Molecular self-organization in cylindrical nanocavities.
We studied molecular organization in cylindrical nanocavities using liquid crystals. NMR analysis shows high surface-induced ordering way above the bulk critical temperature. The surface-order evolution reveals replacement of the isotropic phase by a paranematic phase and surface-induced disordering in the nematic phase. Due to strong surface potential and nanoconfinement, complete wetting and continuous evolution of the surface-order parameter are observed through the nematic-paranematic transition. As we show, the counter-intuitive absence of complete phase transition at the interface while an abrupt phase transition was measured in the averaged order parameter is in good agreement with established theories.
Cloutier
S G
SG
Division of Engineering and Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. Sylvain_Cloutier@brown.edu
Eakin
J N
JN
Guico
R S
RS
Sousa
M E
ME
Crawford
G P
GP
Xu
J M
JM