Phase behavior of non-spherical colloidal particles at high densities

• Grant number: 16/07448-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Andre de Pinho Vieira
• Grantee: Eduardo dos Santos Nascimento
• Supervisor: Peter Palffy-Muhoray
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Kent State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/12873-9 - Microscopic models for nematic biaxial liquid crystals., BP.DR

Abstract

The unique properties of liquid crystals, originating in orientational order, continue to lead to the discovery of new soft materials with astounding physical properties and tremendous possibilities for applications. Nanoparticle assemblies with emerging use in photonics applications form liquid crystal phases, yet even basic understanding of some aspects of their behavior is lacking. Such nanoparticle assemblies are colloidal systems, in which interparticle interactions are predominantly hard-core repulsion. Current models of liquid crystalline colloids are based on Onsager's theory, which isapplicable only to dilute systems. This project is aimed at exploring unique features of these systems at high densities; that is, beyond Onsager's theory. Particular emphasis is on understanding phase separation of such systems athigh particle concentrations.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NASCIMENTO, E. S.. Nematic-isotropic transition in a density-functional theory for hard spheroidal colloids. EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL E, v. 41, n. 11, NOV 26 2018. (16/07448-5, 13/12873-9)

NASCIMENTO, EDUARDO S.; PALFFY-MUHORAY, PETER; TAYLOR, JAMIE M.; VIRGA, EPIFANIO G.; ZHENG, XIAOYU. Density functional theory for dense nematic liquid crystals with steric interactions. Physical Review E, v. 96, n. 2, AUG 7 2017. (16/07448-5)

NASCIMENTO, EDUARDO S.; PALFFY-MUHORAY, PETER; TAYLOR, JAMIE M.; VIRGA, EPIFANIO G.; ZHENG, XIAOYU. Density functional theory for dense nematic liquid crystals with steric interactions. PHYSICAL REVIEW E, v. 96, n. 2, p. 13-pg., 2017-08-07. (16/07448-5)