Shape-Assisted Self-Organization in Highly Disordered Liquid Crystal Phases.
In achiral rod-like molecules, a nematic phase is the most disordered liquid crystal phase, which only has one-directional order in the direction of the molecular long axis. A dumbbell-shaped molecule (compound 3: R-C6H10-CH=CH-C6H4-CH=CH-C6H10-R, (R=nC5H11)), and its liquid crystal phase (X phase) are reported, which exhibit high scattering without thermal fluctuation between two nematic phases under a polarized light optical microscope. The X phase was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulation. A layered structure was ascertained for which a molecular self-organization mechanism was postulated in which the super-structure is based on lateral intermolecular interlocking. A second nematic phase above the X phase consisted of "rice grain"-shaped particles.
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
Keiki
K
Kishikawa
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
Yusuke
Y
Yamamoto
Department of Physics, School of Science, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.
Go
G
Watanabe
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
Ayaka
A
Kawamura
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
Michinari
M
Kohri
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
Tatsuo
T
Taniguchi
interlocking; liquid crystals; mesophases; molecular shape; nematic phase