Critical voltages and blocking stresses in nematic gels |
| |
Authors: | A DeSimone A DiCarlo L Teresi |
| |
Institution: | (1) SISSA-International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy;(2) SMFM-Mathematical Structures of Materials Physics, Università Roma Tre, Italy |
| |
Abstract: | We present a model of the dynamics of director rotation in nematic gels under combined electro-mechanical loading. Focusing
on a model specimen, we describe the critical voltages that must be exceeded to achieve director reorientation, and the blocking
stresses that prevent alignment of the nematic director with the applied electric field. The corresponding phase diagram shows
that the dynamic thresholds defined above are different from those predicted on the sole basis of energetics. Multistep loading
programs are used to explore the energy landscape of our model specimen, showing the existence of multiple local minima under
the same voltage and applied stress. This leads us to conclude that hysteresis should be expected in the electro-mechanical
response of nematic gels. |
| |
Keywords: | 61 30 Vx Polymer liquid crystals 61 30 Dk Continuum models and theories of liquid crystal structure 61 41 +e Polymers elastomers and plastics 78 20 Jq Electrooptical effects |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |