Volume phase transition isotropic gels

In this paper we propose a molecular theory combining both the orientation-dependent attractive interactions [11-15] and the excluded volume interactions [15,16] between Hquid crystals. Our theory predicts that the attractive interaction parameter between liquid crystals controls the peculiar types of phase separations, such as isotropic isotropic phase separation and nematic-isotropic one. We also examine the phase diagrams for solutions of rigid rod-like molecules [17-19] and the volume phase transition of gels in liquid crystals. 

In isotropic gels, we may discuss the volume-phase transition on the basis of the total free energy F regarding the volume V (or 4> = 4>o F0/F) as the order... 

In the LCE/liquid crystal solvent system, two independent liquid crystal phase transition temperatures, one for the pure surrounding solvent (Tni ) and one for the gel (Tni ), are present. In our experiments was always higher than Eni -During slow cooling, while maintaining the balance of swelling at each temperature from the isotropic phase T > a sudden and large volume phase transition was... 

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