Liquid crystals general classification

In many cases, these polymer chains take on a rod-like (calamitic LCPs) or even disc-like (discotic LCPs) conformation, but this does not affect the overall structural classification scheme. There are many organic compounds, though not polymeric in nature, that exhibit liquid crystallinity and play important roles in biological processes. For example, arteriosclerosis is possibly caused by the formation of a cholesterol containing liquid crystal in the arteries of the heart. Similarly, cell wall membranes are generally considered to have liquid crystalline properties. As interesting as these examples of liquid crystallinity in small, organic compounds are, we must limit the current discussion to polymers only. 

The book is divided into three sections. The first section contains articles discussing synthetic, physicochemical, structural and rheological aspects of Polymeric Liquid Crystals in their generality. A chapter on methods currently used in this field is also included. There are also chapters on theoretical and classification aspects of PLCs. These self-contained tutorial chapters provide an introduction to this field as well as to the specific papers given in the book. They provide an exhaustive coverage of literature on the subject from its inception to the present. 

Generally, there is infinite number of point groups, but not all of them correspond to real physical objects such as molecules or crystals. For example, only 32 point groups are compatible with crystal lattices. Each of them is labeled by a certain symbol according to Schonflies or according to the International classifications. The Schonflies symbols are vivid and more often used in scientific literature. Here we present only those point groups we may encounter in the literature on liquid crystals. 

The liquid ciystalline phase is a distinet phase of matter, but there are many different types of liquid ciystalline phases. The various liquid crystalline phases and other mesophases are characterised and then classified according to the molecular ordering that constitutes the phase stracture. Not surprisingly, the difference between the many different liquid ciystal phases and mesophases is generally minimal. Such minimal differences in stracture mean that the precise classification of liquid crystals often requires the use of several analytical techniques and a great deal of experience. However, in some cases, classification is relatively simple. Each individual liquid crystal phase has been characterised as a distinct phase of matter by a number of different physical techniques and new liquid crystal phases continue to be discovered as the identification techniques improve. The identification and classification of liquid ciystalline and other mesophases is of vital importance to those working in any discipline of the wide field of liquid ciystals. The techniques that are used to characterise and identify liquid crystalline phases are also very relevant to a wide range of other scientific areas. The aim of this chapter is to consider the major methods of liquid crystal phase characterisation and identification. 

The period from their discovery in the latter part of the nineteenth century through to about 1925, the years during which the initial scepticism by some that a state of matter was possible in which the properties of anisotropy and fluidity were combined, through to a general acceptance that this was indeed true, and publication of a first classification of liquid crystals into different types. 

L2 General Classification of Liquid-Crystal Polymers and Networks... 

Everyone is familiar with three of the common states of matter solid, liquid and gas. Some substances exhibit all these states as the temperature is varied. For example, water is solid below 0°C, liquid between 0°C and 100°C, and a gas above 100°C. However, this simplified classification is known to be not generally accurate for many materials. Liquid crystals are states of matter which are sometimes observed to occur between the sofid crystal state and the isotropic liquid state. A substance is... 

Another characteristic point is the special attention that in intermetallic science, as in several fields of chemistry, needs to be dedicated to the structural aspects and to the description of the phases. The structure of intermetallic alloys in their different states, liquid, amorphous (glassy), quasi-crystalline and fully, three-dimensionally (3D) periodic crystalline are closely related to the different properties shown by these substances. Two chapters are therefore dedicated to selected aspects of intermetallic structural chemistry. Particular attention is dedicated to the solid state, in which a very large variety of properties and structures can be found. Solid intermetallic phases, generally non-molecular by nature, are characterized by their 3D crystal (or quasicrystal) structure. A great many crystal structures (often complex or very complex) have been elucidated, and intermetallic crystallochemistry is a fundamental topic of reference. A great number of papers have been published containing results obtained by powder and single crystal X-ray diffractometry and by neutron and electron diffraction methods. A characteristic nomenclature and several symbols and representations have been developed for the description, classification and identification of these phases. 

Fig. 22. A brief classification of R123 crystal growth techniques on a basis of different phenomena taking place at various interfaces between solid, liquid and gaseous phases participating in the solidification process (a) possible interface boundaries and phenomena connected with the presence of such interfaces (b) different interfaces present in the self-flux method note that numbers in brackets correspond to the general scheme of classification (a) (c) a number of interfaces and phenomena of some importance for the unidirectional solidification method note that (crystal-high-temperature phase and melt-high-temperature phase) interfaces are close to each other (d) different interfaces and phenomena to be considered in the SRL-CP pulling technique of bulk crystal production note that solute transport and nudeation can be controlled in order to achieve a desired morphology of the crystal.

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