Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal composites for bio-applications: thermotropic,surface and optical properties

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) systems based on polysulfone as carrying matrix and 4-cyano-4?-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal (LC) were obtained as thin transparent films. The PDLC films were prepared by solvent- and thermally induced phase separation methods, with various compositions in the two components. Information on the phase separation was obtained by polarised light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The PDLC composites show well-defined droplets of submicrometric size, around 650 nm for a medium content of LC and around 250 nm for a low one. The droplets show a radial configuration and a homeotropic alignment of the LC molecules within. By contact angle measurement and surface free energy calculations, it was established that self-assembling of aliphatic units of the two composite components, at droplet interface, is the driving force of the homeotropic alignment. Moreover, these data indicated the potential biocompatibility of the studied composites. The photophysical behaviour shows a better light emission of the PDLCs containing bigger droplets.     

Evaluation of Thermal and Analytical Properties of Two Liquid Crystals in Capillary GC

Comparative gas chromatographic applications of two new liquid crystals were investigated. The characterization of the two mesogenic compounds was performed with ¹H NMR and mass spectrometry. The thermal properties were established by differential scanning calorimetry. The optical characterization of the liquid crystal was made by using polarizing optical microscopy. The chromatographic separation abilities of the mesogenic compounds were studied using fused silica capillary columns. Interesting analytical performances were obtained notably in the separation of volatile aroma compounds and derivatives phenols.     

Comparison of Analytical Properties of Two Liquid Crystalline Stationary Phases by Capillary GC

Two related novel liquid crystals used as gas chromatographic stationary phases were evaluated for their analytical properties and separation capabilities, 2-(1-ethyloctyloxy)-4-(4′-(4-butoxybenzoyloxy)-benzoyloxy)-4′-ethyl-azobenzene (LCC) and azo-(4-ethylbenzyl)-3-(2-(1-ethyloctyloxy)-4-(4-(4-butyloxybenzoyloxy)benzoyloxy)pyridino (LCN). The thermal properties of LCC and LCN were established with differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing microscopy. The comparative study of the retention behavior for the both liquid crystals was also reported. The study of the chromatographic performance of a column coated with liquid crystals in the solid, nematic and liquid state was done using a series of appropriate solutes. The mesogenic compounds exhibit interesting separation for some positional and geometrical isomers in aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, volatile aromatic compounds and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.     

Miscibility of semirigid thermotropic liquid crystalline polycarbonate with poly(vinyl chloride)

Miscibility and morphology of polymer blends of semirigid thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) polycarbonate (LCPC) with three commercial amorphous poly(vinyl chloride)s (PVC) having various molecular weights were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). No phase separation was observed in the LCPC/PVC polymer blends. LCPC forms miscible polymer blends with the PVCs independent of molecular weight. The dynamic storage modulus of the LCPC/PVC polymer blends changes systematically with blend composition.     

Main-chain biodegradable liquid crystal based on cholesteryl end-capped polycarbonate copolymers

Main-chain biodegradable liquid crystal (LC) based on cholesteryl end-capped polycarbonate copolymers was investigated. The novel LC was synthesised through ring-opening copolymerisation of trimethylene carbonate with ε-caprolactone (CL) initiated by cholesterol, without adding any catalyst. The chemical structure of the resulting polymers was confirmed by ¹H NMR. The liquid crystalline properties were validated by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and polarising optical microscopy. The results showed that the synthesised polycarbonate copolymers Chol-(TMCL)x + y exhibited liquid crystallinity in particular temperature ranges because of the incorporation of the cholesterol moieties. Furthermore, the effect of CL content on the mesomorphism properties of Chol-(TMCL)_x+y was also investigated; the higher the CL content, the lower the mesomorphism properties. It might be attributed to the hindered orientation of LC caused by the crystallinity of the poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) segments in the polymer chain.     

含液晶基团的聚对亚苯基亚乙炔基类交替共聚物的合成、表征及性能研究

合成了两种含氰基联苯液晶基团的新型聚对亚苯基亚乙炔基(PPE)类交替共聚物,并对其进行了结构表征和性能研究.示差扫描量热仪(DSC)和偏光显微镜(POM)的结果证明了在液晶单元含量较大时聚合物才会出现明显的液晶形态.荧光光谱表明,在降温前后液晶聚合物的发光光谱发生了明显的变化.同时,对聚合物进行能量转移研究发现随着溶液浓度的增加,Frster能量转移更加完全;另外,利用原子力显微镜(AFM)对聚合物降温前后的形态变化进行了观察.结果表明,液晶性质可以导致聚合物形态的变化进而带来发光光谱的改变,为今后制备液晶可控型发光聚合物提供了理论依据.     

