1
|
Kim J, Jeong J. Confinement twists achiral liquid crystals and causes chiral liquid crystals to twist in the opposite handedness: cases in and around sessile droplets. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1361-1368. [PMID: 38252544 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01283b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
We study the chiral symmetry breaking and metastability of confined nematic lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) with and without chiral dopants. The isotropic-nematic coexistence phase of the LCLC renders two confining geometries: sessile isotropic (I) droplets surrounded by the nematic (N) phase and sessile nematic droplets immersed in the isotropic background. In the achiral system with no dopants, LCLC's elastic anisotropy and topological defects induce a spontaneous twist deformation to lower the energetic penalty of splay deformation, resulting in spiral optical textures under crossed polarizers both in the I-in-N and N-in-I systems. While the achiral system exhibits both handednesses with an equal probability, a small amount of the chiral dopant breaks the balance. Notably, in contrast to the homochiral configuration of a chirally doped LCLC in the bulk, the spiral texture of the disfavored handedness appears with a finite probability both in the I-in-N and N-in-I systems. We propose director field models explaining how chiral symmetry breaking arises by the energetics and the opposite-twist configurations exist as meta-stable structures in the energy landscape. These findings help us create and control chiral structures using confined LCs with large elastic anisotropy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jungmyung Kim
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Joonwoo Jeong
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Caimi F, Zanchetta G. Twisted Structures in Natural and Bioinspired Molecules: Self-Assembly and Propagation of Chirality Across Multiple Length Scales. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:17350-17361. [PMID: 37251126 PMCID: PMC10210192 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Several biomolecules can form dynamic aggregates in water, whose nanometric structures often reflect the chirality of the monomers in unexpected ways. Their twisted organization can be further propagated to the mesoscale, in chiral liquid crystalline phases, and even to the macroscale, where chiral, layered architectures contribute to the chromatic and mechanical properties of various plant, insect, and animal tissues. At all scales, the resulting organization is determined by a subtle balance among chiral and nonchiral interactions, whose understanding and fine-tuning is fundamental also for applications. We present recent advances in the chiral self-assembly and mesoscale ordering of biological and bioinspired molecules in water, focusing on systems based on nucleic acids or related aromatic molecules, oligopeptides, and their hybrid stuctures. We highlight the common features and key mechanisms governing this wide range of phenomena, together with novel characterization approaches.
Collapse
|
3
|
Tone CM, Zizzari A, Spina L, Bianco M, De Santo MP, Arima V, Barberi RC, Ciuchi F. Sunset Yellow Confined in Curved Geometry: A Microfluidic Approach. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:6134-6141. [PMID: 37072936 PMCID: PMC10157883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The behavior of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) in confined environments is an interesting research field that still awaits exploration, with multiple key variables to be uncovered and understood. Microfluidics is a highly versatile technique that allows us to confine LCLCs in micrometric spheres. As microscale networks offer distinct interplays between the surface effects, geometric confinement, and viscosity parameters, rich and unique interactions emerging at the LCLC-microfluidic channel interfaces are expected. Here, we report on the behavior of pure and chiral doped nematic Sunset Yellow (SSY) chromonic microdroplets produced through a microfluidic flow-focusing device. The continuous production of SSY microdroplets with controllable size gives the possibility to systematically study their topological textures as the function of their diameters. Indeed, doped SSY microdroplets produced via microfluidics, show topologies that are typical of common chiral thermotropic liquid crystals. Furthermore, few droplets exhibit a peculiar texture never observed for chiral chromonic liquid crystals. Finally, the achieved precise control of the produced LCLC microdroplets is a crucial step for technological applications in biosensing and anticounterfeiting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Maria Tone
- Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
- CNR-Nanotec, c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zizzari
- CNR NANOTEC - Institute of Nanotechnology, c/o Campus Ecotekne, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Lorenza Spina
- Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
- CNR-Nanotec, c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - Monica Bianco
- CNR NANOTEC - Institute of Nanotechnology, c/o Campus Ecotekne, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Penelope De Santo
- Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
- CNR-Nanotec, c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - Valentina Arima
- CNR NANOTEC - Institute of Nanotechnology, c/o Campus Ecotekne, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Riccardo Cristoforo Barberi
- Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
- CNR-Nanotec, c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - Federica Ciuchi
- CNR-Nanotec, c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li S, Zhou X, Zhu J, Du K, Du Y, Gao H. Local chiral inversion of chiral nematic liquid crystals in cylinders. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:034705. [PMID: 37073040 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.034705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
On the basis of Landau-de Gennes theory and the finite-difference iterative method, the autonomic modulation of chiral inversion in a cylindrical cavity with degenerate planar anchoring is investigated. Under the applied helical twisting power (inversely related to the pitch P), a chiral inversion can be achieved due to the nonplanar geometry effect, and the inversion capacity rises with the increase of the helical twisting power. The combined effect of the saddle-splay K_{24} contribution (corresponding to the L_{24} term in Landau-de Gennes theory) and the helical twisting power are analyzed. It is found that the chiral inversion is more strongly modulated on the condition that the chirality of spontaneous twist is opposite to that of applied helical twisting power. Further, larger values of K_{24} will induce larger modulation of the twist degree and smaller modulation of the inverted region. The autonomic modulation of chiral inversion shows great potential for chiral nematic liquid crystal materials to be used in smart devices, such as light-controlled switches and nanoparticle transporters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Li
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| | - Jiliang Zhu
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| | - Kaiyang Du
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| | - Yike Du
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| | - Han Gao
- School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, People Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kim W, Yoon DK. Electron microscopy analysis of soft materials with
freeze‐fracture
techniques. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.12647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wantae Kim
- Department of Chemistry Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Ki Yoon
- Department of Chemistry Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Nanocentry Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Intercalation or external binding: How to torque chromonic Sunset Yellow. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.119265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
7
|
Spherical Confinement of Chromonics: Effects of a Chiral Aminoacid. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12040619. [PMID: 35214948 PMCID: PMC8878752 DOI: 10.3390/nano12040619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Induced or spontaneous chirality in natural systems is an intriguing issue. In recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on chirality of chromonic liquid crystals, a class of materials that is able to self-assemble in columnar structures. However, the mechanism involved in the arising of chirality in these materials, that starts at the molecular level and controls the supramolecular structure, is poorly understood; however, it is certainly affected by ionic strength. In this work we present the results obtained doping Cromolyn, a chromonic material, with a strong helical-twisting-power peptide, and confining it in a spherical geometry. We demonstrate, by means of optical polarized microscopy and structural analysis, that both the geometrical constraint and the presence of the chiral dopant enhance the chiral effect; we also demonstrate that they favor the rise of a highly ordered helical superstructure, that may be optimized upon adding an ionic dye to the system. Finally, we report a procedure for the preparation of free-standing polymeric films, embedding and preserving the microspheres, and paving the way for the creation of biocompatible and eco-friendly optical devices to be used in the sensor and anticounterfeiting fields.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bosire R, Ndaya D, Kasi RM. Cholesteric mesophase based 1D photonic materials from self-assembly of liquid crystalline block and random terpolymers containing chromonic molecules. RSC Adv 2021; 11:14615-14623. [PMID: 35424004 PMCID: PMC8697838 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra00899d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the influence of competing self-organizing phenomena on the formation of cholesteric mesophase in liquid crystalline brush block terpolymers (LCBBTs) and liquid crystalline random brush terpolymers (LCRBTs) containing chromonic molecules. A library of LCBBTs and LCRBTs are synthesized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene side-chain functionalized monomers comprising cholesteryl mesogen (NBCh9), chromonic xanthenone (NBXan), and poly(ethylene glycol) (NBMPEG). Compression molded films of LCRBTs containing chromonic molecules display multilevel hierarchical structure in which cholesteric mesophase co-exists with π-π stacking of the chromonic mesophase along with PEG microphase segregated domains. This is unexpected as conventional LCBCPs and LCBBCs that lack chromonic molecules do not form cholesteric mesophases. The presence of π-π interactions modifies the interface at the IMDS so that both chromonic and cholesteric mesophases coexist leading to the manifestation of cholesteric phase for the first time within block architecture and is very reminiscent of previously published LCRBCs without chromonic molecules. The key to the observed hierarchical assembly in these LCBBTs containing chromonic molecules lies in the interplay of LC order, chromonic π-π stacking, PEG side chain microphase segregation, and their supramolecular cooperative motion. This unique "single component" polymer scaffold transforms our capacity to attain nanoscale hierarchies and optical properties from block architecture similar to nanoscale mesophases resulting in random architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reuben Bosire
