Crystallization of Star-Shaped Poly(l-lactide)s with Arm Chains Aligned in the Same Direction in Two-Dimensional Crystals in a Langmuir Monolayer.

Polylactide (PLA) crystallizes to form extended-chain crystals in a Langmuir monolayer because crystallization is accelerated on the water surface. This is a unique situation where chain packing can be analyzed by simply measuring the lamellar thickness. Herein, star-shaped poly(l-lactide)s (PLLAs) with 2-12 arms were synthesized through the polymerization of l-lactide with various polyols as initiators, and their crystallization behavior in a monolayer was studied via atomic force microscopy.

Nontrivial topological defects of micro-rods immersed in nematics and their phototuning.

Combinations of different geometries and surface anchoring conditions give rise to the diversity of topological structures in nematic colloid systems. Tuning these parameters in a single system offers possibilities for observing the evolution of the topological transformation and for manipulating colloids through topological forces. Here we investigate the nontrivial topological properties of micro-rods dispersed in nematic liquid crystals through experimental observation and computer simulation.

Photo-reconfigurable twisting structure in chiral liquid crystals triggered by photoresponsive surface.

Shape-transformable molecular additives with photoresponsivity, such as azobenzene or spiropyran, in matter are known to decrease the local order parameter and lead to drastic state variations under light irradiation. For example, a liquid crystalline state can be transformed to an isotropic liquid state by photo-exciting a tiny amount of azobenzene additives from trans- to cis-conformers. On the other hand, structural or shape transformation without changing the phase state is also intriguing since it offers an opportunity for manipulating specific structures.

Light-Responsive Microstructures in Droplets of the Twist-Bend Nematic Phase.

We report on the structure and optical manipulation of the director configurations in emulsions of liquid-crystalline droplets of a compound exhibiting the nematic (N) and the twist-bend nematic (N) phases. We demonstrate a decrease in the ratio of the bent elastic constant K to the splay constant K by nearly 2 orders of magnitude with decreasing temperature in the N phase. The director structures in liquid-crystal droplets doped with a photoswitchable surfactant without and under ultraviolet (UV) light are discussed in light of the strong elastic anisotropy of the investigated compound.

Photomanipulation of the anchoring strength using a spontaneously adsorbed layer of azo dendrimers.

We systematically studied the photoinduced anchoring transition in a nematic liquid crystal containing azo dendrimers. Because the azo dendrimers in the trans-isomer state were spontaneously adsorbed at substrate surfaces, which was confirmed by optical second-harmonic generation (SHG), a homeotropic orientation was established at the first stage. Ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation triggered a transition into a planar state which was accompanied by a suppression of the SH generation.

Optically driven translational and rotational motions of microrod particles in a nematic liquid crystal.

A small amount of azo-dendrimer molecules dissolved in a liquid crystal enables translational and rotational motions of microrods in a liquid crystal matrix under unpolarized UV light irradiation. This motion is initiated by a light-induced trans-to-cis conformational change of the dendrimer adsorbed at the rod surface and the associated director reorientation. The bending direction of the cis conformers is not random but is selectively chosen due to the curved local director field in the vicinity of the dendrimer-coated surface.

Optical manipulation of the nematic director field around microspheres covered with an azo-dendrimer monolayer.

We report here the optical manipulation of the director and topological defect structures of nematic liquid crystals around a silica microparticle with azobenzene-containing dendrimers (azo-dendrimers) on its surface. We successfully demonstrate the successive switching processes from hedgehog, to boojum, and further to Saturn ring configurations by ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation and termination. The switching time between these defect structures depends on the UV light intensity and attains about 50 ms.

Synthesis, characterization, and polarized luminescence properties of platinum(II) complexes having a rod-like ligand.

We have synthesized a series of platinum (Pt) complexes having a rod-like ligand: 'Pt(F(2)PPy)acac', 'Pt(12F(2)PPy)acac', and 'Pt(12F(2)PPyO4)acac'. The crystal form of Pt(12F(2)PPy)acac was successfully determined to be triclinic by single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. The molecules were parallelly aligned in the unit cell.