P. Bladon et al., TRANSITIONS AND INSTABILITIES IN LIQUID-CRYSTAL ELASTOMERS, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 47(6), 1993, pp. 180003838-180003840
Solid nematic liquids, formed by cross-linking polymer liquid crystals
into elastomers, are shown to display novel and complex elasticity. T
he internal (nematic) direction suffers a barrier to its rotation and
this couples to standard elasticity. By considering imposed strains we
illuminate this elasticity and also demonstrate an entirely new nemat
ic phase transition, At a critical strain there is a discontinuity of
director rotation.