Confined cubic blue phases under shear

We study the behaviour of confined cubic blue phases under shear flow via lattice Boltzmann simulations. We focus on the two experimentally observed phases, blue phase I and blue phase II. The disclination network of blue phase II continuously breaks and reforms under shear, leading to an oscillatory stress response in time. The oscillations are only regular for very thin samples. For thicker samples, the shear leads to a 'stick-slip' motion of part of the network along the vorticity direction. Blue phase I responds very differently: its defect network undergoes seemingly chaotic rearrangements under shear, irrespective of system size.     

亚稳相的高压暴露

 很久以前,便有人指出,气态冷凝成固态时,要连续经历液相及各种高温相,才达到平衡结晶相。但是,液态及高温相往往需靠很大的冷却速度才能冻结下来,这在当时对绝大多数合金,是不可能的。近些年,随着超急冷等技术的进步,关于非晶等亚稳相得研究十分活跃。当超过一定临界冷却速度时,液态合金可固化为非晶态。虽然,亚稳结晶相较非晶应更容易冻结,但是,由于产生各种亚稳相所需的过冷条件各不相同,以及对冷却速度的选择不能是任意的,因此有时它们较非晶还难于形成。与液相凝固过程相似,非晶合金的晶化也服从构型最小重排原理,即在晶化完成之前,存在某些亚稳相变态阶段。但是,限于热力学上的不稳定性及动力学因素,在常压下这些亚稳相同样是难以发现的。作者根据对多种合金系的研究,提出高压暴露亚稳相的设想,并利用非晶等亚稳相的高压变态过程,将进行液态急冷时的速度控制方式,改为便于掌握的高压退火方式,来获得新亚稳相。本文对压力暴露亚稳相的原理和实践,加以论述。     

Phase Diagrams Semicrystalline Polymer–Liquid Revisited: Isotactic Polypropylene-Dibutyl Phthalate and Other Systems

The full phase diagram of an isotactic polypropylene (i-PP)–dibutyl phthalate (DBP) mixture is for the first time constructed by an optical method and discussed within the concept of semicrystalline polymers as microheterogeneous liquids with a three-dimensional network structure. It is demonstrated that the liquidus in this and other polymer–solvent systems is not thermodynamically equivalent to the liquidus in low molecular weight (MW) mixtures. Qualitatively different thermal behavior of those two types of binary systems in the liquidus vicinity is corroborated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments. In the former case, a liquid-solid transition resulting in the formation of polymer crystallites does not lead to separating the mixture into crystalline and amorphous phases. On cooling, the system remains macroscopically single phase until the low MW liquid can be fully dissolved in the amorphous regions of the polymer. The correct location of the corresponding borderline is crucially important for the microporous membrane formation via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). It is also argued that the topology of a phase diagram polymer–low MW liquid does not depend on whether the polymer is amorphous or crystalline.     

Flexoelectric blue phases

We describe the occurrence and properties of liquid crystal phases showing two dimensional splay and bend distortions which are stabilized by flexoelectric interactions. These phases are characterized by regions of locally double splayed order separated by topological defects and are thus analogous to the blue phases of cholesteric liquid crystals. We present a mean-field analysis based upon the Landau-de Gennes Q-tensor theory and construct a phase diagram for flexoelectric structures using analytic and numerical results. We stress the similarities and discrepancies between the cholesteric and flexoelectric cases.     

Bistable defect structures in blue phase devices

Blue phases are liquid crystals made up by networks of defects, or disclination lines. While existing phase diagrams show a striking variety of competing metastable topologies for these networks, very little is known as to how to kinetically reach a target structure, or how to switch from one to the other, which is of paramount importance for devices. We theoretically identify two confined blue phase I systems in which by applying an appropriate series of electric field it is possible to select one of two bistable defect patterns. Our results may be used to realize new generation and fast switching energy-saving bistable devices in ultrathin surface treated blue phase I wafers.     

