Phase behaviour of thermotropic banana-shaped compounds under pressure

The phase behaviour of two achiral bent core banana-shaped compounds, the hexyloxy (compound I) and decyloxy (compound II) members of the 1,3-phenylene bis[N-(2-hydroxy-4-n-alkoxybenzylidene)-4′-aminobenzoate] series was investigated under hydrostatic pressures up to 300?MPa using high pressure differential thermal analysis and light transmission methods. The reversible transition sequence crystal (Cr₁)–B₁ phase–isotropic liquid (I), observed at room pressure for compound I, remains in the pressure region up to c 70?MPa. At higher pressures a pressure-induced crystalline phase (Cr_i) appears between the Cr₁ and B₁ phases, its temperature region becoming wider with increasing pressure. The temperature vs. pressure phase diagram shows a triple point of 72.9?MPa and 160.3°C for the Cr₁, Cr_i and B₁ phases, indicating the lower limit of pressure for the Cr_i phase. In compound II the reversible transition sequence crystal (Cr₁)–B₂ phase–I is seen over the whole pressure region, and the temperature range of the B₂ phase remains unaltered. It is concluded that both the B₁ and B₂ banana phases are stable over the whole pressure region studied.     

A thermodynamic study of the cubic (43m) → orthorhombic (mm2) ferroelectric phase transition of a triad of boracites with Mn as a common metal

Results are presented for the first thermodynamic study of the cubic ($\text{4}\text{3m}$) → orthorhombic (mm2) ferroelectric phase transition of a triad of boracites with Mn as the common metal; i.e., Mn₃B₇O₁₃Cl, Mn₃B₇O₁₃Br, and Mn₃B₇O₁₃I. This study shows that the transition is first order in the case of MnCl and MnBr boracites, while in MnI it tends to a second-order transition. Multiple peaking of the specific heat at the transition has been observed in several samples of the three compositions. Thermal annealing of these samples was ineffective for removing the multiple peaks. The multiple peaking is thought to arise from growth sectors in these crystals.     

Positive dipole correlation at the I/B2 transition in the isotropic phase

The first evidence of a positive dipole correlation in the isotropic phase near to the I/B₂ transition is given.     

Evidence of a transition to reorientational disorder in the cubic alkali-metal dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborates

A neutron powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study indicates that Cs₂B₁₂H₁₂ undergoes a second-order phase transition near 529 K that can be described as a reorientational disordering of the B₁₂H₁₂²⁻ icosahedral anions between two lowest-energy configurations within the cubic structure. Such a disordering requires the addition of another mirror plane to the low-temperature Fm3? structural symmetry to become Fm3?m. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements suggest the possible persistence of some short-range anion order at and above the transition. Additional DSC measurements of the lighter alkali-metal cubic isomorphs, Rb₂B₁₂H₁₂ and K₂B₁₂H₁₂, also indicate second-order transitions for these compounds near 742 K and 811 K, respectively. These results are suggestive of similar order–disorder phase changes as for Cs₂B₁₂H₁₂, although confirmation of their existence requires analogous diffraction measurements.     

Phasenumwandlungen bei ABC2-Halbleitern vom Chalcopyrit-Typ

The entropy change of the phase transition from the chalcopyrite to the sphalerite structure of compounds A^IB^IIIC ₂ ^VI and A^IIB^IVC ₂ ^V was determined with a Setaram Microthermalanalyzer and a DSC 111 heat flow calorimeter. From these results one can not generally decide the order of the phenomenon, but the discussion gives hints as to a first-order transition. On the basis of a simple correlation between the ratio of the lattice constants extrapolated up to the melting temperature and the reduced temperature of the phase transition, it is possible to predict the order disorder behaviour.     

Ab initio study of phase transition and bulk modulus of NaH

The phase transition of NaH from NaCl- to CsCl-type structure is investigated by an ab initio plane-wave pseudopotential density functional theory method with the norm-conserving pseudopotential scheme in the frame of the generalized gradient approximation correction; the isothermal bulk modulus and its first and second pressure derivatives of the NaCl- and CsCl-type structures under high pressure and temperature are obtained through the quasi-harmonic Debye model. The phase transition obtained from the usual condition of equal enthalpies occurs at the pressure of 32 GPa, which is consistent with the experimental and other calculated values. Through the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the phononic effects are considered, the dependences of cell volume V and lattice constant a on temperature T at zero pressure, the isothermal bulk modulus B₀ and its pressure derivatives B₀′and B₀″ on pressure P along isotherms 0, 300, and 600 K, are also successfully obtained.     

