Structural rheological model of two-phase interlayer shear flow

This paper presents a study of an epitropic liquid crystal layer formation at a metal substrate. Such layer structurization leads to non-Newtonian flow of thin interlayer with wall-adjacent orientation-ordered layers. Rheological characteristics of micron interlayers of n-hexadecane and Vaseline oil with surfactant addition are investigated. The features of structural "variable viscosity" layer are defined within the framework of a proposed rheological model. An increase in the rate of shear deformation leads to a reduction in near-surface layer viscosity due to molecular reorientation. Estimation of model parameters, performed on basis of the experimental rheological data, is carried out.