TY - JOUR
TI - Impact of weak nanoparticle induced disorder on nematic ordering
AU - Črešnar, D.
AU - Kyrou, C.
AU - Lelidis, I.
AU - Drozd-Rzoska, A.
AU - Starzonek, S.
AU - Rzoska, S.J.
AU - Kutnjak, Z.
AU - Kralj, S.
JO - Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
PY - 2019
VL - 9
TODO - 3
SP - null
PB - MDPI AG
SN - 1542-1406, 1563-5287
TODO - 10.3390/cryst9030171
TODO - null
TODO - Dilute mixtures of nanoparticles (NPs) and nematic liquid crystals (LCs) are considered. We focus on cases where NPs enforce a relatively weak disorder to the LC host. We use a Lebwohl-Lasher semi-microscopic-type modeling where we assume that NPs effectively act as a spatially-dependent external field on nematic spins. The orientational distribution of locally favoured “easy” orientations is described by a probabilistic distribution function P. By means of a mean field-type approach, we derive a self-consistent equation for the average degree of nematic uniaxial order parameter S as a function of the concentration p of NPs, NP-LC coupling strength and P. Using a simple step-like probability distribution shape, we obtain the S(p) dependence displaying a crossover behaviour between two different regimes which is in line with recent experimental observations. We also discuss a possible origin of commonly observed non-monotonous variations of the nematic-isotropic phase temperature coexistence width on varying p. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
ER -