Structure and dynamics of reentrant nematics: Any open questions after almost 40 years?

TL;DR

This paper reviews the complex phenomena of reentrant nematic phases in liquid crystals, discussing experimental findings, theoretical models, and recent simulation results, especially under nanoscopic confinement.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the open questions and recent advances in understanding reentrant nematic phases, including new dynamical features observed in simulations.

Findings

Reentrant nematic phases exhibit unique dynamical behaviors in confined environments.

Recent simulations reveal new dynamical features of reentrant nematics at nanoscales.

Experimental evidence supports the existence and complex behavior of reentrant nematic phases.

Abstract

Liquid crystals have attracted enormous interest because of the variety of their phases and richness of their application. The interplay of general physical symmetries and specific molecular features generates a myriad of different phenomena. A surprising behavior of liquid crystals is the reentrancy of phases as temperature, pressure, or concentration are varied. Here, we review the main experimental facts and the different theoretical scenarios that have guided the understanding of bulk reentrant nematics. Recently, some computer simulations of a system confined to nanoscopic scales have found new dynamical features of the reentrant nematic phase. We discuss this prediction in relation with the available experimental evidence on reentrant nematics and with the dynamics of liquids in strongly confined environments.