Density and ultrasonic velocity measurements in hexyloxybenzylidene phenylazoaniline

Abstract

The temperature variation of density and ultrasonic velocity of the liquid crystal hexyloxybenzylidene phenylazoaniline are reported. The density across the smectic A-smectic B transition is more predominant than the other transitions. The density variation with temperature and the calculated thermal expansion coefficients suggest that the transitions isotropic liquid-nematic, nematic-smectic A and smectic A-smectic B are of first order. Anomalous behaviour of ultrasonic velocity is observed across the isotropic liquid-nematic transition and prominent dips in velocity are observed at the nematic-smectic A and smectic A-smectic B transitions. The adiabatic compressibility (β_ad) Rao number (R_a) and molar compressibility (B) are estimated using the experimental density and ultrasonic velocity.