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Shear response of monodomains of flow-aligning nematic liquid crystals: TIF model comparisons and effect of pre-tilt

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Abstract

This work is the continuation of a previous study [Van Horn BL, Winter HH (2000) Dynamics of shear aligning nematic liquid crystal monodomains. Rheol Acta 39:294–300] on the shear dynamics of monodomains of shear aligning nematic liquid crystals [NLC]. The strain dependence of director orientation has been experimentally investigated for monodomains of a NLC with various initial orientations. Comparison of experimental results to predictions using Ericksen's transversly isotropic fluid [TIF] model supports the validity of the TIF model for systems of low molecular weight NLCs. The TIF model has been used to examine the effect of pre-tilt on the dynamics of flow-aligning NLC monodomains. It is shown that small deviations from planar alignment (no pre-tilt) have a large effect on orientation dynamics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

    Brett L. Van Horn & H. Henning Winter

  2. Center for Biomedical Imaging Technology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA

    David M. Boudreau

Authors
  1. Brett L. Van Horn
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  2. David M. Boudreau
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  3. H. Henning Winter
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Correspondence to Brett L. Van Horn.

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Van Horn, B.L., Boudreau, D.M. & Winter, H.H. Shear response of monodomains of flow-aligning nematic liquid crystals: TIF model comparisons and effect of pre-tilt. Rheol Acta 42, 585–589 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-003-0315-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-003-0315-x

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