Magnetic Freedericksz Transition in Ferronematic Layer Under Shear Flow

Abstract

Within the framework of continuum theory we analyze the Freedericksz transition in a ferronematic layer under the combined influence of magnetic field and shear flow. The stationary equations for concentration of magnetic particles, planar director and magnetization fields are obtained. We perform numerical calculations of the angles of the director and the magnetization rotation for different values of magnetic field strength, reactive parameter and Ericksen number. We show that in the general case shear flow “smoothes” the Freedericksz transition in ferronematics. For ferronematics with non-flow-aligning nematic matrix we calculate stationary orientations of the director and magnetization in the shear plane.

Keywords:

• Ferronematic
• Freedericksz transition
• magnetic field
• shear flow

Acknowledgment

This work was partly supported by grant No. 10-02-96030 from Russian Foundation for Basic Research.