T. Bellini, C. Chiccoli, P. Pasini, C. Zannoni, A Monte Carlo Study of liquid crystal ordering in the independent pore model of aerogels, Phys. Rev. E, 54, 2647- 2652 (1996)


We have performed Monte Carlo simulations of a confined Lebwohl-Lasher nematic model with different boundary conditions to verify the appropriateness of the independent pore approximation or liquid crystals in silica aerogel systems. We find evidence for the need of going beyond independent pores to account for calorimetric and turbidity data at the same time.