Active control of the free surface of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal with an electric field

Akhshay S. Bhadwal; Joseph R. L. Cousins; Nigel J. Mottram; Stephen K. Wilson; Brian R. Duffy; Ian C. Sage; Carl V. Brown

doi:10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.064002

Active control of the free surface of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal with an electric field

Akhshay S. Bhadwal, Joseph R. L. Cousins, Nigel J. Mottram, Stephen K. Wilson, Brian R. Duffy, Ian C. Sage, Carl V. Brown

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Abstract

Active control of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal is achieved by local modification of the effective viscosity with an applied electric field. Specifically, using the nematic 5CB, control of the free surface of the rivulet is achieved through manipulation of the effective viscosity induced by the competition of moments due to viscous shear stress alignment and electric field alignment. The experimentally observed dependencies of the rivulet height on the volume flux and the strength of the applied electric field are successfully captured by a theoretical model based on the Ericksen–Leslie equations.

Original language	English
Article number	064002
Number of pages	12
Journal	Physical Review Fluids
Volume	9
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.064002
Publication status	Published - 24 Jun 2024

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) via EPSRC research grants EP/T012986/1 and EP/T012501/2.

Keywords

active control
nematic liquid crystal
electric field
rivulet
Ericksen–Leslie equations

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10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.064002Licence: CC BY 4.0

Bhadwal-etal-PRF-2024-Active-control-of-the-free-surface-of-a-rivulet-of-a-nematic-liquid-crystalFinal published version, 2.53 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Control of free-surface flow morphologies in anisotropic liquids
Wilson, S. (Principal Investigator)
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
2/06/20 → 1/12/23
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "Active control of the free surface of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal with an electric field",

abstract = "Active control of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal is achieved by local modification of the effective viscosity with an applied electric field. Specifically, using the nematic 5CB, control of the free surface of the rivulet is achieved through manipulation of the effective viscosity induced by the competition of moments due to viscous shear stress alignment and electric field alignment. The experimentally observed dependencies of the rivulet height on the volume flux and the strength of the applied electric field are successfully captured by a theoretical model based on the Ericksen–Leslie equations.",

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author = "Bhadwal, \{Akhshay S.\} and Cousins, \{Joseph R. L.\} and Mottram, \{Nigel J.\} and Wilson, \{Stephen K.\} and Duffy, \{Brian R.\} and Sage, \{Ian C.\} and Brown, \{Carl V.\}",

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AU - Bhadwal, Akhshay S.

AU - Cousins, Joseph R. L.

AU - Mottram, Nigel J.

AU - Wilson, Stephen K.

AU - Duffy, Brian R.

AU - Sage, Ian C.

AU - Brown, Carl V.

PY - 2024/6/24

Y1 - 2024/6/24

N2 - Active control of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal is achieved by local modification of the effective viscosity with an applied electric field. Specifically, using the nematic 5CB, control of the free surface of the rivulet is achieved through manipulation of the effective viscosity induced by the competition of moments due to viscous shear stress alignment and electric field alignment. The experimentally observed dependencies of the rivulet height on the volume flux and the strength of the applied electric field are successfully captured by a theoretical model based on the Ericksen–Leslie equations.

AB - Active control of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal is achieved by local modification of the effective viscosity with an applied electric field. Specifically, using the nematic 5CB, control of the free surface of the rivulet is achieved through manipulation of the effective viscosity induced by the competition of moments due to viscous shear stress alignment and electric field alignment. The experimentally observed dependencies of the rivulet height on the volume flux and the strength of the applied electric field are successfully captured by a theoretical model based on the Ericksen–Leslie equations.

KW - active control

KW - nematic liquid crystal

KW - electric field

KW - rivulet

KW - Ericksen–Leslie equations

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DO - 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.064002

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JF - Physical Review Fluids

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Active control of the free surface of a rivulet of a nematic liquid crystal with an electric field

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Control of free-surface flow morphologies in anisotropic liquids

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