Phase behaviour of hard board-like particles

摘要: We examine the phase behaviour of colloidal suspensions hard board-like particles (HBPs) as a function their shape anisotropy, and observe fascinating spectrum nematic, smectic, columnar liquid-crystalline phases, whose formation is entirely driven by excluded volume effects. map out diagram short long HBPs gradually modifying from prolate to oblate investigate long-range order resulting morphologies along directors perpendicularly them. The intrinsic biaxial nature these promotes translationally ordered but does not show solid evidence that it would, per se, promote nematic phase. Our simulations shed light on controversial existence discotic smectic phase, layers are thick minor particle dimension, which stable in relatively large portion our diagrams. Additionally, we modify Onsager theory describe isotropic-nematic transition freely rotating width, find strong first-order signature, excellent agreement with simulations. In an attempt elusive apply this predict uniaxial-biaxial confirm, again simulations, prevailing stability over orientationally