Essentially there are two variational theories of liquid crystals explained in this book. The theory put forward by Zocher, Oseen and Frank is classical, while that proposed by Ericksen is newer in its mathematical formulation although it has been postulated in the physical literature for the past two decades. The newer theory provides a better explanation of defects in liquid crystals, especially of those concentrated on lines and surfaces, which escape the scope of the classical theory. The book opens the way to the wealth of applications that will follow.

Liquid Crystalline Order in Polymers examines the topic of liquid crystalline order in systems containing rigid synthetic macromolecular chains. Each chapter of the book provides a review of one important area of the field. Chapter 1 discusses scattering in polymer systems with liquid crystalline order. It also introduces the field of liquid crystals. Chapter 2 treats the origin of liquid crystalline order in macromolecules by describing the in-depth study of conformation of such macromolecules in their unassociated state. The chapters that follow describe successively the liquid crystalline order in polymers with mesogenic side groups and rigid backbones, in polypeptides, and in block copolymers. Chapter 7 discusses the rheology of such systems. The last two chapters examine liquid crystalline order in biological materials and mesomorphic order in the realm of polymers with inorganic backbones. This book is intended to provide the polymer scientist, the materials scientist, and the biologist with a valuable source of information.

Linking molecular functionality to real-life material applications, this cutting-edge book provides engineers and researchers with the back ground needed to design bulk materials that meet specific property requirements.