화학공학소재연구정보센터
Chemical Physics Letters, Vol.699, 73-79, 2018
Effect of electric field and temperature gradient on orientational dynamics of nematics encapsulated in a hallow cylindrical cavity
We have considered a homogeneously oriented liquid crystal (HOLC) microvolume, confined between two infinitely long horizontal coaxial cylinders subjected to both a temperature gradient del T and a radially applied electric field E. We have investigated dynamic field pumping, i.e. studied the interactions between director, velocity, electric fields, as well as a radially applied temperature gradient, where the inner cylinder is kept at a lower temperature than the outer one. In order to elucidate the role of del T and E in producing hydrodynamic flow, we have carried out a numerical study of a system of hydrodynamic equations including director reorientation, fluid flow, and temperature redistribution across the HOLC cavity. Calculations show that, under the effect of the named perturbations and at high curvature of the inner cylinder, the HOLC microvolume settles down to a nonstandard pumping regime with maximum flow in the vicinity of the cooler inner cylinder. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.