title: Mechanical strains and electric fields applied to topologically imprinted elastomers.
abstract: We analyze and predict the behavior of a chirally imprinted elastomer under a mechanical strain and an electric field, applied along the helical axis. As the strain and/or field increases, the system is deformed from a conical or transverse imprinted state towards an ultimately nematic one. At a critical strain and/or field there is a first-order transition to a low imprinting efficiency state. This transition is accompanied by a discontinuous global rotation of the director toward the axis of the imprinted helix, measured by the cone angle, theta . We show that the threshold electric field required for switching this transition can be conveniently low, provided an appropriate prestrain is imposed. We suggest that these properties may give rise to a "chiral pump."
authors.affiliation: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Burridge
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Warner