title: Molecular simulation of hierarchical structures in bent-core nematic liquid crystals.
abstract: The structure of nematic liquid crystals formed by bent-core mesogens (BCMs) is studied in the context of Monte Carlo simulations of a simple molecular model that captures the symmetry, shape, and flexibility of achiral BCMs. The results indicate the formation of (i) clusters exhibiting local smectic order, orthogonal or tilted, with strong in-layer polar correlations and antiferroelectric juxtaposition of successive layers and (ii) large homochiral domains through the helical arrangement of the tilted smectic clusters, while the orthogonal clusters produce achiral (untwisted) nematic states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, Patras GR-26504, Greece. peroukid@upatras.gr
authors.forename: Stavros D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Peroukidis
authors.forename: Alexandros G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vanakaras
authors.forename: Demetri J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Photinos
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D010825:Physics / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D014965:X-Rays