Studies of Liquid Crystals

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This project deals with molecularly complex liquid crystals, including nematic polymer liquid crystals such as poly-y-benzyl glutamate (PBG), rigid rod viral liquid crystals (tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)), and certain highly prolate filamentous bacteriophages (fd and m13). All of these materials display partially ordered fluid phases, whose mechanical, magnetic, structural, optical and statistical mechanical properties are of interest. The research concentrates on new phenomena and new systems, at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels. The structural studies aid in determining phase diagrams, and understanding these diagrams in terms of molecular properties. Macroscopic nonlinear phenomena are being studied and these results have implications for the understanding of nonlinear processes in other systems. Such investigations have historically led to important practical applications. Novel experiments include combined use of magnetic fields and rotational motion to induce new ordered phases, as well as shear induced nematic ordering as an example of a dynamic phase transition.