Abstract
The dependence of helical pitch on composition and its phase diagram in many nematiccholesteric mixtures was measured. It has been known about the nematic-cholesteric mixtures that the reciprocal pitch versus composition curve deviates considerably from a straight line. In this paper, the deviation is discussed in relation to the molecular structure of components and smectic thermal stability in the mixtures. It is concluded that a lateral intermolecular interaction plays an important role in the helical pitch of nematic-cholesteric mixtures.