Molecular dynamics computer simulations have been employed to demonstrate that the addition of a suitable uniaxial discotic nematic to a biaxial nematic (Nb) of elongated mesogens can give rise to a low temperature Nb liquid crystal (where the rod-like particles would form a biaxial smectic). The two species are made to be fully miscible over the entire isotropic and nematic temperature range by a suitable parameterisation of shapes and pair interactions. The disc-like mesogen, even though not forming a biaxial nematic by itself gives a stable low-temperature discotic nematic which strongly disfavours the formation of columnar and smectic phases in the two-component system.
Low-temperature biaxial nematic from rod and disc mesogen mixture / R. Berardi; C. Zannoni. - In: SOFT MATTER. - ISSN 1744-683X. - STAMPA. - 8:(2012), pp. 2017-2025. [10.1039/c1sm06838e]
Low-temperature biaxial nematic from rod and disc mesogen mixture
BERARDI, ROBERTO;ZANNONI, CLAUDIO
2012
Abstract
Molecular dynamics computer simulations have been employed to demonstrate that the addition of a suitable uniaxial discotic nematic to a biaxial nematic (Nb) of elongated mesogens can give rise to a low temperature Nb liquid crystal (where the rod-like particles would form a biaxial smectic). The two species are made to be fully miscible over the entire isotropic and nematic temperature range by a suitable parameterisation of shapes and pair interactions. The disc-like mesogen, even though not forming a biaxial nematic by itself gives a stable low-temperature discotic nematic which strongly disfavours the formation of columnar and smectic phases in the two-component system.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.