What is a mesophase in chemistry?

In chemistry and chemical physics, a mesophase is a state of matter intermediate between liquid and solid. Gelatin is a common example of a partially ordered structure in a mesophase. Further, biological structures such as the lipid bilayers of cell membranes are examples of mesophases.

What is the example of smectic liquid crystal?

Smectic C is a smectic A like structure in which the long axes of the molecules of a tilted average angle differing from 90° with respect to the plane of the layer in a “bookshelf” arrangement.

What does smectic mean?

: of, relating to, or being the phase of a liquid crystal characterized by arrangement of molecules in layers with the long molecular axes in a given layer being parallel to one another and those of other layers and perpendicular or slightly inclined to the plane of the layer — compare cholesteric, nematic.

Are liquids isotropic?

A true liquid is isotropic , meaning that its properties are uniform in all directions— the result of its molecules being in constant random motion. Crystalline solids, in contrast, are anisotropic ; optical- and other properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity vary with direction.

Which liquid crystals have high viscosity?

Liquid crystals (LC) are highly viscous, have specific properties such as optical properties and are organized at long distances.

What is Enantiotropic?

: the relation of two different forms of the same substance (such as two allotropic forms of tin) that have a definite transition point and can therefore change reversibly each into the other — compare monotropy.

What are the phases of the smectic mesophase?

Molecules with cylindrical shape can form, in addition to the N and cholesteric phases, a class of phases that are known as the smectic mesophases which are layered structures. They all possess translational order in the direction perpendicular to the layers.

What kind of carbenes can smectic mesophases be used for?

Smectic mesophases have been claimed for other gold (i) 159318 carbene complexes based on 1,3-dialkylbenzimidazol-2-ylidene and 1,3-dialkylimidazol-2-ylidene. G. Singh, S.-W. Kang, in Reference Module in Materials Science and Materials Engineering, 2016

What kind of structure is a C calamitic mesophase?

C Calamitic Mesophases. Molecules with cylindrical shape can form, in addition to the N and cholesteric phases, a class of phases that are known as the smectic mesophases which are layered structures. They all possess translational order in the direction perpendicular to the layers.

How are molecules arranged in the SMA phase?

The SmA phase is characterized by a liquid-like order of molecules within the layers. As illustrated in Figure 6, the centers of mass of the molecules are arranged in a sinusoidal manner. The SmA phase is described by a two component order parameter,