https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2006-10065-5
Regular Article
Effective triplet interactions in nematic colloids
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
2
Institut für Theoretische und Angewandte Physik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
3
Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
* e-mail: miko@fluids.mpi-stuttgart.mpg.de
Received:
26
September
2006
Accepted:
11
December
2006
Published online:
5
January
2007
Three-body effective interactions emerging between parallel cylindrical rods immersed in a nematic liquid crystals are calculated within the Landau-de Gennes free-energy description. Collinear, equilateral and midplane configurations of the three colloidal particles are considered. In the last two cases the effective triplet interaction is of the same magnitude and range as the pair one.
PACS: 61.30.Dk Continuum models and theories of liquid crystal structure – / 82.70.Dd Colloids – / 61.30.Jf Defects in liquid crystals –
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag, 2007
