New Transition Metal Based Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals

本研究主要研究具有铁电性质的非中心对称材料的形成。这些材料是基于一类新型的以金字塔过渡金属络合物为核心基团的液晶化合物。这些材料在电场作用下的取向将被探索为具有宏观电极化的非中心对称固体的途径。如果去掉电场后极化仍然存在，材料就是铁电材料。由于极化对压力和温度敏感，铁电材料具有压电性和亲电性。提出了极化反转的机理，并对其进行了实验研究。此外，还提出了用于形成表现出大的场诱导变形的电响应聚合物的方法。最终目标是开发场和压力响应型导体。

This research is concerned with the formation of noncentrosymmetric materials with ferroelectric properties. These materials are based on a new class of liquid crystalline compounds which have pyramidic transition metal complexes as core group. The orientation of these materials by the application of electric field will be explored as a route to noncentrosymmetric solids with a macroscopic electrical polarization. The materials are ferroelectrics if polarization persists after electric field is removed. Because polarization is sensitive to pressure and temperature, ferroelectrics possess piezoelectric and proelectric properties. Mechanism for polarization reversal, and experiments for their elucidation are proposed. Also, methods are proposed for the formation of electro- responsive polymers that exhibit large field-induced deformation. The ultimate aim is to develop field-and pressure-responsive conductors.