We explore the phase behavior and structure of orthogonal smectic liquid crystals consisting of bent-core molecules (BCMs) by means of Monte Carlo molecular simulations. A simple athermal molecular model is introduced that describes the basic features of the BCMs. Phase transitions between uniaxial and biaxial (antiferroelectric) orthogonal smectics are obtained. The results indicate the presen...

In this study, the buckling behavior of moderately thick Carbon Nano-Tube (CNT)-reinforced spherical composite panels subjected to both uniaxial and biaxial loads is examined. The uniform and various kinds of functionally graded distributions of the CNT are considered. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposite panels are estimated using the modified rule of mixture. Based on the first-orde...

We have investigated with extensive Monte Carlo simulations in the isothermal isobaric ensemble a system of N = 8192 elongated attractive–repulsive biaxial Gay–Berne (GB) particles. We have found a uniaxial and biaxial nematic and a biaxial orthogonal smectic phase in this thermotropic model system.

We have investigated with extensive Monte Carlo simulations in the isothermal isobaric ensemble a system of N = 8192 elongated attractive–repulsive biaxial Gay–Berne (GB) particles. We have found a uniaxial and biaxial nematic and a biaxial orthogonal smectic phase in this thermotropic model system.

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...

in this research, the buckling and bending behaviour of smart nanocomposite plate reinforced by single- walled carbon nanotubes (swcnts) under electro-magneto-mechanical loadings is studied. the extended mixture rule approach is used to determine the elastic properties of nanocomposite plate. equilibrium equations of smart nanocomposite plate are derived using the hamilton’s principle based on ...

Present work is a theoretical study on the stability of the thermotropic biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase in model systems. Its main aim is to present the phase diagrams of spatially uniform liquid mesophases and to identify the molecular parameters that influence the stability of the biaxial nematic. The diagrams are obtained by means of the Local Density Functional Theory in low density a...

This paper outlines an experimental investigation carried out for the analysis of failure mechanisms in fibrous laminated composite plates containing stress raisers, in the form of cutouts, under static biaxial planar compressive loadiing. A specially designed biaxial loadiing frame was used to test a series of 48 ply graphite/epoxy composite laminated plates with centrally located circular hol...

Classical molecular dynamics simulations have been used to explore the phase diagrams for a family of attractive-repulsive soft-core Gay-Berne models [R. Berardi, C. Zannoni, J. S. Lintuvuori, and M. R. Wilson, J. Chem. Phys. 131, 174107 (2009)] and determine the effect of particle softness, i.e., of a moderately repulsive short-range interaction, on the order parameters and phase behaviour of ...

The nanomechanical properties of micropatterned nanomembranes containing gold nanoparticle microarrays were investigated with the buckling instability method. An unusual, complex pattern of buckling instability was observed for the nanoscale polymeric films under compressive stresses. An intriguing two-stage wrinkling was observed for these nanoscale films with spatially correlated instabilitie...