1
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Gold JI, Sheavly JK, Bao N, Yu H, Rajbangshi J, Schauer JJ, Zavala VM, Abbott NL, Van Lehn RC, Mavrikakis M. Elucidating Molecular-Scale Principles Governing the Anchoring of Liquid Crystal Mixtures on Solid Surfaces. ACS NANO 2023; 17:22620-22631. [PMID: 37934462 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Computational chemistry calculations are broadly useful for guiding the atom-scale design of hard-soft material interfaces including how molecular interactions of single-component liquid crystals (LCs) at inorganic surfaces lead to preferred orientations of the LC far from the surface. The majority of LCs, however, are not single-component phases but comprise of mixtures, such as a mixture of mesogens, added to provide additional functions such as responsiveness to the presence of targeted organic compounds (for chemical sensing). In such LC mixtures, little is understood about the near-surface composition and organization of molecules and how that organization propagates into the far-field LC orientation. Here, we address this broad question by using a multiscale computational approach that combines density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to predict the interfacial composition and organization of a binary LC mixture of 4'-cyano-4-biphenylcarbolxylic acid (CBCA) and 4'-n-pentyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (5CB) supported on anatase (101) titania surfaces. DFT calculations determine the surface composition and atomic-scale organization of CBCA and 5CB at the titania surface, and classical MD simulations build upon the DFT description to describe the evolution of the near-surface order into the bulk LC. A surprising finding is that the 5CB and CBCA molecules adopt orthogonal orientations at the anatase surface and that, above a threshold concentration of CBCA, this mixture of orientations evolves away from the surface to define a uniform far-field homeotropic orientation. These results demonstrate that molecular-level knowledge achieved through a combination of computational techniques permits the design and understanding of functional LC mixtures at interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake I Gold
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Jonathan K Sheavly
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Nanqi Bao
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Huaizhe Yu
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Juriti Rajbangshi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - James J Schauer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Victor M Zavala
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Nicholas L Abbott
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Reid C Van Lehn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Manos Mavrikakis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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2
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Kumar P, Bala I, De R, Kumar Pal S, Venkataramani S. Light Modulated Reversible "On-Off" Transformation of Arylazoheteroarene Based Discotics in Nematic Organization. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202202876. [PMID: 36205928 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202202876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Three benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) core-based molecular systems appended with phenylazo-3,5-dimethylisoxazole photoswitches at the peripheral position through variable-length alkoxy chains have been designed and synthesized. The supramolecular interactions of the mesogens provided discotic nematic liquid crystalline assembly as confirmed by polarized optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Spectroscopic studies confirmed the reversible photoswitching and excellent thermal stability of the photoswitched states in solution phase and thin film. Also, atomic force microscopic (AFM) and POM investigations demonstrated the morphological changes in the self-assembly induced by the photoirradiation as monitored by the changes in the height profiles and optical appearance of the textures, respectively. Remarkably, the liquid crystalline discotic molecules showed reversible "on and off states" controlled by light at ambient temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravesh Kumar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City Manauli, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Indu Bala
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City Manauli, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Ritobrata De
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City Manauli, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Santanu Kumar Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City Manauli, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Sugumar Venkataramani
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City Manauli, 140306, Punjab, India
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3
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Kim JY, Lee JJ, Park JS, Choi YJ, Choi SW. Control of the Induced Handedness of Helical Nanofilaments Employing Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Fields. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26196055. [PMID: 34641599 PMCID: PMC8512387 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26196055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, a simple and powerful method to control the induced handedness of helical nanofilaments (HNFs) is presented. The nanofilaments are formed by achiral bent-core liquid crystal molecules employing a cholesteric liquid crystal field obtained by doping a rod-like nematogen with a chiral dopant. Homochiral helical nanofilaments are formed in the nanophase-separated helical nanofilament/cholesteric phase from a mixture with a cholesteric phase. This cholesteric phase forms at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the helical nanofilament in a bent-core molecule appears. Under such conditions, the cholesteric liquid crystal field acts as a driving force in the nucleation of HNFs, realizing a perfectly homochiral domain consisting of identical helical nanofilament handedness.
