Ionic Liquid Crystals: Versatile Materials

This Review covers the recent developments (2005-2015) in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals. It was designed to give a comprehensive overview of the "state-of-the-art" in the field. The discussion is focused on low molar mass and dendrimeric thermotropic ionic mesogens, as well as selected metal-containing compounds (metallomesogens), but some references to polymeric and/or lyotropic ionic liquid crystals and particularly to ionic liquids will also be provided. Although zwitterionic and mesoionic mesogens are also treated to some extent, emphasis will be directed toward liquid-crystalline materials consisting of organic cations and organic/inorganic anions that are not covalently bound but interact via electrostatic and other noncovalent interactions.

A complex of poly(4-vinylpyridine) and tolane based hemi-phasmid benzoic acid: towards luminescent supramolecular side-chain liquid crystalline polymers

A luminescent supramolecular polymer based on P4VP and a tolane based hemi-phasmid benzoic acid forms Sm and Col_h phases at different compositions and the luminescent properties depend on the phase structures.