RESUMEN
Using a novel technique that facilitates temporal control over the total body force on a liquid, an unexpected scaling relationship was discovered for the collapse time of a liquid bridge. A paramagnetic liquid was suspended between the tips of two collinear rods in a strong magnetic field gradient that was adjusted to compensate gravity. A sudden change of the magnet current, corresponding to a change of Bond number, resulted in a deformation and ultimate collapse of the liquid bridge. The collapse time was found to be independent of the bridge length when other parameters were held constant.
RESUMEN
The paramagnetic fluid composed of manganese chloride tetrahydrate dissolved in water was used to form bridges held between two parallel collinear rods. Magnetic levitation was used to control the effective gravity felt by the bridges. Their stability was studied as a function of Bond number and volume of the supported liquid. Data are compared with theoretical predictions for liquid bridges as well as with experimental results, where available. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.
RESUMEN
We have used atomistic molecular-dynamics simulations to model the detailed molecular configuration of 5CB (4-n-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl) molecules in the form of a nanoscopic liquid crystal droplet in a vacuum microgravity environment. We find the equilibrium state of droplets consisting of as few as 26 or 50 molecules to exhibit significant nematic ordering. The shape of the droplets is also anisotropic, but there is little angular correlation between the nematic director and the long axis of the droplet. Some tendency to micelle formation is observed in droplets of 50 molecules.