About

Concentrations

Theoretical Physics of Condensed Matter

Interests

My research group works principally in the area of physics known as “soft condensed matter.” This term refers to substances whose molecules can be made to move significant distances by the application of comparatively weak forces. This distinguishes them from metals and ceramics, in which the atoms are usually tightly bound to their lattice sites. Typical examples of soft condensed systems are polymers and liquid crystals. We work on the theory behind the rich and varied behavior shown by these fascinating materials. Much of our current focus is on the fundamentals of how energy is stored in polymer dielectrics. NSF support for this work has been extended to April 2025.

Liquid crystals and polymers pose a particular challenge to the theoretical physicist, as they are inherently complicated systems. The most common approach to modeling the dynamics of liquid crystals involves deriving equations to describe the average of quantities like the orientations of the molecules. These averages are taken over volumes big enough to contain many molecules, but small compared to the size of an actual device. Even within this approximation, however, the solution of the equations is a challenging task. One approach taken in our group is to start with the microscopic picture, in which individual molecules of a liquid crystal or polymer are described in terms of their orientations and positions, and their corresponding velocities. We then take the equations that describe their motion as they interact with each other, and try to solve them — sometimes analytically, but usually by computer simulation. From the statistical motions of the individual molecules one can build up a picture of the macroscopic behavior of the system as it would actually be observed. As always, the toughest task for the theoretical physicist working to predict the properties of matter is to define a model that is simple enough to solve, but sufficiently complex to reflect the real world.

Publications

“Electrostriction-enhanced giant piezoelectricity via relaxor-like secondary crystals in extended-chain ferroelectric polymers”, Zhiwen Zhu, Guanchun Rui, Qiong Li. Elshad Allahyarov, Ruipeng Li, Thibaut Soulestin, Fabrice Domingues Dos Santos, Hezhi He, Philip L. Taylor, Lei Zhu, Matter XXX, xxxx  (November, 2021).

“Enhanced piezoelectricity from highly polarizable oriented amorphous fractions in biaxially oriented poly(vinylidene fluoride) with pure β crystals”, Yanfei Huang, Guanchun Rui, Qiong Li, Elshad Allahyarov, Ruipeng Li, Masafumi Fukuto, Gan-Ji Zhong, Jia-Zhuang Xu, Zhong-Ming Li, Philip L. Taylor, & Lei Zhu, Nature Communications 12,  Article number: 675 (2021).

“Molecular dynamics simulations and morphology analysis of TEM-imaged PVDF nanofibers”, Jiayuan Miao, Mesfin Tsige, Darrell Reneker, and Philip L. Taylor,  Polymer  125, 190-199 (2017).

“Simulation Study of Ion Diffusion in Charged Nanopores with Anchored Terminal Groups”, Elshad Allahyarov, Hartmut Löwen and Philip L. Taylor,  Electrochimica Acta   242 73-85 (2017).

“Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Relaxation in stretched PVDF nanofibers”, Jiayuan Miao, Ram. S. Batta, D. H. Reneker, M. Tsige, and P. L. Taylor, Polymer 56, 482 (2015)

“Entropic Forces – Making the Connection between Mechanics and Thermodynamics in an Exactly Soluble Model”, P. L. Taylor and J. Tabachnik, European J. Phys. 34, 729 (2013)

“Novel Polymer Ferroelectric Behavior via Crystal Isomorphism and the Nanoconfinement Effect” Lianyun Yang, Xinyu Li, Elshad Allahyarov, Philip L. Taylor, Q. M. Zhang, and Lei Zhu, Polymer 54, 1709 (2013)

“Simulation Study of Field-Induced Proton-Conduction Pathways in Dry Ionomers”, E. Allahyarov and P. L. Taylor, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 23, 234105 (2011)

“Correlation between Structure and Conductivity of Stretched Nafion”, E. Allahyarov and P. L. Taylor, J. Phys. Chem. 113, 610 (2009)

“Simulated Anchoring of a Nematic Liquid Crystal at a Polymer Surface,” M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. E 77 021707 (2008)

“Range of Interlayer Interactions in Smectic-C Liquid Crystals,” M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. E 75 011703 (2007)

“Phase Sequences and Long-Range Interactions in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals”, M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. E 72, 021706 (2005)

“Long-Range Interlayer Interactions in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals”, M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 167801 (2004)

“Simulation Study of the Glass Transition temperature in Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)”, M. Tsige and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. E 65, 021805 (2002)

“A Quantum Approach to Condensed Matter Physics”, P. L. Taylor and O. G. Heinonen, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2002), 424 pp.

“Fréedericksz Transition in an Anticlinic Liquid Crystal”, S. Zhang, W. Bing, S. S. Keast, M. E. Neubert, P. L. Taylor, and C. Rosenblatt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4140 (2000)

“Exponential Decay of Correlations in Strongly Disordered 2D Nematic Elastomers”, Y.-K. Yu, P. L. Taylor, and E. M. Terentjev, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 128 (1998)

“Devil’s Staircase, Critical Thickness, and Propagating Fingers in Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystals”, X.-Y. Wang and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 640 (1996)

“Exact Results for the Lower Critical Solution Temperature in an Asymmetric Model of an Interacting Binary Mixture”, J.-C. Lin and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2863 (1994)