Nanoparticle Network embedded polymer films formed using liquid crystal transition templating.*

Our lab recently demonstrated that nanoparticles, well-dispersed in the isotropic liquid crystal (LC) phase, will self-assemble into hollow structures when the LC solvent undergoes cooling through the isotropic-to-nematic (I-N) phase transition. The form and size of the nanoparticle structures can be controlled by varying the nanoparticle concentration and the cooling rate (1). Thus far this process has only been accomplished using 5CB (4’-pentyl-4-Biphenylcarbonitrile) as the LC solvent. In this study we demonstrate that hollow networks of self-assembled nanoparticles can be formed in different nematic LC mixtures, compatible with polymerization. The cooling rate across the I-N phase transition can be used to control the size and density of the network structures. We embed these nanoparticle structures in a thin film by using a polymerizable LC mixture in the formation process and characterize the properties of the film.

Riahinasab, S. T.; Keshavarz, A.; Melton, C. N.; Elbaradei, A.; Warren, G. I.; Selinger, R. L. B.; Stokes, B. J.; Hirst, L. S. Nanoparticle-Based Hollow Microstructures Formed by Two-Stage Nematic Nucleation and Phase Separation. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 894, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08702-3