Stochastic rotation dynamics for nematic liquid crystals

Journal Article · Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919310· OSTI ID:22415702

Lee, Kuang-Wu

We introduce a new mesoscopic model for nematic liquid crystals (LCs). We extend the particle-based stochastic rotation dynamics method, which reproduces the Navier-Stokes equation, to anisotropic fluids by including a simplified Ericksen-Leslie formulation of nematodynamics. We verify the applicability of this hybrid model by studying the equilibrium isotropic-nematic phase transition and nonequilibrium problems, such as the dynamics of topological defects and the rheology of sheared LCs. Our simulation results show that this hybrid model captures many essential aspects of LC physics at the mesoscopic scale, while preserving microscopic thermal fluctuations.

• OSTI ID: 22415702
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 142, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANISOTROPY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EQUILIBRIUM
FLUCTUATIONS
HYBRIDIZATION
LIQUID CRYSTALS
NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RHEOLOGY
ROTATION
SHEAR
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
TOPOLOGY