Simulations of liquid crystalline phases of semiflexible polymer melts and blends

POSTER

Abstract

We perform Monte Carlo simulations of a bond-fluctuation model for polymers and introduce a bending energy so that polymer chains are flexible at high temperatures and rod like at low temperature. The phase diagram of polymer melts is determined in the temperature-density plane and the isotropic to nematic transition temperature is found to increase with increasing density. Single chain properties show that coupling between density and stiffness effects lead to nematic order. Blending with flexible chains leads to microphase separation and the formation of ordered domains of rods embedded in disordered regions.

Authors

  • Kiran Khanal

    Departments of Chemistry and Physics, The University of Akron, Departments of Physics and Chemistry, The University of Akron

  • Jutta Luettmer-Strathmann

    Departments of Chemistry and Physics, The University of Akron, Departments of Physics and Chemistry, The University of Akron, Department of Physics, University of Akron