Influence of electric and magnetic fields on liquid crystalline flow

Issue title: Selected Papers from the 14th International Symposium on Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics (ISEM 2009), Part II

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Tsukiji, Tetsuhiro^{a; *} | Yoshida, Kousuke^a | Yokoyama, Kazuya^b

Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyida-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan | [b] Ashikaga of Institute of Technology, 268-1 Oomaecho, Ashikaga-shi, Tochigi 326-8558, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 3 3238 3818; Fax: +81 3 3238 3311; E-mail: t-tukiji@sophia.ac.jp

Abstract: We cause a low-molecular-weight liquid crystal in the nematic phase to flow between parallel plate electrodes at a constant rate. Under electric fields (in the range 0–1.0 kV/mm), magnetic fields (in the range 0.0–2.0 T, where 1 T=10000 G), and both magnetic and electric fields, we measured changes in liquid crystal flow resistance and orientation. We also estimated the crystal orientation by measuring the brightness of light through the crystal to investigate the relationship between pressure drop and orientation. As results, the pressure drop increases as electric and magnetic field intensities increase, and remains constant at E > 0.6 kV/mm. Under application of an electric field, the brightness of light through the liquid crystal increases with increasing rates of pressure in the range 0–0.4 kV/mm.

Keywords: Liquid crystal, electric field, magnetic field, parallel plate electrodes

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-2010-1297

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 33, no. 3-4, pp. 1653-1659, 2010