Magnetic alignment of self-assembled anthracene organogel fibers.
High magnetic fields are shown to be remarkably effective to orient self-assembled 2,3-bis-n-decyloxyanthracene (DDOA) fibers during organogel preparation. Magnetic orientation of DDOA results in a highly organized material displaying a fiber-orientation order parameter of 0.85, a large linear birefringence, and fluorescence dichroism. The aligned organogel is stable after removal of the magnetic field at room temperature and consists of fibers oriented perpendicular to the magnetic field direction, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. Models for the molecular organization within the gel fibers are discussed upon quantitative analysis of the birefringence. Prospectively, magnetic alignment can be used to improve specific properties of organogel materials.
Shklyarevskiy
Igor O
IO
High Field Magnet Laboratory HFML, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 7, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Jonkheijm
Pascal
P
Christianen
Peter C M
PC
Schenning
Albertus P H J
AP
Del Guerzo
André
A
Desvergne
Jean-Pierre
JP
Meijer
E W
EW
Maan
J C
JC