DC conductivity of a suspension of insulating particles with internal rotation

We analyse the consequences of Quincke rotation on the conductivity of a suspension. Quincke rotation refers to the spontaneous rotation of insulating particles dispersed in a slightly conducting liquid and subject to a high DC electric field: above a critical field, each particle rotates continuously around itself with an axis pointing in any direction perpendicular to the DC field. When the suspension is subject to an electric field lower than the threshold one, the presence of insulating particles in the host liquid decreases the bulk conductivity since the particles form obstacles to ion migration. But for electric fields higher than the critical one, the particles rotate and facilitate ion migration: the effective conductivity of the suspension is increased. We provide a theoretical analysis of the impact of Quincke rotation on the apparent conductivity of a suspension and we present experimental results obtained with a suspension of PMMA particles dispersed in weakly conducting liquids.     

How insulating particles increase the conductivity of a suspension

Nonconducting particles suspended in a liquid usually decreases the bulk conductivity since they form obstacles to the ions' migration. However, for sufficiently high dc electric fields, these particles rotate spontaneously (Quincke rotation) and facilitate the ions migration: the effective conductivity of the suspension is thus increased. We present a theoretical analysis and show experimental results which demonstrate that the apparent conductivity of the whole suspension can be higher than that of the suspending liquid.     

Wave coagulation of a polydisperse gas suspension in the technology of gasification and Cryostatting of liquefied natural gas

We analyze the flow of a polydisperse suspension of methane droplets in a plane channel with simultaneous coagulation of disperse fraction particles under the action of the wave field generated in the carrier medium—gaseous methane—by oscillating parts of the channel walls. The frequency of in-phase oscillations of the walls is equal to the fundamental frequency for the transverse cross section of the channel filled with gaseous methane. In the vicinity of the radiator, a standing wave of the velocity field forms in the direction transverse to the flow and the intensity of coagulation of particles from different fractions upon their collisions increases due to mutual displacement. We describe the evolution of the dispersiveness of a vapor-droplet flow under the action of the wave field of a standing wave whose front moves transversely to the flow.     

Microsphere manipulation using ferroelectric liquid crystals

We propose a strategy for a micromanipulation method using SSFLC (surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals). By adjusting the frequency of the applied ac electric field, the surface layers that cannot follow an applied ac electric field are constructed in SSFLC. In addition, by applying a sawtooth wave voltage, net flow along the smectic layer is generated. The flow direction is reversed by changing the polarity of the sawtooth wave. Consequently, the particles dispersed in SSFLC can be driven bidirectionally along the smectic layer. The particle velocity depends on the temperature, amplitude, and frequency of the applied voltage.     

Bistability and "negative" viscosity for a suspension of insulating particles in an electric field

It is shown that a suspension of insulating particles in a liquid with low conductivity possesses bistability and has a "negative" effective viscosity effect in the electric field due to internal rotations. By Brownian dynamics simulation it has been found that thermal fluctuations of the angular velocity of particles in this bistable system can have a large effect on the viscosity of the suspension.     

Control of two-dimensional motion of microparticles in nematic liquid crystal

The possibility of controlling two-dimensional motion of dielectric microparticles in the channel filledwith nematic liquid crystalwas experimentally shown. It was found that particle motion along the electric field occurs by means of the electrophoresis phenomenon. Particle motion along electrodes perpendicularly to the electric field is caused by the combination of two effects, i.e., the backflow and Quincke rotation.     

Spatial distortions of the orientational structure of a ferronematic in the presence of external fields

Spatial distortions of the director field and magnetization of a ferronematic (suspension of magnetic nanoparticles in a nematic liquid crystal) that are induced by simultaneous action of electric and magnetic fields are studied with allowance for the flexoelectric polarization of the liquid-crystalline matrix. Soft coupling of liquid crystal and magnetic particles and layer boundaries is considered. The dependence of the phase lag of the transmitted light on the external magnetic field is analyzed.     

Electrorheological effects in carbon, barium titanate, and nickel coated with barium titanate suspensions

Effects of the electric field on the rheology, electrorheological (ER) effects, are investigated on carbon, barium titanate (BaTiO₃) and BaTiO₃-coated nickel (BT-Ni) suspensions. Among some electroreological properties, electric field frequency dependence of the induced shear stress (yield stress) observed for three suspensions shows a contrasting behavior. With increase in the electric field frequency, the yield stress decreases above 100 Hz in the carbon suspension, monotonously increases in the BaTiO₃ suspension, and is almost constant in the BT-Ni suspension. The difference in the frequency dependence and magnitude of the yield stress is discussed on the basis of the magnitude and relaxation time of the interfacial polarization and the effect of the particle rotation under the shear flow.     

