Soft magnetic actuators are materials that undergo bending, elongation, contraction or torsion in magnetic fields. In this paper, ferrogel-based cylindrical actuators that undergo deterministic chiral deformations and chiral instabilities in uniform applied magnetic fields are investigated. Such fields cannot induce body forces but can induce body torques. These actuators are in the form of hydrogel cylinders containing magnetic particles (MPs) that are field structured into particle chains in a direction normal to its cylindrical axis during gelation. When one end of the cylinder is fixed and a uniform magnetic field is applied normal to the cylindrical axis, but at an angle to the particle chains, the cylinder twists. A subsequent rotation of the cylinder base can lead to a metastable state, and further deformation can lead to a chiral instability wherein the sign of the chirality switches. This actuation is studied as a function of the type of polymer used in the hydrogel preparation (alginate or acrylamide), the type of MPs used (silica-coated iron particles or permalloy flakes particles) and the volume fraction of the magnetic phase. The torsional deformations, as well as certain hysteresis effects, are compared to a theoretical model developed herein.

Triaxial magnetic fields of even modest strength are a powerful and flexible means of controlling magnetic soft matter. If the continuous phase is a polymerizing resin, triaxial fields can be used to create fully optimized isometric or anisometric particle composites that have high magnetic permeability, thermal conductivity, magnetoresistance and magnetostriction, as well as minimal gas permeability and strain-sensitive electrical conductivity. Applications for such materials include sensors, actuators, heat spreaders, electromagnetic shielding and so forth. If the continuous phase is a liquid, vigorous fluid vorticity can be stimulated such that the vorticity vector itself can be either stationary or can undergo a limitless variety of complex, 3D orbits that stimulate a variety of biomimetic dynamics in a magnetic fluid suspended in an immiscible liquid. Finally, in suspensions of magnetic flakes it is possible to create advection lattices with a controllable lattice spacing, and even vortex lattices of remarkable regularity. These various fields of research will be described in this chapter to inspire others to pursue this research direction.

Soft actuators are deformable materials that change their dimensions or shape in response to external stimuli. Among the various stimuli, remote magnetic fields are one of the most attractive forms of actuation, due to their ease of use, fast response, and safety in biological systems. Composites of magnetic particles with polymer matrices are the most common materials for magnetic soft actuators. In this paper, we demonstrate the fabrication and actuation of magnetic shape-memory materials based on hydrogels containing field-structured magnetic particles. These actuators are formed by placing the pregel dispersion into a mold of the desired on-field shape and exposing it to a homogeneous magnetic field until the gel point is reached. At this point, the material may be removed from the mold and fully gelled in the desired off-field shape. The resultant magnetic shape-memory material then transitions between these two shapes when it is subjected to successive cycles of a homogeneous magnetic field, acting as a large deformation actuator. For actuators that are planar in the off-field state, this can result in significant bending to return to the on-field state. In addition, it is possible to make shape-memory materials that twist under the application of a magnetic field. For these torsional actuators, both experimental and theoretical results are given.

Lifetime-encoded materials are particularly attractive as optical tags, however examples are rare and hindered in practical application by complex interrogation methods. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy towards multiplexed, lifetime-encoded tags via engineering intermetallic energy transfer in a family of heterometallic rare-earth metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The MOFs are derived from a combination of a high-energy donor (Eu), a low-energy acceptor (Yb) and an optically inactive ion (Gd) with the 1,2,4,5 tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) benzene (TCPB) organic linker. Precise manipulation of the luminescence decay dynamics over a wide microsecond regime is achieved via control over metal distribution in these systems. Demonstration of this platform’s relevance as a tag is attained via a dynamic double encoding method that uses the braille alphabet, and by incorporation into photocurable inks patterned on glass and interrogated via digital high-speed imaging. This study reveals true orthogonality in encoding using independently variable lifetime and composition, and highlights the utility of this design strategy, combining facile synthesis and interrogation with complex optical properties.

In recent years a rich variety of emergent phenomena have been observed when suspensions of magnetic particles are subjected to alternating magnetic fields. These particle assemblies often exhibit vigorous dynamics due to the injection of energy from the field. These assemblies include surface and interface phenomena, such as highly organized, segmented "snakes" that can be induced to swim by structural symmetry breaking, and "asters" and "anti-asters," particle assemblies that can be manipulated to capture and transport cargo. In bulk suspensions of magnetic platelets subjected to multiaxial alternating fields, advection lattices and even vortex lattices have been created, and a variety of biomimetic dynamics - serpents, bees and amoebas - have been discovered in magnetic fluids suspended in an immiscible liquid. In this paper several new driven phases are presented, including flying chevrons, dense spinning clusters, filaments, and examples of phase coexistence in driven phases. These observations broaden the growing field of driven magnetic suspensions and present new challenges to those interested in simulating the dynamics of these complex systems.

