Imprinting the memory into paste and its visualization as crack patterns in drying process

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that pre-vibrating paste before drying induces a memory effect, which determines crack patterns upon drying, revealing a link between paste plasticity and crack morphology.

Contribution

It introduces a method to imprint and visualize memory in paste through crack pattern formation influenced by initial vibrations.

Findings

Crack patterns are directed by initial vibration orientation.

Memory effect is linked to the plasticity of the paste.

Morphological phase diagram correlates crack patterns with vibration parameters.

Abstract

In the drying process of paste, we can imprint into the paste the order how it should be broken in the future. That is, if we vibrate the paste before it is dried, it remembers the direction of the initial external vibration, and the morphology of resultant crack patterns is determined solely by the memory of the direction. The morphological phase diagram of crack patterns and the rheological measurement of the paste show that this memory effect is induced by the plasticity of paste.