Influence of Ferromagnetic Carbon Nanotubes on Magnetic Transitions in Liquid Crystals

Magnetic field-induced orientational transitions in suspensions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nematic liquid crystals have been studied in the framework of a continuum theory. Ferromagnetic CNTs are considered that possess, in addition to a large anisotropy of diamagnetic susceptibility, an additional magnetic moment due to ferromagnetic particles either situated on the CNT surface or encapsulated inside. It is established that, depending on the energy of coupling between disperse CNTs and liquid-crystalline matrix, the external magnetic field induces various sequences of orientational transitions. A threshold value of the coupling energy is determined, above which a transition from the initial homogeneous planar phase to inhomogeneous state (angular phase) becomes possible. At coupling energies below the threshold, the increasing magnetic field induces the following sequence of orientational transitions: homogeneous planar phase–inhomogeneous (angular) phase–homogeneous homeotropic phase–inhomogeneous angular phase. It is established that, depending on the intensity of segregation phenomena, these transitions can be of the first or second order. Analytical expressions for the fields of second-order transitions between phases are found. On an example of the optical phase difference between the ordinary and extraordinary rays of light passing through the cell of CNT suspension, it is shown that the suspension can exhibit optical bistability during the first-order orientational transition.