title: Supramolecular [60]fullerene liquid crystals formed by self-organized two-dimensional crystals.
abstract: Fullerene-based liquid crystalline materials have both the excellent optical and electrical properties of fullerene and the self-organization and external-field-responsive properties of liquid crystals (LCs). Herein, we demonstrate a new family of thermotropic [60]fullerene supramolecular LCs with hierarchical structures. The [60]fullerene dyads undergo self-organization driven by π-π interactions to form triple-layer two-dimensional (2D) fullerene crystals sandwiched between layers of alkyl chains. The lamellar packing of 2D crystals gives rise to the formation of supramolecular LCs. This design strategy should be applicable to other molecules and lead to an enlarged family of 2D crystals and supramolecular liquid crystals.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chih-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Xiangkui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hao-Jan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Erqiang
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yingfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yaowen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiulin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
keywords: X-ray diffraction; fullerenes; liquid crystals; self-assembly; π interactions