Macroscopic Properties of Ferronematics Caused by Orientational Interactions on the Particle Surfaces. I. Extended Continuum Model

Abstract

Abstract The Brochard-de Gennes continuum model of ferronematics—magnetic suspensions with the nematic liquid-crystalline carrier—is modified to take into account the finiteness of energy of the nematic molecules anchoring on the particle surface. The developed approach is specified to be capable to describe the equilibrium properties of real thermotropic ferronematics.