Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Faraday Discuss. 2010;144:159-69; discussion 203-22, 467-81. doi: 10.1039/b908676e.
We present numerical modelling of colloidal particles in chiral nematics with cubic symmetry (blue phases) within the framework of the Landau-de Gennes free energy. The interaction potential of a single, nano-sized colloidal particle with a -1/2 disclination line is calculated as a generic trapping mechanism for particles within the cholesteric blue phases. The interaction potential is shown to be highly anisotropic and have threefold rotational symmetry. We discuss the equilibration of the colloidal texture with respect to particle positions and the unit cell size of the blue phase. We also describe how preservation of the liquid crystal volume and the number of particles allows blue phase colloidal structures with different unit cell sizes and configurations to be compared numerically.
我们在朗道-德热纳自由能的框架内，对具有立方对称性（蓝相）的手性向列胶体粒子进行了数值模拟。计算了纳米级胶体粒子与-1/2 螺旋线的相互作用势，作为胆甾相内粒子的通用捕获机制。相互作用势表现出高度各向异性和三重旋转对称性。我们讨论了胶体织构相对于粒子位置和蓝相单元胞大小的平衡。我们还描述了如何保持液晶体积和粒子数，以便对不同单元胞大小和构型的蓝相胶体结构进行数值比较。
