Within the general quadrupolar model for biaxial nematic liquid crystals, whose potential of mean torque extends that in the Maier-Saupe theory with two extra interaction terms, we propose a quantitative criterion to identify the dominant biaxial interaction. We show that the ratio of the biaxial-to-uniaxial and uniaxial-toisotropic transition temperatures is almost independent of one interaction parameter, thus indicating the other as dominant. We also show that there is a significant mismatch between the principal orientational order parameters predicted by the theory and those measured for the biaxial phase of a tetrapode.
Dominant biaxial quadrupolar contribution to the nematic potential of mean torque
BISI, FULVIO;VIRGA, EPIFANIO GUIDO GIOVANNI
2008-01-01
Abstract
Within the general quadrupolar model for biaxial nematic liquid crystals, whose potential of mean torque extends that in the Maier-Saupe theory with two extra interaction terms, we propose a quantitative criterion to identify the dominant biaxial interaction. We show that the ratio of the biaxial-to-uniaxial and uniaxial-toisotropic transition temperatures is almost independent of one interaction parameter, thus indicating the other as dominant. We also show that there is a significant mismatch between the principal orientational order parameters predicted by the theory and those measured for the biaxial phase of a tetrapode.File in questo prodotto:
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