Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Self-fracturing of solids during chemical transformations is considered, and a first quantitative model of this widespread phenomenon is proposed. The analysis begins by considering the equilibrium of a single crack, and proceeds with the behavior of an ensemble of cracks. This enables one to solve the ``selection problem'' for this pattern-formation process and obtain formulas for the rate of crack-network propagation and for the diameter of the resulting blocks.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Boris I. Yakobson (1991) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: