Hydrogen-bonding and Phase Biaxiality in Nematic Rod-Plate Mixtures

We study the possibility of using hydrogen-bonding interactions to promote the stabilisation of phase biaxiality in nematic binary mixtures of oblate and prolate thermotropic mesogens. We extend Onsager's theory of the isotropic-nematic transition to allow for such selective associations among...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals Molecular crystals and liquid crystals, 1998-12, Vol.323 (1), p.199-209
Main Authors: Vanakaras, A. G., Mcgrother, S. C., Jackson, G., Photinos, D. J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
biaxial nematics
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Exact sciences and technology
hydrogen bonding
Liquid crystals
Onsager theory
Orientational order of liquid crystals
electric and magnetic field effects on order
Physics
Structure of solids and liquids
crystallography
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Summary:We study the possibility of using hydrogen-bonding interactions to promote the stabilisation of phase biaxiality in nematic binary mixtures of oblate and prolate thermotropic mesogens. We extend Onsager's theory of the isotropic-nematic transition to allow for such selective associations among unlike species and we use it to calculate the phase diagram of binary mixtures consisting of hard spherocylinders and cut spheres. The results show that directional, short-ranged attractions between rods and discs strongly stabilise the biaxial nematic mixture against demixing and suggest that interactions of hydrogen-bonding type may provide an efficient mechanism for sustaining phase biaxiality in binary mixtures of real thermotropic nematogens. Preliminary Monte Carlo simulations designed to test such predictions are discussed.
ISSN:1058-725X
DOI:10.1080/10587259808048442