Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: We consider a mesoscale model for nano-sized metaparticles (MPs) composed of a central sphere decorated by polymer chains with laterally attached spherocylinder.The latter mimics the mesogenic (e.g., cyanobiphenyl) group.Molecular dynamics simulations of 100 MPs reveal the existence of two novel morphologies: uCol h (hexagonal columnar arrangement of MPs with strong uniaxial order of mesogens collinear to the columns axis) and wCol h [the same arrangement of MPs but with weak or no liquid crystalline (LC) order].Collinearity of the LC director and the columnar axis in uCol h morphology indicates its potentially different opto-mechanical response to an external perturbation as compared to the columnar phase for the terminally attached mesogens.Preliminary analysis of the structures of both phases is performed by studying the order parameters and by visualisation of the MPs arrangements.Different mechanisms for the mesogens reorientation are pointed out for the cases of their terminal and lateral attachment.
Source: Condensed Matter Physics
DOI: 10.5488/cmp.17.44001
Authors: Slyusarchuk, Ilnytskyi
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W1585866501