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Kato T, Uchida J, Ishii Y, Watanabe G. Aquatic Functional Liquid Crystals: Design, Functionalization, and Molecular Simulation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306529. [PMID: 38126650 PMCID: PMC10885670 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic functional liquid crystals, which are ordered molecular assemblies that work in water environment, are described in this review. Aquatic functional liquid crystals are liquid-crystalline (LC) materials interacting water molecules or aquatic environment. They include aquatic lyotropic liquid crystals and LC based materials that have aquatic interfaces, for example, nanoporous water treatment membranes that are solids preserving LC order. They can remove ions and viruses with nano- and subnano-porous structures. Columnar, smectic, bicontinuous LC structures are used for fabrication of these 1D, 2D, 3D materials. Design and functionalization of aquatic LC sensors based on aqueous/LC interfaces are also described. The ordering transitions of liquid crystals induced by molecular recognition at the aqueous interfaces provide distinct optical responses. Molecular orientation and dynamic behavior of these aquatic functional LC materials are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The molecular interactions of LC materials and water are key of these investigations. New insights into aquatic functional LC materials contribute to the fields of environment, healthcare, and biotechnology.
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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
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University, Nagano, 380-8553, Japan
| | - Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Ishii
- Department of Data Science, School of Frontier Engineering, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Go Watanabe
- Department of Data Science, School of Frontier Engineering, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, 252-0373, Japan
- Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC), Ebina, 243-0435, Japan
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Koyama H, Mori T, Nagai K, Shimamoto S. Exploration of advanced cellulosic material for membrane filtration with outstanding antifouling property. RSC Adv 2023; 13:7490-7502. [PMID: 36908546 PMCID: PMC9993463 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra08165b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Membranes, at times, have issues due to membrane fouling. The membrane fouling leads to performance deterioration and poses a potential to clog the membrane. Here we present experimental works carried out with emphasis on the antifouling properties, chlorine resistance, and mechanical properties of cellulose triacetate (CTA) and cellulose esters. We present that antifouling performance of cellulose esters evaluated by means of the VCG theory decreases with increasing carbon number in the substituent because of the high electron-donating nature of short aliphatic ester groups. When a long aliphatic ester group is required in terms of other properties such as resistance to chlorine, introducing it together with another substituent with an electron-donating nature such as an ethylene glycol moiety may strike a balance between antifouling and other performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Koyama
- Business Development Center, Innovation and Business Development Headquarters, Daicel Corporation Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University Japan
| | - Taro Mori
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University Japan.,Biomass Innovation Center, Daicel Corporation Japan
| | - Kanji Nagai
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University Japan.,Life Sciences R&D Center, CPI Company, Daicel Corporation Japan
| | - Shu Shimamoto
- Business Development Center, Innovation and Business Development Headquarters, Daicel Corporation Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University Japan
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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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