Nanostructures of liquid crystal phases in mixtures of bent-core and rod-shaped molecules

We report small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) studies of isotropic, nematic, and smectic mesophases formed by binary mixtures of bent-core (BC) and rod-shaped (RS) molecules. While optical studies indicate that the components are fully miscible, SAXS reveals fascinating structures that are consistent with segregation on a nanoscopic scale. We find that tilted smectic clusters, which have been previously reported in both the nematic and isotropic states of the pure BC materials, are also present in mixtures with up to 50 wt% of the RS compound; this is consistent with previous dielectric and flexoelectric studies on such mixtures. Unexpectedly in this concentration range the clusters are present in the isotropic and in the induced smectic phase range, as well as throughout the nematic phase. The results in the smectic phase also reveal complex layering phenomena, providing important insight into the interaction between bent and rod-shaped molecules. These studies will be crucial in the design of promising new functional nanomaterials.