Sub-solidus Relations in the System KF—PbF2 to high Pressures

The phase β-K_0.25Pb_0.75F_1.75 previously found in the KF-PbF₂ system appears to be metastable at low temperatures relative to a mixture of orthorhombic PbF₂ and a new phase suspected to be KPbF₃ II. KPbF₃ II transforms to KPbF₃ I at 298.5°C at atmospheric pressure. The KPbF₃ II/I transition line rises with pressure, but the substance appears to reversibly disproportionate above ～360°C, 5 kbar, possibly to a mixture of PbF₂ and K₄PbF₆. Instead of β-K_0.25Pb_0.75F_1.75, a mixture with this composition yielded, in addition to weak heat events due to the KPbF₃ II/I transition, strong heat events at 254.5°C and atmospheric pressure (thermal hysteresis ～13°C) which were ascribed to the PbF₂ orthorhombic/cubic transition. This transition rises with pressure to 673°C at 37.8 kbar.     

Deformation of a Polymer Brush Immersed in a Binary Solvent

An analog of the Alexander‐De Gennes box model is used for the theoretical investigation of an external deformation of polymer brushes in a mixture of two solvents. The basic solvent A and the admixture B are assumed to be highly incompatible (Flory‐Huggins parameter χ_AB = 3.5). The thermodynamics of a polymer in the solvents A and B is described by parameters χ_A and χ_B, χ_A > χ_B. The brush behavior under deformation is investigated with regard to solvent composition and polymer‐solvent interactions. It is shown that in a pre‐binodal range of the solvent composition Φ_B < Φ_B⁰ in the bulk (here Φ_B⁰ is a binodal value) there is such a value of Φ_B = Φ _B* that deformation does not affect solvent composition inside the brush. This invariant quantity Φ _B*, being a function of only thermodynamic parameters, is independent of the brush characteristics, such as grafting density. It is shown that two types of the first‐order phase transitions can arise in the system considered: a compositional phase transition induced by a change in the solvent composition in the bulk, and a deformational phase transition caused by an external deformation of the brush. The value of Φ _B* defines a borderline concentration of the admixture in the bulk; the brush behavior in the ranges 00 ⪇ Φ_B ⪇ Φ _B* and Φ _B* ⪇ Φ_B < Φ_B⁰ are different. If no compositional phase transition occurs in the system, the deformational phase transition should arise under stretching at Φ _B* ⪇ Φ_B. If the compositional phase transition exists, it is realized in the range Φ_B < Φ _B* and causes the deformational phase transition in this concentration range, not only under stretching, but also under compression. Microphase segregation inside the brush is demonstrated for both phase transitions despite overestimation of the brush homogeneity in the box model.     

Single-crystal growth of Tl2Ru2O7 pyrochlore using high-pressure and flux method

Single crystals of the thallium ruthenium pyrochlore have been grown by flux method under high oxygen pressure. The growth conditions were determined by direct observations using in situ powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) method under high pressure and high temperature. The crystals were grown using NaCl-KCl flux at 1350 °C and B₂O₃ flux at 1150 °C. High growth temperature of 1350 °C for the NaCl-KCl flux caused Pt contamination from the crucible and oxygen deficiency for the crystals obtained. The crystal growth using B₂O₃ flux proceeded at lower temperature by grain growth with material transfer through B₂O₃. The crystal obtained was characterized by single-crystal XRD method, and was found to have a stoichiometric composition, Tl₂Ru₂O_7−δ (δ=0), with a structural phase transition around 120 K. The grain growth technique with B₂O₃ is efficient for high-temperature single-crystal growth under high pressure.     

Laser-induced fluorescence of benzyl radicals in the gas phase

The excitation spectrum of the laser-induced fluorescence of benzyl has been observed in the gas phase. Fluorescence lifetimes of 880 ± 10 ns at zero pressure were obtained for the s, t and 6a¹₀ bands of the (1 ²A₂—1 ²B₂, 2 ²B₂—1 ²B₂) transitions of benzyl-h₇. The fluorescence lifetime of the t band in the corresponding transition of benzyl-d₇ was 1340 ns.     

Dielectric characterization of B3 and B4 phases

Dielectric measurements on two samples formed from banana-shaped molecules with terminal alkyl or alkyloxy groups were carried out in a frequency range between 10^-3 Hz and 10 MHz. Both samples exhibit B₂ and B₃ phases; one of them has a B₄ state as well. As usual, two ranges of relaxation were detected in the B₂ phase, the fast reorientation about the long axes of the molecules and a slow collective process. Only one dielectrically active low frequency process could be separated in the B₃ and B₄ phases; this is probably related to the dynamics of superstructures. The high frequency limit of the dielectric constants gives a hint that neither phase is a classical solid. A quite strong increase in the conductivity at the transition into the B₃ phase is critically discussed.     

