Alignment behavior for novel triphenylene compounds possessing fluoroalkylated side chains on modified substrates

The alignment behavior of the triphenylene compounds possessing fluoroalkylated side chains was investigated for the hexagonal columnar (Col_h) mesophase on the polyimide-, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-, and indium-SnO₂ (ITO)-coated glass substrates by polarizing optical microscopy. It was found that 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluoroheptyloxy)- and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluorononyloxy)-triphenylenes exhibit a spontaneous homeotropic alignment on these substrates, in contrast to the non-uniformity of alignment of Col_h phase in the corresponding hydrocarbon mesogens. On the other hand, it was also found that 4,4,4-trifluorobutyloxy, 4,4,5,5,5-pentafluoropentyloxy and 4,4,5,5,6,6,6-heptafluorohexyloxy derivatives do not show such a spontaneous homeotropic alignment on these substrates. These results indicate that the spontaneous homeotropic alignment of the Col_h phase could be easily attained by the introduction of an appropriate number and length of the fluoromethylene chains in the peripheral parts of discogens.     

Mesomorphic phase transition behaviour of photopolymerisable liquid crystalline triphenylene ether compounds

This report discusses the preparation and the unusual mesomorphism of three homologues of photopolymerisable triphenylene ether compounds. These homologues showed ‘a cold crystallisation’ on heating differential scanning calorimetry curves, and this phenomenon is attenuated with increase methylene units, spacers between the triphenylene core and the terminal photopolymerisable acrylate group. Classical textures of hexagonal columnar (Col_h) mesophase were observed by polarising optical microscopy for all three photopolymerisable mesophase compounds described here. Also described is the mesomorphism of their intermediates, hydroxylalkoxytriphenylenes. In some cases, the discotic columnar hexagonal mesophases were confirmed by wide angle X-ray scattering techniques.     

A Raman spectroscopic study of the phase transition of BaZr(PO4)2: Evidence for a trigonal structure of the high-temperature polymorph

We have studied the structural evolution of monoclinic BaZr(PO₄)₂ during heating up to 835 K by Raman spectroscopy. In agreement with previous studies we found a first-order phase transition at about 730 K during heating while upon cooling the reverse transition occurs at 705 K. However, some disagreement about the crystal structure of the high-temperature polymorph occurs in the literature. While the space group has not yet been determined, the X-ray diffraction pattern of the high-temperature phase has been indexed on either an orthorhombic or a hexagonal unit cell. We found that the number of Raman active internal PO₄ vibrational modes decrease from nine to six during the transition. A group theoretical survey through all orthorhombic, trigonal, and hexagonal factor groups revealed that the observed number of vibrations would only be consistent with the Ba and Zr atoms located at a site, the P and two O atoms at a C_3v(3m), and six O atoms at a C_s(m) site in the D_3d factor group. Based on our Raman data, the space group of the high-temperature polymorph is thus either , , or .     

Thermotropic Liquid Crystals of Double-Chain Zwit-terionic Surfactants (C16)2NCnS

A series of double-chain sulfobetain zwitterionic surfactants with varying carbon number of the intercharge group (spacer), (C₁₆H₃₃)₂NCH₃(CH₂)_nSO₃, where n=2, 3, 4, and 6, referred to as (C₁₆)₂NC_nS, were synthesized. The influence of the spacer length on the thermal behaviors of (C₁₆)₂NC_nS in their pure state was studied using thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the thermal stability of (C₁₆)₂NC_nS lowered with increasing the spacer length. All compounds showed a complex polymorphism. Only for (C₁₆)₂NC₄S and (C₁₆)₂NC₆S, thermotropic liquid crystals were observed using POM. The former exhibited a smectic A (SmA) phase, whereas the latter formed a hexagonal columnar phase. These liquid crystals obtained both in the cooling and the second heating scans provided compelling evidence for the thermal stability of these compounds.