Much more than a slight revision, this second edition of the successful “Handbook of Liquid Crystals” is completely restructured and streamlined, with updated as well as completely new topics, 100% more content and a new team of editors and authors. As such, it fills the gap for a definitive, single source reference for all those working in the field of organized fluids and will set the standard for the next decade. The Handbook’s new structure facilitates navigation and combines the presentation of the content by topic and by liquid-crystal type. A fundamentals volume sets the stage for an understanding of the liquid crystal state of matter, while individual volumes cover the main types and forms, with a final volume bringing together the diverse liquid crystal phases through their applications. This unrivaled, all-embracing coverage represents the undiluted knowledge on liquid crystals, making the Handbook a must-have wherever liquid crystals are investigated, produced or used, and in institutions where their science and technology is taught.

VOLUME 1: Fundamentals of Liquid Crystals PART I - INTRODUCTION Introduction and Historical Perspectives of Liquid Crystals Classification of Liquid Crystals According to Symmetry Phase Transitions: General and Fundamental Aspects, First and Second Order Transitions, Typical Ranges, Monotropic and Enantiotropic Transitions, Supercooling, Thermodynamics PART II - BASICS OF LIQUID CRYSTALS Continuum Theory for Liquid Crystals Molecular Theories of Liquid Crystals Synthetic Strategies for Liquid Crystals Symmetry and Chirality in Liquid Crystals Chemical Structure and Mesogenic Properties PART III - CHARACTERIZATION OF LIQUID CRYSTALS Optical Microscopy Studies of Liquid Crystals X-ray Scattering Investigations of Liquid Crystals Imaging: AFM, STM, TEM, Freeze Fracture Studies, Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy Mixed Systems: Phase Diagrams, Phase Rules, Eutectics, Re-Entrant Phases, Induced Phases, Miscibility Studies Magnetic Resonance Neutron Scattering Light Scattering from Liquid Crystals Investigation of Chirality Properties VOLUME 2: Physical Properties and Phase Behavior of Liquid Crystals PART I - PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Tensor Properties of Anisotropic Materials Magnetic Properties of Liquid Crystals Optical Properties of Liquid Crystals Dielectric Properties of Liquid Crystals Elastic Properties of Liquid Crystals Defects and Textures of Liquid Crystals Viscosity Behaviour of Liquid Crystals in Electric and Magnetic fields Surface Alignment of Liquid Crystals Nonlinear Optical Properties of Liquid Crystals Ion Transport in Liquid Crystals Phase Transition Theories PART II - PHASE BEHAVIOR Thermal Studies in Liquid Crystals Density in Liquid Crystals High Pressure Investigations of Liquid Crystals Reentrant Phase Transitions in Liquid Crystals VOLUME 3: Nematic and Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals PART I - COMMON FEATURES OF NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Phase Structures of Nematic Liquid Crystals Phase Transitions in Liquid Crystals Designing Principles and Synthesis of Materials for Nematic Liquid Crystals PART II - CONVENTIONAL NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Nematic Liquid Crystals for Display Applications Elastic Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals Dielectric Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals Diamagnetic Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals Optical Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals Dynamic Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals PART III - DISCOTIC, BIAXIAL AND CHIRAL NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Design and Synthesis of Nematic Phases Formed by Disc-Like Molecules Synthesis of Biaxial Nematic Liquid Crystals Structures and Properties of Biaxial Nematic Liquid Crystals Physical Investigations of Biaxial Nematic Liquid Crystals Molecular Design and Synthesis of Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals Structures and Optical Properties of Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals and Electric, Magnetic, and Mechanical Fields PART IV - BLUE PHASES Design of Blue Phase Materials Structures of Blue Phases and Other Frustrated Nematic Liquid Crystals Polymer and Colloid-Stabilized Blue Phases VOLUME 4: Smectic and Columnar Liquid Crystals PART I - NON-CHIRAL SMECTIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Design and Synthesis of Smectic Liquid Crystals Structures and Properties of Smectic Liquid Crystals PART II - CHIRAL SMECTIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Synthesis of Chiral