Nanocomposite of a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a magnetic nanoparticle: observation of changes in the ordering inside a droplet as function of applied electric field*

We study a nanocomposite consisting of a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a magnetic nanoparticle, of 2.5 to 3.5 nanometers in size. We use the ferroic properties exhibited by the nanocomposite, by increasing the applied electric field and observing the ordering of the magnetization. We study the 10.8% wt of nanoparticles in the liquid crystal. We observe the formation of droplets of about 5 – 10 microns in diameter. The concentration was chosen because it seems to act as a lubricant to the liquid crystal, but it is a larger concentration. Because of this larger concentration we observe the formation of clusters that tend to be contained inside the droplets. We estimate the value of the magnetic field in a 7micron droplet and associate it to the number of droplets aligned as a function of electric field, which is about 0.7T. As the electric field increases, we observe a change in the ordering inside the droplets and the distribution of the clusters inside them. We show how the change in the order of the droplets as the electric field increases contributes to the magnetic field. We present the evolution of the ordering of the droplet as the electric field is increased.