A thermodynamic approach to the selectivity of liquid crystalline reentrant phases

The thermodynamic characteristics and selectivity of sorption of disubstituted benzene, pyridine, and naphthalene by the p-n-nonyloxybenzoyloxy-p′-cyanoazobenzene, p-n-hexyloxycinnamoyloxy-p′-cyanoazobenzene liquid crystalline phases and their mixture was studied by gas chromatography. The reentrant nematic phase of a mixture of mesogens was found to possess high selectivity to structural isomers. The results of manifestation of liquid crystalline phase selectivity are discussed on the basis of the enthalpy and entropy characteristics of solution of sorbates.