Amorphous Silicates -- Time-Current Superposition and the Dynamics of Plastic Flow in the Glassy State
Soft Condensed Matter
2026-03-23 v1
Abstract
Electron irradiation enables quantitative control over the plastic flow dynamics of silicate glasses, even far below the glass transition temperature. Through stress-relaxation experiments spanning ambient to near-glass-transition temperatures, we uncover a time-current equivalence that grants direct access to steady-state plastic flow over five decades in strain rate. This equivalence allows reconstruction of the intrinsic plastic-flow curve and quantitative assessment of the roles of network connectivity and temperature. Notably, the observed temperature dependence reveals a striking discrepancy with existing theoretical frameworks, highlighting the need for a comprehensive model of plastic flow dynamics in the glassy state.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2603.19816,
title = {Amorphous Silicates -- Time-Current Superposition and the Dynamics of Plastic Flow in the Glassy State},
author = {Matthieu Bourguignon and Gustavo A. Rosales-Sosa and Yoshinari Kato and Sergio Sao-Joao and Morgan Rusinowicz and Guillaume Kermouche and Etienne Barthel},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.19816},
year = {2026}
}