The biaxial nematic phase diagram for the second rank Straley quadrupolar pair potential, as explored until now, implies that a direct transition from a biaxial nematic to an isotropic phase can occur, either at a single Landau point or even, as recently shown using mean field theory, along a line. We show by an extensive Monte Carlo investigation that a different topology can be found in a wide region of parameter space, with the passage from biaxial to isotropic always going through a uniaxial phase. We argue that this may hint in part at the difficulty in realising a biaxial nematic phase.
G. Sai Preeti, K.P.N. Murthy, V.S.S. Sastry, C. Chiccoli, P. Pasini, R.Berardi, et al. (2011). Does the isotropic–biaxial nematic transition always exist? A new topology for the biaxial nematic phase diagram. SOFT MATTER, 7, 11483-11487 [10.1039/c1sm06214j].
Does the isotropic–biaxial nematic transition always exist? A new topology for the biaxial nematic phase diagram
BERARDI, ROBERTO;ZANNONI, CLAUDIO
2011
Abstract
The biaxial nematic phase diagram for the second rank Straley quadrupolar pair potential, as explored until now, implies that a direct transition from a biaxial nematic to an isotropic phase can occur, either at a single Landau point or even, as recently shown using mean field theory, along a line. We show by an extensive Monte Carlo investigation that a different topology can be found in a wide region of parameter space, with the passage from biaxial to isotropic always going through a uniaxial phase. We argue that this may hint in part at the difficulty in realising a biaxial nematic phase.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.