Consolute critical point for two smectic-A phases

This paper describes the first example of a consolute critical point associated with phase separation in a binary system of smectic liquid crystals. In particular, a homogeneous smectic-A mixture of a polar compound with an aliphatic tail and a nonpolar compound with a perfluoroalkyl tail separates on cooling into two coexisting smectic-A phases with different compositions. The characteristics of this system make it unique for the future investigation of the kinetics of spinodal decomposition in an anisotropic medium. © 1990 The American Physical Society.