Phase equilibria, fluid structure, and diffusivity of a discotic liquid crystal

Molecular Dynamics simulations were performed for the Gay-Berne discotic fluid parameterized by GB(0.345, 0.2, 1.0, 2.0). The volumetric phase diagram exhibits isotropic (IL), nematic (ND), and two columnar phases characterized by radial distribution functions: the transversal fluid structure varies between a hexagonal columnar (CD) phase (at higher temperatures and pressures) and a rectangular columnar (CO) phase (at lower temperatures and pressures). The slab-wise analysis of fluid dynamics suggests the formation of grain-boundary defects in the CO phase. Longitudinal fluid structure is highly periodic with narrow peaks for the CO phase, suggestive of a near-crystalline (yet diffusive) system, but is only short-ranged for the CD phase. The IL phase does not exhibit anisotropic diffusion. Transversal diffusion is more favorable in the ND phase at all times, but only favorable at short times for the columnar phases. In the columnar phases, a crossover occurs where longitudinal diffusion is favored over transversal diffusion at intermediate-to-long timescales. The anomalous diffusivity is pronounced in both columnar phases, with three identifiable contributions: (a) the rattling of discogens within a transient "interdigitation" cage, (b) the hopping of discogens across columns, and (c) the drifting motion of discogens along the orientation of the director.

Dynamics of a discotic liquid crystal in the isotropic phase

Optically heterodyne-detected optical Kerr effect (OHD-OKE) experiments are conducted to study the orientational dynamics of a discotic liquid crystal 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(pentyloxy)triphenylene (HPT) in the isotropic phase near the columnar-isotropic (C-I) phase transition. The OHD-OKE signal of HPT is characterized by an intermediate power law t(-0.76+/-0.02) at short times (a few picoseconds), a von Schweidler power law t(-0.26+/-0.01) at intermediate times (hundreds of picoseconds), and an exponential decay at long times (tens of nanoseconds). The exponential decay has Arrhenius temperature dependence. The functional form of the total time dependent decay is identical to the one observed previously for a large number of molecular supercooled liquids. The mode coupling theory schematic model based on the Sjogren [Phys. Rev. A 33, 1254 (1986)] model is able to reproduce the HPT data over a wide range of times from <1 ps to tens of nanoseconds. The studies indicate that the HPT C-I phase transition is a strong first order transition, and the dynamics in the isotropic phase display a complex time dependent profile that is common to other molecular liquids that lack mesoscopic structure.