Effect of fluorination of molecular rigid core in liquid crystal biphenyl benzoate based homologous series

Liquid crystalline perfluorinated biphenyl benzoates were synthesized and investigated. A highly tilted, neat orthoconic smectic antiferroelectric phase was observed. A homologous series of compounds without and with a single fluorine atom substituted at different positions of a molecular rigid core was investigated by standard methods. Influence of fluorine substitution on physical properties of antiferroelectric smectic phase was discussed as well as influence of fluorination on molecular dipole moment orientation and its value were presented. Decrease in rotational viscosity as a result of fluorine substitution within a molecular rigid core was ascribed to changes of molecular packing.     

Comparative electrooptic study of new orthoconic liquid crystals with fluorinated alkoxy terminal chains

Electrooptical properties of several new orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures with partially fluorinated alkoxyalkoxy terminal chains have been investigated in order to select the best mixture for display applications. Electrooptical studies have been performed on these orthoconic materials aiming at evaluating their static and dynamic performance under passive multiplexing conditions. A number of parameters have been evaluated, static and dynamic contrast, driving scheme for passive multiplexing, rise and fall response times, dynamic range, and dynamic greyscale.     

Modifying electrooptics of orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal cells by manufacturing procedures

Orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (AFLCs) having 45° tilt angle have been proposed to overcome the problem of reduced contrast usually exhibited by regular antiferroelectric displays. However, the pitch of the helix induced by chirality is customarily short in existing orthoconic materials, making it difficult to achieve surface stabilized configurations when the material’s pitch is smaller than the cell thickness. In this work, the influence of different manufacturing procedures on the electrooptical behaviour of orthoconic AFLCs is studied. Using the same orthoconic AFLC mixture, aligning surfaces and manufacturing protocol, we have observed two dissimilar responses, true orthoconic behaviour, and orthoconic V-shape response. The electrooptical response depends ultimately on the rubbing strategy adopted in either case.     

Electro-optical Kerr effect in the isotropic phase of the two antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures

We have experimentally studied for the first time the electro-optical Kerr effect and the pre-transitional behavior in the isotropic phase of two antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures, W-232 and W-204D, composed of rod-like ester molecules exhibiting the direct smectic-A to isotropic (SmA-I) phase transition. The Kerr law has been confirmed for the two compounds and the variation of inverse Kerr constant with temperature above the smectic–isotropic transition temperatures were determined. Both the mixtures with very broad antiferroelectric phase around room temperature have similar sequence of the phases (i.e., Cr-SmC*A-SmC*-SmA-I). Although, the pre-transitional behavior is usually complex in the isotropic phase of the chiral smectic liquid crystal compounds, the investigated compounds showed a similar behavior compared to that of nematic–isotropic behavior.     

Features of the smectic e phases in some strongly polar biphenyls and tolanes

Four compounds with the isothiocyanate terminal group (–NCS) in tolane or biphenyl molecules, revealing E phase in a broad temperature range, have been investigated by means of the DSC, polarizing microscope, miscibility and X-ray methods. The investigations have confirmed that internal smectic E phase in those compounds was not identical and it has been characterized by different distortions of the orthoconic cell and interlayer correlation.     

Three-level phase modulator based on orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals

Surface-stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (OAFLCs) have a director tilt of theta = 45 degrees and are, with no field applied, negatively uniaxial with the optic axis perpendicular to the cell substrates. We demonstrate that OAFLCs can be utilized to achieve lossless phase modulation with three almost equidistant phase levels. This turns out to be true also for polymer-stabilized OAFLCs, where the polymer network increases the switching speed of the device without affecting the phase modulation appreciably.     

Characteristic dielectric parameters of para-, ferro- and antiferro-electric phases of (S)-4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl-4′-(6-pentanoyloxyhex-1-oxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate

Frequency and temperature dependence of dielectric parameters of a liquid crystalline compound (S)-4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl-4′-(6-pentanoyloxyhex-1-oxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate under planar orientation of the molecules have been investigated in the frequency range 1 Hz-10 MHz. This compound possesses smectic paraelectric (SmA*), ferroelectric (SmC*) and antiferroelectric (SmC_A*) phases. Dielectric spectroscopy suggests the existence of a relaxation mechanism in the SmA* phase, which behaves as a soft mode. In the SmC* phase two relaxation modes are observed. One mode continues from the SmA* phase with decreasing dielectric strength and the other has characteristics of the Goldstone mode. Two dielectric relaxation modes have been observed for the SmC_A* phase. These two modes are related to the antiferroelectric ordering and the helical structure of the SmC_A* phase.     

