Counterion volume effects in mixed electrical double layers.

When a monolayer of negatively charged surfactant molecules is brought in contact with an aqueous solution containing mixtures of counterions of different size and valency, very large deviations from Poisson-Boltzmann theory (PBT) develop at a high surface charge, with the smaller counterion outcompeting the larger one (even if divalent) near the interface, leading to counterion segregation [V.L. Shapovalov, G.

Adhesion along metal-polymer interfaces during plastic deformation.

In this paper a numerical study is presented that concentrates on the influence of the interface roughness that develops during plastic deformation of a metal, on the work of adhesion and on the change of interface energy upon contact with a glassy polymer. The polymer coating is described with a constitutive law that mimics the behavior of Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate. It includes an elastic part, a yield stress, softening and hardening with increasing strains.

Nanostructure and giant magnetoresistive properties of granular systems.

This article aims to make a connection between the microstructures of various nanostructured alloys and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) properties. The GMR behavior of nanoclusters embedded in a nonmagnetic matrix differs considerably from an alloy with the content of a magnetic phase above the percolation threshold; that is to say, an increase of GMR effect upon going from 300 to 10 K for the former and a decrease of the GMR effect for the latter. The following materials systems were examined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and magnetoelectrical resistance measurements: magnetic Co and CoFe nanoclusters in a Au matrix, NiFe clusters in a Cu matrix, and NiFe/Cu spinodal decomposition waves with interconnection of the magnetic phase.

Influence of surface roughness on the adhesion of elastic films.

It is shown that a self-affine roughness at the junction of an elastic film and a hard solid substrate influences considerably the adhesion of the elastic film, especially for small roughness exponents H (H<0.5) and/or large long wavelength roughness ratios w/xi with w being the rms roughness amplitude and xi being the in-plane roughness correlation length. Analytical calculations of the local surface slope allows an estimate of the roughness effects on the adhesion energy more precisely than those presented in earlier works (especially for roughness exponents H<0.