(428f) Surface-Induced Morphology and Free Energy Pathway in Breakup of a Nematic Liquid Crystal Filament

We compute the surface-induced droplet morphology and the free energy pathway as a cylindrical nematic liquid crystalline filament passes through a sequence of sinusoidal perturbations and breaks up into droplets. Liquid crystalline morphology is determined by using a simulated annealing algorithm [Goyal and Denn, Phys. Rev. E, 75, 021704 (2007] to minimize the free energy. A first-order morphological transition with a finite energy barrier is required when the perturbation amplitude exceeds a critical value. This result is consistent with a kinetic trapping explanation proposed by Inn and Denn [J. Rheology, 49, 887-895 (2005)] for a delayed transition from a gel to a dispersed droplet morphology in blends of 4'-octyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (8CB) and poly(dimethyl siloxane). (Supported by the National Science Foundation.)