Packing Structure of Circular Filamentous Matter

LEOPOLDO R. GÓMEZ; GARCÍA, NICOLÁS A.; THORSTEN POSCHEL

bariloche

Congreso; Yielding phenomena in disordered systems; 2019

Here we use X-ray tomography to study the geometrical and topological features of disordered packings of rubber bands in a cylindrical container. Assemblies of short bands are found to display a liquid-like disordered structure, with short-range orientational order and a minor influence of the container. On the contrary, as the bands become longer, confinement force folded configurations and the bands interpenetrate and entangle. Most of the systems are found to display a threading network which percolates the system. Surprisingly, for long bands whose diameter doubles the diameter of the container, we found that all bands interpenetrate each other, in a complex fully-entangled structure.