Design, synthesis and characterization of a linear hydrogen bonded homologous series

A linear hydrogen bonded liquid crystalline homologous series has been synthesized and characterized. Hydrogen bond is formed between p-n-dodecyloxy benzoic acid and various p-n-alkyl benzoic acids whose alkyl chain vary from octyl to ethyl. Synthesized complexes are characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR studies for inferring the formation of hydrogen bonds. Polarizing Optical Microscopy (POM) and DSC studies reveal various mesophases and their corresponding transition temperatures along with respective enthalpy values. All the seven synthesized complexes exhibit rich liquid crystalline mesomorphism. A new phase namely smectic X has been observed in five of the complexes with a narrow thermal range. This phase has been characterized by optical textural, DSC, tilt angle and helicoidal pitch studies. Smectic X is sandwiched between traditional smectic C and re-entrant smectic C (designated as C_R) phases. Homeotropic transition in nematic phase is observed in all the mesogens and thus these materials can be used as thermally controlled optical shutters. Tilt angle in smectic C, smectic X and smectic C_R phases have been experimentally elucidated for all the mesogens.     

Hydrogen bonding and liquid crystallinity of low molar mass and polymeric mesogens containing benzoic acids: a variable temperature Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study

The phase behaviour and mesomorphism of poly(4-(6-propenoyloxyhexyloxy)benzoic acid) (PPOHBA) and 4-pentyloxybenzoic acid (POBA) is studied using variable-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. PPHOBA exhibits a smectic C phase and POBA, a nematic phase. The temperature dependence of the Fermi resonance bands associated with the hydroxyl groups and of the carbonyl stretching region in the FTIR spectra indicates that there is a dynamic equilibrium between monomers and open and closed dimers formed by hydrogen bonding between benzoic acid moieties. The nematic phase observed for POBA is linked to the anisotropic cyclic dimer, while an abrupt increase in the concentration of monomer drives isotropisation. In PPOHBA, hydrogen-bonded supramesogens promote smectic behaviour, while hydrogen-bonded crosslinks stabilise the lamellae. The increased viscosity arising from this dynamic crosslinking is offset by the flexibility of the acrylate backbone and alkyl spacers.     

Study of optical shuttering action in supramolecular hydrogen bonded nematogens

Supramolecular hydrogen bonded mesogens are formed between p-n-undecyloxy benzoic acid (11BAO) and p-n-alkyl benzoic acids (nBA, where n?=?2–8). The isolated mesogens are characterized by distinct techniques in order to appreciate the optical, thermal, electrical, and dielectric properties. The optical tilt angle measurement is studied for all the members of this homologous series and is found to concur with the mean field theory predicted value. An interesting factor to notice is the observation of optical shuttering action in nematic phase of the entire series which privilege these materials to be used as light modulators. Dielectric measurements were carried out and the dispersion curves were discussed in terms of relaxation frequency and activation energies.     

Optical modulation in nematic phase of halogen substituted hydrogen bonded liquid crystals

A series of halogen-substituted hydrogen-bonded liquid crystalline complexes have been designed and synthesised. A successful attempt has been made to form complementary hydrogen bonding between the dodecyloxy benzoic acid (12BAO) and halogen-substituted benzoic acids and the physical properties exhibited by the individual complexes are studied. The complexes obtained are analysed by polarising optical microscope (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dielectric studies. The formation of complementary hydrogen bond is confirmed through FTIR spectra. An interesting feature of this series is the observation of a field-induced transition (FiT) in nematic phase. Another interesting phenomenon is the observation of a new smectic X phase (worm-like texture) in all the synthesised complexes. Dielectric relaxation studies in the smectic C phase of these hydrogen bonded complexes along with the Arrhenius and the Cole–Cole plots are discussed. Optical tilt angle in smectic C phase and the corresponding fitted data analysis concur with the Mean field theory prediction.     

二维红外相关光谱分析对十二烷氧基苯甲酸的相变过程

利用显微红外光谱技术在宽范围的温度区域跟踪对十二烷氧基苯甲酸相变过程,经二维相关红外光谱分析,来描述对十二烷氧基苯甲酸在不同温度区间的分子动态变化。结果认为固态由烷基相互缠结以多种羧酸聚集体的状态存在,95℃发生的相转变主要是非均相的十二烷基熔基熔融和氧基苯甲酸部分重结果的过程,132℃以后的相转变主要是羧酸聚集体部分氢键集中断裂和羧酸苯醚基团迅速熔融的结果。     

Thermal and dielectric studies of self-assembly systems formed by hydroquinone and alkyloxy benzoic acids

Self-assembly systems formed by hydroquinone and alkyloxy benzoic acids are isolated and characterized. Hydroquinone formed double hydrogen bonds with p-n-alkyloxy benzoic acids. Various hydrogen bonded complexes have been synthesized with hydroquinone and pentyloxy to dodecyloxy benzoic acid, respectively. FTIR studies confirm the hydrogen bond formation in the complex. Polarizing Optical Microscopic (POM) studies revealed the textural information while the transition and enthalpy values are experimentally deduced from Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies. Phase diagram has been constructed from the POM and DSC data. The members of the present homologous complexes are characterized by POM, DSC, optical tilt angle and dielectric studies. Odd-even effect has been evinced in enthalpy values and transition temperatures corresponding to the isotropic to nematic phase transition. Optical tilt angle in Smectic C phase data has been fitted to a power law and it has been observed that the temperature variation of the tilt angle follows Mean Field theory prediction. Results of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR), POM, DSC, tilt angle and dielectric studies are discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of wide range mesogenic esters based on asymmetrical 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-thiadiazole

A homologous series of new 13 esters, 4-(5-(p-tolyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-phenyl-4-alkoxybenzoate, (IV_n), based on 1,3,4-thiadiazole core has been synthesized. The structures of these esters were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance and mass techniques. Their mesophases behavior was investigated with hot-stage polarizing optical microscope and differential scanning calorimetry. The thermal stability for most of these derivatives was measured by thermal gravimetric analysis. All the target esters showed enantiotropic mesomorphic behaviors with nematic and nematic/smectic C phases. The phase transition temperatures and liquid crystalline properties were affected by the nature of heterocyclic ring and the length of the alkoxy chain. Only the nematic phase was observed in the first 10 derivatives, (n = 1–10), while the last 3, (n = 12, 16 and 18) showed nematic and smectic C phases. These compounds demonstrated high liquid crystalline ranges, both in heating and cooling cycles. The mesomorphic results obtained were compared with the reported analogs of similar constituents.     

Thermal and optical characterization of a novel series of supramolecular liquid crystals

Supramolecular hydrogen bonded liquid crystal (SMHBLC) homologous series is synthesized and characterized. Hydrogen bond is formed between p-n-alkyloxy benzoic acids (nOBA, where n=7 to 12) and Iodo substituted benzoic acid (I_mBA) respectively. The isolated homologs are characterized by various techniques like Polarizing Optical Microscopy (POM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). From the POM and DSC studies phase diagram has been constructed and discussed. A new smectic ordering, labeled as smectic R, has been characterized which exhibits a ribbon like texture. This phase is observed in a complex pertaining to the undecyloxy carbon number. Tilt angle in smectic R phase and in traditional smectic C of all the complexes have been experimentally deduced and the results are fitted and so obtained β value concurrences with the Mean field theory predicted value.     

Thermally controlled optical shutter in an inter-molecular hydrogen bonded liquid crystal

Novel homologs series of supra-molecular liquid crystals have been isolated. Hydrogen bond is formed between mandelic acid (MD) and various homologs of p-n-alkyloxy benzoic acids (nOBA) and has been confirmed by FTIR studies. Optical polarizing microscopic observations show that all these materials exhibit rich liquid crystallinity with various mesophases. Phase transition temperatures and enthalpy values are experimentally evaluated by DSC studies and the phase diagram of homologous series has been constructed. An interesting feature is the observation of thermally controlled reversible optical shuttering action in one of the homolog, wherein with the increment of temperature the homeotropic texture changes to homogenous texture of smectic F. Thus, this optical shuttering phenomenon is reversible. Optical tilt angle data of two homologs have been fitted to power law equation and it is found that the mean field theory prediction is valid. The light intensity profile in homeotropic region of smectic F in one complex has been experimentally analyzed and a steep sudden decrement of the intensity of light manifesting the distortion of the molecular alignment is experimentally found.     

