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Hydrogen-Bonded Liquid Crystal Nanocomposites

Hydrogen-Bonded Liquid Crystal Nanocomposites

Mahdi Roohnikan, Violeta Toader, Alejandro Rey, Linda Reven

Langmuir. 2016 Aug 23;32(33):8442-50.

PMID: 27466705

Abstract:

Nanoparticle-liquid crystal (NP-LC) composites based on hydrogen bonding were explored using a model system. The ligand shells of 3 nm diameter zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) were varied to control their interaction with 4-n-hexylbenzoic acid (6BA). The miscibility and effect of the NPs on the nematic order as a function of particle concentration was characterized by polarized optical microscopy (POM), fluorescence microscopy and (2)H NMR spectroscopy. Nonfunctionalized ZrO2 NPs have the lowest miscibility and strongest effect on the LC matrix due to irreversible binding of 6BA to the NPs via a strong zirconium carboxylate bond. The ZrO2 NPs were functionalized with 6-phosphonohexanoic acid (6PHA) or 4-(6-phosphonohexyloxy)benzoic acid (6BPHA) which selectively bind to the ZrO2 NP surface via the phosphonic acid groups. The miscibility was increased by controlling the concentration of the pendant CO2H groups by adding hexylphosphonic acid (HPA) to act as a spacer group. Fluorescence microscopy of lanthanide doped ZrO2 NPs showed no aggregates in the nematic phase below the NP concentration where aggregates are observed in the isotropic phase. The functionalized NPs preferably concentrate into LC defects and any remaining isotropic liquid but are still present throughout the nematic liquid at a lower concentration.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
AP4721248	Hexylphosphonic acid		4721-24-8	Price
AP5662759	6-Phosphonohexanoic acid		5662-75-9	Price

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