Properties of Structurally Stabilized Anil-Type Nematic Liquid Crystals

Abstract

One of the major problems associated with the use of substituted benzylideneaniline type liquid crystals is their relative instability to cleavage or reaction of the anil linkage. Many workers have noted the presence of ubiquitous impurities in these materials which influence the reproducibility of the phase transition temperatures and their electro-optic properties, and it would be of obvious advantage to enhance their stability in some way. A room temperature nematic liquid crystal, N-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-p-n-butylaniline (MBBA), has been recently synthesized,⁽¹⁾ and a large number of investigations of its phsyical properties have been undertaken.^(2–4) In particular, “dynamic scattering”,⁽⁵⁾ which has application in information display devices, occurs in these materials, and the role of impurities appears to be critical, albeit not well understood.⁽⁶⁾