Transient rheology of discotic mesophases

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the role of orientation on the rheology of discotic mesophases subjected to slow shear start-up flows, using a projection of the Landau-de Gennes equations of nematodynamics. Analysis of the shear stress surface as a function of tilt and twist orientation with respect to the shear plane shows that the stress surface is dense in well-oriented and periodically located sets of maxima and minima. Thus overshoots and undershoot stress responses to shear-start up are predicted to be the rule rather than the exception. In-plane (within the shear plane) shear start-up stress responses can exhibit multiple, single, or no overshoots, depending on the number of maxima traversed on the way to steady state. Responses originating from orientations close to the vorticity axis lead to stress undershoots. Complex stress responses, such as a weak overshoot-strong undershoot sequence, are found for intermediate tilt-twist initial states. In-plane modes lead to amplitude and strain scaling. Out-of-plane modes do not display amplitude or strain scaling. These results provide will be useful to interpret and use transient shear rheological data of carbonaceous mesophases and highly filled suspensions of disc-like particles.