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Extensional flow of nematic liquid crystal with an applied electric field

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 October 2013

L. J. CUMMINGS ,
J. LOW  and
T. G. MYERS
L. J. CUMMINGS
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102-1982, USA emails: linda.j.cummings@njit.edu, tmyers@crm.cat
J. LOW
Affiliation:
Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Campus de Bellaterra, Edifici C, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain email: jlow@crm.cat
T. G. MYERS
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102-1982, USA emails: linda.j.cummings@njit.edu, tmyers@crm.cat
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Abstract

Systematic asymptotic methods are used to formulate a model for the extensional flow of a thin sheet of nematic liquid crystal. With no external body forces applied, the model is found to be equivalent to the so-called Trouton model for Newtonian sheets (and fibres), albeit with a modified ‘Trouton ratio’. However, with a symmetry-breaking electric field gradient applied, behaviour deviates from the Newtonian case, and the sheet can undergo finite-time breakup if a suitable destabilizing field is applied. Some simple exact solutions are presented to illustrate the results in certain idealized limits, as well as sample numerical results to the full model equations.

Keywords

Nematic liquid crystalThin filmViscous sheetElectric field
Type
Papers
Information
European Journal of Applied Mathematics , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 397 - 423
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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