Linear Viscoelasticity of Soft Glassy Materials

Abstract: Owing to lack of time translational invariance, aging soft glassy materials do not obey fundamental principles of linear viscoelasticity. We show that by transforming the linear viscoelastic framework from the real time domain to the effective time domain, wherein the material clock is readjusted to account for evolution of relaxation time, the soft glassy materials obey effective time translational invariance. Consequently, we demonstrate successful validation of principles of linear viscoelasticity (Boltzmann superposition principle and convolution relation for creep compliance and stress relaxation modulus) for different types of soft glassy materials in the effective time domain.