Effect of the Addition of Mesogenic Thiol Ligand Modified Gold Nanoparticles on the Thermal Stabilization of Blue Phases

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce surface modified gold nanoparticles with mesogenic thiol ligands in liquid crystal, for expansion of the temperature range of blue phases (BPs). We have used polarized optical microscope and UV-vis spectrophotometer to identify the thermal stabilization of BPs. The BPs range of nanoparticles doped liquid crystal is significantly dependent upon the addition amount of gold nanoparticles, and the molar ratios of attached ligands [4′-(10-mercaptodecyloxy)biphenyl-4-carbonitrile and dodecanethiol]. This study could provide a new and facile strategy to stabilize BPs, from the aspect of the surface modification of nanoparticles.

Keywords:

• Blue phases
• expansion of temperature range
• mesogenic thiol ligand
• surface modified gold nanoparticles
• 4′-(10-mercaptodecyloxy)biphenyl-4-carbonitrile