Crystallisation of a bent-core liquid crystal mesogen

In a general view, the crystallisation process of a conventional (rod-like) thermotropic liquid crystal can be placed in either of two categories: (i) spherulite growth, which is often observed for crystallisation from nematic or fluid smectic phases and easily observable by polarising microscopy and (ii) gradual ceasing of molecular disorder, a process, which is often observed during the crystallisation from hexatic or higher ordered smectic phases, but may hardly be detected by texture observation. In either case, the crystallisation of rod-like mesogens does not exhibit fractal features. In contrast, here the growth of fractal crystalline aggregates from the liquid crystalline phase is demonstrated for a bent-core, or so called banana-mesogen. Fractal growth was investigated with respect to quench depth at isothermal conditions, sample dimension and constant cooling rate across the liquid crystal to crystalline phase transition. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.