Influence of substituent length in dichroic dye molecules on the orientational properties of guest-host liquid crystal mixtures

The polarized absorption spectra of eight dichroic dyes, alkyl derivatives of 4-amino-(N-ethylnaphthalimide) dissolved in the nematic liquid crystals 5CB and 6CHBT have been measured as a function of temperature. On the basis of these spectra, the guest order parameter has been evaluated. The influence of the alkyl chain length of the dye molecule on the molecular orientation has been examined. Moreover, the nematic-isotropic transition temperatures for the dye-liquid crystal mixtures have been determined. The experimental results have been compared in some detail with calculations made on the basis of the mean field theory for binary mixtures.