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA
| | - Dennis Ndaya
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA
- Polymer Program, Institute of Material Science, University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA
| | - Rajeswari M Kasi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA
- Polymer Program, Institute of Material Science, University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Eun J, Cheon J, Kim SJ, Shin TJ, Jeong J. Lyotropic Chromonic Liquid Crystals and Their Impurities Reveal the Importance of the Position of Functional Groups in Self-Assembly. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:9246-9254. [PMID: 32960600 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We study the effect of purification and impurities on the self-assembly and phase behavior of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs). LCLC molecules in water stack to form aggregates; then, the elongated nanoaggregates align to make liquid crystalline phases. Utilizing multiple experimental techniques, we unveil impurities in commercial Sunset Yellow FCF (SSY), a representative LCLC, and how the precipitation-based purification promotes the formation of the aggregates and mesophase. We further explore the roles of intrinsic impurities, i.e., byproducts of the SSY synthesis, whose molecular structures are almost identical to that of SSY but differ only in the number and position of sulfonate groups. Combining quantum chemical calculations of molecular structures and experimental investigation of aggregate structures and phase behavior, we propose that the impurities of the planar shapes behave as planar SSY, i.e., participating in aggregate formation, whereas the nonplanar one disrupts the nematic phase. These results highlight the critical roles of the impurities and deepen our understanding of self-assembled aggregates and their aligned mesophases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonghee Eun
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyong Cheon
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Jo Kim
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Joo Shin
- UNIST Central Research Facilities & School of Natural Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonwoo Jeong
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bosire R, Ndaya D, Kasi RM. Recent progress in functional materials from lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals. POLYM INT 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pi.6113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Reuben Bosire
- Department of Chemistry University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
| | - Dennis Ndaya
- Department of Chemistry University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
| | - Rajeswari M Kasi
- Department of Chemistry University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Polymer Program, Institute of Material Science University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shiraishi K, Takahashi S, Le KV, Naka Y, Sasaki T. Bulk Alignment of Chromonic Aggregates During Swelling of Hydrogels. Macromol Rapid Commun 2020; 41:e1900631. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201900631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Koji Shiraishi
- Department of ChemistryFaculty of ScienceTokyo University of Science 1‐3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo 162‐8601 Japan
| | - Sawako Takahashi
- Department of ChemistryFaculty of ScienceTokyo University of Science 1‐3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo 162‐8601 Japan
| | - Khoa V. Le
- Department of ChemistryFaculty of ScienceTokyo University of Science 1‐3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo 162‐8601 Japan
| | - Yumiko Naka
- Department of ChemistryFaculty of ScienceTokyo University of Science 1‐3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo 162‐8601 Japan
| | - Takeo Sasaki
- Department of ChemistryFaculty of ScienceTokyo University of Science 1‐3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo 162‐8601 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Matus Rivas OM, Rey AD. Molecular Dynamics Study of the Effect of l-Alanine Chiral Dopants on Diluted Chromonic Solutions. