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10:35
Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Complex multicolor tilings and critical phenomena in tetraphilic liquid crystals.
Xiangbing Zeng1, Robert Kieffer, Benjamin Glettner
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 12, 2011
Summary
Adding incompatible side chains to T-shaped molecules creates complex liquid crystal honeycombs with multiple cell compositions. A reversible transition between phase-separated and mixed honeycomb phases was observed, analogous to magnetic transitions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
- Crystallography
Background:
- T-shaped molecules form liquid crystal honeycombs with aromatic cores and flexible side chains.
- These structures exhibit aromatic cell walls and side chain-filled interiors.
- Previous studies focused on simpler molecular architectures.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of adding a second, incompatible side chain (X-shaped molecules) to T-shaped liquid crystal systems.
- Explore the formation of complex tiling patterns and varying cell compositions.
- Characterize the observed thermoreversible phase transitions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of T-shaped and X-shaped molecules.
- Liquid crystal phase behavior analysis using microscopy and thermal methods.
- Structural analysis of honeycomb patterns and cell compositions.
Main Results:
- Addition of X-shaped molecules induced complex honeycomb tiling with up to five distinct cell compositions ('colors') and polygonal shapes.
- Geometric frustration between incompatible side chains prevented clean phase separation, leading to complexity.
- A thermoreversible transition was observed between a multicolor (phase-separated) and a single-color (mixed) honeycomb phase.
Conclusions:
- Incompatible side chains in liquid crystals can lead to intricate self-assembled structures with emergent complexity.
- The observed phase transition is analogous to the Curie transition in magnetic systems, driven by molecular reorientations.
- This work expands the understanding of self-assembly in soft matter and frustrated systems.
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