An effect of structurally non-compatible additive on the properties of a long-pitch orthoconic antiferroelectric mixture

Abstract

In search of the long-pitch orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystalline mixture 1–3 with a broad antiferroelectric smectic phase was successfully formulated. The effect of additive of structurally non-compatible antiferroelectric dopant 4 on the phase structure, transition temperatures, and electrooptical properties of an antiferroelectric orthoconic mixture W1000 3 was investigated with thermal, electro-optical, and XRD methods. Experimental data demonstrates that eutectic mixture W1000F obtained by doping of mixture W1000 with highly tilted antiferroelectric dopant maintains the orthoconic properties. The effects of the significant reduction of the rotational viscosity of the admixture is presented and discussed. Comprehensive analysis of parent mixture W1000 and doped mixture W1000F revealed that the affects the intralayer as well as interlayer intermolecular interactions.

Keywords:

• smectic liquid crystals
• orthoconic antiferroelectric smectic
• fluorination
• viscosity
• pitch

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports of the Czech Republic under project MEB 050828 and partially by the projects: GAASCR IAA100100911, RFASI 02.740.11.5166, CSF 202/09/0047, and ASCR AVOZ10100520 and from funds of Polish MNiSW for science at years 2008–2010 under grant KBN no. NN 507 445034 (PBG 12-427/2008 at WAT).