We report on the thermodynamic properties of binary compound mixtures of model groups II-VI semiconductors. We use the recently introduced Stillinger-Weber Hamiltonian to model binary mixtures of CdTe and CdSe. We use molecular dynamics simulations to calculate the volume and enthalpy of mixing as a function of mole fraction. The lattice parameter of the mixture closely follows Vegard's law: a linear relation. This implies that the excess volume is a cubic function of mole fraction. A connection is made with hard sphere models of mixed fcc and zincblende structures. The potential energy exhibits a positive deviation from ideal soluton behaviour; the excess enthalpy is nearly independent of temperatures studied (300 and 533K) and is well described by a simple cubic function of the mole fraction. Using a regular solution approach (combining non-ideal behaviour for the enthalpy with ideal solution behaviour for the entropy of mixing), we arrive at the Gibbs free energy of the mixture. The Gibbs free energy results indicate that the CdTe and CdSe mixtures exhibit phase separation. The upper consolute temperature is found to be 335K. Finally, we provide the surface energy as a function of composition. It roughly follows ideal solution theory, but with a negative deviation (negative excess surface energy). This indicates that alloying increases the stability, even for nano-particles.

An energy saving Leidenfrost levitation method is introduced to transport microdroplets with virtually frictionless contact between the liquid and solid substrate. Through microengineering of the heating units, selective areas of the whole substrate can be electrothermally activated. A droplet can be levitated as a result of the Leidenfrost effect and further transported when the substrate is tilted slightly. Selective electroheating produces a uniform temperature distribution on the heating units within 1 s in response to a triggering voltage. Alongside these experimental observations, finite element simulations were conducted to understand the role of substrate thermal conductivity on the temperature profile of the selectively heated substrate. We also generated phase diagrams to verify the Leidenfrost regime for different substrate materials. Finally, we demonstrated the possibility of controlling low friction high speed droplet transportation (∼65 mm/s) when the substrate is tilted (∼7°) by structurally designing the substrate. This work establishes the basis for an entirely new approach to droplet microfluidics.

The bearings used in energy storage flywheels dissipate a significant amount of energy and can fail catastrophically. Magnetic bearings would both reduce energy dissipation and increase flywheel reliability. The component of magnetic bearing that creates lift is a magnetically soft material embedded into a rebate cut into top of the inner annulus of the flywheel. Because the flywheels stretch about 1% as they spin up, this magnetic material must also stretch and be more compliant than the flywheel itself, so it does not part from the flywheel during spin up. At the same time, the material needs to be sufficiently stiff that it does not significantly deform in the rebate and must have a sufficiently large magnetic permeability and saturation magnetization to provide the required lift. It must also have high electrical resistivity to prevent heating due to eddy currents. In this paper we investigate whether adequately magnetic, mechanically stiff composites that have the tensile elasticity, high electrical resistivity, permeability and saturation magnetism required for flywheel lift magnet applications can be fabricated. We find the best composites are those comprised of bidisperse Fe particles in the resin G/Flex 650. The primary limiting factor of such materials is the fatigue resistance to tensile strain.

In this paper, molecular dynamics (MD) calculations have been used to examine the physics behind continuum models of misfit dislocation formation and to assess the limitations and consequences of approximations made within these models. Without compromising the physics of misfit dislocations below a surface, our MD calculations consider arrays of dislocation dipoles constituting a mirror imaged "surface". This allows use of periodic boundary conditions to create a direct correspondence between atomistic and continuum representations of dislocations, which would be difficult to achieve with free surfaces. Additionally, by using long-time averages of system properties, we have essentially reduced the errors of atomistic simulations of large systems to "zero". This enables us to deterministically compare atomistic and continuum calculations. Our work results in a robust approach that uses atomistic simulation to accurately calculate dislocation core radius and energy without the continuum boundary conditions typically assumed in the past, and the novel insight that continuum misfit dislocation models can be inaccurate when incorrect definitions of dislocation spacing and Burgers vector in lattice-mismatched systems are used. We show that when these insights are properly incorporated into the continuum model, the resulting energy density expression of the lattice-mismatched systems is essentially indistinguishable from the MD results.

We have recently reported that two classes of time-dependent triaxial magnetic fields can induce vorticity in magnetic particle suspensions. The first class - symmetry-breaking fields - is comprised of two ac components and one dc component. The second class - rational triad fields - is comprised of three ac components. In both cases deterministic vorticity occurs when the ratios of the field frequencies form rational numbers. A strange aspect of these fields is that they produce fluid vorticity without generally having a circulating field vector, such as would occur in a rotating field. It has been shown, however, that the symmetry of the field trajectory, considered jointly with that of the converse field, allows vorticity to occur around one particular field axis. This axis might be any of the field components, and is determined by the relative frequencies of the field components. However, the symmetry theories give absolutely no insight into why vorticity should occur. In this paper we propose a particle-based model of vorticity in these driven fluids. This model proposes that particles form volatile chains that follow, but lag behind, the dynamic field vector. This model is consistent with the predictions of symmetry theory and gives reasonable agreement with previously reported torque density measurements for a variety of triaxial fields.

The behavior displayed by a suspension of magnetic particles exposed to a rapidly varying multiaxial magnetic field is both dazzling and practically applicable.

