Failure is defined by a coating's purpose, but a crack is a failure in almost every application.
Cracks cause problems in service when they first arise, well before they are widespread. By …

Drying complex fluids is a common phenomenon where a liquid phase transforms into a
dense or porous solid. This transformation involves several physical processes, such as the …

The influence of particle shape on the mechanics of sand is widely recognized, especially in
mineral processing and geomechanics. However, most existing continuum theories for …

Plato envisioned Earth's building blocks as cubes, a shape rarely found in nature. The solar
system is littered, however, with distorted polyhedra—shards of rock and ice produced by …

We report the effect of polarity and surface charge density on the nucleation and growth
kinetics of desiccation cracks in deposits of colloids formed by drying. We show that the …

Crack channelling is predicted in a brittle coating-substrate system that is subjected to a
moisture or temperature gradient in the thickness direction. Competing failure scenarios are …

Panel paintings—complex multi-layer structures consisting of wood support and a paint
layer composed of a preparatory layer of gesso, paints, and varnishes—are among the …

Plasma self-organization on anode surfaces in 1 atm DC glow discharges remains poorly
understood. This effort aims to elucidate the nature of self-organization through the …

Polymers are susceptible to oxidation, and its impact on their mechanical behavior presents
a significant challenge for their long-term performance. Interestingly, in simple tension UV …

Understanding paintings as physical systems is fundamental for advancing environmental
specifications that would allow for effective management of museum environments in terms …