Structure of liquid crystal droplets with chiral propeller texture.
We experimentally studied a nematic liquid crystal whose molecules form twisted head-to-head H-bonded dimers. We observed that when the material transformed from the isotropic to nematic phase, it formed droplets with chiral propeller textures. We carried out a computer simulation to investigate the liquid crystal director configuration inside the droplets and to study the effects of elastic constants and chirality on the droplet texture. Results of our study show it is likely that the material in the droplets had nonzero chirality due to spontaneous chiral phase separation.
Yang
Deng-Ke
DK
Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA. dyang@lci.kent.edu
Jeong
Kwang-Un
KU
Cheng
S Z D
SZ
D000465:Algorithms; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D004548:Elasticity; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013237:Stereoisomerism