Physics Commons^™

Light scattering measurements in the nematic phase are reported for two dimers based upon the monomer 4,4'-dipentyloxyphenylbenzoate. One dimer has an even number of methylene units in the spacer and, in consequence, is approximately straight in the all-trans conformation. The other dimer has one less methylene unit in the spacer and is, therefore, bent at the spacer group. We find that the ratio of the twist to splay elastic modulus is nearly the same for both species, but that the ratio of the bend to splay modulus is considerably smaller in the bent dimer.