Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures
We study the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on thermotropic nematic liquid crystals (LCs) in relatively dilute NP–LC mixtures. We are interested in the fundamental generic mechanisms that quantitatively and qualitatively affect the phase behavior of LCs. A simple molecular field analysis shows that...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Soft Matter |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2023.1193904/full |
| _version_ | 1797814361213894656 |
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| author | Arbresha Hölbl Amid Ranjkesh Andreja Abina Samo Kralj Samo Kralj Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek |
| author_facet | Arbresha Hölbl Amid Ranjkesh Andreja Abina Samo Kralj Samo Kralj Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek |
| author_sort | Arbresha Hölbl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We study the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on thermotropic nematic liquid crystals (LCs) in relatively dilute NP–LC mixtures. We are interested in the fundamental generic mechanisms that quantitatively and qualitatively affect the phase behavior of LCs. A simple molecular field analysis shows that a phase transition will likely occur upon entry into the ordered phase. Moreover, the interaction between nematogenic NPs and LCs could force a sergeant–soldier-like behavior, in which only the phase behavior of one component is affected despite the symmetric appearance of the coupling term. When NPs are anisotropic, their influence on LC phase behavior can be qualitatively different depending on the anchoring, even in the absence of the disorder. We illustrate numerically that a random-field-type disorder might impose either short-range, quasi-long-range, or even long-range order, which might survive. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:06:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4cf66e188d7463196b85756769fd0c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2813-0499 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:06:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Soft Matter |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4cf66e188d7463196b85756769fd0c32023-06-01T04:48:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Soft Matter2813-04992023-06-01310.3389/frsfm.2023.11939041193904Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixturesArbresha Hölbl0Amid Ranjkesh1Andreja Abina2Samo Kralj3Samo Kralj4Aleksander Zidanšek5Aleksander Zidanšek6Aleksander Zidanšek7Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, SloveniaCondensed Matter Department, J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, SloveniaJožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, SloveniaCondensed Matter Department, J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, SloveniaCondensed Matter Department, J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, SloveniaJožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, SloveniaWe study the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on thermotropic nematic liquid crystals (LCs) in relatively dilute NP–LC mixtures. We are interested in the fundamental generic mechanisms that quantitatively and qualitatively affect the phase behavior of LCs. A simple molecular field analysis shows that a phase transition will likely occur upon entry into the ordered phase. Moreover, the interaction between nematogenic NPs and LCs could force a sergeant–soldier-like behavior, in which only the phase behavior of one component is affected despite the symmetric appearance of the coupling term. When NPs are anisotropic, their influence on LC phase behavior can be qualitatively different depending on the anchoring, even in the absence of the disorder. We illustrate numerically that a random-field-type disorder might impose either short-range, quasi-long-range, or even long-range order, which might survive.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2023.1193904/fullnanoparticlesphase behaviorsurface interactionsdisordersergeant–soldier behavior |
| spellingShingle | Arbresha Hölbl Amid Ranjkesh Andreja Abina Samo Kralj Samo Kralj Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek Aleksander Zidanšek Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures Frontiers in Soft Matter nanoparticles phase behavior surface interactions disorder sergeant–soldier behavior |
| title | Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures |
| title_full | Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures |
| title_fullStr | Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures |
| title_short | Phase behavior of nematic-nanoparticle mixtures |
| title_sort | phase behavior of nematic nanoparticle mixtures |
| topic | nanoparticles phase behavior surface interactions disorder sergeant–soldier behavior |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2023.1193904/full |
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