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Details for article 43 of 131 found articles
| Title: |
Helical filamentary growth in liquid crystals consisting of banana-shaped molecules |
| Author: | |
| Appeared in: |
Liquid crystals |
| Paging: | Volume 27 (2000) nr. 11 pages 1405-1409 |
| Year: |
2000-01-01 |
| Contents: |
The formation of coils is common in nature when achiral symmetry breaking occurs. Here we describe spectacular examples of single, double and triple coils observed in smectic liquid crystal phases of achiral banana-shaped molecules. Such molecules form chiral smectic phases due to two symmetry-breaking instabilities: polar molecular packing, and molecular tilt. The appearance of helical filaments at the isotropic-smectic transition is therefore a direct indication of the achiral symmetry-breaking of the smectic structures. The number of observed left- and right-handed domains is equal, reflecting the achiral nature of the constituent molecules. Our studies indicate that the helical filaments consist of concentric smectic layers. The coiling stabilizes the growth process and suppresses the penetration of molecules from the isotropic phase, leading to moving of the tip with constant speed. |
| Publisher: |
Taylor & Francis |
| Source file: |
Elektronische Wetenschappelijke Tijdschriften |
Details for article 43 of 131 found articles
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