The simple nematic mesogen 5CB was doped with milled BaTiO${}_3$ nanoparticles and was investigated with x-ray scattering. Doping with BaTiO${}_3$ nanoparticles of 9 nm in diameter led to the formation of crystallites. These crystallites precipitated and formed a waxlike nanodispersion of 5CB and nanoparticles, which led to intense x-ray scattering signals characteristic of a multilayer structure. Surprisingly, the multilayers possess unusual interlayer spacing, which cannot be explained by simple smectic order of the calamitic molecules.

• Received 11 July 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.051704