LMP Seminar: Lattice Boltzmann simulations of the internal structure of self-propelling nematic droplets
LMP Seminar
- Date: Aug 22, 2023
- Time: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM (Local Time Germany)
- Speaker: Dr. Christian Bahr
- Dept. Dynamics of complex Fluids, MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen
- Location: Max-Planck-Institut für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation (MPIDS)
- Room: Riemannraum 1.40 & ZOOM Meeting ID: 997 1155 2453 Passcode: 771001
- Host: MPIDS / LMP
- Contact: golestanian-office@ds.mpg.de
Droplets of certain nematic liquid crystals show self-propulsion when immersed in aqueous surfactant solutions [1]. The self-propulsion is driven by a Marangoni surface flow which induces additionally a convective flow within the droplet which considerably influences the nematic director field of the droplet.
We present lattice Boltzmann simulations of the internal convective flow and the resulting effect on the director field in the nematic droplet [2]. The lattice Boltzmann model of Denniston et al. [3] is adapted to a spherical sample using the interpolation technique developed by Bouzidi et al. [4] for curved boundaries. Our results show in particular the advection of the point defect, located initially in the center of the droplet, towards the droplet surface. For the simulated droplet structures we calculate, using the Jones matrix method, polarizing microscopy images which can be directly compared with experimental microscopy images of the self-propelling droplets.
[1] C. C. Maass, C. Krüger, S. Herminghaus, and C. Bahr, Annu. Rev. Condens. Matter Phys. 7, 171 (2016).
[2] C. Bahr, Phys. Rev. E 104, 044703 (2021).
[3] C. Denniston, E. Orlandini, and J. M. Yeomans, Phys. Rev. E 63, 056702 (2001).
[4] M. Bouzidi, M. Firdaouss, and P. Lallemand, Phys. Fluids 13, 3452 (2001).
We present lattice Boltzmann simulations of the internal convective flow and the resulting effect on the director field in the nematic droplet [2]. The lattice Boltzmann model of Denniston et al. [3] is adapted to a spherical sample using the interpolation technique developed by Bouzidi et al. [4] for curved boundaries. Our results show in particular the advection of the point defect, located initially in the center of the droplet, towards the droplet surface. For the simulated droplet structures we calculate, using the Jones matrix method, polarizing microscopy images which can be directly compared with experimental microscopy images of the self-propelling droplets.
[1] C. C. Maass, C. Krüger, S. Herminghaus, and C. Bahr, Annu. Rev. Condens. Matter Phys. 7, 171 (2016).
[2] C. Bahr, Phys. Rev. E 104, 044703 (2021).
[3] C. Denniston, E. Orlandini, and J. M. Yeomans, Phys. Rev. E 63, 056702 (2001).
[4] M. Bouzidi, M. Firdaouss, and P. Lallemand, Phys. Fluids 13, 3452 (2001).