BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:On the Maier-Saupe theory of Nematic liquid crystals - Zheng\, X (
 Kent State University)
DTSTART:20130108T094000Z
DTEND:20130108T102000Z
UID:TALK42318@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:Maier-Saupe theory\, the first successful theoretical model of
  thermotropic nematic liquid crystals (LCs)\, is a mean field description 
 of a system of cylindrically symmetric particles interacting via London di
 spersion forces. The theory predicts a uniaxial nematic phase at low tempe
 ratures\, and a first order phase transition to an isotropic fluid phase a
 s the temperature is increased. In this talk\, I will first give a brief i
 ntroduction of the canonical Maier-Saupe theory\, then extend it to biaxia
 l LC molecules\, to inhomogeneous LCs\, and to higher spatial dimensions\,
  and discuss the relation between Maier-Saupe and other main theories of L
 Cs.\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR