Magnetic segregation effect in liquid crystals doped with carbon nanotubes

Abstract

We study the orientational transitions in a suspension of carbon nanotubes in a nematic liquid crystal induced by an external magnetic field. The case of a finite orientational anchoring of liquid crystal molecules at the surface of doped carbon nanotubes is considered. It is shown that in a magnetic field the initial homogeneous planar texture of the liquid crystal–carbon nanotubes mixture is disturbed in a threshold manner (Fréedericksz transition). The orientational and concentration distributions of the suspension are studied for different values of the magnetic field strength and segregation intensity of the impurity subsystem. The optical phase lag between ordinary and extraordinary rays of light transmitted through a layer of a liquid crystal composite is calculated. The possibility of changing the nature of the Fréedericksz transition from second order to first order is shown. This tricritical behavior is related to the redistribution of the carbon nanotubes (segregation effect) inside the layer.