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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
Rheology of cholesteric blue phases
A Dupuis1, D Marenduzzo, E Orlandini
1The Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, 1 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3NP, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Cholesteric blue phases are a spectacular example of disclination line networks. Here we numerically investigate their response to an imposed Poiseuille flow. We show that shear forces bend and twist and can unzip the disclination lines. Under gentle forcing the network opposes the flow and the apparent viscosity is large. With increased forcing we find strong shear thinning corresponding to the disruption of the network. As the viscosity starts to drop, the imposed flow sets the network into motion. Disclinations break up and re-form with their neighbors along the flow.
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