In situ observation of smectic layer reorientation during the switching of a ferroelectric liquid crystal

Abstract

A thin plastic cell containing the ferroelectric liquid crystal ZLI3654 (4 μm) was placed edge-on to a pin-hole collimated horizontal X-ray beam. In this way, the smectic layers were brought into register. Subsequently, triangular voltage waves with various peak (V _p) values were applied across the cell and diffraction photos were obtained during the application of the alternating voltage. Up to V _p = ± 30 V, no significant movements in the initial tilted orientation of the smectic layers with respect to the surfaces (chevrons) could be observed. During the application of V _p = ± 32 V an increasing fraction of the smectic layers changed their initial tilt angle with respect to the cell surfaces to make larger tilt angles. At a slightly higher voltage, the layers became upright (bookshelf structure). Upon removing the voltage and short circuiting the cell, the quasi-bookshelf structure was sustained. The new method described here can be used in combination with a fast detector for time resolved experiments.     

Electric field-induced birefringence, optical rotatory power and conoscopic measurements of a chiral antiferroelectric smectic liquid crystal

Using a photoelastic modulator-based novel set-up, the electric field-induced in-plane birefringence and the optical rotatory power (ORP) were measured of an antiferroelectric liquid crystalline compound (12OF1M7) in its various phases using 30 µm homeotropic cells. Some specific signatures of the in-plane birefringence and of the ORP for the various phases are being established. A relatively small threshold field is needed for the unwinding process of the antiferroelectric phase with a unit cell of four layers [SmC_A*(1/2)] compared with that for two layers [SmC_A*(0)]. On application of the electric field on the high temperature side of the SmC_A*(1/2) phase (80.1-81.5°C), a field-induced phase transition is shown to occur directly to the SmC* phase, whereas on the lower temperature side (79.4-80.1°C) the transition takes place to SmC* via the SmC_A*(1/3) phase. The in-plane birefringence exhibits a critical power law dependence for the SmC*-SmA transition. The ORP changes sign within the temperature range of the phase with a unit cell of three layers, reflecting a change in the handedness during this phase. Using tilted conoscopy, the results for the biaxiality and the apparent tilt angle for a smectic liquid crystal with a tilt angle greater than 18° in the ferroelectric phase are reported. The biaxiality implies the difference in the refractive indices between the two minor axes of the refractive index ellipsoid. The optical transmittance at visible and IR wavelengths for free-standing films reveal characteristic reflection bands for these phases. The modulated structures of the reflected bands appear just above the SmC_A* phase and below SmC_A*(1/3); these are possibly due to an easy deformation of the phase by the surfaces.     

Microstructure and dynamics of a mesogenic diol

A number of techniques have been used to elucidate the structure and dynamics of 4,4'-bis(6-hydroxyhexyloxy)biphenyl (BHHBP) in its various phases. X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the molecules pack in a crystalline phase which melts to produce a highly ordered smectic/disordered crystal mesophase. Based on molecular models and the infrared results, the all trans conformation requires a 45°-55° tilt of the molecules in the smectic layers. Infrared spectroscopic results indicate that a predominantly trans chain conformation and hydrogen bonding of the layered crystal structure persists through the mesophase. Additionally, rotational freedom about the biphenyl linkage appears to occur only in the isotropic phase. NMR data indicate that the alkoxy chain is at or near co-planarity with the respect to the phenyl ring in the crystalline phase, with reorientational motion of the biphenyl group becoming allowed in the mesophase in the form of rapid (τ_c ∼ 3 μs at 100°C) small angle liberations and, perhaps, slower (τ_c ∼ 0·5 ms at 100°C) 180° ring flips. The alkyl chains exhibit a progressive increase in mobility with distance from the biphenyl core and achieve considerable mobility at the hydroxy end of the chain despite the fact that hydrogen bonding still occurs in the mesophase.     

