This project is concerned with the further development and application of a model for disclinations, which are faults, or defects, in the spatial orientation of liquid crystals. These disclinations can be dynamically generated in flowing liquid crystal systems. The research is concerned with multiple interacting disclinations, including their generation and anihilation. Disclination arrays will determine the effective structure and properties of media with flow-induced orientation faults in microscopic structure. Under a prior grant, the dynamics of a single isolated disclination was modeled. These phenomena are of great importance in the processing of advanced liquid crystal polymers, as for instance in the production of highly oriented high strength fibers.
