Issue 48, 2022

Azobenzene-decorated cellulose nanocrystals as photo-switchable chiral solutes in nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

In this work, we validate that cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), surface-functionalized with pro-mesogenic azobenzene pendants, can act as photoswitchable chiral solutes in a nematic liquid crystal (N-LC). Upon UV illumination, the helical pitch and thus the helical twisting power (βw) can be altered based on the transcis photoisomerization of the azobenzene pendants. This approach shows that CNCs—biorenewable chiral additives with a commensurate, rod-like shape to N-LC molecules—can be adapted just like common small molecule organic chiral solutes in LC phases based on simple surface modifications.

Graphical abstract: Azobenzene-decorated cellulose nanocrystals as photo-switchable chiral solutes in nematic liquid crystals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Oct 2022
Accepted
16 Nov 2022
First published
17 Nov 2022

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022,10, 18120-18126

Author version available

Azobenzene-decorated cellulose nanocrystals as photo-switchable chiral solutes in nematic liquid crystals

B. Sezgin and T. Hegmann, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022, 10, 18120 DOI: 10.1039/D2TC04444G

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