Review of Theoretical Advances of Nanomaterials and Nematic Liquid Crystal Composites

• Published in: Brazilian journal of physics Vol. 54; no. 5
• Main Author: Mukherjee, Prabir K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anisotropy; Carbon nanotubes; Dielectric properties; Graphene; Liquid crystals; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nematic crystals; Optical properties; Phase transitions; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum dots; Transition temperature; Nanoparticles; Ferroelectric nanoparticles; Confinement; Quantum dots; Graphene; Carbon nanotubes; Liquid crystals; Phase transition
• ISSN: 0103-9733; 1678-4448
• DOI: 10.1007/s13538-024-01552-5

Nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and quantum dots doped with nematic liquid crystal exhibit varieties of new physical phenomena. It has been found that doping of nematic liquid crystal with nanomaterials can decrease the driving voltage, enhancing the dielectric response, and increase optical anisotropy. The increase of the phase transition temperature, re-orientational effect, improved of dielectric properties are the main experimental findings. Many theoretical models have been developed to describe these experimental findings. The present review is an attempt to describe the theoretical developments on the effect of nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, nanoconfinement, quantum dots and graphene in nematic liquid crystal and on the isotropic to nematic phase transition. A brief review of the experimental results on the nanomaterials doped nematic liquid crystal and on the isotropic to nematic phase transition is also given.