Reentrant 2D Nanostructured Liquid Crystals by Competition between Molecular Packing and Conformation: Potential Design for Multistep Switching of Ionic Conductivity. Issue 8 (23rd January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hamaguchi, Kazuma; Lu, Huanjun; Okamura, Shota; Kajiyama, Satoshi; Uchida, Junya; Sato, Shunsuke; Watanabe, Go; Ishii, Yoshiki; Washizu, Hitoshi; Ungar, Goran; Kato, Takashi
• Is Part Of: Chemphyschem. Volume 24:Issue 8(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2023-01-23
• Subjects: liquid crystals -- molecular dynamics -- nanostructures -- reentrant phase transition -- self-assembly; Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; 541.05
• DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200927
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-4235

Abstract

Abstract: Reentrant phenomena in soft matter and biosystems have attracted considerable attention because their properties are closely related to high functionality. Here, we report a combined experimental and computational study on the self‐assembly and reentrant behavior of a single‐component thermotropic smectic liquid crystal toward the realization of dynamically functional materials. We have designed and synthesized a mesogenic molecule consisting of an alicyclic trans, trans ‐bicyclohexyl mesogen and a polar cyclic carbonate group connected by a flexible tetra(oxyethylene) spacer. The molecule exhibits an unprecedented sequence of layered smectic phases, in the order: smectic A‐smectic B‐reentrant smectic A. Electron density profiles and large‐scale molecular dynamics simulations indicate that competition between the stacking of bicyclohexyl mesogens and the conformational flexibility of tetra(oxyethylene) chains induces this unusual reentrant behavior. Ion‐conductive reentrant liquid‐crystalline materials have been developed, which undergo the multistep conductivity changes in response to temperature. The reentrant liquid crystals have potential as new mesogenic materials exhibiting switching functions. Abstract : 2D nanostructured reentrant liquid crystals exhibit smectic A‐smectic B‐smectic A phase sequences by competition between the molecular packing of alicyclic bicyclohexyl mesogens and the conformation of flexible tetra(oxyethylene) chains. This reentrant behavior allows the development of liquid‐crystalline nanostructured ion‐conductors that undergo multistep conductivity changes in response to temperature.