Molecular field theory for biaxial nematics formed from liquid crystal dimers and inhibited by the twist-bend nematic
Molecular field theory for biaxial nematics formed from liquid crystal dimers and inhibited by the twist-bend nematic
Liquid crystal dimers with odd spacers are good candidates as materials for biaxial nematic phases (NB). The dimers are flexible molecules sustaining biaxial conformations, and couplings between the conformational and orientational distributions could be expected to stabilise NB. We apply a molecular field theory for flexible molecules developed elsewhere to study a simple system made up of dimers composed of two cylindrically symmetric mesogenic groups. Our model allows for two idealised conformations: one linear and one bent at a tetrahedral angle. For a restricted set of chain lengths, the model predicts a first-order reentrant phase transition from the NB phase into a low temperature uniaxial nematic phase (NU ). However the formation of the biaxial nematic could be blocked by the appearance of a twist-bent nematic.
29321-29332
To, Tung Ba Thanh
82b77b8d-0ea0-45ca-930a-e944be4d2dc5
Sluckin, Timothy (Tim) J.
8dbb6b08-7034-4ae2-aa65-6b80072202f6
Luckhurst, Geoffrey R.
80cbbfc6-d5c7-4f46-bacd-1cfb42b56553
21 November 2017
To, Tung Ba Thanh
82b77b8d-0ea0-45ca-930a-e944be4d2dc5
Sluckin, Timothy (Tim) J.
8dbb6b08-7034-4ae2-aa65-6b80072202f6
Luckhurst, Geoffrey R.
80cbbfc6-d5c7-4f46-bacd-1cfb42b56553
To, Tung Ba Thanh, Sluckin, Timothy (Tim) J. and Luckhurst, Geoffrey R.
(2017)
Molecular field theory for biaxial nematics formed from liquid crystal dimers and inhibited by the twist-bend nematic.
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19 (43), .
(doi:10.1039/C7CP04350C).
Abstract
Liquid crystal dimers with odd spacers are good candidates as materials for biaxial nematic phases (NB). The dimers are flexible molecules sustaining biaxial conformations, and couplings between the conformational and orientational distributions could be expected to stabilise NB. We apply a molecular field theory for flexible molecules developed elsewhere to study a simple system made up of dimers composed of two cylindrically symmetric mesogenic groups. Our model allows for two idealised conformations: one linear and one bent at a tetrahedral angle. For a restricted set of chain lengths, the model predicts a first-order reentrant phase transition from the NB phase into a low temperature uniaxial nematic phase (NU ). However the formation of the biaxial nematic could be blocked by the appearance of a twist-bent nematic.
Text
Tung_etal_preprintPCCP2017(2)
- Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 25 September 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 September 2017
Published date: 21 November 2017
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 414754
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/414754
ISSN: 1463-9076
PURE UUID: 7254a595-fa45-46c0-a2d8-4810d7ac0a8b
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Date deposited: 10 Oct 2017 16:31
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 05:47
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Author:
Tung Ba Thanh To
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