Statistical mechanics of bend flexoelectricity and the twist-bend phase in bent-core liquid crystals

We develop a Landau theory for bend flexoelectricity in liquid crystals of bent-core molecules. In the nematic phase of the model, the bend flexoelectric coefficient increases as we reduce the temperature toward the nematic to polar phase transition. At this critical point, there is a second-order t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics Vol. 87; no. 5; p. 052503
Main Authors Shamid, Shaikh M, Dhakal, Subas, Selinger, Jonathan V
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 24.05.2013
Subjects
Compressive Strength - radiation effects
Computer Simulation
Elastic Modulus - radiation effects
Electromagnetic Fields
Liquid Crystals - chemistry
Liquid Crystals - radiation effects
Models, Chemical
Models, Molecular
Molecular Conformation - radiation effects
Tensile Strength - radiation effects
Torque
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Summary:We develop a Landau theory for bend flexoelectricity in liquid crystals of bent-core molecules. In the nematic phase of the model, the bend flexoelectric coefficient increases as we reduce the temperature toward the nematic to polar phase transition. At this critical point, there is a second-order transition from high-temperature uniform nematic phase to low-temperature nonuniform polar phase composed of twist-bend or splay-bend deformations. To test the predictions of Landau theory, we perform Monte Carlo simulations to find the director and polarization configurations as functions of temperature, applied electric field, and interaction parameters.
ISSN:1550-2376
DOI:10.1103/physreve.87.052503