Soft Matter Theory & Simulations Group

PRE: Liq. Cryst.

• Liquid crystal phase behavior of a DNA dodecamer and the chromonic dye Sunset Yellow
  Author(s): Joseph G. Theis, Gregory P. Smith, Youngwoo Yi, David M. Walba, and Noel A. ClarkSunset Yellow (SSY) is an aromatic heterocycle nano-sheet functionalized by hydrophilic sulphanate groups. SSY forms chromonic stacks and liquid crystal (LC) phases in aqueous solution. The DNA oligomer 5′-GCGCTTAAGCGC-3′ is a self-complementary strand which forms dup […]
• Synclinic-anticlinic symmetry in the structure of multilayer polar liquid crystals
  Author(s): P. V. DolganovA large number of smectic phases can have the same energy when short-range interlayer interactions (interaction of nearest layers and frustrating next-nearest layer interaction) are taken into account. In this situation even weak long-range interactions become important. They lift the degeneracy and...[Phys. Rev. E 98, 032707] Publis […]
• Phase transition dynamics and stochastic resonance in topologically confined nematic liquid crystals
  Author(s): Yucheng Hu, Liu Hong, and Weihua DengTopological defects resulting from boundary constraints in confined liquid crystals have attracted extensive research interest. In this paper, we use numerical simulation to study the phase transition dynamics in the context of stochastic resonance in a bistable liquid crystal device containing defe...[Phys. Re […]
• Defects in the twist-bend nematic phase: Stabilities and instabilities of focal conic domains and related topics
  Author(s): Maurice Kleman and Kanakapura S. KrishnamurthyThis article provides an explanation for the instability of toric focal conic domains and the stability of parabolic focal conic domains in the twist-bend nematic (${N}_{\mathrm{TB}}$) phase, by reason of the presence (the first case) or absence (the second case) of defect densities attached to the ... […]
• Role of impurities in the Lehmann effect of cholesteric liquid crystals: Towards an alternative model
  Author(s): Patrick Oswald and Guilhem PoyThe Lehmann effect is the rotation of cholesteric droplets when they are submitted to a temperature gradient. So far, this effect was only observed in the coexistence region between the cholesteric phase and its isotropic liquid. This zone of coexistence is due to the presence in the LC of impuritie...[Phys. Rev. E 98 […]
• Biaxial layering transition of hard rodlike particles in narrow slitlike pores
  Author(s): Hamdollah Salehi, Sakine Mizani, Roohollah Aliabadi, and Szabolcs VargaThe phase behavior of hard rectangular rods with edge lengths $L$, $D$, and $D$ is studied in a narrow slitlike pore using the Parsons-Lee density functional theory. Using the restricted orientation approximation, we find strong adsorption at the walls with planar ordering, sec […]
• Nonlinear analysis of flexodomains in nematic liquid crystals
  Author(s): Werner Pesch, Alexei Krekhov, Nándor Éber, and Ágnes BukaWe investigate flexodomains, which are observed in planar layers of certain nematic liquid crystals, when a dc voltage $U$ above a critical value ${U}_{c}$ is applied across the layer. They are characterized by stationary stripelike spatial variations of the director in the layer plane with […]
• Interactions between pentagonal truncated pyramids with homeotropic anchoring in a nematic liquid crystal
  Author(s): Seyed Reza Seyednejad, Mohammad Reza Mozaffari, Takeaki Araki, and Ehsan Nedaaee OskoeeIn this study, we numerically investigate the interactions between pentagonal truncated pyramids in a nematic liquid crystal host. The colloidal arrangements are investigated by minimizing the Landau-de Gennes free energy in presence of homeotropic anchoring sur […]
• Distortions in structures of the twist bend nematic phase of a bent-core liquid crystal by the electric field
  Author(s): K. Merkel, A. Kocot, J. K. Vij, and G. ShankerThe dielectric spectra of the twist bend nematic phase (${N}_{\mathrm{TB}}$) of an achiral asymmetric bent-core liquid crystalline compound are studied for determining the various relaxation modes. Dielectric measurements are also carried out under the bias field $E$ up to 8 V/µm. Two molecular and ... […]
• Electrokinetic effects in nematic suspensions: Single-particle electro-osmosis and interparticle interactions
  Author(s): Christopher Conklin, O. M. Tovkach, Jorge Viñals, M. Carme Calderer, Dmitry Golovaty, Oleg D. Lavrentovich, and Noel J. WalkingtonElectrokinetic phenomena in a nematic suspension are considered when one or more dielectric particles are suspended in a liquid crystal matrix in its nematic phase. The long-range orientational order of the nematic cons […]