Synthesis of vertically aligned polyacetylene thin films in homeotropic liquid crystal solvents

Vertically aligned polyacetylene thin films were synthesized in homeotropic nematic liquid crystal (LC) solvents, in which the homeotropic orientation of an LC, 4-(trans-4-n-pentylcyclohexyl)hexyloxybenzene, is strengthened by addition of newly synthesized LCs having two mesogenic cores, 1,6-bis-[(4-trans-n-pentylcyclohexyl)phenoxy]hexane or 1,8-bis-[(4-trans-n-pentylcyclohexyl)phenoxy]octane. Vertically aligned helical polyacetylene thin films were synthesized by adding a chiral dopant into the same LC solvent in order to induce chiral nematic phase with homeotropic orientation.