Phase Diagrams of Binary Systems of Some Alkali Propionates

The phase diagrams of the binary systems sodium-potassium, sodium-caesium, and potassium caesium propionates have been investigated by differential thermal analysis and hot-stage polarization microscopy. Smectic liquid crystals in the systems with sodium propionate have been discovered. Liquid crystal formation in binaries of two non-mesomorphic components is explained by latent mesomorphism which is shown to be inherent to both sodium and potassium propionate