Regular and chaotic orientational and rheological behaviour of liquid crystals

摘要: The dynamic behaviour of the molecular alignment strongly affects rheological properties nematic liquid crystals. closed nonlinear relaxation equation for five components tensor which was derived within framework irreversible thermodynamics and also inferred from a generalized Fokker–Planck led to prediction (Rien¨ acker et al 2002 Phys. Rev. E 66 040702(R); Physica A 315 537) that rather complex orientational tumbling nematics can even be chaotic in certain range relevant control variables. Here consequences, particular shear stress normal differences, as well underlying dynamics are computed discussed. For selected state points, long time averages evaluated imposed rates. Orientational presented. transitions between different states detected Representative examples orbits phase portraits give insight into behaviour.