Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation
The macroscopic properties of novel liquid crystal (LC) systems—LCs with unconventional molecular structure as well as conventional LCs in unconventional geometries—directly descend from their mesoscopic structural organization. While X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an obvious choice to investigate their...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1679 |
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| author | Francesco Vita Fabrizio Corrado Adamo Michela Pisani Oriano Francescangeli |
| author_facet | Francesco Vita Fabrizio Corrado Adamo Michela Pisani Oriano Francescangeli |
| author_sort | Francesco Vita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The macroscopic properties of novel liquid crystal (LC) systems—LCs with unconventional molecular structure as well as conventional LCs in unconventional geometries—directly descend from their mesoscopic structural organization. While X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an obvious choice to investigate their nanoscale structure, conventional diffractometry is often hampered by experimental difficulties: the low scattering power and short-range positional order of the materials, resulting in weak and diffuse diffraction features; the need to perform measurements in challenging conditions, e.g., under magnetic and/or electric fields, on thin films, or at high temperatures; and the necessity to probe micron-sized volumes to tell the local structural properties from their macroscopic average. Synchrotron XRD allows these problems to be circumvented thanks to the superior diffraction capabilities (brilliance, <i>q</i>-range, energy and space resolution) and advanced sample environment available at synchrotron beamlines. Here, we highlight the potentiality of synchrotron XRD in the field of LCs by reviewing a selection of experiments on three unconventional LC systems: the potentially biaxial and polar nematic phase of bent-core mesogens; the very high-temperature nematic phase of all-aromatic LCs; and polymer-dispersed liquid crystals. In all these cases, synchrotron XRD unveils subtle nanostructural features that are reflected into macroscopic properties of great interest from both fundamental and technological points of view. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:47:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-83ce1ce9d9ec45a097edd91548b5920a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:47:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-83ce1ce9d9ec45a097edd91548b5920a2023-11-20T11:29:48ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-08-01109167910.3390/nano10091679Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron RadiationFrancesco Vita0Fabrizio Corrado Adamo1Michela Pisani2Oriano Francescangeli3Dipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell’Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell’Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell’Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell’Ambiente ed Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, ItalyThe macroscopic properties of novel liquid crystal (LC) systems—LCs with unconventional molecular structure as well as conventional LCs in unconventional geometries—directly descend from their mesoscopic structural organization. While X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an obvious choice to investigate their nanoscale structure, conventional diffractometry is often hampered by experimental difficulties: the low scattering power and short-range positional order of the materials, resulting in weak and diffuse diffraction features; the need to perform measurements in challenging conditions, e.g., under magnetic and/or electric fields, on thin films, or at high temperatures; and the necessity to probe micron-sized volumes to tell the local structural properties from their macroscopic average. Synchrotron XRD allows these problems to be circumvented thanks to the superior diffraction capabilities (brilliance, <i>q</i>-range, energy and space resolution) and advanced sample environment available at synchrotron beamlines. Here, we highlight the potentiality of synchrotron XRD in the field of LCs by reviewing a selection of experiments on three unconventional LC systems: the potentially biaxial and polar nematic phase of bent-core mesogens; the very high-temperature nematic phase of all-aromatic LCs; and polymer-dispersed liquid crystals. In all these cases, synchrotron XRD unveils subtle nanostructural features that are reflected into macroscopic properties of great interest from both fundamental and technological points of view.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1679synchrotron X-ray diffractionsoft matterliquid crystalsbent-core mesogenscybotactic nematicall-aromatic liquid crystals |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Vita Fabrizio Corrado Adamo Michela Pisani Oriano Francescangeli Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation Nanomaterials synchrotron X-ray diffraction soft matter liquid crystals bent-core mesogens cybotactic nematic all-aromatic liquid crystals |
| title | Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation |
| title_full | Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation |
| title_fullStr | Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation |
| title_short | Nanostructure of Unconventional Liquid Crystals Investigated by Synchrotron Radiation |
| title_sort | nanostructure of unconventional liquid crystals investigated by synchrotron radiation |
| topic | synchrotron X-ray diffraction soft matter liquid crystals bent-core mesogens cybotactic nematic all-aromatic liquid crystals |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1679 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescovita nanostructureofunconventionalliquidcrystalsinvestigatedbysynchrotronradiation AT fabriziocorradoadamo nanostructureofunconventionalliquidcrystalsinvestigatedbysynchrotronradiation AT michelapisani nanostructureofunconventionalliquidcrystalsinvestigatedbysynchrotronradiation AT orianofrancescangeli nanostructureofunconventionalliquidcrystalsinvestigatedbysynchrotronradiation |