Anomalous increase in nematic-isotropic transition temperature in dimer molecules induced by magnetic field

Salili, S. M.; Tamba, M. G.; Sprunt, S. N.; Welch, C.; Mehl, G. H.; Jákli, A.; Gleeson, J. T.

Abstract

We have determined the nematic-isotropic transition temperature as a function of applied magnetic field in three different thermotropic liquid crystalline dimers. These molecules are comprised of two rigid calamitic moieties joined end to end by flexible spacers with odd numbers of methylene groups. They show an unprecedented magnetic field enhancement of nematic order in that the transition temperature is increased by up to 15K when subjected to 22T magnetic field. The increase is conjectured to be caused by a magnetic field-induced decrease of the average bend angle in the aliphatic spacers connecting the rigid mesogenic units of the dimers.

Citation

Salili, S. M., Tamba, M. G., Sprunt, S. N., Welch, C., Mehl, G. H., Jákli, A., & Gleeson, J. T. (2016). Anomalous increase in nematic-isotropic transition temperature in dimer molecules induced by magnetic field. Physical review letters, 116(21-27 May), Article 217801. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.217801

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 28, 2016
• Online Publication Date: May 26, 2016
• Publication Date: May 26, 2016
• Deposit Date: May 4, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: May 26, 2016
• Journal: Physical review letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 116
• Issue: 21-27 May
• Article Number: 217801
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.217801
• Keywords: Nematic liquid crystals; Dimer molecules
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/437608
• Publisher URL: http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.217801
• Additional Information: Copy of article published in: Physical review letters, 2016, v.116