time. The shot-peened samples with a rough and ultrafine microstructure demonstrated an enhanced biofilm control, especially at 18 hr. The biofilm control mechanisms were explained by the diffusion rates and concentration of copper ions and the interaction between these ions and the biofilm, while surface topography plays a role in the bacteria attachment at the early planktonic state. Furthermore, the data suggest that surface topography plays a key role in antiviral activity of the materials tested, with a smooth surface being the most efficient.

Graphical Abstract

Synthesis of Heterostructured Metallic Films with Precisely Defined Multimodal Microstructures

Heterostructured materials (e.g., metals with multimodal microstructures) offer the promise of unprecedented functionality and performance by avoiding trade-offs between competing properties such as strength and ductility. However, methods to reproducibly synthesize heterostructured materials with explicit microstructural control are still elusive, and therefore optimizing their mechanical and functional properties via microstructural engineering is presently infeasible. Here, we describe a broadly applicable method to synthesize metallic films with precisely defined multimodal microstructures. This method enables explicit control of the size, volume fraction, and spatial connectivity of fine and coarse grains by exploiting two distinct forms of film growth (epitaxial and Volmer-Weber) simultaneously. We fabricated Cu and Fe films with bimodal and multimodal microstructures using this method and investigated their mechanical properties, which reveals a hitherto unknown breakdown in the strength-ductility synergy produced by such microstructures at small sample dimensions. Our approach enables systematic design of multimodal microstructures to tailor the mechanical properties of metallic materials and provides a platform to create functional thin films and 2D materials with prescribed phase morphologies and microstructures.

Extreme Energy Dissipation via Material Evolution in Carbon Nanotube Mats

Thin layered mats comprised of an interconnected meandering network of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) are subjected to a hypersonic micro-projectile impact test. The mat morphology is highly compliant and while this leads to rather modest quasi-static mechanical properties, at the extreme strain rates and large strains resulting from ballistic impact, the MWCNT structure has the ability to reconfigure resulting in extraordinary kinetic energy (KE) absorption. The KE of the projectile is dissipated via frictional interactions, adiabatic heating, tube stretching, and ultimately fracture of taut tubes and the newly formed fibrils. The energy absorbed per unit mass of the film can range from 7-12 MJ kg-1, much greater than any other material.

Harmonic Structure Design: A Strategy for Outstanding Mechanical Properties in Structural Materials

Structured heterogeneous materials are ubiquitous in a biological system and are now adopted in structural engineering to achieve tailor-made properties in metallic materials. The present paper is an overview of the unique network type heterogeneous structure called Harmonic Structure (HS) consisting of a continuous three-dimensional network of strong ultrafine-grained (shell) skeleton filled with islands of soft coarse-grained (core) zones. The HS microstructure is realized by the strategic processing method involving severe plastic deformation (SPD) of micron-sized metallic powder particles and their subsequent sintering. The microstructure and properties of HS-designed materials can be controlled by altering a fraction of core and shell zones by controlling mechanical milling and sintering conditions depending on the inherent characteristics of a material. The HS-designed metallic materials exhibit an exceptional combination of high strength and ductility, resulting from optimized hierarchical features in the microstructure matrix. The experimental and numerical results demonstrate that the continuous network of gradient structure in addition to the large degree of microstructural heterogeneity leads to obvious mechanical incompatibility and strain partitioning, during plastic deformation. Therefore, in contrast to the conventional homogeneous (homo) structured materials, synergy effects, such as synergy strengthening, can be obtained in HS-designed materials. This review highlights recent developments in HS-structured materials as well as identifies further challenges and opportunities.

Extra strengthening and work hardening in gradient nanotwinned metals

Gradient structures exist ubiquitously in nature and are increasingly being introduced in engineering. However, understanding structural gradient-related mechanical behaviors in all gradient structures, including those in engineering materials, has been challenging. We explored the mechanical performance of a gradient nanotwinned structure with highly tunable structural gradients in pure copper. A large structural gradient allows for superior work hardening and strength that can exceed those of the strongest component of the gradient structure. We found through systematic experiments and atomistic simulations that this unusual behavior is afforded by a unique patterning of ultrahigh densities of dislocations in the grain interiors. These observations not only shed light on gradient structures, but may also indicate a promising route for improving the mechanical properties of materials through gradient design.

