Behavior of frustrated phase in ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystalline mixtures

Binary mixtures of two successive homologues from a series of 4-(4(')-alkoxy-biphenyl-4-yloxymethyl)benzoic acid 2-octanol esters exhibit a polar phase that differs from both ferroelectric (FE) and antiferroelectric (AF) phases, which exist in the pure compounds. When the concentration of the FE component is increased, this phase gradually changes its polar character from AF-like to FE-like, which is confirmed by the study of dielectric properties. Sample boundaries as well as the dc electric field introduce the FE phase, which remains stable after the field is switched off. Dielectric study confirms that this phase is composed of FE and AF clusters. The clusters arise due to frustration of FE and AF molecular order, which occurs as a result of the lowering of interlayer interactions.