Abstract
A new series of calamitic liquid crystal materials with bisazobenzene moieties as a core has been synthesised and characterised by spectroscopic methods. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarising microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The presence of nematic and smectic A mesophases was confirmed by the textures and X-ray diffraction studies. All the compounds are found to show enantiotropic mesophase behaviour. The compounds show a significant photoisomerisation under appropriate light irradiation.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Department of Chemistry, University Putra Malaysia, and the Malaysian government; thanks go especially to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation for providing facilities and Research Grant No. 04-01-04-SF0144. Sincere thanks go to Bayero University Kano, Nigeria, for offering study fellowship, McArthur Grant No. 82511, and the Kano State Government of Nigeria for financial assistance to the corresponding author.