Continuous and discontinuous phase transitions in ammonium halides

Raman spectra of NH₄Cl and NH₄Br have been recorded as functions of temperature and pressure. The λ-type phase transition in NH₄Cl has been studied as (i) a weakly first order. (ii) a tricritical and (iii) a second order transition. A strongly first order transition has been studied in NH₄Br. The analysis of the data has concentrated on the correlation of frequency shift with volume change across the phase change regions. This correlation has been established for the frequencies of the ν₂ and ν₅ Raman modes of NH₄Cl at zero pressure (1st order) 1.6 kbar (tricritical) and 2.8 kbar (2nd order), and the frequencies of the ν₅ Raman mode of NH₄Br at zero pressure (1st order). A single Y (mode Grünelsen parameter) has been shown to describe each frequency shift right through the phase change region once an order-disorder contribution has been introduced at and below the transition temperatures.     

Spectroscopy at very high pressures: Part 27. Raman study of the second-order phase transitions in sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate

Raman spectra of NaNO₂ have been studied as a function of hydrostatic pressure to 40 kbar at 295 and 348 K. Slight changes in slope of mode frequency versus pressure plots support the view that a structural anomaly exists at 9 ± 1 kbar. The absence of qualitative changes in the Raman spectra allow the space group of NaNO₂ IV to be specified as one of P1, P2, B2, Pm or Bm. The Raman spectrum of NaNO₃ has been studied to 87 kbar. The changes observed are fully consistent with a second-order transition to a phase with symmetry C⁶_3v, as indicated by previous X-ray work, although the transition is sluggish.     

Morphological phase behaviour under pressure of polycatenar mesogens with a perfluorinated moiety

Two polycatenar materials composed of a four‐aromatic‐ring core with a perfluorinated moiety attached in one terminal position through either butylene‐ or pentylene spacer groups, and three tetradecyloxy chains at the other end (abbreviated as 14PC₄F and 14PC₅F), were investigated to study the effect of pressure on the phase transition behaviour. A polarizing optical microscope equipped with a high pressure optical hot stage, was used for the purpose. The T vs. P phase diagrams of 14PC₄F and 14PC₅F were constructed in the pressure region up to 100 MPa. 14PC₄F showed the stable crystal (Cr₁)–columnar tetragonal (Col_tet)–smectic A (SmA)–columnar hexagonal (Col_h)–isoropic liquid (I) phase transition sequence under all pressures. 14PC₅F exhibited the phase sequence metastable crystal (Cr₂)–cubic (Cub)–Col_tet–SmA–I in a melt‐cooled sample on heating under pressure. But when the melt‐cooled Cr₂ sample was annealed at 52–54°C for 2–3 h, the stable crystal (Cr₁) was formed slowly, giving a stable Cr₁–Cub–Col_tet–SmA–I phase sequence. The temperature region of the stable cubic phase broadened with increasing pressure. Furthermore a new mesophase of 14PC₅F was pressure‐induced between the I and SmA phases on cooling at pressures above about 16 MPa. Since the monotropic mesophase exhibited a texture very similar to that of the high temperature Col_h phase of 14PC₄F with planar orientation, the new phase was assigned at a high temperature columnar hexagonal phase of 14PC₅F.     

Phase behaviour of the thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis-(4- n -octyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine under pressure

The phase transition behaviour of an optically isotropic, thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis-(4-n-octyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine, BABH(8), was investigated under pressures up to 200 MPa using a high pressure differential thermal analyser, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and a polarizing optical microscope equipped with a high pressure optical cell. The phase transition sequence, low temperature crystal (Cr₂)-high temperature crystal (Cr ₁)- cubic (Cub)-smectic C (SmC)-isotropic liquid (I) observed at atmospheric pressure, is seen in the low pressure region below about 30 MPa. The cubic phase disappears at high pressures above 30–40 MPa, in conjunction with the disappearance of the Cr₁ phase. The transition sequence changes to Cr₂-SmC-I in the high pressure region. Since only the Cub-SmC transition line among all the phase boundaries has a negative slope (dT/dP) in the temperature-pressure phase diagram, the temperature range for the cubic phase decreases rapidly with increasing pressure. As a result, a triple point was estimated approximately as 31.6 ±2.0 MPa, 147.0±1.0°C for the SmC, Cub and Cr₁ phases, indicating the upper limit of pressure for the observation of the cubic phase. Reversible changes in structure and optical texture between the Cub and SmC phases were observed from a spot-like X-ray pattern and dark field for the cubic phase to the Debye-Sherrer pattern and sand-like texture for the SmC phase both in isobaric and isothermal experiments.     

