A new theory finally deciphering the physical mechanisms of fracture in soft materials. The discovery is revolutionary: it will soon lead to new materials that are defect-free, stronger and more durable, that is, "environmentally friendly". The article Elastic Instability behind Brittle Fracture was recently published in the prestigious Physical Review Letters. "We revealed that the fracture propagates from the free surface of the material starting with an elastic instability that breaks the symmetry of the object. Then the rupture extends dramatically with an intricate network of cracks that spread like a turbulence phenomenon similar to what we observe in fluids, such as during vortex formation," explains Pasquale Ciarletta of the MOX Laboratory, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano. This discovery stimulates important applications for various technological fields. For example, in the production of micro and nano devices, where materials must be extremely strong and free of defects. Understanding then how cracks form can lead to designing stronger and more durable materials.
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