Electrorheological response of a nematic liquid crystal confined in the region between two coaxial and rotating circular cylinders is studied theoretically. Utilizing weak anchoring conditions, the physical properties of 4-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB), nonslip boundary conditions, and contrasting surface anchoring energies, we numerically obtain the equilibrium configurations for the nematic director under the influence of an external low-frequency radial electric field and the corresponding (angular) velocity profiles. The Fréedericksz transition is parametrized by the cylinders' radii ratio for different values of the surface energies. The averaged apparent viscosity of the nematic is calculated also.

• Received 7 September 2020
• Revised 18 November 2020
• Accepted 6 January 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.103.012706