Solenoids and Plectonemes in stretched and twisted elastomeric filaments
Solenoids and Plectonemes in stretched and twisted elastomeric filaments,
A. Ghatak and L. Mahadevan, Physical Review Letters , 95, 057801, 2005.
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Abstract
We study the behavior of a naturally straight highly extensible elastic filament subjected to large
extensional and twisting strains. We find that two different phases can coexist for a range of parameter
values: the plectoneme and the solenoid. A simple theory based on a neo-Hookean model for the material
of the filament and accounting for the slender geometry suffices to explain these observations, and leads to
a phase diagram that is consistent with observations. Extension and relaxation experiments on these
phases show the presence of large hysteresis loops and sawtoothlike force-displacement curves which are
different for the plectoneme and the solenoid.