Thermal and Ferroelectric Properties of Novel Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals Containing α-Methylcinnamoyl Moiety in the Core Structure

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.61.2573

Six homologous series of novel ferroelectric liquid crystals containing α-methylcinnamoyl moiety in the core structure: have been synthesized and their thermal and ferroelectric properties have been investigated.The mesomorphic transition temperatures and the spontaneous polarization for the homologous series (IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA and IIIB) depend on the core structure, the chiral group, and the terminal alkoxyl chain length.These homologous series show the chiral smectic C phase over wide temperature ranges including room temperature and the values of their maximum spontaneous polarization are in the range of 30 to 800 μC m^-2.The thermal stability of the mesophase and the magnitude of the spontaneous polarization have been discussed from the view point of the molecular structure and the local molecular interactions.