Comprehensive Characterization of a Reference Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Material
Among the recently developed ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals, FNLC-919, synthesized by Merck Electronics KGaA, stands out for its stable, room-temperature, ferroelectric nematic (N<sub>F</sub>) phase. This renders it a promising candidate for both fundamental research and device-level applications. In this study, we present a comprehensive experimental investigation of FNLC-919, focusing on its structural, optical, dielectric, and elastic properties in the paraelectric nematic (N) and the intermediate antiferroelectric phase (dubbed N<sub>X</sub>) that occur in a temperature range between the N and N<sub>F</sub> phases. Key material parameters such as ferroelectric polarization, viscosity, and nanostructure are characterized as functions of temperature in all mesophases, while the orientational elastic constants are determined only in the N and N<sub>X</sub> phases. Our findings are compared with prior results concerning the benchmark compound DIO that also exhibits the phase sequence N-N<sub>X</sub>-N<sub>F</sub> and reveals a smectic-like mass density wave coinciding with antiferroelectric ordering in the N<sub>X</sub> phase.
Authors
- Ayusha Paul (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9021-3334)
- Antal I. Jákli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8627-7606)
- Matthew R. Paul (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3020-7729)
- Netra Prasad Dhakal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9655-8129)
- Samuel Sprunt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-2228)
- J. T. Gleeson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1016-7221)
- Manisha Badu
- Arjun Ghimire (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1066-2708)
Institutions
- Kent State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Materials
- Published
- 2025-12-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18245496
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Liquid Crystal Research Advancements
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.43