Quasicrystals in a monodisperse system

We investigate the formation of a two-dimensional quasicrystal in a monodisperse system, using molecular dynamics simulations of hard-sphere particles interacting via a two-dimensional square-well potential. We find that more than one stable crystalline phase can form for certain values of the square-well parameters. Quenching the liquid phase at a very low temperature, we obtain an amorphous phase. By heating this amorphous phase, we obtain a quasicrystalline structure with fivefold symmetry. From estimations of the Helmholtz potentials of the stable crystalline phases and of the quasicrystal, we conclude that the observed quasicrystal phase can be the stable phase in a specific range of temperatures.     

Two-dimensional,blue phase tactoids

ABSTRACT

We use full nematohydrodynamic simulations to study the statics and dynamics of monolayers of cholesteric liquid crystals. Using chirality and temperature as control parameters, we show that we can recover the two-dimensional blue phases recently observed in chiral nematics, where hexagonal lattices of half-skyrmion topological excitations are interleaved by lattices of trefoil topological defects. Furthermore, we characterise the transient dynamics during the quench from isotropic to blue phase. We then proceed by confining cholesteric stripes and blue phases within finite-sized tactoids and show that it is possible to access a wealth of reconfigurable droplet shapes including disk-like, elongated and star-shaped morphologies. Our results demonstrate a potential for constructing controllable, stable structures of liquid crystals by constraining 2D blue phases and varying the chirality, surface tension and elastic constants.     

Thermodynamic stability of solid and fluid phases in the Si3B3N7 system

We investigate the thermodynamic properties of the ceramic material Si₃B₃N₇ which has so far only been synthesized as an amorphous compound. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate the stability of both solid and fluid phases of Si₃B₃N₇, in order to gain insights into the proper synthetic conditions needed to generate the stable amorphous and crystalline phases of this compound. We study the ternary liquid–gas region of the phase diagram at temperatures above the theoretical glass transition in this system, and construct an approximate ‘metastable’ phase diagram of Si₃B₃N₇. In addition we study the stability of the amorphous and crystalline phases in the solid state against the decomposition into the binary phases h-BN and β-Si₃N₄ as a function of the size of the crystallites involved, and the stability of the melt against evolution of nitrogen as a function of nitrogen pressure.     

聚苯硫醚熔体的压致凝固行为

采用施加压力的方法将聚苯硫醚熔体凝固,凝固后获得的聚苯硫醚样品经过降温和卸压后在常温常压下回收. X射线衍射和差示扫描量热分析表明:约20 ms时间的快速压缩过程可以抑制熔体结晶,制备出非晶态聚苯硫醚块材,样品的表面及中心都是非晶态.非晶态聚苯硫醚的玻璃化转变温度和晶化温度分别为318和362 K.常压下的退火实验表明,非晶态聚苯硫醚在425 K等温结晶的产物为正交相晶型.压致凝固法中熔体的凝固不是靠温度变化,而是靠压力变化,样品表面和内部处在一致的温度下同时受压凝固,避免了热传导对非晶尺寸的影响,因此非常有利于获得结构均匀的大尺寸非晶态材料.     

Amorphous zirconia: ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract

We investigate the short-range order of the liquid and amorphous zirconia using an ab initio molecular dynamics technique. Both forms of zirconia are projected to be structurally close to each other. The amorphous network has predominantly seven-fold coordinated Zr atoms (～%65), and three-fold and four-fold coordinated O atoms (～46%), and hence it resembles locally the monoclinic zirconia phase. Within the known limitations of the DFT-GGA calculation, the liquid state is predicted to be semi-metal, whereas the amorphous form is projected to be semiconductor having a band gap energy of ～3.5 eV. We find an asymmetry in localisation of the band tail states. On the basis of this finding, we discuss possible distinctions in n-type and p-type doping in amorphous zirconia.     