Synthesis,characterization and phase transition studies in 4-hexyloxy benzylidene 4’-alkoxyanilines

Synthesis and the characterization through polarizing optical microscope (POM) textures in number of 4-hexyloxy benzylidene 4’-alkoxyanilines, 6O.Om with m = 4, 6 to 10 liquid crystalline materials are carried out. Furthermore, the density and thermal expansion coefficient results reveal that the phase transitions present, viz., isotropic–nematic, nematic–SmC and SmC–SmI show first-order nature as expected. The transition temperatures obtained thorough the differential scanning calorimetry is found to be in agreement with the literature data. The first two compounds exhibit only the nematic phase while the next four compounds show enantiotropic SmC phase as per the literature data. The compound with m = 10 exhibits monotropic SmI phase. However, we, the authors, are able to observe this phase in addition to SmC and nematic through POM only as per the literature. The parameters calculated across the phase transitions and in the phases are in agreement with the body of the data available.     

Design,synthesis and characterization of a linear hydrogen bonded homologous series exhibiting reentrant smectic C ordering

Design, synthesis and characterization of seven linear hydrogen bonded liquid crystal complexes derived from mesogenic p–n-decyloxy benzoic acid and p–n-alkyl benzoic acids designated as 10OØn (where n varied from ethyl to octyl) are reported. FTIR studies confirm the hydrogen bond formation in all these complexes. The phase transition temperatures and their corresponding enthalpy values are experimentally deduced from Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies. POM and DSC data are further utilized for the construction of 10OØn phase diagram. Two Odd–even effects have been evinced, one in enthalpy values and the other in corresponding transition temperatures across the isotropic to nematic phase transition. An interesting result is the observation of re-entrant smectic ordering, designated as smectic C_R in three higher ordered mesogens. A new smectic ordering, smectic X, has been observed which is sandwiched between traditional smectic C and re-entrant smectic C_R. Magnitudes of optical tilt angle in smectic C, smectic X and smectic C_R are experimentally found to attain saturation with decrement of temperature in the corresponding phase. The occurrence of smectic X and smectic C_R are discussed with relation to the molecular chemical structure. The optical filtering action in smectic C and re-entrant smectic C_R phases have been analyzed.     

Thermal and Optical Properties of Some Hydrogen-Bonded Liquid Crystal Mixtures

Phase transition properties of the mixtures of hydrogen-bonded nematic liquid crystals (HBLC) 4-hexylbenzoic acid (6BA), 4-(octyloxy)benzoic acid (8OBA), and 4-(decyloxy)benzoic acid (10OBA) have been investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarize optic microscope (POM). The DSC and POM results clearly indicate the existence of smectic and nematic phase transitions in binary mixtures. The phase transition temperature values of 6BA/10OBA mixtures have clearly increased with increasing heating rate. The activation energies were calculated for the phase transitions of 6BA/10OBA liquid crystal (LC) mixture. The optical transmittance of these mixed hydrogen-bonded nematic liquid crystals was investigated in terms of temperature variations through electrooptic methods. The electrooptic experiments indicate that, while low in the nematic phase, the optical transmittance is very high at the nematic-isotropic phase transition. The transmitted light intensity values of 6BA/8OBA mixture are somewhat higher than those of other binary mixtures, 6BA/10OBA and 8OBA/10OBA, a result associated with the different alkyloxy chain lengths.     

Estimation of effective Debye temperature from sound velocity of N-(p-n-alkoxybenzylidene)-p-n-alkylanilines, (nO.m) liquid crystalline compounds

The ratio of specific heats (γ), Poisson's ratio (σ), effective Debye temperature (θ_D) collision factor (S_m), etc., are estimated in different LC phases of N-(p-n-alkoxybenzylidene)-p-n-alkylanilines, (nO.m's) liquid crystalline compounds using the density and sound velocity data. The variation of these parameters in different mesomorphic phases with the chain length is studied. The effective Debye temperature (θ_D), the collision factor (S_m) exhibits a similar variation with the alkyl chain length. Further, the space filling factor (r_fm) estimated using Kittel's formula is constant for all the materials irrespective of the phase with a value of 0.416. The molecular radius shows an increment of 0.074, 0.072 and 0.068 ? per CH₂ group in isotropic, nematic and smectic-A phases respectively in 5O.m series. Further, the specific heat ratio (γ) value is found to be lower in isotropic phase than in liquid crystalline phases. The data is compared with the body of the data in the literature.     

