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Fine SG, Branovsky SE, Chazot CAC. Structural Color Out of the Blue: A Quantitative Framework for the Self-Assembly Kinetics of Cholesteric Cellulosic Mesophases. Biomacromolecules 2024. [PMID: 38949966 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Cholesteric mesophases based on cellulose ethers, such as ethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose, have been studied widely for their remarkable ability to display macroscopic structural color. However, the typical time scales involved in the multiscale self-assembly of cholesteric liquid crystals, from individual nanoscale helical arrangements to discrete microscopic domains, and their dependence on the gel's viscoelastic properties remain underexplored. Here, we establish a quantitative relationship between the kinetics of structural color formation after shear deformation and cholesteric order development at the nano- and microscales. Utilizing rheology in tandem with static and time-resolved reflectivity measurements, we underscore the strong influence of polymer diffusivity and chain elasticity on self-assembly kinetics in cholesteric cellulose ether gels. We show that our phenomenological model can be employed to assess the structure-property relationships of multiple polysaccharide systems, elucidating key design guidelines for the development and processing of structurally colored cholesteric mesophases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona G Fine
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Sara E Branovsky
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Cécile A C Chazot
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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Xu YT, Ackroyd AJ, Momeni A, Oudah M, MacLachlan MJ. Magnetic field-responsive graphene oxide photonic liquids. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2024; 9:317-323. [PMID: 38196394 DOI: 10.1039/d3nh00412k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Modifying the environment around particles (e.g., introducing a secondary phase or external field) can affect the way they interact and assemble, thereby giving control over the physical properties of a dynamic system. Here, graphene oxide (GO) photonic liquids that respond to a magnetic field are demonstrated for the first time. Magnetic nanoparticles are used to provide a continuous magnetizable liquid environment around the GO liquid crystalline domains. In response to a magnetic field, the alignment of magnetic nanoparticles, coupled with the diamagnetic property of GO nanosheets, drives the reorientation and alignment of the nanosheets, enabling switchable photonic properties using a permanent magnet. This phenomenon is anticipated to be extendable to other relevant photonic systems of shape-anisotropic nanoparticles and may open up opportunities for developing GO-based optical materials and devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tao Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - Amanda J Ackroyd
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - Arash Momeni
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - Mohamed Oudah
- Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, 2355 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Mark J MacLachlan
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
- Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, 2355 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
- Bioproducts Institute, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
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