Liquid Crystalline ID and 2D Carbon Materials

Hari Krishna Bisoyi, Sandeep Kumar and Quan Li 

Liquid crystalline phase is a thermodynamically stable state of matter after solid, liquid and gas and is regarded as the fourth state of matter. Liquid crystalline phase possesses less ordering than crystalline state but more ordering than amorphous liquids. Interestingly, liquid crystals (LCs) share the anisotropic (direction dependent) property of crystalline solids and the fluidity of liquids. Owing to its 

Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA e-mail qlil kent.edu 

Li (ed.), Nanoscience with Liquid Crystals, NanoScience and Technology, 

Objects with L D and L D are regarded as rods and discs respectively, and the theory applies for both rods and discs. At a larger aspect ratio and high particle concentration, if the particles partially stop thermodynamical free rotation and lose orientational entropy, the loss of entropy is compensated and outweighed by the gain in excluded volume entropy. Thus an anisotropic colloid transits from isotropic to liquid crystalline state. 

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