Tension-Induced Multistability in Inextensible Helical Ribbons

E. L. Starostin and G. H. M. van der Heijden
Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 084301 – Published 18 August 2008

Abstract

We study the nonmonotonic force-extension behavior of helical ribbons using a new model for inextensible elastic strips. Unlike previous rod models, our model predicts hysteresis behavior for low-pitch ribbons of arbitrary material properties. Associated with it is a first-order transition between two different helical states as observed in experiments with cholesterol ribbons. Numerical solutions show nonuniform uncoiling with hysteresis also occurring under controlled tension. They furthermore reveal a new uncoiling scenario in which a ribbon of very low pitch shears under tension and successively releases a sequence of almost planar loops. Our results may be relevant for nanoscale devices such as force probes.

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  • Received 2 April 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.084301

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

E. L. Starostin* and G. H. M. van der Heijden

  • Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom

  • *e.starostin@ucl.ac.uk; eugene_starostin@hotmail.com
  • g.heijden@ucl.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 101, Iss. 8 — 22 August 2008

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