title: Applications of biomaterials to liquid crystals.
abstract: Nowadays, chemically synthesized proteins and peptides are attractive building blocks and have potential in many important applications as biomaterials. In this review, applications of biomaterials to thermotropic liquid crystals are discussed. The review covers the improvement of the performance of liquid crystal displays using liquid crystal physical gels consisting of a liquid crystal and amino acid-based gelators, and also new functionalization of liquid crystals. Moreover, the influence of DNA, which is one of the more attractive biomaterials, dispersed in thermotropic liquid crystals and its potential use in the liquid crystal industry is described. In addition, we found interesting results during electrooptical measurements of liquid crystals doped with DNA, and explain them from the point of view of biological applications. These recent approaches suggest that these biomaterials may be applicable in the electronic device industry and should be considered as an interesting material with their physical properties having the potential to create or refine an industrial product.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan. iwabata@rs.noda.tus.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwabata
authors.forename: Urara
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furue
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001709:Biotechnology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004581:Electronics; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010455:Peptides; D004247:DNA