Design a backlight system to a LCD of vertical-field-switching blue phase

We propose a backlight system for a vertical-field-switching blue phase liquid crystal display. Because the blue phase liquid crystal display needs an oblique incident light source of a backlight system, we designed the backlight system that consisted of a light guide plate and a specially designed prism film. We simulated the backlight system by optical software (TraceProTM) and the performance of the blue phase liquid crystal display by liquid crystal software (TechWiz). The result showed that the contrast ratio of the blue phase liquid crystal display can be over 2000 and the uniformity was 86%. The designed applicable backlight system will be illustrated in the vertical field switching blue phase liquid crystal display.     

New insights into the colour origin of archaeological Egyptian blue and green by XAFS at the Cu K‐edge

New results on the local chemical environment of Cu²⁺ in archaeological Egyptian blue and green and also modern Egyptian green were obtained by x‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis. The information is essential for the understanding of the colouring mechanisms in both pigments. In a previous study, a clear physico‐chemical characterisation of Egyptian blue and green was achieved using a complementary analytical approach with ancient and modern synthesized pigments. Electron microscopy (SEM–EDX and TEM), x‐ray diffraction and micro‐Raman and UV–visible spectroscopy were used to gain information about the conditions of the ancient Egyptian fabrication processes and permitted the clear distinction of both pigments. However, the exact colouring mechanisms could not be elucidated by these methods. Different Cu‐bearing amorphous and crystalline phases were found in both pigments. These phases should be at the origin of the blue and turquoise colours. Using XAFS data at the Cu K‐edge, new insights into the origin of the colouring mechanisms of both pigments could be obtained from the precision of the Cu speciation. In Egyptian blue, Cu²⁺ is mainly allocated in a square‐planar site in a crystalline cuprorivaite phase, whereas in Egyptian green, Cu²⁺ is basically situated in a distorted octahedral site in an amorphous phase. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetic blue phase in the chiral itinerant magnet MnSi

Chiral nematic liquid crystals sometimes form blue phases characterized by spirals twisting in different directions. By combining model calculations with neutron-scattering experiments, we show that the magnetic analogue of blue phases does form in the chiral itinerant magnet MnSi in a large part of the phase diagram. The properties of this blue phase explain a number of previously reported puzzling features of MnSi such as partial magnetic order and a two-component specific-heat and thermal-expansion anomaly at the magnetic transition.     

On the formation of photoinduced high pressure phases in sulfur below 10 GPa

Abstract

We investigate the phase transformations in sulfur for pressures up to 10 GPa by time resolved Raman spectroscopy. The transition to the photosensitive phase p-S is stimulated by the blue laser line between 3 and 9 GPa. The kinetics of this transition as derived from the time evolution of the intensities of characteristic Raman excitations shows the typical features of an activated first order phase transition. This transformation proceeds via a disordered (amorphous) intermediate state.

Above 9 GPa a further phase change to S, is kinetically characterized and follows similar rules i.e. the integral intensities of selected S, Raman lines exhibit a sigmoidal time dependence. In both high pressure phases a broad Raman excitation between 800 and 1000 cm^?1 is observed.     

Frustration and defects in non-periodic solids

Geometrical frustration arises whenever a local preferred configuration (lower energy for atomic systems, or best packing for hard spheres) cannot be propagated throughout space without defects. A general approach, using unfrustrated templates defined in curved space, have been previously applied to analyse a large number of cases like complex crystals, amorphous materials, liquid crystals, foams, and even biological organizations, with scales ranging from the atomic level up to macroscopic scales. In this paper, we discuss the close sphere packing problem, which has some relevance to the structural problem in amorphous metals, quasicrystals and some periodic complex metallic structures. The role of sets of disclination line defects is addressed, in particular with comparison with the major skeleton occurring in complex large-cell metals (Frank–Kasper phases). An interesting example of 12-fold symmetric quasiperiodic Frank–Kasper phase, and its disclination network, is also described.     

