Shape amphiphiles: mixing rods and disks in liquid crystals.
Mixtures of rodlike and disklike liquid crystals suffer from phase separation. However, such mixtures can be homogenized if a molecule is added which comprises a rod- and a disklike fragment linked together covalently. We have termed such a molecule a shape amphiphile and believe that this represents a new class of amphiphilicity.
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Richard W
RW
School of Chemistry, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, U.K.
Bruce
Duncan W
DW