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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Ensemble Force Spectroscopy by Shear Forces
Published on: July 26, 2022
Chirality-specific lift forces of helix under shear flows: Helix perpendicular to shear plane
1Department of Mathematics and Physics, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Chiral objects in shear flow experience a chirality-specific lift force. Shear flows past helices in a low Reynolds number regime were studied using slender-body theory. The chirality-specific lift forces in the vorticity direction experienced by helices are dominated by a set of helix geometry parameters: helix radius, pitch length, number of turns, and helix phase angle. Its analytical formula is given. The chirality-specific forces are the physical reasons for the chiral separation of helices in shear flow. Our results are well supported by the latest experimental observations.
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