title: The influence of electric field-induced orientation on the retraction of a liquid crystal droplet immersed in a flexible polymer matrix.
abstract: We measured the apparent interfacial tension between a liquid crystal and a flexible polymer by deformed droplet retraction method. An external electric field is applied to change the director orientation in liquid crystal droplet. The deformation and recovery of a single liquid crystal droplet dispersed in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix were realized by a transient shear flow and observed by polarized optical microscope. In order to control the director orientation in LC droplet, the electric field is applied perpendicular and parallel to the flow field, respectively. The different orientation induced by electric field in liquid crystal droplet has different behavior during droplet retraction and affect the apparent interfacial tension between liquid crystal and flexible polymer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Youjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chixing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou