Ferroelectricity in mixtures of mesogenic and nonmesogenic compounds

Abstract

It is shown that by adding potassium nitrate (1 % by weight) to compensated cholesteric mixtures (cholesteryl chloride-cholesteryl myristate 63.63:36.37% by weight and cholesteryl laurate-cholesteryl chloride 35.65% by weight) or to smectic sitosteryl undecilenate, the mixtures exhibit ferroelectric behaviour. Values of P_s = 10-⁹ - 10-⁸ C/cm² were obtained in the high-temperature range. In compensated cholesteric mixtures, the spontaneous polarisation reached a minimum at a temperature corresponding to the cholesteric-nematic transition. The results are explained by assuming coupling between the dipoles of the antiferroelectric KNO₃ and the dipoles of the mesogenic compound.