Studies on Asymmetric Bent-Core Liquid Crystals

The sterically induced packing of bent-shape molecules forms unique smectic phases, which have no counterpart in conventional calamitic liquid crystals. The structural features of the new mesophases observed from these non-chiral molecules may lead to unusual physical properties such as spontaneous polar ordering, superstructural (layer) chirality, supramolecular chirality, and modulated/undulated layer structures. We study structures, polarizing optical microscopy, and electro-optical measurement studies.