ACMD Seminar: Electromechanics of Soft Materials

Luis Dorfmann
Department of Civil Engineering, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University

Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 3:00–4:00PM
Building 101, Lecture Room C
Gaithersburg

Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 1:00–2:00PM
Building 1, Room 4072
Boulder

This talk will be broadcast on-line using BlueJeans.  Contact acmdseminar [at] nist.gov (acmdseminar[at]nist[dot]gov) for details.

Host: Jeffrey Fong

Abstract: The theory of electroelasticity has received considerable interest in the last few years because of the development of elastomeric and polymeric materials that respond to the application of an electric field. Such materials, often referred to as 'smart materials' are being used in a variety of applications, ranging from high-speed actuators, soft robotics to electromechanical transducers of various geometries. The purpose of this talk is to present a state-of-the-art overview of the continuum theory of electro-sensitive materials capable of large deformations. The presentations will include a carefully crafted overview of the fundamental formulation of the three-dimensional theory of electroelasticity from several points of view. The lecture will also include solutions to boundary-value problems, which are amenable to experimental verification. A further aspect of the course will be a discussion of stability of equilibria in the presence of electroelastic coupling.

Bio: Professor Dorfmann was educated at the University of Padova, Italy (B.A., Structural Engineering, First Class Honors, 1987), University of California at Los Angeles (Structural Mechanics, M.Sc., 1989. Ph.D., 1992).  He has held a joint faculty appointment at the Tufts University in its Departments of Civil Engineering and Biomedical Engineering since 1992.  His research areas are continuum physics, biomechanics, and applied mathematics.  He has contributed numerous research papers, two book chapters, one book as a co-editor, and a recently published book (2014) entitled "Nonlinear theory of electroelastic and magnetoelastic interactions (Springer)." 

Note: Visitors from outside NIST must contact Cathy Graham; (301) 975-3800; at least 24 hours in advance.