Synthesis and properties of organic–inorganic hybrid liquid crystal gels

Naofumi Naga, Ayaka Okada, Yuka Satoh, Hidemitsu Furukawa, Takahiro Yamamoto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Organic–inorganic hybrid liquid crystal (LC) gels have been synthesised by the thiol-ene reaction of a multifunctional cyclic siloxane, 1,3,5,7-tetravinyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TVMCTS) and alkane dithiols, 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT) or 1,9-decanedithiol (DDT), in LC matrices, 4-cyano-4ʹ-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) or 4′-n-octyl-4-cyano-biphenyl (8CB). The LC gels were prepared in an isotropic phase at 70°C or mesophases at 25°C using radical initiators. The phase transition temperatures from a mesophase to an isotropic phase of the resulting gels were lower than those of the original LCs. The gels containing 8CB (8CB gels) prepared at 25°C showed two phase transitions: smectic-to-nematic and nematic-to-isotropic transitions. By contrast, the 8CB gels synthesised in the isotropic phase showed only one phase transition from smectic phase directly to isotropic phase. Reaction conversions in the LC gels prepared at 70°C were higher than that in the gels prepared at 25°C. Scanning microscopic light scattering analysis of the LC gels cleared homogeneous small size mesh with a small amount of large defect. Polarisation micrographs of the LC gels showed framed optical textures derived from the LC molecules at room temperature. The LC gels containing more than 90 wt% of LC showed electro-optic response.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1616-1625
Number of pages10
JournalLiquid Crystals
Volume43
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016 Sept 1

Keywords

  • Organic–inorganic hybrid liquid crystal gel
  • electro-optic response
  • phase transition temperature
  • thiol-ene reaction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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