Molecular simulation study of polar order in orthogonal bent-core smectic liquid crystals

Stavros D. Peroukidis, Alexandros G. Vanakaras, and Demetri J. Photinos
Phys. Rev. E 91, 062501 – Published 4 June 2015

Abstract

We explore the phase behavior and structure of orthogonal smectic liquid crystals consisting of bent-core molecules (BCMs) by means of Monte Carlo molecular simulations. A simple athermal molecular model is introduced that describes the basic features of the BCMs. Phase transitions between uniaxial and biaxial (antiferroelectric) orthogonal smectics are obtained. The results indicate the presence of local in-plane polar correlations in the uniaxial smectic phase. The macroscopic uniaxial-biaxial transformation is rationalized in terms of local polar correlations giving rise to polar domains. The size of these polar domains grows larger under the action of an external vector field and their internal ordering is enhanced, leading to field-induced biaxial order-disorder transitions.

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  • Received 3 September 2014
  • Revised 29 March 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.91.062501

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Stavros D. Peroukidis, Alexandros G. Vanakaras, and Demetri J. Photinos

  • Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 6 — June 2015

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