The lift and drag forces acting on a small spherical particle in a single wall-bounded linear shear flow are examined via numerical computation. The effects of shear rate are isolated from those of slip by setting the particle velocity equal to the local fluid velocity (zero slip), and examining the resulting hydrodynamic forces as a function of separation distance. In contrast to much of the previous numerical literature, low shear Reynolds numbers are considered ($10^{-3} \lesssim Re_{\gamma } \lesssim 10^{-1}$). This shear rate range is relevant when dealing with particulate flows within small channels, for example particle migration in microfluidic devices being used or developed for the biotech industry. We demonstrate a strong dependence of both the lift and drag forces on shear rate. Building on previous theoretical $Re_{\gamma } \ll 1$ studies, a wall-shear-based zero-slip lift correlation is proposed that is applicable when the wall lies both within the inner and outer regions of the disturbed flow. Similarly, we validate an improved wall-shear-based zero-slip drag correlation that more accurately captures the drag force when the particle is close to, but not touching, the wall. Application of the new correlations to predict the movement of a force-free particle shows that the examined shear-based lift force is as important as the previously examined slip-based lift force, highlighting the need to accurately account for shear when predicting the near-wall movement of force-free particles.

In nanoindentation, the plasticity size effect has been observed for several years, where a higher hardness is measured as indenter size decreases. In this paper, we report the size effect on the initiation of plasticity in ceramics by using spherical indenters. Here, we show a clear method that is able to determine the details of the onset of plasticity in nanoindentation. This enables us to measure the yield pressure with a high degree of accuracy and over a large range of indenter radii (hundreds of nanometers to several tens of micrometers). Our data shows clearly that there is a significant yield strength enhancement, which is inversely proportional to the cube root of the indenter radius. Also after normalization by the bulk yield strength, the increase in yield strength with decreasing indenter radius is shown to follow a single relation for all the ceramics studied in agreement with recent results for metals [1], and consistent with critical thickness theory for the initiation of yielding over a finite volume.

Semiconductor strained layer superlattices are an ideal model material to study the effects of coherency strain in plasticity, due to the fine control of nanolayer thickness and internal strain afforded by MBE deposition. Previously, nanoindentation of bulk InGaAs at 300K gave a yield pressure of 6GPa (Jayawera et al Proc. Roy Soc, A459, 2049, 2003) while bending at 500 centigrade gave a yield value of 30MPa (Pp’ ng et al Phil. Mag. 85, 4429, 2005). In contrast, coherently strained InGaAs superlattices gave nanoindentation values of 3GPa at room temperature and bending at 500oC gave a yield value also around 3GPa. It appears that the coherency strain can impart an athermal strengthening to the superlattice. It is clearly necessary to do mechanical testing over the range 300-800K that will be able to link the room temperature nanoindentation with the results from the high temperature bending experiment and to determine the relationship between strength, coherency strain and temperature. Preliminary experiments on these samples at elevated temperatures using a hot stage and the UMIS nanoindentation system is difficult but feasible with the help of AFM to verify the contact area.

We find that functionalized SWCNT and DWCNT's (mainly double wall carbon nanotubes) in composites, DWCNTs under hydrostatic pressure and blue illuminated DWCNTs in methanol show the same up shift of the Raman G band and the appearance of a new band at 1455cm−1. This is attributed to the interaction of the CH3 group of the amphiphilic molecule in composites or the CH3 group of alcohol with the outer tube of DWCNT's and indicates that laser heating of DWCNT's in methanol can induce the chemical adsorption of CH3 onto the CNT (carbon nanotube) surface.

We propose an athermal strengthening mechanism for high-temperature structural materials in which large coherency strains are built in to a layered structure in order to prevent dislocation mulitplication mechanism from functioning. A practical model system is provided by semiconductor strained-layer superlattices of InGaAs grown on InP. We report results from highresolution X-ray diffraction and from direct tensile testing which provide evidence for athermal strengthening. A discussion of methods of micro-mechanical testing is also included.

Earlier stochastic analyses of chemical reactions have provided formal solutions which are unsuitable for most purposes in that they are expressed in terms of complex algebraic functions. Normal approximations are derived here for solutions to a variety of reactions. Using these, it is possible to investigate the level at which the classical deterministic solutions become inadequate. This is important in fields such as radioimmunoassay.