Mesophase structure and behaviour in bulk and restricted geometry of a dimeric compound exhibiting a nematic-nematic transition

Sebastián, N.; Tamba, M. G.; Stannarius, R.; de la Fuente, M. R.; Salamonczyk, M.; Cukrov, G.; Gleeson, J.; Sprunt, S.; Jákli, A.; Welch, C.; Ahmed, Z.; Mehl, G. H.; Eremin, A.

Abstract

We present structural studies of a dimeric compound composed of a central heptyl spacer linking two mesogens consisiting of terphenyl units at which two adjacent fluoro groups are attached to each central ring. The terminal rings are linked to pentyl chains as terminal groups. The material exhibits a nematic-nematic transition and a low temperature modulated phase. The higher temperature nematic phase was found to exhibit an anomaly of the bend elastic constant similar to that of the dimers with N-Ntb phase sequence, and the physical properties of the low-temperature nematic phase are similar to those of the known Ntb materials. The structure of the low-temperature modulated smectic/columnar phase is described together with its ability to form freely suspended films and fibres. The relation of the modulated structure to the fibre formation and to the appearance of the labyrinthine instability in freely-suspended films is discussed.

Citation

Sebastián, N., Tamba, M. G., Stannarius, R., de la Fuente, M. R., Salamonczyk, M., Cukrov, G., …Eremin, A. (2016). Mesophase structure and behaviour in bulk and restricted geometry of a dimeric compound exhibiting a nematic-nematic transition. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP, 18(28), 19299-19308. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp03899a

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 23, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jun 23, 2016
• Publication Date: Jun 23, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jul 9, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 12, 2018
• Journal: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
• Print ISSN: 1463-9076
• Electronic ISSN: 1463-9084
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 28
• Pages: 19299-19308
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp03899a
• Keywords: Mesogenic shape; Nematic-nematic transitions
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/917586
• Publisher URL: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/cp/c6cp03899a#!divAbstract
• Additional Information: : This document is Similarity Check deposited; : Supplementary Information; : G. Cukrov (ResearcherID); : The PCCP Owner Societies have an exclusive publication licence for this journal; OPEN ACCESS: This article is freely available. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (CC BY 3.0); : Single-blind; : Received 5 June 2016; Accepted 23 June 2016; Accepted Manuscript published 23 June 2016; Advance Article published 4 July 2016; Version of Record published 13 July 2016