Chapter 10
Liquid Crystals of Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanotubes in Liquid Crystals
10.1 Introduction
The combination of liquid crystals (LCs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) occupies a special place among the uses of liquid crystals in non-display applications because of the related intriguing scientific issues but also for the very appealing applications. Many articles have been published on different aspects of the topic and a few review articles have appeared [1–7].
Nanoparticles have attracted general attention and carbon nanotubes have come out from the mass for their peculiar and outstanding properties making them one of the most interesting materials of the century. LCs and CNTs seem to belong to two different worlds but they share more similitarities than expected. They are both anisotropic materials and as for LCs the macroscopic use of the nanotube properties relies on a macroscopic control of the tube alignment. This need brings these two worlds together but the interest of their combination goes well beyond.
The topic combines very different research fields bringing along their own specific issues and terminology. It is unavoidable in the early time of the meeting of these two worlds to find now and then in articles imprecise language or terminology from scientists from one community on the part related to the other community. However, this cross-fertilizing process ...
