Computer simulation studies of anisotropic systems

Abstract
We have studied two model nematogenic solutions composed of biaxial solutes dissolved in a solvent of uniaxial particles using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The nematogenic solvent consists of cylindrically symmetric particles located on the sites of a face centred cubic lattice and interacting only with their nearest neighbours through a soft anisotropic potential. The solution is formed by replacing a small number of solvent molecules, chosen at random, with biaxial solute particles. The second rank order parameter of the solvent and the Saupe ordering matrix for the solute have been determined as a function of temperature for the two solutions which differ solely in the biaxiality of the solute. These results are found to be in good qualitative agreement with the predictions of a molecular field theory for such nematogenic solutions.