Pseudo Clearing Temperature in Binary Polymer-Nematic Solutions

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the orientational parameter was measured by ${}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{H}$ NMR techniques on solutions of polystyrene dissolved in nematic liquid crystals. This temperature dependence is different from that one of pure nematogens or of solutions of small molecules in nematic phases. These results are consistent with the concept of a pseudo clearing temperature introduced theoretically by Brochard. These are general results for solutes in nematic solvents, including those previously obtained on dissolved small molecules.