Fluorescent ferroelectric liquid crystalline copolyacrylates

Fluorescent liquid crystalline side chain polymers were synthesized by copolymerization of a ferroelectric monomer and 5 per cent of various blue fluorescent naphthalic imide dye comonomers. Those copolymers were characterized by DSC, X-ray, GPC and optical microscopy. In favourable cases, fast switching fluorescent ferroelectric polymers resulted, exhibiting high tilt angles (up to ∼ 34°) and spontaneous polarization values (up to ∼ 115 nC cm^-2) in the S*_c phase. One fluorescent copolymer shows orthogonal smectic phases exclusively due to the structure of the incorporated fluorescent comonomer. In this case a strong electroclinic effect and high induced tilt angles (12° 10 V μm^-1) have been observed in the S_a phase. Order parameters, S, of the dye moieties up to 0.64 were measured in the room temperature S_b phase for the copolymers     

On the origin of high optical director tilt in a partially fluorinated orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixture

We have investigated the orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixture W107 by means of optical, X-ray and calorimetry measurements in order to assess the origin of the unusally high tilt angle between the optic axis and the smectic layer normal in this material. The optical birefringence increases strongly below the transition to the tilted phases, showing that the onset of tilt is coupled with a considerable increase in orientational order. The layer spacing in the smectic A* (SmA*) phase is notably smaller than the extended length of the molecules constituting the mixture, and the shrinkage in smectic C* (SmC*) and smectic C_a* (SmC_a*) is much less than the optical tilt angle would predict. These observations indicate that the tilting transition in W107 to a large extent follows the asymmetric de Vries diffuse cone model. The molecules are on average considerably tilted with respect to the layer normal already in the SmA* phase but the tilting directions are there randomly distributed, giving the phase its uniaxial characteristics. At the transition to the SmC* phase, the distribution is biased such that the molecular tilt already present in SmA* now gives a contribution to the macroscopic tilt angle. In addition, there is a certain increase of the average tilt angle, leading to a slightly smaller layer thickness in the tilted phases. Analysis of the wide angle scattering data show that the molecular tilt in SmC_a* is about 20° larger than in SmA*. The large optical tilt (45°) in the SmC_a* phase thus results from a combination of an increased average molecule tilt and a biasing of tilt direction fluctuations.     

Novel liquid crystalline structures of a chiral side chain polymer and its phase transitions

Two novel smectic bilayer structures have been identified in an enantiomerically enriched chiral side chain polymer containing the highly dipolar nitrile group at stereocentres. The structures were characterized by electron diffraction, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. In both phases each smectic layer has a bilayer structure with backbones and spacers confined in a thin disordered region between two sublayers of mesogenic segments. One of the structures which we denote as CrE* has the unusual feature of having its side chains arranged parallel to the layer normal in spite of its enantiomeric bias and twisted nature. In the second structure side chains are tilted by 34.8° with respect to the layer normal and we denote this phase as CrH*_c In both structures each sublayer contains three different orientations of orthorhombic (CrE) or monoclinic (CrH*_c) lattices which are related to one another by rotations of ± 60° about the c-axis. In both the CrH*_c and the CrE* phases, lattices in each sublayer are regularly rotated about the c-axis by 5.9° relative to those in the adjacent sublayer. The observation of a chiral CrH phase is uncommon and in this specific case the structure is unique since the rotation between adjacent layers occurs about the sidechain axis (c-axis) (CrH*_c) and not about the layer normal (c-axis) (CrH*_c). We believe the system undergoes a change in molecular organization from CrH*_c to CrE* as a result of a chemical reaction which joins a fraction of the stereocentres through covalent bonds. With increasing temperature the CrE* structure was found to transform to a special orthorhombic untwisted smectic phase in which a = 31/2b, denoted here as CrE_h. The structure then transforms to a hexatic S_B phase and finally to a S_A phase at yet higher temperatures.     

Optical studies of high tilt SiO aligned thin layers of smectic C materials

In thin layers of aligned smectic C materials, the balance between surface and bulk elastic forces within the confine of the chevron layer geometry led to the proposal for a triangular director profile (TDP), and an understanding of the director profile in parallel aligned low tilt cells. We have measured the wavelength dependent extinction angles of high tilt cells fabricated using 5° SiO alignment, and offer a qualitative explanation based on the TDP. We conclude that the differences in the extinction angles at wavelengths around λ = Δd are a useful probe of the S_C director profile.     

New low molar mass organosiloxanes with unusual ferroelectric properties

A new low molar mass chiral organosiloxane mesogen and its racemic analogue have been synthesized and their mesomorphic and ferroelectric properties investigated. The chiral derivative, denoted A*B, exhibits one tilted enantiotropic ferroelectric smectic C mesophase over a broad temperature range, with very high tilt angles and moderate spontaneous polarization (36° and 19 nC cm^-2 at 20°C). The achiral siloxane derivative, denoted A*B, exhibits one broad enantiotropic smectic C phase. Preliminary electro-optic measurements indicate that the spontaneous polarization is weakly dependent on temperature between 10°C and 50°C, the latter being the S*_c to isotropic phase transition. The tilt angle and layer spacing are temperature independent, and current response times of less than 200 μs were measured at 25°C for fields of 10 V μ^-1. These results are discussed in comparison with those for side chain polymer liquid crystal structures and other low molar mass ferroelectric materials.     

