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Microscopic calculation of the surface tension of nematic LCs

Microscopic calculation of the surface tension of nematic LCs
Microscopic calculation of the surface tension of nematic LCs
The surface tension of liquid crystals at the free surface has been found experimentally to exhibit intriguing behavior in the neighborhood of the nematic-isotropic transition temperature TNI. We discuss general features of the relation between wetting properties and temperature dependence of the free surface tension close to TNI. Different wetting properties are expected to yield a varied assortment of surface tension characteristics. In order to supplement and extend these arguments, we have analyzed the surface tension using a microscopic density functional model. In this approach anisotropic volume exclusion effects are neglected, isolating instead the effect on the surface tension of the orientationally coupled Lennard-Jones potential. Wetting properties are sensitive to the different spherical harmonic components of this potential, and thus the model exhibits a rich array of surface tension behaviors, of which we give a brief overview. The principal new result of the calculations we have performed, summarized here, is the appearance of a pre-transitional surface tension minimum which is seen in many experimental studies. This is related to anomalously high sub- surface order.
081942112X
16-19
SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Braun, F.N.
994760b2-33b6-4c3c-b6e4-28c672c0702c
Sluckin, Timothy J.
8dbb6b08-7034-4ae2-aa65-6b80072202f6
Velasco, E.
a05d7ede-062e-4139-861b-8dc035b4bef3
Mederos, L.
77a6633b-c6b5-4a5c-8be0-74b09352dfb6
Rumtsev, Evgenij
Tomilin, Maxim G.
Braun, F.N.
994760b2-33b6-4c3c-b6e4-28c672c0702c
Sluckin, Timothy J.
8dbb6b08-7034-4ae2-aa65-6b80072202f6
Velasco, E.
a05d7ede-062e-4139-861b-8dc035b4bef3
Mederos, L.
77a6633b-c6b5-4a5c-8be0-74b09352dfb6
Rumtsev, Evgenij
Tomilin, Maxim G.

Braun, F.N., Sluckin, Timothy J., Velasco, E. and Mederos, L. (1996) Microscopic calculation of the surface tension of nematic LCs. Rumtsev, Evgenij and Tomilin, Maxim G. (eds.) In International Liquid Crystal Workshop on Surface Phenomena. vol. 2731, SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. pp. 16-19 . (doi:10.1117/12.230658).

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

The surface tension of liquid crystals at the free surface has been found experimentally to exhibit intriguing behavior in the neighborhood of the nematic-isotropic transition temperature TNI. We discuss general features of the relation between wetting properties and temperature dependence of the free surface tension close to TNI. Different wetting properties are expected to yield a varied assortment of surface tension characteristics. In order to supplement and extend these arguments, we have analyzed the surface tension using a microscopic density functional model. In this approach anisotropic volume exclusion effects are neglected, isolating instead the effect on the surface tension of the orientationally coupled Lennard-Jones potential. Wetting properties are sensitive to the different spherical harmonic components of this potential, and thus the model exhibits a rich array of surface tension behaviors, of which we give a brief overview. The principal new result of the calculations we have performed, summarized here, is the appearance of a pre-transitional surface tension minimum which is seen in many experimental studies. This is related to anomalously high sub- surface order.

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More information

Published date: 1996
Venue - Dates: International Liquid Crystal Workshop on Surface Phenomena, St Petersburg, Russia, 1995-06-21 - 1995-06-23

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 29562
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/29562
ISBN: 081942112X
PURE UUID: 96731b40-33ac-4160-b9c1-e85a8e700bde
ORCID for Timothy J. Sluckin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9163-0061

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 16 May 2007
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:32

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Contributors

Author: F.N. Braun
Author: E. Velasco
Author: L. Mederos
Editor: Evgenij Rumtsev
Editor: Maxim G. Tomilin

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