Recent synthetic advances have made available very monodisperse zincblende CdSe/CdS quantum dots having near-unity photoluminescence quantum yields. Because of the absence of nonradiative decay pathways, accurate values of the radiative lifetimes can be obtained from time-resolved PL measurements. Radiative lifetimes can also be obtained from the Einstein relations, using the static absorption spectra and the relative thermal populations in the angular momentum sublevels. One of the inputs into these calculations is the shell thickness, and it is useful to be able to determine shell thickness from spectroscopic measurements. We use an empirically corrected effective mass model to produce a map of exciton wavelength as a function of core size and shell thickness. These calculations use an elastic continuum model and the known lattice and elastic constants to include the effect of lattice strain on the band gap energy. The map is in agreement with the known CdSe sizing curve and with the shell thicknesses of zincblende core/shell particles obtained from TEM images. If seleniumsulfur diffusion is included and lattice strain is omitted from the calculation then the resulting map is appropriate for wurtzite CdSe/CdS quantum dots synthesized at high temperatures, and this map is very similar to one previously reported ( J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 14299). Radiative lifetimes determined from time-resolved measurements are compared to values obtained from the Einstein relations, and found to be in excellent agreement. For a specific core size (2.64 nm diameter, in the present case), radiative lifetimes are found to decrease with increasing shell thickness. This is similar to the size dependence of one-component CdSe quantum dots and in contrast to the size dependence in type-II quantum dots.

We report on the strain behavior of compound mixtures of model group II-VI semiconductors. We use the Stillinger-Weber Hamiltonian that we recently introduced, specifically developed to model binary mixtures of group II-VI compounds such as CdTe and CdSe. We employ molecular dynamics simulations to examine the behavior of thin sheets of material, bilayers of CdTe and CdSe. The lattice mismatch between the two compounds leads to a strong bending of the entire sheet, with about a 0.5 to 1. deflection between neighboring planes. To analyze bilayer bending, we introduce a simple one-dimensional model and use energy minimization to find the angle of deflection. The analysis is equivalent to a least-squares straight line fit. We consider the effects of bilayers which are asymmetric with respect to the thickness of the CdTe and CdSe parts. From this we learn that the bending can be subdivided into four kinds depending on the compressive/tensile nature of each outer plane of the sheet. We use this approach to directly compare our findings with experimental results on the bending of CdTe/CdSe rods. To reduce the effects of the lattice mismatch we explore diffuse interfaces, where we mix (i.e. alloy) Te and Se, and estimate the strain response.

Over the past decade, the most common approach to creating liquid shedding surfaces has been to amplify the effects of nonwetting surface chemistry, using micro/nanotexturing to create superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces. Recently, an alternative approach using impregnation of micro/nanotextured surfaces with immiscible lubricating liquids to create slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) has been developed. These types of surfaces open up new opportunities to study the mechanism of evaporation of sessile droplets in zero contact angle hysteresis situations where the contact line is completely mobile. In this study, we fabricated surfaces consisting of square pillars (10-90 μm) of SU-8 photoresist arranged in square lattice patterns with the center-to-center separation between pillars of 100 μm, on which a hydrophobic coating was deposited and the textures impregnated by a lubricating silicone oil. These surfaces showed generally low sliding angles of 1° or less for small droplets of water. Droplet profiles were more complicated than on nonimpregnated surfaces and displayed a spherical cap shape modified by a wetting ridge close to the contact line due to balancing the interfacial forces at the line of contact between the droplet, the lubricant liquid and air (represented by a Neumann triangle). The wetting ridge leads to the concept of a wetting "skirt" of lubricant around the base of the droplet. For the SLIP surfaces, we found that the evaporation of small sessile droplets (∼2 mm in diameter) followed an ideal constant contact angle mode where the apparent contact angle was defined from the intersection of the substrate profile with the droplet spherical cap profile. A theoretical model based on diffusion controlled evaporation was able to predict a linear dependence in time for the square of the apparent contact radius. The experimental data was in excellent quantitative agreement with the theory and enabled estimates of the diffusion constant to be obtained.

Noncontact methods of generating strong fluid vorticity are important to problems involving heat and mass transfer, fluid mixing, active wetting, and droplet transport. Furthermore, because zero or even negative shear viscosities can be induced, vorticity can greatly extend the control range of the smart fluids used in magnetorheological devices. In recent work we have shown that a particular class of ac/ac/dc triaxial fields (symmetry-breaking rational fields) can create strong vorticity in magnetic particle suspensions and have presented a theory of the vorticity that is based on the symmetry of the 2-d Lissajous trajectories of the field and its converse. In this paper we demonstrate that there are three countably infinite sets of fully alternating ac/ac/ac triaxial fields whose frequencies form rational triads that have the symmetry required to drive fluid vorticity. The symmetry of the 3-d Lissajous trajectories of the field and its converse can be derived and from this the direction of the vorticity axis can be predicted, as can the dependence of the sign of the vorticity on the phase relations between the three field components. Experimental results are presented that validate the symmetry theory. These discoveries significantly broaden the class of triaxial fields that can be exploited to produce strong noncontact flow.