Theoretical investigation of antiferroelectric (SmCA) subphases by hydrodynamical approach

We provide a hydrodynamical approach utilizing time dependent Landau-Ginzburg model (L-G) and the Cahn-Hilliard model (C-H) to investigate antiferroelectric liquid crystals (AFLCs) exhibiting different chiral phases between paraelectric smectic A (SmA^?) phase and antiferroelectric smectic C_A^? phase (SmC_A^?). Introducing conserved and non-conserved order parameters in C-H and L-G models, we have predicted the appearance of a chiral smectic C (SmC^?) phase and a ferrielectric SmC_FI1^? phase (three layers SmC_A^?) in an antiferroelectric phase sequence. The three layers periodicity for SmC_FI1^? phase is studied in detail with a non-uniform layer interactions among smectic layers with strong experimental support. Finally, we provide some theoretical basis for the non-uniformity of our proposed layer interactions.     

The properties of ferroelectric compound (S)-(+)-4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl 4′-(4-cyanoacetoxybut-1-oxy) biphenyl-4-carboxylate and its ability of an antiferroelectric phase induction in mixtures

Phase transitions and ferroelectric properties of (S)-(+)-4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl 4′-(4-cyanoacetoxybut-1-oxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate will be described in this article. This compound exhibits the synclinic smectic C* phase and it has the ability to induce an antiferroelectric phase in mixtures with the other ferroelectric compounds. New systems with induced antiferroelectric phase and their properties are presented.     

‘Guest–host’ effect in liquid crystal mixtures

The most important goal of our research is to show the influence of the ‘guest’ (bent-core mesogen, 1,3-phenyldicarboxylatebis{4-[(4-octylbenzoyl)sulphanyl]phenyl} [IFOS8], banana-shaped liquid crystal [BLC]) on the ‘host’ (calamitic liquid crystal [CLC], (S)-(+)-1-methylheptyloxybiphenyl-(4-n-octylphenyl)thiobenzoate [MHOBS8]), on the stability and the destabilization of the antiferroelectric B2 and the ferroelectric smectic C* (SmC*) phases, and change of the temperature ranges of other phases in the binary liquid crystal mixtures. This work is focused on polymorphism of three new binary liquid crystal mixtures, exhibiting a ‘guest–host’ (guest liquid crystal–host liquid crystal [GH-LC]) effect. MHOBS8 has, among others, a ferroelectric SmC* phase, and IFOS8 assumes the B2 phase with antiferroelectric properties. The observed properties of the mixtures, such as variation of the phase transition temperatures, spontaneous polarization, tilt angle and switching time, are characteristic of a ‘guest–host’ mixture. The influence of BLC on the character of the interactions within the CLC host is discussed, with particular attention paid to electro-optical properties of the GH-LC mixtures.     

Phase transitions in ferroelectric liquid crystals

Molecular chirality plays an important role in the science of liquid crystals, leading to cholesteric liquid crystal, blue phases, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric smectic phases and twist grain boundary phases. In all of these mesogens, chirality is an intrinsic property built into the chemical structure of mesogenic molecules. The study of ferroelectric liquid crystals has seen substantial experimental strides. In theoretical aspects, there has been relatively little basic work on this fascinating class of material. This review will try to present a comprehensive overview of the current status of the phase transitions in ferroelectric smectic liquid crystals. The article begins with a brief introduction about the symmetry and structure of ferroelectric mesophases. An attempt is made to identify a range of problems and related questions associated with the study of phase transitions. In the remaining parts of the article the important experimental and theoretical developments are summarized. Finally, some of the future directions have been identified.     

