Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Structural Anisotropy in Polar Fluids Subjected to Periodic Boundary Conditions
Abstract:
A heuristic model based on dielectric continuum theory for the long-range solvation free energy of a dipolar system possessing periodic boundary conditions (PBCs) is presented. The predictions of the model are compared to simulation results for Stockmayer fluids simulated using three different cell geometries. The boundary effects induced by the PBCs are shown to lead to anisotropies in the apparent dielectric constant and the long-range solvation free energy of as much as 50%. However, the sum of all of the anisotropic energy contributions yields a value that is very close to the isotropic one derived from dielectric continuum theory, leading to a total system energy close to the dielectric value. It is finally shown that the leading-order contribution to the energetic and structural anisotropy is significantly smaller in the noncubic simulation cell geometries compared to when using a cubic simulation cell.
Related Concept Videos
Potential Due to a Polarized Object
Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
Induced Electric Dipoles
Since the absolute value of potential energy holds no physical meaning, its zero value can be chosen as per...
Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity.
Electrostatic Boundary Conditions
The surface integral of an electric field is given by Gauss's law in integral form and is related to...
Graphs of Polar Equations

