Landau Theory of the Direct Smectic-A to Isotropic Phase Transition
10 Aug 1997-International Journal of Modern Physics B (World Scientific Publishing Company)-Vol. 11, Iss: 20, pp 2425-2432
TL;DR: In this paper, the first order behavior of the smectic-A to isotropic phase transition is studied by means of Landau theory, and the temperature difference TAI-T* is also calculated from the scaling equation of state and compared with the nematic-to-isotropic phase transition.
Abstract: Direct smectic-A to isotropic phase transition is studied by means of Landau theory. The theory predicts the first order behaviour of the smectic-A to isotropic phase transition. The temperature difference TAI-T* is also calculated from the scaling equation of state and compared with the nematic to isotropic phase transition
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30 May 2007TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present both solution and coefficient determination methods for a Landau-de-Gennes type phenomenological phase transition model for the isotropic/smectic-A transition sequence.
Abstract: We present both solution and coefficient determination methods for a Landau-de Gennes type phenomenological phase transition model. A homogeneous-volume form of the model is analyzed and shown to be valid for the isotropic/smectic-A transition sequence. A method is presented for the direct linking to experimental observations through coefficient determination in the form of a nonlinear programming problem. A minimization analysis is utilized to simplify the nonlinear model. A computationally efficient and deterministic phase diagram generation method is presented based upon the single-variable form of the model. Phenomenological coefficients and the resulting phase diagram for the liquid crystal 12CB (dodecylcyanobiphenyl) are presented and compared to experimental data. The results show good agreement with experimental data, validating the coefficient determination method. In addition to this the determined constants are applicable for use in the full heterogeneous form of the model. Extensions to the simulation of free-standing smectic films are discussed.
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