Abstract
By using computer simulation on a model colloidal rod-sphere mixture in its lamellar phase, the mechanism responsible for the rod rotational relaxation has been definitely identified and characterized. It consists of two steps: first, a rod, parallel to the director, has to escape from the layer in which it is located and go into the interlayer region mostly populated by spheres, perpendicular to the director; then, it has to insinuate again into one of the adjacent layers, with 50% of probability of resulting antiparallel to the director. While this mechanism is also operating in a pure smectic phase of rods, the presence of spheres increases notably its efficacy, thus promoting the rotational relaxation and facilitating its observation.
- Received 28 May 2009
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.257801
©2009 American Physical Society