Charge ordering induces a smectic phase in oblate ionic liquid crystals

TL;DR

This study uses computer simulations to reveal that charge ordering in an electroneutral mixture of oblate ionic liquid crystals induces a smectic-A phase with layered charge arrangements, unlike purely repulsive ellipsoids.

Contribution

It demonstrates for the first time that charge interactions can induce a smectic phase in oblate ionic liquid crystals, contrasting with previous purely repulsive models.

Findings

Charge ordering leads to a smectic-A phase.

Charges of equal sign form layers perpendicular to the director.

The system differs from purely repulsive ellipsoid models.

Abstract

We report a computer simulation study of an electroneutral mixture of oppositely charged oblate ellipsoids of revolution with aspect ratio A = 1/3. In contrast to hard or soft repulsive ellipsoids, which are purely nematic, this system exhibits a smectic-A phase in which charges of equal sign are counterintuitively packed in layers perpendicular to the nematic director.