Phase separation and disorder in doped nematic elastomers

• Published in: The European physical journal. E, Soft matter and biological physics Vol. 36; no. 10; p. 121
• Main Authors: Köpf, M. H., Pismen, L. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2013; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Complex Systems; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Elastomers - chemistry; Equations of state, phase equilibria, and phase transitions; Exact sciences and technology; Liquid Crystals - chemistry; Nanotechnology; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polymer Sciences; Regular Article; Soft and Granular Matter; Specific phase transitions; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Transitions in liquid crystals; Flowing matter: Nonlinear Physics; Doping; Elastomers; Numerical method; Order parameters; Elastic deformation; Nematic crystals; Mesogenic compound; Phase separation; Scaling laws; Instability; Mesophases; Dynamic model; Liquid nematic transformation
• ISSN: 1292-8941; 1292-895X
• DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2013-13121-1

We formulate and analyse a model describing the combined effect of mechanical deformation, dynamics of the nematic order parameter, and concentration inhomogeneities in an elastomeric mixture of a mesogenic and an isotropic component. The uniform nematic state may exhibit a long-wave instability corresponding to nematic-isotropic demixing. Numerical simulations starting from either a perfectly ordered nematic state or a quenched isotropic state show that coupling between the mesogen concentration and the nematic order parameter influences the shape and orientation of the domains formed during the demixing process. Graphical abstract