Monolayers and Multilayers of Some Liquid Crystal Forming Compounds

Abstract

Monolayers of liquid-crystal forming compounds: p-heptylphenyl p-hexanoyloxybenzoate and 2-methylbutyl-p-(p-hexyloxybenzoyloxybenzoate) were spread on the water surface of an automatic recording film balance. On compression, these monolayers collapsed to form successive multilayers. The multilayers were found to be two, three and four molecules thick by a comparison of the molecular surface area at the collapse point of the monolayer and at the multilayer transition points. On expansion, there was a stepwise reduction in the multilayers. A model of molecular orientation in the multilayers has been proposed. The liquid-crystalline layers investigated can serve as model of biological membranes.