Smectic-A and smectic-C phases and phase transitions in (8)over-barS5 liquid-crystal-aerosil gels


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Freelon B., Ramazanoglu M. K., CHUNG P. J., PAGE R. N., LO Y., VALDIVIA P., ...Daha Fazla

PHYSICAL REVIEW E, cilt.84, sa.3, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 84 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2011
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1103/physreve.84.031705
  • Dergi Adı: PHYSICAL REVIEW E
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

High-resolution x-ray scattering studies of the nonpolar thermotropic liquid crystal 4-n-pentylphenylthiol-4'-n-octyloxybenzoate ((8) over bar S5) in aerosil gel nanonetworks reveal that the aerosil-induced disorder significantly alters both the nematic to smectic-A and smectic-A to smectic-C phase transitions. The limiting (8) over bar S5 smectic-A correlation length follows a power-law dependence on the aerosil density in quantitative agreement with the limiting lengths measured previously in other smectic-A liquid crystal gels. The smectic-A to smectic-C liquid crystalline phase transition is altered fundamentally by the presence of the aerosil gel. The onset of the smectic-C phase remains relatively sharp but there is an extended coexistence region where smectic-A and smectic-C domains can exist.