Numerical modeling of colloid aggregation in isotropic to nematic phase transition*

Colloidal aggregates in a nematic liquid crystal form unique structures owing to the long-range orientational ordering of the nematic molecules. Motivated by recent experimental results in the self-assembly of aggregates of colloidal shells of nanoparticles, we study the mechanism behind the formation of these aggregates in the isotropic to nematic phase transition. The far-field interaction between colloidal particles and the nematic liquid crystal allows us to use Brownian dynamics simulations to model the formation of a variety of colloid structures, which are dependent on temperature quench depth and concentration. Additionally, we use Landau-de Gennes free energy minimization to model the aggregation kinetics in the isotropic to nematic phase transition, and to understand how topological defects mediate in the assembly of colloidal aggregates. The mentioned numerical methods allow us to look at the kinetics and aging of colloidal aggregate structures in a liquid crystal.