Abstract
Volume and temperature studies on pentylcyanobiphenyl, in a single-capillary dilatometer capable of a sensitivity in density of 2 × g/ in a constant-temperature bath stable to ±0.2 mK, are reported. The data in the nematic-phase pretransitional region have been fit by an equation of the form , where represents the limit of mechanical stability of the nematic phase (where ), and the "pretransition exponent" . To this accuracy, the nematic volume near the transition has the square-root behavior also suggested earlier by experimental results on (MBBA) and other compounds. A new thermodynamic mean-field understanding of this behavior is presented and discussed. Tricriticality of a particular kind is also discussed.
- Received 24 November 1980
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.25.1123
©1982 American Physical Society