New Publication in the “International Journal of Plasticity”

The microscopically powerless boundaries are studied based on a finite-deformation gradient crystal-plasticity model which comprises energetic and dissipative governing components. The innovative feature in the present study includes a decomposition of dislocation densities at the boundary which provides a distinct observation of dislocation transmission through the boundary.

New Publication in the “Journal of Computational Physics”

The primal variational formulation of the fourth-order Cahn–Hilliard equation requires C1-continuous finite element discretizations, e.g., in the context of isogeometric analysis. In this paper, we explore the variational imposition of essential boundary conditions that arise from the thermodynamic derivation of the Cahn–Hilliard equation in primal variables.

New Publication in “Applied Physics Letters”

The electrocaloric (EC) effect in lead-free (1-x)(K0.48Na0.52)(Nb0.95Sb0.05)O3-xBi0.5(Na0.82K0.18)0.5ZrO3 ceramics was investigated using an indirect thermodynamic method. Large EC temperature changes were obtained in the vicinity of a polymorphic phase boundary at 40 kV/cm, e.g., 0.32 K at 359 K for x = 0.03, 0.51 K at 350 K for x = 0.04, and 0.48 K at 300 K for x = 0.05, respectively.

In the framework of Research Unit FOR 1509 “ Ferroic Functional Materials – Multiscale Modeling and Experimental Characterization ” funded by the German Science Foundation, the winter school Modeling of Functional Materials was held successfully at Chalet Giersch of TU Darmstadt from February 19 to 25, 2017.

New Article in “Smart Materials and Structures”

Due to many potential promising applications, vibration-based piezoelectric energy harvesters (VPEH) with a clamped circular diaphragm are an intensively studied design in the field of piezoelectric energy harvesters. Nonetheless, their performance still leaves space for improvement, which is the primary target of this article.

New Publication in “Acta Materialia”

(Nd,Dy)-Fe-B core shell model magnets were prepared by co-sintering Nd-Fe-B and (Nd,Dy)-Fe-B powders. The Nd-Fe-B core and partially Dy substituted i.e. (Nd,Dy)-Fe-B shell were identified by SEM. MFM measurements of the remanent state revealed a magnetic contrast of core and shell within the same grain.

We congratulate our colleague Ying Zhao to the successful dissertation of her PhD thesis “Phase-field Modeling of Electro-chemo-mechanical Behavior of Li-ion Battery Electrodes”

New Publication in the “Journal of Applied Physics”

We present a systematic study on the relation of the electrocaloric effect (ECE) and the relaxor state transition of BaZrxTi1−xO3 (BZT) using a combination of computer simulation and experiment. The results of canonical and microcanonical lattice-based Monte Carlo simulations with a Ginzburg-Landau-type Hamiltonian are compared with measurements of BaZrxTi1−xO3 (x = 0.12 and 0.2) samples.

New Publication in the “Chemical Engineering Journal”

Improving the rate capability and cycle stability of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) still holds the key to its application in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here we reported liquid-exfoliated MoS2 nanosheets/graphene composites (MoS2/Gra) towards the high capacity and excellent cycle stability for LIBs.