On the effective elastic/visco-elastic properties of nematic polymer nano-composites

Abstract: We model and compute effective mechanical and visco-elastic properties of nano-composite monodomains, consisting of nematic polymer macromolecules (transversely isotropic spheroids) in an isotropic matrix. We predict the degree of enhancement and anisotropy in elastic moduli/ visco-elastic moduli arising from extremely stiff spheroidal inclusions at low-volume fractions, for quiescent and sheared bulk monodomain.