Smectic Liquid Crystals Structures of Chiral Smectic Liquid Crystals Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystals Other Chiral Smectic Liquid Crystal Phases: Alpha, Electroclinic, Intermediate High Chirality Mesophases: TGB, SmBlue, Cubic, Tetragonal PART III - COLUMNAR LIQUID CRYSTALS OF DISC-LIKE MOLECULES Design Concepts and Synthesis of Discotic Liquid Crystals Structure and Physical Properties of Columnar Liquid Crystals Electrical, Magnetic and Mechanical Fields and Discotic Nematic Liquid Crystals PART IV - BENT-CORE LIQUID CRYSTALS Design and Synthesis of Bent-Core Liquid Crystals Phase Structures and Physical Properties of Bent-Core Liquid Crystals Electrical, Magnetic and Mechanical Fields and Bent-Core Liquid Crystals Columnar Liquid Crystal Phases of Bent-Core Mesogens VOLUME 5: Non-Conventional Liquid Crystals Microphase Segregation in Conventional Liquid Crystals Microphase Segregation in Non-Conventional Liquid Crystals Laterally Substituted and Swallow-Tailed Liquid Crystals/Phasmids and Polyatenar Mesogens Metal-Containing Liquid Crystals Star Mesogens Fullero-Liquid Crystals Thermotropic Cubic Liquid Crystal Phases, other 3D Phases and Quasi Crystals Polyphilic Molecules and Polygonal Cylilnder Phases Rod-Coil Molecules Hydrogen-Bonded Systems: Discrete Defined Aggregates and Intramolecular H-Bonding, Amides, Carboxylic Acids, Heterocycles Liquid Crystal Rotaxanes and Catenanes VOLUME 6: Nanostructured and Amphiphilic Liquid Crystals PART I - NANOSTRUCTURED LIQUID CRYSTALS Liquid Crystal Physical Gels Nanoparticle and Nanostructured Liquid Crystals Mineral Liquid Crystals, Particles in Solvents Carbon Nanotubes in Liquid Crystals Liquid Crystals in Confined Geometries Colloid Crystals in Nematic Liquid Crystals Virus Particle-Based Liquid Crystals PART II - AMPHIPHILIC LIQUID CRYSTALS Ionic Self Assembly and Amphotropic Ionic Liquid Crystals Amphotropic H-Bonding Liquid Crystals Lipid Self-Assembly Liquid Crystal Crown Ethers and Oligo(ethylene Oxides) Lyotropic Surfactant Liquid Crystals, Micellar Systems Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Liquid Crystals and Self-Assembled Films of Liquid Crystals on Surface Chromonic Liquid Crystals VOLUME 7: Supermolecular and Polymeric Liquid Crystals PART I - LIQUID CRYSTALS IN BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURES Liquid Crystals in Living Systems and Liquid Crystals in the Development of Life Biomembranes Cellulosic Liquid Crystals Silk and Fibers, Collagens PART II - DIMESOGENS, OLIGOMESOGENS AND DENDRIMERS Liquid Crystal Dimers and Oligomers Supermolecular Liquid Crystals Liquid Crystal Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Liquid Crystals Part III - Main-Chain and Side-Group Thermotropic Liquid-Crystalline Polymers Aromatic Main Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers Main-Chain and Side-Chain LC Polymers with Disc-Like Segments Liquid Crystal Polysilanes Design and Synthesis of Side Chain Liquid Crystal Polymers Structure and Properties of Side Group Thermotropic Liquid Crystal Polymers Side-On Type Side-Chain and Main-Chain/Side-Chain Combined Liquid Crystalline Polymers PART IV - BLOCK COPOLYMERS AND POLYMER NETWORKS Polymer Networks Liquid Crystalline Elastomers Block Copolymers Containing Liquid Crystalline Segments VOLUME 8: Applications of Liquid Crystals PART I - DISPLAY DEVICES TN, STN and Guest-Host Liquid Crystal Display Devices In-Plane Switching Display Devices Vertically Aligned Nematic Display Devices Bistable Nematic Display Devices Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Displays SmecticA Liquid Crystal Displays Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Displays Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Hosts for Displays Antiferroic Liquid Crystals Blue Phase and Isotropic Displays PART II - NON-DISPLAY APPLICATIONS AND FUNCTIONS Applications of Liquid Crystals in Telecommunication Adaptive Optics and Lenses Photonic Micro- and Nanostructures, Metamaterials Lasing Nonlinear Optics Holography and Information Storage Thermography and Stress Imaging Using Liquid Crystals Photoresponsive, Photosensitive and Photoalignable Materials Liquid Crystal Dyes Liquid Crystal Semiconductors Liquid Crystal Semiconductors: Oligothiophenes and Related Materials Redox-Active (Electrochromic) Liquid Crystals Liquid Crystals as Ion Conductors Electromechanical Effects Optomechanical Devices Applications of Bent-Core Mesogens Applications of Mineral Liquid Crystals Magnetic Liquid Crystals, Liquid Crystal Radicals and Carbenes Molecular Machines Liquid Crystals in Biological Imaging and Biomechanical Devices Sensing Biomolecules using Liquid Crystals