U.S.-Slovenia Materials Research on Orientational Phenomena in Homeotropic Liquid Crystal Films

INT 9815313 Crawford美国-斯洛文尼亚布朗大学的格雷戈里·克劳福德和卢布尔雅那大学的斯洛博丹·祖默的研究项目研究了微孔和薄膜中的垂直排列液晶。 肯特州立大学的丹尼尔·菲诺泰洛也将做出贡献。 他们的目标是：1）探索液晶取向表面自组装层背后的基本物理化学性质; 2）研究人员打算通过使用磁共振技术探测取向层来研究具有垂面边界条件的配置的表面诱导有序性和液晶。 这将允许直接调查的取向层在两个取向和各向同性相的顺序。 他们的方法将是选择性地氘化在取向层中有用的分子，并将它们附着在多孔膜的壁上，该多孔膜具有用于磁共振实验的适当的表面积与体积比。 将采用额外的微量热法和光学技术。 结果应提高我们的基本理解，在这些系统中的顺序，并可能适用于在新的平板液晶显示器件。这个项目在固态化学实现了计划的目标，使美国和中欧的专家，以促进科学知识的联合收割机互补人才和共享研究资源领域的强烈的共同利益和能力。

INT 9815313CrawfordThis U.S.-Slovene research project between Gregory Crawford of Brown University and Slobodan Zumer of the University of Ljubljana examines homeotropically-aligned liquid crystals in micropores and thin films. Daniele Finotello of Kent State University will also contribute. Their objectives are to 1) explore the fundamental physical chemical properties behind self assembled layers on surfaces for liquid crystal alignment and 2) establish ways in which the aligning layers can be modified and manipulated to influence the liquid crystal alignment directions.The researchers intend to investigate the surface induced ordering for configurations with homeotropic boundary conditions by using magnetic resonance techniques to probe alignment layers and the liquid crystal. This will permit direct investigation of the ordering of the alignment layer in both nematic and isotropic phase. Their approach will be to selectively deuterate molecules useful in alignment layers and attach them to the walls of porous membranes possessing the appropriate surface-to-volume ratio for magnetic resonance experiments. Additional microcalorimetry and optical techniques will be employed. Results should improve our fundamental understanding of ordering in these systems and may be applicable in novel flat liquid crystal display devices.This project in solid state chemistry fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Central Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence.