Design of discotic liquid crystal enabling complete switching along with memory of homeotropic and homogeneous alignment over a large area.

ABSTRACT: The alignment control of discotic columnar liquid crystals (LCs), featuring a low motility of the constituent molecules and thus having a large viscosity, is a challenging task. Here we show that triphenylene hexacarboxylic ester, when functionalized with hybrid side chains consisting of alkyl and perfluoroalkyl groups in an appropriate ratio, gives a hexagonal columnar (Col_h) LC capable of selectively forming large-area uniform homeotropic or homogeneous alignments, upon cooling from its isotropic melt or upon application of a shear force at its LC temperature, respectively. In addition to the alignment switching ability, each alignment state remains persistent unless the LC is heated to its melting temperature. In situ X-ray diffraction analysis under the application of

SUBMITTER: Shoji Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9430577 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature