Chromonic liquid crystals are lyotropic nematic phases whose applications span from food to drug industries. It has recently been suggested that the elastic energy density governing the equilibrium distortions of these materials may be quartic in the measure of twist. Here we show that the non-linear twist-wave equation associated with such an energy has smooth solutions that break down in a finite time, giving rise to the formation of a shock wave, under rather generic assumptions on the initial profile. The critical time at which smooth solutions become singular is estimated analytically with an accuracy that numerical calculations for a number of exemplary cases prove to be satisfactory.
Singular twist waves in chromonic liquid crystals
Paparini, Silvia;Virga, Epifanio G.
2025-01-01
Abstract
Chromonic liquid crystals are lyotropic nematic phases whose applications span from food to drug industries. It has recently been suggested that the elastic energy density governing the equilibrium distortions of these materials may be quartic in the measure of twist. Here we show that the non-linear twist-wave equation associated with such an energy has smooth solutions that break down in a finite time, giving rise to the formation of a shock wave, under rather generic assumptions on the initial profile. The critical time at which smooth solutions become singular is estimated analytically with an accuracy that numerical calculations for a number of exemplary cases prove to be satisfactory.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
