Introduction to Recent Advances in THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALS

Liquid crystals are states of condensed matter whose symmetries lie between those of three-dimensionally periodic crystals and isotropic liquids. Now more than 35 types of liquid crystals are known, and many more are likely to be discovered in the future. As such, the R & D effort on liquid crystals has been growing steadily in the past three decades, resulting in better and cheaper displays as well as discoveries of new types of liquid crystals.