  We analyse the consequences of Quincke rotation on the conductivity of a
suspension. Quincke rotation refers to the spontaneous rotation of insulating
particles dispersed in a slightly conducting liquid and subject to a high DC
electric field: above a critical field, each particle rotates continuously
around itself with an axis pointing in any direction perpendicular to the DC
field. When the suspension is subject to an electric field lower than the
threshold one, the presence of insulating particles in the host liquid
decreases the bulk conductivity since the particles form obstacles to ion
migration. But for electric fields higher than the critical one, the particles
rotate and facilitate ion migration: the effective conductivity of the
suspension is increased. We provide a theoretical analysis of the impact of
Quincke rotation on the apparent conductivity of a suspension and we present
experimental results obtained with a suspension of PMMA particles dispersed in
weakly conducting liquids.