Rectified motion of colloids in asymmetrically structured channels

We set micron size particles into macroscopic motion by submitting them to a low frequency electric field (of zero mean value) in a microfabricated channel exhibiting a topological ratchet-like local polarity. Rectification is induced by the coupling between electrophoresis, electroosmosis, and dielectrophoresis. The macroscopic velocities of the particles are functions of the electric field and of the geometry of the channel; they strongly depend on their size which opens the way to potential separations.     

Electrodynamics of a convective cloud

An attempt has been made to describe analytically the electrodynamics of a convective cloud on the basis of a one-dimensional convective cell with solid gas rotation. The cloud electrification is due to the interaction between heavy (large raindrops and particles of hail) and light (microparticles of water and ice) particles. As a result, the particles acquire unlike electric charges. The large-scale electric field in the cloud is stipulated by boundary effects and influences considerably the motion of the heavy fraction of aerosol particles. A scenario is proposed for the development of an intracloud charge, by which the large-scale electric field does not reach the breakdown value, staying at the level of the corona discharge field, while an increase in the irregular component of the electric field is continued and achieves the breakdown value in the small-scale electric cells induced by analogues of plasma beam instabilities. The basic electric discharge occurs against the background of multiple discharges inside the cell which provide for the leader lightning channel. Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 40, Nos. 1–2, pp. 123–137, January–February, 1997.     

Theory of Electrorotation of Clustered Colloidal Particles

When a colloidal suspension is exposed to a strong rotating electric field, an aggregation of the suspended particles is induced to appear. In such clusters, the separation between the suspended particles is so close that one could not neglect the multiple image effect on the electrorotation (ER) spectrum. Since so far the exact multiple image method exists in two dimensions only, rather than in three dimensions, we investigate the ER spectrum of the clustered colloidal particles in two dimensions, in which many cylindrical particles are randomly distributed in a sheet cluster. We report the dependence of the ER spectrum on the material parameters. It is shown that the multiple image method predicts two characteristic frequencies, at which the rotation speed reaches maximum. To this end, the multiple image method is numerically demonstrated to be in good agreement with the known Maxwell-Garnett approximation.     

A micro/nanocasting method for replicating soft micro/nanosurface structures using a dynamic electrical field

We propose a new electric field-induced micro/nanocasting method to replicate soft patterns using micro/nanocasting techniques without pressure. The process uses an alternating current (AC) electrical field and rotation of one electrode, generating a dynamic electrical field that induces electrokinetic flow motion in a dielectric solution (polydimethylsilane, PDMS). We used a lotus leaf as a replication template and characterised the PDMS flow motion to observe the effects of various process parameters (e.g., electrical field strength, rotation speed of an electrode, and electrode shape). The unstable flow motion was significantly dependent on the processing parameters, especially the rotation speed of the electrode. Using the optimised processing conditions, the replication efficiency was about 88%. We believe that this method has potential for fabricating soft micro/nanosized structures.     

Electrohydrodynamic controlled assembly and fracturing of thin colloidal particle films confined at drop interfaces

Particles can adsorb strongly at liquid interfaces due to capillary forces, which in practice can confine the particles to the interface. Here we investigate the electrohydrodynamic flow driven packing and deformation of colloidal particle layers confined at the surface of liquid drops. The electrohydrodynamic flow has a stagnation point at the drop equator, leading to assembly of particles in a ribbon shaped film. The flow is entirely controlled by the electric field, and we demonstrate that AC fields can be used to induce hydrodynamic “shaking” of the colloidal particle film. We find that the mechanical properties of the film is highly dependent on the particles: monodisperse polystyrene beads form packed granular monolayers which “liquefies” upon shaking, whereas clay mineral particles form cohesive films that fracture upon shaking. The results are expected to be relevant for understanding the mechanics and rheology of particle stabilized emulsions.     

Orientational Instability and Hysteresis Phenomena in a Ferronematic Liquid Crystal in a Magnetic Field

A magnetic-field-induced orientational structure in a ferronematic (FN) liquid crystal (LC) layer is studied within the continuum theory. The rotation angles of the director and the magnetization and the concentration of magnetic impurity corresponding to a supertwisted orientational structure of the suspension are calculated. It is shown that the deviation angle of the director from the direction of the external field has the hysteresis region in which the orientational structure of the FN changes stepwise from a state with a positive twist of the director to a state with a negative twist. A value of the magnetic field strength is found above which orientational bistability regions arise. It is shown that orientational instability under the rotation of the field most clearly manifests itself in FNs with strong anchoring of particles to the LC matrix. It is established that the effect of magnetic segregation responsible for the redistribution of magnetic particles in the layer leads to the expansion of the hysteresis region and to a decrease in the field at which orientational instability arises. It is shown that, in FNs with soft anchoring between magnetic and LC subsystems, there exist several response modes to a quasistatic rotation of the magnetic field.     

