Formation of cylindrical nematic-cholestric mixture droplets in an isotropic environment

Abstract

The conditions for the formation of cylindrical liquid-crystal drops in an isotropic environment during the isotropic liquid-liquid crystal phase transition are studied. It is shown that the addition of orthoxylene to a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystals makes it possible to obtain a stable system of cylindrical droplets at a certain temperature in the phase transition region. It has been found that orthoxylene changes the wettability of the polymer surface by the liquid crystal phase. This leads to a change in the shape of the meniscus and, as a consequence, in the orientational structure of the droplets. The results obtained provide a basis for further experimental studies of the orientational structure and topological defects in cylindrical layers of nematic liquid crystals and nematic-cholestric mixtures.