Influence of gravity on inorganic liquid crystal

Abstract

This chapter introduced the history of inorganic liquid crystals, and impact of gravity on phase transition was also discussed in detail. Inorganic liquid crystals are found to have different shapes including thread-like, rod-like or plate-like. They combine the good flowability and electrical properties of inorganic compounds, along with the superior thermal stability with low cost. However, for large size and weak particle–particle interactions, gravity can significantly influence the phase behavior of inorganic colloidal particles and liquid crystal phase transition. To rule out the impact of gravity, inorganic liquid crystal transition under microgravity will be a promising research aspect in future.