2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Volume phase transitions of smectic liquid crystalline gels
| Project/Area Number |
19540428
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Biophysics/Chemical physics
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| Research Institution | Kyushu Institute of Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
AKIHIKO Matsuyama Kyushu Institute of Technology, 大学院・情報工学研究院, 准教授 (60252342)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2007 – 2010
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| Keywords | 液晶ゲル / スメクチック相 / ネマチック相 / 液晶エラストマー / 体積相転移 / 応力 / 歪み |
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| Research Abstract |
We present a mean field theory to describe volume phase transitions of side-chain liquid crystalline gels, accompanied by isotropic-nematic-smectic A phase transitions. Three different uniaxial nematic phases and smectic A phases are defined by using orientational order parameters and translational order parameters. We find that the liquid crystalline gel discontinuously changes the volume at an isotropic-nematic, an isoropic-smectic A, and a nematic-smectic A phase transition. The conformation of backbone chains and mesogenic side groups are important to understand the swelling behaviors of liquid crystalline gels. We hope that these results encourage further experimental studies of the liquid crystalline gels.
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