Abstract

Thermodynamical response of optical anisotropy on polymorphic smectic-phases in a binary mixture of liquid crystalline materials

Author(s): T.N.Govindaiah

The binary mixture of two non-mesogenic compounds, namely: dodecyl trimethylammonium chloride (DTAC) and ortho-phosphoric acid (H3PO4) exhibits very interesting liquid crystalline smectic phases at large range of concentrations and temperature. The mixture with lower and higher concentrations of DTAC exhibits SmA, SmD, SmB and SmE phases, sequentially when the specimen is cooled from its isotropic phase. Different liquid crystalline phases observed in the mixture were studied using optical microscopic techniques. The temperature variation of optical-anisotropy has been discussed. Thermodynamical response of electrical susceptibility has also been discussed to understand: the phase stability, chemical structure and molecular dynamics of the binary mixture of liquid crystalline materials.