Phase behaviour of the thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis(4-n-decyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine under pressure

Abstract

The phase transition behaviour of an optically isotropic, thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis(4-n-decyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine, BABH(10), was investigated under pressures up to 300 MPa using a high pressure differential thermal analyser, a wide angle X-ray diffractometer and a polarizing optical microscope (POM) equipped with a high pressure optical cell. The reversible change in structure and optical texture between the cubic (Cub) and smectic C (SmC) phases was associated with a change from a spot-like X-ray pattern and dark field for the Cub phase to the Debye–Sherrer ring pattern and sand-like texture for the SmC phase under both isobaric and isothermal conditions. The Cub phase was found to disappear at pressures above about 11 MPa. The phase transition sequence, low temperature crystal (Cr3)–intermediate temperature crystal (Cr2)–high temperature crystal (Cr1)–Cub–SmC–isotropic liquid (I) observed at atmospheric pressure, is maintained in the low pressure region below 10 MPa. The transition sequence changes to Cr3–Cr2–(Cr1)–SmC–I in the high pressure region. Since the Cub–SmC transition line determined by POM has a negative slope (dT/dP) in the T–P phase diagram, a triple point is estimated approximately at 10–11 MPa, and 143–145°C for the SmC, Cub and Cr1 phases, giving the upper limit of pressure for the observation of the cubic phase.