The transformation on heating of an ordinary (helical) cholesteric liquid crystal (CHOL) into the isotropic phase (ISO) often occurs via a number of intermediate "blue" phases. We find the following scheme of phase transitions in cholesteryl nonanoate: $\mathrm{CHOL}\underset{91.35}{\to }\mathrm{BPI}\underset{91.76}{\to }\mathrm{BPII}\underset{91.84}{\to }\mathrm{BPIII}\underset{91.95}{\to }\mathrm{ISO}$. Here BPI, BPII, and BPIII indicate three distinct, thermodynamically stable phases; transition temperatures are in °C. From observations of supercooling and coexistence, we conclude that all these transformations are first order, except possibly the BPIII→ISO, the character of which remains in doubt. A similar behavior is found in cholesteryl myristate and in a mixture of cholesteryl nonanoate and cholesteryl chloride. A few observations having a bearing on the structure of the blue phases are reported.

• Received 17 February 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.24.468