Abstract
DSC, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffractometry were used to investigate the mesomorphic behaviour of 4-n-butyl-4′-acetyl-biphenyl, which resulted to exhibit a smectic E and, possibly, a smectic K phase. Additionally, 2H NMR spectroscopy was applied on a selectively deuterated sample to study the properties of alignment of the mesophases within a magnetic field, as well as to characterize molecular dynamics. Two motional processes were found to be active in the smectic E phase, namely fast π-flips of the benzene rings and molecular self-diffusion about the herringbone bidimensional lattice of the layers. No molecular overall diffusional motions were observed by either 2H NMR spectroscopy or dielectric relaxation measurements.
Acknowledgments
This work was partially supported by the executive programme of scientific and technological co-operation between the Italian Republic and the Republic of Poland 2004–2006 (project no. 10).