DYNAMICAL SIMULATION OF ORIENTATION TEXTURE EVOLUTION OF A POLYMERIC LIQUID CRYSTAL UNDER SIMPLE SHEAR FLOW

• Published in: Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals Vol. 366; no. 1; pp. 929 - 936
• Main Authors: Han, W. H., Koh, S. T., Noh, S. G., Jeon, J. K., Cho, J. H.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.08.2001; Gordon and Breach
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Leslie-Ericksen Theory; Nematodynamics; Organic polymers; Pattern Formation; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymeric Liquid Crystals; Properties and characterization; Rheology and viscoelasticity; Shear Flow; Three dimensional model; Optical texture; Liquid crystal polymers; Shear flow; Theoretical study; Modeling; Preferred orientation
• ISSN: 1058-725X
• DOI: 10.1080/10587250108024036

Dynamical simulation of orientation texture evolution of a polymeric liquid crystal under simple shear flow has been carried out. The Leslie-Ericksen equation was numerically solved to obtain three dimensional orientation over the shear plane spanned by the flow (x) and thickenss (y) axes. The present study shows a cascade of complex orientation texture evolutions as a function of the Ericksen number (E) during shear flow starting from a near perfect monodomain condition. When E 2 >E>E 1 , directors in the middle gap region twist out of the shear plane in a uniform sense. When E 3 >E>E 2 , the twist sense is not of the same sign, but alternating along the flow axis. When E 4 >E>E 3 , the middle orientation wall of the alternating twist sense divides into a pair, which migrate towards the bounding plates, forming a series of tubular orientation walls. When E>E 4 , the tubular orientation walls still form, but through a reentrant two-dimensional in-shear-plane state.