Synthesis and Characterization of Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystals Derived from (2S)-2-(6-Hydroxy-2-Naphthyl) Propionic Acid

Abstract
A new series of chiral materials, hexyl(2s)-2-(6-(-4-(4′-alkoxyphenyl)benzoyloxy)-2′-naphthyl)propionates (HmPBNP; m = 6-18) had been prepared and their liquid crystalline properties were investigated as a function of alkyl chain length. These chiral materials exhibited novel ferroelectric Sc* and antiferroelectric ScA* phases and a propensity to the formation of the ScA* phase was found at longer alkyl chain lengths (m= 10, 12 - 18). An odd-even effect of the threshold voltage as a function of alkyl chain length for compounds HmPBNP (m= 12-16) possessing antiferroelectricity was observed. Spontaneous polarization and transverse dipole moment were also measured and are discussed in terms of the elongated alkyl chain length.

This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit: