Abstract
The hypothesis that the variation of energy with time and volume for real and/or imaginary exchange processes leads to a maximum is applied to various phenomena found with fluids, especially with liquid crystals. Reference is made to some qualitative regularities in the correlation of chemical structure and the thermodynamic stability of the thermotropic nematic phase, the enthalpy of the phase transition between fluid phases, the heuristically important finding of an exothermic transition from the nematic to the isotropic phase, a very distinct deuterium isotopic effect on the optical nonlinearity of a dye-doped nematic phase, and the additional hydrodynamic lifting force observed in technical slide bearings lubricated with isotropic oils containing mesogenic compounds. The relation of the suggested variation to the universally valid principle of least action and its applicability to irreversible processes are discussed.
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