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Molecular self-organization in cylindrical nanocavities
S G Cloutier1, J N Eakin, R S Guico
1Division of Engineering and Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. Sylvain_Cloutier@brown.edu
Abstract:
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.
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