Shear-Induced First-Order Transition in Polar Liquid Crystals

Markovich, Tomer; Tjhung, Elsen; Cates, Michael E.

Abstract

The hydrodynamic theory of polar liquid crystals is widely used to describe biological active fluids as well as passive molecular materials. Depending on the “shear-alignment parameter”, in passive or weakly active polar fluids under external shear, the polar order parameter p is either inclined to the flow at a fixed (Leslie) angle, or rotates continuously. Here, we study the role of an additional “shear-elongation parameter” that has been neglected in the recent literature and causes jpj to change under flow. We show that this effect can give rise to a shear-induced first-order phase transition from isotropic to polar, and significantly change the rheological properties of both active and passive polar fluids.

Citation

Markovich, T., Tjhung, E., & Cates, M. E. (2019). Shear-Induced First-Order Transition in Polar Liquid Crystals. Physical Review Letters, 122(8), Article 088004. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.122.088004

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Feb 28, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Deposit Date: Feb 10, 2020
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 122
• Issue: 8
• Article Number: 088004
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.122.088004
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1277262