Conformational and Orientational Order of Molecules in Nematic Liquid Crystals

The statistical properties of the conformational and orientational distribution of molecules with internal rotation in the isotropic and nematic phases of liquid crystal (LC) are investigated in terms of molecular statistical theory. The paper discusses the effect of mutual correlation between the molecular conformational and orientational degrees of freedom on the conformational, orientational, and mixed order parameters of molecules in LC and on the nematic–isotropic liquid transition temperature. For these order parameters, the recurrent relation method is suggested and used to derive the partial functions of the conformational and orientational distributions of molecules in LC.