Segregation of liquid crystal mixtures in topological defects

Mohammad Rahimi, Hadi Ramezani-Dakhel, Rui Zhang, Abelardo Ramirez-Hernandez, Nicholas L. Abbott and Juan J. de Pablo ()
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Mohammad Rahimi: Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
Hadi Ramezani-Dakhel: Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
Rui Zhang: Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
Abelardo Ramirez-Hernandez: Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
Nicholas L. Abbott: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Juan J. de Pablo: Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract The structure and physical properties of liquid crystal (LC) mixtures are a function of composition, and small changes can have pronounced effects on observables, such as phase-transition temperatures. Traditionally, LC mixtures have been assumed to be compositionally homogenous. The results of chemically detailed simulations presented here show that this is not the case; pronounced deviations of the local order from that observed in the bulk at defects and interfaces lead to significant compositional segregation effects. More specifically, two disclination lines are stabilized in this work by introducing into a nematic liquid crystal mixture a cylindrical body that exhibits perpendicular anchoring. It is found that the local composition deviates considerably from that of the bulk at the interface with the cylinder and in the defects, thereby suggesting new assembly and synthetic strategies that may capitalize on the unusual molecular environment provided by liquid crystal mixtures.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15064

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