Anomalous viscoelastic response of nematic elastomers

We report a combined theoretical and experimental study of linear viscoelas tic response in oriented monodomain nematic elastomers. The model predicts a dramatic decrease in the dynamic modulus in certain deformation geometrie s in an elastic medium with an independently mobile internal degree of free dom. the nematic director with its own relaxation dynamics. Dynamic mechani cal measurements on monodomain nematic elastomers confirm our predictions o f dependence on shear geometry and on nematic order, and also show a very s ubstantial mechanical loss clearly associated with director relaxation.