0000000000126180
AUTHOR
R. Piasecki
Study and evaluation of dispersion of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and silica filler in polypropylene composites
Various methods were used for evaluation of homogeneity of polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with octakis([n‐octyl]dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane, octakis([n‐octadecyl]dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane, and silica (SiO2) fillers. The filler dispersion was determined on the basis of the results from the wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) analysis, from the tests of selected mechanical properties, from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and from the decomposable entropic descriptor method. The use of different methods allowed to evaluate homogeneity of PP composites on various levels and with different precisions. The dispersion degree was found…
On multi-scale percolation behaviour of the effective conductivity for the lattice model with interacting particles
Recently, the effective medium approach using 2x2 basic cluster of model lattice sites to predict the conductivity of interacting droplets has been presented by Hattori et al. To make a step aside from pure applications, we have studied earlier a multi-scale percolation, employing any kxk basic cluster for non-interacting particles. Here, with interactions included, we examine in what way they alter the percolation threshold for any cluster case. We found that at a fixed length scale k the interaction reduces the range of shifts of the percolation threshold. To determine the critical concentrations, the simplified model is used. It diminishes the number of local conductivities into two main…
Entropic descriptor of a complex behaviour
We propose a new type of entropic descriptor that is able to quantify the statistical complexity (a measure of complex behaviour) by taking simultaneously into account the average departures of a system's entropy S from both its maximum possible value Smax and its minimum possible value Smin. When these two departures are similar to each other, the statistical complexity is maximal. We apply the new concept to the variability, over a range of length scales, of spatial or grey-level pattern arrangements in simple models. The pertinent results confirm the fact that a highly non-trivial, length-scale dependence of the entropic descriptor makes it an adequate complexity-measure, able to disting…
Effective conductivity in association with model structure and spatial inhomogeneity of polymer/carbon black composites
The relationship between effective conductivity and cell structure of polyethylene/carbon composites as well as between effective conductivity and spatial distribution of carbon black are discussed. Following Yoshida's model both structures can, in a way, be said to be intermediate between the well known Maxwell-Garnett (MG) and Bruggeman (BR) limiting structures. Using TEM photographs on composites with various carbon blacks we have observed that the larger is Garncarek's inhomogeneity measure H of two-dimensional (2D) representative distribution of the carbon black, the smaller is the effective conductivity of the composite.
Versatile entropic measure of grey level inhomogeneity
The entropic measure for analysis of grey level inhomogeneity (GLI) is proposed as a function of length scale. It allows us to quantify the statistical dissimilarity of the actual macrostate and the maximizing entropy of the reference one. The maximums (minimums) of the measure indicate those scales at which higher (lower) average grey level inhomogeneity appears compared to neighbour scales. Even a deeply hidden statistical grey level periodicity can be detected by the equally distant minimums of the measure. The striking effect of multiple intersecting curves (MIC) of the measure has been revealed for pairs of simulated patterns, which differ in shades of grey or symmetry properties, only…
Effective conductivity in a lattice model for binary disordered media with complex distributions of grain sizes
Using numerical simulations and analytical approximations we study a modified version of the two-dimensional lattice model [R. Piasecki,phys. stat. sol. (b) 209, 403 (1998)] for random pH:(1-p)L systems consisting of grains of high (low) conductivity for H-(L-)phase, respectively. The modification reduces a spectrum of model bond conductivities to the two pure ones and the mixed one. The latter value explicitly depends on the average concentration gamma(p) of the H-component per model cell. The effective conductivity as a function of content p of the H-phase in such systems can be modelled making use of three model parameters that are sensitive to both grain size distributions, GSD(H) and G…
On multi-scale percolation behaviour of the effective conductivity for the lattice model
Macroscopic properties of heterogeneous media are frequently modelled by regular lattice models, which are based on a relatively small basic cluster of lattice sites. Here, we extend one of such models to any cluster's size kxk. We also explore its modified form. The focus is on the percolation behaviour of the effective conductivity of random two- and three-phase systems. We consider only the influence of geometrical features of local configurations at different length scales k. At scales accessible numerically, we find that an increase in the size of the basic cluster leads to characteristic displacements of the percolation threshold. We argue that the behaviour is typical of materials, w…
Coarsened Lattice Model for Random Granular Systems
In random systems consisting of grains with size distributions the transport properties are difficult to explore by network models. However, the concentration dependence of effective conductivity and its critical properties can be considered within coarsened lattice model proposed that takes into account information from experimentally known size histograms. For certain classes of size distributions the specific local arrangements of grains can induce either symmetrical or unsymmetrical critical behaviour at two threshold concentrations. Using histogram related parameters the non-monotonic behaviour of the conductor-insulator and conductor-superconductor threshold is demonstrated.
What is a physical measure of spatial inhomogeneity comparable to the mathematical approach?
