A Theoretical Investigation of the Lattice of Symmetric and Asymmetric Rigid Rods with Anisotropic Dispersion Forces and Rigid Body Repulsions

Abstract

Abstract The method of symmmetry breaking potential and first order cluster expansion technique for the partition functions adopted for the theory of ordering in liquid crystals has been extended to symmetric asymmetric molecules. The order parameter is calculated as a function of temperature and packing coefficient as a function of chainlength for homologous series of liquid crystals having symmetric and asymmetric molecules. The theoretical calculations account fairly well for the gradient differences in the order parameters of symmetric molecules and packing coefficients.