Topological defects reveal signatures of odd elasticity in a living chiral crystal

ORAL

Abstract

Materials with nonreciprocal microscopic interactions can exhibit unusual properties such as odd elasticity. Recently, we have discovered a naturally occurring chiral crystal of starfish embryos which exhibits signatures of odd elasticity. Here, we investigate the mechanics and dynamics of topological defects in these living chiral crystals. We analyze the strain field around a dislocation, the motion of isolated dislocations in relation to their Burgers vector as well as pair dislocation interactions. Our results are in agreement with recently developed theories of odd elasticity and further reveal the odd elastic nature of the living chiral crystal

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Publication: Tan, T.H., Mietke, A., Higinbotham, H., Li, J., Chen, Y., Foster, P.J., Gokhale, S., Dunkel, J. and Fakhri, N., 2021. Development drives dynamics of living chiral crystals. arXiv preprint arXiv:2105.07507.

Presenters

  • Yuchao Chen

    • Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Authors

  • Yuchao Chen

    • Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Yu-Chen Chao

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Harvard University

  • Junang Li

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI

  • Alexander Mietke

    • Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Tzer Han Tan

    • Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
    • Quantitative Biology Initiative, Harvard University; Center for Systems Biology Dresden
    • Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG)

  • Jorn Dunkel

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
    • Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Nikta Fakhri

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI