Abstract
The binary-mixture phase diagram of n-propyl-4’-n-decyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate [3(10)OBC] and n-butyl-4’-n-decyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate [4(10)OBC] has been investigated by optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and heat-capacity studies. Here 3(10)OBC and 4(10)OBC have the isotropic (I)–smectic-A (SmA)–hexatic-B and I–SmA–smectic-I (SmI) transition sequence, respectively. This binary-mixture study reveals two new features, namely, the existence of the hexatic-B–SmI transition and a SmA–hexatic-B–SmI point where the relevant three phases coexist.
- Received 10 March 1986
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.34.2422
©1986 American Physical Society