Cure kinetics of liquid crystalline epoxy resins based on biphenyl mesogen

The cure kinetics of a biphenyl-based liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin (LCER) was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy. The effects of LC phase formation on the cure kinetics were investigated. Both a model-free isoconversional method and a model-fitting method were used to analyze the DSC data. Results from the isoconversional analysis were applied to develop tentative multi-step kinetic models describing the curing reaction. Kinetic analysis showed that compared to the resins cured in amorphous phase, LCERs exhibited higher values of reaction enthalpy and a complex dependence of activation energy on the degree of cure. The formation of the LC phase resulted in a decrease in activation energy, leading to higher degree of reaction.     

Restudy of the unusual phase behavior of the mesogen-jacketed liquid crystal polymers

1 Introduction Liquid crystals (LC) are a state of order between crystals and liquids. They have imperfect long range orders of orientation and position. Thus, they can be fluid like a liquid and they can have anisotropic prop-erties like crystals. For th…     

壳聚糖液晶溶液的性能

制备了聚糖液晶溶液,并采用偏光显微镜(POM)、流变仪、差示扫描量热仪(DSC)等分别对液晶织构、黏度、相转变性能进行了研究.结果表明:壳聚糖呈现典型的胆甾相液晶织构;其溶液黏度随浓度及剪切力的变化规律符合高分子液晶溶液的变化规律;在DSC升、降温曲线上分别存在吸热峰和放热峰.     

Curing behavior and kinetics of epoxy resins cured with liquid crystalline curing agent

This article describes the synthesis of a liquid crystalline curing agent 4,4′-bis-(4-amine-butyloxy)-biphenyl (BABB), and its application as a curing agent for the epoxy resin (DGEBA) in comparison with normal curing agent, 4,4′-diaminobiphenyl (DABP). BABB was investigated with polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small-angle X-ray scatting, and the results showed that BABB displayed smectic liquid crystalline phase. The curing behaviors of DGEBA cured with BABB and DABP were studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results indicated that BABB showed a higher chemical reactivity than DABP. The kinetics was studied under isothermal conditions using an isoconversional method, and the isothermal DSC data can be fitted reasonably by an autocatalytic curing model. The nematic droplet texture was observed for the resulting polymer network of DGEBA/BABB system, while the DGEBA/DABP system showed an isotropic state. The storage modulus of DGEBA/BABB system was enhanced in comparison with DGEBA/DABP system because of the formation of LC phase, whereas the glass transition temperatures decreased because of the introduction of flexible spacer group.     

From Mesomorphic Phosphine Oxide to Clustomesogens Containing Molybdenum and Tungsten Octahedral Cluster Cores

New clustomesogens (i.e., metal atom clusters containing liquid crystalline (LC) materials) have been obtained by grafting neutral cyanobiphenyl (CB)‐ or cholesteryl‐containing tailor‐made dendritic mesomorphic triphenylphosphine oxide ligands on luminescent (M₆Clⁱ₈)⁴⁺ octahedral cluster cores (M=Mo, W). The LC properties were studied by a combination of polarizing optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X‐ray powder diffraction analyses. While the organic ligands showed various mesophase types ranging from nematic, SmA columnar (SmA_Col), SmA, and SmC phases, it turned out that the corresponding clustomesogens formed layered phases (SmA) over a wide range of temperatures that depend on the nature and density of mesogenic groups employed. Intrinsic luminescence properties of the cluster precursors are preserved over the entire range of LC phase existence.     

Symmetric 3,5-pyrazole and isoxazole heterocycles comprising a bent core unit: synthesis and mesomorphic characterisation

The synthesis and characterisation of some new liquid crystalline (LC) heteroaromatic compounds containing the five-membered pyrazole/isoxazole rings is reported. Some of the compounds exhibited enantiotropic LC properties. The transition temperatures and LC textures of the mesophases were determined using polarised optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray studies. The five-membered heterocyclic compounds with the pyrazole core exhibit smectic C (SmC) phase, whereas isoxazoles show SmC and nematic (N) phases.     

An investigation of the synthesis of chiral LCs based on the [1,2,3]-triazole ring

The design and synthesis of chiral liquid crystalline compounds based on the [1,2,3]-triazole heterocycle using the click chemistry modular approach is presented. The target compounds showed LC phases of type SmA, SmC* and helical N* (cholesteric). Mesomorphic behaviour was determined by polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Contact experiments indicated a right-handed helix for the macrostructure of the cholesteric phase.     

An investigation of the synthesis of chiral LCs based on the [1,2,3]‐triazole ring

The design and synthesis of chiral liquid crystalline compounds based on the [1,2,3]‐triazole heterocycle using the click chemistry modular approach is presented. The target compounds showed LC phases of type SmA, SmC* and helical N* (cholesteric). Mesomorphic behaviour was determined by polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Contact experiments indicated a right‐handed helix for the macrostructure of the cholesteric phase.     

