Interpretation of unusual textures in the B2 phase of a liquid crystal composed of bent-core molecules -: art. no. 011707

A liquid crystal material of bent-core molecules is investigated by means of optical texture observations, x-ray measurements, and miscibility studies. While the x-ray and miscibility data point towards a B-2 phase, the texture is however unusual, showing optical isotropy and segregation in two domains with opposite gyrations. It is shown that the texture can be interpreted successfully in terms of a smectic-CAPA structure in small domains with random orientations. The optical activity data are also explained semiquantitatively.