Reentrant nematic phase in nCB/8CB (n = 1 - 6) binary mixtures

Abstract

We identified the appearance of reentrant nematic phase in nCB/8CB (n = 1-6) binary mixtures using DSC, small-angle X-ray diffraction and polarizing microscopy with photomonitor. Phase diagrams can roughly be unified if plotted against the average number of alkyl chain length. Distinction was recognized for the phase boundaries between nematic and smectic A phases of even and odd n of the minor component nCB.