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4
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Li Y, Shen J, Quan W, Diao Y, Wu M, Zhang B, Wang Y, Yang D. 2D/2D p‐n Heterojunctions of CaSb
2
O
6
/g‐C
3
N
4
for Visible Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline. Eur J Inorg Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202000635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Cooperative Innovation Center of Lipid Resources and Children's Daily Chemicals Chongqing University of Education 400067 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Shen
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Cooperative Innovation Center of Lipid Resources and Children's Daily Chemicals Chongqing University of Education 400067 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxuan Quan
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Cooperative Innovation Center of Lipid Resources and Children's Daily Chemicals Chongqing University of Education 400067 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Diao
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Cooperative Innovation Center of Lipid Resources and Children's Daily Chemicals Chongqing University of Education 400067 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Meijun Wu
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Cooperative Innovation Center of Lipid Resources and Children's Daily Chemicals Chongqing University of Education 400067 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Analytical and Testing Center Chongqing University 401331 Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Yaoqiong Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Chongqing University of Technology 69 Hongguang Rd. 400054 Lijiatuo, Banan District Chongqing People's Republic of China
| | - Dingfeng Yang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Chongqing University of Technology 69 Hongguang Rd. 400054 Lijiatuo, Banan District Chongqing People's Republic of China
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5
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Wang L, Urbas AM, Li Q. Nature-Inspired Emerging Chiral Liquid Crystal Nanostructures: From Molecular Self-Assembly to DNA Mesophase and Nanocolloids. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1801335. [PMID: 30160812 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201801335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystals (LCs) are omnipresent in living matter, whose chirality is an elegant and distinct feature in certain plant tissues, the cuticles of crabs, beetles, arthropods, and beyond. Taking inspiration from nature, researchers have recently devoted extensive efforts toward developing chiral liquid crystalline materials with self-organized nanostructures and exploring their potential applications in diverse fields ranging from dynamic photonics to energy and safety issues. In this review, an account on the state of the art of emerging chiral liquid crystalline nanostructured materials and their technological applications is provided. First, an overview on the significance of chiral liquid crystalline architectures in various living systems is given. Then, the recent significant progress in different chiral liquid crystalline systems including thermotropic LCs (cholesteric LCs, cubic blue phases, achiral bent-core LCs, etc.) and lyotropic LCs (DNA LCs, nanocellulose LCs, and graphene oxide LCs) is showcased. The review concludes with a perspective on the future scope, opportunities, and challenges in these truly advanced functional soft materials and their promising applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Augustine M Urbas
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, USA
| | - Quan Li
- Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
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6
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Bazavan O, Saha SK, Paul MK, Dierking I. Chiral domain formation and spontaneous de-racemization in the Dark Conglomerate phase of a bent-core liquid crystal. J Mol Liq 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2020.113706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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7
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Lewandowski W, Vaupotič N, Pociecha D, Górecka E, Liz-Marzán LM. Chirality of Liquid Crystals Formed from Achiral Molecules Revealed by Resonant X-Ray Scattering. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1905591. [PMID: 32529663 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201905591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Intensive research on chiral liquid crystals (LCs) has been fueled by their actively tunable physicochemical properties and structural complexity, comparable to those of sophisticated natural materials. Herein, recent progress in the discovery of new classes of chiral LCs, enabled by a combination of nano- and macroscale investigations is reviewed. First, an overview is provided of liquid crystalline phases, made of chiral and achiral low-weight molecules, that exhibit chiral structure and/or chiral morphology. Then, recent progress in the discovery of new classes of chiral LCs, particularly enabled by the application of resonant X-ray scattering is described. It is shown that the method is sensitive to modulations of molecular orientation and therefore provides information hardly accessible by means of other techniques, such as the sense of helical structures or chirality transfer across length scales. Finally, a perspective is presented on the future scope, opportunities, and challenges in the field of chiral LCs, in particular related to nanocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiktor Lewandowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1 St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland
