High nematic ordering in a bent-core smectogen showing a biaxial nematic phase: A 13C NMR study

^{13}C NMR study of the director distribution adopted by the modulated nematic phases formed by liquid-crystal dimers with odd numbers of atoms in their spacers

The orientational order of the molecules in the bent mesogen CB6OCB has been studied throughout the range of temperature stability of both the N_{U} and N_{TB} liquid-crystal phases by ^{13}C NMR spectroscopy. These spectra provide local order parameters for the para axes of both of the nonequivalent cyanobiphenyl groups and show how they change on entering the twist-bend nematic phase. A key feature of the order parameters is a weak, but clear maximum in the temperature variation of the order parameter prior to the N_{TB} phase. This suggests that the directors in both the N_{U} and N_{TB} phases are tilted with respect to the magnetic field of the spectrometer. Significantly the conformational states of the spacer are comparable in both phases, although the low temperature nematic is chiral but not that at high temperature. It is proposed that the higher temperature, tilted phase could be the splay-bend nematic phase.

Domain walls and anchoring transitions mimicking nematic biaxiality in the oxadiazole bent-core liquid crystal C7

We investigate the origin of "secondary disclinations" that were recently described as new evidence of a biaxial nematic phase in an oxadiazole bent-core thermotropic liquid crystal C7. Using an assortment of optical techniques such as polarizing optical microscopy, LC PolScope, and fluorescence confocal polarizing microscopy, we demonstrate that the secondary disclinations represent non-singular domain walls formed in a uniaxial nematic phase during the surface anchoring transition, in which surface orientation of the director changes from tangential (parallel to the bounding plates) to tilted. Each domain wall separates two regions with the director tilted in opposite azimuthal directions. At the centre of the wall, the director remains parallel to the bounding plates. The domain walls can be easily removed by applying a moderate electric field. The anchoring transition is explained by the balance of (a) the intrinsic perpendicular surface anchoring produced by the polyimide aligning layer and (b) tangential alignment caused by ionic impurities forming electric double layers. The model is supported by the fact that the temperature of the tangentially tilted anchoring transition decreases as the cell thickness increases and as the concentration of ionic species (added salt) increases. We also demonstrate that the surface alignment is strongly affected by thermal degradation of the samples. This study shows that C7 exhibits only a uniaxial nematic phase and demonstrates yet another mechanism (formation of "secondary disclinations") by which a uniaxial nematic phase can mimic a biaxial nematic behaviour.

NMR of bent-core nematogens: a mini-review

This review focuses on two of our studied bent-core liquid crystals 2-methyl-3-[4-(4-octylbenzoyloxy)-benzylidene]-amino-benzoic acid 4-(4-dodecylphenylazo)-phenyl ester A131, and a shape-persistent fluorenone mesogen, F1a by means of temperature-dependent (13)C NMR spectra and deuterium NMR spectra, respectively. Orientational order parameters, molecular packing, and/or conformations in the nematic phases or nematic glass can be extracted from the observed NMR spectra. These will be discussed in terms of certain motional models. In particular, F1a has been found to form a biaxial nematic glass. The derived orientational order parameters would put the biaxial system of phase symmetry lower than orthorhombic.

The nematic phases of bent-core liquid crystals

Over the last ten years, the nematic phases of liquid crystals formed from bent-core structures have provoked considerable research because of their remarkable properties. This Minireview summarises some recent measurements of the physical properties of these systems, as well as describing some new data. We concentrate on oxadiazole-based materials as exemplars of this class of nematogens, but also describe some other bent-core systems. The influence of molecular structure on the stability of the nematic phase is described, together with progress in reducing the nematic transition temperatures by modifications to the molecular structure. The physical properties of bent-core nematic materials have proven difficult to study, but patterns are emerging regarding their optical and dielectric properties. Recent breakthroughs in understanding the elastic and flexoelectric behaviour are summarised. Finally, some exemplars of unusual electric field behaviour are described.

Molecular topology of three ring nematogens from 13C–1H dipolar couplings

A facile way of estimating the order parameter and the molecular orientation from ¹³C–¹H dipolar couplings for three ring based nematogens with a terminal C–H vector.

