COEXISTENCE AND PHASE-SEPARATION IN SHEARED COMPLEX FLUIDS

We demonstrate how to construct dynamic phase diagrams for complex flu ids that undergo transitions under flow, in which the conserved compos ition variable and the broken-symmetry order parameter (nematic, smect ic, crystalline, etc.) are coupled to shear rate. Our construction rel ies on a selection criterion, the existence of a steady interface conn ecting two stable homogeneous states. We use the (generalized) Doi mod el of lyotropic nematic liquid crystals as a model system, but the met hod can be easily applied to other systems, provided nonlocal effects are included.