Twist Grain Boundary Phases in Proper Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals Realm
The twist-grain-boundary (TGB) phases, characterized by a periodic, helical arrangement of blocks made of polar smectic phases, SmA<sub>F</sub> and SmC<sub>F</sub>, have been discovered. They are observed for rod-like molecules with a strong longitudinal dipole moment, featuring an (S)-2-methylbutyl end group having only weak twisting power, and emerge below the antiferroelectric SmA<sub>AF</sub> phase, where the lamellar structure is already well established. It is suggested that the structure is governed by electrostatic interactions amplified by weak chiral forces, in striking contrast to the mechanism of TGB phase formation found in non-polar materials. The TGB phases exhibit selective light reflection in the visible range, while the value of electric polarization confirms an almost perfectly ordered dipole alignment.
Authors
- Ewa Górecka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8076-5489)
- Damian Pociecha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7734-3181)
- Rebecca Walker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5167-7183)
- Corrie T. Imrie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6497-5243)
- Nataša Vaupotič (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8058-2669)
- John M. D. Storey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5261-5467)
- Katarzyna Kwiatkowska (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0550-8394)
- Jadwiga Szydłowska (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4688-7677)
- Marijus Juodka
- Julian Spieß
Institutions
- Warsaw University of Technology (PL)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Jožef Stefan Institute (SI)
- University of Maribor (SI)
- University of Warsaw (PL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Science
- Published
- 2025-07-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202508405
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Liquid Crystal Research Advancements
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.71
Funders
- Narodowe Centrum Nauki