Structure and orientational ordering in a fluid of elongated quadrupolar molecules

► Effects of quadrupolar interactions on the isotropic-nematic transition in Gay-Berne fluids. ► The direct pair-correlation functions are obtained by solving the Ornstein-Zernike equation. ► Density-functional theory has been used to calculate transition and thermodynamic parameters. ► Quadrupole moment raises isotropic-nematic transition density in Gay-Berne fluids.