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Ko H, Kang DG, Choi YJ, Wi Y, Kim S, Pham HH, Lee KM, Godman NP, McConney ME, Jeong KU. Polarization-Dependent Thin Films with Biaxial Anisotropic Absorption Constructed by a Single Coating and Subsequent Topochemical Polymerization of Chromophores. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:4393-4401. [PMID: 38329893 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
For the construction of hierarchical superstructures with biaxial anisotropic absorption, a newly synthesized diacetylene-functionalized bipyridinium is self-assembled to use an electron-accepting host for capturing and arranging guests. The formation of the donor-acceptor complex triggers an intermolecular charge transfer, leading to chromophore activation. Polarization-dependent multichroic thin films are prepared through a sequential process of single-coating, self-assembly, and topochemical polymerization of host-guest chromophores. Molecular packing structures constructed in the single-layer optical thin film possess orthogonal absorption axes for two different wavelengths. By tuning the linear polarization angle, the color of the optical thin film can be intentionally controlled. This single-layered multichroic film provides a new pathway for the development of anticounterfeiting and multiplexing encryptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeyoon Ko
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gue Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Yu-Jin Choi
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Youngjae Wi
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Kim
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Huan Huu Pham
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Min Lee
- US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Nicholas P Godman
- US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Michael E McConney
- US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Kwang-Un Jeong
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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Gustavsson L, Lv ZP, Cherian T, Seppälä W, Liljeström V, Peng B, Huotari S, Rannou P, Ikkala O. Heating-Induced Switching to Hierarchical Liquid Crystallinity Combining Colloidal and Molecular Order in Zwitterionic Molecules. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:39345-39353. [PMID: 37901556 PMCID: PMC10601052 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Hierarchical self-assemblies of soft matter involving triggerable or switchable structures at different length scales have been pursued toward multifunctional behaviors and complexity inspired by biological matter. They require several and balanced competing attractive and repulsive interactions, which provide a grand challenge in particular in the "bulk" state, i.e., in the absence of plasticizing solvents. Here, we disclose that zwitterionic bis-n-tetradecylphosphobetaine, as a model compound, shows a complex thermally switchable hierarchical self-assembly in the solvent-free state. It shows polymorphism and heating-induced reversible switching from low-temperature molecular-level assemblies to high-temperature hierarchical self-assemblies, unexpectedly combining colloidal and molecular self-assemblies, as inferred by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The high-temperature phase sustains birefringent flow, indicating a new type of hierarchical thermotropic liquid crystallinity. The high-temperature colloidal-level SAXS reflections suggest indexation as a 2D oblique pattern and their well-defined layer separation in the perpendicular direction. We suggest that the colloidal self-assembled motifs are 2D nanoplatelets formed by the lateral packing of the molecules, where the molecular packing frustration between the tightly packed zwitterionic moieties and the coiled alkyl chains demanding more space limits the lateral platelet growth controlled by the alkyl stretching entropy. An indirect proof is provided by the addition of plasticizing ionic liquids, which relieve the ionic dense packings of zwitterions, thus allowing purely smectic liquid crystallinity without the colloidal level order. Thus, molecules with a simple chemical structure can lead to structural hierarchy and tunable complexity in the solvent-free state by balancing the competing long-range electrostatics and short-range nanosegregations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotta Gustavsson
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Zhong-Peng Lv
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Tomy Cherian
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Wille Seppälä
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Ville Liljeström
- Nanomicroscopy
Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Bo Peng
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Simo Huotari
- Department
of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Patrice Rannou
- Université
Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble
INP, LEPMI, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Olli Ikkala
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
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Bhendale M, Singh JK. Molecular Insights on Morphology, Composition, and Stability of Mixed Micelles Formed by Ionic Surfactant and Nonionic Block Copolymer in Water Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:5031-5040. [PMID: 36992607 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The nanoscale association domains are the ultimate determinants of the macroscopic properties of complex fluids involving amphiphilic polymers and surfactants, and hence, it is foremost important to understand the role of polymer/surfactant concentration on these domains. We have used coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of polymer/surfactant concentration on the morphology of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO, i.e., pluronics or poloxamers) block copolymer, and ionic surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), mixed micelles in aqueous solution. The proclivity of the surfactant to form the mixed micelles is also probed using umbrella sampling simulations. In this study, we observed that the core of the pluronic + SDS formed mixed micelles consists of PPO, the alkyl tail of SDS, and some water molecules, whereas the PEO, water, and sulfate headgroups of SDS form a shell, consistent with experimental observations. The micelles are spherical at high-pluronic/low-SDS compositions, ellipsoidal at high-SDS/low-pluronic compositions, and wormlike-cylindrical at high-pluronic/high-SDS compositions. The transitions in micelle morphology are governed by the solvent accessible surface area of mixed aggregates, electrostatic repulsion between SDS-headgroups, and dehydration of PEO and PPO segments. The free energy barrier for SDS escape is much higher in mixed micelles than in pure SDS micelles, indicating a stronger tendency for SDS to form pluronic-SDS mixed micelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mangesh Bhendale
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Jayant K Singh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
- Prescience Insilico Private Limited, Fifth Floor, Novel MSR Building, Marathalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560037, India
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Kawakami C, Hara M, Nagano S, Seki T. Induction of Highly Ordered Liquid Crystalline Phase of an Azobenzene Side Chain Polymer by Contact with 4'-Pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl: An In Situ Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:619-626. [PMID: 36545757 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The orientation of liquid crystal (LC) molecules is significantly governed by solid interfaces and free surfaces, and a variety of functional materials have been developed using these properties. Although LC materials are already in industrial use, particularly for LC display panels, various studies have been conducted in recent years to better grasp the interface behavior of LC molecules. In this work, we succeeded in in situ observations of induction of higher ordered LC phases at the interface between a side-chain LC azobenzene polymer film with a thickness of ∼400 nm and a low-molecular-mass nematic LC, 4'-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl of 35 μm thickness, using small-angle X-ray scattering measurements and polarized optical microscopy. It is revealed that the two different mesogens cooperatively form hybrid higher ordered smectic LC phases probably through weak electron transfer immediately after interfacial contact. The induction process consists of three stages in terms of dynamic structure evolutions. Upon UV irradiation, the hybrid smectic LC structure diminished. This study provides new insights into the behavior of LC molecules near the alignment film on the solid substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikara Kawakami
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Hara
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Shusaku Nagano
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan
| | - Takahiro Seki
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
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