Controlled modulation of mesoporosities in metal (M = Al, Fe) phosphate solids

Mesoporous solids which possess average pore diameters between 7 and 20 nm, depending on the composition, have been prepared. The solids have the general formula Al₁₀₀P_χM₂₀ where M = Al or Fe, and χ = 0, 4.5, 9, 18, 36, 72 or 144. The initial addition of phosphorus as phosphate transforms the originally crystalline oxide/oxides into amorphous solids. These amorphous materials possess a narrow pore size distribution: 80–90% of the pores lie within 1–2 nm of the average pore diameter. Subsequent incremental amounts of phosphorus transform the material into a crystalline solid whilst the pore size distribution becomes much wider and the maximum moves towards larger pore diameters. Substitution of 20% of the aluminium by iron results, at a low phosphorus content, in pores with smaller pore volumes and smaller surface areas.

The data in the dV_p/dD_p = > D_p) graphs, where V_p is the incremental pore volume and D_p is the average pore diameter, can be approximated using an admixture of Gaussian and Lorentzian curves. For low phosphorus contents the dV_p/dD_p = (D_p) curves have a mainly Gaussian profile but the gradual addition of phosphorus transforms them to Lorentzian-type curves. An attempt to approximate the histograms dV_p =(D_p) with the minimum number of distribution curves made up of the corresponding Gaussian and Lorentzian components indicates that each successive addition of phosphorus creates a dominant new pore component at a larger pore diameter. At the same time, the components at smaller pore diameters are diminished and eventually disappear as more phosphorus is added.     

Structural study of a smectic C phase of biforked molecules

In the framework of a systematic investigation of the molecular organization in different mesophases exhibited by biforked molecules, we present a structural study of the smectic C phase of a biforked compound containing heptyloxy chains. With a combination of dilatometry measurements and X-ray diffraction on polydomain samples, together with a detailed X-ray investigation on oriented samples, it was possible to describe precisely the packing of the molecules within the smectic C layers. The result is a large tilt of the long aromatic cores of about 50°-60° with respect to the normal to the layer planes, whereas the terminal aliphatic chains are close to the normal to the planes with a small tilt angle of about 20°-30°. For the first time, these two angles have been directly observed on the X-ray patterns of oriented samples.     

Two ferroelectric phases of a columnar dibenzopyrene

The ferroelectric switching of columnar 1,2,5,6,8,9,12,13-octakis-((S)-2-heptyloxy-propanoyloxy)dibenzo[e,l]pyr-2-heptyloxy-propanoyloxy)dibenzo[e,1]pyrene was studied in detail between 60°C and the clearing point 115°C. The switching angle (optical tilt angle) is ±24.5° up to 10V μm^-1 and ±37° at higher field strengths. The electric polarization is 60nC cm^-2 in the low field phase and 180nC cm^-2 in the high field phase. The switching rate has apparent activation energies that increase with voltage from 3 × 10^-19 to 10^-18 J. It varies roughly with a power of the voltage, the exponent increasing with decreasing temperature from 2 to 5. At equal voltages, switching is faster in the low field than in the high field phase. We tentatively infer the structures of the two columnar lattices from the ratio of polarizations and other data. From the switching angles, we calculate a tilt angle of 44° for the aromatic cores of the disc-like molecules stacked in the columns. Finally, we point out possible advantages of ferroelectric columnar liquid crystals over their smectic counterparts in electro-optical displays.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of two new lead(II) hexafluoroarsenates(V)

