Crystal Research and Technology
Cryst. Res. Technol. 40, 709 (2005) - Abstract -

Experimental investigation of phase transitions exhibited by symmetric liquid crystal dimers

B. Gogoi, T. K. Ghosh, and P. R. Alapati

Department of Physics, NERIST, Nirjuli, Itanagar – 791 109, India

Keywords liquid crystal dimers, phase transition, Isotropic – Smectic A transition, Smectic A - Smectic F transition
PACS 61.66.Hq
DOI 10.1002/crat.200410413

As a part of our systematic study of phase transitions in liquid crystal dimers we report here the variation of density across the phase transitions Isotropic – Smectic A and Smectic A – Smectic F exhibited by the Schiff base liquid crystal dimeric compounds of α,ω-bis(4-alkylanilinebenzylidene-4'-oxy)alkane (m.OnO.m) homologous series. The compounds studied are 6.O5O.6 and 6.O6O.6. The compound 6.O5O.6 exhibits only Smectic A phase, whereas the compound 6.O6O.6 exhibits Smectic A and Smectic F phases. The density jumps and peak in thermal expansion coefficient at the transitions confirm the first order nature of the transitions with a smaller density jumps compared to the monomeric liquid crystals. The calculated pressure dependance of the transition temperatures using Clausius- Clapeyron equation is also reported.





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