Detailed analysis of induced smectic phases and paramorphic effect of double hydrogen bonded ferroelectric liquid crystals

Abstract

A novel double hydrogen bonded ferroelectric liquid crystal (HBFLC) complex was isolated from (R)-(+)-Methylsuccinic acid (RMSA) and 4-Nonyloxybenzoic acid (9OBA). The presence of hydrogen bond between proton donor (RMSA) and proton acceptor (9OBA) molecules were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. Mesomorphic behavior and its phase transition temperature of the HBFLC complex (1:1 and 1:2 ratio) were studied by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), polarized optical microscope (POM) and identified smectic A*, smectic C* and smectic G* phases by quenching of nematic. MSA + 9OBA HBFLC complex has strong dipole moment which is vertical to the lengthy molecular axis provide a pathway to the insight of smectic mesophases. Sm C* phase revealed paramorphic effect due to refractive index changes in the H-bond layers and leads violet to red color textures. Stabilization of the smectic phase by dipole-dipole interaction in the HBFLC complex was reported using density functional theory (DFT) analysis. Stability of the phase increase while increasing the mesogenic ratio in the present HBFLC complex was also discussed. The structure of the MSA + 9OBA HBFLC complex was optimized by B3LYP theory with the basis set of 6311-G (d, p). In natural bond orbital analysis, it was found that the high stabilization energy specified the intermolecular interaction among the molecules.