Bulk and surface biaxiality in nematic liquid crystals.

Theory and Simulation of Extensional Flow-Induced Biaxiality in Discotic Mesophases

Flow-induced biaxiality is simulated for a uniaxial discotic nematic liquid crystal subjected to a constant uniaxial, isothermal, incompressible, irrotational, extensional, three dimensional flow, using a previously presented model [Singh A-Pand Rey A D., J Phys. II

Statics and Kinetics at the Nematic-isotropic Interface: Effects of Biaxiality

We use the Landau-de Gennes theory of a nematic liquid crystal to investigate anew aspects of the properties of the interface between the isotropic and nematic liquid crystal phases of the same uid. The equations of the static interface have been solved, both numerically and using asymptotic analysis, with an emphasis on the inclusion of the order parameter biaxiality on the physical properties...

Comment on "Raman scattering study of phase biaxiality in a thermotropic bent-core nematic liquid crystal".

Interfacial energy for nematic liquid crystals : beyond the spherical approximation

By means of a simple pseudomolecular model the surface elastic properties of nematic liquid crystals are analysed. We show that in the Maier-Saupe approximation for the intermolecular interaction and supposing the interaction volume of ellipsoidal shape, the bulk elastic constants of splay and twist are expected to be equal and different from the bend one. The dependence of the bulk elastic con...

Surface alignment, anchoring transitions, optical properties, and topological defects in the nematic phase of thermotropic bent-core liquid crystal A131.

We study optical, structural, and surface anchoring properties of thermotropic nematic bent-core material A131. The focus is on the features associated with orientational order as the material has been reported to exhibit not only the usual uniaxial nematic but also the biaxial nematic phase. We demonstrate that A131 experiences a surface anchoring transition from a perpendicular to tilted alig...