Statistical model of polar nematic polymers

Abstract

Abstract The interaction in specially designed polymers may be dominated by the first rank P 1(cos β) type potential instead of the second rank P 2(cos β) type, as in conventional liquid crystal polymers (P 1(cos β) and P 2(cos β) are the first and second Legendre polynomials, respectively of the angle made by the polymer segments with respect to the preferred direction or director). The ordering of the polymers is envisaged in terms of the worm-like theory. The polymers show a polar nematic phase, that is a ferroelectric phase. These polymers have certain interesting properties, such as a second order polar nematic—isotropic transition, and related critical features. These materials are expected to exhibit giant dielectric responses. For more general polymer systems with interactions of both P 1(cos β) and P 2(cos β) types, we predict a peculiar phase behaviour.