Coarse-Grained Modeling of a Deformable Nematic Vesicle

TL;DR

This paper introduces a coarse-grained particle model to simulate nematic vesicles, revealing shape transitions from spherical to tubular forms driven by nematic-curvature coupling, and analyzing defect arrangements.

Contribution

It presents a novel particle-based model for nematic vesicles and uncovers shape transitions and defect patterns related to curvature coupling.

Findings

Vesicles transition from spherical to prolate and tubular shapes with increased coupling.

Defect arrangements are characterized around vesicle tips.

Model captures shape and defect dynamics of nematic vesicles.

Abstract

We develop a coarse-grained particle-based model to simulate membranes with nematic liquid-crystal order. The coarse-grained particles form vesicles which, at low temperature, have orientational order in the local tangent plane. As the strength of coupling between the nematic director and the vesicle curvature increases, the vesicles show a morphology transition from spherical to prolate and finally to a tube. We also observe the shape and defect arrangement around the tips of the prolate vesicle.