Thermochromic transitions in poly(di-n-hexylsilane) films

The spectra of absorption (77–398 K) and luminescence (5 K) of poly(di-n-hexylsilane) films are studied in relation to the heating of the films above the phase transition temperature. Two new absorption bands in the region of the band of the gauche conformation are found. The position and intensity of these bands depend on the annealing temperature, annealing regime, and sample thickness. These bands are assumed to be associated with the appearance of a liquid crystalline phase in the polymer, which is determined by intermolecular interactions between neighboring polymer chains. The appearance of the liquid crystalline phase in the heat-treated polymer films is confirmed by the increase in their birefringence in comparison with the birefringence of the initial films and by the observation of a stable orientation of an E 7 nematic liquid crystal applied to the surface of an annealed sample. In addition, the absorption spectra of the films cooled after the annealing exhibit many new bands in comparison with the spectra of the initial samples. These bands are associated with the appearance in the polymer of defect states and longer segments as a result of orientation of polymer chains. The appearance of longer segments is consistent with the observation of a long-wavelength band in the luminescence spectra of the annealed samples.     

Texture transitions in the liquid crystalline alkyloxybenzoic acid 6OBAC

The 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic acid 6OBAC has a very rich variety of crystalline structures and two nematic sub-phases, characterised by different textures. It is a material belonging to a family of liquid crystals formed by hydrogen bonded molecules, the 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic acids (n indicates the homologue number). The homologues with 7?≤?n?≤?13 display both smectic C and N phases. In spite of the absence of a smectic phase, 6OBAC exhibits two sub-phases with different textures, as it happens in other materials of the homologue series which possess the smectic phase. This is the first material that exhibits a texture transition in a nematic phase directly originating from a crystal phase. Here we present the results of an image processing assisted optical investigation to characterise the textures and the transitions between textures. This processing is necessary to discriminate between crystal modifications and nematic sub-phases.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of the smectic-cholesteric phase transition in a dimesogenic liquid crystal

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has provided a unique opportunity to study the characteristic smectic-A to chiral nematic phase transition in a dimesogenic liquid crystal (“KI-5S”). The order parameters in the liquid crystalline phases were obtained from the ²H NMR quadrupole splitting and ¹³C NMR chemical shift measurements, manifesting a first-order smectic-nematic phase transition.     

High-pressure DTA-investigations on liquid crystals

Abstract

High pressure studies on the phase behaviour of liquid crystals up to a maximum pressure of 7 kbar were performed using a computer-assisted high-pressure differential thermal analysis apparatus that has been developed for the present experiments. T (p) - phase diagrams were determined for selected liquid crystals differing systematically in structure.

Data are presented for some phenylcyclohexanes, some bicyclo-hexanes and cyclohexylcarboxylic acid phenyl ester being substituted with different functional groups e.g. alkyl, alkoxy and/or cyano. Pressure-induced nematic and smectic phases were found, and for one substance even an “interdigitated” smectic B phase could be stabilized under pressure.     

Optical shuttering action in nematic phase of SMHBLC: observation of a ribbon-like texture

In this study, complexes belonging to supramolecular hydrogen-bonded liquid crystal homologous series are synthesized and characterized. Hydrogen bond is formed between p-n-alkyloxy benzoic acids (nBAO, where n?=?5–11) and chlorobenzoic acid (ClBAO), respectively. The isolated homologues are characterized by various techniques such as polarizing optical microscopic (POM) studies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy. Based on the POM and DSC studies, the phase diagram has been constructed and discussed. A new smectic ordering, labeled as smectic R, has been characterized, which exhibits a ribbon-like texture. This phase is observed in the complexes pertaining to the higher homologous series. Tilt angle in this phase has been experimentally deduced and the results are fitted to the power law which concurs with the mean-field theory predicted value. Optical shuttering action in the homologue has been detected in the nematic phase and the results are also discussed.     

Dielectric and optical properties of a 5-propyl-2-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-cyanophenyl)-pyridine liquid crystal

The temperature dependences of the dielectric and optical parameters for a 5-propyl-2-(p-cyanophenyl)-pyridine (3CP) liquid crystal are investigated in the vicinity of the nematic-isotropic phase transition. The dielectric spectra of the 3CP compound in the crystalline, nematic, and isotropic phases are measured in the frequency range 1–1000 MHz, and the Debye approximations of the measured spectra are obtained. Analysis of the dependence of the static permittivity on the director orientation with respect to the direction of the electric pump field demonstrates that the angle between the dipole moment and the long axis of the molecule is approximately equal to 15°.     

Equivalence in anisotropic N.M.R. spectra: the spectrum of ethyl iodide in the nematic phase

It is shown how the composite particle technique, which has proved useful for the analysis of the spectra of molecules in the isotropic liquid phase, may also be applied, with slight modifications, to spectra observed in an anisotropic environment. As an example, the analysis of the spectrum of ethyl iodide in the nematic phase is described.