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Nanoparticle-induced twist-grain boundary phase
- Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- By means of high-resolution ac calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy, it is demonstrated that surface-functionalized spherical CdSSe nanoparticles induce a twist-grain boundary phase when dispersed in a chiral liquid crystal. These nanoparticles can effectively stabilize the one-dimensional lattice of screw dislocations, thus establishing the twist-grain boundary order between the cholesteric and the smectic-A phases. A Landau-de Gennes-Ginzburg model is used to analyze the impact of nanoparticles on widening the temperature range of molecular organizations possessing a lattice of screw dislocations. We show that in addition to the defect-core-replacement mechanism, the saddle-splay elasticity may also play a significant role. © 2014 American Physical Society.
- Subjects :
- Condensed Matter::Soft Condensed Matter
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.od......2127..4f4020eee7b1e2628c04728224f7c8db