Efficient light-induced phase transitions in halogen-bonded liquid crystals

Francisco Fernandez-Palacio, Mikko Poutanen, Marco Saccone, Antti Siiskonen, Giancarlo Terraneo, Giuseppe Resnati, Olli Ikkala, Pierangelo Metrangolo, Arri Priimagi

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo su rivistaArticolo in rivistapeer review

Abstract

Here, we present a new family of light-responsive, fluorinated supramolecular liquid crystals (LCs) showing efficient and reversible light-induced LC-to-isotropic phase transitions. Our materials design is based on fluorinated azobenzenes, where the fluorination serves to strengthen the noncovalent interaction with bond-accepting stilbazole molecules, and increase the lifetime of the cis-form of the azobenzene units. The halogen-bonded LCs were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, hot-stage polarized optical microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Simultaneous analysis of light-induced changes in birefringence, absorption, and optical scattering allowed us to estimate that <4% of the mesogenic units in the cis-form suffices to trigger the full LC-to-isotropic phase transition. We also report a light-induced and reversible crystal-to-isotropic phase transition, which has not been previously observed in supramolecular complexes. In addition to fundamental understanding of light-responsive supramolecular complexes, we foresee this study to be important in the development of bistable photonic devices and supramolecular actuators.

Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)8314-8321
Numero di pagine8
RivistaChemistry of Materials
Volume28
Numero di pubblicazione22
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 22 nov 2016
Pubblicato esternamente

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