Theory of chiral periodic mesophases formed from an achiral liquid of bent-core molecules

Abstract

The theory of unconventional one-dimensional periodic mesophases forming in a liquid of achiral bent-core molecules is presented. The order parameter is a polarization wave. Three distinct phases which can be stabilized directly from the isotropic liquid phase are associated with linear, circular, and elliptic polarizations of the wave. The elliptic polarization leads to the structure of the commonly studied $B_2$ "bent-core" mesophase whereas the recently discovered $C_p$ phase may be assigned to the linear polarization. We present the molecular configurations and macroscopic properties of the stable states. Their behavior under chiral doping and electric field application are investigated and the corresponding phase diagrams are calculated.