294
V. Raczy´ nska et al.
17.4 Conclusions
The process of forming 5CB mesogene phases anchored between graphene sheets
is an outcome of a counterbalance between the interaction of the graphene surfaces
with mesogene molecules and the volume accessible for the mesogenes. The
increase of the distance between the planes while keeping the constant number
of the mesogenes leads to the frustration of the system, relaxed eventually by
further reduction of the mesogene density induced by further increase of the distance
between the substrate surfaces. The reduction of mobility reported for the systems
with higher distance between graphene planes can be attributed to the breaking of
balance between the layers located near the opposite graphene sheets and rebuilding
its structure as a single layer.
Acknowledgment This research was supported in part by PAAD Infrastructure co-financed by
Operational Programme Innovative Economy, Objective 2.3.
References
1. Roscioni OM, Muccioli L, Zannoni C (2017) Predicting the conditions for homeotropic
anchoring of liquid crystals at a soft surface. 4-n-Pentyl-4 -cyanobiphenyl on
Alkylsilane self-assembled monolayers. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 9:11993–12002.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b16438
2. Alam TM, Pearce CJ (2014) Impact of graphene incorporation on the orientational
order of graphene/liquid crystal composites. Chem Phys Lett 592:7–13.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cplett.2013.11.044
3. Manjuladevi V, Gupta RK, Kumar S (2012) Effect of functionalized carbon nanotube
on electro-optic and dielectric properties of a liquid crystal. J Mol Liq 171:60–63.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2012.03.026
4. Rasna MV, Zuhail KP, Manda R, Paik P, Haase W, Dhara S (2014) Discontinuous anchoring
transition and photothermal switching in composites of liquid crystals and conducting polymer
nanofibers. Phys Rev E 89:052503. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.89.052503
5. Rahman M, Lee W (2009) Scientific duo of carbon nanotubes and nematic liquid crystals. J
Phys D Appl Phys 42:063001–063013. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/42/6/063001
6. Tiberio G, Muccioli L, Berardi R, Zannoni C (2009) Towards in silico liquid crystals. Realistic
transition temperatures and physical properties for n-cyanobiphenyls via molecular dynamics
simulations. ChemPhysChem 10:125–136. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.200800231
7. Phillips JC, Braun R, Wang W, Gumbart J, Tajkhorshid E, Villa E, Chipot C, Skeel RD, Kalé L,
Schulten K (2005) Scalable molecular dynamics with NAMD. J Comput Chem 26:1781–1802.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcc.20289
8. Humphrey W, Dalke A, Schulten K (1996) VMD – visual molecular dynamics. J Molec
Graphics 14:33–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/0263-7855(96)00018-5
9. Allen MP, Tildesley DJ (1989) Computer simulation of liquids. Clarendon Press/Oxford
University Press, Oxford [England]/New York
V. Raczy´ nska et al.
17.4 Conclusions
The process of forming 5CB mesogene phases anchored between graphene sheets
is an outcome of a counterbalance between the interaction of the graphene surfaces
with mesogene molecules and the volume accessible for the mesogenes. The
increase of the distance between the planes while keeping the constant number
of the mesogenes leads to the frustration of the system, relaxed eventually by
further reduction of the mesogene density induced by further increase of the distance
between the substrate surfaces. The reduction of mobility reported for the systems
with higher distance between graphene planes can be attributed to the breaking of
balance between the layers located near the opposite graphene sheets and rebuilding
its structure as a single layer.
Acknowledgment This research was supported in part by PAAD Infrastructure co-financed by
Operational Programme Innovative Economy, Objective 2.3.
References
1. Roscioni OM, Muccioli L, Zannoni C (2017) Predicting the conditions for homeotropic
anchoring of liquid crystals at a soft surface. 4-n-Pentyl-4 -cyanobiphenyl on
Alkylsilane self-assembled monolayers. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 9:11993–12002.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b16438
2. Alam TM, Pearce CJ (2014) Impact of graphene incorporation on the orientational
order of graphene/liquid crystal composites. Chem Phys Lett 592:7–13.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cplett.2013.11.044
3. Manjuladevi V, Gupta RK, Kumar S (2012) Effect of functionalized carbon nanotube
on electro-optic and dielectric properties of a liquid crystal. J Mol Liq 171:60–63.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2012.03.026
4. Rasna MV, Zuhail KP, Manda R, Paik P, Haase W, Dhara S (2014) Discontinuous anchoring
transition and photothermal switching in composites of liquid crystals and conducting polymer
nanofibers. Phys Rev E 89:052503. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.89.052503
5. Rahman M, Lee W (2009) Scientific duo of carbon nanotubes and nematic liquid crystals. J
Phys D Appl Phys 42:063001–063013. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/42/6/063001
6. Tiberio G, Muccioli L, Berardi R, Zannoni C (2009) Towards in silico liquid crystals. Realistic
transition temperatures and physical properties for n-cyanobiphenyls via molecular dynamics
simulations. ChemPhysChem 10:125–136. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.200800231
7. Phillips JC, Braun R, Wang W, Gumbart J, Tajkhorshid E, Villa E, Chipot C, Skeel RD, Kalé L,
Schulten K (2005) Scalable molecular dynamics with NAMD. J Comput Chem 26:1781–1802.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcc.20289
8. Humphrey W, Dalke A, Schulten K (1996) VMD – visual molecular dynamics. J Molec
Graphics 14:33–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/0263-7855(96)00018-5
9. Allen MP, Tildesley DJ (1989) Computer simulation of liquids. Clarendon Press/Oxford
University Press, Oxford [England]/New York