Computational modelling of multiscale morphologies in polymer–liquid crystalblends

Abstract

Simulations of material architectures in polymer–liquid crystal blends driven byphase separation–phase ordering–texturing processes are presented. The studyshows that mixtures of polymers and liquid crystals result in blend morphologiesthat organize at several scales. For thermally driven instabilities, morphologies ofpolymer droplets embedded in a liquid crystal matrix show colloidal crystallinity.Large polymer drops strongly affect the orientation of the matrix, producingtextures consisting of defect lattices. This work shows that thermally driven phaseseparation–phase ordering–texturing processes can result in multiscale materials, withlength scales cascading down from droplets to interfaces, and finally to nanoscaledefects.