A linear transformation f(S) of configurational entropy with length scale dependent coefficients as a measure of spatial inhomogeneity is considered. When a final pattern is formed with periodically repeated initial arrangement of point objects the value of the measure is conserved. This property allows for computation of the measure at every length scale. Its remarkable sensitivity to the deviation (per cell) from a possible maximally uniform object distribution for the length scale considered is comparable to behaviour of strictly mathematical measure h introduced by Garncarek et al. in [2]. Computer generated object distributions reveal a correlation between the two measures at a given l…
Extended quasi-additivity of Tsallis entropies
We consider statistically independent non-identical subsystems with different entropic indices q1 and q2. A relation between q1, q2 and q' (for the entire system) extends a power law for entropic index as a function of distance r. A few examples illustrate a role of the proposed constraint q' < min(q1, q2) for the Beck's concept of quasi-additivity.
Inhomogeneity and complexity measures for spatial patterns
In this work, we examine two different measures for inhomogeneity and complexity that are derived from non-extensive considerations à la Tsallis. Their performance is then tested on theoretically generated patterns. All measures are found to exhibit a most sensitive behaviour for Sierpinski carpets. The procedures here introduced provide us with new, powerful Tsallis’ tools for analysing the inhomogeneity and complexity of spatial patterns.
Duality and spatial inhomogeneity
Within the framework on non-extensive thermostatistics we revisit the recently advanced q-duality concept. We focus our attention here on a modified q-entropic measure of the spatial inhomogeneity for binary patterns. At a fixed length-scale this measure exhibits a generalised duality that links appropriate pairs of q and q' values. The simplest q q' invariant function, without any free parameters, is deduced here. Within an adequate interval q < qo < q', in which the function reaches its maximum value at qo, this invariant function accurately approximates the investigated q-measure, nitidly evidencing the duality phenomenon. In the close vicinity of qo, the approximate meaningful rel…
Microstructure reconstruction using entropic descriptors
A multi-scale approach to the inverse reconstruction of a pattern's microstructure is reported. Instead of a correlation function, a pair of entropic descriptors (EDs) is proposed for stochastic optimization method. The first of them measures a spatial inhomogeneity, for a binary pattern, or compositional one, for a greyscale image. The second one quantifies a spatial or compositional statistical complexity. The EDs reveal structural information that is dissimilar, at least in part, to that given by correlation functions at almost all of discrete length scales. The method is tested on a few digitized binary and greyscale images. In each of the cases, the persuasive reconstruction of the mic…
Decomposable multiphase entropic descriptor
To quantify degree of spatial inhomogeneity for multiphase materials we adapt the entropic descriptor (ED) of a pillar model developed to greyscale images. To uncover the contribution of each phase we introduce the suitable 'phase splitting' of the adapted descriptor. As a result, each of the phase descriptors (PDs) describes the spatial inhomogeneity attributed to each phase-component. Obviously, their sum equals to the value of the overall spatial inhomogeneity. We apply this approach to three-phase synthetic patterns. The black and grey components are aggregated or clustered while the white phase is the background one. The examples show how the valuable microstuctural information related…
Statistical Reconstruction of Microstructures Using Entropic Descriptors
We report a multiscale approach of broad applicability to stochastic reconstruction of multiphase materials, including porous ones. The approach devised uses an optimization method, such as the simulated annealing (SA) and the so-called entropic descriptors (EDs). For a binary pattern, they quantify spatial inhomogeneity or statistical complexity at discrete length-scales. The EDs extract dissimilar structural information to that given by two-point correlation functions (CFs). Within the SA, we use an appropriate cost function consisting of EDs or comprised of EDs and CFs. It was found that the stochastic reconstruction is computationally efficient when we begin with a preliminary synthetic…
Sensitivity to Initial Conditions in an Extended Activator--Inhibitor Model for the Formation of Patterns
Despite simplicity, the synchronous cellular automaton [D.A. Young, Math. Biosci. 72, 51 (1984)] enables reconstructing basic features of patterns of skin. Our extended model allows studying the formatting of patterns and their temporal evolution also on the favourable and hostile environments. As a result, the impact of different types of an environment is accounted for the dynamics of patterns formation. The process is based on two diffusible morphogens, the short-range activator and the long-range inhibitor, produced by differentiated cells (DCs) represented as black pixels. For a neutral environment, the extended model reduces to the original one. However, even the reduced model is stat…
Low-cost approximate reconstructing of heterogeneous microstructures
We propose an approximate reconstruction of random heterogeneous microstructures using the two-exponent power-law (TEPL). This rule originates from the entropic descriptor (ED) that is a multi-scale measure of spatial inhomogeneity for a given microstructure. A digitized target sample is a cube of linear size L in voxels. Then, a number of trial configurations can be generated by a model of overlapping spheres of a fixed radius, which are randomly distributed on a regular lattice. The TEPL describes the averaged maximum of the ED as a function of the phase concentration and the radius. Thus, it can be used to determine the radius. The suggested approach is tested on surrogate samples of cer…
Controlling spatial inhomogeneity in prototypical multiphase microstructures
