title: Corresponding states in nematic elasticity.
abstract: A comparative study of the temperature dependence of the elastic constants of the nematic liquid crystals known as PAA (p-azoxyanisole), MBBA 4'-methoxybenzylidene-4-n-butylaniline, and 5CB (4-n-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl) will be made in this work. After a regularization of their values, and with use of a unique temperature scale, the experimental data of each of these parameters will be displayed along the lines of corresponding states that are not restricted to the neighborhoods of the nematic-isotropic phase transition point, as it would be the case in a usual corresponding states law, but encompass the entire nematic phase.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Campus Universitário, 86051-990 Londrina, Parana, Brazil. simoes@uel.br
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Simeão