Effect of Chain Flexibility on Nematic-Smectic Transition
Soft Condensed Matter
2009-10-31 v1 Materials Science
Statistical Mechanics
Abstract
The theory of nematic-smectic phase transition in the system of uniform semi-flexible chains with hard-core repulsion is presented. Both the general density-functional formalism the tube-model calculation show that the flexibility of the chains results in a strong first-order transition, in contrast to the common weak-cristallization scenario of the nematic-smectic transition in rigid rods. The calculated spinodal volume fraction of the uniform nematic phase and the period of the modulation instability are consistent with recent experimental results.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9809435,
title = {Effect of Chain Flexibility on Nematic-Smectic Transition},
author = {Alexei V. Tkachenko},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9809435},
year = {2009}
}