3B05 Swollen Thermotropic Liquid Crystals

Abstract

We have investigated the swelling behavior of the thermotropic liquid crystals diluted by the simple hydrocarbon molecules. We have found that the layer repeat distance can be elongated as twice as original of the thermotropic smectic phase in the most dilute region. Swelling behavior is also dependent on the size and shape of the hydrocarbon molecules. We have also confirmed that the inter-layer long-wave helical structure can be still preserved at the dilute region. It means that the chiral interaction can be effective through extremely thick hydrocarbon solvent layer. These strongly suggest that the existence of the induced orientational order in the confined hydrocarbon molecules and its fluctuation produces the interlayer interaction and stabilizes chiral helical structure.