Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026
12:21
Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
Published on: February 6, 2016
13.5K
Polymer functionalized nanoparticles in liquid crystals: combining PDLCs with LC nanocomposites
Safiya Allie1, Ignacio Hegoburu, Min Jeong Shin
1Quebec Centre for Advanced Materials, Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal QC H3A 0B8, Canada. linda.reven@mcgill.ca.
Soft Matter
|October 16, 2018
Summary
This study compares polymer and nanoparticle-polymer blends in liquid crystals (LCs). Both systems exhibit phase separation and induce alignment, with nanoparticle-polymer blends forming unique, reversible networks.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Liquid crystal (LC)-polymer blends are stimuli-responsive materials.
- Nanoparticle (NP)-LC blends represent an emerging class of nanocomposites.
- Polymer ligands offer tunable properties for NP functionalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the phase behavior of 5CB liquid crystal blended with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and gold NPs functionalized with PEO (AuNP-PEO).
- To investigate the influence of PEO concentration on blend properties.
- To analyze the self-assembly and alignment characteristics induced by these blends.
Main Methods:
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for thermal analysis.
- Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM) for phase visualization.
- 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for structural elucidation.
Main Results:
- Both PEO and AuNP-PEO disperse uniformly in isotropic 5CB and phase separate below the I-N transition.
- Above PEO crystallization temperature, PEO/5CB blends show biphasic states.
- PEO and AuNP-PEO induce homeotropic alignment of the 5CB matrix below the nematic-isotropic transition temperature (TNI).
- AuNP-PEO/5CB blends form thermally reversible cellular networks.
Conclusions:
- Polymer ligands on nanoparticles influence the phase behavior and network formation in LC-nanocomposites.
- The findings provide insights into the design of advanced stimuli-responsive materials.
- A thermodynamic model was developed to explain the observed phase behavior.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:16Combining Functions
241
Functions can be combined to form new mathematical models that describe interactions between variables. These combinations are fundamental in understanding relationships between changing quantities and are commonly encountered in scientific and engineering contexts. The combination methods—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and composition—each have unique implications for the resulting function’s domain and behavior.When combining functions through arithmetic...
241
02:34Polymers
40.9K
The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
40.9K
02:34Polymers
23.3K
23.3K
02:42Ionic Crystal Structures
17.0K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
17.0K
01:25Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization
5.0K
Crystallization is a phase transformation process in which crystals are precipitated from a supersaturated solution or formed from other sources. During crystallization, atoms or molecules arrange themselves into a well-defined, rigid crystal lattice to minimize energy.
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent...
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent...
5.0K
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
30.8K
Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
30.8K