Abstract
We study monolayers of an insoluble amphiphilic molecule at the free surface of water. During the compression of such a monolayer, we observe, by fluorescence microscopy, a phase transition between a two-dimensional liquid phase and a two-dimensional solid phase consisting of long rods (1 mm long and about 20 µm wide). Their shape is well adapted to micromechanical measurements. Studying the flexion of a rod in the plane of the water, the two-dimensional Young’s modulus was measured. On the other hand, we have noticed that a domain (a monocrystal) under a bending stress, breaks after a delay time. Statistics show that this time-lag breakage is a well-defined function of the applied stress. For large deformations, a second mode of breaking appears and coexits with the previous one: a fraction of the rods breaks instantaneously while others break after a delay time. Different possibilities to explain the dependence of the breakage time on the stress are discussed.
Published Version
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