First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels

Details First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels

2003-11-27

arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0311635v1

Phys. Rev. E 69, 061706 (2004)

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

8 pages, 8 figures

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevE.69.061706

The short-range order which remains when the isotropic to smectic-A transition is perturbed by a gel of silica nanoparticles (aerosils) has been studied using high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The gels have been created \textit{in situ} in decylcyanobiphenyl (10CB), which has a strongly first-order isotropic to smectic-A transition. The effects are determined by detailed analysis of the temperature and gel density dependence of the smectic structure factor. In previous studies of the continuous nematic to smectic-A transition in a variety of thermotropic liquid crystals the aerosil gel appeared to pin, at random, the phase of the smectic density modulation. For the isotropic to smectic-A transition the same gel perturbation yields different results. The smectic correlation length decreases more slowly with increasing random field variance in good quantitative agreement with the effect of a random pinning field at a transition from a uniform phase directly to a phase with one-dimensional translational order. We thus compare the influence of random fields on a \textit{freezing} transition with and without an intervening orientationally ordered phase.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and First order isotropic - smectic-A transition in liquid crystal-aerosil gels will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-308718