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Research Article
Defect structures and three-body potential of the mean force for nanoparticles in a nematic host
Article first published online: 8 MAR 2005
DOI: 10.1002/polb.20393
Copyright © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Issue
Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics
Special Issue: Special Issue on Multiscale Modeling of Polymers
Volume 43, Issue 8, pages 1033–1040, 15 April 2005
Additional Information
How to Cite
Guzmán, O., Abbott, N. L. and de Pablo, J. J. (2005), Defect structures and three-body potential of the mean force for nanoparticles in a nematic host. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 43: 1033–1040. doi: 10.1002/polb.20393
Publication History
- Issue published online: 8 MAR 2005
- Article first published online: 8 MAR 2005
- Manuscript Revised: 2 NOV 2004
- Manuscript Accepted: 2 NOV 2004
- Manuscript Received: 26 AUG 2004
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- nanoparticles;
- colloids;
- theory
Abstract
We have investigated the defect structures and potential of mean force (PMF) of three colloidal spheres immersed in a nematic liquid crystal (for linear and equilateral-triangular configurations), using a coarse-grained theory for the tensor order parameter. At large separations, each sphere is surrounded by an equatorial Saturn ring defect; at short separations, the theory predicts a drastic reorganization of the disclination lines: additional disclination rings are observed in planes perpendicular to the original ones. For both types of configurations, the PMF is attractive and always greater than a pairwise sum of binary PMFs. Comparing the PMFs of linear and equilateral-triangular configurations, we have found the triangular configuration to be more stable than the linear configuration. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1033-1040, 2005