New AFLC: a trimesogen presenting antiferroelectric smectic C phase (SmCA) and twist grain boundary smectic A phase (TGBA)

Abstract

A first oligomeric antiferroelectric liquid crystal, a cyclohexane based trimesogen, was synthesized. It was characterized by microscopic observation, differential scanning calorimetry, helical pitch measurement, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical study. A large domain of antiferroelectric phase (DeltaT 55 C) and a very rich polymorphism (SmC*, SmC*, SmC*, A FI SmC*, TGBA, BP) are exhibited by the trimesogen.