Models of anisotropically polarizable suspensions with irreversible processes: Anisotropy relaxation,dielectrophoresis, and electroviscous flows

We consider media consisting of an anisotropically polarizable particle of a disperse phase and a nonconducting liquid carrier phase. The particles exhibit easy axis or easy plane anisotropy. A complete electrohydrodynamic model describing the motion of the medium in an electric field is constructed with allowance for irreversible processes. The laws determining the polarization of the medium, dielectrophoresis of particles, and anisotropy relaxation are determined. Expressions are derived for the kinetic coefficients appearing in these laws and the expression for the free energy of the medium. The dependence of the effective viscosity on the electric field strength is determined for a flow in narrow channels.     

一种新的磷化铟复合沟道高电子迁移率晶体管小信号物理模型

针对磷化铟(InP)复合沟道高电子迁移率晶体管(HEMT)的特点，对常规单沟道HEMT的小信号物理模型进行了修正，提出了一种新的用于复合沟道HEMT的小信号物理模型，用商用器件模拟软件ISE(integrated systems engineering)对其进行了仿真验证，对比了实测和仿真的I-V特性及转移特性曲线，重点研究了在InGaAs/InP双层沟道中考虑量子效应后的电场和电流密度随着不同栅电压的变化趋势，研究结果表明，由于在沟道中存在量子效应，在栅下靠源端低电场区域，电流主要分布在InGaAs沟道 关键词： 高电子迁移率晶体管 复合沟道 物理模型 磷化铟     

On the mechanism of own rotation of dust particles

We analyze the physical reason for own rotation of dust particles. We propose from analysis of literature data and our previous studies that own rotation of dust particles is due to azimuth-symmetric flow of ions to the particle surface, which is associated with a nonuniform distribution of the surface charge. This assumption is in conformity with the results of experiments in which the plasma flow is changed by introducing particles in the horizontal plane (horizontal cluster) and particles aligned along the discharge current (vertical cluster) and with the observation of the rotation threshold for the discharge current and the magnetic field. The experiments are performed with spherical particles using the coordinate tracing method. Our results make it possible to construct a model of spinning of charged dust tops for describing magnetic properties of a complex plasma.     

Peristaltic Motion of a Particle-Fluid Suspension in a Planar Channel

We analyze the mechanics of peristaltic pumpingof a particle-fluid suspension in a channel. Aperturbation series (to second order) in dimensionlesswave number of an infinite harmonic travelling wave is used to obtain an explicit form for thevelocities and a relation between the flow rate and thepressure gradient in terms of the Reynolds number,concentration of the particles, suspension parameters, and the occlusion. We discuss the effect of theconcentration of the particles, the Reynolds number, andthe wave number on the pressure rise, peristalticpumping, augmented pumping, and backward pumping. We also discuss the phenomenon oftrapping.     

方波电泳电场驱动下液膜马达的电致流动特征

液膜马达作为一种新颖的实验装置在基础研究和技术应用方面都将会发挥着重要的作用, 深入研究各种条件下液膜马达的电致流动特征是非常有意义的. 本文从理论上研究了均匀恒定外电场中的液膜马达在方波电泳电场驱动下的动力学特征, 解析地给出了液膜转动的线速度随时空变化的规律. 理论结果表明, 液膜会随着电泳电场频率的增大由对称性往复转动逐渐转变为振动, 这不仅有助于从理论上认识液膜马达振动的物理根源, 也为在实际应用中设计液膜搅拌机提供了一种新思路.     

3-D numerical analysis of EHD turbulent flow and mono-disperse charged particle transport and collection in a wire-plate ESP

The present study attempts to develop a detailed numerical approach and a simulation procedure to predict the motion of gas, ions and particles inside a simple parallel plate channel containing a single corona wire. A hybrid Finite Element (FEM)-Flux Corrected Transport (FCT)-Finite Volume (FVM) method is used: the FEM–FCT numerical algorithm is applied for modeling the steady-state corona discharge, while the turbulent gas flow and the particle motion under electrostatic forces are modeled using the commercial CFD code FLUENT. Calculations for the gas flow are carried out by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations and turbulence is modeled using the k–? turbulence model. An additional source term is added to the gas flow equation to include the effect of the electric field, obtained by solving a coupled system of the electric field and charge transport equations using User-Defined Functions (UDFs). The particle phase is simulated based on the Lagrangian approach, where a large number of particles is traced with their motion affected by the gas flow and electrostatic forces using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) in FLUENT. The developed model is useful to gain insight into the particle collection phenomena that take place inside an ESP.