Flow properties of smectic

Illustration of anisotropic flow properties of smectic A licptid crystals. Sticks are parallel to the director, (a) The director is in the plane of the flipping. In this case the material acts as a solid. Lower row The director and layer structure of the cross section of the tube in the view when facing the opening of the tube. The smectic layers are in horizontal position, (b) The director is normal to the plane of the rotation of the sample tube. The material behaves as a fluid. Lower row The director and layer structure of the cross section of the tube in the view when facing the opening of the tube. The smectic layers are in vertical position. 

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