The smectic C*-alpha (SmC_α*) phase is one of the sub-phases of ferroelectric liquid crystals that has drawn much interest due to its electro-optical properties and ultrafast switching. Generally observed above the ferroelectric SmC* phase in temperature, the SmC_α* commonly shows only very narrow phase temperature range of a few degree Celsius. To broaden the SmC_α* phase, polymer stabilization was investigated for thermal phase stabilization. Two different reactive monomers were tested in three mixtures, and all three broadened the temperature range of the SmC_α* phase from 3 °C to 39 °C. The current reversal method was used to determine the phase existence versus temperature. Moreover, the texture and network structure was studied by polarized optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, with the latter revealing the confinement of the smectic layer structure within the porous polymer network.

We have recently reported a new 3-layer field-induced ferrielectric (SmC*_{Fi1_2}) phase, which can be accessed either from the usual ferrielectric 3-layer (SmC*_Fi1) phase or as a two-stage process initially from the 4-layer (SmC*_Fi2) phase. Simple analytical models can predict the threshold fields for the field-induced transitions from: (i) 4-layer to synclinic (SmC*); (ii) 4- to SmC*_Fi1; (iii) SmC*_Fi1 to 3 SmC*_{Fi1_2}; and (iv)SmC*_{Fi1_2} to SmC*. Each of these thresholds is defined by equations involving the interlayer interaction strengths. We deduce the resulting field-temperature phase diagrams and show their agreement with experimental data.

The formed lyotropic liquid crystals phases via polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), adopting the hydrothermal and seed-mediate techniques was prepared to reduce silver nitrate (AgNO3) for shape and size controlled silver oxide nanoparticles production. Starting the reaction, PVP was coordinated with Ag+ to carry out the oxide forms of silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarizing optical microscope (POM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results have shown that, XRD confirmed the lattice structure of synthesized silver oxide nanoparticles. The topographic behavior of electronic surface scanning exhibits nice porous nanoparticles of silver oxide. In addition, the DSC thermal bands have a good agreement with POM transition phases. Long silver nanowires with lengths of 10-17 μmand width 0.8-2.6 m , while the pores size of porous silver nanoparticles with varying sizes from 55 nm to 118 nm are produced. The produced nano particles in nematic cholesteric liquid crystals has significant influence on the self-assemblies of the cholesteric system