Role of dispersion and electrostatic forces on solute-solvent interactions in a nematic liquid crystal phase

Research was conducted to examine the role of dispersion and electrostatic forces on solute-solvent interactions in a nematic liquid crystal phase. A series of 23 substituted biphenyl, phenylpyridine and bipyridine derivatives were doped in the nematic liquid crystal host. Results indicated that charge-transfer complexation and molecular dipole-dipole interactions do not have a significant effect on the stability of arene-arene interactions in the nematic phase.