Why Rod-like Molecules Don't Exhibit Liquid Crystal Phases?

Abstract

To predict whether a system of rod-like molecules exhibit thermotropic liquid crystal phase, we must estimate not only the clearing temperature Tc but also the melting temperature Tm. Though we have simple theoretical formula to estimate Tc, not theoretical formula to predict Tm. On the basis of many experimental results, we consider Tm molecular theoretically for typical rod-like mesogens with terminal hydrocarbon chains.