Phase behavior and polymerization of lyotropic phases. II. A series of polymerizable amphiphiles with systematically varied critical packing parameters

Abstract

A group of polymerizable amphiphiles, with their critical packing parameters systematically varied, were studied with respect to the phase behavior and immobilization of their lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase structures. Small-angle X-ray scattering and polarized light microscopy were used to study their liquid-crystalline phases before and after photopolymerization. The liquid crystallinity of the amphiphiles depended on the contents of both oil and water in the ternary systems. Through photopolymerization, hexagonal phases could generally be immobilized, with the structural order reduced to various degrees. However, the cubic phases evolved with polymerization into another structural pattern, which was possibly related to the lamellar structure.

Photopolymerization kinetics in and of self‐assembling lyotropic liquid crystal templates

“…Another approach for generating polymers containing LLC order and ensuring retention of nanostructure involves the direct polymerization of the phase‐forming surfactant systems . In this method, LLC phase‐forming surfactants are typically functionalized with reactive groups that can be polymerized.…”