Behavior of frustrated phase in ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquidcrystalline 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 (EE) and antiferroelectric (AF) phases , which exist in the pure compounds. When the concentration of the FE compo nent 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 de electric field introduce the FE phase, which remains stable after the field is switched off. Dielectric study con firms 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.