Phase Ordering of Marginally Flexible Linear Micelles

(Received 23 August 1994, received in final form 3 November 1994, accepted 7 November 1994)

Abstract
A second virial theory of the isotropic-to-nematic phase transition in solutions of slightly flexible micelles is presented. It is shown that even a infinitesimal flexibility of the micelles can suppress the divergences one would obtain when modeling the micelles as infinitely rigid.