In the system PbF₂/AsF₅/anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (aHF) two new lead(II) hexafluoroarsenates(V) Pb(HF)(AsF₆)₂ and PbFAsF₆ were isolated. Pb(HF)(AsF₆)₂ is formed when the molar ratio AsF₅:PbF₂ is 2 or higher. It crystallizes in the space group Pbcn with a=1058.3(3) pm, b=1520.9(6) pm, c=1079.4(3) pm, V=1.7374(10) nm³ and Z=8. The HF molecule is directly connected to the Pb center, eight fluorine atoms from three different AsF₆⁻ ions (Pb–F distances ranging from 248(4) to 276(2) pm) and one further fluorine at 306(3) pm complete the coordination sphere. PbFAsF₆ is obtained when equimolar amounts of PbF₂ and AsF₅ react in aHF. PbFAsF₆ crystallizes in the space group P with: a=466.10(10) pm, b=723.70(10) pm, c=747.40(10) pm, =105.930(10)°, β=101.49(2)°, γ=90.660(10)°, V=0.23698(7) nm³ and Z=2. The basic unit in the structure of PbF(AsF₆) consists of a four-membered ring of two Pb and two F atoms. The Pb atoms in the ring are further connected by two AsF₆⁻ units via cis-fluorine bridges, thus forming a [PbF(AsF₆)]₂ cluster, which interacts by additional Pb–F bonds thus forming a ribbon-like polymer.     

Bilayer structure of tetrasodium thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate

The title calixarene, tetrasodium thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate, was prepared and its crystal structure was determined. Na₄[thiacalix[4]arene sulfonate]·9H₂O·CH₃CH₂OH, belongs to triclinic system, space group P , a=10.820(5), b=14.109(6), and c=14.514(6)Å, =99.702(7), β=93.445(8), and γ=93.445(8)°, V=2174.2(16)ų, Z=2. The title calixarene exists in the solid state as bi-layer of anionic calixarene in the cone configuration. These layers alternate with inorganic regions which contain the sodium cations and the water molecules.     

Influence of protonation on crystal packing and thermal behaviour of tert-butylammonium decavanadates

Two tert-butylammonium decavanadate(V) salts with the formulae [(CH₃)₃CNH₃]₆[V₁₀O₂₈] · 8H₂O (1) and [(CH₃)₃CNH₃]₄[H₂V₁₀O₂₈] (2), have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been determined by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of compound 1 is stabilized by electrostatic forces and an extensive network of hydrogen contacts involving anions, cations and water molecules. The anions and cations of this compound are arranged in layers perpendicular to the [010] direction following the sequence, cation-anion-cation. In the crystal structure of compound (2), each dihydrogen decavanadate(V) anion is joined to three adjacent polyanions by means of O(6)---H ··· O(4) hydrogen contacts forming layers parallel to the plane ( 01) and the hydrophobic groups of the cations are disposed in layers parallel to the anionic sheets. The thermal behaviour of both compounds has been studied. Compound 1 is an octahydrate and its thermal decomposition begins at 70°C with the loss of water of crystallization, while compound 2 is anhydrous and is consequently more stable, with decomposition starting at 200°C.     

The system CePO4–K3PO4

The phase diagram of the system CePO₄–K₃PO₄ has been determined based on investigations by differential thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The system contains only one intermediate compound K₃Ce(PO₄)₂, which melts incongruently at (1500±20)°C. This compound is stable down to room temperature and exhibits a polymorphic transition at 1180°C. It was confirmed that the low-temperature form β-K₃Ce(PO₄)₂ crystallizes in a monoclinic system, space group P2₁/m with unit cell parameters a=9.579 (5), b=5.634 (6), c=7.468 (5) Å; =γ=90°, β=90.81 (3)°; V=403.083 Å³.     

Structural and theoretical studies of Xe(OChF5)2 and [XeOChF5][AsF6] (Ch = Se, Te)

The XeOSeF₅⁺ cation has been synthesized for the first time and characterized in solution by ¹⁹F, ⁷⁷Se and ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and Raman spectroscopy with AsF₆⁻ as its counter anion. The X-ray crystal structures of the tellurium analogue and of the Xe(OChF₅)₂ derivatives have also been determined: [XeOChF₅][AsF₆] crystallize in tetragonal systems, P4/n, a=6.1356(1) Å, c=13.8232(2) Å, V=520.383(14) Å³, Z=2 and R₁=0.0453 at −60°C (Te) and a=6.1195(7) Å, c=13.0315(2) Å, V=488.01(8) Å³, Z=2 and R₁=0.0730 at −113°C (Se); Xe(OTeF₅)₂ crystallizes in a monoclinic system, P2₁/c, a=10.289(2) Å, b=9.605(2) Å, c=10.478(2) Å, β=106.599(4)°, V=992.3(3) Å³, Z=4 and R₁=0.0680 at −127°C; Xe(OSeF₅)₂ crystallizes in a triclinic system, , a=8.3859(6) Å, c=12.0355(13) Å, V=732.98(11) Å³, Z=3 and R₁=0.0504 at −45°C. The energy minimized geometries and vibrational frequencies of the XeOChF₅⁺ cations and Xe(OChF₅)₂ were calculated using density functional theory, allowing for definitive assignments of their experimental vibrational spectra.     

