A New Coordination Polymer Containing 4-[（8-Hydroxy-5-quinolinyl）azo]-benzenesulfonic Acid： Synthesis,Structure and Fluorescent Property

A new coordination polymer, {[CdL（en）]＇DMF}n （1, H2L = 4-[（8-hydroxy-5- quinolinyl）azo]-benzenesulfonic acid, en = ethylenediamine, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide）, has been solvothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffrac- tion, infrared （IR） spectra, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffractions （PXRD） and thermo- gravimetric analysis （TGA）. Compound 1 crystallizes in monoclinic, space group P2Jc with a = 14.6525（9）, b = 13.3917（9）, c = 11.8838（8） A, β = 101.2290（10）°, V = 2287.2（3） A3, Z = 4, C20H24CdN6OsS, Mr = 572.91, Dc. = 1.664 mg-mm-3, F（000） = 1160, p = 1.091 mm-1, R = 0.0232 and wR = 0.0587 for 3597 observed reflections （I 〉 2σ（I））. Compound 1 exhibits a one-dimensional （1D） double-chain structure which is further connected through hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions into a three-dimensional （3D） supramolecular network. In addition, it exhibits blue fluorescence at room temperature in the solid state.     

Crystal Structure and Thermal Stability Properties of a New 1D Chain Cu（ll） Coordination Polymer with 2,3-Pyridinedicarboxylic Acid as the Ligand

A new 1D chain copper coordination polymer [CuE（H2L）2（C10HsN2）（HEO）2]n＇3n（H20） with 2,3-pyridinedi carboxylic acid （H2L） and 2,2＇-bipyridine （2,2＇-bipy） as ligands has been synthesized in the mixed ethanol and water solvents. Crystal data for this complex are as follows： monoclinic, space group P2Jc, a = 7.7713（7）, b = 27.478（3）, c = 13.2621（13）/1,, fl = 100.6940（10）, V= 2782.8（5） A3, Dc = 1.722 g/cm3, Z = 4, p = 1.61 mm-1, F（000） = 1472, the final R = 0.0363 and wR = 0.0933. In the crystal structure, the whole molecule consists of two cooper ions, two H2L, one 2,2＂-bipy molecule and six water molecules. Each central copper ion is coordinated with three oxygen atoms from two H2L and one water molecule, two nitrogen atoms from one 2,2＇-bipy molecule and two H2L, giving a distorted tetragonal pyramidal geometry. Thermal stability properties of the complex were investigated.     

Investigation on sound absorption properties of kapok fibers

Sound absorption properties of natural kapok fibers have been investigated. Kapok fibrous assemblies with different bulk density, thickness, fiber length and orientation were manufactured, and their acoustical performances were evaluated by using an impedance tube instrument. Results show that the kapok fiber has excellent acoustical damping performance due to its natural hollow structure, and the sound absorption coefficients of kapok fibrous assemblies are significantly affected by the bulk density, thickness and arrangement of kapok fibers but less dependent on the fiber length. Compared with assemblies of commercial glass wool and degreasing cotton fibers, the kapok fiber assemblies with the same thickness but much smaller bulk density may have the similar sound absorption coefficients. Theoretical modelling of the acoustical damping performance of kapok fibers shows a good agreement with the experimental data. All the results demonstrate that kapok fiber is a promising light and environment-friendly sound absorption material.     

Copper-containing dendromesogens: the influence of the metal on the mesomorphism

The synthesis and liquid crystalline behaviour of the first and second generations of a dendrimeric structure based on poly(propyleneimine)(DAB-dendr(NH₂)_x) are reported. 4-(4-n-Alkoxybenzoyloxy)salicylaldehydes are used as mesogenic moieties attached at the peripheral amino groups of the dendrimers giving rise to dendromesogens with four and eight mesogenic branches. From these dendromesogens, considered as organic ligands, were prepared six metal-containing dendrimers which incorporate two or four copper atoms in their structures. All the dendrimeric ligands and three of the metal-containing dendrimers exhibit liquid crystalline properties which were studied by optical microscopy, DSC, X-ray diffraction and EPR spectroscopy.     

Structure and dynamics of biological liquid crystals

A review of thermodynamic and flow liquid crystal models is presented and applied to a wide range of biological liquid crystals (BLCs), including helicoidal plywoods, biopolymer solutions and in vivo liquid crystals. The key characteristics of liquid crystals (self-assembly, packing, defects, functionalities, processability) are discussed in relation to biological materials and the strong correspondence between different synthetic and biological materials is discussed. Viscoelastic models for nematic and chiral nematics are reviewed and discussed in terms of key parameters that facilitate understanding and quantitative information from experimental measurements. The range and consistency of the predictions demonstrates that the use of mesoscopic liquid crystal models is an efficient tool to develop the science and biomimetic applications of mesogenic biological materials.     

Side chain liquid crystalline composites,occurrence of interdigitated bilayer smectic C phases

We report on the results of X-ray investigations in two series of polymer monomer composites, PM6Rm-33 and PMnR12-33, which consist of mixtures of achiral liquid crystalline side chain polymers and their monomers. These mixtures present a unique integration of monomer in the polymeric base which assists in modifying their properties and forming homogenous composites. X-ray measurements for all the investigated composites indicate the existence of bilayered smectic C phases (SmC₂). In several composites, the interlayer distance of the SmC₂ phase abnormally increases with cooling; this is associated with the aliphatic interdigitation at the tail-to-tail interface being more prominent when longer aliphatic tails are present.     

Synthesis and characterization of side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from chiral bisolefinic crosslinking units

In this work we prepared a nematic monomer (4′‐allyloxybiphenyl 4′‐ethoxybenzoate, M₁ ), a chiral crosslinking agent (isosorbide 4‐allyloxybenzoyl bisate, M₂ ) and a series of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M₁ and M₂ . The chemical structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The effect of the content of the crosslinking unit on phase behaviour of the elastomers is discussed. Polymer P₁ showed a nematic phase, P₂ –P₇ showed a cholesteric phase; P₆ formed a blue Grandjean texture over a broad temperature range 145–209.6°C, with no changed on the cooling. Polymers P₄ –P₇ , with more than 6?mol?% of chiral crosslinking agent, gave rise to selective reflection. Elastomers containing less than 15?mol?% of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, reversible phase transition with wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability. Experimental results demonstrated that, with increasing content of crosslinking agent, the glass transition temperatures first fell and then increased; the isotropization temperatures and mesophase temperature ranges decreased.     

Electro-disclinic effect in tilted smectic phases of banana-shaped liquid crystal materials

We give the first evidence that the director tilt angle can be reduced by electric fields in the tilted smectic phase of banana-shaped molecules. In these phases the value of polarization is determined by the molecular packing and no electro-clinic effect is expected. Our studies show that high electric fields eventually induce a meta-stable phase with zero director tilt. The tilted phase slowly recovers at low fields. We propose that the field-induced quenching of the layer fluctuations is responsible for the observed effects.     

Bent‐core mesogens based on semi‐flexible dicyclohexylmethane spacers

New, bent‐core mesogens are described in which the core of the molecule is a semiflexible, di(4‐aminocyclohexyl)methane spacer. The compounds show nematic, columnar nematic and columnar phases as shown by a combination of X‐ray diffraction and optical microscopy. The potential of these new mesogens as biaxial nematic candidates is considered.