Evolution of the boulder model for the molecular origins of the polarization in ferroelectric liquid crystals

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Abstract
Development of a model relating the structure of FLC molecules to the sign and magnitude of the macroscopic ferroelectric polarization P exhibited by the supramolecular assembly in the C* phase is clearly an important and interesting goal. We have reported on our own simple stereochemical model for the molecular origins of P, which is based upon the concept that the sign and magnitude of P in FLCs can be understood in terms of a kind of molecular recognition occurring in the phase. Herein we present an overview of research aimed at testing this model by design, synthesis and characterization of FLC components with predictable properties.