title: Unusual transformation of the mechanically induced monodomain state to the polydomain one in polar nematic liquid crystals of aromatic polyesters.
abstract: We present an interesting phenomenon of the mechanically aligned monodomain state of polar nematic liquid crystals transforming into the polydomain one. This unusual transformation may result from mismatching of the dipolar vectors. By stretching or shear-flowing the polar nematic liquid crystal, the perfect orientation can be achieved with respect to the long molecular axis, but the misorientation exists with respect to the polar vector. After the prolonged annealing, then, the free energy of the molecules is minimized by producing new defects which satisfy the continuity of polar orientation, but lead to the loss of macroscopic molecular orientation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Chu-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Sungmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokita
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe