Effect of Polymer Matrix Density on Molecular Segregation and Orientational Ordering by a Hybrid Computer Simulation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-15-2000

Department

Physics and Astronomy

School

Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Abstract

A hybrid computer simulation is used to study the effect of heterogeneous matrix density (pb) on the segregation and orientation of short-chain molecules, i.e., dimer, trimer, etc., a model for polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) in an external field. Size of molecular aggregates is found to increase with the matrix density, a polymerization-induced segregation consistent with the recent experimental observation (Boots and coworkers, Macromolecules 29 (1996) 7690; Liq. Cryst. 22 (1997) 145,255.). For low molecular weight liquid, the orientational ordering decreases monotonically with pb, while the orientation in a higher weight liquid depends nonmonotonically on pb.

Publication Title

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications

Volume

282

Issue

3-4

First Page

375

Last Page

383

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