Biaxiality of Liquid Crystal Formed by Bent-Core Molecules with a Transverse Dipole Moment Deviating from their Angular Bisector.

Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the phase diagram of liquid crystals formed by bent-core molecules with a strong transverse dipole moment deviating from their angular bisector. The results show that the strong dipolar interaction, after suppressing uniaxial phases, encourages biaxiality, which leads to a Landau point or even to a Landau line in the phase diagram, inducing a more stable biaxial nematic phase. It is also found that a deviation of dipole moment from the angular bisector also suppresses uniaxiality in the small bend-angle regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]