ABSTRACT
The isotropic-to-nematic phase transition in a melt of semi-flexible homopolymers with length polydispersity have been considered within the Landau–de Gennes approach. The number of monomer units in chain is assumed to be a random variable distributed by the Schulz–Zimm distribution; the stiffness of macromolecules has been taken into account within discrete worm-like chain model. It was found that increase of polydispersity yields the increase of the temperature of the isotropic–nematic transition.
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Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.