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A lyotropic analogue of the ferroelectric smectic C* phase has been found. The lyotropic smectic C* phase shows macroscopic chirality effects, such as a helical ground state and polarity‐dependent electrooptic switching, thus indicating the presence of a spontaneous electric polarization. The helicity implies communication of the chiral director twist across the achiral solvent layers separating adjacent layers of the chiral mesogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A liquid crystalline compound with the azo group in the molecular core and three lactic acid units in the chiral chain (n = 3) was synthesised and its mesomorphic properties established. Spontaneous polarisation and tilt angle were determined in the ferroelectric and antiferroelectric smectic C phases. Dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range of 1 Hz-10 MHz was performed within the temperature range of smectic phases showing the characteristic modes in each phase. Small-angle X-ray diffraction was performed and temperature dependences of layer spacing value calculated. Comparison with previously studied compounds with one (n = 1) and two lactate units (n = 2) is presented to establish the effect of lactate unit number on the liquid crystalline properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel lactic acid derivatives containing an azo group in their molecular core have been synthesised and their mesomorphic properties established. Compounds with a short aliphatic non-chiral chain exhibited the SmA* phase and ferroelectric (FE) SmC* phase. The monotropic antiferroelectric (AF) phase was found in the homologues with a longer terminal chain. Spontaneous polarisation and tilt angle were measured for the FE and AF phases. Dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range 1 Hz-10 MHz was carried out and dielectric properties established within the temperature range of the smectic phases. Two high frequency modes were detected in the AF phase. Small-angle X-ray measurements were conducted, and the temperature dependence of layer spacing values is established and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a discrete model for the synclinic SmC* and the anticlinic SmCa* phases we give a theoretical explanation for the fact that the helix twisting sense reverses at a transition between these phases (direct transition or via the so-called chiral smectic C ‘subphases’) and we derive an explicit expression for the helical pitch in the SmCa* phase. As the theory shows and as we also demonstrate experimentally, the reversal is of a different nature from helix inversions within a single phase, where the inversion is always coupled to a pitch divergence. At a clinicity change the common behaviour is instead pitch-shortening on approaching the phase transition and the associated helix twisting sense reversal. The phenomenon may be put to use in smart mixing in order to control the helix pitch, either for achieving long pitch for surface-stabilized ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal displays; or a very short pitch, in the case of devices utilizing the deformed helix mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By mixing a bistereogenic antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) compound, exhibiting only the SmQ and SmCa mesophases, with the achiral N-SmC liquid crystal HOAB we could induce all three AFLC SmC-type subphases, SmCα, SmCβ and SmCγ. This seems to be in contradiction with two recent postulations regarding the subphase stability, one of which suggests that the subphases appear as a result of strong chiral interactions, the other that these phases require high smectic order something one would generally not expect in mixtures. We have studied the helical pitch, optical tilt angle, spontaneous polarization and the x-ray diffraction due to the smectic layering, as a function of mixing ratio in order to better understand the relation between phase sequence and mixture composition. The smectic layer spacing shows a strongly non-linear behavior suggesting that the basic structure of the pure AFLC substance is retained up to a HOAB content of about 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substance MHPOBC is the oldest and still most important reference antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC). There is still considerable controversy concerning the correct phase designations for this material and, in particular, about the presence or absence of SmC * in its phase sequence. By means of dielectric spectroscopy and polarizing microscopy, we show that whereas the pure compound lacks the SmC * phase, this phase rapidly replaces the SmC * β subphase through the reduced purity resulting from temperature-induced chemical degradation which is hard to avoid under standard experimental conditions. X-ray investigations furthermore show that this change in phase sequence is coupled to a decrease in translational order. This explains the large variations in the reported phase sequence and electro-optic behaviour of MHPOBC, in particular concerning the SmC * β phase which has been said to exhibit ferro-, ferri- as well as antiferroelectric properties. It is likely that the sensitivity of the AFLC phase sequence to sample purity is a general property of AFLC materials. We discuss the importance of optical and chemical purity as well as tilt and spontaneous polarization for the observed phase sequence and propose that one of the key features determining the existence of the different tilted structures is the antagonism between orientational (nematic) and translational (smectic) order. The decreased smectic order (increased layer interdigitation) imposed by chemical impurities promotes the synclinic SmC * phase at the cost of the AFLC phases SmC * α , SmC * β , SmC * γ and SmC * a . We also propose that the SmA * phase in FLC and AFLC materials may actually have a somewhat different character and, depending on its microstructure, some of the tilted phases can be expected to appear or not to appear in the phase sequence. AFLC materials exhibiting a direct SmA * -SmC * a transition are found to be typical 'de Vries smectics', with very... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only six years ago, the first clear-cut example of a ferroelectric, lyotropic liquid crystal was discovered. Since then, ongoing investigations in this new research field provided numerous instances of the missing pieces to complete the formerly blank picture of the lyotropic smectic C* (SmC*) phase. In this review we wanted to combine these new results and put them into a wider historical and scientific context. We start by giving an introduction about characteristic features of the well-known thermotropic SmC* phase and why it is so difficult to find a lyotropic equivalent of this fascinating phase. After discussing early examples of achiral lyotropic and swollen SmC phases, we recap the discovery of the first lyotropic SmC* phase. The molecular features necessary for its formation and its properties are analyzed. We place special emphasis on discussing the long-range orientational order of the tilt direction and the corresponding chirality effects. By comparing these exceptional features with thermotropic and swollen SmC* phases, we aim to improve not only the understanding of the lyotropic SmC* phase, but also of the relationship between thermotropic and lyotropic systems in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]