Ferronematics in Confinement -Modelling, Analysis and Simulations for New Applications

限制中的铁电学 - 新应用的建模、分析和仿真

• 批准号: 2435645
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Strathclyde
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2435645
• 关键词: Ferronematics; Confinement; Modelling; Analysis; Simulations

Nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) are partially ordered materials that are intermediate between conventional solids and isotropic liquids. NLCs exhibit preferred directions of averaged molecular alignment and typically have a strong direction-dependent response to external electric fields. However, NLCs have relatively weak responses to external magnetic fields. Ferronematics describe suspensions of magnetic particles in a nematic host and have substantially enhanced responses to external magnetic fields. Experimental research in ferronematics is booming but rigorous mathematical underpinnings are slim. In this project, we will study continuum phenomenological free energies for ferronematics, with attention to nature of the coupling between the NLC host and the suspended magnetic particles. The experimentally observable equilibria correspond to energy minimizers, which are solutions of a nonlinear coupled system of partial differential equations. We will study the qualitative properties of the energy minimizers in different asymptotic regimes. This will be supplemented by detailed numerical studies of the solution landscapes. This project aims to provide sound theoretical foundations for the emerging field of ferronematics and composite materials, that can guide further investigations of novel tunable materials, and is squarely within the University's strategic themes of "Measurement Science and Enabling Technologies" and "Advanced Manufacturing and Materials".

向列液晶 (NLC) 是介于传统固体和各向同性液体之间的部分有序材料。 NLC 表现出平均分子排列的优选方向，并且通常对外部电场具有强烈的方向依赖性响应。然而，NLC 对外部磁场的响应相对较弱。铁电学描述了向列主体中磁性颗粒的悬浮液，并且对外部磁场的响应显着增强。铁函数学的实验研究正在蓬勃发展，但严格的数学基础却很薄弱。在这个项目中，我们将研究铁论学的连续唯象自由能，重点关注 NLC 主体和悬浮磁性粒子之间耦合的性质。实验可观察到的平衡对应于能量最小化器，它是偏微分方程的非线性耦合系统的解。我们将研究不同渐近状态下能量最小化器的定性特性。这将通过解决方案景观的详细数值研究来补充。该项目旨在为新兴的铁函数学和复合材料领域提供良好的理论基础，指导新型可调谐材料的进一步研究，完全符合大学“测量科学和实现技术”和“先进制造和材料”的战略主题。