Sub-structures and phase transitions of bi-tilted smectic C_G in dimer liquid crystals induced by amide functionalised graphene oxide

ABSTRACT

A unique ferroelectric smectic C_G phase, in its bi-tilting configurations induced by admixture of the dimeric liquid crystal (LC) 7OBA, serving as an matrix and amide functionalised graphene oxide (AmGO) was presented. Thus, an electrooptically tunable functionalised nanocomposite, indicating bi-tilting state, displayed by two sub-structures, C_Gcl (clinic) and C_Gln (leaning) was created. Using both microtextural and DSC analysis, we studied the thermal and structural features of the functionalised nanocomposite. By endothermal peak asymmetry analysis, we found an intermediate between C_Gcl and C_Gln state. An enhanced degrees of freedom of the LC director was indicated, allowing an increase of the corresponding micropolarisation LC textures able to create surface memorisation and reach information, respectively.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Phase transitions
• dimeric liquid crystals
• ferroelectric smectic C_G phase
• functionalised nanocomposites
• amide functionalised graphene oxide

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Education and Science, contract No. KP-06-N58/6/2021, “Structural and functional investigations of liquid-crystal nanocomposites for applications in photonics, sensorics and biomedicine”.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Education and Science [KP-06-N58/6/2021].