ИСТИНА

A molecular-statistical theory describing the liquid crystal complexes with deformations is proposed. An influence of the anisotropic properties and curvature of the surface on the nematic order parameters of liquid crystal is investigated. The order parameters and elastic constants are evaluated in the framework of a unified approach based on the features of the pair interaction potentials of individual liquid crystal molecules. We explain the two-step heat-driven transformation from the nematic phase into the isotropic phase, which is observed experimentally. It is shown that, in contrast to the case of flat surfaces, the transition from nematic phase to the isotropic phase near the strongly distorted surface (the first step) happens at lower temperatures than the transition in the bulk of liquid crystal (the second step). The molecular features responsible for the nematic order parameters change at both transitions and for the temperature range between two transitions are outlined.