In this review article, we analyze recent progress in the application of liquid crystal-assisted advanced functional materials for sensing biological and chemical analytes. Multiple research groups demonstrate substantial interest in liquid crystal (LC) sensing platforms, generating an increasing number of scientific articles. We review trends in implementing LC sensing techniques and identify common problems related to the stability and reliability of the sensing materials as well as to experimental set-ups. Finally, we suggest possible means of bridging scientific findings to viable and attractive LC sensor platforms.

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Determination of the content of environment polluting chemical agents is of significant importance. The goal of this study was the development of experimental approaches for detection of concentrations of surfaceactive molecules (surfactants) such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and

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The lyomesomorphic behaviour in apolar organic solvents of members of two series 1 and 2 of disc-shaped palladium organyls-the syntheses of four of them are new (Id, f and 2a,e) and are described here-ach carrying twelve long lipophilic chains have been studied, Their lyomesomorphism appeared to be complex and has been observed here for the first time with metal organyls. As can be seen by polarizing microscopy, most' of the binary mixtures investigated here exhibit nematic properties. For two members of series 1-the chloro-bridged l b and its bromo-analogue lc-there is even evidence for the existence of two different nematic lyomesophases side by side showing reversible transitions between them. In ternary systems, i.e. after the addition of 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone (TNF, a strong electron acceptor), the nematic phases are stabilized, suggesting that their mesophase structures are made up by columns with intercalated TNF molecules (charge transfer complex formation). Influences of structural features of the palladomesogens on the one hand and of the type of solvent on the other on the molecular self-aggregation in the observed types of lyotropic mesophase formed are discussed in detail.