Liquid Crystals: Fundamentals by David A. Dunmur [Repost]

Liquid crystals are partially ordered systems without a rigid, long-range structure. The study of these materials covers a wide area: chemical structure, physical properties and technical applications. Due to their dual nature - anisotropic physical properties of solids and rheological behaviour of liquids - and easy response to externally applied electric, magnetic, optical and surface fields, liquid crystals are of greatest potential for scientific and technological applications.