Dynamics of three-dimensional vesicles in dc electric fields.

A numerical and systematic parameter study of three-dimensional vesicle electrohydrodynamics is presented to investigate the effects of varying electric field strength and different fluid and membrane properties. The dynamics of vesicles in the presence of dc electric fields is considered, in both the presence and absence of linear shear flow. For suspended vesicles it is shown that the conductivity ratio and viscosity ratio between the interior and exterior fluids, as well as the vesicle membrane capacitance, substantially affect the minimum electric field strength required to induce a full prolate-oblate-prolate transition. In addition, there exists a critical electric field strength above which a vesicle will no longer tumble when exposed to linear shear flow.