Linear Viscoelasticity of Lyotropic and Thermotropic LCPs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Flow Birefringence of Biological Liquid Crystals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Patterns and Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Banded Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Banded Textures After Cessation of Shear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Biological Liquid Crystalline Polymer Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Film Casting of Cholesteric Collagen Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Silk Spinning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Abstract
This chapter presents a comprehensive review on the flow behavior of liquid
crystalline polymers (LCPs). The work presented here covers the widely
known synthetic LCPs and also its biological counterpart denominated as
biological liquid crystalline polymers (BLCPs), which have been recently
studied extensively due to their multi-functionality and their very interesting
material properties. We focus on their flow behavior and the structure of these
materials and its coupled dynamics. Theory, modelling, and simulation aspects
are provided through two very well-known theories: (i) the Leslie-Ericksen
(L-E) and (ii) the Landau – de Gennes (LdG) theory presenting the compatibility of both theories through the projection of the LdG to the L-E theory.
Other aspects that are covered in this chapter are defects and textures since
they are essential characteristics of these materials and they are known for
affecting the flow behavior of liquid crystalline materials. An in-depth review
of physical and rheo-physical defects is presented including defect nucleation
and coarsening processes. A wide range of applications of the theory and
simulations results are also covered which include transient shear responses,
linear viscoelasticity, flow birefringence, banded patterns, and banded textures
appearing after cessation of shear flow due to stress relaxation processes.
Contrast and comparison with experimental data is also included in this
chapter. Moreover, applications in the context new material design and development of BLCs based on reported in vivo and in vitro processes are also
provided. The applied theory and simulations provide a new way to extract
additional information from experimental rheological data and allow to distinguish the role of liquid crystalline properties such as viscoelasticity and
anisotropy, flow-alignment, coupling between orientation, kinematics, and
flow kinematics. This comprehensive chapter provides a state-of-the-art
review in this field.
Keywords
Liquid crystal polymers · Biological liquid crystals · Self-assembly · Rheology ·
Biological polymer processing
274
A. D. Rey et al.
Flow Birefringence of Biological Liquid Crystals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Patterns and Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Banded Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Banded Textures After Cessation of Shear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Biological Liquid Crystalline Polymer Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Film Casting of Cholesteric Collagen Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Silk Spinning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Abstract
This chapter presents a comprehensive review on the flow behavior of liquid
crystalline polymers (LCPs). The work presented here covers the widely
known synthetic LCPs and also its biological counterpart denominated as
biological liquid crystalline polymers (BLCPs), which have been recently
studied extensively due to their multi-functionality and their very interesting
material properties. We focus on their flow behavior and the structure of these
materials and its coupled dynamics. Theory, modelling, and simulation aspects
are provided through two very well-known theories: (i) the Leslie-Ericksen
(L-E) and (ii) the Landau – de Gennes (LdG) theory presenting the compatibility of both theories through the projection of the LdG to the L-E theory.
Other aspects that are covered in this chapter are defects and textures since
they are essential characteristics of these materials and they are known for
affecting the flow behavior of liquid crystalline materials. An in-depth review
of physical and rheo-physical defects is presented including defect nucleation
and coarsening processes. A wide range of applications of the theory and
simulations results are also covered which include transient shear responses,
linear viscoelasticity, flow birefringence, banded patterns, and banded textures
appearing after cessation of shear flow due to stress relaxation processes.
Contrast and comparison with experimental data is also included in this
chapter. Moreover, applications in the context new material design and development of BLCs based on reported in vivo and in vitro processes are also
provided. The applied theory and simulations provide a new way to extract
additional information from experimental rheological data and allow to distinguish the role of liquid crystalline properties such as viscoelasticity and
anisotropy, flow-alignment, coupling between orientation, kinematics, and
flow kinematics. This comprehensive chapter provides a state-of-the-art
review in this field.
Keywords
Liquid crystal polymers · Biological liquid crystals · Self-assembly · Rheology ·
Biological polymer processing
274
A. D. Rey et al.