https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3469-5459
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ABSTRACT
Ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals represent not only fascinating, fundamental science, but they also hold promise for new technologies including high-density power storage or sub-millisecond switching information displays. In this work, we describe the synthesis and measurements of the physical properties of a new compound, 4-nitrophenyl 4-[(2,4-dimethoxylbenzoyl)oxy]-2-fluorobenzoate (RT11001). This material exhibits multiple, highly polar, ferroelectric nematic phases that have not been previously reported. We employ a wide range of physical characterisation methods including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mass density measurement, optical birefringence, polarising optical microscopy (POM), dielectric spectroscopy, electric current analysis, electro-optical switching, small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements to show that RT11001 has multiple, distinct ferroelectric phases. We argue that the highest temperature phase is a polar nematic fluid with non-polar smectic clusters. Directly below appears to be a transition to another polar nematic phase containing polar positionally ordered clusters. Lastly, there are indications of an additional, polar biaxial liquid crystal phase at lower temperatures.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Acknowledgement
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant DMR-1904167. Part of the research used the 11-BM CMS beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Brookhaven National Laboratory under Contract DE-SC0012704.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).