Molecular tilt near nanoparticles in the smectic A phase of de Vries liquid-crystalline compound

0427097 - FZÚ 2015 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Lejček, Lubor - Novotná, Vladimíra - Glogarová, Milada
Molecular tilt near nanoparticles in the smectic A phase of de Vries liquid-crystalline compound.
Physical Review E. Roč. 89, č. 1 (2014), "012505-1"-"012505-6". ISSN 1539-3755
Grant CEP: GA ČR(CZ) GAP204/11/0723
Institucionální podpora: RVO:68378271
Klíčová slova: liquid crystals * smectic phases * nanoparticles * deVries behaviour
Kód oboru RIV: JJ - Ostatní materiály
Impakt faktor: 2.288, rok: 2014
http://pre.aps.org/abstract/PRE/v89/i1/e012505

We show how the inclusions of the nanoparticles or the clusters of nanoparticles in the liquid crystalline smectic A phase lead to the layer deformations and may create a tilt in their vicinity, thus inducing locally a smectic A-smectic C transition. We have studied a free-standing film of “de Vries” compound, which exhibits the smectic A-smectic C transition without layer shrinkage, mixed with functionalized gold-nanoparticles. For the first time the tilt induced by nanoparticle clusters, which decorate the edge dislocations, has been observed in the smectic A phase. In this case the tilt of liquid crystal molecules near nanoparticles is a consequence of interaction of liquid crystalline molecules with the surface of nanoparticle. The observed tilt may prove the concept of existence of a disordered tilt in the smectic A phase of “de Vries” compounds. The tilt distribution near nanoparticles is discussed.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0232704