An overview is given of theory and experiments on liquid crystal phases which appear in solutions of elongated colloidal particles or stiff polymers. The Onsager (1949) virial thecry for the isotropionematic transition of thin rodlike particles is treated comprehensively along with extensions to polydisperse solutions and soft interactions. Computer simulations of liquid crystal phases in hard particle fluids are summarized and used to assess the quality of statistical mechanical thwries for stiff panicles at higher dume haion-like the inclusion of higher Virial coefficients, yexpansion, scaled particle theory and density functional theory. Both computer simulations and density functional theory indicate formation of more highly ordered smectic phases. The range of experimental applicability h strongly widened by the extension of the viriai theory to wormlike chains by Khokhlov and Semenov (1981, 1982). Fmally, experimental results for a number of carefully studied, charged and uncharged colloids and polymers are summarized and wmpared to theoretical results. IE many cases the agreement is semi-quantitative.

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Phase transitions in lyotropic colloidal and polymer liquid crystals

We present the results of a detailed Monte Carlo study of the phase diagram of infinitely thin hard platelets. A weak first order isotropicnematic transition is observed. The equation of state in the isotropic regime is compared with several current theories, none of which is found to be fully satisfactory. The density dependence of the nematic order parameter is found to be compatible with a ‘critical’ exponent β=0·25. A study of the fluctuations of the order parameter in the isotropic phase casts doubt on the applicability of the Landau-de Gennes expression for the free energy. We observe that the relation between the nematic order parameters and is compatible with the predictions of mean-field theory. Practical aspects of the computation are discussed. A novel method to compute the pressure in a constant-volume Monte Carlo run is presented.

Monte Carlo study of the isotropic and nematic phases of infinitely thin hard platelets

Light-driven phenomena both in living systems and nonliving materials have enabled truly fascinating and incredible dynamic architectures with terrific forms and functions. Recently, liquid crystalline materials endowed with photoresponsive capability have emerged as enticing systems. In this Review, we focus on the developments of light-driven liquid crystalline materials containing photochromic components over the past decade. Design and synthesis of photochromic liquid crystals (LCs), photoinduced phase transitions in LC, and photoalignment and photoorientation of LCs have been covered. Photomodulation of pitch, polarization, lattice constant and handedness inversion of chiral LCs is discussed. Light-driven phenomena and properties of liquid crystalline polymers, elastomers, and networks have also been analyzed. The applications of photoinduced phase transitions, photoalignment, photomodulation of chiral LCs, and photomobile polymers have been highlighted wherever appropriate. The combination of photoc...

Light-Driven Liquid Crystalline Materials: From Photo-Induced Phase Transitions and Property Modulations to Applications.

Field-Cycling NMR Relaxometry

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data from water nuclei (1H, 2H, and 17O) can provide much information about the state of water in heterogeneous systems. In the present work, we present a theoretical framework for the interpretation of such data and discuss the implications of the theory. Due to the local anisotropy in heterogeneous systems, it is necessary to consider two components of water motion: a fast anisotropic reorientation superposed on a more extensive slow motion. On the basis of the experimentally verified assumption that these motions occur on different time scales, we develop a ’’two‐step’’ model of relaxation, showing that both motions may give important contributions to the relaxation. We derive a simple expression for the relevant correlation function, valid for isotropic systems. Anisotropic systems are also treated, making use of a new symmetry theorem for time correlation functions. The proof of this theorem is given in an Appendix. The magnitudes of the water 2H and 17O quadrupole coupling constants are estimated to 0.222 and 6.67 MHz, respectively. Results of ab initio quantum chemical calculations are presented, demonstrating the insensitivity of the water 17O field gradient to nearby ionic species. The possibilities and limitations of the NMR technique in answering the fundamental questions about water structure and dynamics in heterogeneous systems are discussed. We suggest a novel interpretation of the well‐known invariance of the ratio of 1H and 2H splittings. Furthermore, we argue that the available NMR data are consistent with a short‐ranged (≲2 molecular layers) perturbation of the water tumbling rate and anisotropy.

G. W. Gray

Papers

The Molecular physics of liquid crystals