Statistical Theories of Liquid Crystals: Onsager, Maier-Saupe and Beyond
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Thu, 28/01/2010 12:30 |
François Genoud (OxPDE, University of Oxford) |
OxPDE Lunchtime Seminar  |
Gibson 1st Floor SR |
| I will present in detail the celebrated theories of Onsager (1949) and Maier-Saupe (1958) explaining the phenomenon of long-range orientational order in nematic liquid crystals. The models are not rigorous from the mathematical viewpoint and my talk will stay at the formal level. If time permits, I will suggest directions towards a rigorous mean-field theory. | |||