  We have studied the tensile deformation behaviour of thin films of aging
aqueous suspension of Laponite, a model soft glassy material, when subjected to
a creep flow field generated by a constant engineering normal stress. Aqueous
suspension of Laponite demonstrates aging behaviour wherein it undergoes time
dependent enhancement of its elastic modulus as well as its characteristic
relaxation time. However, under application of the normal stress, the rate of
aging decreases and in the limit of high stress, the aging stops with the
suspension now undergoing a plastic deformation. Overall, it is observed that
the aging that occurs over short creep times at small normal stresses is same
as the aging that occurs over long creep times at large normal stresses. This
observation allows us to suggest an aging time - process time - normal stress
superposition principle, which can predict rheological behaviour at longer
times by carrying out short time tests.
