Julia Yeomans OBE FRS

Abstract:

A new method of dynamically controlling the boundary conditions of a nematic liquid crystals was studied using surface flexoelectric effect. Switching between the states occurs when the movement of the surface directors rotates those in the bulk, which are then able to create or annihilate defects. The results showed that the driving force that causes the switching is a surface flexoelectric effect.

Abstract:

We describe a lattice Boltzmann algorithm to simulate liquid crystal hydrodynamics. The equations of motion are written in terms of a tensor order parameter. This allows both the isotropic and the nematic phases to be considered. Backflow effects and the hydrodynamics of topological defects are naturally included in the simulations, as are non-Newtonian flow properties such as shear thinning and shear banding.