Statistical theories of nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

Nematic liquid crystals are composed of molecules with moderate shape anisotropy, and are characterized by purely orientational but no translational long range order. It is necessary to take into account both the anisotropic attractions between the molecules and the excluded volume effects to give a proper statistical theory of this phase. Indeed a reasonably satisfactory semiquantitative description has emerged only in the past two years. The paper reviews recent developments in the field.