title: Non-uniformities in polymer/liquid crystal mixtures I. Interfacial tension.
abstract: We theoretically study interfacial properties between two coexisting phases in mixtures of a flexible polymer and a low-molecular-weight liquid crystal. By numerically solving Euler equations for compositional and orientational order parameter fields, we calculate the order parameter profiles and interfacial tensions for nematic-isotropic and isotropic-isotropic phase equilibria. We find that the order parameter profiles are non-monotonic at some temperatures. The nematic-isotropic interfacial tension increases with decreasing temperature and is approximately proportional to (T - T(NI))(n) at temperatures below the nematic-isotropic transition temperature (T(NI)) of the pure nematogen. The value of the exponent n is strongly affected by the existence of a triple point.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry for Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Mie University, Tsu Mie 514-8507, Japan. matuyama@chem.mie-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: R M L
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cates