1. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals The class of compounds known as thermotropic liquid crystals has been widely utilized in basic research and industry during recent years. The properties of these materials are such that on heating from the solid to the isotropic liquid state, phase transitions occur with the formation of one or more intermediate anisotropic liquids. The unique and sometimes startling properties of these liquid crystals are the properties of pure compounds. However, there exists a second class of substances known as lyotropic liquid crystals which obtain their anisotropic...