The design and investigation of the self-assembly of dimers with two nematic phases

Ahmed, Z.; Welch, C.; Mehl, G. H.

Abstract

A series of non-symmetric dimers were synthesised containing either cyanobiphenyl or difluoroterphenyl moieties on one side and a range of long, short, bent, polar or apolar mesogens on the other side of the molecules. The dielectric anisotropy of the mesogens was varied systematically. The systems were characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical polarizing microscopy (OPM) and detailed X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, both in the nematic and the Nx phase. The results are compared and structure properties relationships are discussed. A model for the assembly in the Nx phase is developed discussing Ntb structures, coaxial helices, swiss roll structures and chiral domain formation.

Citation

Ahmed, Z., Welch, C., & Mehl, G. H. (2015). The design and investigation of the self-assembly of dimers with two nematic phases. RSC advances, 5(113), 93513-93521. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ra18118f

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 29, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Sep 29, 2015
• Publication Date: Sep 29, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 30, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 23, 2017
• Journal: RSC advances
• Print ISSN: 2046-2069
• Electronic ISSN: 2046-2069
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 113
• Pages: 93513-93521
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ra18118f
• Keywords: Soft Condensed Matter
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/380673
• Publisher URL: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2015/ra/c5ra18118f#!divAbstract
• Additional Information: Copy of article first published in: RSC advances, 2015.