Abstract
This paper proposes and demonstrates a particle free method for flow field visualizations by analyzing liquid crystal polarizations. The proposed concept is implemented by imaging of liquid crystal flow under microfluidic environment using a crossed polarization microscopy configuration. Fringe patterns give good representation of flow characterizations for different nozzle/diffuser microchannel designs. The obtained results demonstrate that the flow field under various conditions can be evaluated. Visualizations of the flow fields are carried out by the liquid crystal polarization induced fringe patterns in nozzle/diffuser microchannels. We achieve good match between the flow field obtained by LC polarization and the simulated one. It is envisaged that the proposed methodology can make a potential impact in flow field visualization studies and related analysis.
Highlights
Liquid crystals (LCs) are well known for their optical properties, whose orientations can be tuned via various stimuli
This paper proposes and demonstrates a particle free method for flow field visualizations by analyzing liquid crystal polarizations
The proposed concept is implemented by imaging of liquid crystal flow under microfluidic environment using a crossed polarization microscopy configuration
Summary
Liquid crystals (LCs) are well known for their optical properties, whose orientations can be tuned via various stimuli. The coupling of flow field with molecular reorientation at micro scale is yet to be studied so as to reveal the relation between each other. The flow confinement of LCs provided by microfluidics is ideal for research upon surface treatment, bio sensing and flow visualization due to the refined control of flow conditions. Under different flow conditions caused by varying flow rates, channel geometries or surface anchoring conditions, LCs will display different fringe patterns when illuminated by a polarized light source. Fringe patterns obtained by LCs’ polarization reveal the flow condition, which achieves the flow visualization. The nozzle/diffuser microchannel, called rectifier [18, 24,25,26], is a well reported geometry which is utilized to show the inter connection of the flow field and 5CB molecular reorientations
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