Meta-stable nematic pre-ordering in smectic liquid crystalline phase transitions

The role of liquid crystalline mesophases in polymer crystallization has seen increased attention following the observations of meta-stable liquid crystalline pre-ordering in the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene and other flexible polymers [1–7]. In addition to these recent observations, both in Nature and industry liquid crystal mesophases are used to create polymeric materials with desirable properties such as spider silk [8] and Kevlar [9]. A better understanding of the theoretical fundamentals behind formation of the formation kinetics of polymer mesophases and their subsequent effect on crystallization would enable many new materials and processing techniques to be developed.