Issue 24, 2017

Transition from nematic to gyroid-type cubic soft self-assembly by side-chain engineering of π-conjugated sticky rods

Abstract

A sequence of liquid crystalline phases, involving cybotactic nematics, a lamellar phase, bicontinuous cubics and triangular honeycombs, was observed for oligo(phenylene ethynylene) based X-shaped bolapolyphiles with two long lateral alkyl chains and sticky ends provided by glycerol groups. In the cubic phase with Ia[3 with combining macron]d lattice – which is tailored by alkyl chain engineering – the aromatic cores are organized on the gyroid minimal surface in 3D curved layers of almost parallel aligned π-conjugated rods. It is shown that this type of cubic phase is a general mode of soft self-assembly of X-shaped bolapolyphiles at the cross-over from the (long or short range) lamellar to the triangular honeycomb-like organization. Cubic phase formation is found only in a narrow range with respect to temperature and chain-length for the non-fluorinated compounds and in much wider ranges for related core-fluorinated molecules.

Graphical abstract: Transition from nematic to gyroid-type cubic soft self-assembly by side-chain engineering of π-conjugated sticky rods

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Apr 2017
Accepted
25 May 2017
First published
25 May 2017

Soft Matter, 2017,13, 4381-4392

Transition from nematic to gyroid-type cubic soft self-assembly by side-chain engineering of π-conjugated sticky rods

M. Poppe, C. Chen, H. Ebert, S. Poppe, M. Prehm, C. Kerzig, F. Liu and C. Tschierske, Soft Matter, 2017, 13, 4381 DOI: 10.1039/C7SM00793K

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