Stokes-Einstein diffusion of colloids in nematics

Abstract

We report the experimental observation of anisotropic diffusion of polystyrene particles immersed in a lyotropic liquid crystal with two different anchoring conditions. Diffusion is shown to obey the Stokes-Einstein law for particle diameters ranging from 190 nm up to 2 μm. In the case of prolate micelles, the beads diffuse four times faster along the director than in perpendicular directions, D||/D[Symbol: see text] ≈ 4. In the theory part we present a perturbative approach to the Leslie-Ericksen equations and relate the diffusion coefficients to the Miesovicz viscosity parameters η(i). We provide explicit formulas for the cases of uniform director field and planar anchoring conditions which are then discussed in view of the data. As a general rule, we find that the inequalities η(b) <η(a) <η(c), satisfied by various liquid crystals of rodlike molecules, imply D||>D[Symbol: see text].