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:8995-9010. [PMID: 31525883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b06111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) chromonic solutions mixed with l-alanine chiral dopants. We study the fundamental molecular mechanisms induced by low concentrations of l-alanine on diluted DSCG solutions, including their effect on the chromonic aggregates, the solvent, and sodium counterions. Simulations reveal that l-alanine molecules primarily interact with DSCG stacks establishing salt bridges between their respective ammonium and carboxylate groups. Our results demonstrate that l-alanine and sodium counterions jointly establish an intricate network of noncovalent interactions around DSCG aggregates that decreases the global electrostatic repulsion of the chromonic system. Two possible structural effects in DSCG aggregates arise from this electronic stabilization: the increment of the total number of consecutively stacked aromatic planes per DSCG aggregate (intracolumnar effect) or the partial separation reduction between neighboring DSCG columnar sections due to the simultaneous bridging of intercolumnar DSCG carboxylate sites by sodium counterions, forming sodium bridges (intercolumnar effect). Sodium bridges may be responsible for the formation of stacking faults in DSCG aggregates in the form of lateral overlap junctions. This mechanism would explain the difference between lower X-ray correlation lengths with the expected persistence length in chromonics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar M Matus Rivas
- Department of Chemical Engineering , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec H3A 0C5 , Canada
| | - Alejandro D Rey
- Department of Chemical Engineering , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec H3A 0C5 , Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lee H, Sunkara V, Cho YK, Jeong J. Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) on the wetting behavior and director configuration of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals confined in cylinders. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:6127-6133. [PMID: 31290906 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00927b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the effects of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) doping on nematic lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) confined in a cylindrical cavity. First, PEG added to Sunset Yellow (SSY) renders confining glass surfaces nemato-phobic by adsorption. We also confirm that the grafting of PEG to bare glass surfaces changes them from nemato-philic to nemato-phobic. This change in the wetting behavior affects how nematic director configurations form and relax. Additionally, we observe that PEG-doped nematic SSY retains the double-twist director configuration as in the PEG-free case. However, the PEG-doped nematic SSY is accompanied by unprecedented domain-wall-like defects and heterogeneity in the director configuration. We propose multiple hypotheses on how PEG changes the director configuration, including the formation of meta-stable director configurations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyesong Lee
- Department of Physics, School of Natural Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
| | - Vijaya Sunkara
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon-Kyoung Cho
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea and Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonwoo Jeong
- Department of Physics, School of Natural Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea. and Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Eun J, Kim SJ, Jeong J. Effects of chiral dopants on double-twist configurations of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals in a cylindrical cavity. Phys Rev E 2019; 100:012702. [PMID: 31499771 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.100.012702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigate how chiral dopants affect the chiral symmetry breaking of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) focusing on the double-twist (DT) director configurations in a cylindrical capillary. LCLCs of unusual elastic properties tend to exhibit chiral director configurations under confinement despite the absence of intrinsic chirality. The DT director configuration in a cylindrical cavity with a degenerate planar anchoring, resulting from the large saddle-splay-to-twist elastic modulus ratio, is a representative example. Here we start by reexamining the DT configuration of nematic disodium cromoglycate in a cylindrical capillary and estimate the ratio of saddle splay to bend modulus K_{24}/K_{3}=0.5±0.1. Additionally, we study the DT configurations of the chiral nematic LCLCs with chiral dopants. The DT configuration becomes homochiral when the dopant concentration surpasses the critical concentration. We characterize these chiral DT configurations and provide a theoretical model on their energetics. Finally, we observe how the enantiomeric excess of chiral dopants determines the director configuration when dopants of two different handednesses are mixed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonghee Eun
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Jo Kim
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonwoo Jeong
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Shadpour S, Vanegas JP, Nemati A, Hegmann T. Amplification of Chirality by Adenosine Monophosphate-Capped Luminescent Gold Nanoclusters in Nematic Lyotropic Chromonic Liquid Crystal Tactoids. