PSEUDOMOLECULAR MODELS FOR NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS

Authors
BARBERO G EVANGELISTA LR
Citation
G. Barbero et Lr. Evangelista, PSEUDOMOLECULAR MODELS FOR NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 56(5), 1997, pp. 6189-6192
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Physycs, Mathematical","Phsycs, Fluid & Plasmas
Journal title
Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics → ACNP
ISSN journal
1063651X
Volume
56
Issue
5
Year of publication
1997
Part
B
Pages
6189 - 6192
Database
ISI
SICI code
1063-651X(1997)56:5<6189:PMFNL>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
The limits of the pseudomolecular approach to evaluate the elastic pro perties of nematic liquid crystals are critically analyzed. We discuss the importance of the uniformly convergent series entering into this description. If these series are not uniformly convergent, the elastic constants evaluated in this manner are meaningless. A special kind of mixing of Maier-Saupe and Nehring-Saupe interaction laws is analyzed. We show that the splay-bend elastic constant has a nonmonotonic behav ior with respect to the mixing factor. This result indicates that the subsurface deformations, if any, are not only due to the splay-bend te rm.