Ordered structure formation in polymer-brush-decorated-particle/liquid-crystal mixed system

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02033
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 35020:Polymer materials-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: OHNO Kohji 京都大学, 化学研究所, 准教授 (00335217)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 微粒子 / ポリマーブラシ / 液晶 / コロイド / 表面・界面

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate the dispersibility and arrangement behavior of polymer-brush-decorated hybrid particles in liquid crystals, and to develop a novel colloid/liquid-crystal dispersion system that is attracting attention both academically and practically. We here have developed a technology that can control the orientation behavior of liquid crystals to a surface by the type of polymer brush grafted on fine particles. It should be noted that we could found disclination structures such as hexadecapolar and baseball types, which are rarely reported. In addition, we succeeded in expanding this technique into rod-shaped particles and found the orientation behavior of liquid crystal peculiar to anisotropic fine particles. Furthermore, we clarified that the arrangement state of fine particles in the liquid crystal can be controlled by appropriately selecting polymer brush grated on the surfaces.

Free Research Field

高分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

液晶中でのコロイド粒子の配列制御に関する研究は、微粒子の表面構造・化学組成の重要性が認識されているにも関わらず、それらを化学的により積極的に制御されてこなかった。本研究では、独自のポリマーブラシ付与微粒子の合成技術を活かし、様々な構造パラメータを有する微粒子を設計しそれらに対する液晶の配向挙動を系統的に評価することで、液晶の配向挙動を制御できる技術を開発できたことは意義深い。液晶の応用はディスプレイのみにとどまらないことを考慮すれば、本研究の知見が多方面で活用されると期待できる。