  A density functional theory for the bulk phase diagram of two-dimensional
orientable hard rods is proposed and tested against Monte Carlo computer
simulation data. In detail, an explicit density functional is derived from
fundamental mixed measure theory and freely minimized numerically for hard
discorectangles. The phase diagram, which involves stable isotropic, nematic,
smectic and crystalline phases, is obtained and shows good agreement with the
simulation data. Our functional is valid for a multicomponent mixture of hard
particles with arbitrary convex shapes and provides a reliable starting point
to explore various inhomogeneous situations of two-dimensional hard rods and
their Brownian dynamics.
