Nanoscale Structure of Langmuir–Blodgett Film of Bent-Core Molecules

Nanoscale Structure of Langmuir–Blodgett Film of Bent-Core Molecules

Bent-core mesogens (BCMs) are a class of thermotropic liquid crystals featuring several unconventional properties. However, the interpretation and technological exploitation of their unique behavior have been hampered by the difficulty of controlling their anchoring at surfaces. To tackle this issue...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 12; no. 13; p. 2285
Main Authors: Adamo, Fabrizio Corrado, Ciuchi, Federica, De Santo, Maria Penelope, Astolfi, Paola, Warner, Isabelle, Scharrer, Eric, Pisani, Michela, Vita, Francesco, Francescangeli, Oriano
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 02-07-2022
MDPI
Subjects:
Atomic force microscopy
bent-core mesogens
Bilayers
Brewster angle
Crystals
Experiments
Langmuir-Blodgett films
Liquid crystals
Microscopy
Motion picture directors & producers
Silicon
Silicon substrates
Structural analysis
Thin films
X-ray reflectivity
France
United States > US
Santa Barbara California
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Summary:Bent-core mesogens (BCMs) are a class of thermotropic liquid crystals featuring several unconventional properties. However, the interpretation and technological exploitation of their unique behavior have been hampered by the difficulty of controlling their anchoring at surfaces. To tackle this issue, we report the nanoscale structural characterization of BCM films prepared using the Langmuir–Blodgett technique. Even though BCMs are quite different from typical amphiphilic molecules, we demonstrate that stable molecular films form over water, which can then be transferred onto silicon substrates. The combination of Brewster angle microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray reflectivity measurements shows that the molecules, once transferred onto a solid substrate, form a bilayer structure with a bottom layer of flat molecules and an upper layer of upright molecules. These results suggest that Langmuir–Blodgett films of BCMs can provide a useful means to control the alignment of this class of liquid crystals.
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ISSN:2079-4991
2079-4991
DOI:10.3390/nano12132285