Gemini Thermotropic Smectic Liquid Crystals for Two-Dimensional Nanostructured Water-Treatment Membranes

We have developed a two-dimensional (2D) liquid-crystalline (LC) nanostructured water-treatment membrane showing high virus rejection ability (over 99.99997% for bacteriophage Qβ) and improved water permeation. Polymerizable gemini amphiphiles have been designed and synthesized. They have H-shaped gemini-type structures of thermotropic smectic liquid crystals composed of cationic imidazolium moieties. One of the gemini amphiphiles shows a smectic A phase with an interdigitated bilayer structure. A cross-linked self-standing 2D nanostructured polymer film has been obtained by in situ photopolymerization of the gemini amphiphile in the smectic phase. The length of linkers in gemini amphiphiles affects the formation of LC phases. The 2D nanostructured membrane also showed selective salt rejection.