Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.103, No.16, 3087-3092, 1999
Volumetric study of the nematic-smectic-A(d)-reentrant nematic phase transitions in the 8OCB+6OCB mixture
High- resolution volumetric measurements were performed near the nematic to smectic-A(d) and the smectic-A(d) to reentrant nematic phase transitions. The changes in slope of a temperature dependence of density, rho(T), at both of the transitions were detected. The thermal expansion coefficient, alpha(p)(T), at the smectic-A(d) to reentrant nematic transition revealed a positive deviation from a smooth background. This result, although not found in the earlier calorimetric measurements and inconsistent with the earlier density measurements, as well as with an intuition, is discussed and proved as consistent with the conclusions derived from p(T) and T(x) phase diagrams where (dp/dT)(crit) changes sign to negative at a singular point and again to positive at x(max) point.
Keywords:SMECTIC-A TRANSITION;SPIN-GAS MODEL;LIQUID-CRYSTALS;OCTYLOXYCYANOBIPHENYL 8OCB;REENTRANT;PRESSURE;8BARS5