Thermotropic Liquid Crystals (Critical Reports on Applied Chemistry)

Since the early 1970s, thermotropic liquid crystals have played a central role in molecular electronics and display devices. The discovery of liquid crystal polymers has lead to the development of high tensile strength fibres, and new liquid crystal technologies hold promise for advances in several other areas, such as large area displays for word processors, computer terminals, and temperature-sensing devices. This volume is designed to encourage collaboration among physicists, organic chemists, electronic engineers, and other specialists in the physical sciences in order to facilitate research and development in this field. It provides thorough coverage of the subject by experts in various areas, including detailed treatments of the structure and organization in various liquid crystal phases; the relations between their strongly anisotropic properties and molecular structure; and clear insights into their applications and the underlying physics involved in each. Each chapter begins by examining fundamental concepts, introducing newcomers in the field to the associated terminology and providing a basic understanding of its multidisciplinary nature.