title: Thermotropic uniaxial and biaxial nematic and smectic phases in bent-core mesogens.
abstract: Two azo substituted achiral bent-core mesogens have been synthesized. Optical polarizing microscopy and synchrotron X-ray scattering studies of both compounds reveal the existence of the thermotropic uniaxial and biaxial nematic and three smectic phases at different temperatures in these single component small molecule systems. The transition from the uniaxial to biaxial nematic phase is confirmed to be second order. The transitions from the biaxial nematic to the underlying smectic phase and between the smectic phases have barely discernible heat capacity signatures and thus are also second order.
authors.affiliation: Center for Liquid Crystal Research, P.O. Box 1329, Jalahalli, Bangalore 560 013, India.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Shin-Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: Leela
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Qingbing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Satyendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar