Reduction of the order parameter and high electric conductivity of SWCNT doped smectic a liquid crystal.

The effect of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the dielectric and conductivity properties of smectic A liquid crystal 4-nitrophenyl-4'- decyloxybenzoic acid has been studied. It was shown that the additive of SWCNTs with concentration of 0.5% leads to a decrease in the order parameter of the liquid crystal. In this case, the clearing point and the longitudinal component of the dielectric permittivity decreases while the transverse component increases. The incipient percolation effect promotes to the dominance of hopping electron conductivity over ionic conductivity, leading to an increase in specific conductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]