Eur. Phys. J. B 5, 251-255 (1998)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050442

Highly anisotropic elasticity of a dendrimeric liquid crystal

¹ Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
² Macromolecular Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA

Corresponding author: ^a cxr@po.cwru.edu

Received: 23 February 1998
Accepted: 26 May 1998
Published online: 15 September 1998

Abstract

Magnetic and electrical Freedericksz measurements were performed on the second generation monodendritic liquid crystal G₂(OH). The deduced elastic constants were found to be exceptionally anisotropic: the splay elastic constant K₁₁ is more than an order of magnitude larger than the bend elastic constant K₃₃, and the twist constant K₂₂ is approximately twice K₃₃. The results are discussed in terms of molecular conformations.