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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Nematic stability of discotic liquid crystals with orientation-dependent interactions
Bruno Martínez-Haya1, Alejandro Cuetos
1Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain. brunomh@upo.es
Abstract:
Technological applications of discotic nematogens are limited by the robustness of the columnar phases. This investigation employs Monte Carlo simulations to explore the potentiality of tailoring specific interactions of either stacking or peripheral type in order to enhance nematic stability. It is concluded that the nematic phase is favored for discotic particles systems with homogeneous or weakly directional interactions. However, a substantial increase in the directionality of the interaction (stacking or edge-to-edge) leads systematically to a suppression of the nematic domains in favor of the columnar phases.
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