PB44 X-ray diffraction study of swollen SmE phase in binary system of nTCB-paraffin

Abstract

4-Alkyl-4'-isothiocyanatobiphenyl (nTCB) exhibits SmE phase, as a mesophase. Although the SmE phase of nTCB is miscible with paraffin, the structure of the phase has not been characterized. To gain the structural information, wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on the binary mixture between 9TCB and nonane. The resultant diffraction patterns show that the binary mixture exhibits structural characteristics of SmE phases. The layer spacing, c, remarkably varies with temperature while a and b within the layer do not. The structure of the swollen SmE phase will be discussed.