A wide variety of real random composites can be studied by means of prototypes of multiphase microstructures with a controllable spatial inhomogeneity. To create them, we propose a versatile model of randomly overlapping super-spheres of a given radius and deformed in their shape by the parameter p. With the help of the so-called decomposable entropic measure, a clear dependence of the phase inhomogeneity degree on the values of the parameter p is found. Thus, a leading trend in changes of the phase inhomogeneity can be forecast. It makes searching for possible structure/property relations easier. For the chosen values of p, examples of two and three-phase prototypical microstructures show …
Speeding up of microstructure reconstruction: II. Application to patterns of poly-dispersed islands
We report a fast, efficient and credible statistical reconstruction of any two-phase patterns of islands of miscellaneous shapes and poly-dispersed in sizes. In the proposed multi-scale approach called a weighted doubly-hybrid, two different pairs of hybrid descriptors are used. As the first pair, we employ entropic quantifiers, while correlation functions are the second pair. Their competition allows considering a wider spectrum of morphological features. Instead of a standard random initial configuration, a synthetic one with the same number of islands as that of the target is created by a cellular automaton. This is the key point for speeding-up of microstructure reconstruction, making u…
A generalization of the inhomogeneity measure for point distributions to the case of finite size objects
The statistical measure of spatial inhomogeneity for n points placed in chi cells each of size kxk is generalized to incorporate finite size objects like black pixels for binary patterns of size LxL. As a function of length scale k, the measure is modified in such a way that it relates to the smallest realizable value for each considered scale. To overcome the limitation of pattern partitions to scales with k being integer divisors of L we use a sliding cell-sampling approach. For given patterns, particularly in the case of clusters polydispersed in size, the comparison between the statistical measure and the entropic one reveals differences in detection of the first peak while at other sca…
A Two-Stage Reconstruction of Microstructures with Arbitrarily Shaped Inclusions
The main goal of our research is to develop an effective method with a wide range of applications for the statistical reconstruction of heterogeneous microstructures with compact inclusions of any shape, such as highly irregular grains. The devised approach uses multi-scale extended entropic descriptors (ED) that quantify the degree of spatial non-uniformity of configurations of finite-sized objects. This technique is an innovative development of previously elaborated entropy methods for statistical reconstruction. Here, we discuss the two-dimensional case, but this method can be generalized into three dimensions. At the first stage, the developed procedure creates a set of black synthetic …
Statistical mechanics characterization of spatio-compositional inhomogeneity
On the basis of a model system of pillars built of unit cubes, a two-component entropic measure for the multiscale analysis of spatio-compositional inhomogeneity is proposed. It quantifies the statistical dissimilarity per cell of the actual configurational macrostate and the theoretical reference one that maximizes entropy. Two kinds of disorder compete: i) the spatial one connected with possible positions of pillars inside a cell (the first component of the measure), ii) the compositional one linked to compositions of each local sum of their integer heights into a number of pillars occupying the cell (the second component). As both the number of pillars and sum of their heights are conser…
Speeding up of microstructure reconstruction: I. Application to labyrinth patterns
Recently, entropic descriptors based the Monte Carlo hybrid reconstruction of the microstructure of a binary/greyscale pattern has been proposed (Piasecki 2011 Proc. R. Soc. A 467 806). We try to speed up this method applied in this instance to the reconstruction of a binary labyrinth target. Instead of a random configuration, we propose to start with a suitable synthetic pattern created by cellular automaton. The occurrence of the characteristic attributes of the target is the key factor for reducing the computational cost that can be measured by the total number of MC steps required. For the same set of basic parameters, we investigated the following simulation scenarios: the biased/rando…
Detecting self-similarity in surface microstructures
The relative configurational entropy per cell as a function of length scale is a sensitive detector of spatial self-similarity. For Sierpinski carpets the equally separated peaks of the above function appear at the length scales that depend on the kind of the carpet. These peaks point to the presence of self-similarity even for randomly perturbed initial fractal sets. This is also demonstrated for the model population of particles diffusing over the surface considered by Van Siclen, Phys. Rev. E 56 (1997) 5211. These results allow the subtle self-similarity traces to be explored.
Application of relative configurational entropy as a measure of spatial inhomogeneity to Co/C film evolving along the temperature
Based on the digitized electron micrographs, we investigate a temperature evolution of Co/C film. The simple in usage quantitative characterization of the spatial disorder for systems of point objects has been employed. We show that a dominant increase of spatial inhomogeneity of cobalt phase is shifted towards the larger length scales along the sample heating temperature. The results allow the subtle differences of spatial inhomogeneity in thin metallic films to be explored.
Entropic measure of spatial disorder for systems of finite-sized objects
We consider the relative configurational entropy per cell S_Delta as a measure of the degree of spatial disorder for systems of finite-sized objects. It is highly sensitive to deviations from the most spatially ordered reference configuration of the objects. When applied to a given binary image it provides the quantitatively correct results in comparison to its point object version. On examples of simple cluster configurations, two-dimensional Sierpinski carpets and population of interacting particles, the behaviour of S_Delta is compared with the normalized information entropy H' introduced by Van Siclen [Phys. Rev. E 56, (1997) 5211]. For the latter example, the additional middle-scale fe…