Nanoparticles in the supramolecular order of discotic liquid crystals

Abstract

This article primarily summarises our work, presented at the 24th International Liquid Crystals Conference in Mainz, on the dispersion of various functionalised nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles, cadmium selenide quantum dots, single-wall carbon nanotubes and gold nanorods in the supramolecular order of columnar mesophases of discotic liquid crystals (DLCs). Dispersion of such nanomaterials in small concentration has negligible effect on the mesomorphic properties of the DLCs but improves the physical properties like conductivity of the system significantly. Nanoparticles embedded discotic nanoribbons can be prepared via simple solution processing. Such nanocomposites may emerge as advanced semiconducting materials for many device applications.

Keywords:

• discotic liquid crystals
• gold nanoparticles
• quantum dots
• carbon nanotubes
• gold nanorods
• columnar mesophases
• nanocomposites

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my colleagues whose works have been summarised in this article. I also thank the Science Foundation of Ireland for the award of Walton Visiting Professor Grant No. 11/W.1/1957. Partial fund from this grant was used to attend the ILCC 2012 at Mainz.