Orientation control of rodlike objects by flow

TL;DR

This paper investigates how flow can be used to control the orientation of rodlike objects in a liquid suspension, with implications for chemical reactions and material properties.

Contribution

It derives a simple differential equation for the orientation distribution of rodlike objects under flow and discusses how optical effects can test orientation control.

Findings

Derived a differential equation for orientation distribution

Proposed optical tests via birefringence and dichroism

Showed flow can effectively control object orientation

Abstract

Suspensions of rodlike objects in a liquid are encountered in many areas of science and technology and the need to orientate them is extremely important to enhance or inhibit certain chemical reactions between them, other chemicals or with the walls of vessels holding the flowing suspension. Orientation control is feasible by altering velocity and nature of the liquid, its flow and the geometry of the channel containing the flow. In this work we consider the simplest possibility of orientation control with flow in two dimensions on the basis of the orientation distribution of rodlike objects. The simple differential equation satisfied by the orientation probability density function is derived and its solution discussed. In addition, we show how birefringence and dichroism ("Maxwell effect") of the suspension provide a direct experimental test of orientation control.