A Study of a Binary Liquid-Crystalline Mixtures with the Wide Antiferroelectric Phase

Abstract

Binary mixtures of fluorinated materials having broad antiferroelectric phase have been prepared. A set of phase parameters (phase transition temperatures and enthalpies, the spontaneous polarization and the tilt angle) of pure antiferroelectric components and mixtures prepared using them have been studied. Electrooptical investigations of obtained mixtures have been conducted. An influence of mole mixing ratio of two components on evolution of electrooptical switching from tristable through V-shaped to W-shaped characteristics has been observed. The thresholdless switching of a mixture with specific mixing ratio has been ascribed as the result of the formation of frustrated phase in the medium.