Issue 17, 2017

Smectic C to smectic A transition induced mechanically by the rupture of freely suspended liquid crystal films

Abstract

The tilt angle of smectic C phases can be controlled by external forces of very different nature. In particular near a smectic A–smectic C transition, it is susceptible to temperature changes. It can be influenced with electric fields (electroclinic effect), and even mechanically by intra-layer stresses in elastomers. We show that capillary forces that act during the rupture of a free-standing smectic C film can trigger a smectic C to smectic A transition, which rapidly reduces the surface area of the films, concurrently increasing the film thickness. The effect occurs on the sub-millisecond scale, practically independent of film thickness and temperature. We propose that this mechanical effect could even trigger a ferroelectric to paraelectric transition in chiral phases.

Graphical abstract: Smectic C to smectic A transition induced mechanically by the rupture of freely suspended liquid crystal films

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
30 Jan 2017
Accepted
01 Apr 2017
First published
03 Apr 2017

Soft Matter, 2017,13, 3199-3204

Smectic C to smectic A transition induced mechanically by the rupture of freely suspended liquid crystal films

T. Trittel, K. Harth and R. Stannarius, Soft Matter, 2017, 13, 3199 DOI: 10.1039/C7SM00219J

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