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Published on: October 31, 2019
The isotropic-nematic phase transition in hard, slightly curved, lens-like particles
Giorgio Cinacchi1, Alessandro Tani2
1Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada and Instituto de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
Monte Carlo numerical simulations are used to study in detail how the characteristics of the isotropic-nematic phase transition change as infinitely thin hard platelets are bent into shallow lens-like particles. First, this phase transition in the former reference model system is re-examined and more accurately located. Then, it is shown quantitatively that this already quite weak but distinctly first-order phase transition weakens further upon curving the platelets to such an extent that, thanks to the thinness of these particles that does not favor its pre-emptying by a transition to a (partially) positionally ordered phase, an isotropic-nematic tricritical point limit can be arbitrarily closely approached.
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