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

Modeling and simulation studies using a high-order Landau-de Gennes type model for the direct isotropic/smectic-A liquid crystal transition are presented showing the existence of meta-stable nematic pre-ordering under certain conditions, in agreement with experimental observations (Tokita, M. et al. Macromolecules 2006, 39, 2021-2023)