Synthesis and cytotoxicity of novel elastomers based on cholesteric liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

The unique functions of biofilms in living organisms are closely related to liquid crystal properties and behaviour. Thus, more and more attention has been paid to the bionic construction of liquid crystal biomaterials. In this study, six liquid crystal monomers and four liquid crystal polymers based on aliphatic polycarbonates with side chain cholesteryl groups are synthesized by chlorination reaction and hydrosilylation reaction, respectively. The results show that all liquid crystals exhibit a cholesteric liquid crystal, and the flexible polymer main chain and the long flexible spacer contribute to a lower glass transition temperature. The monomer liquid crystals exhibit small plate, focal conic, and oily textures, whereas the polymer liquid crystals have focal conic, oily, and oily droplet textures observed by POM. It is necessary for biomaterials that liquid crystal phase emerges at normal human body temperature (around 37°C), and the synthesized polymers possess the above properties. Both the elastic modulus and the viscous modulus decrease with increasing the side chain soft segment at the same frequency. Cytotoxicity test showed that the monomeric liquid crystals are toxic to cells, but the polymer liquid crystals have better cell compatibility, offering promising perspectives for further application to biomaterials.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Cholesteric liquid crystal
• elastomeric polymer
• hydrosilylation
• viscoelastic behaviour
• cytotoxicity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [31571030,31872758].