Numéro
J. Phys. I France
Volume 4, Numéro 2, February 1994
Page(s) 237 - 244
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp1:1994135
DOI: 10.1051/jp1:1994135
J. Phys. I France 4 (1994) 237-244

Depletion effect in a model lyotropic liquid crystal-theory

P. B. Warren

Unilever Research Port Sunlight Laboratory, Quarry Road East, Bebington, Merseyside, L63 3JW, UK


(Received 9 August 1993, received in final foret 14 September 1993, accepted 20 October 1993)

Abstract
The effect of added non-adsorbing polymer on the isotropic-nematic phase transition in a model lyotropic liquid crystal - a suspension of hard rods - is studied theoretically. The results indicate that the transition is widened and that polymer is partitioned preferentially into the more dilute isotropic phase. The concentration of polymer where a noticeable effect on the transition starts to occur is predicted to be of the order 5 % of the coil overlap threshold c*.



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