Sorption properties of functionalized liquid crystalline networks.

Functionalized polydomain chiral elastomers were obtained by cross-linking side-chain liquid crystalline polysiloxanes bearing acid functions. Sorption experiments were performed by the use of an electronic microbalance, in the presence of one enantiomer of a chiral amine molecule, able to interact with the acid groups. The results showed that Fick's diffusion law is not valid anymore as soon as an interaction between the material and the molecule is present.

Enantioselective absorption of chirally doped liquid crystalline networks studied by the use of an electronic microbalance.

A polydomain cholesteric elastomer was obtained by cross-linking a nematic side-chain polysiloxane in the presence of a chiral dopant. After extraction of the chiral dopant, sorption experiments were performed, by the use of an electronic microbalance, in the presence of each enantiomer of a chiral amine molecule. The sorption kinetics corresponds to a Fickian diffusion behavior.

Benefit of liquid crystal moieties in the MIP technique.

Several liquid crystalline imprinted materials have been synthesized from polysiloxanes or polyacrylates bearing mesogenic side-chains and low contents of cross-linkers. They were imprinted by various achiral or chiral templates, then tested for molecular recognition or assessed as specific catalysts. All mesogenic imprinted networks exhibit a much higher affinity towards the template than non-imprinted networks.

Study of hydrogen bonding in liquid crystalline solvent by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

A hydrogen-bonded complex between an aromatic acid and an enantiopure chiral amine has been dissolved in a nematic solvent, giving rise to a cholesteric medium. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) experiments have been performed at various temperatures on both sides of the cholesteric-isotropic transition. Liquid crystalline order provides significant enhancement to the strength of interaction, inducing a discontinuous jump in concentration of the complex at the cholesteric-isotropic transition.