Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Radial fluctuations and nonisotropic disclinations in nematic liquid crystals
1Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR, Brazil.
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to study the role of the radial symmetry in the profile of anisotropic disclinations of the nematic liquid crystals. It will be shown that when radial fluctuations are allowed a macroscopic term appears. This term preserves the known topology of these disclinations but changes their angular structure and the distribution of elastic energy. Furthermore, it is shown that one of the isotropiclike disclinations predicted by the usual approach is forbidden by the radial fluctuations.
Related Concept Videos
Fluid Mosaic Model
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Temporal Resolution
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Variable-Temperature NMR
Nonideal Two-Component Liquid Solutions
Symmetry Elements in a Crystal
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Point, Line and Plane Defects

