Dynamics of uniaxial-to-biaxial nematics switching in suspensions of hard cuboids

Topological defects in schlieren textures of biaxial and uniaxial nematics.

Monte Carlo and theoretical studies of thin 3D films of biaxial and uniaxial nematics with tangential boundary conditions show distinct differences in structure and evolution of topological defects. In the uniaxial films, defects of strength k=+/-1 are point defects that bear no bulk singularity and disappear by annihilation with each other. In the biaxial films, k=+/-1 defects are true singula...

Dynamics of uniaxial hard ellipsoids.

We study the dynamics of monodisperse hard ellipsoids via a new event-driven molecular dynamics algorithm as a function of volume fraction phi and aspect ratio X0. We evaluate the translational D(trans) and the rotational D(rot) diffusion coefficients and the associated isodiffusivity lines in the phi-X0 plane. We observe a decoupling of the translational and rotational dynamics which generates...

Computer simulations of biaxial nematics.

Biaxial nematic (N(b)) liquid crystals are a fascinating condensed matter phase that has baffled, for more than thirty years, scientists engaged in the challenge of demonstrating its actual existence, and which has only recently been experimentally found. During this period computer simulations of model N(b) have played an important role, both in providing the basic physical properties to be ex...

Dynamics of hard-sphere suspensions.

Flexoelectric E ect in Biaxial Nematics

The exoelectric e ect provides a linear coupling between electric polarization and orientational deformation in liquid crystals. It in uences many electrooptical phenomena and it is used in some bistable nematic devices. A statistical theory of dipole exoelectric polarization in biaxial nematic liquid crystals is used to calculate temperature dependence of order parameters, elastic constants, a...