| | - Nataša Vaupotič
- Department of Physics, University of Maribor, Koroška 160, Maribor, 2000, Slovenia
- Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Damian Pociecha
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1 St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland
| | - Ewa Górecka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1 St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland
| | - Luis M Liz-Marzán
- CIC biomaGUNE and CIBER-BBN, Paseo de Miramón 182, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48013, Spain
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8
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Shadpour S, Nemati A, Liu J, Hegmann T. Directing the Handedness of Helical Nanofilaments Confined in Nanochannels Using Axially Chiral Binaphthyl Dopants. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:13456-13463. [PMID: 32092259 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b20696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we demonstrate control of the handedness of semicrystalline modulated helical nanofilaments (HNFmods) formed by achiral bent-core liquid crystal molecules by axially chiral binaphthyl-based additives as guest molecules solely under spatial nanoconfinement in anodic aluminum oxide nanochannels. The molecules of the same chiral additives are expelled from the HNFmods in the bulk, and as a result thereof do not affect the handedness or helical pitch of bulk HNFmods, resulting in an HNFmod conglomerate with chirality-preserving growth within each domain. However, under confinement these axially chiral guest molecules, likely embedded in the HNFmod host, do affect the helicity of the HNFmods. The configuration of the axially chiral molecules decides the HNFmod helix handedness and their concentration, and the helix angle is related to the helical pitch of the HNFmods. In addition to local imaging data obtained by scanning electron microscopy, global studies by thin-film circular dichroism spectropolarimetry support the imaging results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasan Shadpour
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Ahlam Nemati
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Jiao Liu
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Torsten Hegmann
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
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9
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Akhmedov VM, Melnikova NE, Akhmedov ID. Synthesis, properties, and application of polymeric carbon nitrides. Russ Chem Bull 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11172-017-1810-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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10
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Le KV, Takezoe H, Araoka F. Chiral Superstructure Mesophases of Achiral Bent-Shaped Molecules - Hierarchical Chirality Amplification and Physical Properties. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2017; 29:1602737. [PMID: 27966798 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201602737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Chiral mesophases in achiral bent-shaped molecules have attracted particular attention since their discovery in the middle 1990s, not only because of their homochirality and polarity, but also due to their unique physical/physicochemical properties. Here, the most intriguing results in the studies of such symmetry-broken states, mainly helical-nanofilament (HNF) and dark-conglomerate (DC) phases, are reviewed. Firstly, basic information on the typical appearance and optical activity in these phases is introduced. In the following section, the formation of mesoscopic chiral superstructures in the HNF and DC phases is discussed in terms of hierarchical chirality. Nanoscale phase segregation in mixture systems and gelation ability in the HNF phase are also described. In addition, some other related chiral phases of bent-shaped molecules are shown. Recent attempts to control such mesoscopic chiral structure and the alignment/confinement of HNFs are also discussed, along with several examples of their fascinating advanced physical properties, i.e. huge enhancement of circular dichroism, electro- and photo-tunable optical activities, chirality-induced nonlinear optics (second-harmonic-generation circular difference and electrogyration effect), enhanced hydrophobicity through the dual-scale surface morphological modulation, and photoconductivity in the HNF/fullerene binary system. Future prospects from basic science and application viewpoints are also indicated in the concluding section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khoa V Le
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hideo Takezoe
- Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, 41-1 Yokomichi, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1192, Japan
| | - Fumito Araoka
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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11
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Zhu X, Yin F, Zhao H, Chen S, Bian Z. Some new azobenzene liquid crystals involving chalcone and ester linkages. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra06958h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
New azobenzene derivatives containing chalcone and ester linkages showed photo-responsive behaviours and alkoxy chain and terminal group effects on their mesomorphic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyou Zhu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Fine Organic Synthesis
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Inner Mongolia University
- Hohhot 010021
- China
| | - Fengnan Yin
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Fine Organic Synthesis
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Inner Mongolia University
- Hohhot 010021
- China
| | - Haiying Zhao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Fine Organic Synthesis
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Inner Mongolia University
- Hohhot 010021
- China
| | - Shufeng Chen
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Fine Organic Synthesis
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Inner Mongolia University
- Hohhot 010021
- China
| | - Zhanxi Bian
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Fine Organic Synthesis
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Inner Mongolia University
- Hohhot 010021
- China
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12
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Popov P, Mann EK, Jákli A. Thermotropic liquid crystal films for biosensors and beyond. J Mater Chem B 2017; 5:5061-5078. [DOI: 10.1039/c7tb00809k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent results on structural properties and possible bio-sensing applications of planar liquid crystal films are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Popov
- Department of Physics
- Kent State University
- Kent
- USA
- Liquid Crystal Institute
| | | | - Antal Jákli
- Liquid Crystal Institute
- Kent State University
- Kent
- USA
- Complex Fluid Group
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13
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Choi SW, Takezoe H. Enhancing and reducing chirality by opposite circularly-polarized light irradiation on crystalline chiral domains consisting of nonchiral photoresponsive W-shaped liquid crystal molecules. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:7937-7942. [PMID: 27714293 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm01343k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We found possible chirality enhancement and reduction in chiral domains formed by photoresponsive W-shaped molecules by irradiation with circularly polarized light (CPL). The W-shaped molecules exhibit a unique smectic phase with spontaneously segregated chiral domains, although the molecules are nonchiral. The chirality control was generated in the crystalline phase, which shows chiral segregation as in the upper smectic phase, and the result appeared to be as follows: for a certain chiral domain, right-CPL stimuli enhanced the chirality, while left-CPL stimuli reduced the chirality, and vice versa for another chiral domain. Interestingly, no domain-size change could be observed after CPL irradiation, suggesting some changes in the causes of chirality. In this way, the present system can recognize the handedness of the applied chiral stimuli. In other words, the present material can be used as a sensitive chiral-stimuli-recognizing material and should find invaluable applications, including in chiroptical switches, sensors, and memories as well as in chiral recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk-Won Choi
- Department of Advance Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-shi, Gyeonggi-do 446-701, Korea. and Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan
| | - Hideo Takezoe
- Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan and Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, 41-1 Yokomichi, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192, Japan.
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14
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Li L, Salamonczyk M, Jákli A, Hegmann T. A Dual Modulated Homochiral Helical Nanofilament Phase with Local Columnar Ordering Formed by Bent Core Liquid Crystals: Effects of Molecular Chirality. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2016; 12:3944-3955. [PMID: 27334846 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201600882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Helical nanofilament (HNF) phases form as a result of an intralayer mismatch between top and bottom molecular halves in bent-core liquid crystals (BC-LCs) that is relieved by local saddle-splay geometry. HNFs are immensely attractive for photovoltaic and chiral separation applications and as templates for the chiral spatial assembly of guest molecules. Here, the synthesis and characterization of two unichiral BC-LCs and one racemic mixture with tris-biphenyl-diester cores featuring chiral (R,R) and (S,S) or racemic 2-octyloxy aliphatic side chains are presented. In comparison to the achiral compound with linear side chains forming an intralayer modulated HNF phase (HNFmod ), synchrotron small angle X-ray diffraction indicates that the unichiral derivatives form a dual modulated HNF phase with intra- as well as interlayer modulations (HNFmod2 ) suggesting a columnar local structure of the nanofilaments. Transmission electron microscopy and circular dichroism spectropolarimetry confirm that the unichiral materials exclusively form homochiral HNFs with a twist sense-matching secondary twist. A contact preparation provides the first example of two identical chiral liquid crystal phases only differing in their handedness that do not mix and form an achiral liquid crystal phase with an entirely different structure in the contact zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA
| | - Miroslaw Salamonczyk
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA
| | - Antal Jákli
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA
| | - Torsten Hegmann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA
