Experimental and computational (DFT) methods: exploration of thermochromisim in homophthalic acid and 4-N-alkyloxybenzoic acid comprised hydrogen bond liquid crystals

Novel thermochromism is identified in hydrogen bond liquid crystal (HBLC) homologues series which is prepared from non-mesogenic Homophthalic acid (HPA) and mesogenic 4-n-alkyloxybenzoic acid (nOBA, n = 6 to 12). The occurrence of intermolecular interaction between HPA and nOBA, is confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) technique and computation (DFT) methods. Thermochromic changes in nematic phase and thermo-optic properties of HPA + nOBA HBLC complex is investigated by polarizing optical microscope (POM) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) studies. The induced thermochromism in nematic phase which establish the possibility of temperature dependent sensor applications.