Trans-cis isomerization of an azoxybenzene liquid crystal

Trans-cis isomerization was investigated in a room temperature liquid crystal mixture of two azoxybenzene compounds. Experiments were performed on isolated molecules in dilute solutions and on the liquid crystal phase composed of the pure compounds. The absorption spectra of the trans and cis isomers were found to be similar to those of azobenzene compounds, as were the birefringence and order parameter of the nematic liquid crystal phase. The photo-optic properties were also similar in that irradiation by ultraviolet light caused the conversion from trans to cis isomers, while short wavelength visible light incident on these compounds resulted in the conversion from cis to trans isomers. The activation energy for thermal relaxation from the cis to trans isomer in the liquid crystal phase was determined to be (66±7) kJ/mole, which is less than for azobenzene in solution. While a photostationary state in a dilute solution with approximately equal numbers of trans and cis isomers was achieved, the nematic-isotropic transition of the mixture of the pure compounds decreased from 70°C to room temperature with a cis concentration of only about 12%. One unusual finding was that the photostationary concentration of trans and cis isomers due to irradiation with light of a specific visible wavelength depended on the starting concentrations of the two isomers, indicating that there may be a molecular conformation that is not photo-responsive and relaxes only thermally.     

Physics of the amplification of vortex disturbances in shear flows

The physics of the linear mechanism of the amplification of vortex disturbances in shear flows, which is due to the nonorthogonality of the eigenfunctions of the problem in the linear dynamics, is described. To obtain the clearest and simplest picture, a parallel flow with a linear velocity shear is studied, and the vortex disturbances are represented in the form of plane waves — spatial Fourier harmonics. On this level our physical approach is consonant with the nonmodal mathematical analysis of linear processes in shear flows, which has been actively cultivated in the last few years. The physics presented explains the non-monotonic growth of vortex disturbances in time at the linear stage of evolution. Moreover, being universal, the “language” employed in this work can also be used to describe the amplification of potential (acoustic) disturbances. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 7, 517–522 (10 April 1996)     

Reversible LED controlled optical activity of a cholesteric liquid crystal layer

Abstract

A thin layer of the photosensitive cholesteric liquid crystal possessing a high value of the optical activity is studied. Reversible change in the optical activity controlled by two light emission diodes (LEDs) with different emission wavelengths is applied for information recording. The behavior of this structure under exposure to UV and blue light is investigated. A smooth decrease in optical activity caused by the UV light resulting in a change in the color of the structure between crossed polarizers is obtained. The reverse process occurs under exposure to the blue light. On the basis of the obtained results, two methods of optical information recording in such a layer have been demonstrated.     

Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Hydrodynamic Study of Bacterial Viruses. Effect of solution conditions

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Bacterial viruses genome- ds-DNA -expulsion from the phage capsid is induced by temperature and is not accompanied by heat effects (temperature...     

Investigation of a Twisted Phase between the Cholesteric and the Smectic A Phase

In a ternary mixture of two liquid crystals and a non-mesomorphic chiral dopant an intermediate state with an unusual texture was found between the cholesteric and the S_A phase which could be identified as a separate twisted mesophase. The reflection wavelength of this mesophase does not change with temperature whereas the transmission of unpolarized light decreases from 50 to 20%. The experimental findings point to the existence of a twisted grain boundary phase.     

A turbulence model in unbounded smooth shear flows: The weak turbulence approach

We discuss a new concept of the subcritical transition to turbulence in unbounded smooth (noninflectional) spectrally stable shear flows. This concept (the so-called bypass transition) follows from considering the nonnormality of the linear dynamics of vortex disturbances in shear flows and is most easily interpreted by tracing the evolution of spatial Fourier harmonics (SFHs) of the disturbances. The key features of the concept are as follows: the transition of the flow by only finite-amplitude vortex disturbances despite the fact that the phenomenon is energetically supported by a linear process (the transient growth of SFHs); the anisotropy of processes in the k space; the onset of chaos due to the dynamical (not stochastic) process—nonlinear processes that close the transition feedback loop by the angular redistribution of SFHs in the k space. The evolution of two-dimensional small-scale vortex disturbances in a parallel flow with a uniform shear is analyzed within the weak turbulence approach. This numerical test analysis is carried out to prove the most problematic statement of the concept, the existence of a positive feedback caused by the nonlinear process. Numerical calculations also show the existence of a threshold: if the amplitude of the initial disturbance exceeds the threshold value, the self-maintenance of disturbances becomes realistic. The latter is a characteristic feature of the flow transition to the turbulent state and its maintenance.     

Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Hydrodynamic Study of Bacterial Viruses. About possible heat effects in hermetically closed calorimetric vessels with free volume above the liquid

The phase transitions occurring in aqueous solutions of macromolecules and their complex structures (like order-disorder transitions in proteins or nucleic acids solutions) are usually accompanied by small changes in their specific partial volumes. If the quantity of these substances in the closed calorimetric vessels is relatively large (few mg) and if the phase transition is accompanied by a high change of specific partial volume (like in solution of bacteriophages),it is possible to detect some imaginary heat effects in the DSC calorimeters which have closed (sealed) vessels with free volume above the liquid. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.