School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500046, India.
School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500046, India.
Phys Rev E. 2017 Jan;95(1-1):012710. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.95.012710. Epub 2017 Jan 30.
Dynamics of microparticles in isotropic liquids by transducing the energy of an applied electric field have been studied for decades. Recently, such studies in anisotropic media like liquid crystals have opened up new perspectives in colloid science. Here, we report studies on ac-electric-field-driven dynamics of microsheets in nematic liquid crystals. In planar aligned liquid crystals, with negative dielectric anisotropy, the microsheets are propelled parallel to the director. A steady spinning of the microsheets is observed in homeotropic cells with positive dielectric anisotropy liquid crystals. The velocity of propelling and the angular frequency of spinning depends on the amplitude and the frequency of the applied electric field. The electrokinetic studies of anisotropic microparticles are important as they are potential for applications in microfluidics and in areas where the controlled transport or rotation is required.
几十年来，人们一直在研究通过转换外加电场的能量来研究各向同性液体中的微粒动力学。最近，在各向异性介质（如液晶）中的此类研究为胶体科学开辟了新的视角。在这里，我们报告了在向列液晶中交流电场驱动微片动力学的研究。在具有负介电各向异性的平面排列液晶中，微片沿指向矢方向推进。在具有正介电各向异性液晶的各向同性单元中，观察到微片的稳定旋转。推进速度和旋转角频率取决于外加电场的幅度和频率。各向异性微粒的电动研究很重要，因为它们有可能应用于微流控和需要控制传输或旋转的领域。
