Electroconvection in a homeotropic bent-rod nematic liquid crystal beyond the dielectric inversion frequency

We characterize the structural transitions in an initially homeotropic bent-rod nematic liquid crystal excited by ac fields of frequency/well above the dielectric inversion point fi. From the measured principal dielectric constants and electrical conductivities of the compound, the Can-Helfrich conduction regime is anticipated to extend into the sub-megahertz region. Periodic patterned states occur through secondary bifurcations from the Freedericksz distorted state. An anchoring transition between the bend Freedericksz (BF) and degenerate planar (DP) states is detected. The BF state is metastable well above the Freedericksz threshold and gives way to the DP state, which persists in the field-off condition for several hours. Numerous +1 and -1 umbilics form at the onset of BF distortion, the former being largely of the chiral type. They survive in the DP configuration as linear defects, nonsingular in the core. In the BF regime, not far from fi, periodic Williams-like domains form around the umbilics; they drift along the director easy axis right from their onset. With increasing fi, the wave vector of the periodic domains switches from parallel to normal disposition with respect to the c vector. Well above fi, a broadband instability is found

Supramolecular helical fluid columns from self-assembly of homomeric dipeptides

Herein, we demonstrate that with the widespread theme of residue patterning and stereochemical restraints of self-complimenting proteinogenic amino acids, a new and rich class of homomeric dipeptides exhibiting two-dimensional fluid aggregates with hierarchical ordering can be obtained. In particular, a simple way of achieving a class of functional dipeptides, wherein the first and the second residues chosen are L-/D-alanines and L-/D-leucines, has been accomplished. The supramolecules synthesized can be regarded as intermediates between polycatenars and taper-shaped amphiphiles because they possess two lipophilic segments interlinked by a peptide unit (spacer). Two pairs of enantiomers and their respective diastereomers derived from these amino acids are evidenced to self-organize into a helical columnar phase through hydrogen bonding by means of FTIR, UV/Vis, and chiroptical circular dichroism (CD) spectral analyses as well as by optical, calorimetric, electrical switching, and X-ray studies. The CD and X-ray studies have revealed that the form chirality (handedness) and the magnitude of out-of-plane fluctuations of the lattice planes of the fluid supramolecular columnar structures are solely directed by the stereochemistry encoded in the spacer. Of special significance, the less frequently found oblique helical columnar phase formed by a pair of enantiomers derived from L-/D-alanines, unlike those derived from other amino acids, exhibit ferroelectric behavior; the measured spontaneous polarization is as high as 440 nCcm-2. Besides, all these supramolecules form stable organogels in ethanol and the CD and SEM studies on a representative gel suggest the presence of helical structures. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA