Premium
Intercalated Smectic A Phases in Banana‐Shaped Liquid Crystals with Carbonate End Groups
Author(s) -
FodorCsorba Katalin,
Jákli Antal,
Vajda Anikó,
Prasad S. Krishna,
Shankar Rao Doddamane S.,
Dong Ronald Y.,
Xu Jiadi,
Galli Giancarlo
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200600377
Subject(s) - carbonate , liquid crystal , crystallography , materials science , group (periodic table) , chemistry , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering , optoelectronics
Novel, symmetrical, bent‐core mesogens, namely substituted 1,3‐phenylenebis{4′‐[(ethoxycarbonyl)oxy]‐1,1′‐biphenyl}‐4‐carboxylates , are prepared with carbonate groups at both ends of the molecules. The mesophase properties are investigated for different electron‐donating and ‐withdrawing substituents connected to the central ring at different positions. These compounds exhibit nematic and/or smectic A intercalated (SmA int ) mesophases. Electro‐optical studies show a very significant electric‐field‐induced biaxiality that is fast (<1 ms) and large (0.03) associated with a high birefringence (0.33 at 500 nm, 10 V μm −1 field) for the unsubstituted analogue. For one substance this effect is observable from above 100 °C down to room temperature. Such electric‐field‐induced biaxiality may find practical applications in fast electro‐optic modulation devices.