Self-Assembly of Aqueous Soft Matter Patterned by Liquid-Crystal Polymer Networks for Controlling the Dynamics of Bacteria

Abstract

The study of controlling the molecular self-assembly of aqueous soft matter is a fundamental scheme across multiple disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science. In this work, we use liquid-crystal polymer networks (LCNs) to control the superstructures of one aqueous soft material called lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs), which shows spontaneous orientational order by stacking the plank-like molecules into elongated aggregates. We synthesize a layer of patterned LCN films by a nematic liquid-crystal host in which the spatially varying molecular orientations are predesigned by plasmonic photopatterning. We demonstrate that the LCLC aggregates are oriented parallel to the polymer filaments of the LCN film. This patterned aqueous soft material shows immediate application for controlling the dynamics of swimming bacteria. The demonstrated control of the supramolecular assembly of aqueous soft matter by using a stimuli-responsive LCN film will find applications in designing dynamic advanced materials for bioengineering applications.

Liquid Crystals: Versatile Self-Organized Smart Soft Materials

“…LC polymer networks have been used to control the superstructure of a chromonic LC (Figure 51). 381 The LC shows spontaneous orientational ordering of its elongated aggregates formed by the stacks of plank shaped molecules. Patterned network films have been developed by a nematic LC host where plasmonic photopatterning has been used to achieve the spatially varying molecular orientations.…”

The importance of structure property relationship for the designing of biomaterials using liquid crystal elastomers

“…[22][23][24] LCs have long been used and/or incorporated into materials to create composites, ensure better processing, [25][26][27][28] introduce LC properties, create chemical sensors, [29][30][31] and biosensors, 32,33 soft actuators, [34][35][36][37][38] light driven motors, 39,40 as responsive building blocks for guiding 2D cell growth, 41,42 promoters of cell orientational order, [43][44][45] or to control the dynamics of bacteria. 46,47…”

Smart Supramolecular Self-Assembled Nanosystem: Stimulus-Responsive Hydrogen-Bonded Liquid Crystals

“…Obviously, supramolecular LC is totally different from traditional covalent-bonded LC molecules, and should be viewed as an LC composite system based on intermolecular non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonds (H-bonds), halogen bonds, van der Waals force, electrostatic interaction, conjugation effect, hydrophobic interaction and so on. To date, supramolecular LC has gradually developed into a mature and widely applied discipline for lots of aspects (e.g., nanowire [25][26][27][28], templates [29], LC physical gel [30] and electro-optic materials [31,32]).…”