External magnetic field-dependent tricritical points of uniaxial-to-biaxial nematic transition

Abstract

External magnetic field-dependent behavior of tricritical points of uniaxial–biaxial nematic phase transition in a mixture of prolate and oblate molecules has been studied using the Landau phenomenological theory. Topological classification of phase diagrams in the field-temperature coordinates is performed using a sixth-order term in order parameter tensor. For both prolate and oblate molecules, the tricritical order parameters corresponding to the uniaxial–biaxial increase with the intensity of the external magnetic field. Field-induced paranematic phase has only been reported for prolate molecules, but for oblate molecules, field-induced splitting of the order parameter has been reported.

Keywords:

• liquid crystal
• phase transition
• tricritical point
• biaxial nematic

Acknowledgements

One of the authors (Lipi Nasrin) acknowledges Aliah University for research fellowship.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.