Temperature and strain rate effect on mechanical properties of chocolate

巧克力是一种高度复杂的多相复合生物聚合物。其力学性能具有很强的温度依赖性，在很短的温度范围内从脆性转变为韧性。应变率依赖性--在分析运输和搬运过程中产品的断裂时变得越来越重要--增加了另一层复杂性。因此，巧克力在中观和宏观尺度上的机械行为知之甚少。作为这项研究的一部分，你将在不同的应变率下对巧克力的温度依赖性变形和断裂行为进行建模。该研究将联合收割机最先进的材料表征技术与先进的分析/数值模拟方法相结合。

Chocolate is a highly complex, multi-phase composite biopolymer. Its mechanical properties have a strong temperature dependence, which transition from brittle to malleable within a short temperature range. Strain-rate dependence - which becomes increasingly relevant while analysing breakage in products during transportation and handling - adds another layer of complexity. As a result, the mechanical behaviour of chocolate at meso and macro-scale is poorly understood. As part of this research you will characterise and model the temperature dependent deformation and fracture behaviour of chocolate at varying strain rates. The study will combine state-of-the-art material characterisation techniques with advanced analytical/numerical simulation methods.