A Monte Carlo Simulation of Nematic and Discotic Ordering in a Polymeric Liquid Crystal

Abstract
A cyclic polymeric liquid crystal system is simulated using the Metropolis Monte Carlo method in the NVT ensemble. The polymeric system consists of mesogenic moieties attached by alkyl chain spacers to siloxane ring polymers. In the model, the mesogenic moieties are represented individually by an anisotropic Lennard-Jones potential and the polymer ring is represented solely as a constraint on the relative motions of the attached mesogens. A transition from calamitic ordering to discotic ordering is observed as the ring-mesogen bond is varied from full flexible to rigid.

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