Abstract
We explicitly calculate the orientation-dependent second virial coefficient of short charged rods in an electrolytic
solvent, assuming the rod-rod interactions to be a pairwise sum of hard-core and segmental screened-
Coulomb repulsions. From the parallel and isotropically averaged second virial coefficient, we calculate the
effective length and diameter of the rods, for charges and screening lengths that vary over several orders of
magnitude. Using these effective dimensions, we determine the phase diagram, where we distinguish a lowcharge
and strong-screening regime with a liquid crystalline nematic and smectic phase, and a high-charge and
weak-screening regime with a plastic crystal phase in the phase diagram.
| Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 041401-1-041401-16 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Physical Review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics |
| Volume | 79 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |