PVT Measurements on 4'-/i-Octyl-Biphenyl-4-Carbonitrile (8CB) up to 300 MPa

P, Vm, Tdata have been measured for the smectic, nematic and isotropic phases of 4'-n-octyl-biphenyl-4-carbonitrile (8CB) in the temperature range 300-370 K and pressures up to 300 MPa. At atmospheric pressure all phase transitions appear to be of first order due to a discontinuity in the density. The volume change at the smectic A nematic transition is only a tenth of the volume change at the clearing temperature. At moderate pressures below 80 MPa the SA-N transition could be detected as a discontinuity in the period of oscillation in measurements with a high-pressure vibrating tube densimeter. At higher pressures the discontinuity seems to die away, possibly indicating a change from first order to second order transition. From the volume changes and the slopes of the transition lines we calculate the enthalpy changes at the phase transition. The p, Vm, T data enable us to calculate the volume part of the entropy and the molecular field parameter y=9ln 7Ni/3ln VNI.