Abstract
The phase behaviour of the binary systems 4′- n -tetradecyloxy-3′-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ANBC-14)- n -alkane ( n -tetradecane or n -hexadecane) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The phase behaviour was a function of temperature ( T ) and the effective carbon number of the system ( n*), where n* involves carbon atoms both from the alkoxy group of ANBC-14 and from the n -alkane added. ANBC-14 shows no cubic phase, but the addition of n -alkane induced cubic phases when n*≧c. 15. An interesting point is that the type of cubic phase is Ia 3 d for 15≦n*≦17, while an Im 3 m type is formed for 18≦n*≦20. Furthermore, for n* = 22, two types of cubic phase, one with Im 3 m symmetry in the low temperature region and the other with Ia 3 d in the high temperature region, were observed both on heating and cooling. The phase diagram with respect to T and n* is very similar to that of pure one-component ANBC- n , which is a function of T and the number of carbon atoms in the alkoxy group n .