Nematic and switchable intercalated phases in polymerizable bentcore monomers with naphthalene moiety in the side arms of the aromatic core

Abstract

Liquid crystals (LCs) formed by achiral bent-core (BC) molecules associated with chirality and polar order exhibit electro-optically switchable lamellar and columnar phases, and nematic phases which could be biaxial or polar. As polymeric LCs could have application in photonics and non-linear optics, BC monomers having naphthalene moiety in the side arms and linked with terminal double bonds as polymerizable functional groups were synthesized. 6B2 with a central phenyl ring and 6N2 with a central naphthalene moiety were investigated by optical, x-ray diffraction, dielectric and electro-optic studies. Possible reasons that can account for the exhibited phase transitions will be described.