Colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals show a beautiful variety of complex phenomena with promising applications. Their dynamical behaviour is determined by topology and interactions with the liquid crystal and external fields. Here, a nematic magnetic nanocapsule reoriented periodically by time-varying magnetic fields is studied using numerical simulations. The approach combines Molecular Dynamics to resolve solute–solvent interactions and Nematic Multiparticle Collision Dynamics to incorporate nematohydrodynamic fields and fluctuations. A Saturn ring defect resulting from homeotropic anchoring conditions surrounds the capsule and rotates together with it. Magnetically induced rotations of the capsule can produce transformations of this topological defect, which changes from a disclination curve to a defect structure extending over the surface of the capsule. Transformations occur for large magnetic fields. At moderate fields, elastic torques prevent changes of the topological defect by tilting the capsule out from the rotation plane of the magnetic field.

Elongated colloids with a permanent magnetic moment and immersed in a nematic liquid crystal are studied numerically using a mesoscopic scheme that supports fluctuations, hydrodynamics, and topological defects. Colloids are accompanied by disclinations curves and subjected to an effective torque caused by the nematic environment and to a magnetic torque due to an external magnetic field. The case is analyzed where these torques compete to bring colloids to two different mutually perpendicular equilibrium states. The fluctuating dynamics of the colloid-defect pair is studied in terms of orientational correlation functions. Analytical expressions for these correlations are derived on the basis of an approximated planar lineal model. A good agreement is found between the numerical and analytical methods when magnetic torques are much larger than nematic torques, while for smaller magnetic torques nonlinear effects are demonstrated to be important. As conclusion, the numerical technique could be considered a reliable approach to the rotational motion of polar nanoparticles in liquid crystals.