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Zhang Y, Li DQ, Yang CX, Xiong ZW, Tohti M, Zhang YQ, Chen HJ, Li J. Polymerization strategy for cellulose nanocrystals-based photonic crystal films with water resisting property. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 265:130793. [PMID: 38503368 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can form a liquid crystal film with a chiral nematic structure by evaporative-induced self-assembly (EISA). It has attracted much attention as a new class of photonic liquid crystal material because of its intrinsic, unique structural characteristics, and excellent optical properties. However, the CNCs-based photonic crystal films are generally prepared via the physical crosslinking strategy, which present water sensitivity. Here, we developed CNCs-g-PAM photonic crystal film by combining free radical polymerization and EISA. FT-IR, SEM, POM, XRD, TG-DTG, and UV-Vis techniques were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties and microstructure of the as-prepared films. The CNCs-g-PAM films showed a better thermo-stability than CNCs-based film. Also, the mechanical properties were significantly improved, viz., the elongation at break was 9.4 %, and tensile strength reached 18.5 Mpa, which was a much better enhancement than CNCs-based film. More importantly, the CNCs-g-PAM films can resist water dissolution for more than 24 h, which was impossible for the CNCs-based film. The present study provided a promising strategy to prepare CNCs-based photonic crystal film with high flexibility, water resistance, and optical properties for applications such as decoration, light management, and anti-counterfeiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - De-Qiang Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China.
| | - Cai-Xia Yang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - Zi-Wei Xiong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - Maryamgul Tohti
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - Yu-Qing Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - Hong-Jie Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China
| | - Jun Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830052, China.
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Vita F, Adamo FC, Campana M, Bordokas B, Ciuchi F, De Santo MP, Hermida-Merino D, Lisovsky A, Pisani M, Pontoni D, Scharrer E, Francescangeli O. Macroscopic Biaxial Order in Multilayer Films of Bent-Core Liquid Crystals Deposited by Combined Langmuir-Blodgett/Langmuir-Schaefer Technique. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:357. [PMID: 38392730 PMCID: PMC10892925 DOI: 10.3390/nano14040357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Bent-core liquid crystals, a class of mesogenic compounds with non-linear molecular structures, are well known for their unconventional mesophases, characterized by complex molecular (and supramolecular) ordering and often featuring biaxial and polar properties. In the nematic phase, their unique behavior is manifested in the formation of nano-sized biaxial clusters of layered molecules (cybotactic groups). While this prompted their consideration in the quest for nematic biaxiality, experimental evidence indicates that the cybotactic order is only short-ranged and that the nematic phase is macroscopically uniaxial. By combining atomic force microscopy, neutron reflectivity and wide-angle grazing-incidence X-ray scattering, here, we demonstrate that multilayer films of a bent-core nematic, deposited on silicon by a combined Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer approach, exhibit macroscopic in-plane ordering, with the long molecular axis tilted with respect to the sample surface and the short molecular axis (i.e., the apex bisector) aligned along the film compression direction. We thus propose the use of Langmuir films as an effective way to study and control the complex anchoring properties of bent-core liquid crystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Vita
- Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (F.C.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Fabrizio Corrado Adamo
- Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (F.C.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Mario Campana
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK;
| | - Blake Bordokas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, USA; (B.B.); (A.L.); (E.S.)
| | - Federica Ciuchi
- CNR-Nanotec c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, Cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.D.S.)
| | - Maria Penelope De Santo
- CNR-Nanotec c/o Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, Cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.D.S.)
- Physics Department, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, Cubo 31C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Daniel Hermida-Merino
- DUBBLE@ESRF BP CS40220, 38043 Grenoble, France;
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriais e Biomedicina (CINBIO), Universidade de Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, E36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Angela Lisovsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, USA; (B.B.); (A.L.); (E.S.)
| | - Michela Pisani
- Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (F.C.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Diego Pontoni
- ESRF—The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38043 Grenoble, France;
| | - Eric Scharrer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, USA; (B.B.); (A.L.); (E.S.)
| | - Oriano Francescangeli
- Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (F.C.A.); (M.P.)
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Wang K, Hu W, He W, Yang Z, Cao H, Wang D, Li Y. Research Progress of Electrically Driven Multi-Stable Cholesteric Liquid Crystals. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 17:136. [PMID: 38203989 PMCID: PMC10779722 DOI: 10.3390/ma17010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals can be used to adjust the transmittance of incident light. Compared with the traditional liquid crystal optical devices, the multi-stable devices only apply an electric field during switching and do not require a continuous electric field to maintain the various optical states of the device. Therefore, the multi-stable devices have low energy consumption and have become a research focus for researchers. However, the multi-stable devices still have shortcomings before practical application, such as contrast, switching time, and mechanical strength. In this article, the latest research progress on electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals is reviewed, including electrically driven multi-stable modes, performance optimization, and applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals are discussed in anticipation of contributing to the development of multi-stable liquid crystal devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wanli He
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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