P‐155: Analysis of Solubilization of Surface‐Modified Carbon Nanotube in Nematic Liquid Crystal Using Flory‐Huggins Theory

Abstract

AbstractAn analytic study on the solubility behavior between 4′‐n‐pentyl‐4‐cyano‐biphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal and Maleic anhydride (MA) grafted surface‐modified single walled carbon nanotube (CNTs‐MA) using the prestigious Flory‐Huggins model is presented. The statistical thermodynamics of the Flory‐Huggins mean‐field theory is for the first time, applied in the solubility study of the ill‐famed issue of blending liquid crystals with carbon nanotubes. In conjunction with the Monte Carlo calculations, we discovered that at room temperature, this functionalized carbon nanotube can dissolve in the 5CB nematogens when the grafting ratio of the MA functional groups reaches up to 20 atomic wt%. Although it may not be for a perfectly exact prediction with respect to the mixture of liquid crystal combined with carbon nanotubes, we believe this mesoscale simulation can still offer reliable tends and directions toward the analysis of designing “liquid crystal‐soluble” carbon nanotubes in order for this novel composite to become a practical homogeneous nanosolution, and realize its promises in the future.