Melt-driven erosion in microparticle impact

Impact-induced erosion is the ablation of matter caused by being physically struck by another object. While this phenomenon is known, it is empirically challenging to study mechanistically because of the short timescales and small length scales involved. Here, we resolve supersonic impact erosion in situ with micrometer- and nanosecond-level spatiotemporal resolution. We show, in real time, how metallic microparticles (~10-μm) cross from the regimes of rebound and bonding to the more extreme regime that involves erosion. We find that erosion in normal impact of ductile metallic materials is melt-driven, and establish a mechanistic framework to predict the erosion velocity.

Supersonic particle impacts can cause permanent damage to space vehicles and satellites, but how exactly remains unclear. Here, the authors visualise for the first time the high impact of single tin microparticles on a tin substrate and show erosion of ductile metallic materials is melt-driven.

Extreme Mechanical Behavior of Nacre-Mimetic Graphene-Oxide and Silk Nanocomposites

Biological materials have the ability to withstand extreme mechanical forces due to their unique multilevel hierarchical structure. Here, we fabricated a nacre-mimetic nanocomposite comprised of silk fibroin and graphene oxide that exhibits hybridized dynamic responses arising from alternating high-contrast mechanical properties of the components at the nanoscale. Dynamic mechanical behavior of these nanocomposites is assessed through a microscale ballistic characterization using a 7.6 μm diameter silica sphere moving at a speed of approximately 400 m/s. The volume fraction of graphene oxide in these composites is systematically varied from 0 to 32 vol % to quantify the dynamic effects correlating with the structural morphologies of the graphene oxide flakes. Specific penetration energy of the films rapidly increases as the distribution of graphene oxide flakes evolves from noninteracting, isolated sheets to a partially overlapping continuous sheet. The specific penetration energy of the nanocomposite at the highest graphene oxide content tested here is found to be significantly higher than that of Kevlar fabrics and close to that of pure multilayer graphene. This study evidently demonstrates that the morphologies of nanoscale constituents and their interactions are critical to realize scalable high-performance nanocomposites using typical nanomaterial constituents having finite dimensions.

High-velocity projectile impact induced 9R phase in ultrafine-grained aluminium

Aluminium typically deforms via full dislocations due to its high stacking fault energy. Twinning in aluminium, although difficult, may occur at low temperature and high strain rate. However, the 9R phase rarely occurs in aluminium simply because of its giant stacking fault energy. Here, by using a laser-induced projectile impact testing technique, we discover a deformation-induced 9R phase with tens of nm in width in ultrafine-grained aluminium with an average grain size of 140 nm, as confirmed by extensive post-impact microscopy analyses. The stability of the 9R phase is related to the existence of sessile Frank loops. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the formation mechanisms of the 9R phase in aluminium. This study sheds lights on a deformation mechanism in metals with high stacking fault energies.

Generating gradient germanium nanostructures by shock-induced amorphization and crystallization

Gradient nanostructures are attracting considerable interest due to their potential to obtain superior structural and functional properties of materials. Applying powerful laser-driven shocks (stresses of up to one-third million atmospheres, or 33 gigapascals) to germanium, we report here a complex gradient nanostructure consisting of, near the surface, nanocrystals with high density of nanotwins. Beyond there, the structure exhibits arrays of amorphous bands which are preceded by planar defects such as stacking faults generated by partial dislocations. At a lower shock stress, the surface region of the recovered target is completely amorphous. We propose that germanium undergoes amorphization above a threshold stress and that the deformation-generated heat leads to nanocrystallization. These experiments are corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations which show that supersonic partial dislocation bursts play a role in triggering the crystalline-to-amorphous transition.

Dynamics and extreme plasticity of metallic microparticles in supersonic collisions

Metallic microparticles can acquire remarkable nanoscale morphologies after experiencing high velocity collisions, but materials science regarding the extreme events has been limited due to a lack of controlled experiments. In this work, collision dynamics and nonlinear material characteristics of aluminum microparticles are investigated through precise single particle collisions with two distinctive substrates, sapphire and aluminum, across a broad range of collision velocities, from 50 to 1,100 m/s. An empirical constitutive model is calibrated based on the experimental results, and is used to investigate the mechanics of particle deformation history. Real-time and post-impact characterizations, as well as model based simulations, show that significant material flow occurs during the impact, especially with the sapphire substrate. A material instability stemming from plasticity-induced heating is identified. The presented methodology, based on the use of controlled single particle impact data and constitutive models, provides an innovative approach for the prediction of extreme material behavior.