Liquid Crystalline Assembly of Coil-Rod-Coil Molecules with Lateral Methyl Groups into 3-D Hexagonal and Tetragonal Assemblies

Abstract

In this paper, we report the synthesis and self-assembly behavior of coil-rod-coil molecules, consisting of three biphenyls linked through a vinylene unit as a conjugated rod segment and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 7, 12 and 17, incorporating lateral methyl groups between the rod and coil segments as the coil segment. Self-organized investigation of these molecules by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal polarized optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the lateral methyl groups attached to the surface of rod and coil segments, dramatically influence the self-assembling behavior in the liquid-crystalline mesophase. Molecule 1 with a relatively short PEO coil length (DP = 7) self-assembles into rectangular and oblique 2-dimensional columnar assemblies, whereas molecules 2 and 3 with DP of 12 and 17 respectively, spontaneously self-organize into unusual 3-dimensional hexagonal close-packed or body-centered tetragonal assemblies.

Structural, mesomorphic, photoluminescence and thermoelectric studies of mononuclear and polymeric complexes of copper(ii) with 2-hexyldecanoato and 4,4′-bipyridine ligands

“…4e), that persisted on further cooling to 30 1C. When a new sample was heated to 190 1C (above its isotropization temperature), the dendritic textures reappeared on cooling at almost the same temperature as before, followed by nematic globules (Col N ) [32][33][34] at 160 1C (Fig. 4f).…”

“…On heating, there was a strong endothermic peak at ) and two weak endothermic peaks at 131.7 1C and 151.7 1C, and on cooling, three corresponding exothermic peaks with similar enthalpies. Viewed under a POM, the sample started to clear at 184 1C, and on cooling from this temperature, dendritic optical textures of a Col H mesophase [32][33][34] were observed at 180.6 1C (Fig. 4d).…”

Theoretical simulations of nanostructures self-assembled from copolymer systems

“…Many ordered nanostructures are formed when the middle or end blocks of the ABA block copolymer become rod-like blocks. [82][83][84] Using the self-consistent field lattice techniques in a three-dimensional space, An et al investigated the selfassembly of these block copolymer systems. 85,86 Fig.…”