Preparation and structure of a ruthenium dicarbonyl derivative of the P2N4S2 ring

The reaction of Ru(CO)₄(C₂H₄) or Ru(CO)₅ with 1,5-Ph₄P₂N₄S₂ in CH₂Cl₂/hexane at 23°C produces the dimer [Ru(CO)₂(Ph₄ P₂N₄S₂)]₂ (2), which was shown by X-ray crystallography to have a centrosymmetric structure in which the P₂N₄S₂ ring is attached to one ruthenium atom through two (geminal) nitrogen atoms and the remote sulfur atom and serves as a bridge to the other ruthenium atom via the second sulfur atom. Crystals of 2 ·2(CH₂Cl₂) are triclinic, space group P (No. 2), a = 12.901(1) Å, b = 13.072(1) Å, c = 10.123(1) Å, = 100.88(1)°, β = 98.90(1)°, γ = 67.50(1)°, V = 1542.4(3) Å, Z = 1 with final R and R_w values of 0.040 and 0.027, respectively.     

Horizontal chevron configurations in ferroelectric liquid crystal cells induced by high electric fields

Application of a high electric field to a S*_c ferroelectric liquid crystal cell may cause the formation of horizontal chevron configurations with the smectic layers tilted by the amount of the chevron angle (in the case of the present investigation equal to the director tilt angle) with respect to the normal to the rubbing direction of the cell substrates. The layer structure resembles that of the well-known vertical chevron configuration, but in the plane of the substrate instead of perpendicular to it, and is similar to that recently reported for the stripe-shaped texture. Between crossed polarizers, the two domain types appear to switch in opposite directions when an a.c. electric field is applied. The temperature dependence of the observation of horizontal chevron structures was investigated and an explanation is proposed analogous to that for the stripe texture model.     

Molecular structure of 4,4′-sulfandiyl-bis-thiophenol from electron diffraction

The molecular structure of 4,4′-sulfanidyl-bis-thiophenol (C₁₂H₁₀S₃) has been determined by gas electron diffraction. Assuming identical geometry and D_2h local symmetry for ---SC₆H₄S--- moieties, the following bond lengths (r_g) and bond angles were obtained: C---H = 1.101 ± 0.005, S---H = 1.388 ± 0.019, (C---C)_mean = 1.400 ± 0.003, (S---C)_mean = 1.778 ± 0.004 Å, C_ar---S---C_ar = 103.5 ± 1.3, C---C(S)---C = 120.4 ± 0.3, C(H)---C(H)---H = 119.1 ± 0.9 and C---S---H = 94.6 ± 3.1°. Two ratational forms were found to reproduce the experimental data, characterized by dihedral angles of the benzene rings with respect to the C_arSC_ar plane; ₁ = 67.8 ± 2.0°, ₂ = 4.5 ± 7.2°, and ₁ = 69.4 ± 2.0δ, ₂ = −26.6 ± 7.1°. Identical signs of ₁ and ₂ indicate that the two benzene rings are rotated in the same direction about the respective S_central---C axes.     

Alkylaminophosphanyl substituted half-sandwich complexes of vanadium(III) and chromium(III): preparation and reactivity in ethylene polymerisation

[Cp^R(RPNEt₂)]M (Cp^R=t-BuC₅H₃, C₅(CH₃)₄, indenyl, fluorenyl; M=Li, K) smoothly react with VCl₃(Me₃P)₂ and CrCl₃(THF)₃ systems giving paramagnetic complexes [Cp^R(R¹PNEt₂)]MCl₂ (M=V(Me₃P)₂, Cr). After reaction with MAO these complexes are active in the polymerisation of ethylene yielding highly crystalline, high-density products of high molecular weight (M_w ranging from 100 000 to 4.5×10⁶ g mol⁻¹, 20≤T_p≤100 °C). Polymerisation with chromium complexes leads to the formation of polyethylenes with broad molecular weight distribution.