Chapter 17
Percolation Threshold
of 5-Cyanobiphenyl Mesogene Phases
Between Graphene Planes: Computer
Simulation Study
Violetta Raczy ´
nska, Krzysztof Górny, Przemysław Raczy ´
nski,
and Zbigniew Dendzik
17.1 Introduction
Liquid crystals (LCs) combine the mobility of an isotropic liquid with the longrange orientational order normally associated with crystalline solids and have been
used for applications that rely on their anisotropic electrooptical properties. The
series of n-cyanobiphenyls (nCB; 4-n-alkyl- 4 -cyanobiphenyl) exhibit liquid crystalline phases at the temperatures near room temperature and have been intensively
studied through experiment and with the use of computer simulation methods. 5Cyanobiphenyl (5CB) was synthesized in 1972 as an outcome of research aiming at
finding a mesogen for use in liquid crystal displays.
Ordering of the mesogene layers anchored at different substrates strongly
depends on substrate morphology and homogeneity [1]. Because of this, anchoring
of mesogenes at their interfaces with such substrates as graphene [2], carbon nanotubes [3], or polymer nanofibers [4] proved to significantly affect their electrooptic
and dielectric properties and has been studied for fundamental scientific reasons as
well as because of potential applications, such as designing and optimizing a variety
of devices ranging from displays to organic field-effect transistors [5]. Graphene is
one of the most promising substrates due to its unique 2D structure and mechanical,
electrical, and optical properties. Aromatic nature of graphene and presence of
V. Raczy´ nska
Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzow, Poland
K. Górny · P. Raczy´ nski () · Z. Dendzik
Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzow, Poland
Silesian Center for Education and Interdisciplinary Research, University of Silesia, Chorzow,
Poland
e-mail: przemyslaw.raczynski@us.edu.pl
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_17
289
Percolation Threshold
of 5-Cyanobiphenyl Mesogene Phases
Between Graphene Planes: Computer
Simulation Study
Violetta Raczy ´
nska, Krzysztof Górny, Przemysław Raczy ´
nski,
and Zbigniew Dendzik
17.1 Introduction
Liquid crystals (LCs) combine the mobility of an isotropic liquid with the longrange orientational order normally associated with crystalline solids and have been
used for applications that rely on their anisotropic electrooptical properties. The
series of n-cyanobiphenyls (nCB; 4-n-alkyl- 4 -cyanobiphenyl) exhibit liquid crystalline phases at the temperatures near room temperature and have been intensively
studied through experiment and with the use of computer simulation methods. 5Cyanobiphenyl (5CB) was synthesized in 1972 as an outcome of research aiming at
finding a mesogen for use in liquid crystal displays.
Ordering of the mesogene layers anchored at different substrates strongly
depends on substrate morphology and homogeneity [1]. Because of this, anchoring
of mesogenes at their interfaces with such substrates as graphene [2], carbon nanotubes [3], or polymer nanofibers [4] proved to significantly affect their electrooptic
and dielectric properties and has been studied for fundamental scientific reasons as
well as because of potential applications, such as designing and optimizing a variety
of devices ranging from displays to organic field-effect transistors [5]. Graphene is
one of the most promising substrates due to its unique 2D structure and mechanical,
electrical, and optical properties. Aromatic nature of graphene and presence of
V. Raczy´ nska
Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzow, Poland
K. Górny · P. Raczy´ nski () · Z. Dendzik
Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzow, Poland
Silesian Center for Education and Interdisciplinary Research, University of Silesia, Chorzow,
Poland
e-mail: przemyslaw.raczynski@us.edu.pl
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_17
289