Surface alignment, anchoring transitions, optical properties, and topological defects in the nematic phase of thermotropic bent-core liquid crystal A131

We study optical, structural, and surface anchoring properties of thermotropic nematic bent-core material A131. The focus is on the features associated with orientational order as the material has been reported to exhibit not only the usual uniaxial nematic but also the biaxial nematic phase. We demonstrate that A131 experiences a surface anchoring transition from a perpendicular to tilted alignment when the temperature decreases. The features of the tilted state are consistent with surface-induced birefringence associated with smectic layering near the surface and a molecular tilt that changes along the normal to the substrates. The surface-induced birefringence is reduced to zero by a modest electric field that establishes a uniform uniaxial nematic state. Both refractive and absorptive optical properties of A131 are consistent with the uniaxial order. We found no evidence of the "polycrystalline" biaxial behavior in the cells placed in crossed electric and magnetic fields. We observe stable topological point defects (boojums and hedgehogs) and nonsingular "escaped" disclinations pertinent only to the uniaxial order. Finally, freely suspended films of A131 show uniaxial nematic and smectic textures; a decrease in the film thickness expands the temperature range of stability of smectic textures, supporting the idea of surface-induced smectic layering. Our conclusion is that A131 features only a uniaxial nematic phase and that the apparent biaxiality is caused by subtle surface effects rather than by the bulk biaxial phase.

Raman scattering study of phase biaxiality in a thermotropic bent-core nematic liquid crystal

Polarized Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the development of orientational order and the degree of phase biaxiality in a bent-core mesogenic system. The values of the uniaxial order parameters <P200> and <P400>, and biaxial order parameters <P220>, <P420>, and <P440>, and their evolution with temperature were determined. The temperature dependence of almost all order parameters reveals a second order transition from the uniaxial to biaxial nematic phase with <P220> increasing to ∼0.22 before a first order transition to the smectic-C phase, upon cooling.

Nematic biaxiality in a bent-core material

The results of a recent investigation of the nematic biaxiality in a bent-core mesogen (A131) are in apparent disagreement with earlier claims. Samples of mesogen A131 used in the two studies were investigated with polarized optical microscopy, conoscopy, carbon-13 NMR, and crossover frequency measurements. The results demonstrate that textural changes associated with the growth of biaxial nematic order appear at ∼149  °C. The Maltese cross observed in the conoscopic figure gradually splits into two isogyres at lower temperatures indicating phase biaxiality. Presence of the uniaxial to biaxial nematic phase transition is further confirmed by temperature trends of local order parameters based on 13C chemical shifts in NMR experiments. Frequency switching measurements also clearly reveal a transition at 149  °C. Differences between the two reports appear to be related to the presence of solvent, impurities, and/or adsorbed gases in samples of A131 used in the study of Van Le [Phys. Rev. E 79, 030701 (2009)].

Low temperature enantiotropic nematic phases from V-shaped, shape-persistent molecules

A series of V-shaped, shape-persistent thiadiazole nematogens, based on an oligo(phenylene ethynylene) scaffold with ester groups connected via alkyloxy spacers, was efficiently prepared by a two-step procedure. Phase engineering results in an optimum of the mesophase range and low melting temperature when the nematogens are desymmetrised with a butoxy and a heptyloxy spacer. The mesophases are enantiotropic and over the whole temperature range nematic. For the optimised mesogen structure, optical investigations by conoscopy monitored a uniaxial nematic phase upon cooling from the isotropic phase to room temperature (ΔT = 150 °C). X-ray studies on magnetic-field-aligned samples of this mesogen family revealed a general pattern, indicating the alignment of two molecular axes along individual directors in the magnetic field. These observations may be rationalised with larger assemblies of V-shaped molecules isotropically distributed around the direction of the magnetic field.

Electro-optic technique to study biaxiality of liquid crystals with positive dielectric anisotropy: the case of a bent-core material

We propose that, for materials having positive dielectric anisotropy, the biaxiality can be clearly verified or excluded by measuring the transmitted light intensity as a function of electric field. If the material is biaxial and is observed in homeotropically aligned cells, the schlieren texture should not disappear (transmitted intensity is not zero) even at very high fields, since the field does not affect the distribution of the second director normal to the main director. On the other hand, if the material is uniaxial the transmitted intensity should decrease with increasing field and a perfect homeotropic texture can be achieved at high fields. We have studied a bent-core compound in which a uniaxial-biaxial nematic (N_{u}-N_{b}) transition has been reported. This material has a positive dielectric anisotropy at low frequencies, so we could apply the technique described above. Our studies indicate that the material is uniaxial in the entire nematic range.