Intermolecular interactions in mixtures of dichroic dyes with n-alkyl-4(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)bicyclo[2,2,2] octanes

On the basis of the polarized absorption spectra, the guest order parameter as a function of temperature for five dichroic azo dyes dissolved in four members (pentyl to octyl) of the homologous series of n-alkyl-4-(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)bicyclo[2,2,2]octanes has been evaluated. Moreover, the influence of the dichroic dye addition on the nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature has been examined. The relation between the molecular geometry of the guest, its orientation efficiency in the nematic host and the clearing temperature of the azo dye-liquid crystal mixtures has been determined. The experimental results have been compared in some detail with calculations performed on the basis of the mean field theory for binary mixtures.