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Hamaguchi K, Lu H, Okamura S, Kajiyama S, Uchida J, Sato S, Watanabe G, Ishii Y, Washizu H, Ungar G, Kato T. Reentrant 2D Nanostructured Liquid Crystals by Competition between Molecular Packing and Conformation: Potential Design for Multistep Switching of Ionic Conductivity. Chemphyschem 2023; 24:e202200927. [PMID: 36594677 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Reentrant phenomena in soft matter and biosystems have attracted considerable attention because their properties are closely related to high functionality. Here, we report a combined experimental and computational study on the self-assembly and reentrant behavior of a single-component thermotropic smectic liquid crystal toward the realization of dynamically functional materials. We have designed and synthesized a mesogenic molecule consisting of an alicyclic trans,trans-bicyclohexyl mesogen and a polar cyclic carbonate group connected by a flexible tetra(oxyethylene) spacer. The molecule exhibits an unprecedented sequence of layered smectic phases, in the order: smectic A-smectic B-reentrant smectic A. Electron density profiles and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations indicate that competition between the stacking of bicyclohexyl mesogens and the conformational flexibility of tetra(oxyethylene) chains induces this unusual reentrant behavior. Ion-conductive reentrant liquid-crystalline materials have been developed, which undergo the multistep conductivity changes in response to temperature. The reentrant liquid crystals have potential as new mesogenic materials exhibiting switching functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuma Hamaguchi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Huanjun Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China
| | - Shota Okamura
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kajiyama
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Sato
- Department of Physics, School of Science, Kitasato University Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Go Watanabe
- Department of Physics, School of Science, Kitasato University Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Ishii
- Graduate School of Information Science, University of Hyogo Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Washizu
- Graduate School of Information Science, University of Hyogo Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Goran Ungar
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Takashi Kato
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.,Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University Wakasato, Nagano, 380-8553, Japan
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Kato T, Uchida J, Ichikawa T, Sakamoto T. Von funktionellen Flüssigkristallen zur nächsten Generation von Materialien. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201711163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kato
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
| | - Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
| | - Takahiro Ichikawa
- Department of Biotechnology Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho Koganei Tokyo 184-8588 Japan
- PRESTO (Japan) Science and Technology Agency (JST) 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi 332-0012 Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakamoto
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
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Kato T, Uchida J, Ichikawa T, Sakamoto T. Functional Liquid Crystals towards the Next Generation of Materials. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [PMID: 29534321 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201711163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of the liquid-crystalline state in 1888, liquid crystal science has made great advances through fusion with various technologies and disciplines. Recently, new molecular design strategies and new self-assembled structures have been developed as a result of the progress made in synthetic procedures and characterization techniques. Since these liquid crystals exhibit new functions and properties derived from their nanostructures and alignment, a variety of new functions for liquid crystals, such as transport for energy applications, separation for environmental applications, chromism, sensing, electrooptical effects, actuation, and templating have been proposed. This Review presents recent advances of liquid crystals that should contribute to the next generation of materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kato
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ichikawa
- Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.,PRESTO (Japan) Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakamoto
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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Sasaki T, Takanishi Y, Yamamoto J, Yoshizawa A. A frustrated phase driven by competition among layer structures. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:5194-5203. [PMID: 28671206 DOI: 10.1039/c7sm01090g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Using our designed ternary system consisting of a semiperfluorinated smectic liquid crystal and two nematic liquid crystals, we investigated their phase transition behaviour using polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. A mixture containing 20 mol% of the semiperfluorinated compound was found to exhibit the following unusual phase sequence: isotropic liquid - isotropic liquid + smectic A phase - nematic phase - unidentified frustrated phase (X) - modulated phase (Y) - modulated phase (Z). The frustrated phase showed a fan-shaped texture characteristic of a smectic phase, but no peak corresponding to the layer spacing was detected. No difference was found in the shearing stress between the high-temperature N phase and the frustrated phase, but electro-optical switching observed in the N phase was not detected in the frustrated phase. We discuss how the molecules organize the unusual phase transition behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Sasaki
- Department of Frontier Materials Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan.
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Zhu T, Zhang X, Li Z, Hsu CH, Chen W, Miyoshi T, Li X, Yang X, Tu Y, Li CY. Controlling the enthalpy–entropy competition in supramolecular fullerene liquid crystals by tuning the flexible chain length. Chem Commun (Camb) 2017; 53:8336-8339. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cc03195e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The supramolecular fullerene liquid crystal phase and structure can be regulated by controlling the enthalpy–entropy competition by tuning the flexible chain length.
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