Induced Nematic Phase in a Polymer-Liquid Crystal Micture

Abstract

A mean field theory is introduced to describe the phase separations in binary mixtures of a liquid crystal and a nonnematic polymer which means that nematic ordering is forbidden in the constituent pure polymers. The theory takes into account the partial orientational ordering of the polymer chain induced by the liquid crystal solvents. We predicts that a triple point and a new stable nematic phase can be induced by the anisotropic coupling between the polymer and the liquid crystal. The new type of the induced nematic phase are examined for the various molecular weight of the polymer and it's stiffness.