scholarly journals Rheological signatures in limit cycle behaviour of dilute, active, polar liquid crystalline polymers in steady shear

2014 ◽  
Vol 372 (2029) ◽  
pp. 20130362 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gregory Forest ◽  
Panon Phuworawong ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Ruhai Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Limit Cycles ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Liquid Crystalline ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Shear Thickening ◽  
Liquid Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Linearized Stability

We consider the dilute regime of active suspensions of liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs), addressing issues motivated by our kinetic model and simulations in Forest et al. (Forest et al. 2013 Soft Matter 9 , 5207–5222 ( doi:10.1039/c3sm27736d )). In particular, we report unsteady two-dimensional heterogeneous flow-orientation attractors for pusher nanorod swimmers at dilute concentrations where passive LCP equilibria are isotropic. These numerical limit cycles are analogous to longwave (homogeneous) tumbling and kayaking limit cycles and two-dimensional heterogeneous unsteady attractors of passive LCPs in weak imposed shear, yet these states arise exclusively at semi-dilute concentrations where stable equilibria are nematic. The results in Forest et al. mentioned above compel two studies in the dilute regime that complement recent work of Saintillan & Shelley (Saintillan & Shelley 2013 C. R. Physique 14 , 497–517 ( doi:10.1016/j.crhy.2013.04.001 )): linearized stability analysis of the isotropic state for nanorod pushers and pullers; and an analytical–numerical study of weakly and strongly sheared active polar nanorod suspensions to capture how particle-scale activation affects shear rheology. We find that weakly sheared dilute puller versus pusher suspensions exhibit steady versus unsteady responses, shear thickening versus thinning and positive versus negative first normal stress differences. These results further establish how sheared dilute nanorod pusher suspensions exhibit many of the characteristic features of sheared semi-dilute passive nanorod suspensions.

scholarly journals Observation of transition cascades in sheared liquid crystalline polymers

Soft Matter ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (16) ◽  
pp. 3891-3901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Fox ◽  
M. Gregory Forest ◽  
Stephen J. Picken ◽  
Theo J. Dingemans
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystalline Polymer ◽  
Liquid Crystalline ◽  
Shear Thickening ◽  
Crystalline Polymer ◽  
Liquid Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Nematic Director ◽  
Thickening Behavior

We observe anomalous shear thickening behavior of a lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer due to the dynamics of the nematic director.

Structure-property relations of liquid crystalline polymers

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 460-463
Author(s):  
Linda C. Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Liquid Crystalline ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Crystalline Polymer ◽  
Liquid Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Mechanical Anisotropy ◽  
Structure Property ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Extended Chain

Recent liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) research has sought to define structure-property relationships of these complex new materials. The two major types of LCPs, thermotropic and lyotropic LCPs, both exhibit effects of process history on the microstructure frozen into the solid state. The high mechanical anisotropy of the molecules favors formation of complex structures. Microscopy has been used to develop an understanding of these microstructures and to describe them in a fundamental structural model. Preparation methods used include microtomy, etching, fracture and sonication for study by optical and electron microscopy techniques, which have been described for polymers. The model accounts for the macrostructures and microstructures observed in highly oriented fibers and films.Rod-like liquid crystalline polymers produce oriented materials because they have extended chain structures in the solid state. These polymers have found application as high modulus fibers and films with unique properties due to the formation of ordered solutions (lyotropic) or melts (thermotropic) which transform easily into highly oriented, extended chain structures in the solid state.

Factors affecting microstructural scale in liquid crystalline polymers

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-221
Author(s):  
Christine M. Dannels ◽  
Christopher Viney
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystalline ◽  
Liquid Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Crystalline Polymers ◽  
Thermal Expansion Coefficients ◽  
Low Thermal Expansion ◽  
Lower Viscosity ◽  
Fine Microstructure ◽  
Planar Orientation ◽  
Strength And Stiffness

Processing polymers from the liquid crystalline state offers several advantages compared to processing from conventional fluids. These include: better axial strength and stiffness in fibers, better planar orientation in films, lower viscosity during processing, low solidification shrinkage of injection moldings (thermotropic processing), and low thermal expansion coefficients. However, the compressive strength of the solid is disappointing. Previous efforts to improve this property have focussed on synthesizing stiffer molecules. The effect of microstructural scale has been overlooked, even though its relevance to the mechanical and physical properties of more traditional materials is well established. By analogy with the behavior of metals and ceramics, one would expect a fine microstructure (i..e. a high density of orientational defects) to be desirable.Also, because much microstructural detail in liquid crystalline polymers occurs on a scale close to the wavelength of light, light is scattered on passing through these materials.

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