Nematic-nematic phase transition in the liquid crystal dimer CBC9CB and its mixtures with 5CB: A high-resolution adiabatic scanning calorimetric study

Abstract

The phase transition behavior of the liquid crystal dimer α,ω-bis(4,4'-cyanobiphenyl)nonane (CBC9CB), which has been reported to exhibit a nematic-nematic phase transition, has been investigated by means of high-resolution adiabatic scanning calorimetry. This nematic-nematic phase transition is weakly first-order with a latent heat of 0.24±0.01 kJ kg(-1). Mixtures up to 40 wt % with 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystals have also been investigated, which also show this nematic to nematic phase transition. The transition stays weakly first-order with a decreasing latent heat with increasing concentration of 5CB. For mixtures with more than 40 wt % uniaxial nematic-unknown nematic phase transition was not observed.