Mutual diffusion of inclusions in freely suspended smectic liquid crystal films

Phys Rev Lett. 2014 Sep 19;113(12):128304. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.128304. Epub 2014 Sep 18.

Abstract

We study experimentally and theoretically the hydrodynamic interaction of pairs of circular inclusions in two-dimensional, fluid smectic membranes suspended in air. By analyzing their Brownian motion, we find that the radial mutual mobilities of identical inclusions are independent of their size but that the angular coupling becomes strongly size dependent when their radius exceeds a characteristic hydrodynamic length. These observations are described well for arbitrary inclusion separations by a model that generalizes the Levine-MacKintosh theory of point-force response functions and uses a boundary-element approach to calculate the mobility matrix for inclusions of finite extent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry
  • Diffusion
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Liquid Crystals / chemistry*
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Nitriles / chemistry
  • Rheology
  • Silicone Oils / chemistry
  • Viscoelastic Substances / chemistry

Substances

  • 4'-octyl-4-cyanobiphenyl
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Nitriles
  • Silicone Oils
  • Viscoelastic Substances