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Original Articles

Corresponding states of nematic birefringence: an order parameter universality

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Pages 5237-5247 | Received 24 Jan 2007, Accepted 21 Aug 2007, Published online: 16 Oct 2007
 

Abstract

In this work, experimental birefringence data of several nematic liquid crystals, which share the presence of a nematic–isotropic and a nematic–crystalline phase transition, are used to show that the birefringence presents a universal behaviour which encompasses the entire range of the nematic phase. The meaning and consequences of such behaviour are discussed; as the order parameter is proportional to the birefringence, this result implies that the order parameter has an extended universal profile, similar to a corresponding state law, which is independent of the liquid crystal compound and becomes determined once the temperature interval of the existence of the nematic compounds is obtained.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Brazilian Agencies CAPES, CNPq and Fundação Araucária (PR) for the financial support of this work.

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