Highly tilted ferroelectric liquid crystals with biphenylyl benzoate rigid core

Abstract

Five homologous series of (S)-(+)-4′-(ω-alkanoyloxy)alkoxybiphenyl-4-yl 4-(1-methylheptyloxy)benzoates (nHmR) with highly tilted smectic C* (Sm C*) phase have been synthesised. Phase transition temperatures, enthalpies, tilt angles, spontaneous polarisation, and helical pitches of a few of them have been measured. Most of compounds of nHmR homologous series exhibit Iso-N*-SmC* phase sequence. Compunds of series nHmR exhibit high tilt angles in the SmC* phase (up to 41.5°) and a high value of spontaneous polarisation (near 100 nC/cm²). Their melting points are rather high, above 55°C. Both the melting and the clearing points of all new compounds are decreasing, with the increasing of the total length of the achiral alkyl chain.

Keywords:

• ferroelectric
• smectic
• liquid crystal
• tilt angle

Funding

The work was supported by the project Eureka Eurostars E!5933 Activeyes.

Supplemental data

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