Synthesis and self-assembled nanostructures of novel chiral amphiphilic liquid crystals containing -beta-galactopyranoside end-groups

Abstract

A series of novel chiral amphiphilic liquid crystals that contain -d-galactopyranoside end-group and 4-[1,2,3]-triazolephenyl 4-alkoxybenzoate mesogens were synthesised. Their phase transitions and mesomorphic properties were characterised by polarising optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. All compounds obtained exhibit a chiral smectic A phase. In addition, the self-assembling behaviour in the solution of these liquid crystal amphiphiles that exhibited high segregation strength for phase separation was studied by electron microscopy. The morphological transformation of self-assembled chiral amphiphilic liquid crystals, from a platelet-like morphology to helical twists, was obtained by increasing the length of the hydrophobic alkyl tail.