Biaxial phases of bent-core liquid crystal polymers in shear flows (Q620034)

The article is mainly a thorough discussion of numerical results. The results have been obtained after simulating a Smoluchowski equation for the probability density function of V-shaped/bent-core liquid crystal polymers (VLCPS). The Smoluchowski equation takes into account the Brownian motion of the VLCPS molecules, excluded-volume interactions and the solvent convection. The numerical method and the expression for the extra-stress tensor are only briefly recalled from previous works of the authors [\textit{S. Sircar} and \textit{Q. Wang}, Shear-induced mesostructures in biaxial liquid crystals, Phys. Rev. E,78, 061702 (2008)]. Conclusions are drawn about the phases transitions and the rheology, as a function of various parameters: the bent angle, the VLCPS concentration, the shear rate\dots.