Preparation and Thermal Behavior of Freely-Suspended and Transferred Films Composed of a Single Compound, the Liquid Crystal 707PP

We have recently introduced a new method for the preparation of ultrathin smectic films on solid supports by transferring freely-suspended liquid-crystalline films [1, 2]. Here we report on the preparation, structural properties and thermal behavior of freely-suspended and transferred films of 2-(4'-Heptyloxyphenyl)-5-heptylpyridine (707PP). Freely-suspended and transferred films were investigated using optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Both types of films exhibit reversible phase transitions comparable to bulk values.