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15
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Yoshizawa A, Kato Y, Sasaki H, Takanishi Y, Yamamoto J. Optically Isotropic Homochiral Structure Produced by Intercalation of Achiral Liquid Crystal Trimers. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:4843-51. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b01242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Yoshizawa
- Department
of Frontier Materials Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kato
- Department
of Frontier Materials Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Haruna Sasaki
- Department
of Frontier Materials Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Yoichi Takanishi
- Department
of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa,
Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8562, Japan
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- Department
of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa,
Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8562, Japan
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16
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Alaasar M, Prehm M, Tschierske C. Helical Nano-crystallite (HNC) Phases: Chirality Synchronization of Achiral Bent-Core Mesogens in a New Type of Dark Conglomerates. Chemistry 2016; 22:6583-97. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201505016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Alaasar
- Institute of Chemistry; Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg; Kurt Mothes Str. 2 06120 Halle (Saale) Germany), Fax
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; Cairo University; Giza Egypt
| | - Marko Prehm
- Institute of Chemistry; Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg; Kurt Mothes Str. 2 06120 Halle (Saale) Germany), Fax
| | - Carsten Tschierske
- Institute of Chemistry; Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg; Kurt Mothes Str. 2 06120 Halle (Saale) Germany), Fax
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17
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Bukusoglu E, Bedolla Pantoja M, Mushenheim PC, Wang X, Abbott NL. Design of Responsive and Active (Soft) Materials Using Liquid Crystals. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2016; 7:163-96. [PMID: 26979412 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-061114-123323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystals (LCs) are widely known for their use in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Indeed, LCDs represent one of the most successful technologies developed to date using a responsive soft material: An electric field is used to induce a change in ordering of the LC and thus a change in optical appearance. Over the past decade, however, research has revealed the fundamental underpinnings of potentially far broader and more pervasive uses of LCs for the design of responsive soft material systems. These systems involve a delicate interplay of the effects of surface-induced ordering, elastic strain of LCs, and formation of topological defects and are characterized by a chemical complexity and diversity of nano- and micrometer-scale geometry that goes well beyond that previously investigated. As a reflection of this evolution, the community investigating LC-based materials now relies heavily on concepts from colloid and interface science. In this context, this review describes recent advances in colloidal and interfacial phenomena involving LCs that are enabling the design of new classes of soft matter that respond to stimuli as broad as light, airborne pollutants, bacterial toxins in water, mechanical interactions with living cells, molecular chirality, and more. Ongoing efforts hint also that the collective properties of LCs (e.g., LC-dispersed colloids) will, over the coming decade, yield exciting new classes of driven or active soft material systems in which organization (and useful properties) emerges during the dissipation of energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Bukusoglu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| | - Marco Bedolla Pantoja
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| | - Peter C Mushenheim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| | - Xiaoguang Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| | - Nicholas L Abbott
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
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Diastereomeric liquid crystal domains at the mesoscale. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7763. [PMID: 26249039 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In many technologies used to achieve separation of enantiomers, chiral selectors are designed to display differential affinity for the two enantiomers of a chiral compound. Such complexes are diastereomeric, differing in structure and free energy for the two enantiomers and enabling chiral discrimination. Here we present evidence for strong diastereomeric interaction effects at the mesoscale, manifested in chiral liquid crystal guest materials confined in a chiral, nanoporous network of semi-crystalline helical nanofilaments. The nanoporous host is itself an assembly of achiral, bent-core liquid crystal molecules that phase-separate into a conglomerate of 100 micron-scale, helical nanofilament domains that differ in structure only in the handedness of their homogeneous chirality. With the inclusion of a homochiral guest liquid crystal, these enantiomeric domains become diastereomeric, exhibiting unexpected and markedly different mesoscale structures and orientation transitions producing optical effects in which chirality has a dominant role.
