A Landau-de Gennes theory for hard colloidal rods: Defects and tactoids

作者：Everts J C^*; Punter M T J J M; Samin S; van der Schoot P; van Roij R

来源：Journal of Chemical Physics, 2016, 144(19): 194901.

DOI：10.1063/1.4948785

We construct a phenomenological Landau-de Gennes theory for hard colloidal rods by performing an order parameter expansion of the chemical-potential dependent grand potential. By fitting the coefficients to known results of Onsager theory, we are not only able to describe the isotropic-nematic phase transition as function of density, including the well-known density jump, but also the isotropic-nematic planar interface. The resulting theory is applied in calculations of the isotropic core size in a radial hedgehog defect, the density dependence of linear defects of hard rods in square confinement, and the formation of a nematic droplet in an isotropic background. Published by AIP Publishing.

• 出版日期2016-5-21