MEAN-FIELD THEORY FOR THE PHASE-TRANSITIONS OF NEMATIC POLYMERS IN A MAGNETIC-FIELD - APPLICATION TO MAGNETIC BIREFRINGENCE

Authors
MAISSA P LANSAC Y FRIED F
Citation
P. Maissa et al., MEAN-FIELD THEORY FOR THE PHASE-TRANSITIONS OF NEMATIC POLYMERS IN A MAGNETIC-FIELD - APPLICATION TO MAGNETIC BIREFRINGENCE, Polymer, 37(11), 1996, pp. 2039-2047
Citations number
65
Categorie Soggetti
Polymer Sciences
Journal title
Polymer → ACNP
ISSN journal
00323861
Volume
37
Issue
11
Year of publication
1996
Pages
2039 - 2047
Database
ISI
SICI code
0032-3861(1996)37:11<2039:MTFTPO>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
With the help of a theory which is based on functional integrals, we c alculate the evolution, with temperature and degree of polymerization, of the orientational order parameter of thermotropic nematic polymers under a magnetic field. We compare our results with those obtained ex perimentally from magnetic birefringence measurements on polyesters. T he validity of the application of the mean-field theory in the case of semiflexible liquid crystal polymers which consist of sequences of me sogenic units and flexible spacers is also discussed. Copyright (C) 19 96 Elsevier Science Ltd.