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Kim H, Lee S, Shin TJ, Korblova E, Walba DM, Clark NA, Lee SB, Yoon DK. Multistep hierarchical self-assembly of chiral nanopore arrays. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:14342-7. [PMID: 25246585 PMCID: PMC4209994 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414840111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of simple hierarchical self-assembly steps achieve self-organization from the centimeter to the subnanometer-length scales in the form of square-centimeter arrays of linear nanopores, each one having a single chiral helical nanofilament of large internal surface area and interfacial interactions based on chiral crystalline molecular arrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanim Kim
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhee Lee
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Joo Shin
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea
| | - Eva Korblova
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309; and
| | - David M Walba
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309; and
| | | | - Sang Bok Lee
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Dong Ki Yoon
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea;
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Alaasar M, Prehm M, Brautzsch M, Tschierske C. Dark conglomerate phases of azobenzene derived bent-core mesogens - relationships between the molecular structure and mirror symmetry breaking in soft matter. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:7285-7296. [PMID: 25095778 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm01255k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
New 4-bromoresorcinol based bent-core molecules with peripheral fluoro substituted azobenzene wings have been synthesized and the liquid crystalline self-assembly was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical polarizing microscopy (POM), electro-optic studies and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A new type of optically isotropic mesophase composed of chiral domains with opposite handedness (dark conglomerate phases, DC phases) is observed, which for some homologues with medium alkyl chain length is stable down to ambient temperature. It is proposed that these DC phases are formed by helical twisted nano-domains of limited size and composed of the crystallized aromatic cores which are separated by the disordered alkyl chains. This structure is distinct from the previously known soft helical nano-filament phases (HNF phases, B4 phases) formed by extended crystalline nano-filaments and also distinct from the fluid sponge phases composed of deformed fluid layers. Comparison with related bent-core molecules having H, F, Cl, I, CH3 and CN groups in the 4-position at the resorcinol core, either with or without additional peripheral fluorines, provided information about the effects of these substituents on the tendency to form DC phases. Based on these relationships and by comparison with the minimum energy conformations obtained by DFT calculations a hypothesis is provided for the formation of DC phases depending on the molecular structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Alaasar
- Institute of Chemistry, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt Mothes Str. 2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
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21
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Highly sensitive and selective glucose sensor based on ultraviolet-treated nematic liquid crystals. Biosens Bioelectron 2014; 59:293-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2014.03.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Upadhyay AP, Sadhukhan P, Roy S, Ganesh S Pala R, Sivakumar S. Brownian motion retarded polymer-encapsulated liquid crystal droplets anchored over a patterned substrate via click chemistry. RSC Adv 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra02734e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of a five-membered strong triazole ring to facilitate the highly stable anchoring of LC droplet encapsulated polymer capsules over a patterned substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Prasenjit Sadhukhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology
- Kanpur, India
| | - Sudeshna Roy
- DST Unit of Soft Nanofabrication
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
- Kanpur, India
| | - Raj Ganesh S Pala
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology
- Kanpur, India
| | - Sri Sivakumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology
- Kanpur, India
- DST Unit of Soft Nanofabrication
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
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Ueda T, Masuko S, Araoka F, Ishikawa K, Takezoe H. A General Method for the Enantioselective Formation of Helical Nanofilaments. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013; 52:6863-6. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201300658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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24
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Ueda T, Masuko S, Araoka F, Ishikawa K, Takezoe H. A General Method for the Enantioselective Formation of Helical Nanofilaments. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201300658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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25
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Alaasar M, Prehm M, Tschierske C. A new room temperature dark conglomerate mesophase formed by bent-core molecules combining 4-iodoresorcinol with azobenzene units. Chem Commun (Camb) 2013; 49:11062-4. [DOI: 10.1039/c3cc45938a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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