Flow alignment in a shearing nematic liquid crystal near a charged surface

Abstract

The flow alignment angle ${\theta }_{\mathrm{eff}}\mathrm{}\left(y\right)\mathrm{}$ and effective rotational viscosity coefficient ${\gamma }_1^{\mathrm{eff}}$ are investigated for polar liquid crystals (LCs), such as $4-n$-octyloxy-$4^{\prime }$-cyanobiphenyl (8OCB), in the vicinity of a charged bounding surface. ${\gamma }_1^{\mathrm{eff}}$ and ${\theta }_{\mathrm{eff}}\mathrm{}\left(y\right)\mathrm{}$ are calculated, for the stationary regime, in the framework of the conventional Ericksen - Leslie theory. Calculations of ${\gamma }_1^{\mathrm{eff}},$ for the homeotropic alignment of 8OCB molecules, at a charged indium tin oxide–coated glass plate show an increase in ${\gamma }_1^{\mathrm{eff}}$ up to $7.8\%.$