Controllable particle migration in liquid crystal flows

Lesniewska, Magdalena and Mottram, Nigel and Henrich, Oliver (2022) Controllable particle migration in liquid crystal flows. Soft Matter, 18 (36). pp. 6942-6953. ISSN 1744-6848 (https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SM00707J)

[thumbnail of Lesniewska-etal-SM-2022-Controllable-particle-migration-in-liquid-crystal-flow]
Preview
Text. Filename: Lesniewska_etal_SM_2022_Controllable_particle_migration_in_liquid_crystal_flow.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 logo

Download (5MB)| Preview

Abstract

We observe novel positional control of a colloidal particle in microchannel flow of a nematic liquid crystal. Lattice Boltzmann simulations show multiple equilibrium particle positions, the existence and position of which are tunable using the driving pressure, in direct contrast to the classical Segré-Silberberg effect in isotropic liquids. In addition, particle migration in nematic flow occurs an order of magnitude faster. These new equilibria are determined through a balance of elastic forces, hydrodynamic lift and drag as well as order-flow interactions through the defect structure around the particle.

ORCID iDs

Lesniewska, Magdalena, Mottram, Nigel and Henrich, Oliver ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0384-982X;