| Autor: |
Ostrovskii, B.I., Sentenac, D., Samoilenko, I.I., de Jeu, W.H. |
| Zdroj: |
European Physical Journal E -- Soft Matter; Dec2001, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p287-294, 8p |
| Abstrakt: |
We report on the thin-film behaviour of a polyacrylate with phenyl benzoate mesogenic side groups and a narrow polydispersity. Depending on the degree of polymerisation, these polymers show a nematic, a smectic-A d, a re-entrant nematic and a C phase with a two-dimensional monoclinic lattice. X-ray reflectivity and atomic-force microscopy have been used to characterize the structure and surface morphology. The system exhibits two stable side-chain packing configurations with incommensurate spacings that can be both stabilized at a free surface. Thin films in the nematic phase show a structural dewetting induced by the growth of surface domains of the C phase. Additionally, surface-induced ripples with a nanoscale lateral period form at the air-film interface. We attribute these patterns to a coupling between the local liquid crystalline ordering of the mesogenic side groups and the surface curvature energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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