Slow dynamics in a single bead with mechanical conditioning and transient heating

The contact stiffness of an aluminum bead confined between two slabs diminishes upon mechanical conditioning, and then recovers as log(t) after the conditioning ceases. Here that structure is evaluated for its response to transient heating and cooling, with and without accompanying conditioning vibrations. It is found that, under heating or cooling alone, stiffness changes are mostly consistent with temperature-dependent material moduli; there is little or no slow dynamics. Hybrid tests in which vibration conditioning is followed by heating or cooling lead to recoveries that begin as log(t) and then become more complex. On subtracting the known response to heating or cooling alone we discern the influence of higher or lower temperatures on slow dynamic recovery from vibrations. It is found that heating accelerates the initial log(t) recovery, but by an amount more than predicted by an Arrhenius model of thermally activated barrier penetrations. Transient cooling has no discernible effect, in contrast to the Arrhenius prediction that it slows recovery.