A Monte Carlo study of the mesophases formed by polar bent-shaped molecules.
Liquid crystal phases formed by bent-shaped (or "banana") molecules are currently of great interest. Here we investigate by Monte Carlo computer simulations the phases formed by rigid banana molecules modeled combining three Gay-Berne sites and containing either one central or two lateral and transversal dipoles. We show that changing the dipole position and orientation has a profound effect on the mesophase stability and molecular organization. In particular, we find a uniaxial nematic phase only for off-center dipolar models and tilted phases only for the one with terminal dipoles.
Orlandi
Silvia
S
Dipartimento di Chimica Fisica e Inorganica, and INSTM, Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy.
Berardi
Roberto
R
Steltzer
Joachim
J
Zannoni
Claudio
C