A theoretical liquid crystal elastomer model that mimics the elasticity of cat skin

Abstract

A mathematical model for nematic liquid crystal elastomers is proposed that mimics the elastic response of cat skin where reorientation of dermal fibres produces an increase in the thickness direction under tensile stretch. To capture this unusual effect, the uniaxial order parameter in the nematic elastomer model is allowed to decrease then increase again, and the critical stretch at which this change of monotonicity occurs and where the director also rotates suddenly is predicted. In addition, the model parameters are described by probability density functions and their uncertainty is propagated numerically to the predicted mechanical results.