Abstract
The presence of second order derivatives of the tensorial order parameter characterizing the nematic phase in the elastic free energy density of distorted nematics is considered. By using a Landau- de Gennes expansion it is shown that if a linear term in second order derivative is considered, it is also necessary to take into account the quadratic term in the same derivative. In fact, this gives a contribution of the same order of the linear term, if the scalar order parameter is used as expansion parameter. The analysis presented here is valid not only for the second order derivatives, but in general. The temperature dependence of the elastic constants connected to linear terms is discussed by considering a simple molecular model.
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