Vorticity banding in rodlike virus suspensions

Kyongok Kang, M. P. Lettinga, Z. Dogic, and Jan K. G. Dhont
Phys. Rev. E 74, 026307 – Published 28 August 2006

Abstract

Vorticity banding under steady shear flow is observed in a suspension of semiflexible colloidal rods (fd virus particles) within a part of the paranematic-nematic biphasic region. Banding occurs uniformly throughout the cell gap within a shear-rate interval (γ̇,γ̇+), which depends on the fd concentration. For shear rates below the lower-border shear rate γ̇ only shear elongation of inhomogeneities, which are formed due to paranematic-nematic phase separation, is observed. Within a small region just above the upper-border shear rate γ̇+, banding occurs heterogeneously. An essential difference in the kinetics of vorticity banding is observed, depending on the morphology of inhomogeneities formed during the initial stages of the paranematic-nematic phase separation. Particle tracking and polarization experiments indicate that the vorticity bands are in a weak rolling flow, superimposed on the applied shear flow. We propose a mechanism for the origin of the banding instability and the transient stability of the banded states. This mechanism is related to the normal stresses generated by inhomogeneities formed due to the underlying paranematic-nematic phase transition.

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  • Received 16 February 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.74.026307

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Kyongok Kang1, M. P. Lettinga1, Z. Dogic2, and Jan K. G. Dhont1

  • 1Institute für Festkörper Forschung (IFF), Weiche Materie, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D52425 Jülich, Germany
  • 2Rowland Institute at Harvard, 100 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA

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Issue

Vol. 74, Iss. 2 — August 2006

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