Induction of smectic mesomorphism by mixing a non-liquid-crystalline methacrylate with a nematic liquid-crystalline compound having a cyano-containing mesogen

Abstract

The structure and phase diagram of a binary mixture of a non-liquid-crystalline, mono-functional (meth)acrylate monomer and a liquid-crystalline compound having a cyano group-containing mesogen were examined. The monomers had mesogenic units such as biphenylene and phenyl benzoate, but did not show liquid-crystallinity. The liquid-crystalline compounds possessed a cyanobiphenyl or a cyanophenyl benzoate mesogenic unit. The liquid-crystalline 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-octyloxybenzoate did not show a smectic A phase, while the binary mixture of the 4-butoxy-4′-(ω-methacryloyloxyhexyloxy)biphenyl monomer with 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-octyloxybenzoate showed the induction of a smectic A phase in a nearly equimolar composition range. However, the binary mixture of the monomer, containing a phenyl benzoate group, and the liquid-crystalline compound did not induce a smectic phase.