A Landau-de Gennes theory for hard colloidal rods: defects and tactoids
arXiv:1603.05158 · doi:10.1063/1.4948785
Abstract
We construct a phenomenological Landau-de Gennes theory for hard colloidal rods by performing an order parameter expansion of the chemical-potential dependent grand potential. By fitting the coefficients to known results of Onsager theory, we are not only able to describe the isotropic-nematic phase transition as function of density, including the well-known density jump, but also the isotropic-nematic planar interface. The resulting theory is applied in calculations of the isotropic core size in a radial hedgehog defect, the density dependence of linear defects of hard rods in square confinement, and the formation of a nematic droplet in an isotropic background.
arXiv comment14 pages, 10 figures, v2: references added and some extra discussions, results unchanged
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Cited by in corpus (9)
- The isotropic-nematic transition for hard rods on a three--dimensional (3D) cubic lattice
- Electric-field induced shape transition of nematic tactoids
- Defect patterns of two-dimensional nematic liquid crystals in confinement
- Equilibrium morphology of tactoids in elastically anisotropic nematics
- Effect of Electric Fields on the Director Field and Shape of Nematic Tactoids
- Hard rectangles near curved hard walls: tuning the sign of the Tolman length
- Stochastic kinetics reveal imperative role of anisotropic interfacial tension to determine morphology and evolution of nucleated droplets in nematogenic films
- Nucleation and shape dynamics of model nematic tactoids around adhesive colloids
- Shaping boundaries to control and transport topological defects in colloidal nematic liquid crystals