Progression from nano to macro science in soft matter systems: dimers to trimers and oligomers in twist-bend liquid crystals

Abstract

In this article we report on the characterization and properties of several unsymmetrical phenyl-benzoate bimesogens that exhibit the soft-matter, twist-bend nematic (N_TB) phase. We use this study as a basis to examine the phase behaviour of associated novel trimeric and tetrameric materials, in order to investigate the potential for oligomeric materials to form the N_TB phase. Based on our results we hypothesise that higher oligomers and even polymers are highly likely to exhibit the N_TB phase, provided they retain a gross bent structure between consecutive mesogenic units. Thus we show at the level of nanoscale organization, dimers can template with respect to one another to form mesophases that are also found in macromolecular systems.