Banana-shaped mesogens: observation of a direct transition from the antiferroelectric B2 to nematic phase

Alternating twist structures formed by electroconvection in the nematic phase of an achiral bent-core molecule

We report an unusual electroconvection in the nematic phase of a bent-core liquid crystal. In a voltage-frequency diagram, two frequency regions exhibiting prewavy stripe patterns were found, as reported by Wiant We found that these stripes never show extinction dark when cells were rotated under crossed polarizers. Based on the color interchange in between neighboring stripes by the rotation of the cells or an analyzer, twisted molecular orientation is suggested; i.e., the directors are alternately twisted from the top to the bottom surfaces with a pretilt angle in adjacent stripes, which is an analogue of the twisted (splayed) structure observed in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal cells. The transmittance spectra calculated using the 4x4 matrix method from the model structure are consistent with the experimental observation.

Fluorine containing nonsymmetrical five-ring achiral banana-shaped compounds with columnar and synclinic antiferroelectric layered phases

The phase transitional behavior of two homologous series of five-ring banana-shaped compounds comprising fluorine substituents synthesized through covalent linking of two chemically dissimilar rod-like anisometric cores (arms) to central 1,3-phenylene is reported. The novelty of these molecules originates from the fact that the molecules are highly nonsymmetrical. One of the arms, which is either salicylaldimine or Schiff base core, possesses two vicinal fluorine atoms at the terminal ring having a -decyloxy tail; while the -alkyl tail attached to the other arm was varied to realize a homologous series of compounds. The mesophases have been characterized by several complementary studies. The banana-shaped systems having short or medium alkyl chain lengths form apolar columnar (two-dimensional) structures, while on ascending the series, a polar smectic phase is stabilized. Detailed electro-optical investigations on one of the polar smectic phases revealed a synclinic antiferroelectric (racemic) ground state structure, which switches, as expected, to an anticlinic ferroelectric state by the application of an electrical field. At higher field strengths applied for an extended time interval, the anticlinic ferroelectric state switches to a synclinic ferroelectric (chiral) state. Upon field removal, these domains switch to an anticlinic antiferroelectric (chiral) state, which eventually nucleates to the original antiferroelectric synclinic (racemic) state. Remarkably, the associated spontaneous polarization value exceeds 800 nC cm, which is among the highest reported hitherto.

A frustrated packing model for the B6-B1-SmAPA sequence of phases in banana shaped molecules

A vast majority of compounds with bent core or banana shaped molecules exhibit the phase sequence B6-B1-B2 as the chain length is increased in a homologous series. The B6 phase has an intercalated fluid lamellar structure with a layer spacing of half the molecular length. The B1 phase has a two dimensionally periodic rectangular columnar structure. The B2 phase has a monolayer fluid lamellar structure with molecules tilted with respect to the layer normal. Neglecting the tilt order of the molecules in the B2 phase, we have developed a frustrated packing model to describe this phase sequence qualitatively. The model has some analogy with that of the frustrated smectics exhibited by highly polar rod like molecules.

Optically isotropic liquid-crystal phase of bent-core molecules with polar nanostructure

We found that the optically isotropic (I(M)) mesophase observed recently below the nematic phase of the bent-core liquid crystal 4-chlororesorcinol bis[4-(4-n-dodecyloxybenzoyloxy)benzoate] shows ferroelectric-type switching. Polarizing microscopic, electric current, dielectric, and dynamic light scattering studies lead us to propose that the I(M) phase is composed of interconnected orthoconic racemic smectic (Sm-Ca P(F)) nanodomains with random layer orientations. Near the nematic phase, where the polarization can be saturated by electric fields, the system responds in a fashion analogous to the granular structure of a magnetic spin glass--in particular, we observed that the relaxation back to the nonpoled structure follows a similar, inverse logarithmic rule.