FT-IR spectroscopic studies on reorientation of ferroelectric liquid crystals in a thermoreversible gel network

Time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy with polarized light is employed to study structure and mobility of chiral liquid crystals in mixtures with thermoreversible gels of different concentration (less than or equal to 2 mass %). The formation of the gel stabilized structure and orientation of the liquid crystals while maintaining-for gel former concentration less than or equal to mass %-its mobility comparable to the pure compound. Applying an external electric field during the formation of the gel enables us to imprint a preferred orientation of the liquid crystals in the mixture. This results in a memory effect similar to that observed in liquid crystalline elastomers.