Orientational Elasticity of Nenatic Dimers

Abstract Using the method of threshold Frederick's transitions in magnetic field were determined the values of splay orientational elastic constants K11 of the nematic dimers 4,4′-bis-cyanobiphe-nyloxyalkanes with the number n of CH2 groups in their spacers from 2 to 12. The dramatic odd-even effect in the dependence of K11 versus n was evaluated. This effect is mainly due to the oscillations of the degree of intermolecular orientational order in the series of the compounds under investigation. The increase of the values of the splay elastic constant K11 of both odd and even homologous series of nematic dimers with increase of the spacer length was determined.