Heat-driven vortical flow in microsized liquid crystal film

ABSTRACT

The theoretical description of vortex dynamics in a hybrid aligned nematic (HAN) microvolume with an orientational defect excited by a temperature gradient, $\mathrm{\nabla }T$, is given based on the appropriate nonlinear extension of the classical Ericksen–Leslie theory. We have carried out a numerical study of the system of hydrodynamic equations including director reorientation, fluid flow $\mathbf{v}$ and the temperature redistribution across the HAN microvolume under the influence of $\mathrm{\nabla }T$, when the HAN microvolume is heated from above. Calculations show that, due to the interaction between the gradient of the director field $\mathrm{\nabla }\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ and $\mathrm{\nabla }T$, the HAN microvolume settles down to a stationary complex-vortex flow regime.

PACS numbers: 61.30.Cz, 65.40.De

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Hydrodynamics of liquid crystals
• thermomechanical force
• temperature gradient
• Vortical flow

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The reported study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation, project number 23-12-00086.