Photoactive liquid crystalline polymers: A comprehensive study of linear and hyperbranched polymers synthesized by A2B2, A2B3, A3B2, and A3B3 approaches

A series of linear and hyperbranched polyester epoxies, with varied structural parameters such as kinked structure and different dendritic architectures, were synthesized by A₂ + B₂, A₂ + B₃, A₃ + B₂, and A₃ + B₃ approaches. The structures of synthesized monomers and polymers were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The effect of varied structural parameters on phase behavior and photoresponsive properties was investigated by using differential scanning calorimeter, thermal optical polarized microscope, UV–visible spectroscopy, photoviscosity, and refractive index studies. The transition temperatures of hyperbranched polymers were higher than that of the corresponding linear analogues. All the polymers showed nematic phase (nematic droplets) over a broad temperature range. The effect of kinked structural unit on photoresponsive property is less in both linear and hyperbranched architectures. Although the effect of architectural nature is highly considerable within the hyperbranched architectures, the polymer (HPE–33) synthesized by A₃ + B₃ approach showed highest rate of photocrosslinking, followed by HPE–I 32; HPE–T 32, and HPE–23, which were synthesized by A₃ + B₂ and A₂ + B₃ approaches, respectively. The findings in photoresponsive properties were further supported by molecular modeling studies. Substantial variation of refractive index (0.015–0.024) indicates that these polymers could be used for optical recording. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Crystal Structure of the High Pressure Phase(II) in CuGeO3

Crystal structures of the ambient pressure and temperature phase (phase I) and high pressure phase (phase II) in CuGeO₃ were studied by means of the high pressure single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction method in a diamond anvil cell using high power X‐ray generator and imaging plate detector. The pressure dependence of the atomic displacements in the phase I was investigated under the hydrostatic pressure of 0.1 MPa and 2.9 and 3.9 GPa. The lattice is particularly compressive in the b direction. In phase I the rippled layers are formed by the corner‐shared chains of GeO₄ tetrahedra and edge‐linked planar CuO₄. Major effects of pressure, directly related to the shortening of the b‐axis, consist of an enhanced folding of the rippled layers towards the b‐direction and of a shortening of the weak Cu–O bond. The crystal structure of phase II is monoclinic, a = 4.935(57), b = 6.754(14), c = 6.208(11) Å, β = 92.67(3)°, space group; P2₁/c. The transition from phase I to II involves a corrugated arrangement of the both cation with some oxygens around the c‐axis. Ge ion at the transition point of 6.4 GPa changes its coordination number from four‐fold to five‐fold, and Cu ion occupies a position of seven‐fold site. The structure of phase II is explained as a slab structure having unique edge‐ and corner‐sharing arrangements of GeO₅ and CuO₇ polyhedra. The average Ge–O and Cu–O distances in phase II is 1.92 and 2.17 Å, respectively, at 6.5 GPa.     

Structural investigation of Sr2LiReO6. Evidence for a continuous tetragonal-cubic phase transition

The presence of a continuous and reversible -I4/m phase transition in a polycrystalline sample of the ordered double perovskite Sr₂LiReO₆ is described. The transition that occurs near 300 °C is a consequence of in-phase tilting of the BO₆ octahedra. The temperature dependence of both the lattice parameters and the spontaneous strains are consistent with a second order phase transition as would be expected for a soft mode transition.     

Isomorphism and phase transition in triferrocenylboroxine and triferrocenylborazine

The crystal structures of triferrocenyl­boroxine, [Fe₃(C₅H₅)₃(C₁₅H₁₂B₃O₃)], (I), and triferrocenyl­borazine, [Fe₃(C₅H₅)₃(C₁₅H₁₅B₃N₃)], (II), are isomorphous. At room temperature, the space group is Cmc2₁ and the mol­ecules have crystallographic m symmetry. A reversible phase transition occurs at 283 (2) K for (I) and at 263 (5) K for (II). In the low‐temperature phase, the space group of both compounds is P2₁ and the mol­ecules no longer have internal symmetry. Intermolecular C—H?π interactions are enhanced in the low‐temperature phase.