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Related Concept Videos

Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

19.8K
Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
19.8K
Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

21.1K
Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
21.1K
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

13.4K
The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
13.4K
Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

19.0K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
19.0K
The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview01:24

The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview

19
Crystals with various point group symmetries belong to different crystal classes, which are synonymous terms. Despite being in the same class, crystals may have distinct shapes, like cubes and octahedra. There are 32 three-dimensional point groups, all of which are systematically divided into seven crystal systems.The basic cubic crystal system, exemplified by NaCl, features orthogonal vectors (α = β = �� = 90°) of equal lengths (a = b = c). When specific...
19
Unit Cells01:18

Unit Cells

12
A crystal's internal structure is an orderly array of atoms, ions, or molecules, and the details of this array significantly influence the solid's properties. In a crystal, periodically repeating 'structural motifs' - which could be atoms, molecules, or groups thereof - create a 'space lattice.' This is essentially a three-dimensional, infinite array of points, each surrounded by its neighbors in an identical way, forming the basic structure of the crystal.A 'unit cell' is a theoretical...
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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
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Local structural ordering in surface-confined liquid crystals.

I Śliwa1, W Jeżewski1, A V Zakharov2

  • 1Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland.

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|July 3, 2017
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Summary

Confining surfaces induce complex ordering in liquid crystals, with smectic layers forming near surfaces even as bulk phases change. Surface interactions influence phase transitions but do not prevent melting near boundaries.

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Liquid crystals exhibit complex phases like smectic A, nematic, and isotropic.
  • Surface interactions significantly influence molecular ordering in confined systems.
  • Understanding these interactions is crucial for designing advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the effects of nonlocal surface interactions and intermolecular couplings on liquid crystal structures in thin cells.
  • Analyze the interplay between surface forces and bulk phase behavior.
  • Explore the formation and behavior of phase interfaces under confinement.

Main Methods:

  • Extended McMillan mean field theory for finite systems.
  • Analysis of molecular ordering (orientational and translational) under confinement.
  • Thermodynamic modeling of phase transitions and interfaces.

Main Results:

  • Confining surfaces induce complex orientational and translational ordering.
  • Smectic A, nematic, and isotropic phases can coexist within finite cells.
  • Surface freezing of smectic layers observed even with weak surface interactions.
  • Melting of surface layers occurs near boundaries, distinct from bulk behavior.
  • Internal interfaces form fronts of local finite-size transitions driven by temperature.

Conclusions:

  • Surface interactions play a critical role in dictating liquid crystal phase behavior in confined geometries.
  • The degree of molecular packing strongly influences the thermal properties and transition behaviors.
  • Complex phase coexistence and surface phenomena are inherent to thin-film liquid crystal systems.