Liquid–liquid phase transition and anomalous diffusion in simulated liquid GeO2

We perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of diffusion in liquid GeO₂ at the temperatures ranged from 3000 to 5000 K and densities ranged from 3.65 to 7.90 g/cm³. Simulations were done in a model containing 3000 particles with the new interatomic potentials for liquid and amorphous GeO₂, which have weak Coulomb interaction and Morse-type short-range interaction. We found a liquid–liquid phase transition in simulated liquid GeO₂ from a tetrahedral to an octahedral network structure upon compression. Moreover, such phase transition accompanied with an anomalous diffusion of particles in liquid GeO₂ that the diffusion constant of both Ge and O particles strongly increases with increasing density (e.g. with increasing pressure) and it shows a maximum at the density around 4.95 g/cm³. The possible relation between anomalous diffusion of particles and structural phase transition in the system has been discussed.     

Ge2 Sb2 Te5相变薄膜光学及擦除性能研究

利用蓝绿激光对非晶态Ge2Sb2Te5 相变薄膜进行擦除性能的研究,分别用1000 ns,500 ns,100 ns,60 ns脉宽的蓝绿激光进行实验.结果表明,一定脉宽下,反射率对比度随擦除功率的增加而增大.并且,在1000 ns,500 ns,100 ns,60 ns的激光作用时间范围内,非晶态薄膜均可转变成晶态.对于脉宽为60 ns的蓝绿激光,擦除功率大于4.49 mW以后,薄膜的反射率对比度高于15％,这表明Ge2Sb2Te5相变薄膜在短脉宽、低擦除功率条件下,可具有较高的晶化速度.同时,分析了非晶态和晶态Ge2Sb2Te5相变薄膜的光谱特性,对比研究了780 nm,650 nm,514 nm和405 nm波长处的反射率和反射率对比度,提出了Ge2Sb2Te5相变薄膜用于蓝光光盘的改进方法.     

Blue quantum fog: chiral condensation in quantum helimagnets

It is shown that a condensation transition involving a chiral order parameter can occur in itinerant helimagnets, in analogy to the transition between the isotropic phase and the phase known as blue fog or blue phase III in cholesteric liquid crystals. It is proposed that such a transition is the explanation for recent neutron scattering results in MnSi. Predictions are made that will allow for experimental tests of this proposal.     

Phase transitions in ferroelectric liquid crystals

Molecular chirality plays an important role in the science of liquid crystals, leading to cholesteric liquid crystal, blue phases, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric smectic phases and twist grain boundary phases. In all of these mesogens, chirality is an intrinsic property built into the chemical structure of mesogenic molecules. The study of ferroelectric liquid crystals has seen substantial experimental strides. In theoretical aspects, there has been relatively little basic work on this fascinating class of material. This review will try to present a comprehensive overview of the current status of the phase transitions in ferroelectric smectic liquid crystals. The article begins with a brief introduction about the symmetry and structure of ferroelectric mesophases. An attempt is made to identify a range of problems and related questions associated with the study of phase transitions. In the remaining parts of the article the important experimental and theoretical developments are summarized. Finally, some of the future directions have been identified.     

非晶态Cu_(56)Zr_(44)合金的结构及其等温退火晶化过程的研究

利用X射线衍射技术、差示扫描量热分析技术和透射电子显微镜研究了非晶态Cu56 Zr4 4合金的结构及其等温退火条件下的晶化过程 .实验结果表明 ,非晶态Cu56 Zr4 4合金在室温下的短程结构类似于硬球无规密堆积分布 .在70 3K过冷液相区内等温退火时发现 ,当退火时间为 3min时 ,晶化产物主要为Cu8Zr3相 ;当退火时间为 6min时 ,Cu8Zr3相完全消失 ,而Cu1 0 Zr7相大量析出 ;当退火时间达到 3 0min以上时 ,其晶化产物转变为Cu1 0 Zr7,CuZr2 ,Cu8Zr3等多种化合物 .由此提出了非晶态Cu56 Zr4 4合金等温退火晶化过程的扩散机理 .