Nonlinear electrophoresis of dielectric and metal spheres in a nematic liquid crystal

Details Nonlinear electrophoresis of dielectric and metal spheres in a nematic liquid crystal Nonlinear electrophoresis of dielectric and metal spheres in a nematic liquid crystal

2011-01-20

arxiv.org/abs/1101.3947v1

Nature 467 (2010), 947-950

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

15 pages, 4 figures

Scientific paper

10.1038/nature09427

Electrophoresis is a motion of charged dispersed particles relative to a fluid in a uniform electric field. The effect is widely used to separate macromolecules, to assemble colloidal structures, to transport particles in nano- and micro-fluidic devices and displays. Typically, the fluid is isotropic (for example, water) and the electrophoretic velocity is linearly proportional to the electric field. In linear electrophoresis, only a direct current (DC) field can drive the particles. An alternate current (AC) field is more desirable because it allows one to overcome problems such as electrolysis and absence of steady flows. Here we show that when the electrophoresis is performed in a nematic fluid, the effect becomes strongly non-linear with a velocity component that is quadratic in the applied voltage and has a direction that generally differs from the direction of linear velocity. The new phenomenon is caused by distortions of the LC orientation around the particle that break the fore-aft (or left-right) symmetry. The effect allows one to transport both charged and neutral particles, even when the particles themselves are perfectly symmetric (spherical), thus enabling new approaches in display technologies, colloidal assembly, separation, microfluidic and micromotor applications.

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