Ferroelectric smectic phase formed by achiral straight core mesogens

We report electro-optic experiments in liquid crystalline freestanding films of achiral hockey stick shaped mesogens with a straight aromatic core. The material forms two smectic mesophases. In the higher temperature phase, a spontaneous polarization exists in the smectic layer plane and the films show polar switching in electric fields. It is the first example of a ferroelectric phase formed by nearly rodlike achiral mesogens. Mirror symmetry of the phase is spontaneously broken. We propose a molecular configuration similar to a synclinic ferroelectric (C(S)P(F)) high temperature phase and an anticlinic, probably antiferroelectric (C(A)P(A)) low temperature phase.     

酯类铁电液晶的相变和构型研究(英文)

：本文对酯类铁电液晶的相变和构型进行了研究和评述。它包括固相 近晶Ｃ,近晶Ｃ 近晶Ａ相变的性质,一级、二级相变的判据,固相 近晶Ｃ相变的临界弛豫,顺式、反式的构型转变和新相分析。     

Observation of edge dislocations in helical smectic liquid crystals

We report the observation of elementary edge dislocations in smectic liquid crystals possessing helical structure. The dislocations were observed in the entire temperature range of helical phases, including ferroelectric, ferrielectric and antiferroelectric phases. The mechanism for visualizing the dislocations is based on the phenomenon of selective reflection of circularly polarised light. The performed observations of dislocations deliver not only information on the mechanisms of defect creation in various chiral smectic phases, but also on the structure and properties of the investigated smectics, often inaccessible using standard methods.     

Bilayer-by-bilayer antiferroelectric ordering in freely suspended films of an achiral polymer-monomer liquid crystal mixture

Thin freely suspended films of a mixture of an achiral side-chain liquid crystal polymer and its monomer have been studied with depolarized reflected light microscopy. We observe that regions with an odd number of bilayers exhibit a net spontaneous polarization in the tilt plane of the molecules, while regions with an even number of bilayers have no net polarization. These odd-even effects are direct evidence that the tilted smectic bilayers are anticlinic at the polymer backbone and synclinic at bilayer interface and confirm that the phase is bilayer-by-bilayer antiferroelectric.     

Comparative Investigations of Light Transmission in Aligned and Non-aligned Textures of Homogeneous Mixtures of 4-n-alkyl-4′-Cyanibiphenyl Mesogens at Direct and Reverse <Emphasis Type="Italic">smectic A</Emphasis> ↔ <Emphasis Type="Italic">isotropic liquid</Emphasis> Phase Transitions

The thermo-optical properties of various types of textures (the homeotropic, planar, and tilted aligned and non-aligned textures) in liquid crystalline materials with smectic A mesophase have been investigated. Investigations have been carried out for large temperature interval and at the direct smectic A mesophase–isotropic liquid (SmA–I) and isotropic liquid–smectic A mesophase (I–SmA) phase transitions that have been carried out. Homogeneous mixtures of 4-n-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl with 4-n-decyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl were the objects of the investigations. Temperature dependences of the optical transmission for aligned and non-aligned textures have been measured. Temperature widths of the heterophase regions for the SmA–I and I–SmA phase transitions have been determined. The temperature shift in the optical transmission dependences to low temperatures for the reverse I–SmA phase transition temperatures and the thermal hysteresis has been found for the aligned and non-aligned textures.     

Symmetries and induced effects in bilayer and multilayer antiferroelectric and ferrielectric liquid crystal phases

The stable antiferroelectric and ferrielectric smectic phases which may arise below a chiral SmA* phase are investigated theoretically. The symmetry and physical properties of the bilayer and multilayer configurations are worked out. Antiferroelectric and ferrielectric bilayer and multilayer configurations, possessing an induced spontaneous ferroelectric polarization component perpendicular to the smectic layers, are shown to take place, as the result of a nonlinear piezoelectric effect. These states of low polar symmetries occur when the angle between the inlayer projections of the dipoles and the director of the molecules is different from 90 degrees.     

Unique pitch evolution in the smectic-C+alpha phase

Employing resonant x-ray diffraction, we observed unique pitch evolutions in the smectic-C*(alpha) phase in mixtures of two antiferroelectric liquid crystals. Our results show that the pitch in this phase continuously evolves across 4 layers, contradicting a theoretical model that predicts that the smectic-C*(FI2) phase intervenes in the smectic-C*(alpha) phase. The phase sequences we found can be explained by another model that includes one type of long-range interaction among smectic layers.     

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.