Theoretical studies of biaxial liquid crystalline phases in mixtures of rodlike molecules

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The study of biaxial nematic phases has been focused on the anisotropic particles such as board-shaped molecules and banana type molecules. In this project, we theoretically study biaxial nematic phases in mixtures of a liquid crystal and a rodlike polymer, such as nanotubes and rigid-rodlike particles. We predict novel biaxial nematic phases in liquid crystal/rod mixtures where the two components favour a mutually perpendicular orientation. We also theoretically study biaxiality in liquid crystalline elastomers and liquid crystalline polymers.