Synthesis and properties of reactive liquid crystal monomers and side-chain liquid crystalline polymers

Two nematic liquid crystal (LC) monomers containing double bonds in the side chain were designed and synthesised. Length of the side groups varied from 1 to 2 methylene units. The side-chain polymers were synthesised by hydrosilylation reaction. The molecular structures of the intermediates and the LC monomers were characterised by Fourier transform infrared, elemental analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The thermal phase behaviour of the monomers and polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polar optical microscopy coupled with hot stage. The LC monomers showed only one nematic mesophase in the cooling process. And, the two polymers exhibit an enantiotroppic nematic mesophase either in the heating or in the cooling process.     

Organization of four thermotropic liquid crystals of different polarities on model liquid and solid surfaces

The thermodynamic and surface properties of four structurally related thermotropic liquid crystals (LC) were investigated to understand their organization at gas-liquid and gas-solid interfaces. In this study, LC with a benzoyloxy azobenzene mesogenic core substituted with heptyloxy and/or dioxyethylene ether groups were used. The propensity of the LC to form self-assembled multilayers was demonstrated in the films spread at the air/aqueous interface using the Langmuir technique and Brewster angle microscopy and on the solid surfaces of Chromosorb WHP and silica, using differential scanning calorimetry. On the basis of the results obtained, a molecular recognition mechanism underlying separation processes using LC as selectors in gas chromatography is proposed.     

A novel method for encapsulation of a liquid crystal in monodisperse micron-sized polymer particles

Liquid crystals (LCs) encapsulated in monodisperse micron-sized polymer particles were prepared to control the size and size distribution of LC droplets in polymer-dispersed LCs. The poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) seed particles were swollen with the mixture of liquid crystal, monomers (methyl methacrylate and styrene) and initiator by using a diffusion-controlled swelling method. A single LC domain was produced by the phase separation between PMMA and LC through polymerization. The optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the particles are highly monodisperse with core–shell structure. Moreover, monodisperse LC core domains were confirmed from polarized optical microscope observations. The final particle morphology was influenced by the cross-linking of the seed particle. When linear PMMA particles, which are not cross-linked, were used as a seed, the microcapsules were distorted after annealing for a few days; however, in the case of cross-linked PMMA particles, the core–shell structure was sustained stably after annealing. Received: 22 November 2000 Accepted: 12 March 2001     

Gas chromatographic properties of two thermotropic Poly(L-glutamates) with long alkyl side chains

Summary Comparative gas chromatographic properties of two thermotropic Poly(L-glutamates) with long alkyl side chains (10 and 16 carbons called Poly 10 and Poly 16 respectively) are studied.Their thermal properties were established with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gas chromatography. They present a cholesteric liquid crystal in a large temperature range.The chromatographic separation abilities of the two polymers in the liquid crystal state were studied using capillary glass columns. Interesting analytical performances were obtained in different fields: isomeric separation of alkanes, aromatics, polyaromatics, volatile aroma compounds and cis and trans isomers. Some differences were noticed in their behaviours; 2 and 3-methyloctane and xylene isomers are separated only on Poly 10 while limonene and eucalyptol are separated only on Poly 16.     

新型苯甲酸-吡啶超分子液晶的合成: 全氟烃基和介晶体刚性 对液晶性的影响

报道了4-正烷氧基苯甲酸和4-正全氟己基苯甲酸分别与吡啶衍生物3a, 3b通过分子间氢键形成的超分子液晶化合物的合成和热致液晶性. 目标超分子液晶化合物的介晶性和氢键的缔合通过热台偏光显微镜, 差示扫描量热法, 核磁和红外光谱进行了研究. 结果显示: 吡啶衍生物3a, 3b不具有液晶性. 4-正烷氧基苯甲酸与吡啶衍生物3a, 3b形成的复合物4a和4b具有向列相和近晶C相, 而4-全氟己基苯甲酸与吡啶衍生物3a, 3b形成的复合物6a, 6b则呈现多个近晶相. 4a-n系列化合物比4b-n系列具有更高的熔点和清亮点, 而4b-n系列存在明显的奇偶效应. 红外光谱证实了羧基与吡啶基之间存在氢键.     

New side chain cholesterol-functionalised aliphatic polycarbonate copolymer: synthesis and phase behaviour

A new side cholesterol-functionalised liquid crystal (LC) copolymer based on aliphatic polycarbonate backbone was synthesised. The chemical structures of the block copolymers obtained in this study were characterised with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR) spectra. Their thermal stability and phase behaviours were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and polarising optical microscopy. The molecular organisation in the mesophase was studied by temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction (XRD). As a result, the block copolymer bearing side cholesteryl groups showed a glass transition at 15.8°C and a smectic A (SmA) to isotropic phase transition at 151.3°C on heating cycle. XRD indicated that the block LC copolymer showed an interdigitated molecular arrangement of the mesogenic units within the smectic layers. This partial bilayer structure was similar to the SmA phase formed by polar mesogens.