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:1662-1668. [PMID: 31459422 PMCID: PMC6648145 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Amplification of chirality across length scales is a key concept pertinent to many models aiming to unravel the origin of homochirality. Tactoids of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals formed by DNA, dyes, and other flat ionic molecules in water in the biphasic nematic + isotropic regime turn out to be a particularly relevant system to investigate chirality transfer and amplification. Herein, we present experiments to determine the amplification of chirality by luminescent gold nanoclusters decorated with adenosine monophosphate inducing chiral nematic tactoids formed by disodium cromoglycate in water. Polarized optical microscopy investigations of the induced homochiral tactoids reveal that adenosine monophosphate shows a higher optical activity when bound to the surface of such gold nanoclusters in comparison to free adenosine monophosphate, despite a three-time lower overall concentration. Free adenosine monophosphate also induces the opposite chiral twist both in the bulk nematic phase as shown by induced thin film circular dichroism spectropolarimetry and in the tactoids in comparison to adenosine monophosphate bound to the gold nanocluster. Overall, these experiments demonstrate that lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal tactoids are powerful systems to image and quantify chirality amplification by key biological chiral molecules that would have played a role in the origin of homochirality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sasan Shadpour
- Chemical
Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and
Liquid Crystal Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Julie P. Vanegas
- Chemical
Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and
Liquid Crystal Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Ahlam Nemati
- Chemical
Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and
Liquid Crystal Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| | - Torsten Hegmann
- Chemical
Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Advanced Materials and
Liquid Crystal Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ogolla T, Paley RS, Collings PJ. Temperature dependence of the pitch in chiral lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals. SOFT MATTER 2018; 15:109-115. [PMID: 30534734 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm02091d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
One of the most simple cases in which chirality at the microscopic level produces a chiral macroscopic structure is the chiral nematic liquid crystal phase. In such a phase, the preferred direction of molecular orientation rotates in helical fashion, with the pitch of the helix in different systems ranging from around 100 nm to as large as can be measured (∼10 mm). For almost all thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals, the ordered entities are formed from strong bonds, so the pitch varies in accordance with how the interactions between these largely immutable entities are affected by changing conditions. A unique exception are lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) that spontaneously form weakly bound assemblies in solution, the size of which depends strongly on experimental parameters. While the temperature dependence of the pitch has been measured for chiral LCLCs formed by short strands of DNA (DNA-LCLCs), such is not the case for chiral LCLCs formed by small molecules. Polarized optical microscopy experiments on small molecule chiral LCLCs reveal the changing assembly size through a temperature dependence of the pitch not typical for many other systems, including the most recent measurements on DNA-LCLCs. In fact, the pitch measurements in small molecule chiral LCLCs strongly increase in value as the temperature is increased and the assemblies shrink in size. Theoretical considerations provide some help in understanding this phenomena, but leave much to be explained.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Ogolla
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA. and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | - Robert S Paley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | - Peter J Collings
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA. and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ibanez ACS, Marji E, Luk YY. Cromoglycate mesogen forms isodesmic assemblies promoted by peptides and induces aggregation of a range of proteins. RSC Adv 2018; 8:29598-29606. [PMID: 35547307 PMCID: PMC9085300 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra05226c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Disodium cromoglycate (5′DSCG) belongs to a class of nonamphiphilic molecules that form nematic chromonic liquid crystals in aqueous solutions. As the concentration increases, it is believed that the molecules first form isodesmic assemblies in water, which further align to form liquid crystal phases. However, the reports on isodesmic assemblies of 5′DSCG have been scarce. Herein, we show that the presence of peptides can promote the isodesmic assembly of 5′DSCG over a broad range of concentrations before reaching the liquid crystal phase. The presence of peptides can lower the 5′DSCG concentration in the aqueous solution to ∼1.5 wt% (from 11–12 wt%, forming a nematic liquid crystal phase) for isodesmic assembly formation. This result indicates a demixing between 5′DSCG and peptides in aqueous solution. We further explored this demixing mechanism to precipitate a wide range of proteins, namely, lectin A, esterase, lipase, bovine serum albumin, trypsin, and a pilin protein from bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We found that 5′DSCG caused the aggregation of all these proteins except trypsin. These results, along with past findings, suggest that 5′DSCG isodesmic assemblies have the potential to assist in protein purification and crystallization. 5′DSCG molecules form isodesmic assembly in the presence of peptides, and cause a wide range of proteins to aggregate.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elaine Marji
- Chemistry Department
- Syracuse University
- Syracuse
- USA
| | | |
Collapse
|