Polymer Network Induced Ordering in Biaxial Nematic Liquid Crystals: A Monte Carlo Study

摘要

Polymer dispersed liquid crystals comprising of uniaxial molecules were investigated earlier due to their enhanced susceptibility to (external) field-induced switching characteristics. We investigate here the effect of such suspended polymer strands in a liquid crystal medium made up of biaxial molecules. Using a Monte Carlo study, we determine the influence of polymer strands of different degrees of orientational order on the director structures of the surrounding biaxial medium. We focus in particular on the role of biaxial interactions among the liquid crystal molecules in stabilizing these structures.