Ferroelectric, ferrielectric and antiferroelectric properties in the (R)- and (S)-1-methylalkyl 4′-(4″-n-alkoxybenzoyloxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate liquid crystals

Abstract

A series of chiral esters has been prepared that exhibits unusual liquid-crystalline properties. In this family of materials the general molecular structure is one where a rigid aromatic core has two peripheral aliphatic chains attached to it, one of which carries a chiral carbon atom adjacent to the core itself. The liquid-crystalline properties were investigated as a function of terminal-aliphatic-chain length for changes to both peripheral groups. It was found that when the terminal chain that carries the asymmetric centre was increased in length, thereby increasing the chirality of the system, ferroelectric, ferrielectric, and antiferroelectric properties were observed.