Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Henrich, Oliver and Fujii, Shuji (2021) Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I. Physical Review E, 103 (5). 052704. ISSN 2470-0053 (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.103.052704)

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Abstract

We present results of the linear and nonlinear rheology of the cubic blue phase I (BPI). The elasticity of BPI is dominated by double-twist cylinders assembled in a body-centered cubic lattice, which can be specified by disclination lines. We find that the elasticity of BPI is enhanced by an order of magnitude by applying pre-shear. The shear-enhanced elasticity is attributed to a rearrangement of the disclination lines that are arrested in a metastable state. Our results are relevant for the understanding of the dynamics of disclinations in the cubic blue phases.