title: Broad ranges and fast responses of single-component blue-phase liquid crystals containing banana-shaped 1,3,4-oxadiazole cores.
abstract: In this study, we synthesized two novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole-based bent-core liquid crystals (OXD7*, OXD5B7F*) containing a chiral tail that display broad ranges of the blue phase III (34 and 7 K, respectively); we characterized them using polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and circular dichroism. The electro-optical responses of both of these liquid crystals are much faster than those of previously reported single-component blue-phase liquid crystals. To optimize its electro-optical performance, we mixed OXD7* (the blue-phase range of which is broader than that of OXD5B7F*) with its analogue OXD6 (at weight ratios of 6:4 and 4:6). We also performed molecular modeling of single-component BPLCs (OXD7* and OXD5B7F*) to analyze the possible parameters affecting their blue phase ranges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30049, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Hung
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Chun-Ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Hsin-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wei-Tsung
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Jey-Jau
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hong-Cheu
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin