The phase behavior of a chirally frustrated liquid crystal with an aromatic core containing three phenyl groups and a flexible chiral linking group (16OPBNO) was examined using high-resolution AC-calorimetry in bulk and in imposed cylindrical confinement. The two competing length scales, molecular length and the polarization periodicity reflected in the layer spacing, in addition to the chiral pitch result in exotic phase behavior. There are several interesting thermal features in the reentrant cholesteric (chiral nematic) region which we identify as various transitions between phases exhibiting short range, positional, order. Most appear to be first-order transitions due to the proximity of crystallization. Bulk results will be compared to other homologues of the nOPBNO series.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Spaleta, Karen J.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 00D139M

Advisor

• Iannacchione, Germano S.

Year

• 2000

Sponsor

• University of Warsaw, Poland

Date created

• 2000-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Physics

Rights statement

• In Copyright