Microfluidic flow of colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals

This thesis presents the result of research conducted on the behaviour of colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystal flow for a wide range of parameters in microfluidic channels and ducts. We study the change in structure of defects and molecular orientation around a static particle, particle migration in microfluidic channels, morphology of Saturn ring defects and director structure in ducts of comparable size to the particle, and many particle migration and advection in large scale systems of differing colloidal densities. We observe elongation of the defect lines around a static colloidal partical, novel positional control of individual colloidal particle and also colloidal densities in microchannels through tunable driving pressure, and non monotonic dependence of the differential velocity of particle and fluid in highly confined ducts on Ericksen number.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral-pg

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Strathclyde

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Lesniewska, Magdalena

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Mottram, Nigel J.
• Henrich, Oliver

DOI

10.48730/1e4d-ax19

Identifier

T16964

Author Identifier

201879641

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:strathclyde:2227mq366