Measurement of the Tension of Freely Suspended Smectic Liquid Crystal Filaments

Abstract

Fluid filaments with diameters of several micrometers and large aspect ratios can be prepared from some layered liquid crystalline phases of organic bent-core mesogens. An internal structure stabilizes them against the Rayleigh-Plateau instability, but the filament material can flow freely along their axis. In equilibrium, they adopt a straight minimal shape as a consequence of the filament tension. We discuss methods for the measurement of this tension, and apply one of these methods, the deflection of horizontally suspended filaments under defined loads, to obtain quantitative tension data.

PACS numbers:

• 46.40.-f
• 62.10.+s
• 61.30.-V

Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under grant STA 425/20, and Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt under grant OASIS-CO. W. Weissflog is gratefully acknowledged for supply of the mesogenic material. The authors have benefited from fruitful discussions with A. Nemeş, A. Eremin and A. Jákli.