Thermotropic Lamellar-to-Columnar Phase Transition Exhibited by a Biforked Compound

Abstract

In this work we present a structural study of the smectic C(S_C) and columnar (Col_h) liquid-crystalline phases exhibited by a biforked molecule. This study was performed by means of dilatometry and X-ray diffraction measurements performed at different temperatures. Following these measurements, molecular packing within lamellar and columnar mesophases of this compound is discussed; finally, a mechanism for the lamellar-columnar transition is proposed.